November 22, 2022 – Chicken Foot founder Jessica Yarr is on a little bit of a roll.
She has three projects simmering away, each with its own energetic identity. But the most kinetic thing she has happening might be her abiding affection for roller skating.
For a pop-up peek at one of the projects, The Brunch Shift, she attached a special: Anyone arriving on “blades, board or skates” gets a free mochi donut. (the pop-up’s emblem, BTW, is an egg on roller skates delivering a tray of food.)
“For me roller skating is such a part of my life and such a part of Santa Cruz culture, it’s just part of who I am,” she says. “We’re not just a surf town, we’re an amazing town to see on wheels.”
Another part of her identity is her Ukrainian-New York heritage, which helps inspire sister operation Chicken Foot. Both Chicken Foot and The Brunch Shift, long popular pop-up purveyors, have a new home at ul.te.ri.or, the speakeasy-style space above Motiv on Pearl Alley in Santa Cruz.
As part of the open-ended winter residency, Chicken Foot holds court 5-9pm Thursday through Saturday, then The Brunch Shift lets its hair down 10:30am-2:30pm Sunday.
The opening party for Chicken Foot—which made a splash amid COVID doing pop-up appearances featuring things like creative knishes and Georgian khachapuri cheese bread—arrives Thursday, Dec. 1.
The menu leaps off the page across four courses, not counting the surprise amuse bouche and pomushki (Ukrainian garlic bread rolls). Sunchoke-sorrel soup precedes roasted pumpkin pelmeni with wild mushrooms, shaved Moonflower cheese, smoked cinnamon and vadouvan curry, confit chicken leg with braised gigante beans and Yarr’s signature caramelized honey cake with bruléed persimmon.
Interested eaters would do well to visit chickenfootsc.com to reserve a spot pronto ($95 each), as they’re limited and will sell out.
The Brunch Shift’s Sunday-only action has already begun. The last session on Pearl Alley unlocked goodies like a nduja benedict, a crispy chicken confit-bacon-chili jam-fried egg sandwich, duck fat tater puffs, a quinoa tabbouleh-cauliflower-avocado “rainbow bowl” and The Hot Mess with (deep breath) hash browns, kimchi, sharp cheddar, gypsy peppers, cilantro-jalapeño crema and fresh farm eggs.
“Brunch Shift is just about great food and bright colors and flavors,” Yarr says.
The third project shares the family DNA—namely, fun + plant-forward + hyper local—but aspires to sink even deeper roots.
The Grove Cafe Bakery will soon occupy the former Chopstix and Wylder Space in Felton.
The attractions will include hearth breads; baked goods prepped with atypical types of ingredients; extensive vegan and vegetarian options; eclectic soft-serve ice cream flavors like bay laurel; and a strong tea and coffee program starring 11th Hour Coffee, a longtime Yarr collaborator (check out her granola behind the glass).
“Definitely at an accessible price point,” Yarr adds. “I want to appeal to locals.”
After Yarr gets the keys in January, she plans to install a wood-fired oven in the back patio to pair with redwood-slab tables set on recycled engine bases. Late February is her hopeful target timeline to open.
“I’m taking inspiration from the redwoods and people of Felton,” says Yarr, a Felton native, “focusing a lot on my bakery and pastry passion, and just trying to make it as warm and welcoming as possible.”
More at chickenfootsc.com and The Brunch Shift Instagram feed.
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.
