Tag Archives: Shadowbrook
12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Day Three: Shadowbrook Restaurant
Capitola restaurant Shadowbrook has graciously donated a $75 gift card for Day 3 of my “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway.” Keep reading for how to enter.
Serving local and tourist fans since 1947, Shadowbrook is an icon. Some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes include bacon-wrapped prawns, baked brie, and clam chowder (in the menu’s appetizer section) and entrees like ‘Pacific Rim’ salmon (featured in Bon Appetit magazine) and slow-roasted Angus prime rib. Vegetarians enjoy dishes such as the soba noodle medley with tofu and shiitakes or black truffle gnocchi. Favorite desserts include a famous “Chocolate Meltdown” (molten cake served with vanilla bean ice cream).
The Rock Room Bar & Lounge features a few options from the main dining room menu plus sandwiches and burgers and specialty wood-fired pizzas. Shadowbrook also has one of the best kids’ menus in town, in my humble opinion. Lots of variety for diners 12 and under!
Many people enjoy dining at Shadowbrook all year long, and during the holidays. They are already fully booked for “dining room seating” on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but they accept walk-ins for the Rock Room and for patio seating. For New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, some reservations are still available. Visit the holiday section of Shadowbrook’s website for more information.
An easy gift for foodies is Shadowbrook gift cards. You can order virtual cards online or shop by phone or in person at the restaurant.
Regular (non-holiday) hours:
Rock Room Bar & Lounge: Mon-Thurs 3:30-10 p.m., Fri-Sun Noon-10 p.m.
Dining Rooms: Mon-Fri 4-8:45 p.m., Sat 2-9:45 p.m., Sun 2-8:45 p.m.
Information: shadowbrook-capitola.com, IG @shadowbrook_restaurant
Location: 1750 Wharf Road, Capitola, 831-475-1511
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CONTEST:
One lucky reader will win a Shadowbrook gift card worth $75.
To enter, email your name to tfatemi@gmail.com by Friday Dec. 17 at 10 p.m. with the word “Shadowbrook” in the subject line. The drawing will take place the next morning and the winner will be notified via email.
Side note: Please be aware that although my website is called santacruzfoodie.com, I am not affiliated with the Instagram account called santacruzfoodie – that is someone else’s account. My IG is @tarafatemiwalker. I have been told many people mistakenly believe @santacruzfoodie is mine.
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Santa Cruz County food/drink closures & changes, as of March 21, 2020
photo by Liz Birnbaum of The Curated Feast
As I mentioned in my post Thursday, I am doing what I can to share information during the Coronavirus pandemic. Hoping this helps those of you who are either buying groceries or ready-to-eat food and drinks, and also helps the local business owners. Unfortunately I’ve already heard of one closing because of the health crisis: the restaurant/pub 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall announced Thursday it would be closing for good because they wouldn’t be able to survive this.
I wanted to also mention, for staying healthy, that Capitola’s The Vitamin Center is taking phone orders and offering curbside pickup. Call 831-462-4697 after 10 a.m. daily except Sunday.
Please forgive any mistakes in these listings, as it’s a constantly changing situation. Email me at tara@santacruzfoodie.com if you have information to share, that I can add to future articles. I’ll provide more listings in a couple days.
Grocery stores (listed alphabetically)
- Costco: hours are 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m., seniors and vulnerable customers can shop Tues & Thurs 8-9 a.m., https://www.costco.com/
- Grocery Outlet: hoursare8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, https://groceryoutlet.com/store-locator
- New Leaf Community Markets: reduced hours 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, https://www.newleaf.com/
- Shopper’s Corner: as of March 21, they had not reduced hours (still 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.). For seniors and vulnerable guests, they will take your order via email (shoppers.statements@gmail.com) and shop for you Monday-Friday, & call when ready to pick up—when you email your list, include your name & phone #. http://www.shopperscorner.com/
- Staff of Life: reduced hours 9 a.m.-8 p.m., seniors 60 & older can shop at 8 a.m. from Monday-Friday, https://www.staffoflifemarket.com
- Target: reduced hours at stores including Capitola & Watsonville (8 a.m.-9 p.m.): https://www.target.com/store-locator/find-stores
- Trader Joe’s: reduced hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, https://www.traderjoes.com/
- Safeway: reduced hours depending on location, https://www.safeway.com/
- Whole Foods: reduced hours 9 a.m.-8 p.m., seniors 60 & older can shop at 8 a.m. https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores
Farmer’s Markets – these are currently open:
- Downtown Santa Cruz Wednesday
- Aptos/Cabrillo College Saturday
- Westside SC Saturday
- Live Oak Sunday
Restaurants & other food vendors
- Alderwood: reopening March 24 with takeout and delivery menu, alderwoodsantacruz.com
- Bad Animal Books: Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday from 4-7 p.m., take-out “family meals” with curbside pick up. Emergency first responders get a 50% discount. Order at badanimalbooks.com.
