Shnarley's in Pacific Grove is gone, and rising from the ashes is the Grove Bistro on Lighthouse Avenue. Wikipedia currently describes a Bistro as "a type of small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in an unpretentious setting," and further goes on to suggest the word comes from a Russian word meaning "quick." The original fast food establishment, perhaps?
In any event, Grove Bistro certainly is small, but very nicely appointed. There are around half a dozen small, high tables with very comfortable, elegant barstool style seats that are just perfect for a romantic encounter. A faux fireplace to provide respite from the all-too-common PG fog is a focal point in the bistro, surrounded by a few fauteuilles and some low tables, perfect for sitting back with a good book while sipping a glass of wine. The place really has the look and feel of a wine bar.
To that end, the wine list was still in its infancy when we stopped by for a light dinner, with only a couple of wineries represented and a limited selection within those. However, the bistro had just opened, and was not yet fully functional. In fact, the "large plate" menu was not yet being served, though it should be by now. The wines we were offered were of very nice quality, though the price tag by the glass was on the high side, with nothing below $11 on the evening in question.
The prices on the small plates were very reasonable, and the portions positively large by small plate standards. There is a nice selection of taste treats, including olives and eggplant. We opted for the cheese plate (half size - $9) which included gruyere, brie and sharp cheddar as well as some thickly sliced salami, walnuts, sliced apple and craisins (a tasty melding of cranberries and raisins). Although the selections were not particularly esoteric, they were of excellent quality and provided contrasting tastes and textures that complemented each other perfectly.
We also gave the hummus a try ($6), and were pleasantly surprised. At Grove Bistro they add a layer of basil infused olive oil from Seattle, which puts a nice edge on an old friend. The accompanying pita slices were warm and tender, and there were enough of them to get us through all the hummus.
Dessert was de rigeur that evening, and we had a surprisingly different chocolate hazelnut crunch cake. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we ordered a second glass of wine just to keep on sitting there and talking. The wait staff was extremely good, constantly attentive from afar, ready to respond to one's slightest need without being overbearing.
A trip to the bathroom involves traversing the kitchen in its entirety, and I am delighted to say it was spotless. The kitchen, that is. For that matter, the bathroom was immaculate as well.
The big plates should be being offered by this time. They only had a few listed on the menu - four or five at most. Frankly, I'd rather have a small selection of quality offerings than a huge list of things to choose from. I am hopeful that Grove Bistro will be able to maintain its quality and presence in a town that has had a recent upsurge in business failures.
Highly recommended!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Cantinetta Luca
It's official. Carmel now has more Italian restaurants than Italy. One of the newest is Cantinetta Luca, located next to the little park on Dolores between Ocean and 7th. It occupies the space most notably filled by Toots Lagoon for many years, and before that, Golden West Pancake House. That old use accounts for the narrowness of the restaurant, but the current occupants use the space very wisely, so it does not feel cramped. There are a variety of seating options, from bar stool style chairs at high tables and some bench seating along the wall in the bar area to standard tables in the back room.
The ambiance is quite delightful, and the bar area gets a lot of light. There were quite a few local business people there the day we had lunch, which speaks well for the establishment. I wish I could say that we had a good experience, but that was unfortunately not the case. This was largely due to the service, which was very poor. The wait staff seemed pretty clueless. It took 15 minutes to get our coffee, and it was long gone before anyone came around to ask if we wanted a refill. In fact, I had to flag two different waiters down to this end. On the brighter side, the coffee itself was very good and reasonably priced.
The pre-meal bread was fresh, warm and delicious. It was served with a tapenade that was bursting with flavor. Olive oil was served on request, and it was of very good quality, with a bit of a bite.
We ordered a simple lunch that was perhaps a bit too simple. The panini looked quite interesting on the menu, but the ham and cheese one we ordered came without any side dish, garnish or adornment whatsoever. It looked pretty lonely on the large plate. It was very tasty, with a nice quality ham, fontina cheese and an herbed spread. The bread was very good quality, though a bit thick for my personal taste, which I know is unusual. Still, it would have been nice to have some sort of vegetable matter on the sandwich, whether lettuce, tomato or even onion.
