My last family dinner here took place, fittingly enough, at the restaurant where my niece Cori Goudge-Ayer is head chef, Laili, in Santa Cruz, CA. What a wonderful evening! Everything I ate was delicious, and I was full by the time my entree of pomegranate-infused chicken arrived, thanks to all the lovely appetizers Cori sent to our table. Mostly I was just so proud to see her doing her thing and doing it so well. If I weren’t a writer, I’d be wearing chef’s whites, so it pleases me no end to have a chef in the family. If you’re in the area, be sure to book a table at Laili. And look for the chef in the open kitchen. You can’t miss her, she has red hair.
