It was a glorious October Saturday in L.A. when oil trader Rob Keating decided, on a whim, to play Pebble Beach. He called up the clubhouse. Any chance, he asked, that I could get on the course today?
A few years before, such a call might have been absurd. The waiting list for Pebble Beach tee times was a legendary eighteen months, assuming one had ponied up for a night's stay at the Lodge. Greens fees, in other words, were essentially a grand for a round of golf that you might never live to see.
That was then; this is now. Five hours after Keating's call he was standing on Pebble's first tee.
The state of America's economy has provided many benefits to the traveling golfer, perhaps the greatest being that the game's marquee courses are now far more accessible than ever before. Like a lineup of homecoming queens who find themselves without dates, they're suddenly eager for attention. All of which makes this the optimal time for a pilgrimage to a mecca like Monterey. Its handful of storied public-access courses are there for the taking. The hidden gems—and they are legion—are less packed with frustrated overflow. And the resort courses of nearby Carmel Valley are open and pristine.
During a recent stretch of eight rounds on the peninsula, only once did I encounter a backup on a tee. Add to this languor the otherworldly aesthetics of Monterey golf: the crashing surf and romantic fog, the barking seals and panoply of wildlife. Then nestle it all amid the bucolic, postcard-perfect towns of Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove. Rarely has economic uncertainty made for such a lovely time.
As far as Monterey is concerned, the golf course building boom of the nineties might as well have never occurred. In the past thirteen years, not a single new public course was built on the peninsula. Then again, no more were truly needed. As perhaps the first great golf destination in America's history, Monterey has had a century to compile an array of oceanfront legends, resort stunners and solid municipal tracks. And recent across-the-board improvements at each have brought them all up to snuff.
PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS
1700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach; 831-647-7500, pebblebeach.com. Yardage: 6,737. Par: 72. Slope: 142. Architects: Jack Neville and Douglas Grant, 1919; renovated by H. Chandler Egan, 1928. Greens Fee: $380. T+L GOLF Rating: *****
In years past, Pebble could rightly be accused of coasting on mere majesty alone. The divine vistas, champagne-like air and joyful choruses of barking seals were good. The often spotty conditions, bumpy greens and six-hour rounds? Not so good. All of this changed in 1999, when local heroes Clint Eastwood, Peter Ueberroth, Arnold Palmer and Richard Ferris purchased the Pebble Beach Company. And indeed, my latest round revealed a course benefiting from their guidance (and their cold hard cash). Pace of play was downright brisk; we got around in four hours and fifteen minutes, despite actor Kevin James duck-hooking a drive into our foursome. Fairways and bunkers were splendid and firm. The new seventy-foot-tall cypress guarding the eighteenth green has returned the finishing strategy to an otherwise flawless hole. And the addition of the new cliffside par-three fifth by Nicklaus in 1998 has made the oceanside stretch from four through ten seamless and nonpareil. There is now, in other words, nothing to distract from a layout so stunningly gorgeous that its mere existence proves God is a golfer.
SPYGLASS HILL
Spyglass Hill Road, Pebble Beach; 831-647-7500, pebblebeach.com. Yardage: 6,862. Par: 72. Slope: 148. Architect: Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1966. Greens Fee: $265. T+L GOLF Rating: *****
By now, we're all familiar with Nicklaus's contention that if he had one last round to play, he would play it at Pebble. A surprising number of locals, however, call Spyglass the course they're dying to play—and would play if they were dying. Some cite as proof the layout's opening five holes, a links-like collection whose aesthetics play Pebble to a draw. The revered par-four fourth defines this stretch, with an amoeba of a green, flanked by ice plant-covered mounds, that is approachable after only the most thoughtful drive. But from the sixth on, the character of the holes dramatically changes as the routing turns inland and upward through the Del Monte Forest. These thirteen are often brutish, like the all-uphill eighth, a par four requiring a softly landing long-iron draw to an elevated green guarded on the right by a surly long-faced bunker. Every hole here demands golf shots—nothing but golf shots.
