Tag Archives: Ristorante Italiano
A Taste of Santa Cruz 2016 with 30 restaurants, wineries and breweries
A Taste of Santa Cruz includes lots of bites from local restaurants
The 12th annual “A Taste of Santa Cruz,” at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove Thursday, Nov. 10, features 30 restaurants, wineries, and breweries. The event runs from 5:30-9 p.m. and benefits first-time home buyers. Tickets are $40 in advance or $50 at the door. Buy tickets online or at the Santa Cruz Association of REALTORS (2525 Main St., Soquel). For more information, visit the site atosc.com or call 831-464-2000.
Attendees sample food and drinks, and all proceeds from the event benefit the Santa Cruz Association of REALTORS Housing Foundation grant program that provides closing costs for first time, low-income home-buyers in Santa Cruz County. Several hundred people attend this event, raising approximately $30,000 annually. Over the years, more than $430,000 has been awarded to 200 families and individuals. Purchasing your tickets in advance is recommended.
Participating food providers include Home (the new restaurant from chef Brad Briske, in the former Main St. Garden location), The Hideout, Aldo’s, Café Hanna, Paradise Beach Grille, Hula’s, Burger, The Point, Little Owl Italian Kitchen, Ristorante Italiano, and Woodstock’s Pizza. Breweries include Santa Cruz Ale Works.
Other highlights include more than 100 silent and live auction items from local businesses and artisans. Prizes include a San Jose Giants package (10 general admission tickets plus a family pass for two adults & two kids); tickets to places like Gilroy Gardens and Winchester Mystery House; wine including bottles from Beauregard; and handcrafted wood pieces by artist Andy Orsini. There is also live music with the Jazz Birds & Friends.
Event location: Cocoanut Grove, 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz
Follow me on:
Twitter @santacruzfoodie
Instagram @tarafatemiwalker
Facebook @santacruzfoodieexaminer
Family-friendly Santa Cruz benefit with food, wine, Warriors prizes
Ice cream at Mission Hill Creamery, an official Santa Cruz Warriors partner and a participant in this weekend’s Taste of the Warriors
The inaugural Taste of the Warriors—Saturday, Oct. 10, at downtown Santa Cruz’s Kaiser Permanente Arena—is a family-friendly event with food, wine, beer, and entertainment. The Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association and the Santa Cruz Warriors (the 2015 champions of the NBA’s Development League) are partnering to host this benefit for Santa Cruz City Schools (SCCS). In addition to serving wine from 19 local wineries including several South County vintners, the event will feature selections from several restaurants including local chefs who are SCCS alums. There will be photo ops with championship trophies from the Golden State and Santa Cruz Warriors. For more information or tickets, visit santacruzbasketball.com. The party will be from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and the arena is at 140 Front St.
For the kids, there will be a special area with a jump house, face painting, basketball hoops, and kid-friendly food. Adults can enjoy beer from Uncommon Brewers and New Bohemia and wine from the aforementioned wineries; their tickets include a souvenir Warriors wine glass. There are lots of restaurants and food vendors including Hoffman’s Bistro (Adam Hoffman is a SCCS alumnus), Assembly, Kianti’s, Pacific Thai, Back Nine Grill & Bar (chef Michele Costa is a SCCS alumna), Pleasure Pizza, Ristorante Italiano, Whitings’ Food, Goose’s Goodies (owner Marci Prolo is an alum), Penny Ice Creamery, and Mission Hill Creamery. Back Nine is serving rib tips; Hoffman’s is dishing up bruschetta and pineapple pulled pork sliders; Ristorante Italiano is providing homemade meatballs with marinara and meat dipping sauces plus mini Caprese salads; and Goose’s will provide toffee. Participating wineries include Alfaro, Armitage, Bargetto, Bartolo, Bottle Jack, Burrell School, Byington, Clos LaChance, Dancing Creek, Equinox, Odonata, and Stockwell Cellars.
Tickets have been on sale for a while at $50 in advance or $70 at the door. Those under 21 pay $10. On Oct. 7 organizers announced a 2-for-1 ticket deal. For that promotion, you need to call the Warriors ticket number (831-713-4400) or buy tickets at the door. Event proceeds will benefit SCCS, which serves 7,000 students. Since relocating to Santa Cruz in 2012, the D-League Warriors have collaborated with the district through the Read to Achieve and Math Warriors programs.
“We’re proud to host this event as part of our ongoing commitment to support our public schools,” said Santa Cruz Warriors President Jim Weyermann. “We are all champions when we stand together.” He described the upcoming event as “a family night that celebrates our community’s culinary talents, exemplary winemaking and dedication to education.”
Other highlights for Oct. 10 include an appearance by Warriors dual champion James Michael McAdoo who will take photos with fans; a raffle with autographed Warriors prizes such as jerseys signed by MVPs Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Flowers will be provided by alumna Wendy Melrose of Lina Floral.
Follow me on Twitter @santacruzfoodie.
Santa Cruz Restaurant Week Oct. 2-9 offers $25 3-course dinners
Food at Severino’s in Aptos, one of more than 30 participants in Santa Cruz Restaurant Week 2013. Photo courtesy of SCRW Facebook page
Foodie alert: it’s time for the fifth annual Santa Cruz Restaurant Week where more than 30 local restaurants – from Aptos, Soquel and Capitola to Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Ben Lomond, and Felton – serve three-course gourmet dinners for only $25. And you can win a free Santa Cruz Restaurant Week dinner through my web site! Read end of article for details.
Special menus are offered Oct. 2-9, 2013, and typically include three options for each course: appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Customers choose one selection from each course.
The 2012 Restaurant Week was very popular and a lot of fun for those of us who participated as customers! Restaurant reservations are recommended but not required.
