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

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

Jack's Hamburgers

How could I have a food blog with Santa Cruz in the name without having reviewed Jack's? Today, I rectify this predicament! Jack's has been around downtown SC for decades. The story I heard is when the original owner was going to sell in the 90's, the printers at the Sentinel newspaper bought it. They had been going there for years and didn't want to see it closed. Thank you, printers!

Jack's (Yelp)

I met Big Al for lunch here and he texted me there was still a few spots in their little parking lot around back. It's right on the corner of Lincoln and Walnut, so there's other (paid) parking all around.

You go in to order and it's your standard burger menu. Burgers, shakes, fries. But there's always specials posted on the wall too. I've gotten a good tuna sandwich there when I wasn't feeling like a burger. But burgers are where they shine. They call your name and you pick it up at the outside window. Lots of tables outside to soak the sun. Bring shades.

Big Al got the Cheeseburger Basket ($7.25) with a coke. Is there anything more American? It's served in a coffee filter (brilliant!) and the burger is wrapped up too. The fries are crispy outside and soft and fluffly inside. They are sized in between a shoestring and a steak fry. And they go great in ketchup. Lettuce, tomato slice, pickles and red onion round out the hearty sandwich.

I went with the Mushroom and Swiss Special Turkey Burger Basket and a drink ($8.50). These take a bit longer, but so worth it. I added some mustard and enjoyed it to the last bite. It did get a bit sloppy at the end, but who doesn't love that? Good to the last drop.

Who like deals? This is a late lunch or early dinner deal, but look at the value! They also have a sweet deal for the kiddies = hot dog and a drink for $4. That one is for anytime. They are closed Sundays and there are no bathrooms, so plan ahead.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 8
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 8 (sunny), 6 (cloudy)
Value for price: 7
Overall: 7.5 - one of the better burger joints in SC!

Tampico Kitchen + Lounge

Game night! The Santa Cruz Warriors were playing last Saturday night in town, so we needed food close to the arena. Tampico Kitchen, located at Pacific and Maple Avenue, fit the bill. It's been around forever and I've been a few times, but not for awhile. Let's try it out and write it up!

Tampico Kitchen + Lounge

Alan and I were looking for a filling, hot meal since it was like 40 degrees outside. Not typical Santa Cruz weather! Some rice and beans in our bellies should keep us happy as we watched the game.

We sat in the main dining room as opposed to the bar lounge area. The place was packed for a Saturday night and I didn't see an empty table. And they didn't have the playoffs on, so the dining room was it for us.

Our chips and salsa came quick, which was great. Not a full basket, but they offered free refills. The salsa was thin, but packed a punch. I'd rate it a 6 out of 10 since it did spice up the food, but not spectacularly. And why so little in the bowl?

Alan got the Killer Quesadilla (($12.95) - he had heard it was pretty good from others. His pint of Negra Modela draft was $4.50. Well, I thought quesadillas were flat with two tortillas and everything squeezed in between. Not here! He said it looked more like a big soft taco. The chicken inside was good-sized and plentiful. But he was sad the rice and beans were cold.

I got the Chicken Mole ($12.95), which also came with rice and beans. My domestic bottle of beer was $3.50. The chicken was tender and had a mix of breast and thigh meat. A few bits of gristle didn't deter me from enjoying the dish. The mole sauce was decent, but not amazing. I did like the flour tortillas that came with it to roll my own.

So if you said "Mexican food downtown", I'd still pick El Palomar over Tampico, but it's a decent second place. And it's a shorter walk to the Arena.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 6
Service: 6
Atmosphere: 7
Value for the price: 6
Overall: 6.25

El Palomar Downtown

I asked my daughter where she wanted to go for dinner to celebrate the first day of the school year. It's always tough on the first day after a fun-filled, goof-off summer... El Palomar downtown was the choice, so away we go!

El Palomar

We had been coming to El Palomar for many years and consider it one of the best Mexican places in town. And we have our favorites. For Kelly, it's all about the chips, served warm with their tomato-based, spicy salsa (but not too spicy). They also like to stack the bowls for a Death Star of tortilla chips.

