Bridge Party
A Bridge Too Far-out, Man: Capitola Village's Stockton Bridge Grille serves up some the freshest, tastiest seafood in the area, like this grilled salmon with baby greens, and the view ain't too shabby either.
With a new name and menu, but the same old incomparable location, Stockton Bridge Grille provides cozy culinary comfort
By Christina Waters
It was Julius Caesar, I believe, who uttered those three historic words while vacationing in Gaul: "Location, location, location." Well, Caesar knew real estate, and his words easily apply to Stockton Bridge Grille, a charming cafe that practically spills into the atmospheric waters of the estuary where Soquel Creek meets Capitola Beach.
Easily one of the top five spots in the county for sunset-watching, the front windows of this tiny restaurant--known in the past as Sea Bonné--offer expansive views of Monterey Bay and the wharf stretching out beyond the charming Venetian Court. And when everything starts turning pink with sunset glow, you remember why you live here and not in Omaha.
It was just such a sunset that greeted us as we grabbed a prime window table at Stockton Bridge Grille (hard name to say) the other evening. And the unpretentious bistro interior wasn't bad either, we noted, admiring the tiny white lights outlining the windows and chairs painted an appealing soft green to match the floral table linens.
Taking a suggestion from our server, I ordered a glass of the Old Vine Red 1993 from Marietta Vineyards ($5)--a berry-forward blend of petite sirah, carignane and gamay grapes--while my companion happily accessed a pint of Santa Cruz Brewing Company's Lighthouse Lager ($3.75). Some excellent francese bread kept us company while gulls soared gracefully in the pink light below our window.
The small menu offers much to please every taste--with an emphasis on seafood, of course. Stockton Bridge Grille does something distinctive with its version of the ubiquitous crab cakes that appear on so many menus. Our order of salmon cakes appetizer ($7.95) involved eggy, almost crepe-like creations, filled with rich fresh salmon and served with a terrific salsa garnish of very ripe tomatoes, fresh corn kernels and cilantro.
We loved the silken quality of these wide, flat seafood specialties and made short work of them, after sampling another appetizer of grilled, diced eggplant and finding it too bland for our liking. Surrounded by concentric circles of sliced sourdough bread, the eggplant relish could have become interesting had it been more highly spiced with garlic and capers, and if it had been served with toast points--as advertised--rather than simply soft bits of bread.
Two excellent entrees immediately captured our taste buds. One was an evening special of grilled, delicate tombo tuna served with perfect, long-steamed fresh green beans and a generous garnish of sweet/hot pickled ginger ($14.95). A glaze of fiery wasabi sauce atop the tuna added interest to the meaty flavor of the tropical seafood--a dead ringer for lean pork, incidentally.
My entree was a dish for which the restaurant is justly renowned--a meal-sized filet of expertly grilled fresh salmon served on a lovely bed of baby greens tossed with a refreshing basil vinaigrette ($8.95). The salmon had been prettily strewn with huge rings of cucumber and bright red bell pepper. With this dish, I switched to a glass of Hahn Merlot 1993 ($5), a velvety instant-access red that goes beautifully with salmon.
There's a reason why the concept of a salad topped with grilled fish has become a fixture on enlightened California menus--I was tasting that reason. It's simply a natural partnership, combining two favorite grazing areas--fresh grilled salmon and baby lettuce salad--into a single occasion. And it doesn't get any better than the version I sampled at Stockton Bridge Grille, while watching the rosy sky turn to deep purple.
For dessert, we chose a slice of pumpkin cheesecake--an inspired seasonal variation on this classic creaminess--and a wonderful warm apple crisp nestling under a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream ($5 each). Both were terrific, arriving from the kitchen on big white plates bordered with squiggles of warm caramel sauce, a reigning dessert-decorating idea of which I heartily approve.
The view had changed again--twinkling lights reflected on indigo water--as we left the cozy charm of Stockton Bridge Grille and walked off dinner by strolling through Capitola Village. Make that Capitola-by-the-Sea.
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Photo by Erin N. Calmes
Stockton Bridge Grille:
Address: 231 Esplanade, at Stockton Avenue, Capitola
Phone: 462-1350
Hours: Daily 11:30am-9pm
Cuisine: Bistro seafood
Ambiance: Cozy cafe
Service: Warm, knowledgeable, attentive
Price: Inexpensive, entrees $8.95-$14.95
Overall: **1/2 nice, uncomplicated fare
From the Dec. 14-20, 1995 issue of Metro Santa Cruz
Copyright © 1995 Metro Publishing and Virtual Valley, Inc.