- Bagelry: closed for the foreseeable future
- Bittersweet Bistro: open Wednesday-Sunday noon-7 pm for take-out, curbside pickup, and delivery (to Aptos on orders over $100), bittersweetbistro.com.
- Blue Bunny Tacos: closed until further notice
- Café Mare: takeout/curbside and delivery, 831-458-1212, http://www.cafemare.com/
- Charlie Hong Kong: noon-9 p.m., takeout (curbside pickup). They will cater & deliver to serve first responders, medical/hospital staff & government workers, charliehongkong.com
- Chocolate: takeout/delivery daily 4-8pm. They use DoorDash for delivery — menu is updated on DoorDash every day at noon, and there are daily specials Delivery info is at https://www.doordash.com/store/chocolate-santa-cruz-284767/ & pickup info is at https://chocolatesantacruz.com/wine-list/
- Colectivo Felix: Friday and Saturday empanada delivery to Santa Cruz residents, possibly adding soup next week (check site Monday), https://colectivofelix.square.site/
- Crow’s Nest: takeout daily with curbside pickup 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., also Beach Market next door 9 a.m.-8 p.m., http://www.crowsnest-santacruz.com/
- Dharma’s: closed for the foreseeable future
- East Side Eatery from Pleasure Pizza: 11 a.m.-8 p.m., takeout/delivery only, with curbside pickup for online orders, pleasurepizzasc.com
- Full Steam Dumpling: Thursday-Sunday noon-5 p.m., takeout with curbside pickup (at Santa Cruz Food Lounge), (626) 549-5574
- Home: takeout with curbside pickup, taking phone orders between 1-6pm, 831-431-6131, homesoquel.com
- Ideal Bar & Grill: Daily noon-6 p.m., takeout food plus brewed coffee and espresso drinks, are available. Orders can be placed in person at café or at 831-423-5271. Only 2 guests at a time will be allowed in Ideal for pickup. www.idealbarandgrill.com
Kianti’s: takeout with curbside pickup, or delivery, https://www.kiantis.com/ - La Posta: takeout with curbside pickup, lapostarestaurant.com
- Lago di Como Ristorante & Pizzeria: takeout/delivery including free delivery to limited areas, menu with family-size options through April 7, lagodicomoristorante.com
- Laili: takeout/delivery, lailirestaurant.com
- Linda’s Sea Breeze: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., takeout, cash (ATM available) or check, 831-427-9713
- Nick the Greek: takeout/delivery, nickthegreeksj.com/locations
- Olive Garden: doing takeout and delivery,https://www.olivegarden.com/order-togo
- Panda Express: takeout and delivery, pandaexpress.com
- Pasatiempo Golf Course: MacKenzie Bar & Grill is closed until further notice; Hollins House is doing take-out dinner. thehollinshouse.com/restaurant
- Persephone: take-out menu available Fridays and Saturdays (may expand in future). Menu will change week to week, see https://www.toasttab.com/potter/v3
- Pono Hawaiian Grill: closing downtown location for the foreseeable future
- Pretty Good Advice: takeout daily 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Shadowbrook: closing until at least April 7.
- Soif: takeout with curbside pickup, Tues-Sat 4-8 p.m., soifwine.com
- Surf City Sandwich: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., takeout or delivery, see surfcitysandwich.com.
