There are also those who carry the rest-stop assumption a step further. But mountain residents, many of them coming for dinner two and three times a week, delight in having a first-class restaurant close by and protest loudly at the thought of losing it. They are attracted by the steaks and fresh salmon, crab cakes, lamb shanks, pork loin and squash ravioli. On Sundays, chef Jeff Heicksen roasts prime rib. Lindsey's has become a destination for folks from San Jose and Santa Cruz, particularly on weekends for brunch.
Sunsets are another attraction.
During the winter months, the early evening invasion of orange light framed by weeping willows near a pond of large goldfish and waterfalls is a lure for mountain residents whose homes in the trees preclude any view of a rising or setting sun. Permission to use the outdoor patio facing the ocean finally was granted after a lengthy review by Santa Cruz County, but there was a trade-off. The property lies within a scenic corridor. A new painted sign will be allowed in their window, as long as it is under seven feet in height. The Ryans are also new parents.