A banner hangs at the Thai House announcing the arrival of pho (rhymes with duhhh). While Vietnamese food is as ubiquitous in San Jose as fettuccine alfredo, it remains a novelty in our own Surf City.

This noodle soup apparently hit the North Vietnamese scene in the early 1900s. During the 1950s, the simple medley of beef and rice noodles in a spiced beef stock made its way south, along with families escaping communist rule. In its new home it was embellished with herbs and sauces.

At the corner of Ocean and Soquel, Thai House fashions numerous flavorful renditions, with either beef or vegetarian stock. Protein alternatives range from duck and seafood to tripe and tofu.

The beef pho ($7.95) was served in a cavernous white bowl, accompanied by a plate of produce. I picked leaves from the purple stalk of Thai basil, adding them to the soup a few at a time with bean sprouts, a squeeze of lime, and occasionally a slice of fresh jalapeno. With chopsticks in one hand I grasped the flat, translucent noodles and crunchy sprouts, with the spoon in the other I sampled the rich broth. Occasionally I would accent a mouthful with spicy sriracha or sweet hoisin sauce. The server offered extra garnishes when I exhausted my supply.

I'm told it's not necessary to finish the broth; its volume is intended to keep the solids hot. But I couldn't resist sipping the last of the savory consommé.

Thai House, 353 Soquel Ave. at Ocean St., Santa Cruz, 458-3546. Beer and wine. Serving lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. weekdays, noon on weekends.

Behind a tiny Watsonville storefront stretches a slender bazaar, presumably Yamashita Grocery, as I found no signage on the building.

Amidst the shelf-lined perimeter stocked with hundreds of Asian ingredients otherwise unavailable in the county, sat pallets of rice and snack displays, leaving minimally wide aisles.  Although I was disappointed by a lack of unique produce on this visit, gallons of soy sauce ($12) called to me along with sakes, a myriad of green teas including Genmai cha with toasted rice, and a wide variety of condiments, many of them imported, with the USDA nutrition label added as an afterthought.

I picked up some instant hon-dashi ($3.10), a shortcut for the bonito base of traditional miso soup, an ounce of dried shiitake mushrooms ($1.90), the Indonesian chili paste Sambal Oelek ($2.75), a package of vellum-thin Vietnamese spring roll wrappers ($1.50), and seeds for a spring planting of baby Pak Choi.

Comparing these purchases with similar products at local groceries, I enjoyed a 20% savings. I'm thrilled to find such a nice assortment of Asian products on this side of the hill.

Yamashita Grocery, 114 Union Street (off Riverside), Watsonville, 724-3219. Open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to noon.

It's hard to imagine stress-free shopping this time of year, seeking the perfect gift that both validates the receiver and reflects our relationship. On Saturday, I strolled through the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo , amid relaxed shoppers designing custom organic Thanksgiving feasts from the bounty of local farms.

It was also the first week of the market's Home and Hearth Holiday Fair which runs through December 20.  In the market's lower level, handbags, woven scarves jewelry, and exquisitely-colored mosaic stepping stones joined Dave's Gourmet Albacore gift bags.

Heading up to the farmers' booths I found a treasure trove of giftables.  Living gifts of Cole Canyon Farm lettuce and herb gardens, orchids from Rocket and McLellan Botanicals, and plants from Cavanaugh Color. Del Real's Medjool dates from the year's harvest joined preserves and jellies from Swanton Berry Farm , Prevedelli and Bar-D Ranch. Watsonville's Belle Farms olive oil and Amen Bee raw honey would be much appreciated, as would almond candy from F & J Minazzoli Farms.

I returned from my expedition refreshed. What a delightful new holiday tradition!

Tis the season to have parties, and we can all use new ideas for quickly-made appetizers. Here's one that takes artichoke bottoms to lean and tasty heights.

Canned artichoke bottoms are just the cup of the tender heart with the entire choke cut away. I found the Fanci Food brand ($3.49) at Safeway in the canned vegetable section. Reese's is another familiar brand to look for.

Stuff with something as simple as salsa, or your favorite egg or crab salad. Serve cold, or top with your favorite cheese and bake. Here's a hot vegetarian version, where the custard-yellow cups, filled with dill and mushrooms, are topped with Spanish Manchego cheese and pine nuts, then baked for a savory treat.

Mushroom and Manchego Artichoke Bottoms

Start to finish: 40 minutes (20 minutes active)

• 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke bottoms (6-8 bottoms per can), drained
• 6 baby shitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1/3 cup grated Spanish Manchego cheese
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

If needed, cut the stem ends of the artichoke bottoms flat so they stand stable on a baking sheet. Chop the removed stem ends and combine with the mushrooms and dill. Gently ress a portion of the mushroom mixture into each bottom, then top with cheese and then pine nuts.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese melts and the nuts are beginning to brown.

Makes 6-8 appetizers.

