Assembly Santa Cruz

Hello all local food lovers, I am back with another quick review. This time it's a downtown eatery that has materialized some buzz of late - Assembly. Farm to table, yo.

Assembly webpage

After some fun rounds of bowling, our group of hungry adventurers decided to converge here. The warm autumn night allowed us to relax at an outside table and watch the downtown activity. Only once was our meal interrupted by some kids yelling "Cioppino" out of their car window. And we weren't even on the wharf.

We picked a few appetizers from the menu - Chickpea Fries ($5) and the Meat Snacks ($12). Both were very well displayed, but underwhelming. The fries were shaped into long blocks and came with a red pepper sauce. Even with that, however, they lacked flavor. Spencer said he was reminded of cigarettes, but I didn't think they were that bad. A little salt would have helped, but there was none on the table. The meat was served on a wood plank with toast, apple slices, stone-ground mustard and pickled cauliflower. The selections were cotto ham, sliced steak and sausage. It was good, but not $12 good. More would have been welcome.

Spencer ordered the Pork Shoulder and Pork Loin plate ($20), which was abundant with peppers, beans, kale and squash. They happily dug in, but again, the lack of salt for the pork loin made it lack the needed flavor. It seemed to be a nice mix of flavors and textures. I was going to ask Spencer what he thought of it, but his dish was already empty!

Jesse and I both got the West Coast Burger ($13) and what a plate it was! I got extra avo ($2.50), but it didn't even need it. The burger was cooked very well and was juicy and delicious. The small brioche bun held up well to the stack and the pickled onions were a nice touch. The fries were firm and tasty - I'd definitely order this again.

Too full for any dessert, we thanked our friendly waiter and he offered to split the checks for us. Sometimes waitstaff will roll their eyes at you when you ask for this, but our guy was very good about it.

I think they struck out on the apps, but made up for it with the entrees. I had higher hopes, but still was satisfied and will go back again.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 7
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Value for price: 6
Overall: 6.75

Falafel House Santa Cruz

Lunch in Downtown Santa Cruz is always a hard decision. So many good places! My buddy Seth from work listed a few of his favorites and one stuck me as perfect - The Falafel House. Located on Walnut Ave., across from 99 Bottles, we drove over on a beautiful summer day.

Falafel House website

There were only a few others inside when we got there at noon, but I hear at dinner it can get crowded. There's a huge menu over the counter and specials listed on the side. I like how you can see back into the kitchen area.

Not many decorations in this place besides some travel posters on the Middle East and some plants. The front windows bring in all the sunshine you will ever need. And the tip jar was clever.

We ordered our food and both elected for water to drink, which was provided for free. They give you a number and you pick it up when it's called.

Seth went with the Veggie Combo ($7.99) and requested the yogurt-free tahini sauce. It's great they offer that he was happy with the generous portions on his plate. Falafels over a salad, tabbuli and hummus with lots of vegetables.

I went with the Shawerma Combo ($9.99), which had grilled chicken shawerma over salad, hummus and babbaganough (which is fun to eat and say!). Both plates included pita bread. Babbaganough is made with cooked eggplant, tahini and spices and this version was good. Not spectacular, but good. The hummus was better than what I get from the store, so I rate it better than average. The chicken was plentiful and cooked well. No grizzle or hard parts.

We were satisfied with our lunch, so we didn't consider any dessert, but they offer Baklava. I've had better Middle Eastern food elsewhere (like Laili's also downtown), but the Falafel House offers a quick, adequate meal.

Score out of 10:
Food: 6
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 7
Value form price: 7
Overall: 6.75

Sushi Garden SV

Guess who's back? Back again. The blog is back. Tell a friend. This time we are trying the new sushi place in Scotts Valley that replaced Yamamori. That was one of our favorites (see its review here from last Spring), so how does it compare?

Sushi Garden SV

Around the corner from Starbucks at the north end of SV, Sushi Garden just opened a few weeks ago. It was sad to see the former sushi place replaced, but we were willing to give this new one a try. We being my teenage, sushi-obsessed daughter and me.

