••• Flor de Maiz, the New Mexican restaurant on E. Cabrillo, finally launched a website with a menu. There’s also a selection of nine $7 happy hour dishes, available Sunday and Monday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday noon-6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 2-6 p.m.
••• The Restaurant Guy posted an updated list of restaurants (as well as Bristol Farms and Sprouts supermarkets) expected to open here at some point. It’s not a particularly exciting list. Let’s hope there are some happening under the radar.
••• Back in September, the Hotel Californian announced that “The signature restaurant [Blackbird] will relaunch in Fall 2019 as Bar Blackbird, an upscale bar-first concept, featuring a cocktail program from Houston Hospitality veteran Devon Espinosa and celebrating the intersection of food and beverage on our Central Coast.” While the new team might be in place, the menu at Blackbird remains more or less the same. I’ve emailed the hotel’s PR rep to see if the plan still holds.
••• Renegade Wines and I had an exchange about making roasted salted almonds using the recipe from Joshua McFadden’s excellent Six Seasons cookbook. (By brining them first, the salt really sticks.) If anyone has tried it with a nut other than almonds, please let me know.
••• We’re always looking for easy new ways to feed houseguests, so I was delighted by Bree’osh‘s quiche, available in Lorraine and spinach-and-mushroom varieties. You’d probably be wise to order in advance rather than show up and hope.
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