Girlfriend and I are looking to spend a weekend in Pacific Grove before Harvest truly kicks off in earnest for both of us. Any thoughts/recommendations on where to stay or eat? Definitely planning a pilgrimage to Passionfish, but keen to hear any other suggestions.
Thanks, everyone!!
Mike
A hole in the wall place I enjoy is Monterey’s Fish House. Good solid food. Wine list if you call it one is a pass. Haven’t been there in 2 years though.
I would hit Jennini Wine Bar for either a quick bite or for some great wines! Great owner who is a somm and has another knowledgeable somm working for him. Great selection of local and international wines.
Hit up Restaurant 1833 in Monterrey as well - great food wonderful ambience great food list.
Ian Brand - you around?!?!? Help this brother out!
Cheers!
Mike -
My wife and I have gone to Fandango’s several times. Wonderful service, seafood and wine selections! I had the rack of lamb last trip and it was great. You will enjoy!
For places to stay, there are several along Asilomar Ave, or Lighthouse:
Lighthouse Lodge - pretty simple, old style motel, but perfectly comfy, and generally more affordable
Pacific Gardens Inn
Rosedale Inn
Andril Fireplace cottages
Cantinetta Luca and Mundaka, both in Carmel-by-the-Sea, are worthwhile. And if you can adhere to their corkage policy, La Bicyclette has some nice food, too.
You have to eat at PassionFish. Great food and brilliant, reasonably priced wine list.
If simple but very good Italian food is desired, give Alberto’s a shot. A hole in the wall in a small strip mall - next to a laundry mat last time I was there. Supposedly the owner/chef was Frank Sinatra’s private chef in his glory days. It’s a perfect low-key follow up after a big night at Passionfish - my wife and I ate there the day after our wedding, lots of carbs and several bottles of San Pellegrino worked wonders to chase away the hangover haze after a big night of wine.
Passionfish is very good. Best not to go the third weekend in August as it is Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and rooms are scarce and expensive.
Another vote for Passionfish.
Agree with Ed on this one as many do not venture back up the coast to try this nice little “locals” seafood hangout…Gary
Thanks, everyone!! Really appreciate the suggestions and help. First thing we did was make reservations at Passionfish. Reckon we have another local’s place to check out as well in Monterey’s Fish House.
Ian, if you’re going to be in the area at all next weekend and keen to meet, pm me whenever you have a chance. Would love to check out what you’re getting into down there.
I dined at Passionfish on my last trip to the Monterey Peninsula and was disappointed in it–but everyone else seems to like it. Another vote for Fandango–I love their sanddabs and their veal dishes and great service. It’s old-style with an owner that comes around to the tables to see if everything is to your satisfaction, Lately I have stayed in Monterey (Casa Munras hotel) http://www.hotelcasamunras.com/; or Carmel-by-the-Sea (Vagabonds’ House Inn) http://www.vagabondshouseinn.com/ but I did enjoy a brief stay at Green Gables Inn in Pacific Grove on one trip: http://www.greengablesinnpg.com/ I stayed in the Sandpiper Room in the Carriage House behind the main Victorian house. I also enjoy the sanddabs at the Sandbar & Grill on Wharf #2 in Monterey. I had a disappointing dinner at The Sardine Factory on Cannery Row (overcooked steak) and have had some good meals at The Whaling Station on Wave Street (Cannery Row) in Monterey but liked it better before the renovations and the change to a steakhouse concept. I usually have at least one lunch or breakfast at Rosine’s in downtown Monterey (a bustling place) and sometimes one outdoors at Wickets at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley while visiting tasting rooms along the Carmel Valley Road.
Good recs here … Also consider Fifi’s, a local French joint in PG and Bistro Moulin, near the acquarium in Monterey.
Mike,
All good suggestions.
Passionfish has been a constant here for twenty or thirty years. Their wine list is great, markups are minimal, service is excellent – their seafood advocacy is commendable, and not surprisingly what they do best.
Jeninni has been the best new restaurant the area has seen for a while. Thamin is pure class and Jeff Weiss is very creative, a jamon nut and an ex competitive figure skater. Watch him in the kitchen, he pirouettes.
1833 has fallen off a bit, especially since their opening wine director moved on. They also just switched chefs, but I haven’t heard much on the results. The bar is one of the nicest in town. I tend to avoid steakhouses, but the whaling station is supposedly the best. Chef Todd Fisher just took over Tarpy’s and updated the menu, but I haven’t been there recently (young twins, not much time).
My favorite in the cannery row area is Bistro Moulin. Colleen is the wine director there and, in addition to being great at her job, she is a load of fun. Pierce tasting room is two blocks down, I make their wine for them. Ask for the Arinto…
Gabe and Brandon at Mundaka are great and get better every year (as evidenced by their constant expansion), their new bar next door has a wonderful cocktail program and bar menu, though I continue to question their choice of name (“Barmel”). There are a handful of other worthwhile restaurants in Carmel, with La Balena likely heading the list. Both highly recommended.
I’m going to a popup at Happy Girl Kitchen tonight. My friends Todd and Jordan own the cafe and cannery. Best pickles anywhere, hands down.
Other things of note: Monday nights at the Cachagau Store (reservations required), if you’re looking to splurge, Aubergine is incredible and Justin Cogley is a locale treasure, Marinus at the Bernardus lodge, or Sierra Mar, even for drinks and an app. Not as expensive, but the views for lunch at Nepenthe are worth the trip. Ocean Sushi in Monterey is full on legit, as are Parker-Lusseau pastries. I’ll probably be making my way to Garapata Beach sometime this weekend, and if you want to know about great mexican, that’s a whole other exhaustive post.
I’ll be around. Much to do before the harvest comes.
Ian
Ian, I’d like to know about great Mexican!
Harvest soon, not time for an exhaustive post, but here are some highlights:
Gutierrez Drive In on Sherwood in Salinas - Carnitas
El Charrito Market on West Market in Salinas - Little tasty burritos, churros, they have house made tortillas for sale most days
La Casa del Sazon, two locations in South Salinas - Get yourself a Michelada, a pupusa and some fajitas
Mi Tierra Carniceria in Seaside, it’s big and yellow on Fremont. Also El Caporal on Broadway.
Alma’s Bakery in Chualar has the best Tortas. My boy Art swears by the Hidalgo there, but it looks so gnarly on the outside I’m afraid to eat there (and, as a former Peace Corps volunteer, I have a high threshold for gnar)
Wes Hagen swears by Linda Taqueria in Gonzales for their mole, but its just average to me. Same for the seafood at El Rinconcito in King City.
That’s enough to start hardening your arteries. Let me know if you’re looking for full cardiac arrest.
Strong advice!
Anything to shout about on the Monterey peninsula Ian? I kind of like Peppers in PG.
If you want good mexican, you don’t go the the high rent district. Maybe for the gueros, but I’ve gone native…