"Best Restaurants of 2010"

Best Restaurants of 2010. - Monterey County Weekly

MCW, one of my favorite local papers, just finished their "Best Of" review of everything in Monterey County. I know that I'll come back to this post when I'm looking for a restaurant that won't disappoint. Below is a quick rundown of the best in each category:

New Restaurant of '09: Mundaka
Restaurant in Monterey County: Marinus  **oh snap! That's where my roommate works! Yay for him!

Restaurant more than 10 years old: Rio Grill

Restaurant in Big Sur: Nepenthe

Restaurant in Carmel: Cantinetta Luca

Restaurant in Carmel Valley: Cafe Rustica

Restaurant in Marina: Kula Ranch Island Steakhouse

Restaurant in Monterey: Montrio

Restaurant in North County: Phil's Fish Market & Eatery

Restaurant in Pacific Grove: Passionfish

Restaurant in Pebble Beach: Roy's **might have eaten here before with my mom, I'll try it again though!

Restaurant in Salinas: Gino's

Restaurant in Sand City: Sweet Elena's Bakery

Restaurant in Seaside: Fishwife **what no Baan Thai?

Place for a Business Lunch: Tarpy's Roadhouse **been there, can't remember a thing about it...

Best Breakfast: First Awakenings (Pacific Grove)

Cheap Eats: Chipotle (Monterey) **what about Tommy's in Marina?!!

Chinese: Tommy's Wok (Carmel)

French: Fifi's Cafe & Bistro (Pacific Grove)

Italian: Little Napoli (Carmel)

Japanese/Sushi: Crystal Fish (Monterey)

Korean: Orient Express (Seaside)

Mediterranean: Petra (Monterey)

Mexican: Peppers Mexicali Cafe (Pacific Grove) **tried going here but they weren't open, now I'm sad for missing out!

Middle Eastern: Amir's Kabob House (Monterey)

Thai Food: Thai Bistro II (Pacific Grove)

Appetizers/Small Plates: Esteban (Monterey)

Outdoor Dining: The Forge in the Forest (Carmel)

Vegetarian Menu: Tillie Gort's (Pacific Grove)

Steakhouse: John Pisto's Whaling Station (Monterey)

Family Restaurant: Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (Monterey) **my other roommate works here! Both of their companies got on the list!!

Seafood: Monterey Fish House (Monterey) **definitely going here! top of my list! apparently you need to call wayyyy in advance though

Best Clam Chowder: Old Fisherman's Grotto (Monterey)

Best Splure: Ventana (Big Sur)

Best Wine List: Sardine Factory (Monterey)

Best Romantic Spot: Pacific's Edge at Highlands Inn (Carmel)

Sheesh, those took a long time to link! But this is my official MUST-EAT LIST. 

I solemnly swear to eat at every place and tell you all about it!

Monterey County land for Mark Twain frogs

Monterey County land protected for Mark Twain's celebrated jumping frog: "Mark Twain celebrated them, hungry gold prospectors ate them, and rural landowners cursed the name of the California red-legged frog."

In high school Krizia and I volunteered as science camp cabin leaders at Camp Campbell for a week. It was either her cabin, or my cabin, or some other guy's cabin that had the "red-legged frog" as a designated animal. I came across this article and my interest was sparked by Mark Twain, because I think he is a brilliant author/person. Then I saw that the article was about the frogs. Dun dun Dun.

The frog's population has been dwindling because of farmers, ranchers, and developers that have, for years now, gotten all-Avatar on the poor croakers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made its THIRD attempt to set up frog protection rules. They are hoping to set aside a 150,000 acre protective habitat for the red-legged frogs.

These guys have meaty jumping legs, which any respectable Illinoian would love to gobble up in heaps. They have been hunted ever since time! Not really - hunted at least since 1867 when Twain published "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" in newspapers and short stories. As time passed by, lots of developments left the froggies with sustainable habitats in only 28 of the 58 California counties (1996).

After a slight case of fraud in the Bush administration (government pressured scientists to alter findings - such a shame!), the new proposal outlines about 1.6 million acres in various counties to protect them. In our county, good ol' Monterey County, designated areas include 519 acres in the Elkhorn Slough (Moss Landing), 27,000 acres in Big Sur, and 119,000 acres along the Carmel River. Effects: developers will not be able to do anyyyything that could destroy those habitat lands.

"What might it be that you've got in the box?"

And Smiley says, sorter indifferent like, "It might be a parrot, or it might be a canary, may be, but it an't it's only just a frog."

And the feller took it, and looked at it careful, and turned it round this way and that, and says, "H'm so 'tis. Well, what's he good for?"

"Well," Smiley says, easy and careless, "He's good enough for one thing, I should judge he can outjump any frog in Calaveras county."    ...want more Twain?