For live music fans around here, Don Quixote’s in Felton is an important space, where many cool bands across the entire musical spectrum have graced the stage. Local real estate agent Bradd Barkan has recently taken over the place, and has big plans.
For starters, he’s changing the name to Flynn’s Cabaret and Steakhouse, a transition that will likely take place in mid-October. Fret not, he plans to continue bringing great music to the stage. The menu is where he plans to make the biggest changes, and he was kind enough to give us a preview of the venue’s new direction.
Why are you changing the name?
BRADD BARKAN: That’s a big question that a lot of people have. There’s a reality to why I’m doing that. Flynn is a friend of mine that passed away about a year ago. He had a shop in Scotts Valley called Cali Style. It was a skate shop/clothing store. It was right next to Nob Hill. There’s a couple of quotes that are going to be on the menu, that he gave. The biggest thing that he didn’t want was to be forgotten. You know how people put out those bumper stickers, never forget this person or that person. For a lot of people, it’s their biggest fear, that no one will remember them anymore. I’m taking away the Don Quixote’s. I’m turning it into a memory for him that I’m hoping will become very well known in the neighborhood.
Tell me a little about the new concept of the restaurant.
I think a lot of people knew the place needed fresh blood. People eat the food there because they go there for the music, but no one goes there for the food. A higher-end steakhouse with crab legs and lobster and lamb is something that’s going to be a base theme. It’s going to be organic. It’s going to be sustainable. It’s going to be farm-to-table. It’s very important to me. I have a vegetarian and vegan half of the menu that’s not going to be just one or two dishes. It’s going to be half the restaurant. I’m looking to cater to a good chunk of the vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian Santa Cruz crowd in addition to the sustainable farm-to-table concept. You put those two together, I’m trying to satisfy bigger groups of people with more diverse tastes. I grew up with a vegan sister, and we fought about places to eat our whole lives. She was never happy with my choice and I was never happy with hers. It seems like a natural thing that’s occurring these days. I think we’re going to step it up as far as the music that comes to the venue, and the service that comes along with it.
6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. 335-2800.
What about the music and shows? Will we expect the same great events that DQ offered?
No. He fired Tom Mileer & screwed him out of his money for booked shows. And Tom knows the kind of music people around here want to see/hear. Tom is the best at what he does.
What a wonderful way to remember Flynn…
“Higher-end steakhouse” in Felton? How about just good food. Is it the owner’s plan to charge you through the nose to eat AND watch a show? How about moderate priced good food and skip the lobster and crab, as we are not in Massachusetts and crab hasn’t been around for 2 years