SECOND WAVES These relative newcomers upped the ante for good food. SOIF | LA POSTA | LILLIAN'S ITALIAN KITCHEN | MAIN STREET GARDEN & CAFE February/March 2015 87 SOIF T his wine bar/bistro/wine shop downtown opened in 2002 and does a superb job matching terrific wines—including some local stars— with upscale, delicious cuisine. Appropriately named for the French word for thirst, Soif has a spacious, modern interior, open kitchen and convivial vibe. Patrons can munch on small plates with their vino or dive into some intriguing dinner choices like lightly cured trout crudo with beets and preserved lemon or cider-cooked pork belly with pumpkin agrodolce. Every dish has a suggested wine pairing. The latest chef, Mark Denham, has cooked with luminaries like Alice Waters, Cindy Pawlcyn and David Kinch, and it shows in his gorgeous, creative food. Consider a painterly combo of colorful beets, Damson plums and pistachios on a snowy plate. Always chasing the seasons, the menu never fails to deliver fresh, inventive choices. 105 WALNUT AVE., SANTA CRUZ, 831/423-2020; SOIFWINE.COM LA POSTA La Posta Chef Katherine Stern F our years after establishing Soif as a hit, owner Patrice Boyle launched this outstanding, creative spot for modern Italian cuisine, named for the old post office it inhabits. While the decor is nothing special, the food—ah! Inspired by local ingredients, this is big-city cooking in a kick-back town. Menus change constantly but have featured memorable choices like short-rib cannelloni with chard and horseradish or expertly poached petrale sole with potato and leeks. Chef Katherine Stern even elevates simple-sounding antipasti to new heights. Neapolitan pizza is on the menu, and it’s fantastic, with toppings like wild nettles, mozzerella di bufala, melted leeks and fennel pollen. Even the bread is made in-house. The chicken coop and herb garden near the back parking lot testify to serious cooking going on here. As fine as the food is, La Posta is still a neighborhood joint, with events like a $15 meal (pasta or pizza) with wine and live music on Tuesdays. 538 SEABRIGHT AVE., SANTA CRUZ, 831/457-2782; LAPOSTARESTAURANT.COM At Soif, grilled swordfish sits atop a bed of locally sourced cranberry beans and a fresh selection of braised winter greens, topped with salsa verde.
South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2015
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