The best things I ate and drank in Santa Cruz County in February

A few precious balmy spring days sprouted like shy daffodils in February, but much of the month was, as expected, wet and mucky. But my best eating days were when, despite the cozy call of home, I sought warmth and comfort at a restaurant, bakery or food truck in an attempt to inject life and warmth into my chilled body. This approach led me to fresh pastries and lovingly prepared vegetables amped up with spices, and back to an old beloved stomping ground. 

Perhaps this is the way. When the weather or other headwinds seek to drive us home and apart, that is when we most need to exit our comfort zones and explore. You never know when you’ll be rewarded with a loaded baked potato smothered in three kinds of meat and dusted with crushed Cheetos. And that is definitely worth leaving the house for. 

There is a dearth of food trucks in the northern part of Santa Cruz County, but they are quietly flourishing in Watsonville, where playful takes on Mexican cuisine are sprouting up amid more traditional taco spots. La Papa Loca has become a favorite for its maximalist takes on jacket potatoes brimming with flavorful toppings. 

A word of advice: Embrace the idea that “more is more” when ordering at La Papa Loca. You could ask for one carnivorous topping ($16) — carne asada; plump, tightly curled camarones; or slightly sweet tocino, aka Filipino-style bacon — but for $1 more, you can pile all tres carnes ($17) over a fluffy potato. Underneath, there’s butter, cheese, sour cream, jalapeño and green onion, but why not gild the lily with add-ons like crumbled Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, guacamole or chipotle salsa? This is no time for restraint. Be bold, and you are rewarded with a hefty, indulgent meal layered with flavor and textures for less than $20. 

A Valentine’s Day advertisement for a bouquet of conchas drew me to Rebeca’s Panadería y Más in downtown Watsonville. The scent of sugar and freshly baked bread consumes you the moment you step inside the cozy bakery, which expanded into a bigger spot in the same building earlier this year. There are dozens of traditional Mexican pastries, rolls, cookies and cakes, which customers can grab themselves in order to assemble the perfect box. 

But I was there for the wide, seashell-shaped conchas ($1.55), glazed in sunny yellow, bright pink or white. The brioche-like interior is fluffy and fragrant with cinnamon, the outside gently sweet. It would be perfect with a cup of coffee, but was tender and sweet enough to enjoy on its own. And for those seeking a plant-based option, Rebeca’s mini conchitas ($1.25) – about the size of your palm – are vegan. 

Following the December departure of Hanloh, Bad Animal hired chef Nick Hahn in January to lead the kitchen at the restaurant/wine bar/used book store in downtown Santa Cruz. At just 30 years old, Hahn has already worked in fine-dining restaurants in Chicago and Los Angeles, and was the chef de cuisine under chef Lalita Kaewsawang at Hanloh, so I was eager to see what he would do when he launched his own menu. 

Overall, I was impressed with the technical precision of the dishes and Hahn’s commitment to maximally fresh ingredients sourced from local farms and markets, although I thought he could be more adventurous with some flavors, given the location’s sensation-seeking vibe and clientele. One exciting yet comforting dish was the half-head of cabbage ($22), braised until meltingly tender and sweet, served in a pool of sweet-savory vadouvan curry and drizzled with fiery chili crisp. My guest and I dragged our forks across the plate to grab every bite. 

El Palomar Mexican restaurant is a downtown Santa Cruz mainstay, but over the years I’ve been a far more frequent visitor to the taco bar adjacent to the bar area than I am the main restaurant. The little cantina doesn’t have a storefront, but can be accessed through El Palomar’s bar, from a Front Street walkway or by walking through Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting. 

I ate countless tacos here while I was a student at UC Santa Cruz in the early 2000s, accompanied by large pitchers of perfectly balanced margaritas. But before I visited on a chilly day in mid-February, it had been several years since my previous visit. I was extremely pleased, and hit with an emotional wave of nostalgia, when I discovered the taco de camarones ($8) was just as good as I remembered, with a swipe of refried beans over a warm, thick made-to-order tortilla, and plenty of peeled shrimp. The chips and salsa were also just as tasty as they were (gasp) almost 20 years ago. 

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