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Staycation O N T H E M O N T E R E Y B A Y 4 A U G U S T 2 2 , 2 0 1 8 S taycation: Merriam-Webster defines this as "a vacation spent at home or nearby." ose of us who live in Santa Cruz County are so fortunate to have incredible surroundings, where we can have many types of fabulous staycations with our beautiful views, nearby beaches and ocean, amazing restaurants, and more. Capitola Village is one area that contains all of these elements. I'm going to tell you a few details about three places to get good food in the Village: two are sit-down restaurants (Sotola Bar & Grill and Paradise Beach Grille), and one is an "order at the counter" spot (Santa Cruz Poke, at the Capitola Mercantile) where there are a few seats inside plus the Mercantile's seating on the patio, which is dog-friendly. Sotola Bar & Grill At Sotola, most people dine inside the restaurant. But especially during the sum- mertime, some choose to order burgers or sandwiches to-go and take these to the beach. Perfect for a staycation! Sotola offers Locals Night every Tuesday; it starts at 3 p.m. and lasts until closing. During this time, all drinks are available for happy hour prices and customers can order any- thing from the Bar Bites menu for half price. "Our Bites menu is seasonal, as is our Farm to Table menu," says co-owner Ashley Ber- nardi, who opened Sotola with her husband Adam in December 2016. Right now, the Bites menu includes Bali-style chicken wings (with Sambal, pickled shallots and more) and a cheese board featuring signature hummus, candied nuts and other elements. "Our chef is preparing some amaz- ing additions to our Bites menu this fall with locals in mind, including Fogline Farm fried chicken and chicken curry Flautas. If you follow us on Facebook or Instagram, you will see the latest developments of this menu," she adds. Adam and Ashley are longtime local resi- dents. In fact, they both grew up in Santa Cruz County. Adam grew up in Scotts Valley and attended Soquel High; Ashley grew up living with her dad in Ben Lomond halime and her mom in Capitola the other half. Sotola's chef, James Manss, also grew up in the area; he attended Soquel High with Adam. "He started as part of our opening crew, as Sous Chef, and in October we were so lucky to finally offer him the Executive Chef position," says Ashley. As a longtime friend, Ashley adds, he really understands their vision for the restaurant. "I cook from the heart - I put my soul into every dish I create," says Manss. "It's the ulti- mate reward to create a dish I'm passionate about, and watch it be enjoyed. I'm lucky I get to do this everyday at Sotola, in the town I grew up in. And I couldn't do it without my awesome kitchen crew and the rest of the staff!" Manss acquired his love for cooking at an early age by helping his mom—a trained chef—in the kitchen. "She taught me everything she could, seeing I had a true passion for all things culinary," he says. Manss eventually attended Cabrillo College's culinary program, and his cooking experi- ence includes time at Chaminade Resort and Spa, and Solaire at Hotel Paradox. In the fall, Manss plans to bring back fresh soups of the day and "…a delicious vegetar- ian gnocchi dish for the entree menu." Dining in Capitola Village S O M E T H I N G F O R E V E R Y O N E by Tara Fatemi Walker Photos Courtesy of Sotola Bar & Grille. Pictured here, owners Ashley and Adam Bernardi. ...continues on 6

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