Oct 24, 2011


Eating well at the Humboldt Café


John Chiv/For the Times-Standard
Posted: 10/23/2011 02:28:29 AM PDT

What started as a simple change in eating better developed into to a new restaurant in Eureka, the Humboldt Café.
In 2006, Joe Rubio was diagnosed with multiple health issues, and this led to him changing his style of cooking, which improved his health. Having gotten a new lease on life, Rubio moved to Humboldt County from Texas in 2009 and, while figuring out what he should do next, started catering some dinners and then teaching cooking at the Humboldt Wellness Center. People would ask Rubio, “Do you have a restaurant that serves this kind of food?”
After a year of saying no, Rubio decided it was time for him to open an eatery that served organic, healthy food. Aug. 1 was the soft opening for this café, and since the doors have opened, people have been wandering in to the eatery located on the corner of Fifth and G streets.
Rubio's vision for the Humboldt Café is to offer a unique dining experience where music, art and food come together. Menu items include basic café-style food which includes breakfast all day, sandwiches, soups, salads, familiar entrée items and different global items which are all organic with a local farm-to-table specials menu. Thai-style stir fry, pulled pork sandwich with a jalapeno coleslaw and Jamaican jerk chicken stew are just some of the culinary delights to tempt your palate.
Music and art are two other components to the café. Music includes any and all genres.

There is open mic on Tuesdays, Wu-tang Wednesdays will have hip-hop and rap, DJs on weekend nights and brunch music earlier on weekends. Art features local area artists, and the exhibits change regularly.
Rubio plans to offer cooking classes in the future, and fine dining three nights a week is also in the works.
The café has a Facebook page. For hours and other information, call 707-497-6267.