Inside, they kept mostly the same layout for booths and tables, but brightened the area with lighter colors, tablecloths and walls. It was a nice contrast with the new darker chairs. Our friendly server asked where we wanted to sit. Coming from a long line of booth people, our choice was easy.

What to get? I enjoy the salads that Japanese places serve with its Miso dressing, so we started on that. I didn't even look up the price, since how much could a small salad cost? If you guessed $4.50, you'd be right. It was way too much for wet lettuce, cucumbers and carrots served with a scant amount of dressing. Off to a bad start!

The sushi, however, was much better. First up was the Golden California Roll ($7.50), served deep-fried with sweet sauce. This was a great value and the crab and avocado tasted spot on. I liked the purple flower too (didn't check to see if it was edible).

Next up were two rolls: one with pork Gyoza ($6.50) and one with Yam Tempura ($5.90). Both were tasty, but my daughter preferred the Yam one. It had a nice fresh flavor and a small crunch.

One more deep fried roll to try: the Regulator ($12.50), which came with Unagi, spicy Tuna, cream cheese and a sweet sauce. It was another winner that we both very much enjoyed.

It looked like all the guests were given a free dish, probably since they had just opened. Ours was some deep-fried Hamachi (Yellowtail), but it didn't have a strong taste. Just a mild fish flavor covered in crunchy tempura. Free is free.

I'm sorry to say that overall they didn't measure up to the previous restaurant. Maybe they are still working out the kinks? I think it is good enough for your "go-to" north-end sushi place. Hopefully, they can improve on a few things.

Scores out of 10:

Food: 7 (knocked down by the salad)

Service: 7

Atmosphere: 7

Value for price: 6

Overall: 6.75

Aroma Indian Bistro

Hey people! I'm back with a couple new reviews. This one is for the new Aroma Indian Bistro that moved into where the Kyber Pass and Himalayan Kitchen used to be on Pacific.

Aroma Indian Bistro (Yelp)

I met my brother for the lunch buffet last week and it was a reasonable $9.99. Does anyone else get excited by the term "all you can eat". My older self realizes now that this is not a challenge, but a value-driven marketing term.

The interior has stayed mostly the same with the big front windows letting in plenty of sunlight and tables in the middle and the open kitchen along the left side.

Look at all the silver domes of Indian food goodness! Some of them were tricky to open and close with one hand since you balance your plate in the other. I got better during my second trip.

There's a mini-salad bar as well with veggies, mixed greens and watermelon as well as several tasty sauces and dressings. The bro especially liked putting the mint sauce on cucumber slices. Crunch!

Slightly charred, but fluffy naan bread came with the buffet. The lemon in the ice water was a nice touch. Both were refilled many times during our meal.

How can you go wrong? Butter Chicken, two kinds of Masala (Chicken and Chana), Dal (lentils), Chicken Tandoori and steamed rice filled my plate. The Masala was a bit heavy on the tomato flavor, but still very good. My bro liked the garlic in the Chana one; it was chickpea-abundant.

My second trip was for the salad, Zucchini Pakora and more Butter Chicken on rice. The yougurt dressing was kind of bland and the sliced tomatoes had no flavor. This is the only bad thing I can say about the buffet. Otherwise, it was all thumbs up. I wish I could have taken a nap afterwards - always a good sign. We will be returning.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 8
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 6
Value for price: 8
Overall: 7.50

Phoenix Asian Restaurant

Cheap eats? I have a good one this time. Out on Mission, there's a Chinese place called Phoenix. It has a great deal for lunch. $5.99!

Phoenix Asian Restaurant

Jim said he'd never been in there before, so we went to lunch last Friday. It's right across from Ferrell's Donuts if you want some dessert afterwards.

It's nice enough inside. They recently updated the tables and chairs and you've got to love the good luck cat on the counter. We were there early around 11:45, so we had our choice of spots.

The lunch special is $5.99 from 11am to 3:45pm. For UCSC students with ID, they can get that deal all day (except weekends). It includes rice, appetizer, soup of the day and a fortune cookie. Good deal! The soup was Hot and Sour and it had good size pieces of mushroom, tofu and bamboo all swimming inside. It had a kick from the pepper.

