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EAT THIS: SOFT-SHELL CRAB SANDO AT THE LANDING
Just a few scenic miles south of Santa Cruz County in Moss Landing, an area chef and a sommelier have teamed up on a lunch and dinner spot in a beloved local café. The Landing, which officially started service on Thursday after a quiet soft opening last weekend, is the new afternoon and evening counterpoint to its neighbor, Power Plant Coffee.
Operated by sommelier Ryan Cooley – co-owner of Capitola wine bar Vin Vivant – and chef Todd Williamson – who worked at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur for 10 years – The Landing hints at a culinary revival in the tiny seaside village in the wake of the closure of two longstanding restaurants, Phil’s Fish House and The Whole Enchilada.
“I think there’s a big void for something to be here, especially when Phil’s left, because they had a place you could go hang out, a stop between Santa Cruz and Carmel. There’s Woodward Marine Market and Sea Harvest, but there’s plenty of room to bring more to the area,” said Cooley, a Moss Landing resident and avid surfer.
While Williamson spotlights some local products, including using panko-crusted, locally caught rock cod in fish & chips ($18.50) and fish tacos topped with a citrusy slaw ($18), most of his ingredients come from farther afield, with culinary inspiration that runs the gamut from the Carolinas to Spain to Mexico.
Case in point: the soft-shell crab “sando” ($21). Battered and fried in well-spiced buttermilk cornmeal crust, the soft-shell crab sandwich is layered with a tangy house remoulade with arugula and sliced tomato on a brioche bun. While it has clear roots in New Orleans, this dish also feels right at home in this coastal town.
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.
- In aging Santa Cruz County, a free seniors lunch draws a cross-generational crowd in search of affordable meals and social connection (Lookout)
- Communal Table: Break bread with other locals during Santa Cruz Restaurant Week (Good Times)
- Verve Coffee to pay nearly $200K to San Francisco workers after city probe finds health fund violations (Lookout)
- How much better could school lunch be? (Eater)
