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EAT THIS: OCEAN “NACHOS” AT HOME AWAY
Home Away, a daytime spot from the owners of Home restaurant in Soquel, opened officially on Wednesday after a two-week soft opening. Inside, chef Brad Briske and his wife, Linda Ritten, spotlight food and beverages from longtime friends and collaborators, offer homemade creations like marinated olives and sausages for takeout, and a counter-service format that’s more accessible price- and time-wise than a sit-down dinner.
From a customer standpoint, Home Away has a bonus over Home: the opportunity to watch chef Briske do his thing in the open kitchen from a seat at the bar. At the restaurant, Briske’s stunning, hyper-seasonal small plates and entrées emerge camera-ready from the kitchen, so it’s fascinating to watch him compose dishes like the ocean nachos ($18), layering homemade potato chips with fresh herbs and crème fraîche, spoonfuls of neon trout roe and a flurry of shaved bottarga, before placing it on the marble counter.
“I didn’t want it to be a bar like a wine bar – more like a food bar,” said Briske, who said he enjoys that direct connection with his customers. He said he plans to split his time between Home Away during the day and Home at night, while entrusting the bulk of the dinner service to his seasoned sous-chefs while his new spot gets underway.
4901 Soquel Dr., Soquel.
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 food news stories from Lookout that you might have missed, plus important news from beyond our borders picked by yours truly.
- Holiday pop-ups breathe new life into long-vacant Logos and Palace spaces downtown (Lookout)
- Downtown Santa Cruz farmers market extends operating hours (Lookout)
- What happened to all the Bay Area vegetarians? (Eater SF)
- Magic in miniature: A Watsonville world of citrus trees, in smaller sizes (Edible Monterey Bay)