- Tortilla Flats: closed until further notice
- Tramonti: takeout and delivery, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., 831-426-7248, http://www.tramontisantacruz.com
- Vim Dining & Desserts: closed until further notice
- Zameen: all branches will be closed through at least March 22.
Get info for more downtown SC restaurants, & other downtown SC food/drink venues, at https://downtownsantacruz.com/downtown-delivered
Breweries & wineries
- Big Basin Vineyards closed the Boulder Creek and Saratoga tasting rooms until further notice.
- Humble Sea Brewing Co. is to-go only.” Hours are Monday-Thursday 2-7 p.m. and Friday-Sunday noon to 7 p.m. Visit humblesea.com.
- Sante Adairius is offering to-go sales, from noon to 6 p.m. daily. Visit rusticales.com.
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Mother’s Day restaurant highlights for Santa Cruz & Monterey: Shadowbrook, Chaminade, Portola & more
Shadowbrook is open during the day on Mother’s Day. Photo courtesy of Shadowbrook.
Dining out on Mother’s Day is extremely popular, so if you haven’t made reservations yet, better hurry: here are a few restaurant highlights for Santa Cruz County and Monterey. I’ll publish more in the next few days.
Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos
Shadowbrook
It’s very rare for Shadowbrook to be open during the day, but it’s happening on Mother’s Day. The restaurant is serving a dinner menu all day (11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.) in its main dining room. Mother’s Day specials are slow-roasted leg of spring lamb (porcini mushroom-crusted with organic baby carrots, wild rice ‘pilaf’ and Cabernet jus, $28.95) and sweet-glazed ham (lightly smoked with Gouda potato gratin, grilled asparagus, apple-mustard and ham hock jus, $24.95). Many other dishes will be available like New England clam chowder; signature salad which includes baby spinach, candied pecans, and bacon-wrapped prawns; and house specialty Angus prime rib. See full menu here.
Many of the large party tables (7 people and up) have been booked, but as of press time there were a couple cancellations for the private room, at 11:15 and 5:15—this holds 12-16 people. For smaller parties (tables of four, for example) they are booked from 11 a.m. to 2:30, but there are reservation openings after that scattered throughout the afternoon and evening. Call 831-475-1511 for reservations. In addition, the Rock Room Bar & Lounge is open beginning at 10:30 a.m. for bar service and 11 for food, and might stay open as late as 10 p.m., but there are no reservations accepted for that area. It’s first-come, first-served. The regular dinner menu will be available at the rooftop heated bar/lounge deck. The regular Rock Room menu will be available in the lounge and on the deck. Because of Shadowbrook’s popularity—especially on Mother’s Day—many people choose to buy restaurant gift cards for Mother’s Day and give these as gifts, to be used at a later date.
1750 Wharf Rd., Capitola
Chaminade
The Chaminade offers its annual Mother’s Day buffet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 13. Cost is $66.95 for adults, $18.95 for kids 6-12 and free for kids under 6. Selections include Belgian waffles; an omelet bar; mini quiches; gourmet salads; a seafood bar with teriyaki salmon, Dungeness crab legs and more; roast prime rib with au jus; bourbon glazed honey ham; and ravioli with porcini cream, fried leeks and wild mushrooms. Kids’ dishes are chicken strips and fries; mac & cheese; and mini pancakes. See full menu. Call (831) 475-5600 or visit opentable.com for reservations.
One Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz
Sanderlings
Sanderlings at Seascape Resort has a brunch buffet from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm; the price is $56.95 for adults and $21.95 for kids. This year’s selections include a prime rib carving station; a seafood bar; a salad assortment (includes roasted beet with radicchio, apple, pickled apple; and Cobb; fresh fruit; and freshly baked croissants and muffins. Other highlights include potato cakes; smoked bacon and chicken apple sausage; and a kids’ menu with chicken tenders, hot dogs and more. Call (831) 662-7120 or visit opentable.com for reservations.
