Restaurants, pt. 2

BestOf
MONTEREY 07

•SAND CITY RESTAURANT

PAPA CHANO’S | 915 Playa Ave., Sand City • 393-9133

The search for the high-grade grub is more of a quest. Here the aroma of homemade tortilla chips, grilled meats, and fresh salsa tell seekers they are on the right path. The modest prices show it worthy of repeated pilgrimage. Then the super nachos, enchiladas and big burritos hit the tongue and it’s clear: Those who search Sand City for good food need look no further than Papa C’s for their carne asada in the stone.

•SEASIDE RESTAURANT

FISHWIFE |789 Trinity Ave., Seaside • 394-2027

Having Fishwife in the neighborhood is like a security blanket for the senses. It sits there like a loving relative, always ready to welcome, comfort and feed you. Fresh fish, pasta dishes, nothing real fancy, but always good, always fairly priced, always accompanied by smiles and a caring attitude. It’s what you look for in a neighborhood eating establishment, and in this neighborhood, when it comes to eating, Fishwife is the epitome of established. People come here often and return frequently. It just feels right.

•SOUTH COUNTY RESTAURANT

THE WINDMILL |346 Alta St., Gonzales • 675-0118

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this perennial winner in tidy downtown Gonzales serves up healthy portions of delicious homestyle food with friendliness and good cheer. With a ginormous breakfast menu and a slew of good-old-American lunch and dinner offerings, The Windmill is your go-to eatery when you’re in the neighborhood and find yourself with a hankering for a good, honest meal.

•BREAKFAST

FIRST AWAKENINGS | 171 Main St., Salinas • 784-1125 | 125 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove • 372-1125

Now and then it’s nice to skip lunch in favor of a hearty late-morning meal. For those times, First Awakening’s heaping scrambled egg platters and jumbo pancakes are just the ticket. And that’s leaving out the generous sides of red potato home fries and hot, buttered English muffins. But it’s not just the size of the helpings that matter. Service tops off the meal like granola does First Awakening’s yogurt. The servers leave pitchers of coffee and water on your table without being asked. And despite the ever-present line, the restaurant staff juggles the Sunday morning chaos and remembers your extra plate.

•CHEAP EATS

TURTLE BAY TAQUERIA | 431 Tyler St., Monterey • 333-1500 « 1301 Fremont Blvd., Seaside • 899-1010

Who hasn’t been to Turtle Bay…this week? Everyone knows that when you want something fresh, flavorful, and feathery on the billfold, Turtle Bay is the spot. Welcoming surroundings match a caring staff, and a deceptively simple formula for Caribbean-inspired seafood-themed meals in bowls, wraps or plates keeps the menu from ever feeling tired. Beer and wine add a welcome zippity doo dah when life’s pressures are building and your thirst is too. From the same folks who bring you Fishwife.

•BUSINESS LUNCH

TARPY’S ROADHOUSE | 2999 Monterey-Salinas Hwy, Monterey • 647-1444

A business lunch is a delicate matter. How to chill enough to be recharged, yet maintain a razor-sharp edge? One might expect to overchill on Tarpy’s serene property with its almost 90-year-old stone building (once the hand-built home on the Ryan family ranch), the lovely patio and vine-like flora. But the whole place vibrates with good food and good cheer that imparts a worthy buzz. Successful dealmakers appreciate the cobb salad or ahi tuna-sesame noodle salad, while some power brokers prefer the prime New York steak with cilantro-red pepper butter or meatloaf with mushroom-Marsala gravy. They’ve sealed the deal: Tarpy’s is best for business.

•FAMILY RESTAURANT

BUBBA GUMP SHRIMP CO. | 720 Cannery Row, Monterey 373-1884

For families, Bubba’s has it all. The Hush Pups (ask for extra remoulade sauce) settle all the preschool rowdies down, the Shrimpers Net Catch (with either garlic or cajun spice) take the moody teen to his happy place, and the top shelf Medal of Honor margaritas let Mama relax a little before the frozen pink lemon-ups hyperactivate the kids. All that’s left is to bring on Bubba’s After the Storm Bucket of Boat Trash or Mama’s Southern Fried Chicken for Dad, spice it all with ample trivia (What’s the name of the hurricane that Forrest survived? How many Dr. Pepper’s did he drink at the White House?), and you’ve got one happy family.

