Two Welcoming Sister Eateries Open in Oldtown

February 28, 2023 – It would appear that new Salinas spots Altura Lounge & Bistro and Cali Glizzy are dramatically different places.

Altura presents a full-on restaurant and bar doing Italian food. Cali Glizzy is a small spot specializing in loaded hot dogs available late into the night. 

But they have a lot in common. 

Both opened in Oldtown in recent weeks. Both are very much about their Salinas identity. And both are owned by Oscar Alcala, who also operates XL Public on the north end of Main Street. 

Altura’s been in the making since pre-COVID, but Cali Glizzy opened first. (“Glizzy,” BTW, is slang for hotdog.)

The menu there is limited and expansive at the same time: There are only five hot dogs on offer, but they’ve each got a lot going on.

The Da’ Glizzy Gobler piles on bacon—in strips, not wrapped, to maximize crispness—nacho cheese, grilled onions and jalapeños, waffle fries, bacon bits and a bunch of sauces. 

The best-selling So Salinas Glizzy also rocks nacho cheese, onions and jalapeños, with a crowning layer of crushed Hot Cheetos. 

The Late Night Glizzy that I tried includes grilled onion and jalapeños, bacon, diced avocado and tomatoes and a house recipe spicy mayo. 

It proved a tasty combination. Like all the dogs, it was massive, and built around an all-beef hot dog and Hawaiian roll, giving it a nice foundation of sweet and savory, best chased by some waffle fries and a Mexican-style glass bottle of Fanta. 

Alcala opened Cali Glizzy with his sister Isabel, whose teenage son is among the close knit staff.  

“The chance to work with family is great,” Oscar says. “I love the experience of being able to teach my nephew, who’s almost in high school. I see the change already—the maturity level, his understanding of business.”

The nightly hours stretch to 11pm, with intention. 

“I wanted to make sure this was a late night place,” Oscar says. “Everything [locally owned] closes at 9pm. You have to go to Jack in the Box or other fast food places. We can serve the community in the downtown area with better options than frozen food from a chain restaurant.” 

Altura takes over the indoor-outdoor space on Alisal Street that was formerly Salinas Brick House Cafe and Old Town Bar & Grill. 

The remodeled aesthetic proves striking. 

The patio section provides raised seating framed by succulents and a space for live music. Inside awaits comfy seating true to the name and a custom-designed bar with splashy shelving stocked with uncommon tequila and mezcal. (That echoes the craft beer curation at XL, where Cali Glizzy dogs happen to be available by delivery.)  

Bar manager Kenny Aguilera administers Altura’s clever cocktail menu and makes many of the infused inputs himself. 

Preparations like the Moon Drops (with vodka, yellow chartreuse, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and simple syrup) and Aguilera’s favorite, the Winter Tea (with black-tea infused bourbon, lemon syrup bitters), stand out across a list that’s balanced overall and individually.

“I tried to offer something boozy, something fruity, something sweet, because everyone has their direction they like to go,” Aguilera says. “I start with the spirit backbone of a cocktail—whether that’s bourbon or gin or tequila—and try most of all to make it balanced.”

Chef Michael Pappalardo’s food leans classic and comforting Italian. 

Appetizers like fennel sausages, garlic bread and meatballs ($6-$15) precede main plates like Nonna’s lasagna, ricotta ravioli and fettuccine alfredo ($14-$17) and pizza/calzones including the Little Sicily and a shrimp pesto ($16-$23, with create-your-own possible too).   

Salinas native Oscar Alcala graduated from CSU Monterey Bay before working for years as a project and property manager in the San Francisco Bay Area, saving up to return home and open his own business here. 

He attributes lessons learned at XL—including setting out board games to encourage less smart phone fixation and more social vibes—as helpful with Altura. 

“The biggest thing has always been atmosphere,” he says, “and taking care of locals.” 

One final thing the two places have in common: At each spot, when the time for a photo arrived, both leaders immediately requested any photos include all the staff present. 

Which felt like a final thoughtful element among plenty. 

Altura Lounge and Bistro is open 11:30am-3pm and 5:30-9:30pm Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm Friday and 11:30am-10pm Saturday at 66 W Alisal St., Salinas. 

Cali Glizzy serves dogs 5:30-10pm Tuesday-Thursday, 5:30-11pm Friday and 3-11pm Saturday at 16 E. Gabilan St., Salinas, (831) 769-6477.