One Seascape Resort Drive, Aptos
Hollins House
Hollins House at Pasatiempo has a brunch buffet from 10 am to 2 pm; the price is $75 for adults (includes a glass of champagne). The menu will include made-to-order omelets featuring choices such as smoked salmon and green garlic chives; Yukon gold potato hash; Applewood smoked bacon and breakfast sausage; a carving station with items such as Pitt ham with honey mustard and Hollandaise; artichoke quiche; and a few salads (including Caesar, and build-your-own-Cobb). Other highlights include a croissant and bagel station, cupcakes and bread pudding with salty whiskey caramel. See full menu here. Call (831) 216-5358 or visit opentable.com for reservations.
20 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz
Monterey
Portola Hotel & Spa
Portola Hotel & Spa is hosting Mother’s Day brunch at its De Anza Ballroom. There will be live piano music, and each mother receives a complimentary Mimosa. The buffet is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 831-649-7874 for reservations. Cost is $54.95 for adults, $41.95 for seniors 65 and up, and $24.95 for kids. The menu includes ham-gruyere frittata, sweet & savory crepes, California cheeses & cured meats with crusty bread & crackers, wild King salmon, and prime rib. The kids’ menu includes macaroni & cheese and grilled chicken fingers with Ranch. See full menu.
Two Portola Plaza, Monterey
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Eat soup Thursday & help Santa Cruz’s Homeless Services Center
A scene from the 2017 Soupline Supper (courtesy of Soupline web site)
Santa Cruz’s Homeless Services Center (HSC) invites the community to eat unlimited soup from dozens of local restaurants, caterers, and other food businesses from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the Cocoanut Grove.
The 19th annual Soupline Supper assists HSC as it helps families and individuals in our community find safe, permanent homes. Last year’s dinner helped 249 people find a permanent home. For $50 per person, attendees receive soup, salad, bread, and dessert. Wine is available for an additional donation. Kids’ tickets are $20. Buy tickets online.
Participating restaurants in 2018’s Soupline include 99 Bottles, Assembly, The Bagelry, Café Cruz, Erik’s Deli, Gabriella Café, India Joze, Kelly’s French Bakery, La Posta, Manuel’s, Oswald, Shadowbrook, Soif, and Walnut Ave Café. See full restaurant list at souplinesupper.org/restaurants.
The usual set-up is this: there are different tables around the perimeter of the room, all with large containers of homemade soup, with about a dozen available at any one time (selections rotate throughout the evening). Attendees walk around and choose which ones to sample. Public officials and other community leaders serve the soup. This year’s “Celebrity Ladlers” include local politicians Mark Stone, Richelle Noroyan, Cynthia Chase, Zach Friend, Ryan Coonerty, and John Leopold; and arts and community organization leaders such as Keisha Frost (United Way), Nan Mickiewicz (Dominican Hospital), Susan Nemitz (SC Public Library), Susan True (Community Foundation SC County) and Nina Simon (MAH).
Buy tickets and read more information online at souplinesupper.org.
Free parking after 4 pm is available at the Boardwalk lot across from the Cocoanut Grove.
HSC is a non-profit organization that partners with individuals and families to create pathways out of their homelessness into permanent housing. HSC’s vision is that homelessness in Santa Cruz County should be rare, brief, and non-recurring.
Event location: Cocoanut Grove, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz
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Last minute foodie holiday gifts in Santa Cruz
Cookies from Pacific Cookie Co.
Photo credit: PCC web site
Haven’t finished your holiday shopping and have some foodies on your list? Want to shop local? There are lots of choices in the Santa Cruz area including some discounts; here are some highlights including a gift fair tomorrow that has plenty of options–whether you want to buy something food/drink-related or something else that’s made locally.
First, the gift fair:
2nd Annual Holiday Artisan Food & Gift Market — Saturday 12/17 at Food Lounge
I went to this fabulous event last year and bought gift items for several friends/family members, not to mention a few things for myself! The market will feature locally made packaged foods including jams, olive oil and hot sauce that are currently available in the Food Lounge Pantry, which opened in September. The holiday market will also offer beautiful jewelry, textiles, glass art, print art and kitchen antiques. Additionally, a few small-batch food producers will offer tamales, empanadas, meat pies and other items that would work well for holiday entertaining or for a delicious dinner with your family. Plus they will sell ready to eat food that customers can enjoy while shopping like empanadas (from La Sofrita Puerto Rican pop-up), tamales (Yoli’s Adobo) and savory pies (Artisan Hand Pies).
