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Carnitas @ Taqueria Los Pericos: Santa Cruz

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
  • Carnitas and the Chips and Salsa bar.

There is really not much more to say here.

But, I will say more … with so many taquerias in the area, each being good for different reasons, we never had a reason to stop in to Los Pericos.  LP is an unassuming spot often filled with college students, young families, and sometimes a random homeless person. We now frequent Pericos to eat their tasty carnitas on nachos, in burritos, on salads, you name it.   We also appreciate their chips bar with tasty salsa varieties (see photos).  I don’t fill up the tiny cups,  I put the salsas all together in the paper chips basket.

  • $3.25 bottles of beer
  • Large, long tables for groups, we’ve eaten at LP with ten before

Give the chef a nod and he just might hook you up with extra meat, for real!

139 Water St
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

(831) 469-7685

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Last Minute Gifts in Santa Cruz made in Santa Cruz?

Friday, December 23rd, 2011

    1. Verve Coffee – for someone who LOVES coffee, get them the exceptional – Kenya Karatu $23.40 OR a 3-6 month subscription.
    2. el Salchichero Charcuterie Butcher for fixings for a Cheese & Charcuterie Platter - in Santa Cruz on Swift Street. Persimmon Mostarda - Emperor Norton Canning Company (savory-tangy-sweet flavor) OR other canned goodies for a Charcuterie Meat & Cheese Tray with all the trimmings. House Made Curry Raisins – made at el Salchichero Chacuterie Butcher
    3. Friend in Cheeses Jam Company - “Chow Chow”, “Pinot Cherries,” “Carrot Marmalade,” “Forbidden Fruit Marmalade,” “Fig Fennel Jam,” and “Spring Onion Jam” that you can buy in Santa Cruz at New Leaf, Shopper’s Corner, Staff of Life, Hay Market (Willow Glen) … or order online for $8 a jar.              For suggested pairings from owner Tabitha, – see here.
    4. Sones Cellars-Refillable Bottle - Hedgehog Red, a petite sirah-zinfandel blend classified as a red table wine that is tapped from a tasting room barrel and sold in refillable bottles. $5 for the bottle $12 for refills ($10 for wine club members).  We tasted it yesterday and it was, yes, very tasty!
    5. Santa Cruz Food Tour Tickets! ($52.50 ea. – lasts 3.5 hours, all food included)

    Posted in Foodie Gifts, Santa Cruz | 2 Comments »
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    BITF Food Photos • A Photo-Shoot for Santa Cruz Food Tours!

    Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

    We did a photo shoot for Santa Cruz Food Tours!  They updated their website with the photographs and it looks great!  Superb, tasty, and fun food tour with lots of Santa Cruz history too.

    Posted in Eating Out, Santa Cruz | 1 Response »
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    Community Dinners & Edible Monterey Bay: Santa Cruz

    Friday, October 21st, 2011

    If you haven’t been out to a community dinner, they are a fun way to meet new folks and share in local, in-season foods.  In Santa Cruz there are two Community Dinners that I know about but have only attended one of them so far.  The photographs above are from Cellar Door’s Wednesday Night Community Table at the Swift Street Complex (3 course Prix Fix $30).  This dinner pictured above actually took place last June, hence the strawberries and peas,  but Community dinners and the first publication of the “Edible Monterey Bay” crossed my mind again this morning and I realized I should write about them.

    The night that we ate at Cellar Door’s Community Table, we met a really nice couple from Carmel Valley who happened to be starting the first Edible Monterey Bay Magazine.  When you have been a tourist in other cities you may have noticed the “Edible Oakland,” “Edible Columbus,” “Edible …” so you get the point, they are in many cities in this country (actually 70 magazines are out there www.ediblecommunities.com).  When I saw my first “Edible” Magazine, I believe it was in Oakland and I was impressed with the variety of food stories featured and as a photographer was impressed with the images printed on this nice matte paper that has an earthy or organic feeling.  I realized that reading the “Edible” magazine for an area would educate me on local, more unique farm to table restaurants as well as stories on local food specialties and farmers and their own great recipes.  The “Edible Monterey Bay” magazine features local food cultures of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season.   You can pick up copies for free at these locations.