•CHINESE

TOMMY’S WOK | Mission between Ocean and Seventh, Carmel • 624-8518

Chef/owner Tommy Mao’s small, simply decorated, partially hidden restaurant delivers unique Szechuan, Hunan, and Mandarin dishes efficiently, energetically and deliciously. From Dim Sum to Mongolian Lamb, Tommy’s hideaway could use a revolving door to slow the flow of locals and hip visitors looking for authentic, homemade classics made from scratch, reasonably priced and full of flavor. For the cost-conscious, lunchtime combo plates are fast, filling and frugal, but this place is too good to deny yourself anything. When star chef Walter Manzke was still in town, this was one of his favorite haunts.

•FRENCH

FIFI’S CAFÉ & BISTRO | 1188 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove • 372-5325

To do this little write-up justice, it should be written in French. Fifi’s, with the Parisienne red velvet, the ornate mirrors, ooh la la posters, delicious transcontinental music, classic dishes like Beef Bourguignonne, Steak Frites and of course that omnipresent singsong French Fry herself Michele Wilkes, proprietress of this establishment since its inception some 20-plus years ago, is the closest thing to Paris without having to endure the endless flight and difficult security checks. If you happen to be returning from just such a flight, Fifi’s accepts euros. Expect a rate at least as good as any downtown Paris spot—Calvin Wilkes is British, after all.

•INDIAN

INDIA’S CLAY OVEN | 150 Del Monte Ave., Monterey • 373-2529

India’s Clay Oven’s shining achievement is its all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, which offers up to 18 items for the low price of $8.95. The delicious dishes set out weekdays from 11am to 4pm include a tasty chicken tikka masala, spongy naan bread and aloo gobi, a sweet and spicy blend of cauliflower and potatoes. Of course, some people might argue that the real jewel in the Clay Oven crown is the $6 naan burrito, available at the Tuesday farmer’s market on Alvarado Street—if you don’t mind waiting in line.  

•ITALIAN

LITTLE NAPOLI | Dolores near Seventh, Carmel • 626-6335

Italians are funny. Every single one of them knows for sure that his or her Grandma cooked the best. Regional differences in cuisine are dissected to the point that neighbors complain about each other’s inability to cook certain local specialties correctly. Little Napoli celebrates Italian, from the beautiful map of Italy that stands on an easel out front to the fun music, predominately Italian wine list and bevy of dishes like Zuppa di Pesce, Eggplant Parmigiana, Gnocchi alla Gorgonzola, Lamb Osso Bucco and more. Owner Rich Pepe, Carmel’s “Mister Italy,” revels in the role of ambassador to the one metaphysical place all Italians agree is theirs: Mangiare. Grazzi, Signore Pepe.

•JAPANESE/SUSHI

ROBATA | 3658 The Barnyard, Carmel • 624-2643

Weekly readers gave top honors to this trusty friend of a restaurant that has served the Peninsula well for many years. Having anchored itself on a reliably consistent product in spite of a dizzying number of dining trends, Robata is one of a few restaurants that has entered into a sort of unspoken Locals Hall of Fame that exempts it from comparison to all future fashion mania. The hot dishes are as much a specialty as the sushi, so when the mood is right for comfort food, there’s no need to look elsewhere. With its full bar, Robata is responsible for introducing this writer to a great dining pleasure: margaritas and sushi.

•KOREAN

ORIENT EXPRESS | 1884 Fremont Blvd., Seaside • 394-9494

One employee over at Orient Express seems to know why the eatery is regularly voted Best Korean Restaurant. She points to the often-ordered pulgoki platter, which includes teriyaki beef, tempura vegetables, salad and rice for only $11.95. But then she hedges her bet by stating that the spicy kimchi soup, made of pork and vegetables, is also a crowd favorite. What can we say? We’re torn too.