Welcome to Lily Belli on Food, a weekly food-focused newsletter from Lookout’s food and drink correspondent, Lily Belli. Keep reading for the latest local food news for Santa Cruz County – plus a few fun odds and ends from my own life and around the web.
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… Jeffrey Wall suddenly departed from Alderwood Santa Cruz on Friday, where he has been the executive chef since it opened downtown at the end of 2018. “Quit my job today. Call me if you want good food,” Wall said simply in a post on his Instagram account that has now expired.
It’s unclear why Wall left, whether he plans to stay in the Santa Cruz area, or who will take the reins of the Michelin Guide-noted restaurant now that he’s gone. In a text message Sunday, Wall told me that he plans to focus on private events, private cooking classes and commercial photography as he moves forward. In an email, Sam Woods, the chief operating officer of Santa Cruz Sky, Alderwood’s parent company, did not share details on Wall’s departure, but said that they are saddened to see him go.
It’s the third major upset for the fine-dining restaurant since it opened four years ago, following the controversial firing of an employee in 2020 that led to a public outcry and at least half of the staff quitting, and the sudden closure of Alderwood Pacific, its highly anticipated sister restaurant, in September after just six months of service. Read the story here.
… The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is considering shortening the salmon season and setting small harvest limits for commercial and sport fishers, or canceling the season altogether. Salmon population numbers, while higher than last year, are still well below average, the department announced in a media release.
Canceling the salmon season for the second year in a row could have a dramatic impact on Monterey Bay’s fishing industry, which is also reeling from tight restrictions on its other most lucrative catch – Dungeness crab. Jessica M. Pasko, Lookout’s business correspondent, has the latest today on the impact on the local commercial fishing industry.
… The Neighbor’s, a queer cafe and pub without a home, is closing in on a physical space. Since 2021, founder Frankie Farr has led a grassroots effort to fundraise and establish a late-night space for the LGBTQ+ community. Until now, the Neighbor’s has existed only during its pop-up events, but now it might finally get a permanent roof over its head. “I am thrilled to announce that the Neighbor’s Pub will soon call 711 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz home!” Farr announced on Instagram on March 6. That’s the former Top Spot Sports Pub and Kitchen, across the street from Cruz Kitchen & Taps.
I’m looking forward to chatting with Farr about their plans for the space – stay tuned.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
OK, I know I’ve been writing a lot about vegan foods in Santa Cruz County – and I released a guide to 13 of my favorite plant-based restaurants in Santa Cruz County last week – but here’s one more: the vermicelli rice bowl at Mariposa Coffee Bar in downtown Santa Cruz. It’s an umami-packed cold noodle bowl with fistfuls of fresh herbs and salad greens, homemade peanut sauce and chili sauce, and topped with crispy shallots, crushed peanuts and crunchy sesame seeds. Finished with chef Tram Vu’s homemade nem nuong, a meat alternative that closely resembles Vietnamese sausage, it’s a lunch worth craving.
THIS WEEK, I’M ON VACATION …
… and Lookout’s wine writer, Laurie Love, is subbing in for me on my Friday Eaters Digest column. She’ll share her pick for a local wine of the week, plus the area’s best food and drink events as you head into the weekend. Don’t miss it! Make sure you’re subscribed to Eaters Digest here, and check out all of Laurie’s excellent wine coverage here.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
The sun has been shining for days, the spring time change is here, and it’s like someone finally turned on the lights. Last weekend, my family spent two glorious afternoons getting our backyard ready for the summer garden and, hopefully, summer hosting. I have been waiting to turn my backyard and patio into party central for the past three years, but have either been too pregnant or too preoccupied with a newborn to put the time and energy into it. I have dreams of a big farm table that seats 10 to 12, a garden brimming with produce, plus a mud kitchen, sidewalk chalk and a construction site filled with Tonka trunks to occupy lots of barefoot children while the adults drink something cold and pull meat and vegetables off the grill.
I am determined that 2024 is finally going to be the year – and I got a big sign from the universe last week that it’s going to happen. I found the exact grill I’ve been looking for – a Weber Genesis – on Facebook Marketplace for $130. These grills retail for around $900, which is outside of my budget. The one I found has been well-loved, but all three burners still work great. Yes, it’s missing a door, but you don’t need both to cook! And Weber sells all its extra parts online anyway. Sure, it needs a new starter, but the guy threw in the propane tank and a cover for free! Honestly, nothing can dampen my energy right now. My goal is in sight – I can almost taste it.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ Liquid Death, a company that promises to “murder your thirst” with its water, seltzers and Arnold Palmers sold in tallboy cans, is now valued at $1.4 billion, which is double the valuation it received in late 2022. It also means it is one-tenth the size of the entire no- and low-alcohol-beverage industry. (The Atlantic)
➤ Whole Foods Market is trying out small-format grocery stores. Its Daily Shops will range between 7,000 to 14,000 square feet, with grab-and-go meal and snack options as well as grocery essentials. Whole Foods is launching these bodega-style markets in New York City this year. (Grocery Dive)