BAYONET GOLF COURSE
1 McClure Way, Seaside; 831-899-7271, bayonetblackhorse.com. Yardage: 7,117. Par: 72. Slope: 136. Architects: Gen. Bob McClure with Ken Venturi, 1954. Greens Fees: $70-$97. T+L GOLF Rating: ****1/2
The military is great for many things—fighting Middle Eastern despots comes readily to mind—but designing world-class golf courses isn't usually one of them. Bayonet is an exception. It's so good the AT&T considered adding it to its rotation, and the PGA Tour still discusses making it part of a TPC. Credit for this and for its defining characteristic is owed to designer Gen. Bob McClure. Legend has it that McClure, a left-hander with a vicious slice, routed many Bayonet holes to the flight of his ball. Thus the most challenging stretch here, from eleven through fifteen, is distinguished by three blind, brawny dogleg lefts. Known as "Combat Corner," these holes also feature the long sweeping tree-lined fairways and the slippery greens that have endeared Bayonet to the public since it was opened to all in 1994, then lovingly renovated in 1997 with the aid of the PGA Tour. Local tip: Owing to the slope of the land, those greens all break toward Santa Cruz—which is great so long as you know where Santa Cruz is.
BLACK HORSE GOLF COURSE
1 McClure Way, Seaside; 831-899-7271, bayonetblackhorse.com. Yardage: 7,009. Par: 72. Slope: 137. Architects: Gen. Edwin Carnes and Gen. Bob McClure, 1964. Greens Fees: $70-$97. T+L GOLF Rating: ****
If Bayonet is the WW II of the peninsula, Black Horse is the Korean War. Not quite as long. Not quite as legendary. But still a damn hard fight. McClure was merely a consultant on this design, perhaps explaining the relative dearth of dogleg lefts. The hillier of the two layouts, with ocean views that surpass its sister course, it boasts burly oaks, cypresses and pines that guard the fairways like sentries, and an arsenal of elevated greens. Black Horse, like Bayonet, has hosted stages one and two of PGA Q-school. And in 1998 it received its own PGA Tour-sanctioned makeover, a renovation that lengthened and toughened it but unfortunately did little to improve a collection of par threes too mediocre to pass muster. Were it not for those, Black Horse might indeed match Bayonet in the battle for the hearts and minds of golfers.
POPPY HILLS GOLF COURSE
3200 Lopez Road, Pebble Beach; 831-625-2154, poppyhillsgolf.com. Yardage: 6,833. Par: 72. Slope: 144. Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr., 1986. Greens Fees: $50-$160. T+L GOLF Rating: ****
Perhaps it was built on a sacred Indian burial ground. Or maybe the land harbors a mysterious magnetic anomaly. Whatever the cause, playing Poppy is a uniquely unsettling experience. The sidehill lies, the sweeping doglegs, the tightly wooded fairways, the severely sloped greens—they all combine to create the sensation of golfing in a log cabin with badly warped floors. It's a testament to the strength of Jones's work here that, despite this unbalancing act, highly skilled golfers in search of a challenge keep coming back for more. The pristine greens, the finest we encountered in the area, and the course's overall splendid condition surely help. Still, spin around three times and hit a three-iron; if you don't hit it flush, don't make this tee time.
CARMEL VALLEY RANCH
1 Old Ranch Road, Carmel; 831-625-9500, cvrgolf.com. Yardage: 6,234. Par: 70. Slope: 138. Architect: Pete Dye, 1981. Greens Fees: $90-$180. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
Dye originally designed this course back when he considered curses to be compliments. It featured such trademarked elements (or silliness) as a six-tiered green on the fourteenth hole that Greg Norman legendarily six-putted—then swore he'd never play here again. In 1995, Dye was rehired (at the cost of one dollar) to soften the layout, and what remains is an exquisitely maintained resort course that demands smart placement. It's not the longest, hardest march on the peninsula, but its well-contoured greens and penal bunkering still offer a heady challenge. The front nine, meandering near the homes that line the valley floor, is a mere prelude to the back, whose climb into the steep hills provides a type of up-and-down joyride unique to the area. Indeed, standing on the tee at the 438-yard par-four eleventh, surveying the sixty-five-foot drop to the fairway below, you could almost be excused for yelling, "I'm king of the valley!" Excused, that is, except by your playing partners.
