San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Whether it’s salmon or crab, Monterey has delectable, unique seafood dishes
In the mood for seafood? If you’re in Monterey, you’ve got it made. Seasonal catches include salmon, rockfish, lingcod, sea bass, mackerel, surfperch, smelt, halibut, sandabs, sablefish, squid, rock crab, clams … and so much more amid some 525 species of fish, notes the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
You don’t have to fish for it — many local fishermen sell it right off the boat (check out the Local Catch Guide from the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust at www. montereybayfisheriestrust.org). But you don’t have to clean and cook it, either. The Monterey area is famous for its many restaurants serving expertly sourced and prepared local seafood.
And this is premium, sustainable stuff, in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. Get your hooks into some of these fresh choices:
Tucked in the Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina 8 miles north of Monterey, this contemporary spot beckons with patios overlooking sand dunes and a serenade of waves breaking on the beach. The upscale nautical decor salutes the superb raw and wood-fired seafood you’ll savor, directed by new Executive Chef Chris Watts (previously of Treebones Resort in Big Sur, The Resort at Pelican Hill and The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe).
Local standouts include chilled Morro Bay Pacific Gold Reserve oysters slurped from the shell, or silky black cod dressed with miso marinade, sweet soy kabayaki sauce, Carmel Valley’s Lake Family Forest Farms lion’s mane mushrooms, bok choy, basmati rice and lemon beurre blanc. A tureen of cioppino is another must, stocked with local squid and salmon, shrimp and mussels and a savory broth of local tomato, celery and fennel for dunking with grilled bread.
You’ll find sweet chunks of Dungeness crab in the mac ‘n’ cheese, a robust coffee crust on the scallops finished with lardons and candy apple butter, meaty clams tossed with confit Gilroy garlic and butter, and, at brunch, tacos stuffed with Monterey Bay rockfish, jalapeno lime slaw, avocado mousse and pico de gallo.
Besides securing his local fish through Robbie’s Ocean Fresh Seafood in Monterey, Watts also keeps as many products from the area as possible, including vegetables from Swank Farms in Hollister, local citrus and avocados, sea salt from Big Sur and bacon from Baker’s in Marina.
“I really like to support my local farmers,” the chef said. “And I like to give them big shout-outs when I can.”
Founded in 1950 by Sabu Shake, Sr. who moved to Monterey from Karachi, Pakistan, the restaurant is now operated by one of Shake’s sons, Chris Shake. Chris has kept the original business practices, negotiating daily with local fishermen and purchasing fresh produce from Salinas Valley farmers.
Executive Chef Juan Ponce has been with the Grotto for 20 years and still makes the legendary clam chowder created by the late Sabu Shake.
“My dad wanted a chowder celebrating local ingredients like Gilroy garlic, Salinas Valley vegetables and so many clams that the seafood flavors bursts in the creamy bisque,” Chris said.
The lengthy menu tempts with plenty of local seafood, such as Pacific oysters Rockefeller draped in spinach, breadcrumbs, bacon, herbs, cheese and hollandaise; tender, panko-breaded Monterey Bay calamari steak; local farmed raised abalone and sand dabs plucked from the bay, drizzled in citrus beurre blanc sauce, then plated with caramelized onion risotto and sauteed organic vegetables.
But it is crab that plays a leading role, with more than 2,000 pounds delivered live each week. The sweet, succulent meat stars in dishes like crab cocktail; an impressive crab tower layered with avocado, mango and papaya relish and lemon dill aioli; crab cakes dipped with sun dried tomato aioli and mango sauce; and classic crab Louie salad.
Hand rolled crab ravioli are bathed in tangy-creamy sundried tomato alfredo sauce and cioppino brims with crab amid the calamari, Bay scallops, clams, daily fish and shrimp.
The whole crab gets the most social media love. Served chilled or steamed (steamed hot is the best, really, to soak up the marvelous clarified butter), the big critter is flanked by toasted Israeli couscous and sauteed organic vegetables.
“We only serve fresh Dungeness crab, focusing on local caught whenever it is in season here in Monterey,” Shake said. “Off-season, we get it fresh from Oregon, Washington and Alaska. That whole crab, though, is entirely seasonal, right from the bay.”
Generally, Monterey’s crab season runs late fall to early spring.
Snuggled in the Sunset District, the restaurant is renowned for its Caribbean and Latin American accents adding exotic spice to its seafood. With such a modern focus, it’s hard to believe this gem has been in business for nearly 40 years. As it has evolved since 1986, one thing remains the same: fantastic fish.
OK, so calamari is squid, and squid are members of the phylum Mollusca, which contains invertebrate animals, so it is not
a fish. But it is delicious, prepared as it is here, tossed in an Asian salad with romaine, cashews, mandarin oranges, cranberries, tortilla chips and peppery ginger sesame dressing, or a sea garden salad with spring mix greens, carrots, radish, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and onion topped with salsa brava and salsa-dressed house honey mustard.
You can enjoy it as a hearty fried combo with sole, scallops, shrimp and oysters all breaded in seasoned cornmeal and breadcrumbs, served with seasonal vegetables, black beans, french fries and spicy Caribbean tartar sauce. Or try one of the half dozen fresh made fettuccine choices, such as calamari tumbled with sautéed mussels, octopus, shrimp, scallops, clams, calamari and fish in marinara or with garlic, shallots, butter and cream in a shellfish based veloute, finished with pepper flakes and Parmesan.
Still, the must-have is the Monterey signature of calamari abalone style. A firm, steak cut is lightly floured and egg-battered, then quickly sautéed to a tender chew with fragrant shallots, garlic, white wine, cream, tomatoes and parsley.
Locals and visitors flock to this charming spot with a patio, live jazz on weekends and a neighborhood bistro vibe. And they especially come for the food. Ingredients are sourced several times a week from local fisherman, farmers and foragers — as their catch and crops vary, so does the menu.
Wild-caught, Chinook (King) Salmon is the most prized salmon in California, not only because it is delicious and nutritious, but because it is only available fresh during certain weeks of the summer. You can check the dates at www. montereybayfisheriestrust.org.
Or, simply just visit Wild Fish, where it appears smoked and grilled, as seasonal specials such as an appetizer of salmon lox atop everything bagel seasoning flat bread with ricotta, pickled red onions and fried capers (the chef will recommend you pair it with a crisp, lightly flinty 2020 La Marea Monterey County Albariño). The entrée might be salmon en croute, bright with parsley, dill, spinach, and mushroom duxelles (try it with a lush, floral 2016 I. Brand Chalone Monterey Grenache).
Can you use clam shells as maracas? You might want to here, where a roving guitarist often pops in from off the street, a waiter grabs a hand drum and suddenly, there’s a dance party in the middle of dinner service. It’s great fun.
The Mediterranean restaurant thrills with great food, too. The frutti di mare house specialty is some of the best you’ve ever had, the spaghetti mounded with briny clams, mussels, salmon and shrimp in a light, garlicky Pinot Grigio sauce that you’ll sop up with butterdrenched garlic ciabatta bread.