restaurant

A Look Into Persephone

February 16, 2017 by Seb Frey

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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Best of Good Times 2015 in Aptos

March 31, 2015 by Seb Frey

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

Manuel’s Restaurant Celebrates 50 Years

March 9, 2015 by Seb Frey

The folks at Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant in Aptos have done a good job getting the word out…but if you haven’t yet heard, the venerable and much-loved Aptos institution is having its Golden 50th Anniversary this week. On March 15, Manuel’s Restaurant celebrates 50 years of serving its food to our community.

The restaurant was started in 1965 by Manuel and Alice Santana, and it wasn’t long before the establishment got the attention of a number of luminaries of the day. In fact, Manuel’s was an early favorite of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, and was mentioned in Tom Wolfe’s famous Novel, the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.

Manuel’s Restaurant has a long history of giving back to the community which they serve, and to honor that tradition, they will be donating 50% of the sales this week to a number of local organizations they have supported over the years:

Monday, March 9: Homeless Services Center of Santa Cruz
Tuesday, March 10: Second Harvest Food Bank
Wednesday, March 11: Teen Kitchen Project
Thursday, March 12: Cabrillo College Visual, Applied and Performing Arts
Friday, March 13: Women’s Crisis Support – Defensa de Mujeres
Saturday, March 14 & Sunday, March 15: Donation will be divided equally among the five groups.

This week, plan to head on down to Manuel’s to help them celebrate the occasion, and support some of these well-deserving charities.

See also: Manuel’s Restaurant Web Site

The Hideout in Aptos

January 23, 2015 by Seb Frey

The Hideout in Aptos is located along Soquel Drive, just past Aptos Village as you are heading south towards Rio del Mar. It is appropriately named, because unless you know where to find it, it’s an easy spot to miss. The Hideout opened in January of 2015 and it became an overnight sensation. The restaurant is routinely packed for both lunch and dinner, and locals have taken to raving about the place on Facebook and Yelp.

They feature American bistro style cuisine – soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches, an array of tasty appetizers, and a full cocktail bar with a dozen or more beers on tap. The interior is divided up in to several distinct areas, which makes it good for groups. There’s also an outdoor seating area, which surprisingly isn’t too loud given its proximity to both Soquel Drive and the freeway.

The building that the Hideout calls home was originally a home, built in 1927 by some early Aptos residents. Over the years since it stopped being a house it’s been used by several different restaurants, but has been thoroughly renovated and updated by the owners of the The Hideout. Today it’s a chic and fun place to go for lunch or dinner.

The Hideout in Aptos on Soquel Drive

The Hideout in Aptos

Au Midi

April 29, 2014 by Seb Frey

Au Midi Restaurant and Bistro is considered by many to be some of the finest dining in all of Santa Cruz county. They received a 2014 “OpenTabler” Diner’s Choice award, and are ranked #2 out of 56 restaurants in Aptos by TripAdvisor.

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Golden Buddha opens in Aptos

April 21, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Golden Buddha Restaurant – long a fixture in Soquel Village – has moved to Aptos! They have taken the spot formerly held by the Lucky Dragon Restaurant on Soquel Drive. And, in more good news for hungry Aptosians – they offer free delivery on orders of $25 or more within a 4 mile radius of their location – and that covers pretty much all of Aptos. They accept Visa, Mastercard, and are open 7 days a week.

Marianne’s Ice Cream coming to Aptos

March 3, 2014 by Seb Frey

Great news ice cream lovers! Marianne’s Ice Cream is opening its 2nd location…in Aptos! Marianne’s is legendary among local (and not-so-local) ice cream aficionados. It’s been in operation since 1958 at a single location on Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. And now, Marianne’s has the good taste to be opening a second location, after over half a century, in the Seacliff neighborhood of Aptos.

The new Marianne’s location is going in at the corner of State Park Drive and Center Avenue, across from the Snow White Drive-In and Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant…and just down the street a ways from Pizza-1. And, of course, it is also located directly across from the entrance to Seacliff State Beach.

