Andrew Steingrube

Contributor at Good Times SC

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Articles

Special Sauce | Good Times

2 days ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

Originally a house repurposed into a business and then sold to its namesake founder, the now iconic Jack’s Hamburgers holds down the meat-between-buns game in the heart of downtown. When Jack passed away, current owner Connie Hutchinson and her late husband, Scott, beat out multiple other bidders for the chance to carry on the legacy and have been doing so for 35 years and counting.
Legend of Zelda | Good Times

1 week ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

Family-owned since 1978 and named after F. Scott Fitzgerald’s notoriously hard-partying socialite wife, Zelda’s has been a pillar of the Capitola Village dining and nightlife scene for more than four decades. Manager Pam Edmonds has seen it all, starting there as a hostess in 1981 and progressing to server, bartender and then manager before pausing to work part-time for several years while raising three children.
Far East Feast | Good Times

2 weeks ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

Having each lived twice in both China and Santa Cruz, husband and wife team Stacy Liu and Yunteng Li recently came back into town and opened Noodle Time. Born and raised in China, they initially moved here and lived for 20 years while owning a local restaurant. Liu says when they decided to close, they soon found themselves wanting a return to the industry. But first, they moved back to China for two years to perfect their passions, Liu’s for boba tea and Li’s for making handmade noodles.
Raw Awe | Good Times

3 weeks ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

Born and raised in Mexico but not on sushi, chef Claudio Cordova says the first time he tried the Japanese staple delicacy was a transcendental and vivid foundational experience. He developed a deep passion immediately and has been inspired by sushi ever since. His culinary come-up started at a few spots around Santa Cruz. Then he moved to Santa Rosa to work with and be tutored by a highly accomplished sushi chef.
Buddy System | Good Times

1 month ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

From Cape Cod to Hawaii to Aptos, Shawn Ryberg’s culinary career has spanned the country from side to side, across multiple decades, oceans, time zones and cultures. Born and raised in Massachusetts, he got into kitchen work at age 14 and has followed that path of passion ever since. He moved to Hawaii at age 20, where he became an executive chef and also met chef Nick Sherman.
No-Frills Franks

1 month ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

Serving signature no-frills frankfurters in Watsonville since 1954, Taylor Brothers Hot Dog Stand has been passed down through three generations, originally founded in Visalia by Matt Taylor’s grandpa and great uncle. Matt had originally planned to follow in his dad’s law enforcement footsteps, but found he wasn’t feeling that path and was instead called to the family business.
Real Deal Meal | Good Times

1 month ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

The seed for Kae Bailes’ passion for cooking and desire to one day own her own restaurant was sown in childhood, where she was born and raised in Thailand. She helped her mom cook food every night after school that she would take to the market the next day to sell. These seminal moments and memories set the foundation for what would become a longtime aspiration to have her own spot, turning that into a reality two months ago when she opened Green Papaya Authentic Thai in Aptos.
Fresh Start | Good Times

1 month ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

An Aptos locals’ favorite since it originally opened in 1981, Panda Inn changed ownership five months ago and is now in the hands of Yanna Tan-Smith. Born and raised in Southern China, she is friends with the previous owners, who asked her to move from Oregon to Santa Cruz and take over the restaurant. She agreed, exuding apparently genuine warmth and passion for both her new business and hospitality..
Bantam Class | Good Times

2 months ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

Benjamin Sims grew up locally and in the industry, originally working front-of-house as he began to develop a fervent passion for exceptional food. “I pretended to be into college,” he says, but really it was restaurant work that inspired him. Ultimately, he chose to go to culinary school, where he fell completely in love with cooking and discovered he had a strong sensibility for wood-fired pizza.
Paula’s Offers Tasty Breakfast and Lunch Fare

2 months ago | goodtimes.sc | Andrew Steingrube

Paula’s current owner, Santa Cruz native Russell Fox, left the area for a while to run multiple restaurants and bars in Santa Barbara. However, he could only stay away from his hometown for so long. When Fox returned to Santa Cruz, he was hired as the manager of Paula’s, a neighborhood coffee joint that’s been a Portola Drive fixture for decades. By 1995, Fox had moved into the ownership role.