“We offer this market as close to the holidays as possible so that all of our vendors’ food-based products are fresh for gift-giving and entertaining,” said Andrea Conklin Mollenauer, one of the three partners in the Food Lounge, an incubator kitchen and event venue that will celebrate its second birthday in January. “We are excited to offer market space to 25 local vendors who don’t have their own brick-and- mortar places to sell products.”
Vendors with food gifts will include Friend in Cheeses Jam Co., Notso Hot Sauce, My Mom’s Mole, Ashby Confections, and Farmer Freed Salts. Non-food vendors will include True Blue Indigo (textiles), Love Light Vintage Candles, Verdant California (body products) and Fereshteh Fatemi (artisan jewelry and greeting cards – disclaimer, this is the author’s mother).
In addition to the holiday market, the Food Lounge Pantry is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to
7 p.m. as a hub for local artisan food products – a perfect stop for holiday shopping, including next week when you realize which folks you forgot to buy for!
Location: Food Lounge, 1001 Center St. Santa Cruz
Date/Time: Sat Dec. 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Next, some gift card discount highlights:
Until Christmas, Hula’s Santa Cruz (221 Cathcart St.) is offering a special: Purchase a $50 gift certificate for someone else and get a free $10 certificate for yourself; purchase $100 and get a free $20 gift card to treat yourself.
Mission Hill Creamery (1101 Pacific Ave.) has these discounts until Christmas: Buy a $25 gift card for $20 OR buy four $10 gift cards and receive the fifth free OR re-Charge your existing gift card with at least $20 and get 20% off your gift card purchase.
Through Dec. 24, Johnny’s Harborside (493 Lake) is offering a bonus: Purchase a $50 gift certificate for someone else and get $10 free; spend $100 and get $20 free, etc.
Other gift ideas
Last but not least, other foodie gift options include certificates from local restaurants. The Glass Jar announced they’re offering a card that’s good at any of their three restaurants—that’s Assembly, The Picnic Basket AND The Penny Ice Creamery. If you know people who are fans of Soif and/or La Posta, you can also purchase gift cards that are good at both. And Crow’s Nest gift cards are redeemable at the restaurant or its neighboring Crow’s Nest Beach Market.
Want to send a sweet Santa Cruz-themed food gift to someone? Pacific Cookie Company has lots of options. These include Top Tier Cookies & Chocolate Box ($49.95), with 36 two-ounce cookies and 32 white and milk chocolate flower medallions made by local chocolatier Mackenzies Chocolate; Sweet Elegance Cookie Gift Box ($37.95) with 24 two-oz. cookies, Season’s Eatings Christmas Tin ($26.95) with 36 one-oz. cookies, and Classic Cookies and Milk ($24.95) with a dozen two-ounce cookies and two 8-oz cartons of organic milk (it’s shelf-stable low-fat Horizon milk which doesn’t require refrigeration). Also, Los Gatos-based Manresa Bread now ships its scrumptious artisan bread anywhere in the continental U.S.; see my November article and/or the Manresa site for details.
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Wednesday wine discounts and more at Shadowbrook
Festive Capitola restaurant Shadowbrook
Photo credit: Shadowbrook web site
The restaurant Shadowbrook offers great discounts and a chance to meet local winemakers on Winemaker Wednesdays, which occur most weeks through May 2017.
Every Wednesday a different wine is featured, and customers can meet the selected winemaker from 5-8pm. At this time, a flight of three to four wines from that winery is served in the Rock Room (bar area) and people can enjoy complimentary small bites with their flight. Additionally, a 50% discount is offered throughout the restaurant for glasses and bottles of wine from the featured winery. Although the winemaker is only available through 8 p.m. in the bar area, the complimentary appetizers and half-off wine pricing are available the entire evening.
The next winery and winemaker making guest appearances are Alfaro Family Vineyards and Richard Alfaro on Nov. 23. As a special bonus, for any Shadowbrook customers who purchase a bottle of Alfaro wine that night (either to enjoy with dinner or to take home), Richard Alfaro is providing a free wine tasting certificate that’s valid for a future visit to his Corralitos tasting room.