The new operation should be up and running in the next couple of months, just in time for the warmer weather. Stay tuned!

See also: Santa Cruz Sentinel article

Marianne's Ice Cream — Marianne’s Ice Cream

Severino’s Bar and Grill

February 26, 2014 by Seb Frey

Severino’s Bar and Grill is a fixture on the Aptos bar-and-grill scene – of course, there are very few bar-and-grill type places in Aptos they have to share the limelight with. Severino’s is part of the Best Western Seacliff Inn, and given that, patrons shouldn’t expect too many surprises when it comes to the food or drink. This is not a rowdy place; the crowd tends to be on the mature side.

They do offer affordable nightly dinner specials, and a prime rib special on Sundays and Mondays – but come early, as they have been known to run out. They also usually have live music on the weekends, and often have a Jazz band on Thursdays. Happy Hour is every day from 3 to 6 PM, and on Sunday and Monday from 3 to 9 PM and features $3 well drinks and premium draft beers, and $6 appetizers.

Tip: try the clam chowder – it’s good!

Severino's Bar and Grill — Severino’s Bar and Grill

Sanderlings Restaurant at Seascape Resort

February 25, 2014 by Seb Frey

Sanderlings Restaurant at the Seascape Resort is simply not to be missed. If you’re in Aptos over the weekend, and you’re looking to take in a meal and a breathtaking view of the coastline at the same time – Sanderlings is your best bet. Unless it’s raining, or downright freezing – get a table on the patio. Bring a jacket if it’s cold, and maybe some sun screen if the sun is out, as it can get pretty toasty on a sunny and clear day.

Nobody goes to Sanderlings for the food, really. Read the Yelp reviews – as you can see, the food can be hit or miss. The service isn’t usually as bad as some people have indicated, but they’re not going to win any JD Powers awards on that score, either. However, if you set your expectations correctly, you’ll probably be delighted….so don’t go thinking the food will blow your mind or the service will knock your socks off. Go for the view and the experience of dining on the edge of magic.

Sanderlings does have a full bar, so if you’re the drinking type, it is a fabulous place to go and get some drinks, maybe an appetizer or two, and take in the sunset. This is perhaps the way Sanderlings is best experienced….although the fact it borders a open grassy area makes it good for kids who need some space to run around without overly annoying the other patrons.

Tip: they have all kinds of specials – lunch specials, prime rib specials, “fresh breakfast skillets” – but their best special is probably “Neighbor Nights” which are from Sunday-Thursday from 5:30 to 10:00 PM. It’s $16 a plate, a pretty reasonable price for the outrageous sunset you can catch! Also Happy Hour is Sunday-Thursday from 3 to 7 PM.

Sanderlings Restaurant View — The View from Sanderlings

Cafe Sparrow

February 24, 2014 by Seb Frey

Cafe Sparrow is located in Aptos Village, in one of the oldest buildings in the county, which once served as the post office and general store for Aptos. The building is so old in fact that the sidewalk in front of the building is made of wood, not concrete. And the sidewalk is where you will often have to wait if you go for breakfast on the weekends, as this place often has a line out the door at those times. Fear not, though – they’ll give you some of their coffee to drink while you wait.

As you take your first sip of that coffee, the first word that’ll pop into your head is “Mmmm!”. That’s a taste of things to come, because everything at Cafe Sparrow is a cut or two above of most any other restaurant in town. The restaurant bills itself as “Country French Cooking” but of course the menu uses a lot of local ingredients and flavors to terrific effect. They also have nightly dinner specials, and a weekend brunch special as well.

If ever you’re in Aptos and feeling peckish, Cafe Sparrow is not to be missed. You’d do best if you made reservations, as there can be a wait for a table, especially at peak hours. They have a modest wine list of imported and domestic wines, and charge a $20 corkage fee for those who prefer to bring their own.

Tip: for Sunday brunch they have bottomless mimosas for $8.50. Can’t beat it for a nice Sunday buzz.