Yes, they’re baaack—the cool, creamy, handmade designer ice creams offered at the easy-access little ice cream window at Kelly’s French Bakery on the Westside. Many diehards are already in line for their rightful pound of awesome caramel almond, the flavor that stopped countless diets in their tracks. (How many metaphors were mixed in that last sentence?) Also, believe it or not, the popular Santa Cruz baking institution will celebrate its 30th anniversary on May 14. Hard to believe. Make this special day an excuse to sample Kelly’s new line of milkshakes and malts and see if you’re a lucky winner of prizes announced throughout the day. Stay tuned for extreme details.
ARTFUL VINO Felton’s atmospheric Oak Tree Ristorante will host its first art and wine festival, called Arte Vino, on April 16-17 from noon to 6pm. This can only be a very win/win situation, what with the restaurant’s full Italian menu enhanced by BBQ chicken, pancetta-wrapped hot dogs, corn on the cob and other festival foods. And then there’s the top quality winetasting of vintages from Thomas Fogarty, Hallcrest, Ridge and other Santa Cruz Mountain wineries. Live music will fill the handsome front courtyard while art lovers browse a visual plateful of works by local artists. The ristorante’s manager and event co-organizer Raffaele Cristallo promises “something for everyone” at this interactive weekend. And the whole delicious thing is free. Oak Tree Ristorante is located at 5447 Hwy 9 in Felton, across from the entrance to Henry Cowell Park.
DIG IN Imagine a one-night stand that offers innovative dining in a wildly improbable and vibrant setting. That’s the new pop-up restaurant sponsored by Lightfoot which materializes each Saturday evening at the highly botanical setting of DIG Gardens at the corner of May and Water streets. The interior of DIG is absolutely fab, with two enormous adjoining indoor spaces loaded with beautifully designed plantscapes and a large back patio, where grills and stoves will be fired up on Saturdays by chef Kevin Koebel of Local FATT. Of course reservations are necessary. And at these prices—$30 for a five-course organic meal plus dessert—this is an affordable DIG. For info visit http://www.lightfootind.com.
HOT PLATE The sensuous salmon tartare at Soif arrives beautifully packaged for ultimate mouthfeel, thanks to avocado reduction, shallot vinaigrette, crisp garlicky baguette toasts and infant radish sprouts. Pair this with something in the key of rosé and remember what it was like before the well, you-know-what. Soif entertains discerning grazers at 105 Walnut Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz.
Send tips about food, wine and new dining discoveries to Christina Waters at xtina@cruzio.com. Read her blog at http://christinawaters.com.