Other wineries making appearances in the near future include Naumann (Nov. 30), Roudon-Smith (Dec. 7), and Muns Vineyard (Dec. 14). Because of the holiday season, there are no Winemaker Wednesdays on Dec. 21 or Dec. 28.
Winemaker Wednesdays began in October, and Shadowbrook has several other promotions going on through the spring. These include two that started earlier this month:
Prime Rib Mondays—Shadowbrook’s house specialty is available for only $18.95 in the Dining Room. Includes creamed spinach, buttermilk mashed potatoes and horseradish cream
Seafood Night Thursdays—Order any seafood item on the menu for $18.95. I’ve truly savored the seafood I’ve had at Shadowbrook in the past, including scallops and salmon, and this is reminding me that I’m due for a seafood visit soon!
Both specials will be offered through February, and are not valid on holidays.
Learn more about these and other delicious offers at shadowbrook-capitola.com/promotions/.
The Details:
Shadowbrook Restaurant, 1750 Wharf Road, Capitola (831) 475-1511
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Bay Area restaurants for Mother’s Day: Santa Cruz area and Los Gatos
A dish from a past Sunday brunch at Hult’s (not part of their Mother’s Day brunch): pulled pork eggs Benedict with cheddar, slaw & bbq sauce
Dining out on Mother’s Day is a popular plan, so if you haven’t made reservations yet, better hurry: here are a few restaurant highlights for Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas and Los Gatos, plus a Manresa Bread box (pre-order for breakfast at home).
Also see:
- Mother’s Day highlights/menus for Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach and more
- Bay Area restaurants for Mother’s Day: San Francisco, Napa, Albany
Santa Cruz Area
Shadowbrook
Popular with locals and tourists alike, the usually-dinner-only Shadowbrook will open its doors at 11:30 a.m. on Mother’s Day. Reservations are available until 8:30 p.m. and customers must call 831-475-1511 (no online reservations accepted). The dinner menu will be served all day, and Mother’s Day specials will include spinach/gruyere quiche, chicken Marsala, and 14 oz. Angus ribeye with lobster Bernaise.
1750 Wharf Rd., Capitola
Chaminade
The Chaminade offers its annual Mother’s Day brunch buffet from 9am-3pm; the price is $64.95 (adults), $18.95 (kids 6-12), and free for kids under 6. Mother’s Day is the restaurant’s busiest day of the year; it always sells out. New executive chef Nicholas Church has created an extravagant menu including a savory seafood bar (including Dungeness crab legs), bourbon glazed honey ham with Jack Daniels glaze, prime rib, omelets made to order, and Belgian waffles with apple compote and fresh berries. Additional highlights: fresh fruit and vegetable medleys, chocolate fondue, and a sundae bar. The kids’ buffet features chicken strips and fries, mini pancakes, and mac and cheese. Call (831) 475-5600 for reservations.
One Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz
Sanderlings
Sanderlings at Seascape Resort has a brunch buffet from 10 am to 2:30 pm; the price is $47.95 for adults (with a mimosa or a glass of champagne or sparkling cider) and $21.95 for kids 12 and under. Selections include a prime rib carving station; a fresh seafood bar; a salad assortment; fresh fruit; and baked breads. There will be special entrees for kids. Call (831) 662-7120 or visit opentable.com for reservations.
One Seascape Resort Drive, Aptos
Hollins House
Hollins House at Pasatiempo has a brunch buffet from 10 am to 2 pm; the price is $65 (includes a glass of champagne). The menu will include made-to-order omelets; Applewood smoked bacon; a carving station with prime rib; Skuna Bay salmon; French toast bread pudding; a meat and chees board; and several gourmet salads. Desserts include crème brulee and carrot cake. Their more casual restaurant next door, MacKenzie Bar & Grill, will be serving an a la carte menu with brunch selections for adults (corned beef hash, eggs benedict, burgers, etc.) and kids (including eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches).
Call (831) 459-9177 or visit opentable.com for reservations.
20 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz
Los Gatos
Manresa Bread Mother’s Day Box
Pre-order breakfast for mom this Mother’s Day at Manresa Bread. The Mother’s Day Box includes two kale parmesan scones, two monkey breads, one bag of Manresa Bread almond granola, a 4 oz. jar of Big Sur marmalade, and an optional bag of Verve Street Level coffee. The Mother’s Day Box is available for pre-order on the Manresa Bread web site to pick up at Manresa Bread in Los Gatos. Pricing is $27 without coffee, $40 with coffee. The last day to pre-order is May 5.
276 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos
Campo di Bocce
Campo di Bocce will offer a brunch buffet from 10 am to 2 pm; due to the popularity of the restaurant’s brunches, table reservations are limited to one hour. Food selections will include made-to-order omelets, a prime rib carving station, waffles and pancakes, sausage and bacon, fruit, pasta, salads, and strawberry crepes pastries. There are two prices: one for brunch only, and one for brunch and playing an hour of bocce. Adults are $34.95 without bocce and $47.45 with bocce; kids under 12 are $17.95 without bocce and $30.45 with bocce. Call (408) 395-7650 for reservations.
565 University Ave., Los Gatos
Dio Deka
Mediterranean/Greek restaurant Dio Deka will offer a special a la carte brunch menu. Selections will include Eggs Benedict, Strapatsada (baked eggs with tomato sauce, greens, chickpeas and Greek spices), Paithakia (mesquite-grilled boneless lamb-loin chops), and caramelized “Greek” toast with citrus-marinated strawberries. Call (408) 354-7700 or visit opentable.com for reservations.
210 E. Main St., Los Gatos
Hult’s Restaurant
Hult’s is serving a prix fixe brunch for $49, with reservations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Customers can select from two to five selections for each course. First course options include Swedish pancakes; main courses include chicken and waffles (sous vide fried chicken and cinnamon waffles plus bacon hash) and Eggs Benedict. Desserts include raspberry sorbet. Call (408) 354-3434 or visit opentable.com for reservations.
165 Los Gatos-Saratoga Rd., Los Gatos
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12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Day 3: Win a Shadowbrook gift card
Seafood at Shadowbr
It’s Day Three of Santa Cruz Restaurant Examiner/Santa Cruz Foodie’s “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway.” See end of article for how to win a Shadowbrook gift card.
Capitola restaurant Shadowbrook has been serving customers for more than 65 years. It attracts both locals and tourists, and the setting is conducive to a range of occasions including big family gatherings and romantic dates. Shadowbrook is known for excellent food including seafood, steak, and prime rib. Their desserts include a famous “Chocolate Meltdown” (molten cake served with vanilla bean ice cream).
Shadowbrook is a great spot for special occasions and holidays including Christmas; the historic venue is beautifully decorated this time of year. However, they are very busy during the season and are actually almost all booked for the holiday itself. Owner Ted Burke recommends booking a weekday dinner to relax during a meal with a more leisurely pace, while still getting to enjoy Shadowbrook all decked out for Xmas. Holiday decorations will be up until at least Dec. 30. By the way, Wednesdays tend to be the slowest night at the restaurant.
Shadowbrook gift cards make a fun gift if you have foodies to shop for. If you order cards online, they can be for any amount starting at $25 and they will be mailed to you. You can also buy gift cards by phone (831-475-1511) or in person at the restaurant (1750 Wharf Rd., Capitola). Either way, they never expire.
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CONTEST:
One person will win a $50 gift certificate to Shadowbrook.
To enter, email your name to tfatemi@gmail.com by 9 pm. Wed, Dec. 16 and include the word “Shadowbrook.” The drawing will take place the next morning and the winner will be notified via email.
Employees of Examiner.com are not eligible for the promotion.
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Restaurants gather for Santa Cruz Homeless Services Center
2010’s Soupline Supper – credit to Red Bat Photography via Soupline web site
The community is invited to eat unlimited soup from dozens of local restaurants, caterers, and other food businesses on Thursday April 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to benefit Santa Cruz’s Homeless Services Center.