DEL MONTE GOLF COURSE
1300 Sylvan Road, Monterey; 831-373-2700, delmontegolf.com. Yardage: 6,357. Par: 72. Slope: 123. Architect: Charles Maud, 1897. Greens Fee: $95. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
The oldest course in continuous operation west of the Mississippi, it's hard to believe this pleasant little track was once held in higher regard than its younger sister, Pebble Beach. But there are subtle pleasures to be found here. Typical of their time, the smallish greens are pitched back to front, making distance control a must. And the well-bunkered par threes, averaging almost 190 yards, are all surprisingly stern. Most interesting is the par-three fourteenth, a historical artifact boasting the course's last original push-up green. The layout's tight routing makes four-hour rounds common. And its location near the Monterey airport suggests it's a (relatively) fog-free zone. Those seeking a reprieve from the area's marquee grinds will consider this an afternoon well spent.
GOLF CLUB AT QUAIL LODGE
8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel; 831-620-8808, quaillodge.com. Yardage: 6,449. Par: 71. Slope: 128. Architect: Robert Muir Graves, 1964. Greens Fees: $120-$180. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
It's not a knock on Quail to call it the area's great warm-up course. Indeed, it boasts all the elements crucial to a work-out-the-kinks round: The fairways are plush, delivering consistently cushy lies. The pristine bent-grass greens deliver the truest rolls in Monterey. With a veritable arboretum of trees (pines, oaks, willows, elms, sycamores), it plays like a walk in the park. Best of all, it's free from perhaps the greatest downside of Pebble Beach golf: the often dreary weather that plagues the coastal courses. The Carmel Valley—where Quail Lodge, Carmel Valley Ranch and Rancho Cañada reside—is far enough inland to be free from all that fog. If this doesn't get your game grooved for Pebble, it's possible you have no groove.
THE LINKS AT SPANISH BAY
2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach; 831-647-7500, pebblebeach.com. Yardage: 6,821. Par: 72. Slope: 146. Architects: Robert Trent Jones Jr., Tom Watson and Sandy Tatum, 1987. Greens Fee: $215. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
Some complain this "linksland" feels manufactured. ("It's no links," said a British playing partner. "It's far too manicured and pretty, and you can't have haggis afterward.") Others argue that the tight fairways, mounded greens and more than twenty protected native areas are simply too brutal. ("You lose a dozen balls, shoot a million," said a local scratch golfer, "and then wait a few years before you play it again.") Still, if given a choice between this impeccably maintained course and the old sandpit that once occupied the land, we'll take the course. What's more, when the fog is down, its ocean views rival Pebble's, and when the wind is down, it feels more tricky than tricked-out. Indeed, there is much to love at Spanish Bay—when you're on your game.
PACIFIC GROVE GOLF LINKS
77 Asilomar Boulevard, Pacific Grove; 831-648-5777, ci.pacific-grove.ca.us. Yardage: 5,732. Par: 70. Slope: 117. Architects: Jack Neville and H. Chandler Egan, 1932 (front); Neville, 1960 (back). Greens Fees: $32-$38. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
It's referred to so often as "the poor man's Pebble" that one almost expects to see derelicts roaming its fairways. But a glance at the course designers reveals the history behind this hype. Neville (who probably receives too much credit for Pebble Beach) and Egan (who receives far too little) joined forces in 1932 to produce this front nine, a tight parkland that winds through homes and dense packs of cypress trees. Twenty-eight years later Neville completed the back, a links-style assemblage that runs dramatically out to the Pacific at Point Pinos and draws all those comparisons to Pebble. Its sandy fairways play to tiny dune-flanked greens, providing perhaps the truest links on the peninsula (Spanish Bay be damned). Granted, one feels a tad silly getting effusive about a track that tips out shorter than most ladies' tees. But on a dollar-per-vista basis, this one's tough to beat.
LAGUNA SECA GOLF RANCH
10520 York Road, Monterey; 888-524-8629, lagunasecagolf.com. Yardage: 6,161. Par: 71. Slope: 127. Architects: Robert Trent Jones Sr. and RTJ Jr., 1970. Greens Fee: $65. T+L GOLF Rating: ***
Laguna Seca offers hillside golf that is unrelenting in its ups and downs: raised tees, precipitous drops, elevated greens, sloping fairways. If you're standing on a flat lie here, it probably means you've hit your ball onto the adjacent Route 68. The terrain, however, isn't all that's notable: The course was also the first joint design of Jones père and Jones fils, and one can almost sense father and son feeling their way through the collaboration. The front nine is unremarkable, but the Joneses hit their stride on the back, with a series of dramatic holes that reaches a crescendo at the par-five fifteenth. A perfect downhill drive at this 548-yarder presents the option of a heroic 220-yard all-water carry—just the kind of foolish play of which great golf holes are made.
