Coastside Eats

So Holland has finally flown off to...Holland. But before that, I had the good fortune to dine with her, not just at Thanksgiving, but at her multiple bon voyage bashes, the most boisterous of which was at the Davenport Roadhouse, a fine restaurant and inn if you ever find yourself on Highway 1 ten miles north of Santa Cruz. I've long been obsessed with Davenport, which so far as I can tell consists of two buildings on the highway, both of which house eateries. The more casual of the two would be the bakery, where I've warmed up with coffee, indulged in ice cream, and lunched with dear Renee, where between bites of chicken sandwich, we pored over maps during our marathon drive down the coast. A fantastic stop on a sunny (or not so sunny) day.

If you're in the mood for a more serious meal though, the roadhouse has all sorts of delectables. The lemon-infused parmesan accompanied with olives was a favorite as was the roasted vegetable pizzetta. I adored the hanger`steak with garlic frites (and brussels sprouts!) and whenever possible, took bites of other people's meals, which included cioppino, lamb shank falling off the bone, and several varieties of fish. A cozy table by the fire and a rocking chocolate cake completed our meal. And if the food isn't enough of a draw, the sunset drive along the coast was so lovely that our entire party showed up late because we could hardly take our eyes off the sky.