Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Brunch in Santa Cruz

Who: VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Brunch in Santa Cruz
Where: Saturn Café, Santa Cruz, Calif.
When: March 8, 2008
Why: Post-yoga indulgence

The Scoop: Looking for a veg-friendly getaway this summer? A funky seaside town full of vegetarian eateries, bookstores, and yoga studios, Santa Cruz just might be that perfect travel destination. Just one-and-a-half hours from San Francisco and the city my Mom now calls home, a weekend in this progressive paradise is always just what the doctor ordered. This past weekend, however, time was short, and I only had a chance to visit one of my favorite dining spots. After finishing up a rigorous morning class at The Yoga Center, I moseyed over a few blocks to Saturn Café for a hearty brunch. A SC institution since 1979, the diner-esque vegetarian restaurant—complete with overstuffed booths, a jukebox, and a lengthy milkshake menu—is popular with locals and tourists alike. I settled into the Vegan Breakfast (a bargain at just $6.50), which included a perfectly seasoned tofu scramble, herb-roasted home-fried potatoes, and two thick slabs of sourdough toast with blackberry jam. It was fabulous, flat-out fabulous. Wanting to linger after I had finished breakfast, I ordered a soy chai latte, which was topped with about three inches of soy foam. I love foam, and if you like foam, you’ll love Saturn’s foam. The one downside to the Saturn Café is the service: it can often be abrupt. My gal was friendly, but I did have to wait longer than normal to place my order and noticed she was sitting at a table with friends enjoying her own breakfast. Other than that, it’s a good stop to make on your veggie tour of Santa Cruz.

Look for the lowdown on all my favorite SC spots in the next few months, only on Press Pass.

5 comments:

Ruby Red said...

What a perfect breakfast! (Oh my goodness, slabs of toast! Wow!) I love foam on my soy lattes too. Oh, how I wish I could travel cross-country and visit Saturn Cafe! Thanks for the awesome review.

Amey said...

woo hoo!
A Santa Cruz post! Right on. I never eat at the Saturn... maybe I should give it another try. I just wish someone in Santa Cruz would make us a vegan pancake!
:) Amey

Jake and Alana said...

I love the vegan breakfast burrito there.

You have to go to Malabar next time you're in town! It's right down the street.

Lily Roza said...

SpringsAndWells:

You will find delicious vegan pancakes at Dharmas Restaurant, which is in Capitola a suburb of Santa Cruz, very close by car.

http://www.dharmaland.com/restaurant/index.php?id=1

Gala C

Kathy said...

I grew up in Santa Cruz. Love it. miss it! Saturn Cafe is fun...but yes the service is quirky at times.