I will post a few menus and at least one review in the next few days.
Restaurants that are participating, in alphabetical order:
• Aquarius at the Dream Inn
• Booka
• Café Rio
• Center Street Grill
• Chocolate
• The Crow’s Nest
• El Palomar
• Gabriella Café
• Hindquarter Bar & Grill
• Hoffman’s Bistro & Patisserie
• Hula’s Island Grill
• Ideal Bar & Grill
• Johnny’s Harborside
• La Posta
• Laili
• Linwood’s at Chaminade Resort
• Louie’s Cajun Kitchen & Bourbon Bar
• Main Street Garden & Café
• Michael’s on Main
• Oak Tree Ristorante
• Oswald
• Pearl of the Ocean
• Red Restaurant & Bar
• Ristorante Italiano
• Sanderlings at Seascape Resort
• Severino’s Bar & Grill
• Soif
• Stonehouse Bar & Grill at the Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley
• Süda
• The Point Chophouse & Lounge
• Tyrolean Inn & Restaurant
• Zelda’s On The Beach
• 515 Kitchen & Cocktails
For more information, visit the event web site.
****
THE CONTEST:
This contest is open to readers of examiner.com and santacruzfoodie.com, but employees of Examiner.com are not eligible to enter.
PRIZE – One winner receives two $25 gift certificates for dinner at Center Street Grill during Santa Cruz Restaurant Week 2013. To enter, email your name to tfatemiwalker@yahoo.com and include the words “Santa Cruz Restaurant Week.”
Or post a comment to this article on my Facebook page and include “Santa Cruz Restaurant Week.”
Either way, the entry deadline is Thurs. Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. I will pull a name from all entries and notify the winner by email.
Center Street Grill’s 2013 Restaurant Week menu includes entrée choices of Grilled Salmon Puttanesca with capers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, mashed potatoes, and green beans, Seafood Fettucine with crab, shrimp, smoked salmon, mushrooms, and lemon cream sauce, and Grilled Pork Loin Chop with blue cheese & peaches, mashed potatoes, and asparagus.
On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie.
Where to go on Mother’s Day in Santa Cruz and nearby: Restaurants part 2
Deep-fried ravioli appetizer at Ristorante Italiano
Dining out on Mother’s Day is a fun way to honor a great mom, and Santa Cruz has many restaurants offering special menus this Sunday. See Part 1 for more restaurants in the Santa Cruz area, one in Half Moon Bay and one in Glen Ellen, and see below for the second and final group of restaurants I am highlighting. Happy Mother’s Day!
The Santa Cruz harbor restaurant with a great ocean view, always a bonus for special occasions, will be serving a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday. Call (831) 476-4560 for reservations. 2218 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
Ristorante Italiano
Ristorante Italiano is serving Mother’s Day dinner beginning at 4pm on Sunday. The restaurant is offering a free tiramisu with dinner. Call (831) 458-2321 for reservations.
555 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
Hindquarter Bar & Grille
Hindquarter will be offering brunch on Sunday. From 10:30am-2:30pm, the restaurant will be serving its regular lunch menu plus a few Mother’s Day specials. Hindquarter will be serving its regular dinner menu from 5:30pm plus it will have dinner and dessert specials for Mother’s Day. Call (831) 426-7770 for reservations.303 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
Bittersweet Bistro
Aptos restaurant Bittersweet Bistro is serving Mother’s Day champagne brunch from 9am-2pm. The buffet includes Strawberry-Chipotle Glazed King Salmon, Greek Style Roasted Leg of Spring Lamb, Bourbon Glazed Corralitos Ham, Bittersweet Grand Marnier French Toast, Classic Eggs Benedict, Made to Order Omelets, Housemade Scones, Croissants & Muffins, Beet Salad, and Tomato Mozzarella Salad – plus a dessert extravaganza including chocolate fountains. There will be a special kids’ table with Grilled Cheese, PB & J Sandwiches, Chicken Fingers and Cookies. The price is $52 Adults, $18 Children 6-12, and $5 Kids Five and Under. For the 9:00 a.m. seating only, receive a $10 discount per adult. Call (831) 662-9799 for reservations.
787 Rio Del Mar Boulevard, Aptos
Sushi Garden
If you plan to go to Sushi Garden for Mother’s Day lunch or dinner, be sure to pick up this week’s Good Times. On page 26 there’s a coupon for a free roll on Mother’s Day, good on lunch orders of $20 or more and dinner orders of $40 or more. It’s good at both locations.
820 Bay Ave., Capitola, (831) 464-9192 and 1441 Main St, Watsonville, (831) 728-9192
Chaminade
The Chaminade offers its annual Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet from 9am-3pm; the price is $49.95 (adults), $17.95 (kids 6-12), and free for kids under 6. Call (831) 475-5600 for reservations.
One Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz
The Point Chophouse & Lounge
Mother’s Day brunch specials include candied walnut waffles ($9), Monterey Bay Eggs Benedict ($14), and $4 bloody marys and mimosas. Brunch is from 9am-3pm; call (831) 476-2733.
3326 Portola Dr., Santa Cruz
Whole Foods Santa Cruz
The supermarket’s Santa Cruz location offers Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday from 10am-noon. Breakfast foods like cage-free eggs, fresh pastries and more will be available for $2 each. And Moms get free coffee from 8am-noon on Mother’s Day! Call (831) 426-9901 for more information.
911 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz
Hoffman’s
Hoffman’s, located in downtown Santa Cruz, is serving Mother’s Day brunch and dinner. The restaurant is featuring its regular menus plus specials during both meals. Call (831) 420-0135 for reservations.
1102 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz
On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie.