Steamer Lane Supply

Hitting the waves and looking for some grub? If only there was a place close to the water to grab a quick bite... Cowabunga, now there is!

Steamer Lane Supply (FB)

Right down from the lighthouse, there's a new place called Steamer Lane Supply. I went there for a quick lunch on a foggy Wednesday. It's in the same building as the restrooms. Close to the foamies, brah!

The menu is modest, but everything looked delish. I guess the paper posters means they can change it up easily. If you think the list looks similar the Truck Stop food truck, you'd be right. This is run by the same folks!

I chose the Kimchi Dog ($6.50) and an Italian soda ($1.50). You can add your condiments over on the side. Nice hats!

It's not too big inside, but it's not cramped. They've been open for a couple months and on Fridays and Saturdays, the food truck is there too. Open 7:30am to 7pm every day except Monday. Even surfers need a day off!

The dog was awesome! Fresh queso and pickled veggies made for a wonderful flavor with the all-beef hot dog. They split it down the middle for the extra fried-up goodness. Big chunks of crunchy kimchi was a nice balance off the toasted bun. They were right - it was the dankest!

Good on them for filling a needed spot for more food. I think it's every food truck's dream to get a permanent spot and this one is very cool. I'm going back to try the quesadillas soon!

Scores of out a (hang)10:
Food: 8
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: chillin'
Value for the price: 8
Overall: 8

Gabriella Cafe

I've always walked by this place and looked in with curiosity. It's not like many other restaurants in Santa Cruz. Small, but charming would be how I'd describe it. Let's see how's the food...

Gabriella Cafe website
Lunch 11:30 - 2:30pm
Dinner 5:30 - close
Weekend brunch 11- 2:30pm

Julie and I stopped in for dinner on a weeknight and we were seated even without reservations. Lucky us! I think they are needed for a Friday or Saturday - there's not that many tables! Our spot was outside past the black metal gate. Lots of flower pots and strings of lights everywhere.

We got the menus and some homemade bread to nibble on. It was wonderful. Spongy and chewy with a hint of salt on the top. What a great way to start dinner.

We decided on an appetizer of Prosciutto Wrapped Melon ($12) covered with pistachios - what a treat! Salty and sweet, the fruit was ripe to perfection. I am liking this "hole in the wall". Such great flavors!

On to the main course - Julie got the Butternut Squash Ravioli ($18) with goat cheese, corn and sage. She was happy with her pick - everything was fresh and tasty. I had to sneak one quick before they disappeared. Maybe a few more for the price would be nice.

Me, myself and I wanted something more robust. Would the Roasted Pork ($24) with mashed potatoes, root veggies and blackberry glaze do the trick? Oh my goodness, did it ever. The sweet and savory on this was to die for. The pork was very tender and could be cut with a fork. It was so good, I knew I wanted to save some for the next day. It was tough, but I managed to get some in the doggie bag.

This place has been around since 1992 and it's gotta be for the food and the fun decor. A perfect place for a romantic meal or even treating your mom. We're going to try the brunch there next.

Scores out of ten:
Food: 9
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 9
Value for price: 8
Overall: 8.5

831 Vietnamese

New restaurant alert! On the Westside! This place opened a few weeks ago and took over the spot where Thai Orchid used to be.

831 Vietnamese website

The huge fish tank is gone, but the chirping birds and flowers are still there when you walk in.

Actually, if you didn't know, you'd think this was still Thai Orchid. Same dining layout inside. But was the food just as good? You know, that's why I'm here. Let's find out.

Each table had various condiments and utensils. Hoisin and Sriracha, but no soy sauce. Hmm... interesting. I liked the little bowls for dipping. And chopsticks. My co-worker Jim and I checked out the menu. I asked if there was lunch specials and the waitress said everything was a special. Huh?

Well, I was hungry, so I got the Grilled Chicken and Prawn dish ($10.25). It came with soup, eggroll, rice and salad. And one prawn. Don't squint too hard at the picture - there was only one. The salad was just lettuce, mint, cucumbers and carrots without dressing. Comparing this to a Chinese restaurant lunch special (like Tam's), you get soup, rice, wonton and a decent-sized entree. It would be more filling than this.

Soup is a generous word for what they served us. This is more like cilantro water. Really? Some green onion pieces and black pepper do not make a soup. This was a disappointment.

Jim got just the Grilled Chicken plate ($9.25) and it came with two pieces of chicken. He was happy. I was not. I paid more and got less food! I did try to make lemonade out of lemons by using the cucumbers has a taco shell for some rice and sauce. When you are hungry, you make do...

The last thing I want to mention was the awkwardness when we asked for the check. The waitress said we should pay at the front counter. That's all well and good, but we didn't have a check for our meal. We went up and the lady asked what we had. This doesn't seem like a good way run a business. I could have said "just a bowl of rice"! But I am a man of honor. We paid and quickly departed.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 5 (nothing special, but fresh)
Service: 2 (long wait for the non-existent check)
Atmosphere: 5
Value for price: 2 (I'm still hungry)
Overall: 3

This place gets my lowest score ever for a restaurant. I think it's mostly because of the recent opening. Hopefully, they will improve and be more generous with their food.

Late July's Bacon Habanero Tortilla Chips

And now for something completely different...

When I saw these on the aisle in New Leaf, I knew I'd have to do a review. Bacon? Habanero? Another vehicle for guacamole??

Late July introduced these in a new line of chips called "Clasicos", inspired by taco trucks. (I bought them in mid-June, so I guess I'm already a winner.) The other flavors are Nacho Chipotle, Jalapeno Lime and Crispy Yellow Corn. But how spicy is habanero on the Scoville scale?

Yowza! If you want heat, this is the pepper for you. Only the Scorpion is hotter. Not sure where Ghost Pepper is, but hot is hot. Will these chips melt my lips??

Upon first taste, it's the bacon flavor that stands out. The habanero is more mild than I thought it would be. It builds as you eat more chips, but it's not a volcanic thing. I guess they had to protect the children and soccer moms.

Will these chips make me fat? (Too late... lol) Let's check out the stats. These are organic chips, baby! Ground yellow corn, sunflower oil and Non-GMO seasoning. I can pronounce all of the ingredients. That's a good sign. Six chips is a serving and that has 7g of fat (the non-trans kind). No cholesterol and 160mg of salt. Hmmm... not bad! As long as you don't finish off the whole bag in one sitting, I think these will not make you regret anything. Excelsior!

But did they tickle my fancy? Survey says yes! They were thin, but crunchy. And enough flavor to make me think of bubbling bacon and spicy peppers. Not hot enough to burn ya, but a good mild heat that subsides in a few minutes. But who are we kidding? You are buying them for the bacon. It works!

3 Pigs BBQ - San Carlos

Spring is here and with it comes all sorts of things to do once the weather gets warmer. I'm talking BBQ, people! Here's a place that is about an hour from Santa Cruz, but I am dedicating this review to Conor since he lives close by. (Tell us what you think in the comment, buddy!) To get there, take 101 North, then Whipple Ave. exit to San Carlos.

3 Pigs website

At the end of the charming downtown, you will find 3 Pigs. It came up as highly recommended on Yelp, so let's give it a go. Plenty of street parking around.

Cool decor inside with a country BBQ vibe. Sports on the TVs and cold beer on tap. Scanning the menu, there was all the typical BBQ items with a few surprises. They have "loaded" Mac & Cheese (comes with meat) and Kale Watermelon Feta Salad. Also, fried chicken!

Julie went with the classic St. Louis ribs dinner (half-rack $20.50) with 2 sides - coleslaw and Quinoa salad. The pork was fall-off-the-bone good and she liked the salads too. She was especially happy with the choice of BBQ sauces at the table. She tried them all, but preferred the "house" sauce. The slaw was crunchy and tangy with a sprinkle of sesame seeds - delish!

Beside the house sauce, there was also Memphis (sweet), Spicy, Spicy Vinegar and Mustard. I tried all 5 and liked them all.

