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EAT THIS: UBE OVERNIGHT OATS AT CAT & CLOUD
I’ll confess, I stopped by Cat & Cloud’s café in Santa Cruz’s Westside neighborhood to try some of the local coffee roaster’s seasonal drinks. And yes, the rich, almondy Stellata latte ($5.50) does nod to its inspiration, the anise-scented Italian pizzelle cookies. But it was a bowl of overnight oats, of all things, that gave me an unexpected “wow” moment.
Cat & Cloud turns up the volume on all of its breakfast dishes, from its cult-favorite breakfast burrito to French toast made with thick slices from Manresa Bread, but I was still impressed by its ability to elevate a breakfast dish that I associate with the least appetizing corners of diet culture.
Whether Cat & Cloud’s Ube Overnight Oats ($9.50) are low-cal was the furthest thing from my mind as a bowl scattered with tiny pink flowers was placed in front of me. A deeply purple layer of creamy chia seeds soaked in coconut milk and ube – a yam common in Asian desserts – peeked out from under nutty granola, and the top was drizzled with coconut cream and decorated with a star of supremed grapefruit slices.
The perfectly ripe winter fruit was a lovely match for the sweet, slightly earthy ube, lending tropical vibes that still felt wintery, cozy and nourishing. The concept and composition honestly just went so much harder than it needed to.
Find it at the Swift Street location, along with two other new items – a baked brie toast with baked pears, and crème brûlée French toast – released earlier this month.
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.
- Drop in whale entanglements fuels optimism that Dungeness crab season can open Jan. 1 (Lookout)
- Home Away leans into casual fun with bold dishes in a cozy, counter-service space (Lookout)
- Do these AI-generated food images look appetizing to you? (Eater SF)
- Anheuser-Busch closing 50-year-old Budweiser plant in Fairfield next month (SFist)
