SANTA CRUZ
New Dream Inn chef expands menu
Since becoming Jack O’Neill Restaurant and Lounge’s Executive Chef, Gus Trejo has been busy adding his own flair to the restaurant’s menus by sourcing ingredients from farms, artisans, working ranches, and other vendors that are new to the restaurant. These include Savor the Local (a recent sunchoke-fennel bisque featured produce from Savor the Local sourced from private farms), Mariquita Farms, and Big Sur Salts. “We use the Pico Blanco sea salt in everything, season our poultry and beef with the garlic and mustard blossom blend, and use the Morada blend for seafood,” Trejo said. Currently, meals are served on Jack’s Patio which features distanced picnic tables and heat lamps. Trejo is overseeing all of the Dream Inn’s culinary operations. His 20-plus years of experience includes eight years as executive sous chef at Carmel Valley Ranch and serving as sous chef alongside James Beard award-winning chef George Gomes Jr. in Hawaii. Most recently, he was executive chef at Esteban Restaurant in Monterey. Jack O’Neill Restaurant and Lounge is at 175 West Cliff Drive, 831-460-5013, jackoneillrestaurant.com.
SANTA CRUZ
Midtown raffle includes restaurant gift cards
Several Midtown businesses, including Home/Work, Maggie’s Place, The Nook, and Childish, are putting together a Midtown Spring it Forward raffle to help local businesses survive these challenging times. Each business is purchasing a $50 gift card to a local restaurant or personal service business. The gift cards will be raffle prizes. The money collected from raffle ticket sales will go back to the businesses whose gift cards are included. The raffle runs from March 5 through April 2, with the winners drawn April 3. Purchase tickets starting Friday at any participating shop. Tickets are $5 or three for $12. More details will be announced; follow Home/Work on IG @shophomework to stay in the loop. Also, the site shophomework.com/midtown-spring-it-forward-raffle will soon have information on gift card prizes and where to buy tickets.
APTOS
Mr. Z’s second location now open
Mr. Z’s Crepes and Teas (7518 Soquel Drive, 831-661-5167, mrzsteas.com) opened its doors Thursday to serve customers. They are located next door to Aptos Natural Foods. Hours during its soft opening stage are noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Rocky Patel and his wife Ru opened the original Watsonville Hangar location in September 2019 (45 Aviation Way, 831-228-1588) and serves crepes, acai bowls, boba tea, smoothies, bubble waffles, and more. The Aptos location has the same menu.
SANTA CRUZ
Popup market, food trucks on deck Sunday
This Sunday is the next installment of the Westside Marketplace from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Old Wrigley Building Parking Lot (2801 Mission St.). A collaboration between Food Trucks A Go Go and the Santa Cruz Mountains Makers Market, the event has free admission. There will be four food trucks (Mattia Pizza, Saucey’z, Drunk Monkeys, and Aunt LaLi’s ice cream) and 30-plus Santa Cruz County-based vendors including Big Paw Olive Oil. All vendors and attendees are required to wear face masks. Westside Marketplace will be held the first Sunday of each month for the foreseeable future. Visit facebook.com/events/811319472782904 for details.
SANTA CRUZ
Gabriella Cafe adds heaters and tents
Gabriella Café (910 Cedar St., 831-457-1677, gabriellacafe.com) recently enhanced its outdoor dining. There are now heaters and tents for patrons to enjoy the outdoor tables alongside Cedar Street. The side patio near the restaurant’s main entrance also remains open. Chef Gema Cruz’s newest and most popular selections include fresh, local Dungeness crab cakes. A recent favorite dessert from pastry chef Krista Pollack was Apple Tarte Tatin. Also, Gabriella Café’s organic farm sources now include Tucker’s Cluckers for fresh eggs.
APTOS
Pino Alto restaurant rotates menus
The Cabrillo College Culinary Arts Department’s Pino Alto (Sesnon House, 6500 Soquel Drive, 831-479-6524, pinoalto.square.site), launched a new takeout menu Monday that will be available for three weeks. The Asian theme includes Pho, Pot Sticker Buns with Pork Belly, and Thai Seafood Curry. Lunch is available Monday through Thursday, dinner Wednesday through Friday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday and 3:30-7 p.m. Friday.
SANTA CRUZ
Upcoming pop-up farmers market vendors
El Pájaro CDC Commercial Kitchen Incubator Program hosts weekly booths at the Westside and Live Oak farmers markets. Upcoming vendor appearances are El Pajaro CDC strawberry jam at Westside Saturday, Cuevas Express Foods at Live Oak Sunday, and Especialidades Lopez Aguilar (Acámbaro-style bread) at Westside March 13 and at Live Oak March 14. Visit santacruzfarmersmarket.org.
BOULDER CREEK
Winemaker promotion at Big Basin
Blake Yarger recently became the official Winemaker at Big Basin Vineyards. He has been sharing the role with winery owner/founder Bradley Brown for the past year. “Promoting Blake to Winemaker was a no-brainer for me. When we hired Blake as Assistant Winemaker in 2017, he already had almost 10 years of experience (at McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma),” Bradley said. “I have come to trust and value his knowledge.” The tasting room at 830 Memory Lane is open to outdoor visitors from noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; reservations are recommended. Visit bigbasinvineyards.com.
SANTA CRUZ
Downtown farmers market continues CalFresh double match
At the weekly Wednesday downtown farmers market (Cedar and Lincoln streets), the Market Match Program is available to customers with CalFresh (EBT/SNAP) cards. Right now, a Market Match Double Up Special is continuing thanks to the City of Santa Cruz. People get two tokens for every EBT token for the first $10 of EBT (so $10 of EBT becomes $30; matching tokens are valid for fresh fruits and vegetables only). This program continues only while funding lasts, likely into mid-M arch. Locate the information booth and a market manager will process your EBT card and give you tokens which have a value of $1. Winter hours at the downtown market are 1-5 p.m. and the info booth (where EBT service is offered) is open 12:30-1 p.m. for seniors only and 1-4:30 p.m. for all. Note that the downtown market and the other markets currently in season (Westside and Live Oak, not Felton or Scotts Valley) require people to wear masks and follow distancing guidelines at all times. Read more at santacruzfarmersmarket.org.
Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food and drink news. Send items to sentinelfood@gmail.com (Sunday 7 p.m. deadline for that week’s column). Want local food & drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on Twitter (@santacruzfood); on Instagram (@santacruzfood); or on Facebook (Santa Cruz Food).
