The first rule of Süda is that there are no rules, says co-owner Michael Pitt.
Located in the building that used to house the Mexican restaurant Rock of the Sea, Süda has hit Santa Cruz with a bit of everything, including a full bar. The menu jumps all over the place, but the consistent thread is an emphasis on freshness, uniqueness and healthy foods, with some guilty pleasures in the mix. We talked with co-owner Michael Pitt about his new restaurant, and what from his bar he would drink on the last night on Earth.
SCW: The building is barely recognizable from when it was Rock of the Sea. What did you do to it?
MICHAEL PITT: We did everything you could do on the inside: new floor, new walls, new lighting, all new seating, new bar, added windows, all new appliances/equipment, new plumbing, new electrical. It’s basically a brand new building on the inside, both structurally and aesthetically. The only thing we didn’t do was the exterior façade since we are part of a complex and are required to remain consistent with the rest of it.
California Cuisine seems to be the best description for your food, but what exactly is it? Are there any hard and fast rules?
Ultimately, we did not want to be limited as to what we could serve, so we kept ourselves “ethnically ambiguous.” Even the name Süda is tough for people to nail down. This keeps the genre expectations down, and us free to create whatever it is we like, and feel fits the menu and suits our clientele. So California cuisine it is—a bit of everything.
Do you consider yourself part of the farm-to-table movement?
Absolutely. Our goal is to offer a fresh and healthy alternative, as well as maintain a lively, social atmosphere. We use organic products and source locally whenever possible. We also have our Süda Farm that is a partnership with Ace Organics in Corralitos. We choose the seed mix and they farm it for us. It works great for us!
It’s your last night on Earth. You can only have one drink from your menu. What is it?
If I only get one, it'll have to be strong. The Manhattan would be my choice. It's a surreal twist on the classic Manhattan, but using Absinthe and fire for flavor and aroma.
Süda is at 3910 Portola Dr., Santa Cruz.