Jim got the General Chicken, which is his "go to" for new Chinese places. Two crunchy wontons came with it and the plate was full. He happily finished it off.

I ordered the Sweet and Sour Chicken and was not disappointed. The chicken pieces were cooked well and the coating was still crunchy, even in the sauce. Nice chunks of green peppers and carrots with it too.

Scanning the menu, they run all the traditional dishes including seafood, chicken, pork, beef, rice and noodles. Even Foo Yung and Mu Shu. This place was tasty and worth checking out!

Scores out of 10:
Food: 8
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 6
Value for price: 9 (lunch menu)
Overall: 7.5

Dharma's Capitola

Meeting my brother for lunch and he suggested we cruise out to Capitola for a little Dharma's. A vegetarian place? Well, there's a first time for everything. Not sure about this "no meat" thing. Will I have to turn in my BBQ membership card?

Dharma's - Good for you, good for the world.

The three of us (daughter included) walked in and the place was packed - a good sign. You have to order at the register and then pick up your food at another counter to the right. No waitstaff keeps the prices down? We'll see.

Cool vibes inside with hanging plants and lots of sunshine from the many windows. We liked the artwork hanging on the walls. Even a cool, bubbling fountain in the front corner. We grabbed a menu and ordered.

Mike got the Indian Curry Plate ($14.95) and a vanilla milkshake ($7.50). It came with brown rice and papadam, chutney and raita (yogurt) sauce. You can also get other condiments and water at a counter in the middle of the place. We loaded up on hot sauces, wheat germ, onions and spices.

So fresh and delish, he really liked his meal. Hearty veggies and tofu all in a savory and spicy curry sauce. It was a huge portion and had some to take home. He shared the milkshake and we all thought it was great.

The kiddo went pasta (big surprise) - Pasta Con Pesto ($12.95) and was happy to see an abundant plate of noodles and four toasts. She could only eat half, so again, another take home meal was done. You can get the to-go boxes over by where you drop of your dishes. She said it was some of the best pestos she has ever had.

It also came with a green salad with homemade vinaigrette. Not spectacular, but good and fresh and it made this a value order.

I went with the potstickers ($6.50) and a bowl of their "famous" chili ($6.95) and I was also very pleased. The chili was hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind and was huge. The stickers were okay, but kind of rubbery. The sweet plum and spicy mustard sauces were nice on the side.

As a bonus, dear readers, we came back another time that week and ate again. Here's what I got the on the second visit - the Burrito Bueno ($6.95). Filled with beans, brown rice, cheese and sour cream, this thing was gigantic! The salad again was a nice touch, but maybe chips instead next time. Their menu is huge and this is one of the best deals I think. It fills you up!

Started in 1981, Dharma's was built to last. Feeding the hungry masses with healthy, flavorful foods is what it does best. Maybe not your cheapest place in town, but if you care what goes in, you can't go wrong here.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 9
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 8
Value for price: 7
Overall: 8

Cole's BBQ

The foggy weather on East Cliff made me grab a hoodie and toss it in the backseat on my way to meet Alan for lunch. Ever since I reviewed Casa Rosita's (link) which is right next door, I'd been meaning to get back there for Cole's. Today was the day.

Cole's BBQ

This place is tiny! Like only three tables inside where you order at the counter. There's more room out on the deck.

After scouting the menu, I decided on the $10.95 Lunch Special - pork ribs, fries and garlic bread. They let me substitute the coleslaw for the fries. Alan went with the Tri-Tip sandwich and fries ($11.95).

Three meaty ribs were delivered to our table and my eyes got big. Yum! They had BBQ squeeze bottles, so on the sauce went. I took a bite and nearly burned my fingers. Let it cool down, bro! So I turned my focus to the slaw. It was flowing over the bowl and tasted crisp and fresh. Not too sweet, which is good. A satisfying crunch. The bread was soaked in garlic butter and was squished flat. I peeled off a section to share. Got a few fries in trade!

