Oswald is one of a handful of restaurants where I send visitors seeking the best that Santa Cruz has to offer. Menus are seasonal, organic, and prepared with an attention to detail that brings out the essence of the ingredients beautifully. I have long proclaimed that I would eat a dish towel if chefs Damani Thomas or Eric Lau prepared it.
Dishes often incorporate unusual ingredients (Meyer lemon, squid ink, etc.) that dazzle. The chefs know the local farmers and know how to present seasonal items in fresh and imaginative ways.
It's a lovely little bistro, intimate without being claustrophobic. The wine list is succinct and appropriate. Entrées run in the $20-and-up range, though not always so high. There are always pleasing vegetarian options as well.
If you want a romantic dinner with simply perfect food, good service, and ambience, you cannot go wrong with Oswald. It's the essence of what California cuisine is about, with an emphasis on fresh, local, seasonal food. Good folks doing great work.
I love it here, and I wish they had a website.