September 18, 2008
Passionfish
Following the travel advice I found online, we decided to stay in a B&B in Pacific Grove near Monterey, instead of within Carmel proper. The quiet little town right along the sea was a perfect overnighting location, but what to do for dinner after a long day of driving and sight-seeing? The reviews of the places along Monterey Cannery Row were almost universally dire. However, there was a popular option within Pacific Grove itself. Passionfish was almost universally praised as the finest restaurant in the area. The tourist business must be good, considering the place manages fill a 140-seat space made from a converted town house. I was actually worried about them not having a table for walk-ins, but the large space and a late weekday evening meant that we were promptly seated with no problems.
As one might deduce from the location and the name, seafood is the name of the game. My fried oyster starter was fresh with the rich brininess coated with the hot, crisply fried breading, but $8 for four was a bit pricey, even with the organic arugula sprinkled on top. Just one more oyster would've made me totally satisfied. The wife had the cream-of-mushroom soup. Smoky bacon bits totally made the pedestrian-sounding soup sing. After all, everything tastes better with bacon, no?
The wife chose well-stuffed raviolis in a spicy southwestern chili-chipotle sauce. Definitely not her usual taste but she's not afraid of a little heat and seemed to like it well enough. Although the rich sauce and strong flavors got a bit tiring once the dish got cold.
I had grilled fish with a tomato salsa and spicy microgreens on top. Buttery chanterelle mushrooms, sweet corn, and haricot vert on the side. Very fresh, and the seafood is guaranteed sustainable!
The restaurant's fine reputation is certainly well-earned. A friendly, warm atmosphere and locally-sourced food makes it a perfect vacation meal to experience California's bounty. The wine list is suppose to be a standout, too, although I'm not knowledgeable enough to judge. All in all a fine way to finish the first half of our coastal over-nighter.
Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 655-3311