Saturn Cafe is delightful and completely out of this world. Har har, I’m being punny.
No but really, Saturn is a second home for me back at Cal, I go there like every week at least once if not twice or thrice.
I first heard about it because I walked by it and legitly heard a bunch of hippies in tie-dye shirts talking about how this place has been opened in Santa Cruz for the longest time and how the portions are enormous yadayadayada. I wasn’t particularly thrilled about a “diner” opening up where my beloved Azerbaijani restaurant once stood. That was a place I wanted to try! Especially because I chose my country of emphasis in my Comparative Politics class based on the restaurant that was on my daily commute route. I don’t know why I didn’t go and it kind of bothers me to this day. Actually not. But, Saturn. The concept of a diner connotes eggs and bacon and burger type things which are inedible to me. So I didn’t actually have any expectations.
One of my girls called me up one morning and told me to get dinner with her at the new place on Oxford, Saturn. She’s a vegetarian so I figured that if we went and nothing worked out, we would go elsewhere. We walked in and were overtaken by the RIDONCULOUS decor. Each table has a different theme. There are glittery columns. The waiters are so hip and cool. People were all dressed up on dates there. We were in our pajamas. WHAT ON EARTH WERE WE THINKING?
We got menus, Camille promptly told me that she used to go to the Saturn in Santa Cruz and thus had prior knowledge that this was a vege-friendly joint. Thanks for telling me now Camille.
It was seriously amazing to see that everything on the menu was either vegetarian or could be made vegetarian/vegan. I ordered a Greek Salad. She ordered a milkshake. I took a sip of said milkshake. It was DELICIOUS. Holy God, it was so so good that I ordered one and since then, I have experimented with the menu but milkshakes are a must order for me.
YUM.
Unfortunately the ice cream has eggs in them but not to worry! Order a vegan milkshake. You will not be disappointed. In fact you will probably drink the whole entire milkshake down and perhaps order another. If not, the waiter will probably suggest somethings else for you. Do yourself a favor and try it. Don’t order too many things in a fit of excitement. Portions are big and you will have to take out soggy taquitos or onion rings which is not an exciting idea.Also the Hibiscus cooler is divine.
Perhaps the best Saturn date is my weekly trip with my girls post gym. After profuse sweat, nothing is possibly more enticing than the promise of a thick, vegan milkshake that will be justified by your intense workout. Totally worth it.
Bosmopolitan 