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It has been an exciting year for the Eat, Drink, Savor series, with profiles of several new restaurants opening up, including 36º North and McCann’s at San Juan Oaks and Cultiva in San Juan Bautista, and visits to some far-flung wineries such as Birichino, Alara Cellars and Margins that source their bounty from San Benito County’s vineyards.
I got a glimpse behind the scenes of some very interesting places: watching the Marisch Confectionary Company dip pretty much anything they can into chocolate, touring the custom-crush facility at Atelier des Savants Fous (La Vie Dansante’s companion business), and seeing how quickly GC Farms can flash-freeze vegetables.
Several significant anniversaries were also celebrated: firsts for Crave Wine Co. and Harvest Time Roadhouse, the 10th for Brewery Twenty-Five, and the 20th for San Juan’s JJ’s Burgers. Another high point was seeing the sparkle in the eyes of the inimitable Chuck Frowein, owner of Grillin’ & Chillin’ Alehouse, as he offered up a mimosa bigger than my head.
Of course, food trucks and booths on the streets, at events and at the Farmers’ Market were also incredibly popular, resulting in San Juan and Hollister gradually loosening restrictions on where food businesses can operate. I checked out quite a few in 2023: Joseph Elmhorst’s Steak Stop, which helped to kick off the local craze, El Guapo, now with cricket tacos, the elegant Wafflz and Pearlz, cookies from Sweet al Amor and delightful decadence from Place of Crepes.
There have also been a few unfortunate surprises. The closure of The 18th Barrel in San Juan caught everyone by surprise, and nobody anticipated that the iconic Doña Esther’s would quickly follow. And the sale of Siletto Vineyard, with its dynamic portfolio of unusual varietals, left many winemakers inside and outside the county wondering if the supply of their favorites, like the San Benito County-only cabernet pfeffer, would vanish.
Below are the top five stories of the year as determined by reader popularity (Google Analytics). My favorite articles that did not make the list? The first was a two-part interview with Calera winemaker Mike Waller, starting with his reflections on the winery’s 50th anniversary and concluding with a vineyard-by-vineyard tour of Mt Harlan, the source of their world-class pinot noirs. And the second is a pair that I wrote about cooking classes I attended with master chef David Jamrock: “Celebrity chef holds cooking classes in Hollister” and “Chef Jamrock, gingerbread houses and a perfect paella.”
Waller was also responsible for my favorite wine of the year, the 2020 Jensen Pinot Noir. This beautiful wine has elusive layers that sneak up on you, impress, and then fade away while another layer asserts itself. Calera has such an impressive portfolio of great wines that it is almost impossible to choose just one, but this one stayed in my mind long after the tasting.
It has been an honor to learn from people like Waller and to sample the best of the county’s food, beer, wine and produce. I am grateful to Hollister Super and Windmill Market owner Chang So, who also serves as the BenitoLink Board of Directors vice president, for underwriting this series.
The Top Five Stories of 2024:
5. Cafe Con Leche positions itself for success
Starting as a mobile coffee bar, with more complications in getting it running than you might think possible, Cafe Con Leche has graduated to a brick-and-mortar in a prime location as one of the first tenants of 400 Block Building at the corner of San Benito and 4th Streets in Hollister. Quite a step up for Edgar and Diana Mayorga, who began by selling coffee out of an apartment.
They source their own coffee, but the selections do not stop there. They also serve a wide variety of Nicaraguan-based breakfast and lunch items, cornmeal arepas sandwiches, and shakshuka, a mixture of simmered tomatoes, onions and garlic served on poached eggs.
4. San Juan Oaks reopens with locally sourced fine dining
In anticipation of the large number of homes being built on the property, the full-scale renovation of San Juan Oaks has given us 36º North, a new and elegant white-tablecloth restaurant. Everything about the restaurant is geared towards creating an exceptional dining experience, from the immaculate service to the fine menu to the beautiful view of the greens through the windows.
The Steak Diane, as old-fashioned a recipe as you can find, gets a reinvigorated treatment using an 8-oz Certified Black Angus filet mignon and a mushroom medley to harmonize with the rich cognac sauce. The 20-oz bone-in ribeye is equally exceptional and is a best-seller. Next door is McCann’s, a more casual lunch-time version.
3. Taylor Farms scores again with mini chopped salad kits
I have done articles annually for four years on Taylor Farms salad kits, and I’m always amazed by the creativity that Charis Neves, Director of Innovation and Product Management, puts into every new release.
This latest article goes over some of the mini-chopped kits, salads just big enough for lunch. And how can you miss with flavors like Pizza Ranch, with green onions and a creamy tomato-based dressing, Nashville Hot (my favorite of the ones in this article), with dill pickle-seasoned crispy cucumbers and Citrus Crunch, with a lemon and orange vinaigrette and the crunchy toasted almonds?
2. Harvest Time Roadhouse celebrates first anniversary
Owner Adam Jones faced a huge setback when Caltrans closed down the intersection of Hwy 156 and Mitchell Road, the most direct access to his restaurant (“Harvest Time Roadhouse serves food worth the detour”). Now that the road is open again, the crowds are returning to this unique spot: just far enough off the beaten path to feel out in the country but still close enough for fast access from San Juan or Hollister.
And Jones deserves the success. His tri-tp is excellent, his burgers are some of the best in the county, and I recently discovered his fish-and-chips, a dish that breathes authenticity courtesy of a recipe from Mike Benson, former owner of the fabled Claddagh Irish Restaurant and Pub in Gilroy. There is a downhome friendliness here and you are very likely to see someone you know there relaxing over a beer.
1. Homestyle breakfast at Buenos Dias Cafecito
Buenos Dias co-owner David Ramirez is on a roll: His La Michelada took top place in last year’s “Best of 2023” list, and Buenos Dias, the cafe he co-owns with Ricardo Saavedra and Trino Serran, scored the same this year. With a concept similar to restaurants catering to American tourists in Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Cancun, you might not exactly feel like you are on the beach. Still, the freshness and flavor will more than make up for it.
The Chilaquiles are a good place to start. Served with either the smoky chili-tinged red or the citrusy green sauce, ask your server to split it 50/50 and enjoy the best of both worlds. And ask about the Marinated Arrachera Skirt Steak—it sells out quickly and is a must-try.
The Next Five in Order:
6. The DeBrito Chocolate Factory turns apples into art
7. JJ’s Homemade Burgers celebrates 20th year
8. Fresh Direct Fusion/Fit brings home taste and quality
9. Celebrity chef holds cooking classes in Hollister
10. Beef and lamb burgers the Paicines Ranch way
Related story:
https://benitolink.com/eat-drink-savor-the-best-of-2023/
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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The post Eat, Drink, Savor: 2024 in wining, dining, and plain old nibbling appeared first on BenitoLink.