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EAT THIS: FLAVORS OF INDIA AT THE BOARDWALK
There are big changes happening at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk — and I’m not just talking about the recent controversial rebrand of the former Cocoanut Grove. Santa Cruz’s iconic amusement park has long been known for its corn dogs, funnel cakes and ice cream cones, but a new wave of diverse and modern food options has brought Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, quesabirria tacos and glazed tofu rice bowls with kimchi to the iconic seaside amusement park.
The Boardwalk is following an industrywide trend at entertainment venues to make food part of the fun, driven by educated consumers who expect more from their meal than a precooked hamburger. The amusement park’s two leading concessionaires, the Santa Cruz Seaside Company – which owns the Boardwalk – and Whiting’s Foods, a family-owned company and the Boardwalk’s largest concessionaire, have hired chefs and made a conscious shift away from premade and frozen ingredients toward fresh and homemade foods.
A new kiosk from Whiting’s Foods exemplifies this transition. Flavors of India, the Boardwalk’s first Indian food kiosk, opened in May and serves colorful and customizable tikka masala, butter chicken and curry. Each main option ($16.99 each) is served over basmati rice with buttery naan and topped with a range of chutneys and housemade toppings like cucumber salad and pickled onions for a colorful and flavorful beachside meal. (And for those seeking out the deep-fried Oreos formerly available at this stall – don’t worry, they’re still available at Tiki Hut Treats next door.)
Read my guide to the Boardwalk’s new food scene here.
BEST OF THE WEEK AHEAD
Below, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
ICYMI – here are the food news stories from Lookout that you might have missed, plus important news from beyond our borders picked by yours truly.
- Santa Cruz County agriculture industry valued at $1.6 billion, report shows (Lookout)
- California’s long-awaited salmon season closes early after anglers exceed quota (Lookout)
- Market match increases to $20 at downtown Santa Cruz farmers market (Lookout)
- Dying honey bees are threatening California’s economy. Can Central Valley lawmakers save them? (CalMatters)
