"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!

What is the AT&T Pro-Am?

The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am came to Monterey this past week/weekend. I've heard of the golf tournament before, but I thought I'd do a little research about it and let you know the interesting details:

• ATT Pro-Am used to be called the Bing Crosby National Pro-Amateur (nicknamed: Crosby Clambake)
• Every year this PGA Tour is held in Pebble Beach, CA ... but it might be held at any of three courses (Pebble Beach golf links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club)
• Pre WWII the even was held in Rancho Sante Fe, CA
• 72-hole event
• 156 Pro golfers get together with 156 amateurs (I should sign up next year!). Every day 52 pairs (one pro + one amateur = 2 man teams) play one one of the three golf courses I mentioned above.
• These days the professionals team up with Hollywood celebs, musicians (KENNY G!) and the "captains of industry"

• On the last day, the teams that make the 54-hole cut get to play at PEBBLE! 60 professional golfers and the top 25 pro-am teams get to play on Sunday.
• Dustin Johnson won last year... and he won this year! Go Dustin! (p.s. I have no idea who he is, but there was this kid Dustin in my elementary school who was about half the size of other kids, but his brain was about five times the size of other kids. He signed yearbooks with King Dustin or something like that. He also liked showing off how smart he was.) This year Dustin Johnson won $1,116,000.

• Our favorite sex-aholic Tiger Woods won in 2000. He got $720,000 for winning.