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You are here: Home / Archives for dining

dining

A Look Into Persephone

February 16, 2017 by Seb Frey

Peresphone Restaurant Interior

I recently had an opportunity to chat with two of the owners of Persephone, the hottest new restaurant in Aptos. I wanted to check in with them and see how their new venture is going, and to learn more about what has made Persephone such a success right out of the gate.

I sat down with chef Cori Goudge-Ayer and her brother Alex Potter who serves as the beverage manager / sommelier. I met with them around mid-day, as they were hard at work planning that evening’s service. Several cooks were in the kitchen, busily preparing the food which would be served in a few hours. I was told that the kitchen starts going shortly after dawn, as many of their dishes require hours of preparation.

Speaking with Cori and Alex, their passion for their work and Persephone came through. I’m not a restauranteur and only a wannabe foodie, but when I have my choice, I want someone who clearly wants to serve a meal that’s going to knock my socks off. Talking to Cori and Alex, that’s the distinct impression I got: they want every dish that comes out of the kitchen to wow the palette and dazzle the eyes.

One of Persephone’s hallmarks is their commitment to using fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. This means that the menu is always changing as new vegetables come into season. A couple of local farms have even agreed to grow vegetables exclusively for the restaurant, assuring them a steady supply of fresh, high-quality ingredients for their cuisine.

This kind of dedication to their craft is clearly what’s behind the restaurant’s success. Already, a number of locals come to eat there on a weekly basis, as the daily and desert specials are constantly refreshed, subject to availability of ingredients. For example, many seafood items will be available only when the fishermen bring in a fresh catch, and may be on the menu for a single night only.

If you’re looking to treat yourself (or your spouse, friends, or family!) to a really special night out, be sure to check out Persephone and see for yourself why they’ve already earned so many raving fans.

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Filed Under: Eats and Drinks, News, Restaurants Tagged With: dining, Persephone, restaurant

Best of Good Times 2015 in Aptos

March 31, 2015 by Seb Frey

Best of Santa Cruz 2015
Good Times Best of Santa Cruz 2015

Good Times Magazine is back with its Best of Santa Cruz Issue for 2015. Unsurprisingly, the Best of Good Times 2015 in Aptos is a long list. Congratulations to all the Aptos winners – the recognition is well-deserved!

The Best in all of Santa Cruz

Best Farmers Market: Farmer’s Market at Cabrillo

Best Place of Worship: Twin Lakes Church

Best Indian Cuisine: Ambrosia India Bistro

Best BBQ: Aptos St. BBQ

Best Mediterranean Cuisine: Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine

Best Carpet Cleaning: Connoisseur Carpet Cleaning

Best Children’s Day Care: Simcha Preschool

Best Insurance: Rovai Insurance

Best Laser Hair Removal: Laser Hair and Skin Solutions

Best Running Store: Fleet Feet Sports

Best Swim School: Seahorse Swim School

The Best in Aptos/Soquel

Best Mexican Restaurant: Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant

Best Patio Dining: Bittersweet Bistro

Best Seafood: Café Rio

Best Sushi: Kauboi Japanese Grill & Sushi

Best Burrito: Los Gordos Mexican Restaurant

Best Breakfast: Red Apple Café

Best Burger: BURGER.

Best Date Night Restaurant: Bittersweet Bistro

Runners Up

Best Restaurant Aptos/Soquel: Café Sparrow, Bittersweet Bistro

Best Men’s Shoes: Aptos Shoes and Apparel

Best Pet Store: Aptos Feed

Best Women’s Clothing: Aptos Shoes and Apparel

Editor’s Picks

Best Convenience Store/Gas Station: AJ’s Market

Best South County Breakfast Burrito: Palm Deli

Filed Under: News Tagged With: best of, breakfast, dining, dinner, food, good times, lunch, restaurant, services, shopping, shops

Hideout for History

January 28, 2015 by Seb Frey

The Hideout in Aptos on Soquel Drive
The Hideout in Aptos on Soquel Drive

The good folks at the Aptos History Museum are teaming up with the newest Hot Spot in Aptos to bring you the Hideout for History! Technically the event is called “Dining for History” but given that the discussion will be about the history of the house that The Hideout occupies, Hideout for History seems apt.

The date of the event will be Tuesday, February 24th at 6 PM, and it will be held at The Hideout, the new “it” place in Aptos. There are a limited number of tickets available – less than 40 in all will be sold, so don’t delay! Tickets are $40 each for museum members, and $45 each for non-members. To get a ticket, call 831-688-1467. Proceeds from the event will go to support the operations of the Aptos History Museum.

It should be noted that the ticket includes dinner, but does not include a tip for your server – or cocktails. So bring along some extra coin and get ready to immerse yourself in some local Aptos history. As a primer, you might want to read the excellent article written by Kevin Newhouse about the building which houses The Hideout.

