Benjamin Ow My wife and I just finished an incredible dinner at The Midway. The atmosphere was casual and inviting and the service was friendly and attentive. The food was the star of the show. The menu was relatively small, but there was a wide variety of dishes that were clearly carefully thought out and based on the freshest seasonal ingredients. We started out with the house made sourdough bread and butter. The four generous slices of bread were hearty, with a soft inside and thicker crust. Very tasty. Next we had the chicory salad which was reminiscent of a gourmet Caesar salad with the most beautiful chicory leaves imaginable, crunchy breadcrumbs, and finely grated Parmesan. Fantastic dish. Next we had homemade pappardelle with black trumpet and chanterelle mushrooms and shaved brussel sprouts. The flavors were very subtle, but the really scrumptious. The fresh and bright flavors shined through. Next we had the Mt. Lassen trout on chickpeas and butternut squash. The trout skin had a wonderful char and the flavors of the chickpeas and butternut squash really combined nicely. We finished with the braised beef dish on mashed potatoes with roasted carrots, mushrooms, and a salsa verde sauce. This dish blew us away. The beef was perfectly braised so it was super tender, extra flavorful, and not fatty at all. The mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and mushrooms paired perfectly with the beef and the salsa verde took the wonderful dish to a new level. In summary, this is the best meal we’ve had in Santa Cruz in a very long time. The quality of the ingredients and preparation was top notch and all of the dishes were reasonably priced. We can’t wait to go back again soon!