BEST OF THE REST
Rancho Cañada Golf Club, West ($80; 800-536-9459), a worthy muni nestled in the Carmel Valley at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountains, is a tree-lined track that looks like Poppy, plays like Del Monte—and, in case you're counting, costs less than either. The Peter Hay Golf Course ($20; 831-625-8518) is a par-three layout just a few three-irons from the Pebble Beach course. It presents a wide-open warm-up for your wedges. In nearby Hollister you'll find the Fred Couples-designed San Juan Oaks Golf Club ($55-$80; 800-453-8337), a superb 7,133-yard layout whose many oaks and streams play to a slope of 145—but whose five tees on every hole make it playable for all.
PRIVATE GEMS
Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach. Is Alister MacKenzie's self-proclaimed masterpiece all it's made out to be? It is indeed—all that and more. The stretch of ocean holes, fifteen through seventeen, is one of the greatest the world has ever seen—or at least that part of the world that's well-connected enough to see it.
Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Pebble Beach. The club's Dunes course was remodeled by Rees Jones in 1998, but eyebrows were raised when the proudly untraditional Mike Strantz was hired to rework its Shore course. An inspired choice or an insipid one? Members will know this summer, when his work is revealed.
Pasadera Country Club, Monterey. This 2000 Jack Nicklaus Signature design blends seamlessly into the hills above Monterey. At 6,801 yards (with six par threes) it hardly wears out drivers, but it does wear out its share of necks, as they crane to appreciate the course's 375 feet of elevation change.
The Preserve Golf Club, Carmel Valley. When it debuted in 2000, this Tom Fazio layout made quite the splash, touting a membership teeming with Silicon Valley tycoons. They joined to play this jaw-dropping, naturalistic gem, sprawled lustily across 365 acres in the remotest reaches of the valley.
Salinas Golf & Country Club, Salinas. Built in 1925 and remodeled by Stephen Halsey in the early nineties, Salinas is still a mere 6,102 yards. But this beautifully manicured track is a tight little bugger that pleases its old-school members.
Tehàma Golf Club, Carmel Valley. Clint Eastwood owns this club, where he and his Carmel cronies bask in the spectacular views on the 1999 Jay Morrish design. A tricky routing through foothill slopes, it's legendary for its remarkable conditioning.
ORIENTATION
There are two viable options for getting to the peninsula. Those who love the open road can take one of the typically less expensive flights into San Jose, fifty-five miles north of Monterey, drive south on Route 17 through the majestic pines north of Santa Cruz, then down Highway 1 past the sprawling sand dunes that herald your arrival on the peninsula. Those who think life's too short for all that can fly directly into Monterey. Monterey airport is serviced by American Eagle, America West and United Express; almost all major airlines fly into San Jose.
Once on the peninsula, be warned: This may be "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world," but it's a messy meeting of land and pavement. Here you'll find three major towns—Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel—and sandwiched on the coast between them the resorts and courses of Pebble Beach. And while Highway 1 is fine for driving between Carmel and Monterey, and Route 68 is good for getting to Pacific Grove, the roads that wind within the Pebble Beach properties resemble a plate of vermicelli. If you know where you're going, you can get to almost anywhere on the peninsula in fifteen minutes—but you probably don't, so ask your concierge for directions.
EXPLORING THE COAST
Speaking of driving, it's a spectator sport here, arguably the greatest coastal splendor in the continental U.S. And the most aesthetic way to get the lay of the land is a tour on 17-Mile Drive. Unlike the area's other roads, it's well marked as it skirts the coast between Pacific Grove and Carmel, then loops back through the Del Monte Forest. Along the way, it grants tantalizing glimpses of perhaps the world's finest concentration of great courses: Pebble, Spyglass, Poppy Hills, Spanish Bay, Monterey Peninsula and Cypress Point. Indeed, the closest many golfers will come in this lifetime to Cypress's sixteenth is this roadside view.