Snaking through the showcase of Santa Cruz's finest restaurants like a foodie trick-or-treat, last night's "Taste of Santa Cruz" fulfilled each of my culinary cravings.  At more than 30 tables, eateries, wineries, and breweries paired with local business sponsors to delight the 800 guests.

From soups and spicy grilled skewers, to cheesecake and dark chocolate, I was impressed with the number of owners and executive chefs staffing the $30 progressive dinner. Their sponsors included local realtors, bankers, lenders, and title companies as well as financial advisors.

Streams of soft fabrics adorned the many meticulously appointed silent auction tables at the Cocoanut Grove. Exotic vacation packages were live-auctioned later in the evening.

This fourth annual event was presented by the Santa Cruz Association of Realtors, whose Housing Foundation has already awarded over $170,000 in grants to help first-time homebuyers with closing costs.

If you missed the event and would like to contribute, please call 464-2000, or visit the Taste of Santa Cruz website. And next year, I'll forward you an invitation.

Just in time for the (hopefully) busy shopping season, Castroville's Giant Artichoke restaurant has opened a "world famous" Giant Artichoke Express in the food court at the Capitola Mall.

Of course lovers of the green globe will expect to find Deep Fried Artichoke Hearts, the half order ($4.75) holding eleven approximately quarter-heart morsels, each one in a crispy herb-speckled golden jacket. Enjoy a side of either mayo or ranch for dipping.

After a tiring day, pick up steamed or fire-roasted artichokes, ready to go as a side dish or a meal. You'll also find the chopped hearts baked into quiche and bread, as well as combined with jalapenos or spinach in a dip.

The store also sells other kinds of sandwiches, quesadillas and salads.

A wave of panic swept over me, shuddering my taste buds. A grand opening banner had replaced the familiar sign at my cherished breakfast spot. No worries, I was to find out, the quintessential Chilaquiles were still to be had.

Named for a lively triple-time dance, Fandango's Mexican Café has taken over the corner at the convergence of 7th Avenue and Eaton. Now sporting a cheery pumpkin paint job, the new owners' menu improves on hard to find favorites.

In addition to Chilaquiles, with perhaps a greener verde sauce and a more generous topping of queso fresco, the other breakfast specials ($6.99) still include the chunky ranchera sauce, which seemed a bit spicier, served with both Huevos Rancheros and Bistec Ranchero. Fandango's offers 15 choices of meat fillings, from fish and chicken to chili verde.

For more standard morning fare, omelets ($6.99 to $8.99) come with beans or potatoes and toast or tortillas. The El Mexicano was loaded with tart diced cactus. They also serve pancakes and homemade Belgian waffles. Coffee from Surf City joins a large espresso machine, perfect for 6 a.m. sleepy-eyed customers.

Fandango's Mexican Café, 460 7th Avenue near the harbor, open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Brie cheese, crafted since Medieval times, comes from an appellation near Paris. Within its edible rind, bacteria work to make it creamy. Its unique flavor peaks when ripe, in other words, when its interior flows like lava.

Cleaning out my car one day in September, I came across a package of Trader Joe's Goat Milk Brie that I had purchased two weeks prior. It wasn't excessively pungent, and when unwrapped, the velvety white crust was unblemished. The middle was perfectly gooey, and I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderfully strong flavor.

Wondering whether my accidental aging process had influenced the taste, I bought two more rounds. For 12 days, one sat in the refrigerator, the other on the kitchen counter. I then let the refrigerator sample come to room temperature for an hour.

Smelling faintly of its bacteria's ammonia, the refrigerator cheese remained firm to the touch. Its homogeneous white interior was not quite spreadable, but was definitely an edible mild brie. The counter-aged round was noticeably softer with a stronger aroma. It was creamy although not yet viscous, with a decidedly sharper flavor. Neither was adequately ripe.

Once cut, ripening will cease and they should be refrigerated and eaten within the week. I can just smell the grilled Brie sandwiches in my future.

A new sign has popped up on the big building that has housed such eateries as Togo's, Pleasure Pizza, and Baskin Robbins. Hawgs Seafood Bar is coming to town, adding additional variety to the Mission Street palate.

Hawgs got its start in Campbell in 1996, expanding to downtown San Jose 4 years later. The name doesn't allude to motorcycles, but to a childhood nickname of a founding brother.

I made a trip to the San Jose location last year. On that hot summer afternoon, I chose a fresh and colorful salad. Set back from busy 2nd Street, it's well-lit on the sunset side by large windows. A serpentine bar wraps around the stainless steel demonstration kitchen. The tall industrial-style ceiling adds a spacious feeling to the rectangular restaurant.

Prices differ between the two incarnations, as does a portion of the menu, but both are known for their happy hours and fanciful desserts as well as fresh seafood appetizers, pastas, sandwiches and main dishes. We'll have to wait and see what they conjure up for their Surf City extension.