When the restaurant opened, it played up the tigelles, and they’re still a large part of the menu, but Tigelleria has evolved to incorporate more entrees. Although the bread is delicious and the selection of toppings vast, eating the tigelles feels like picnicking. They make for good, if rather filling appetizers, but they’re not the strength of the menu.
Articles by Stett Holbrook
Whether you want to drink some superior Tuscan wines, eat a gourmet multi-course dinner, try some bubbles, buy a delicious liquid gift at a discount or learn more about mushrooms, it’s all happening the week of December 15-21. Check out the food and wine events listing.
As far as shopping experiences go, one could do worse than the Stanford Shopping Center. As least shoppers are not trapped inside the climate-controlled atmosphere of the typical mall and can walk from store to store in the fresh air. As a higher-rent shopping experience, the food is on a higher level as well. Topping my list is Tootsie’s.
Considering Santa Cruz’s reputation as a crunchy, hippie haven and the dozens of wineries in the area, one might think that there would be more organic wineries that see the virtue of farming grapes without chemicals. But that is not the case. Vine Hill Winery is only one of three in the area to go through the laborious process of obtaining organic certification.
Gingerbread house making at Quattro restaurant, Dec. 11 and 18; Meet Rachel Ray at Santana Row, Dec. 11; Grow your own mushrooms with Veggielution at Emma Prushch Park, Dec. 1; Sur La table Cooking class, Dec. 13; Poultry 101 at Love Apple Farm, Dec. 14; Santana Row Holiday for Second Harvest, Dec. 14. 21 and 28
San Jose boasts a half-dozen Ethiopian restaurants, and humble Mudai is one of my favorites. Mudai Ethiopian Restaurant doesn’t feel so much like a restaurant as it does an Ethiopian cultural center or an extended living room.
The weekend of Jan. 15–16 will be a big one for fans of Santa Cruz Mountains wine, so it’s not too early to mark it on the calendar. Jan. 15 is “passport day,” in which dozens of local wineries will open their doors to visitors. Jan. 16 is a wine and crab competition at several, yet-to-be named restaurants.
The art and craft of doing something well is in the details. Sunnyvale’s Snake and Butterfly chocolate has perfected the details of chocolate making. The boutique company creates some truly outstanding chocolate by using superb ingredients in small batches and taking its time.
The art and craft of doing something well is in the details. Sunnyvale’s Snake and Butterfly chocolate has perfected the details of chocolate making. The boutique company creates some truly outstanding chocolate by using superb ingredients in small batches and taking its time.
In spite of the fault I found in some of the food, it’s hard not to fall for Henry’s Hi-Life. The staff is uniformly friendly and welcoming. The bar beckons, and for God’s sake, you won’t leave hungry. Portions are man-sized. Trends have come and gone, but Henry’s remains. Silicon Valley is a better place for it.
