An economist by trade in Rome, Marco Paoletti settled in Santa Cruz 10 years ago, seduced by its natural beauty and diversity. Professionally, he applied his economic background to the restaurant industry, opening Obló in downtown Santa Cruz six months ago with his business partner and chef, Andrea.
With a name that means “porthole” in Italian, Obló’s ambiance has a boat-like feel, set off by rounded architecture, plentiful windows and prominent blues throughout. The cuisine is modern Italian with California influence and includes grilled octopus, pan-seared scallops, pancetta-wrapped shrimp, and grass-fed elk carpaccio sliced thin and finished with lemon juice, black pepper and honey mustard aioli. Succulent salad selections include a caprese with Naples-sourced mozzarella and arugula with sautéed calamari.
Entrée favorites are red wine-braised short ribs with creamy polenta, pappardelle pasta with bison ragout, and a rotating fish of the day special. The burger is another popular pick with ground-in-house ribeye, brie cheese, sautéed oyster mushrooms and crispy onions. Desserts include Chocolate Bomb, a gluten-free layered chocolate mousse made from scratch.
Describe your economist-to-restauranteur evolution.
MARCO PAOLETTI: I always had a passion for good kitchens; growing up in Italy, my mom was a tremendous cook and I always loved food and trying new restaurants. But I got a degree in economics and finance and was a CPA in Italy for several years. It’s important to serve good food, but also be very mindful of the numbers behind the scenes and to keep an eye on rising costs that can drag a restaurant down. My economic background really instilled in me food financial instincts.
Tell me about the bar program.
We invented all our house cocktails and they are made with fresh-squeezed juices and housemade infusions—everything is hand-crafted and high quality. Our espresso martini with vanilla-infused vodka and authentic imported espresso is one great example, and our most unique cocktail is the Italian Stallion: an aperitif-style sour with fresh lemon juice and honey syrup, Szechuan bitters and three different Italian bitters.
740 Front St., Santa Cruz, 831-600-7770; oblosc.com
