How easy was it?
It was easy as pie to call up, place an order, provide a credit card number and then swing by the Walnut Avenue entrance to the wine shop of Soif, where my order was carried directly into the trunk of my car. And away I went with one order of lasagna bolognese ($15), and another of half roast chicken ($20). Incredible aromas and beautiful food! Scooped onto our own plates and joined by glasses of Birichino Grenache, the meal lacked only the chic ambience of the restaurant itself.
The lasagna, layered with lots of beef sausage, greens—spinach perhaps—and creamy ricotta, was perfection. The garlic francese bread went quickly as did the crisp, garlicky Caesar salad. Super moist, succulent roast chicken arrived with its own caper olive oil dressing, plus the ultimate comfort food—potato gratin studded with artichoke. There was also plump grilled asparagus. This is comfort food made by experts.
We of course left a 20% tip on our credit card and hope that when we all awake from this strange dream, Soif will be there for us. Now it’s time for us to be there for them.
Soif takeout, 3pm-7pm, Monday-Friday. Call 423-3030 or email al****@so******.com .
Forging ahead on an inauspicious week, David Kinch’s Mentone has opened for curbside pizza pickup. In addition to a handful of attractive t-shirts to purchase online, the long-awaited Aptos Village dining room currently offers three pizzas made on the wood-fired oven, plus a salad niçoise for two and some bracing cocktails-to-go. Sounds like an entry plan for the new place until the full menu and restaurant are open for patrons.
Mentone curbside pickup, 4pm until sold out, Wednesday-Sunday. Call 708-1174 or visit mentonerestaurant.com.
Nothing beats the intimate charm of Gabriella Cafe’s interlocking dining rooms, but until we can get back to toasting each other face to face, we can enjoy Gabriella’s food to go. Proprietor Paul Cocking suggests using Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, or simply call in your order to 457-1677 and pick it up curbside. The substantial menu includes a full roster of specialty appetizers, salads, pappardelle, porcini gnocchi, butternut squash ravioli, white bean soup, and a range of mouth-watering entrees.
Gabriella Cafe, 910 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. gabriellacafe.com.
I placed my online order last week for Dirty Girl Produce delivery, selecting a $20 salad box from Joe Shirmer’s farm, and 48 hours later it arrived on my front doorstep loaded with infant chicories, lettuces, radishes, scallions and puntarelle! I shared half the bounty with my neighbor and am already planning to order the $40 hardy veggie box—with beets, carrots, cabbage, broccoli greens, dried beans, and jarred dry-farmed tomatoes to split with two others in my neighborhood. Start thinking freestyle CSA, people.
Dirty Girl Produce box delivery on Wednesdays and Sundays. Pickup also available at the downtown Santa Cruz farmers’ market 1:30-5:30pm Wednesday, or at Live Oak farmers’ market 9am-1pm on Sunday. dirty-girl-produce.myshopify.com.
New Leaf Community Markets has your back. During the new 8am-8pm hours, the first hour of the day is reserved for seniors and other high-risk members of the community. The Wednesday senior discounts now extend to all hours, Monday through Friday. And please leave those reusable bags and beverage containers at home.
Companion Bakeshop continues to bring heavenly pastries to the Cabrillo, Westside, and Live Oak farmers’ markets. While the Aptos store is currently closed, they have walk-up service at their Westside Bakeshop at 2341 Mission St. from 8am-2pm, says Bakeshop owner Erin Lampel. Call the Westside location at 252-2253, and they can have items ready to be picked up.
The dining room at Persephone in Aptos may be closed, but a new take-out menu is available for pre-order. Orders must be placed by 11am day of for pick up 3-5:30pm Friday-Sunday. Something a bit different here: Your order is provided cold and comes with heating instructions for finishing at home. This way patrons can enjoy the food freshly cooked, rather than needing re-heating at home.
Persephone, 7945 Soquel Drive, Aptos. persephonerestaurant.com.Â
One of our most enduring restaurants, Hindquarter Bar and Grille, is offering a special curbside pickup menu April 1-5 from 1-6pm. There are lots of food, wine and beer choices. As with every food purveyor, Hindquarter will make it through all of this only if their patrons support them right now!
426-7770, thehindquarter.com
Check out our continually updating list of local takeout and delivery options.