Many noteworthy landmarks are also connected by 17-Mile Drive, so a spouse who couldn't care less about, say, the sixteenth at Cypress will still find much to enjoy. The Irwin Crocker Mansion is the most dazzling of the many swank digs on the drive; its private beach is, astoundingly, heated by underground coils. Farther down the coast, Seal Rock and Bird Rock are teeming with, respectively, seals and birds. But the drive's most famous sight is the Lone Cypress, the trademarked Pebble Beach image perched defiantly on a rocky outcropping.
For the grandest vistas of all, however, take Highway 1 thirty minutes south to the town of Big Sur. The name's a misnomer; the town's really not big. In fact it's not much of a town at all, just a few inns and restaurants clinging to the sides of the Santa Lucia Mountains. What is big are the stunning views of the Pacific from these five-hundred-foot cliffs.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Each town on the peninsula boasts an array of ways to pass the day, but Monterey sports the most consistent crowd pleaser, the Monterey Bay Aquarium (831-648-4800). One of the largest, coolest aquariums in the country, it is built to overwhelm. Its giant kelp forest is the first such display ever successfully created; a million-gallon indoor "sea" is humbling; and the bat-ray petting pool is fun for the type of folks who enjoy petting bat rays. The aquarium is the heart of Monterey's Cannery Row, which is far from the blue-collar melting pot of John Steinbeck's days, but here and at the nearby Fisherman's Wharf you can buy enough tacky memorabilia to keep your kids happy for days.
Pursuits of a more refined nature can be found in the almost ridiculously quaint town of Carmel. Founded as a haven for bohemians, today's Carmel shows its roots in its roughly one hundred local-artists galleries, a list of many of which can be obtained from the Carmel Chamber of Commerce (800-550-4333). Fighting them for your discriminating dollar are hundreds of high-end local shops, including Louis Vuitton (831-622-7400), Saks Fifth Avenue (831-624-6300) and such. But for shopping that golfers will actually enjoy, head to Cambridge Golf Antiquities (831-626-3334), near the Pebble Beach putting green. Its selection of out-of-print golf books and rare golf collectibles will thrill both you and your credit card company.
Robinson Jeffers Tor House (831-624-1813), also in Carmel, is a medieval-style granite retreat built by the poet Jeffers. It took him a dozen years to construct it by hand; it'll take you only an hour to tour it. And with more than 40,000 acres of wine grapes, Monterey County grows more than Napa Valley—which is a fine justification for a wine-tasting tour. Ag Venture Tours (831-643-9463) will be happy to arrange one.
For outdoor fun, the area has much to offer: biking trails, surfing beaches, the splendor of a jog on the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail. Horse rides through the Del Monte Forest can also be arranged at the world-renowned Pebble Beach Equestrian Center (831-624-2756). But for the finest thrill of all, let Monterey Bay Kayaks (800-649-5357) equip you with your own vessel. Paddle it out to sea, admire the sterling courses on the coast—then paddle in and get back to playing them.
CARMEL VALLEY RANCH 1 Old Ranch Road, Carmel; 831-625-9500, wyndham.com. Suites: $149-$449.
T+L GOLF readers recently voted this the second-most underrated golf resort in the West—proving the discernment of our readers. All 144 of these suites are perched high in the hills above the Carmel Valley and offer vertigo-inducing views from their patios of the golf course or valley below. With vaulted ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces and Jacuzzis, these suites are the definition of a romantic retreat.
CASA PALMERO 1518 Cypress Drive, Pebble Beach; 800-654-9300, pebblebeach.com. Rooms: $655-$725. Suites: $995-$2,050.
For those who seek the finest in seclusion and opulence—mobsters, jewel thieves, Tiger Woods—this is Pebble's lodging of choice. Seven valets serve the estate's twenty-four Mediterranean-style villas, each boasting a fireplace and radiant-heated floors, plus access to the estate's living room, library, billiard room and pool. For the ultimate "George Washington slept here" thrill, ask for Villa 620, which informed sources say is the preference of a certain well-known golfer and, we assume, his well-known fiancée.
THE INN AT SPANISH BAY 2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach; 800-654-9300, pebblebeach.com. Rooms: $460-$620. Suites: $850-$2,505.