Kelly's other favorite food here is their Cheese Quesadilla ($8). Complete with tomatilla salsa, salsa fresca, guacamole and sour cream, you can't go wrong with this dish. Along with an extra generous side of rice, the offspring was very happy.

For me, the dish that "is" El Palomar is their sope ($13). You get two puffed-up corn tortillas filled with either meat or guac, cabbage, salsa and topped with sour cream. Major yum! I love crunching through the sides, digging for the delicious treasures inside. Along with rice and beans, I can't not order this! (Please pardon my poor, emotional-filled grammar...) I got one chicken and one guac.

Our server was friendly and attentive. Our waters were filled continuously. Our meal was perfect. The Palomar main room has a nice, tall ceiling and the place is pleasantly decorated. The cantina next door is a fun place for happy hour and appetizers. It's no wonder this place is a downtown favorite. Ole!

Scores out of 10:
Food: 8
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Value for price: 8
Overall: A solid OCHO

Solaire Restaurant + Bar

The Solaire restaurant is located in the hotel on Ocean Street that was started by two physicians. You know, a "pair of docs"? Forgive me for going for the easy pun. It's in the Hotel Paradox back around by the pool.

Website

We got there for happy hour on a Sunday at 5pm. They run Sun-Thu from 4-7pm. The pool was packed and Oscar, the maitre'd said the live music had just finished. Quite the happening place!

Happy hour prices was $5 for each appetizer, house wine and well drink. We thought the Moscow Mules were included, but they were not. Luckily, the management was feeling generous that day and we got the HH price. Score!

First up was the BBQ Chicken Wings (normally $12) and Roasted Cauliflower Gratin (normally $6). The wings had a good spicy sauce where you could taste the cayenne pepper. But only five were served - $1 each? Maybe more came with the non-Happy Hour serving. Other sauces were Sweet Chili, Teriyaki, Fire or Salt & Pepper. Our favorite was the gratin, with its generous melted cheese and sauce. We asked for a side of bread just to sop it all up!

Next was the House Ground Meatballs (normally $10), which had a forged mushroom daube with onions and celery in a stroganoff-type of sauce. It was very good and we fork-fought for each bite. Not really, but it was delish.

The coup de grace was this huge plate of fried calamari. It contained thinly sliced lemons, green beans and chopped basil on top. Normally, this was $13 on the menu, but what a bargain for $5! The dipping sauce was lemony and light - perfect for the crunchy, tender bites.

The hotel is really decked out. Artwork on the walls and nice tables and chairs. If you haven't seen the inside yet, you should check it out. It was a sunny day with pool people walking in and out by the bar. Cabanas are only $250 for four hours... be the rockstar!

Scores out of 10:
Food: 7
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Value for price: (during Happy Hour) 8
Overall: 7.75

Sitar downtown SC

My brother Mike and I used to work for a company in Cupertino. The commute was a drag, but the cornucopia of restaurant choices was divine. An old stand-by we always loved was Indian buffet at the Bombay Oven on Stevens Creek. It's gone now, but the memory still remains. One similar Indian food option in downtown Santa Cruz is Sitar.

Website - Yelp

They are located right on the mall, a few doors down from Logo's. Lots of pay parking in the back, but be aware of the farmer's market on Wednesdays. Sitar has a vegetarian lunch buffet during the workweek for $9.73 a person. Mike and I will get our money's worth!

We grabbed a plate and fork and started on the right side with the rice. Need to build a good foundation! Many different veggie dishes with spinach, lentils, tomatoes and potatoes. Paneer, Marsala and Aloo sauces too.

Everything is fresh and they replace the empty trays very regularly. Also, note the good-sized sneeze-guard.

You can also use the metal bowls to help separate your meal. It all goes into the same place however.. the belly! The naan was good and chewy and plentiful.

They have water over by the soda fountain and also iced tea. The buffet selection changes from day to day, but there's so many choices, you can't go wrong. My favorites was the sautéed potatoes in saffron and herbs and the paneer sauce. It's the one with cubes of soft cheese with a tangy flavor.

They also have salad (just iceberg lettuce, cucumber and carrots) and mint and sweet sauces. The rice pudding dessert is over there too.

