Some of us will admit to fretting over the closing of Clouds Downtown. For one thing, I thought, how will any city business get done? It was the power lunch place in town. But after our meal last week at Louie’s Cajun Kitchen and Bourbon Bar, the new venture by Cloud owners Lou and Kristi Caviglia, I don’t care. The suits at City Hall can woo Apple Store execs over peanut butter sandwiches for all I care.
Posts Tagged: PLATED
Davenport Roadhouse, Avanti, Reilly Meehan
Ristorante Avanti opens in its new Westside location, Davenport Roadhouse gets fresh life under new ownership and Seabright Brewery scion and student chef extraordinaire Reilly Meehan wins another gold.
Recession Crushers at Bittersweet Bistro
Thank God for Bittersweet Bistro, where dining doesn’t have to break what’s left of your bank. Recession Crushers are those happy and delicious little daily specials — $6 each—served starting at 3:30pm and all evening long in the bar and on the outdoor patio. How about a quartet of raw oysters with housemade cocktail sauce ($6) and a Stoli vodka martini ($5)? This is good news. Or truffle fries and aioli. Coconut crusted prawns with Asian slaw. Chicken quesadilla with salsa fresca and sour cream. See what I mean?
California Beer Festival Coming to Aptos
The California Beer Festival, your basic craft beer extravaganza, is coming to Aptos Village Park this Saturday, July 28. Let’s see, that’s 70 craft brews on tap, three live bands including “Foreverland”—an unforgettable tribute to Michael Jackson—plus mouthwatering food and bocce ball. Michael Jackson and bocce ball in one afternoon—life is good! CBF sounds like hog heaven for any beer aficionado, especially fans of handcrafted suds. Know that this event will sell out, space is very limited. Proceeds will benefit student athletes in Santa Cruz County.
Clouds Downtown to Reopen as Cajun Restaurant
Once upon a time there was Sea Cloud, a dreamy, waterfront restaurant and saloon that helped us all ride the wave of the economic Happy Hour several decades ago. And then there was Clouds, Lou and Kristi Caviglia’s gift to downtown diners and cocktail fans. Wow, it’s hard to believe that Clouds has been with us for almost two decades, but all good things must change.
Odonata Wines Makes Itself at Home
New Odonata Tasting Room Cozily located right next door to Companion Bakers, in the former New Leaf/Beckmann’s strip, Denis Hoey’s spiffy new Odonata Tasting Room offers plenty of tasting, fun food ops and sleek vintage woodwork. Hoey, who still makes his wines in the Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard space near Kelly’s, is still finetuning his new tasting space.
Pacific Cookie Company Makes Gluten-Free Flavors
The aromas of fresh-baked cookies filling this shop are almost too good to be possible. Always ahead of the curve with home-baked attitude in gourmet packaging, Pacific Cookie Company won our hearts and taste buds 30 years ago, thanks to founders Larry and Shelly Pearson, and has stayed fresh ever since.
Roswell Hour at Bonny Doon Vineyard
Getting Doon cheaply is what’s in store if you stop by the Tasting Room from 3pm to 6pm, any day but Saturday. During those hours you’ll be able to savor a glass of Bonny Doon Vineyards wine at half price—51 percent off, to be precise. It doesn’t take a conspiracy theorist to know that this is a bargain of extraterrestrial proportions, and another reason to consider the Ingalls Street watering hole as Santa Cruz’ answer to Area 51.
Hard Work Pays Off for Michael’s on Main
Tanned and relaxed, Michael Clark looks as engaged with his culinary commitment as he did 11 years ago, when he opened Michael’s on Main in Soquel village.
Foodshed Project Spotlights Local Foods
Meat maestro Chris LeVeque of El Salchichero knows his way around a fiery barbecue sauce. Gearing up for the biggest barbecue day of the year, LeVeque will be joined by charcuterie artist and chef Brad Briske in a barbecue demo and tasting on July 4, 3-5pm. And it’s all part of an exciting new food awareness program that will include farmers, food artisans, community organizations and local chefs. Thanks to a USDA grant, our Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets have joined forces with the Ecological Farming Association to offer a summer-long series of lively educational celebrations.