    Two Community Dinners in Santa Cruz:

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    The Picnic Basket: Santa Cruz

    Thursday, October 13th, 2011

    If you think all there is to Santa Cruz is the beach boardwalk, you’re wrong, branch out.  Actually the boardwalk is not a first choice for a spot to spend the day down in Santa Cruz.  Of course, unless you have folks visiting from out of town who have kids. It is always fun to take the kids on the Big Dipper roller coaster or to walk out on the wharf and hear the barking animals below. Having just made that statement, let me contradict myself by telling you to check our three favorite Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk foods post!  AND, check out The Picnic Basket, a new place to grab lunch down at the Boardwalk for keepin’ it classy. It caught my eye this summer when we took our niece to get a homemade corn dog and to get jerked around for awhile on the rickety coaster.  The Picnic Basket doesn’t look like it belongs down by wharf area because it is quite tasteful looking in a retro beach kind of way, but not diner style-retro over the top.  It is owned by Penny Ice Creamery which is a great sign.  So one afternoon we finally got to stop in and get a great local El Salchichero hot dog with Farmhouse Kulture Kraut and a Santa Cruz Mountain Brew (check out their facebook page for $1 off coupon until 11/1/11 https://www.facebook.com/thepicnicbasketsc) or a Verve coffee.  They have a rotating selection from Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, Santa Cruz Aleworks, Uncommon Brewers, Boulder Creek Brewing Company, Corallitos Brewing Company, Seabright Brewery, and Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (yes, all in Santa Cruz County!).   They let us have a taste of the local wine they serve and of course as we were quickly sipping, a train went by outside, nice touch.  You can still get Penny’s Ice Cream with a choice of about 9 flavors in the case. I love all of the local foods and drinks you can get at the Picnic Basket, seriously check out their tasty menu online and their fun coupon deals from FB.  PB is a healthy and tasty alternative, see their salad choices too. We are glad to have them around!

    Kids, tell your parents you will let them go to The Picnic Basket if they take you to the Boardwalk.  It just might work!

    The Picnic Basket tag-line says it all: Local • Artisan Food • Drinks • Coffee • Ice Cream

    125 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

    Mon – Sun: 7:00 am - 12:00 am

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    Pleasure Pizza in Santa Cruz: BBQ Chicken Pizza Slice!

    Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

    This is a really simple post but I wanted to feature this great BBQ Chicken Pizza by the slice that we had recently at Pleasure Pizza in Santa Cruz.  I don’t typically like chicken pizza toppings because they can be dry and bland but this is a the best I’ve tasted because of its sweet and subtle spicy flare. There are now two locations for Pleasure Pizza. They are both across the street from each other on 41st Avenue and one is a more of a sit down restaurant “East Side Eatery” and one is a pizza by the slice spot “Pleasure Pizza”.

    BBQ Chicken Pizza:

    • Semi Spicy BBQ Sauce
    • Pepper Jack Cheese
    • Red Onion
    • Red & Green Bell Pepper
    • Pineapple

    PLEASURE PIZZA | 11AM – 10PM DAILY
    BY THE SLICE • TO GO • DELIVERY
    4000 PORTOLA DR. SANTA CRUZ, CA 95062
    PHONE / DELIVERY: 831.475.4999

    Posted in Eating Out, Santa Cruz | 1 Response »
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    41st Avenue Liquor Store: Santa Cruz

    Sunday, September 18th, 2011

    Beer Snob?  41st Avenue Liquor is the place to buy beer in Santa Cruz.

    41st Avenue Liquor has Belgian sour beers like rodenbach, a large variety of Ciders, IPA’s, German Beers, and large selection of microbrews.  In addition they have quite a good liquor selection including all types of whiskey, vodka, liquours, tequilas and so on.  The wine selection is not as large as BevMo but they do have a pretty good selection (the beer prices and liquor prices are usually a bit lower or similar to Bevmo).

    Also, I like to randomly pick up unique drinking glasses and bar knickknacks here like the metal deer head shot glass and margarita glasses too.

    2155 41st Avenue
    Santa Cruz, CA 95060

    (831) 475-5117

    Posted in Drinks, Santa Cruz | No Comments »
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    Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk • Top 3 Favorite Foods

    Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

    Can you tell we’re trying to hold onto summer … I thought I would mention our Top 3 Favorite Foods from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk so you don’t lose your chance to eat the goodness (hmmmm … badness).

    Rides Open Only: 11am-7pm on Weekends now Weather Permitting

    #1 – Cajun Corn Dog @ Surf City Grill … Homemade and delicious. They claim to have the best corn dogs and they may be right.

    #2 – Tater Twist (Put hot sauce and some seasoning on it)

    #3 – Chocolate Covered Bacon @ Marini’s Candies

    Posted in Eating Out, Santa Cruz, Where the Locals Eat | 1 Response »
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