December 8, 2023 – Some might say there are better places to be found than a liquor store before noon.
But come Fridays and Saturdays at one such store tucked in the trees of Boulder Creek, you can make a good case that’s precisely where you want to be.
Yes, The Redwood Keg Liquor & Deli has an extensive inventory of spirits, convenience basics, wine, cider and local craft beer.
But I come for the Korean food.
From 11am-8pm Friday and Saturday what appears to be a very honest and classic deli situation—featuring a “famous” Belly Buster tri-tip sandwich—adds on rice bowls ($11.49-$13.49), bibimbap bowls ($11.99-$13.99), spicy pork buns ($5.49) and kimchi ($4.99).
This is the kind of place we had in mind when Edible launched Found Treasures, an independent mom-and-pop with a surprise up its sleeve, a spot that knows the locals well, keeps prices modest and doesn’t bother with a website.
Shop co-owner Eunhee Lee makes all the food by hand with her own marinades, fermentations and pickle recipes.
She says the beef bulgogi with thin-sliced ribeye in her Korean teriyaki sauce is the best seller.
“Everybody likes it,” she says matter-of-factly.
The pork katsu looks tempting, but I opt for an unprecedented item on my bingo card, the pork bulgogi, and it doesn’t disappoint.
The tickle of spice on the pork plays well with the side saddle radish and carrot, and it’s a hefty portion with a lot of rice—enough for a lunch and then a fried rice breakfast.
The classic bibimbap bowl piles on more vegetables with a fried egg and a flat-out excellent bibimbap sauce. I’m thinking that’ll be the play on my next visit, with a side of the formidable kimchi and maybe a half dozen Korean pot stickers ($6.99).
The steamed bun I also ordered is substantial, if plain, a lot of food for around $5.
Lee and Doug Woolard bought the place in 2022. While she directs traffic in the deli, he oversees the country music on the store’s speaker, the pellet smoker, the Santa Maria grill and the register.
It reminds me of another incognito Found Treasure similarly situated in the redwoods, KC Cruz BBQ in Felton, which inhabits the kitchen at Zayante Creek Market & Deli.
To the locals, they’re community pillars, steadily keeping them fed and ready to entertain without having to venture into the big city from the mountains.
To this free-range gastronomic gumshoe, they also feel like revelations.
The Redwood Keg Liquor & Deli is located at 12980 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek. More at (831) 338-2727.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
