Homemade goodness delights diners at Scotts Valley's Heavenly Cafe

he building on Mt. Hermon Road reminds me of an old western general store. I almost expect to find Ma Barker dishing up simple, made-from-scratch, rib-sticking grub. But here at Heavenly Cafe, I found that the simple adjective does not apply, and grub is a total misnomer. Turkey burgers with feta cheese and yogurt tzatziki sauce, smoked salmon salad with salsa fresca, and walnut waffles with fresh bananas are just a sample of Heavenly's interesting offerings.

For breakfast, which is served all day, choose from omelets, Belgian waffles, buttermilk pancakes and French toast or a few Mexican specialties.

I stood facing two portals at Brown Ranch Marketplace. The one on the right read Weight Watchers, the other Zizzo's. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee lured me left.

"Good Friends Great Coffee" seemed to be more than a slogan at Zizzo's, as the steady stream of customers seemed to be all on a first name basis. With 60 hot, cold, and blended espresso, coffee, tea and fruit beverages to choose from, plus the ability to mix and match to create your own gourmet specialty, my choice was not a simple one.

I chose a Mexican Mocha—with nonfat milk and no whipped cream as penance. The steaming twelve-ounce beverage with a shot of espresso was flavored with cinnamon, chocolate, and hazelnut. It tasted as marvelous as Kahlua and Frangelico but totally work-appropriate, and was just sweet enough.

Behind the scenes at the big move for Staff of Life

I have excitedly watched the transformation of a building on Soquel Avenue from that of an auto dealership into Staff of Life's new home. Now, a metal fence has been built around the entrance with a canopied roof. An open-air beverage bar and produce bins house things like colorful berries. It’s a good welcome into the store.

Mid-afternoon on the day before the grand opening, the large parking lot was full, as was bordering Darwin Street. There was an air of excitement as throngs of shoppers pushed carts through the aisles and greeted strangers. School children bagged their favorite vegetables.

An on-line reader named Ben commented on the Pu-erh tea I wrote about from Dynasty Chinese Restaurant on Portola. He suggested that Internet purchases were risky, perhaps either overpriced or counterfeit, and suggested I visit David and his staff at Chaikhana for a taste of the real thing. As I've lately been developing recipes for flavored iced teas, it's a good time to visit.

Chaikhana, which means tea culture, has possibly a hundred different teas, estimated tea maker Andrew, but I'm interested in the Chinese post-fermented style in which dried green leaves are rolled, dampened, and left to ferment and darken.

Ristorante Barolo adds homemade touches to its Italian specialties in the Historic Bayview Hotel

At eight in the morning I was craving Italian food so I headed into Aptos Village where the county's oldest hotel, the Bayview Bed and Breakfast Inn, houses Ristorante Barolo.

The breakfast room was originally a wrap-around portico of the home which was built in 1878. It was remodeled in 1883 to add the third story, where dormer windows protrude from the mansard roof. Likely the Italianate features were added then, such as faux cornerstone quoins and decorative triangular pediments over the doors and windows.

Santa Cruz's home of the original pizza dance has parlayed its expertise with dough and toppings into some tasty weekend brunch fare. The scent of strong coffee seemed unusual at Kianti's, but welcome on a sleepy Saturday morning. Breakfast Pizzas ($11.95/$19.95), pizza dough pastries ($6.95 to $7.95), and Scrambles and Wraps ($8.95) pair just as well with Bloody Marys ($5) and bottomless Mimosas ($10).

Four scrambles can be wrapped in a flour or whole wheat tortilla and are served with fruit, pasta salad, or chips and house-made salsa. You can also design your own scramble (or pizza) from an abbreviated list of your favorite pizza toppings.

Golden Palace brings luxurious Chinese dining to Midtown

Impeccable decor at the new Golden Palace is accompanied by friendly service, and with more than 170 dishes to choose from, mild or spicy, vegetarian or omnivorous, there are numerous tastes to be treasured.

At night, red paper lanterns and white icicle lights highlight the golden brick exterior. Inside I was greeted by a highly carved chair and familiar shimmering wallpaper. Golden Palace is a sister to Dynasty on Portola Drive in Santa Cruz, and our server said the owner designed everything, right down to his shiny black shirt emblazoned with a sequined dragon. New tall-backed booths offer privacy and are decorated with gilded plastic dragons, as is the circular table which seats 14.