BestOf 2006 Readers' Picks

FRENCH RESTAURANT  Fifi’s Café & Bistro

1188 Forest Ave, Pacific Grove | 372-5325

Much of the menu is more California Continental than straight French, although stalwarts like boeuf Bourguignonne, l’escargots, steak frites and others carry the Blue, White and Red. One of the owners is a Brit, although his expert touch with French wine and music help to create the mood. The red velvet curtains are all Paris, and the founder, hardworking Madame Michele Wilkes, is straight from the old country. Her singsong sweet voice and decidedly French accent cast their spell over adoring locals and returning out-of-towners.