EAT THIS: Sourdough bagel sandwiches at La Marea
At the little café in Capitola Village recently vacated by Reef Dog Deli, two former pop-ups have joined forces under the name La Marea (it means “the tide” in Italian).
Syllable Coffee, owned by Vincent Covarrubias, was once a frequent sight at Companion Bakeshop in Santa Cruz and the Westside Santa Cruz farmers market, and now provides artisanal coffee, matcha and espresso at La Marea. Jayne Droese, who started Jayne Dough pizza two years ago, provides the food, including house-made baked goods and her signature Detroit-style sourdough pan pizza and sourdough bagels, both topped with fresh, colorful ingredients.
I was already a fan of Droese’s crispy-edge, focaccia-like pizza, which she sells by the slice or as whole pies. But at La Marea, I fell in love with her sourdough bagels. The texture is unlike any other bagel I’ve had in Santa Cruz County – crunchy and well-browned on the outside with a chewy, flavorful center. My everything bagel was absolutely coated in sesame seeds, poppy seeds and garlic. “The Scandi” ($16) is topped with whipped organic cream cheese, silky cold-smoked salmon, sweet slivers of pickled onion, capers, feathery leaves of dill and wisps of bright lemon zest. It was one of the most complex and elegant lox bagels I’ve ever had.
The menu changes frequently – which just means I have new opportunities to fall in love with Droese’s bagels every time I go. Click here for more info.
Best of the Week Ahead
Here, 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.
- Laurie Love on Wine: Inside Cabrillo’s new wine studies program & holiday wine events (Lookout)
- Laurie Love on Wine: A powerful yet racy chardonnay & holiday gift packs (Lookout)
- Local commercial Dungeness crab season delayed until at least Dec. 21 (Lookout)
- Michelin honors 7 California restaurants as ‘new discoveries’ (San Jose Mercury News)
- Applesauce pouches may have been contaminated on purpose, FDA foods chief says (Politico)