Restaurants, pt. 1

BestOf
MONTEREY 07

•NEW RESTAURANT

CANTINETTA LUCA | Ocean and Seventh, Carmel • 625-6500

The prodigious Luca buzz springs from so many sources—the powerhouse Italian wine list, the wood-fired pizzas, the handmade pastas, the house-cured salami. Luca masterminds David Fink and now-departed Walter Manzke (both of L’Auberge and Bouchée) saw to that. But the biggest source of the buzz—one that has so many locals calling Luca “big city”—is the undeniably hip ambiance that designer Kathleen Fink has created. So do take note: While this newcomer will be around for a long time, any local foodie worth her fork should have Luca on her short list.

•RESTAURANT OVER 10 YEARS OLD

FISHWIFE | 1996 Sunset Dr., Pacific Grove (at Asilomar Beach) • 375-7107 | 789 Trinity Ave., Seaside • 394-2027

Eating at the Fishwife is like listening to the Grateful Dead. Substitute another band if you must, but the point is it’s always right, no matter what the mood. Freshness is paramount with seafood preparation, but flavor is equally key to Fishwife’s success. Founding chef Julio Ramirez brought the magic of Latin American and European influences to the project, while under the direction of founding partner Jefferson Seay, the kitchen continues to do things with ingredients like cilantro, garlic and cashews that keep Monterey County in Tilapia Heaven.

•MONTEREY COUNTY RESTAURANT

PACIFIC’S EDGE RESTAURANT AT THE HIGHLANDS INN | 120 Highlands Dr., Carmel • 620-1234

The legends are all true—a wine list longer than War and Peace, dishes that each deserve a meditative presence, pastry as high art, and fine texture in linen, crystal, silver, wood, and more. It isn’t even about the sum of the parts. At Pacific’s Edge, each part is a beguiling thing in itself.

•BIG SUR RESTAURANT

CIELO | Ventana Inn, 30 miles south of Carmel, Hwy 1, Big Sur • 667-4242

A long time ago, a Weekly writer ate lunch at the super-fine Cielo Restaurant at Big Sur’s Ventana Inn. Some nights, he’s still haunted by the flavors of that Salade Nicoise with its raw slabs of tuna, roasted peppers and greens. He figures it’s about time he returned to the site of one of his greatest moments as a diner to try Cielo’s much-lauded dinner menu, which includes mouthwatering items like pork loin wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon with sweet potato puree and sautéed loin of venison with a chocolate-infused sauce. 

•CARMEL RESTAURANT

CASANOVA | Fifth between Mission and San Carlos, Carmel • 625-0501

This perennial Carmel favorite rolls on day after day, recreating European charm as simply and elegantly as, well, Europeans. Longtime chef Didier Dutuerte heads a smooth-running kitchen creating time-honored Mediterranean fare. Professional servers glide about, ensuring that every diner’s every need is met. Wine captains help thirsty oenophiles negotiate the Grand Award wine list, thick with page after page of classics from around the world. At Casanova, time suspends and space transforms so that you find yourself in a different world, a better world—Casanova’s world.

•CARMEL VALLEY RESTAURANT

WILL’S FARGO DINING HOUSE AND SALOON | 16 East Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley • 659-2774

Will’s Fargo is not governed by a formula that could be easily copied by even the cleverest competitor. It may have its origin in artifice—it was either a place of nostalgia or as modern as Carmel Valley fashion was when created in 1959—but now it feels as organic and slow-growing as a fig tree. Just the way the adoring fans like it. The food is better than ever, and it isn’t just about fabulous beef. Seafood and vegetable dishes, among other non-beefy categories, are simply well prepared. The strong wine list is reasonably priced. And the Wild West/Victorian environment is as down-home as ever. It works.

•MARINA RESTAURANT

AJ SPURS | 3295 Dunes Dr., Marina • 883-9479

On the outskirts of Marina, where wild dunes roil the landscape and wind whistles through hardy scrub pines and cypress, it takes a rugged restaurant to be the best. AJ Spurs just sounds tough. Western gear hangs on the walls and big, bold meat and potato meals adorn the oversized tables full of hungry folk who come in for the enormous portions, friendly service, fun, lively atmosphere and surprisingly well-made home-style meals. There’s nothing fancy about AJ Spurs, from the newspaper look of the menu to the heavy plates and cast iron soup pots. It’s just down-home cooking and plenty of it, Marina style.

•MONTEREY RESTAURANT

MONTRIO | 414 Calle Principal, Monterey • 648-8880

Whether you’re in the mood for a low-key meal of a chicken Caesar salad or a more involved dining adventure like prime New York steak with foie gras-truffle French fries, downtown Monterey’s sleek and stylish Montrio fits the bill. The superb menu accommodates a wide range of budgets and palates, so you can choose how big you want to go. Everything—from the $12 burger with blue cheese and bacon (what a deal!) to the sea bream on a potato cake—packs exceptional flavor and style. No wonder it’s the locals’ downtown restaurant of choice.

•NORTH COUNTY RESTAURANT

PHIL’S FISH MARKET & EATERY | 7600 Sandholdt Rd., Moss Landing • 633-2152

It’s tempting to want to try new restaurants in North County. But longtime Best North County Restaurant winner Phil’s makes it nearly impossible with its whopping selection of fresh fish caught locally or flown in daily. It also serves a good selection of beer and wine and offers vegetarian dishes as well as a kid’s menu. The market sells everything from opah and octopus to mussels and mahi mahi. But buying fish—as opposed to trusting Phil’s chefs to serve up something yummy—means having to wait. It means taking it home and preparing it and then eating it. And frankly, Phil’s doesn’t make that very easy. It’s much more appealing to simply order the blackened sea scallops or salmon marsala and let Phil’s do the rest.

•PACIFIC GROVE RESTAURANT

PASSIONFISH | 701 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove • 655-3311

A while back, Ted and Cindy Walter took over the old El Cocodrilo corner at the back end of Lighthouse Avenue, one step from the residential rear view of a less-than-bustling business district. It took them a while to figure out exactly how to cultivate a following, and there were some lean times, but the combination of fresh, flavorful food, diverse and interesting wines priced more than fairly, enthusiastic, friendly staff and good old-fashioned love—of each other, their staff, their customers, their craft and the planet—won the Walters’ Passionfish its place as a destination restaurant with reach far beyond sleepy PG.

•PEBBLE BEACH RESTAURANT

ROY’S | 2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach • 647-7423

The Long Version of This Best of Blurb: There aren’t too many competitors for Best Restaurant in Pebble Beach, but they include some world-class heavyweights. That Roy’s gets the nod over the likes of Club XIX and Peppoli is a testament to the complete experience there—the views, the energized atmosphere, Chef Yoichi Saito’s mastery of Roy Yamaguchi’s Hawaiian fusion phenomenon. The Short Version: The Deep Fried Lobster & Shrimp Dumplings are only the beginning.

•SALINAS RESTAURANT

HULLABALLOO | 228 Main St., Salinas • 757-3663

Power lunches. Dinner banquets. Birthday parties. Hullaballoo’s sophisticated and spacious quarters fit all occasions, catering to both business deals and evening revelry. Another attraction that keeps the locals coming back is the restaurant’s rotating three-course dinners—like Friday’s Guinness-glazed BBQ ribs with garlic fries, soup or salad and dessert. Couple the unique American cuisine with a fine selection of wine, and it’s no wonder the place is consistently busy. Hullaballoo’s recipes also show up all around Salinas, for the restaurant caters venues like the National Steinbeck Center. What’s next for the culinary gem of Oldtown? Home delivery, we hope.