SANTA CRUZ

Tortilla Shack now open

Tortilla Shack recently opened at 1505 Commercial Way. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The menu features burritos, bowls, tacos, nachos, quesadillas and salads. You can customize your own selections including choosing from white (flour), green (toasted garlic and spinach) or red (chipotle peppers and smoked cheddar) tortillas. Fillings include citrus-herb chicken, panko-crusted cod and chili-rubbed sirloin. Co-owners Geoff Hargrave and Quinn Cormier also operate Izakaya West End and East End Gastropub. For more information or to place a takeout or delivery order, visit tortillashack1.com.

SANTA CRUZ

Fusion Fare serving customers

Hongmin Mo opened contemporary Sichuan restaurant Fusion Fare last month at 1003 Cedar St. (next to the Red Room bar in the former site of Rustico, which closed last fall). Owner and chef Mo offers dishes like stir-fried eggplant, red oil wontons, sweet and sour spare rib, coconut curry chicken, garlic caper beef stir-fry and miso ginger noodles. Hours are 3-10 p.m. daily. Call 831-266-5834 for details.

SANTA CRUZ

New crepe kiosk on Pacific Avenue

Matt McCabe recently launched the kiosk Crepe Cones, located near Bookshop Santa Cruz on Pacific Avenue. The menu includes sweet and savory crepes. There are “value crepes” for $5: grilled cheese, PB&J, lemon sugar and Nutella. Other varieties include an almond butter and banana combination.

SANTA CRUZ

Valentine’s pie at Manresa Bread

Manresa Bread, which has a Santa Cruz bakery (330 Ingalls St., 831-431-6738) plus several other South Bay locations, has a special offering this month in honor of Valentine’s Day. Head Baker and owner Avery Ruzicka has created chocolate cream pies, available in-store every Friday through Sunday for the month of February. The pies, with layers of chocolate ganache and chocolate pudding all topped with a cloud of whipped cream and chocolate shavings, are four inches and “perfect for sharing with someone you love,” says Ruzicka.

CAPITOLA

Sip and stroll this weekend

The next Capitola Village Sip & Stroll is noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, taking participants on a wine tour through Capitola Village. Tasting stations are located at approximately 20 shops. More than two dozen wineries are participating. Tickets, $45 at eventbrite.com/e/capitola-village-sip-stroll-tickets-1112884199599, include a commemorative glass and 12 two-ounce pours. You must be 21 years old to attend. Learn more at capitolavillage.com.

SANTA CRUZ

Madson Wines, Colectivo Felix partner for Valentine’s dinner

Madson Wines and Colectivo Felix are collaborating for a five-course dinner with wine pairings at 6 p.m. Feb. 14 in Madson’s wine cellar (328 Ingalls St.). Cost is $150 per person and tickets are limited. Reservations are required at madson-wines.obtainwine.com/product/valentine-s-day-chef-in-the-cellar. Courses include cured California trout with romesco, berry reduction, redwood oil and capers paired with 2023 Gamay Noir.

Football party at Solaire

Solaire Restaurant + Bar at Hotel Paradox (611 Ocean St., 831-425-7100, hotelparadox.com/solaire-restaurant) is hosting a “Super Sunday” party this weekend. The game will be shown on a big screen plus multiple TVs and there will be drink specials from Firestone Walker Brewery and Bacardi with every touchdown. Purchase tickets at eventbrite.com/e/footballs-super-sunday-at-solaire-restaurant-bar-tickets-1201220074579.

General admission tickets for $10 include a complimentary beverage and a welcome gift from either Firestone or Bacardi. Solaire’s tailgate menu is available for a la carte purchase. There are also $60 tickets where attendees receive an unlimited tailgate buffet (local Pleasure Pizza, pretzels and cheese dip, nachos, mac and cheese and more), a Bacardi swag bag and a complimentary beverage from one of the drink partners during each of the four quarters.

WATSONVILLE

Menu addition at Ozzy’s

Ozzy’s Pizzeria (1036 East Lake Ave., 831-319-4464, ozzyspizzeria.com) recently added a lunch special available from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Danny Boy Meatball Sandwich is accompanied by a half salad (your choice of Caesar, mixed greens or “Kylie’s Amazing Slaw”) for $13. Learn more at the website or on IG @ozzyspizzeriawatsonville.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Valentine’s items at Companion Bakeshop

Companion Bakeshop has three Valentine’s Day items available for pre-order on its website (companionbakeshop.com), with pickup Feb. 13-14 at your choice of the Westside Santa Cruz or Aptos location. Selections are Valentine’s pie, cake and a bake-at-home brownie kit complete with baking pan.

Also, the Westside location (2341 Mission St., 831-471-8378) is hosting a cookie-decorating event from 9-11 a.m. this Sunday. No reservations are necessary. Visitors can decorate one cookie for $3.50, or a box of six for $18. There will be a complimentary crafts table for making Valentines, too.

Prix fixe Valentine’s at Gabriella Cafe

For Valentine’s Day, Gabriella Café (910 Cedar St., 831-457-1677, gabriellacafe.com) is serving a four-course dinner in addition to a la carte selections. Reservations are available from 4:30-9:30 p.m. The prix fixe menu for $95 includes oysters, scallops, Dungeness crab and more. Cost is $95.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Epoch Eats food truck shutting down

The Epoch Eats food truck is closing, but it will continue offering catering services. “It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing that Epoch Eats food truck is closing,” read the beginning of a statement posted by the business on Instagram. “I am looking at the next stage of the business … please keep us in mind for catering and look forward to the release of Ink Spot Sweets, the new candy line that has been in the works for a year.” Stay in the loop by following the business on Instagram @epocheats.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Pizza My Heart launches seasonal slice

Pizza My Heart (pizzamyheart.com) has a new seasonal flavor: mushroom magic. With button, shiitake and portobello mushrooms, plus sausage, mozzarella, cream cheese, fresh rosemary and parsley, it’s available by the slice or whole pie for a limited time.

Eat for the Earth plant-based class on deck

Eat for the Earth (eatfortheearth.org) is offering the class Food for Life: Food for Fitness from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Santa Cruz Seventh-Day Adventist Church (1024 Cayuga St.). Organizers encourage attendees to pay what they can. Event proceeds benefit nonprofit organization Eat for the Earth. The class features a video, discussion and the opportunity to taste plant-based dishes following a cooking demonstration. Learn more and register at eventbrite.com/e/food-for-life-class-food-for-fitness-tickets-1128235987209.

Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food and drink news. Send items to sentinelfood@gmail.com (Sunday 7 p.m. deadline for that week’s column). Want local food & drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on X @santacruzfood.