My choice for dinner was the Taco Sampler ($10) with shredded beef, chicken and pork. It also had onions, cilantro and a remoulade sauce on the side. I squirted sauces all over the tacos and went a little crazy, but was happily sedated with a full belly.

I think the tacos were more of a deal than the ribs, but we had to try them. Everything was quality, so it's worth the money. I'm coming back to try the mac'n cheese loaded. (The dish, not me...)

Scores out of 10:
Food: 8
Service: 6
Atmosphere: 7
Value for price: 7
Overall: 7

Salsa's Scotts Valley

This will be a quick review since time is running fast and I'm trying to catch up! But better a quick one than nothing. As the song says "A little bit is better than nada..."

Salsa's (somebody please update me!)

Remember where KFC was on Mt. Hermon Road on the way out of SV? Salsa's took over more than a year ago and yes, they still have a drive-thru window. We decided to go in to check out the interior. It was nice and no hints of a fast-food chicken place. Upon entering, there's several barstools and a full bar on the right. Many margaritas are born there. Further up is the cashier and a salsa bar. There's 10 or so tables inside with TVs on the wall and a nice patio out back. We decided to enjoy the sun out there.

We love Mexican food, so it was only a matter of time before we ate here. My go-to Mexican is nachos ($8.95), so I ordered mine with grilled chicken. Would Colonel Sanders be proud?

Si, senor! Mega-loaded with beans, chips and cheese, the meal was very generous. The toppings were fresh and the chicken was cooked well. I added some of the tomatillo salsa to make it even better. This plate was a winner!

She got two shredded chicken tacos with rice and beans ($7.95). She liked the crunchy taco shells and filing but said the chicken could have been better. Not enough flavor. But it looked good and was a nice portion.

There are a handful of Mexican restaurants in SV, Maya's, some taquerias, Cafe Carlos, and Salsa's is as good as any of them. I liked the outside patio option for sunny days and the salsa bar to choose your own. Maybe some bigger salsa bowls, but I can understand why they aren't. Just get a table close by for frequent trips.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 6
Service: n/a (order and they bring it to you)
Atmosphere: 8
Value for price: 7
Overall: 7

Greek Spot - Sunnyvale

Hello kittens and kaboodles! It is time for another installment in the Santa Cruz Food Blog. I've been driving all around the South Bay these days and found a new place to write up. If you ever are in Sunnyvale and are feeling Mediterranean, you should try the Greek Spot!

Website

On the corner in a strip mall, you will find them at El Camino Real and Mary Ave. Julie and I were looking for a quick bite before a comedy show at Rooster T. Feathers, which was just up the street. We both like Greek food and Yelp said it was good. Let's put it to the test!

All the classic Greek dishes were represented. I appreciated the pictures of the food listed hanging below the menu. Julie opted for the Lamb Gyro and I wanted the Special Plate with chicken. As a treat, we also got the Spanakopita appetizer. You order at the front counter and then they bring you the food at your table. Everything inside was blue and white with pictures and souvenirs from Greece.

The Spanakopita ($5.99) came out first and looked good, but was too hot to eat right away. When I finally did tempt fate and take a bite, thankfully it was manageable. The crispy outer layer was perfect with the spinach and feta cheese interior. I wished there were more in the basket.

The Lamb Gyro ($7.49) was plentiful and big. Red onion, lettuce, tomato were all there and some French fries too! Julie thankfully offered me a bite, which I took whole-heartedly. Wonderful!

My Special plate ($10.99) was very full with a chicken skewer, rice, pita bread and a nice salad. A little Tzatziki sauce on the side filled it out, but the container was too small. The chicken was nicely cooked. The best part was the salad, which had cucumbers, olives, onions and feta. Not bad!

The place was about half full on the Saturday night we were there. It was mostly clean, but we noted the floors were a bit dirty. Maybe they don't sweep up during the day? The food was good quality, so maybe next time, we'll get it to go. There's not much to make you want to eat in.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 7
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 5
Value for price: 7
Overall: 6