Two plates of food, more naan and then rice pudding makes for a great meal. You could do more damage of course, that's what buffets are all about. But we wanted to still be able to move in the afternoon. By the way, the chickpea stew was a bit undercooked. But that's the only slip in all the dishes we had.

They also have a to-go lunch box for $5, where you fill up one-trip from the buffet. It's a good lunch on the go.

Scores out of 10:
Food: 8 (for veggie buffet)
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 7 (average, but clean and lots of sunshine)
Value for price: 8
Overall: 7.5

De La Hacienda Taqueria

Have you ever heard about a place, but never managed to get over there? De La Hacienda Taqueria was one of those places for me. I'm happy to report I finally made it there for lunch and was glad I did!

Website

Located on the corner of Laurel and Washington, it's across the street from the Louden Nelson Center. It's small inside with under ten tables, but if you like Mexican food, you need to get here.

My first item from any new Mexican place for me is always nachos. What else covers the plate with all the essentials and topped with melted cheese, salsa and guacamole?

Their "guac" was actually sliced avocado, to which I was not displeased. The Chicken Nachos ($7.25) was very generous with meat, beans and chips. And the salsa is served in bottles on every table. It's much like the salsa at Tacos Morenos. Rumor has it that they have the same owner (I haven't confirmed this), but the salsa is fantastic!

My brother, Mike got the Super Carnitas burrito ($6.50), which was as big as his head. It had meat, cheese, beans, cabbage, avocado and sour cream. You can see how he liberally used the salsa bottle. I have to admit, the "take a bite, splash with more salsa" technique is a winner. Notice the grill marks on the tortilla - this is key to better flavor - no steaming this burrito!

I stopped by later in the week to treat myself to another lunch and picked up a regular Chicken Burrito ($5.50). The chicken was so tender and juicy, I almost didn't need salsa... almost. Chips are $1.75 and they have cans and bottles of soda for $1.25. There's also cerveza por favor!

Scores out of 10:
Food: 9
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 6 (small but clean)
Value for price: 8
Overall: 7.75

Betty's Noodle House

Seth, my friend and co-worker turned me on to this place, right by the downtown Metro station. So it's only fitting we go to lunch and write it up. He lives downtown and was very happy when this place opened a few years ago. As he says himself: "I love soup!"

Website

For a smaller place, they have an impressive menu of soups, salads, noodle and rice bowls. There's only room for 20 diners or so inside, but they have some tables on the patio too.

When you walk in, go right to the back wall to see all the choices up close. Each dish has a picture and description along with if it's vegan, contains peanuts, etc. You can get tofu, chicken, pork, veggies, shrimp or beef in each one too. If you are like me and can't decide easily, you may be there awhile.

Check out the candy wall! More distractions. So many cool things from overseas here - Pocky, fruit gels, Hi-Chew and more. Good thing we were just focused on lunch. We ordered at the counter and then got some water from the self-service station. There were forks and napkins, but we used the chopsticks at the table. The food was done quickly and the chef brought it over.

First up was the Spicy Vegetable Dumplings ($6.50), which were surprisingly softer than what I expected. They looked like pot stickers, but weren't fried. These must have been boiled or steamed since they almost fell off my chopsticks. Inside was chopped cabbage, carrots, corn and scallions. Outside was a sticky, sweet and spicy ginger sauce. Very good!

Seth got the Coconut Curry Noodle Soup ($7.95) and it was huge. He had to take the second half home and it filled up a quart container (provided by the chef). There was a perfect amount of noodles to broth and he enjoyed every slurp. I have gotten that before and it's a flavorful experience of a curry kick and coconut sweetness.

I got the String Bean Noodle Bowl with tofu ($7.95) and everything was placed separate in the bowl. Why you do this? I prefer it mixed up and luckily, there was plenty of sauce to cover the noodles and sprouts. The beans and tofu were cooked well and the sprouts provided a nice crunch.

Betty's, not to be confused with the burger joint farther down the mall, is a good, quick lunch spot. There aren't many noodle shops in downtown, so it's good to know you can get your fix here. Next time, I will try the Pho and Pad Thai. Great variety, great eats!

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