"We're staying at the Inn because we couldn't get in the Lodge—but I figure the beds will still be sleepable," said one guest, serving up the conventional opinion of the Inn as the redheaded stepchild of Pebble Beach lodging. But for families with children, or travelers looking for more privacy than the Lodge affords, these 270 comfortably furnished rooms and suites provide their own distinctive brand of understated elegance. And don't miss the famous outdoor fire at sunset.
THE LODGE AT PEBBLE BEACH 1700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach; 800-654-9300, pebblebeach.com. Rooms: $525-$1,610. Suites: $1,395-$2,545.
The Lodge's 161 tastefully appointed rooms and suites offer easy access to the resort's unbeatable new spa, its oceanfront Beach & Tennis Club and its four first-rate restaurants. But for the finest in Pebble Beach experiences, we suggest splurging on oceanfront accommodations—from which guests can walk barefoot from their patios onto the fairway of Pebble's closer and admire the sunset as it kisses Carmel Bay. It's like heaven without all that unpleasant dying.
QUAIL LODGE 8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel; 888-828-8787, quaillodge.com. Rooms: $305-$425. Suites: $415-$545. Villas: $775-$795.
You'll be greeted with a glass of wine at this intimate Carmel Valley jewel, ten minutes from the heart of the peninsula. Last year, twenty-five million dollars was spent to completely remake the once-faded resort and spa. And by every indication—from the hemlock floors and flat-panel TVs to the cozy elegance of the fine-dining restaurant, the Covey—it was money well spent.
CLUB XIX (French) 1700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach; 831-625-8519. $$$$
Overlooking Pebble's eighteenth green, this is luxury fine dining with views to match. Here, luscious sautéed Monterey Bay abalone and caramelized diver sea scallops are routinely accompanied by a trio of beluga caviars ($375/oz.) and Gurkha HMR cigars ($450 each). You say you've got it? Here's where you flaunt it.
FANDANGO (Mediterranean) 223 17th Street, Pacific Grove; 831-372-3456. $$$
The fireplace in the boisterous dining room will warm your bones on dank Monterey nights. The fiery cuisine will warm everything else. It's easy to go loco on the osso buco and paella, but save room—and a notch on your belt—for the chocolate nougatine meringue tower.
THE FISHWIFE AT ASILOMAR BEACH (California/Caribbean seafood) 19961Ž2 Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove; 831-375-7107. $$
Consistently voted the best seafood on the peninsula, this low-key eatery is revered by locals for its fresh ocean fare with feisty Caribbean accents. Don't let the family-friendly vibe or the garish pink and aqua decor distract you from appreciating the Boston clam chowder topped surprisingly—but delightfully—with a fresh salsa fresca.
KATY'S PLACE (Breakfast) Mission Street and Sixth Avenue, Carmel; 831-624-0199. $
Nine types of waffles, two dozen styles of eggs Benedict and omelettes, and eleven pancake varieties grace the menu at this lively Carmel institution. (That is, in other words, a unique breakfast every day for six weeks.) But it's the breakfast burrito, stuffed to the point of structural instability, that will put the gas in your golf cart.
THE RESTAURANT AT MISSION RANCH (California Cuisine) 26270 Dolores Street, Carmel; 831-625-9040. $$$
Mingle with the locals; get drunk with the locals; sing apologetically off-key with the locals at this rowdy restaurant and piano bar. Owner Clint Eastwood, who in 1986 saved this former dairy farm from the wrecking ball, at times stops by to croon a few tunes. In the midst of this mayhem, enjoy such hearty cuisine as filet mignon in a zinfandel and roasted-shallot glaze and tarragon-flavored Dungeness crab soup.
PASSIONFISH (Seafood) 701 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove; 831-655-3311. $$
A delightful family-run establishment, Passionfish is noted nationally for its exceptional selection of some four hundred wines. But what most distinguishes the menu are the lively, fruity sauces that often adorn the fresh-caught seafood. A real local find.
ROY'S (Hawaiian) 2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach; 831-647-7423. $$$
Internationally renowned chef Roy Yamaguchi is clearly bent on conquering the world one lively fusion restaurant at a time. With such sublime offerings as sake-marinated halibut in a shitake-mushroom basil broth and macadamia nut-dusted mahimahi, that's fine with us.