The Hideout in Aptos
The Hideout in Aptos

Filed Under: Events, News Tagged With: aptos history museum, cocktails, dining, the hideout

Gourmet Grazing on September 27 in Aptos Village Park

August 28, 2014 by Seb Frey

Get ready for Gourmet Grazing on the Green on Saturday, September 27 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM at Aptos Village Park! This event is in its 11th season, and it’s a fantastic day of excellent wine, delicious food and, of course, live music! While away the day savoring the rich flavors from dozens of the most acclaimed local restaurants and wineries.

This event is put on by the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group, and all proceeds from the event go to support the cause. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

See also: Santa Cruz Cancer Benefits Group

Filed Under: Events, News Tagged With: aptos village park, beer, cancer, dining, event, food, gourmet, wine

Dinner and a Movie in Aptos

April 29, 2014 by Seb Frey

The owners of the fabled Nickelodeon Theater and Del Mar Theater in downtown Santa Cruz also have the good taste to own the Aptos Cinema in the Rancho del Mar Shopping Center. They have partnered with a number of local restaurants to create Date Night Santa Cruz, which is a Dinner and Movie Special. For just $50, you can get two tickets to see a movie and dinner for two, every evening Monday through Thursday, holidays excluded.

The Aptos restaurants which are participating in Date Night Santa Cruz are:

  • Au Midi
  • Cafe Sparrow
  • Cafe Rio
  • Kauboi

Tickets can be purchased at any participating restaurant or movie theater (including those in Santa Cruz).  The cost of the dinner is limited to $50 in most cases, although some restaurants limit it to $45.  The tickets can be used for most items in the restaurants, typically including starters, main entrees, desserts, and drinks.

See also:  Date Night Santa Cruz

Date Night Aptos
Date Night Aptos

Filed Under: Eats and Drinks, Entertainment, News Tagged With: dining

Good Times finds Best in Aptos 2014

April 25, 2014 by Seb Frey

Every year, Good Times magazine has a Best of Santa Cruz County poll. Readers can vote for their favorite local businesses, and for 2014, a large number of Aptos businesses and professionals have won awards.  It shouldn’t come as a surprise to folks who live in Aptos – we know that Aptos is Best in Santa Cruz, generally speaking.  It is good though to see recognition go to such a large number of local businesses and business people – so congratulations to all!

The awards are broken into several categories, and here are the winners for Aptos:

Food and Drink

Aptos Street BBQ – Best BBQ

Aptos Farmer’s Market – Best Farmer’s Market

Bittersweet Bistro – Best Aptos Restaurant

Shops

Connoiseur Carpet Cleaner – Best Carpet Cleaner

Warmth Company – Best Furniture Store

Frank’s Pharmacy – Best Pharmacy

Health and Fitness

Bella Dawna – best Day Spa

Todal Fitness – Best Overall fitness club

Seascape Village Fitness – Best fitness club in Aptos

Nisene Marks Park – Best Hiking Trail

Laser Hair & Skin Solutions – Best Laser Hair Removal

Body in Motion – Best Pilates Studio

Professionals

Rovai Insurance Agency – Best Insurance Agency

Dr. Alexandra Klikoff – Best OB/GYN

Lauren Spencer – Best Real Estate Agent

Rene Schlaepfer, Twin Lakes Church – Best Spiritual Leader

The Rest

Twin Lakes Church – Best Church

Bella Dawna – best Eyelash Extensions

Best of Santa Cruz 2014
Best of Santa Cruz 2014

Filed Under: News Tagged With: best of santa cruz, dining, good times

Bittersweet Bistro

April 25, 2014 by Seb Frey

Bittersweet Bistro
Bittersweet Bistro 3.0 star rating 491 reviews Yelp logo

When it comes to fine dining in Aptos, Bittersweet Bistro has to be near the top of the list. Located near the Deer Park Marketplace Shopping Center, Bittersweet Bistro specializes in what they call American Bistro cuisine with Mediterranean influences. They have a full bar, and also have an extensive wine list and a rich dessert menu.

Adjacent to the Bittersweet Bistro is Cafe Bittersweet, where they serve Breakfast (from 8 AM til 1 PM) and lunch (from 10 AM to 2 PM). They have also opened the Bittersweet Lounge, with leather chairs and three flat panel televisions – including a 110 inch screen! The Lounge is open 7 days a week, but on Friday and Saturday is open only for patrons 21 years and older, but all ages are welcome Sunday through Thursday.

 You will often find live music on the weekends, with a variety of local musicians tuning up and entertaining the crowds.  Whether you are just looking for a quick cocktail and some appetizers or an unforgettable full meal, this is the spot to try in Aptos.

Tip:  Every day of the week they feature $7 “nightly nibbles” starting at 4 PM.
See also

  • Bittersweet Bistro
  • Bittersweet Bistro on Facebook
  • Cafe Bittersweet
Bittersweet Bistro - Aptos
Bittersweet Bistro – Aptos

Filed Under: Bars, Cafe, Eats and Drinks, Restaurants Tagged With: bittersweet bistro, dining, food, gourmet

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