CAPITOLA

Roux Dat will close in August

Cajun Creole restaurant Roux Dat, at 3555 Clares St. Suite G, is closing its doors in mid-August after 11 years in business. Owner Chad Glassley announced the closure on social media and thanked customers for their support. His post included, “This decision has been very difficult. I will be posting updates as I receive them. I would love for you to stop by and see me before we close; I’ll be at the restaurant most weekdays during lunch. Please visit our webpage and fill out the contact information so I can stay in touch and keep you informed of any future endeavors.”

The menu includes stews such as jambalaya (traditional or vegan, the latter made with mushrooms and fennel) and shrimp and corn étouffée, as well as po’boy sandwiches, mac and cheese, hush puppies and fried green tomatoes. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For details, visit rouxdatcajuncreole.com or call 831-295-6372.

SANTA CRUZ

Second Mad Yolks restaurant opens

Mad Yolks opened a second location last week at 830 41st Ave. “We wanted to build a cozy joint for people to hang out while enjoying tasty food and drinks,” said Peter and Henry Wong, the twin brother co-owners. The new outpost has a special menu item not available downtown: a breakfast burrito with egg, potato, avocado, melted Menonita cheese, salsa and choice of bacon or mushrooms. “We wanted to pay homage to the old Chill Out Café and also create comforting food that feeds the soul,” said the Wong brothers.

Mad Yolks specializes in a variety of egg sandwiches on homemade brioche buns. Other offerings include fried chicken or grilled cheese sandwiches, gourmet salads, stuffed potato balls and tater tots with Japanese curry, sunny-side-up egg and furikake. Drinks include matcha and espresso.

The original Mad Yolks is at 1411 Pacific Ave. Both locations are open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday. To stay in the loop, visit madyolks.com or follow Mad Yolks on Instagram @mad_yolks.

SANTA CRUZ

Candyland-themed tea at Vim

Vim Dining and Desserts, at 2238 Mission St., recently released reservations for its next tea, July 27. Cost is $75 and reservations are required at exploretock.com/vimdiningsantacruz. The event features an “interpretive menu of all the Candyland characters, including five savory items, five desserts and a sweets and tea first course,” said co-owner/chef Jesikah Stolaroff. There are regular and vegetarian offerings. One course is Princess Lolli: honey aleppo glazed chicken drumstick or vegetarian potato samosa lollipop. See the full menu at vimsantacruz.com.

Vim hosts tea events the last Sunday of each month, with reservations opening at noon two Sundays prior. Contact 831-515-7033 for details.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Popular sandwich returns to Togo’s

Togo’s, which has local locations in Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville, has brought back the No. 71 Pretzelrami for a limited time. The made-to-order hot sandwich, served on a pretzel roll features a quarter pound of pastrami that’s sliced in-house daily. Other ingredients include provolone cheese, yellow mustard and dill pickles. “Our guests wanted an even larger and more flavorful pretzel roll so we increased the size by 25% and dialed up the pretzel flavor,” said Glenn Lunde, CEO of Togo’s Eateries. “It’s a true fan favorite made even better.” Visit togos.com for details.

New food offerings at Santa Cruz Shakespeare

Santa Cruz Shakespeare has launched Line 38 — a new food and drink experience focused on fresh local ingredients — for its 2025 season, which runs through Sept. 20. Created and headed by Shannen Craig, Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s operations manager who has a culinary background, the name Line 38 is inspired by Shakespeare’s 38 plays.

Theater attendees can buy selections for pre-show picnics or for during the show in the Audrey Stanley Grove at DeLaveaga Park, where all performances are held. House specialties include a turkey brie baguette with roasted red peppers, fresh wild arugula and aioli, cambozola-stuffed dates with walnuts and local honey, and clam dip with fresh garlic and chives. Graze box options include cucumber tea sandwiches. Line 38 offers local wine and beer and specialty cocktails inspired by each play. Concessions open an hour before each show begins. Cash is not accepted, only cards. For details, visit santacruzshakespeare.org.

Mackenzies Chocolates pop-up schedule

Mackenzies Chocolates, at 1492 Soquel Ave., is doing a few pop-ups. Hours each time are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This week, it is open Wednesday. It will also be open July 22 and July 30, selling limited quantities of many selections. The best source of current information is mackenzieschocolates.com, which is updated with hours and days open. Mackenzies closed in December after 40-plus years in business.

Food, cocktail specials at Riva

Riva, at 31 Municipal Wharf, has a couple of food specials through the end of July: bay shrimp lettuce wraps and a blackened prawn plate. There is also a new cocktail, Born on the PB&J, a playful riff on the Fourth of July. It features Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, Chambord raspberry liqueur, cranberry juice and a dash of salt. Learn more at 831-429-1223 or rivafishhouse.com.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Events on tap at Inversion Winery

Inversion Wines, at 75 Mount Hermon Road, has upcoming events with rotating food vendors. On Friday, the Cali Caracas Venezuelan food truck will appear 4-8 p.m. to accompany bingo that the winery is offering 6-7:30 p.m. On Saturday there will be live music 3-5:30 p.m. with Cousins Maine Lobster truck from 1-6 p.m. SC Eatery food truck pops up 2-6 p.m. July 26, with live music 3-5:30 p.m. For details, call 831-419-5036 or visit inversionwines.com.

Church barbecue, beer tasting on tap

Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High St., is holding a summer barbecue and beer tasting 5-7 p.m. Saturday. There will be traditional food plus bierocks, a snack served at the church’s annual Oktoberfest Santa Cruz event, which will occur in September. Admission is free, but attendees are welcome to make donations for Texas flood relief. Adults 21 and over can sample five styles of German beers. Seating is limited; people are required to RSVP at 831-423-8330.

SOQUEL

Art and wine festival at Bargetto

The annual Art & Wine Festival is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Bargetto Winery, 3535 N. Main St. There is free admission. To drink wine, it’s $25, which includes a souvenir glass. People can sip beverages as they browse more than 30 booths. There will be take-home food products for sale like small batch jams and mustards, gourmet sweets, salami, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Art will include jewelry, photography, paintings, textiles, woodworks, candles and soaps.

The festival also features food trucks Taquizas Gabriel on Saturday and Italia Fire (pizza) on Sunday, as well as live local music from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2-4 each day, including The Joint Chiefs Saturday afternoon. See bargetto.com/events2/art-wine-festival-at-bargetto-winery-331 for details.

Contestants sought for sourdough bake-off

Collective Santa Cruz is hosting Santa Cruz Sourdough Bake-Off July 26 at Venus Spirits Westside, 200 High Road. The event is seeking contestants and there will be judges from Manresa Bread, Companion Bakeshop, La Marea Cafe and Dani O Bakeshop; learn more at CollectiveSocialClub.com/Sourdough.

Interested in attending as a spectator? Buy a tasting pass at CollectiveSantaCruz.com; this will entitle you to sample a select number of entries starting at 1 p.m. on event day and vote. The bake-off is part of a larger event from noon to 5 p.m. that day: the free Sour Jam Summer Slam with sour drinks as well as tangy foods and sweets from many vendors. Visit Collective Santa Cruz on IG @collectivesantacruz for details.

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 and drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on X @santacruzfood.