.Life and Death Boxing

These two chefs had me at “short rib melt with fig jam and Fiscalini fondue on Bread Boy country loaf sourdough.”

Truth be told, though, they had me before that: I was already a fan of the swashbuckling duo of the Santa Cruz Mountains that is Lance Ebert (aka Bread Boy) and Mikey Adams (he of finer dining fame at Restaurant 1833 in Monterey, Proper in San Francisco and seafood-driven/Michelin-starred Angler on S.F.’s Embarcadero) because the food and the vibes they’re simmering at The Emerald Mallard (6256 Highway 9, Felton) prove sublime.

Good Times readers get it, having voted the mountain duck Best New Restaurant in San Lorenzo Valley and wider Santa Cruz County in 2025.

Now fast friends and collaborators Adams and Ebert are introducing a pop-up residency called Death Box, grinding three days a week in the former Alderwood (155 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz) in the heart of downtown.

Noon-5pm Wednesdays, syncing up with Downtown Santa Cruz’s Farmers Market, Death Box slangs carry-out options, which happen to be Ebert specialties, namely cannoli and sourdough.

They complement that with various specials, like last week’s short rib melt with gooey cheddar.

Grab-and-go also happens Sundays from 10am to 2pm, with more cannoli and day-fresh bread, plus coffee.

Tuesday evenings 6-9pm, Death Box provides sit-down ticketed supper club centering around a featured item. The first month the main act is ramen, with a supporting cast of things like sashimi, handrolls and gyoza in rotation.

Good Times Editor Brad Kava stopped by for last Wednesday’s debut, and reports the line was out the door and the flavor on the short rib was unlike anything he’s had.

“The meat melted in your mouth, and the seasoning was incredible,” Kava says. “And the bread really helped. I hate boring bread. That was not boring bread.”

More at @deathbox_sc.

TOP DOG

One of the coolest sommelier stories I’ve encountered came uncorked when John Haffey of Michelin two-star Aubergine (7th Avenue and Monte Verde Street, Carmel) won the 2023 California Sommelier Award just a few years removed from his past career as sales exec at Pet Food Express. That’s how quickly his palate clicked with the world of wine. Now he and fellow somm savant Ryan Cooley are introducing a wine bar project called Vin Vivant in the former Capitola Wine Bar. The menu runs long on hand-picked Burgundy, Champagne and Bordeaux French wines, with some European and Californian offering too. Hours are 2-10pm Monday, Wednesday-Friday and noon-10pm Saturday-Sunday, instagram.com/vinvivantcapitola.

NIBBLES NEXUS

New Leaf Community Markets opens its newest store at the corner of River Street and Highway 1 on Sept. 27 (650 River St.), roughly one mile away from the previous location on Pacific Avenue, newleaf.com…Voting is open for the 2025 America’s Farmers Market Celebration™ by American Farmland Trust, the only annual ranking of the top farmers markets in the United States. Each year, American Farmland Trust gives away $15,000 in awards (and more!) to the nation’s favorite farmers markets. Voting runs through Sept. 30, markets.farmland.org…Olive Garden’s “Never Ending Pasta Bowl” returned to the chain stores on Aug. 25…Campbell’s Co. and Pabst Blue Ribbon are teaming up on beer-flavored soups across the Chunky Soup product line, with flavors like Beer Cheese with Potatoes and Chorizo, and Beef, Bacon and Beer Chili with Beans…Well, only one place to take it from there, right, Mr. Wayne Gretzky: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”