Be aware that the sandwich is listed in Italian on the menu as "prosciutto cotto." This translates literally as "cooked prosciutto" which simply means regular ham. Do not confuse it with the "prosciutto" (technically "prosciutto crudo") that appears on the appetizer menu which is cured from the raw meat rather than cooked.
One of the more attractive aspects of Cantinetta Luca is the selection of artisan prepared meats, or in Italian, salume. You can see them hanging behind glass in a separate room just behind the bar. We did not have the opportunity to give them a try on this occasion, but they certainly looked tempting. The menu only lists them as an appetizer. I would have liked the opportunity to have them in panini form. To be fair, I didn't ask if that was possible.
Our minestrone soup was quite delicious, and brimming with fresh ingredients. Nevertheless, being lukewarm it did not have the appeal it might have had otherwise. I suspect this was also a result of the inexperience of the wait staff, having it ladled into the bowl before the other orders were ready and letting it sit. There was a problem with the way our table was cleared as well, but I do not wish to belabor the point. Fortunately, the problems we encountered can be easily remedied, and it is certainly possible that our experience was a fluke.
The menu is quite interesting, and in the evenings they are rumored to serve bistecca fiorentina, the large grilled steaks made famous in Florence. I am looking forward to giving Luca a try at dinner time to see how they compare with the real thing.
The ambiance is quite delightful, and the bar area gets a lot of light. There were quite a few local business people there the day we had lunch, which speaks well for the establishment. I wish I could say that we had a good experience, but that was unfortunately not the case. This was largely due to the service, which was very poor. The wait staff seemed pretty clueless. It took 15 minutes to get our coffee, and it was long gone before anyone came around to ask if we wanted a refill. In fact, I had to flag two different waiters down to this end. On the brighter side, the coffee itself was very good and reasonably priced.
The pre-meal bread was fresh, warm and delicious. It was served with a tapenade that was bursting with flavor. Olive oil was served on request, and it was of very good quality, with a bit of a bite.
We ordered a simple lunch that was perhaps a bit too simple. The panini looked quite interesting on the menu, but the ham and cheese one we ordered came without any side dish, garnish or adornment whatsoever. It looked pretty lonely on the large plate. It was very tasty, with a nice quality ham, fontina cheese and an herbed spread. The bread was very good quality, though a bit thick for my personal taste, which I know is unusual. Still, it would have been nice to have some sort of vegetable matter on the sandwich, whether lettuce, tomato or even onion.
Be aware that the sandwich is listed in Italian on the menu as "prosciutto cotto." This translates literally as "cooked prosciutto" which simply means regular ham. Do not confuse it with the "prosciutto" (technically "prosciutto crudo") that appears on the appetizer menu which is cured from the raw meat rather than cooked.
One of the more attractive aspects of Cantinetta Luca is the selection of artisan prepared meats, or in Italian, salume. You can see them hanging behind glass in a separate room just behind the bar. We did not have the opportunity to give them a try on this occasion, but they certainly looked tempting. The menu only lists them as an appetizer. I would have liked the opportunity to have them in panini form. To be fair, I didn't ask if that was possible.
Our minestrone soup was quite delicious, and brimming with fresh ingredients. Nevertheless, being lukewarm it did not have the appeal it might have had otherwise. I suspect this was also a result of the inexperience of the wait staff, having it ladled into the bowl before the other orders were ready and letting it sit. There was a problem with the way our table was cleared as well, but I do not wish to belabor the point. Fortunately, the problems we encountered can be easily remedied, and it is certainly possible that our experience was a fluke.
The menu is quite interesting, and in the evenings they are rumored to serve bistecca fiorentina, the large grilled steaks made famous in Florence. I am looking forward to giving Luca a try at dinner time to see how they compare with the real thing.
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