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Word of Mouth

Photo by Hillary Schalit

Head Egghead: Bob Montague has big food and wine list plans for his newly hatched Ostrich Grill.

Heads Above the Rest:
Owner/chef Bob Montague's Cafe Sparrow spawns a big bird sibling--the bold new Ostrich Grill--to open in Capitola just in time to greet the New Year

By Christina Waters

Even through the walls were still being given an iridescent pearly texture and the central wood-burning broiler was still wrapped in protective plastic, it was easy to see the huge transformation the old Seafood Mama was undergoing last week. In its place, by the beginning of the new year, will be the handsome Ostrich Grill, the latest brainchild from Cafe Sparrow entrepreneurs Julie and Bob Montague.

If you're expecting a Cafe Sparrow clone--something small and intimate and continental in feel--you'll be surprised. Big, huge, grill food with gusto fills the preview menu for this latest effort to fill Santa Cruz County with wood-fired cuisine.

"The bar will be right here as you walk in," Montague says, pointing to the former oyster bar just past John McKinley's witty ostrich mural near the front entrance. Spun metal--a predominant theme played out on counter tops and in cutwork shades and wainscoting--will line the bar, above which will hang "ostrich egg lamps."

Next comes a wine room and the hostess station. The center of the huge dining room is now anchored by a long island of booths, covered in tapestry interweaving colors of terra cotta, olive and aubergine. Banquettes line the edges of the room, leading down to the exhibition wood-fire charbroiler that is the headliner of Montague's concept.

"We've got Joey Witron from Green Valley Grill as chef," Montague explains, looking pretty pleased with himself. "He's had a lot of experience with wood-fire cooking, which is a lot tougher to do than most people realize." Montague also promises, "you can expect a serious wine list at Ostrich--a real international wine list."

It feels spacious and contemporary in a low-key way. The hardwood floors will continue to define the urban grill ambiance, but after a look at the menu I realized that Ostrich Grill intends to be devoted to two-fisted comfort food for adults.

Here's what I mean.

Look for multicultural ideas like warm Napa cabbage salad with Corralitos bacon and Dijon dressing, fire-roasted pasilla peppers stuffed with goat cheese, and something tantalizing called crab bread that involves crab and cheese broiled onto a slice of sweet baguette. We'll be able to order wood-fired grill items like marinated free-range chicken, filet mignon with oven-roasted tomato demi-glace, lamb loin chops (hey, this is a grill) and the ubiquitous baby back ribs.

I'm interested in trying out a sandwich of blackened ahi tuna with roasted red bell pepper and roasted garlic aioli on focaccia bread. This is a grill. This is a very attractive new grill. It's called Ostrich Grill--get used to it. To find out exactly when it opens, give 'em a call at 477-9181.

Dine Out the Old

Best plan right now is to join bistro-loving gastronomes for Cafe Bittersweet's sexy New Year's Eve extravaganza. For $75 per person (tax and tip not included), the dinner begins at 8:30pm with a pretty little something to amuse your taste buds. Then you choose from lobster bisque laced with Armagnac or organic five-leaf salad with Roquefort croutons and spicy glazed pecans. The next course offers "haystacks" of smoked salmon, lobster and crab held together with dill mascarpone, or wild mushroom custard with truffle vinaigrette, or a duck tasting plate of foie gras terrine, smoked duck mousse and duck confit. Yeow!

After an intermezzo of sorbet, you'll choose your main course from a huge selection, saving room for the celebrated dessert wizardry of chef Tom Vinolus. You can make reservations by calling Cafe Bittersweet (423-9999), located at 2332 Mission St. on the Westside of Santa Cruz.

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