Alan's meal was huge! Thick cut fries with salt, pepper and some sugar I think. They were really great. I'm ordering more next time. His steak was cut thin and drenched in sauce. He gave a thumbs up as he devoured his lunch.

My ribs were okay, but too tough and chewing was a chore. It's should fall off the bone, right? Next time I will try the beef ribs. The coleslaw and fries were the stars today, as well as the tri-tip. The price is not a bargain, but reasonable. It is the only BBQ on East Cliff, so no nearby competition to lower prices. As for how it rates with other BBQs in town, I'll need more research, but Cole's is a step below Mission St. BBQ for me.

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

Happy Hound - Los Gatos

I've been on a burger and hot dog kick lately. Must be the approaching summer. This cold weather needs to high-tail it outta here already! One fun place that's just over the hill in Los Gatos is the Happy Hound. It started in 1971, so you know they know what's up.

Happy Hound (Yelp)

There's only a few tables inside and several around the back, so when this place gets busy, to-go is the way to go. We got there at 6pm on a Saturday night and grabbed a couple stools at the counter.

The menu is basic - hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwich, fries, onion rings and drinks/shakes. You can watch them grill it all up through the glass. So would the food be better than a Boardwalk snack shack or fast food?

Our first order was the Polish Dog ($5.95), which was on a roll with tomato, red onions, mustard and pickles. You get your food in a plastic basket with checkered wax paper. The sausage was grilled perfectly and the roll was toasted. So far, so good!

We got the medium fries ($2.95) instead of the small and the massive size. The massive one would feed an entire little league team since it filled the whole bag. Medium was enough for the two of us, but the fries weren't spectacular.

The onion rings ($3.95) were actually pretty great! They come with either ranch or BBQ sauce and the batter was thick and crispy. They use some sort of seasoning on it and it was a step above the norm.

I was feeling like a burger and got the basic ($4.95) with lettuce, red onion, tomato and pickles. I couldn't get a lot of flavor from the meat, unfortunately, so I'd have to rate it sub-par. A bit too much onion too, so I took off most of it.

I don't know a lot of places in Los Gatos to get a hot dog, so I'd guess this is the place to go. I'd definitely come back for the onion rings, but would stay away from the burgers.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 6 (+1 for onion rings)
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Value for price: 6
Overall: 5.50

Munch Downtown

Sometimes you feel like a five-course meal with soup, salad, steak, veggies and dessert. Sometimes you just want a decent hot dog. Today was a hot dog day and the kid and I headed out downtown. I had found a coupon at Record Store Day (I'm all about the value) for free fries. Good enough to check it out.

Munch (Yelp)

I'm going to guess that the owner who chose the decor was a child of the Eighties. Pac-Man is on the sign and menus (Munch - get it?) and there's bright yellow everywhere. It really stands out on the corner of Pacific and Laurel. This is the second new restaurant to open in this neighborhood in the last few years (KC's Sports Bar the other). Hopefully, it will bring more people to this side of town.

Inside is bright and clean with big video screen menus up above. You can see the cooks grilling up all the food and there are condiments on the counter too. I really liked the record album pictures around all the walls.

Just the basic, plain hot dog for the kiddo! At $4, you would hope it was a decent size and of good quality. Correct on both points. They advertise their "world famous" Philly Cheese Steaks made with 100% Ribeye steak. Also, burgers, corn dogs, chicken strips, Chicken Parm and a Veggie Rice Bowl.

I got the Kraut dog ($5) with the (free) fries on the side. Normally, they are $2 and yes, I shared. There was a generous amount of sauerkraut covering the hot dog and I was fine with the price tag. The fries were crispy and hot.

For dessert, we got the Deep Fried Twinkie ($3). It was on a stick, but we cut off pieces, so we could share. Powered sugar and a chocolate sauce covered the top and the cake inside was soft and fluffly. Quite the treat!

It's good there's another hot dog place downtown - Jack's being the other one. Too bad the Santa Cruz Warriors season is at the end, since I could see stopping here often before games. Definitely grabbing some grub on the way to the Boardwalk concerts this summer.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 7
Service: 6
Atmosphere: 6
Value for price: 7
Overall: 6.5