Much-awaited Dos Pescados (21 Seascape Village, Aptos) met a tidal wave of excitement with overflow Fourth of July crowds during its soft opening last week.
“Maybe not the best weekend to debut,” Chef Trent Lidgey says, “but we’re improving every day.”
On the drink side, margaritas like the El Jefe and Mangonado have been popular. On the food front, oysters with spicy margarita mignonette and local halibut ceviche with chili negra and avocado have been best sellers.
The small soft-opening menu gives way to the full experience as this is published.
Lidgey—whose résumé includes multiple Michelin-starred spots and his own One Fish Raw Bar in Campbell—thinks guests might be surprised by the way he conjures a craveable menu.
“Everyone has expectations of what a Mexican restaurant is, which makes it tricky and fun to create my own version,” he says. “We’re not in any way a traditional Mexican restaurant—we want to push the boundaries but still be very approachable.” dospescados.com
TRUTH TELLING
Honesty is now the policy. California Senate Bill 478—aka the Honest Pricing Law, the first of its kind in any state—is now active, putting a halt to service fees on everything from vacation rentals to concert tickets to e-commerce. California Attorney General Rob Bonta breaks it down in his weekly email.
“SB 478 makes it illegal for most businesses to disguise the true price of their goods or services in hidden fees,” he writes. “Simply put: The price you see is the price you pay…Californians and all those vacationing here can check out the best of the Golden State while knowing what to expect at check out.”
It does come with an exemption for restaurants thanks to an additional bill that essentially amends SB 478 to allow food service operations to include such fees, but only if they’re “clearly and conspicuously” listed, and accompanied by an explanation of where the money’s going. Restaurants have until this time next year to meet the bill’s requirements.
NOTES AND A QUOTE
The third NBA G League Fall Invitational happens in Santa Cruz (!!) Sept. 4 and 6, pitting Serbian pros against American talents, with tickets on sale to the public on July 11, santacruzbasketball.com…
The Homeless Garden Project’s 2023 Annual Report is up on HGP website. “Sharing our impact is a vital part of our partnership with you,” Executive Director Darrie Ganzhorn says. “Please reach out and share your thoughts about the report.”
…The Live Earth Farm Discovery Program fall fundraiser sprouts Sept. 21 at its Watsonville farm to support on-farm education and organic produce distribution to those who need it most, with Maria Finn (author of “Forage. Gather. Feast”) keynoting, Diego Felix (Fonda Felix) doing the appetizers, Pamela Burns (Wild Plum Café) masterminding dinner and Switch Bakery designing desserts, liveearthfarm.net…Happy 100th birthday, Caesar salad.
I’ve tried you in your birthplace, Restaurante Caesar’s on Avenida Revolución in Tijuana, Mexico, and you surpassed the hype with crunchy-fresh sheaves of romaine in an anchovy-and-Dijon-rich dressing that adhered lightly on the lettuce. Bien hecho…Let’s close with Kafka: “So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.”