The 16th Annual Soupline Supper benefit is at the Cocoanut Grove at the Santa Cruz boardwalk. For $30 per person or $55 for two, you receive soup, salad bread, and dessert. Kids’ tickets are $15. As the event tagline says, you can simultaneously “Feed Your Family. Feed Your Community. Feed Your Philanthropy.”
More than 40 participating restaurants in 2015’s Soupline include new participants Assembly, Tramonti, Cremer House, and The Hideout, plus past participants The Art Bar & Cafe at the Tannery, The Bagelry, Bittersweet Bistro, Café Cruz, Chaminade, Charlie Hong Kong, Crow’s Nest, Dharma’s, India Joze, La Posta, Manuel’s, Sawasdee, Shadowbrook, Soif, The Walnut Ave Café, and Zameen. See full restaurant list at souplinesupper.org/restaurants.
At the event there are different tables around the perimeter of the room, all with large containers of homemade soup, with about a dozen available at any one time (selections rotate throughout the evening). Attendees walk around and choose which ones to sample. Public officials and other community leaders serve the soup. This year’s “Celebrity Ladlers” include local politicians David Terrazas, Cynthia Chase, and John Leopold; pastor Rene Schlaepfer (Twin Lakes Church), business owner Larry Pearson (Pacific Cookie Company), and arts leader Nina Simon (Executive Director MAH).
There are lots of tables set up in the dining room where you can relax and enjoy your meal. There is also a raffle and silent auction. Buy tickets and read more information online at the site souplinesupper.org.
Free parking after 4 pm is available at the Boardwalk lot across from the Cocoanut Grove.
The Homeless Services Center is a community-supported non-profit organization dedicated to the coordinated provision of services for homeless persons. The goal of the Homeless Services Center is to provide both emergency and transitional services to homeless individuals that will enable clients to achieve self-sufficiency.
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December at Shadowbrook: Mexico Sundays, UCSC Women’s Club & Holy Cross benefit
Shadowbrook is featuring Mexico for its international Sunday dinners in December
Tuesday, Dec. 2
From November through April, Capitola restaurant Shadowbrook hosts a “Community Tuesday” series benefiting local non-profit organizations. The restaurant donates one-third of sales on selected nights; usually two or more non-profits share the evening. On Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, the beneficiaries are the UC Santa Cruz Women’s Club and Holy Cross School.
Make your reservations at (831) 475-1511 or just show up at the restaurant for dinner. Note that Shadowbrook takes some walk-in customers, and its Rock Room Lounge doesn’t accept reservations so that’s a great place to dine at the last minute. Make sure to tell your server you are there to support the Women’s Club or Holy Cross School, and your selected organization will receive 33% of your pre-tax sales including both food and drinks. If you dine at the Rock Room, do not order anything from the Two-Fer Tuesday (2-for-1) promotion; those selections don’t count for the benefit.
The UCSC Women’s Club is a nonprofit organization open to women of both the campus and local communities. One of the Club’s main goals is to raise funds to provide scholarships for UCSC re-entry students. Visit womensclub.ucsc.edu for more information. Holy Cross School is a private Catholic school with kids from preschool age through eighth grade. They have been educating students for more than 150 years. Learn more at holycsc.org.
Sundays: Dec. 7, 14, 21, & 28
Every Sunday night (except for holidays) from October through March, Shadowbrook features an international Ports of Call three-course dinner for $29.95. The country changes each month, and for December Executive Chef Roger Gowen has chosen Mexico.
There are two appetizer choices, two entrée choices, and two dessert choices, plus an optional wine pairing for each course ($12). In December, appetizer choices include Posole Rojo, a Mexcian stew with ancho and guajillo chiles, shredded pork, hominy, onions, and garlic (served with cabbage, avocado, and lime wedge). Entrée selections are Camarones a la Diablo (prawns with garlic, peppers, onions, and chiles), and Chicken Mole (a mildly spiced chile sauce flavored with chocolate), both served with rice and beans). Tres Leches cake is one of the dessert choices.
Shadowbrook Restaurant, 1750 Wharf Road, Capitola (831) 475-1511, www.shadowbrook-capitola.com
If you’re on Twitter, follow me @santacruzfoodie.