Classic Central Coast Cuisine

Normally, when a restaurant has a guy outside handing out vouchers for a free starter when you order a main course, you don’t go inside. And I wasn’t, until the manager of the Old Fisherman’s Grotto in Monterey gave a tiny sample of their Monterey style clam chowder. I was hooked instantly by the creamy concoction’s sweetness, studded with hits of the sea from the ocean dwellers which give the dish its name. And I was addicted enough to eat a huge sourdough bowl of the stuff, as you can see below.

The freebies were top-notch too; fried calamari which used baby squid had perfectly crisp batter housing the moist flesh beneath. The region’s famous artichokes were also well worth a mention, expertly grilled with some punchy balsamic vinegar.

Don't walk up Lombard St after this...

San Francisco’s Penang Garden has been featured on US networks for its famous Singapore chilli Crab, so my hungry and highly jet-lagged stomach felt it appropriate to give this a go.

First impressions were that this was probably too much for lunch. Second impressions were, well this is good. Third impressions were yes, soft, juicy crab flesh does stand up well to a sauce concocted of heat from chilis, sweetness from peppers, richness from egg and rejuvenating hints of ginger. And when combined with some fried bao (which were a tad too sweet), which is absolutely necessary for mopping up all that saucy and crabby goodness, this is a meal worthy of acclaim. Wasn’t cheap though, around $30, but then again, this could’ve easily fed two. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re planning to walk up the near-vertical Lombard street, for the fiery chilli heat in your stomach doesn’t combine well with immediate  after-indulgence exertion.

You're lucky if you live near this place

Saturday mornings (and lunchtimes) don’t get much better than this. The Ferry Plaza Farmers market offers a few wholesome and downright tasty treats which I wish I could get my hands on more often. Let me start with Hapa ramen’s big daddy bowl of ramen complete with slow-cooked pork and chicken katsu cutlet. What really makes a good ramen (and any other noodle soup for that matter) is the broth. And indeed this was very, very good. Salty, sweet, gelatinous and soothingly addictive all at the same time, this really brought all which lay within it to life.

That was my breakfast. Now on to lunch. First stop, Namu for some of its famed Korean tacos. Different to the original LA-based creations of Kogis, these really did impress me. On a square of dried seaweed lies rice, diced short rib (kalbi) and a daikon and kimchi salsa which does certainly show that well-conceived fusion can work.

My next pit-stop was driven by wafts of caramelising chicken skin, enhanced by the aroma of rosemary, filling the air of the farmers market. Roli roti was the cause of this hunger-inducing scent, and, despite being a bit full, I had to check it out. I went for the classic combo of ¼ chicken and rosemary-roasted potatoes. And, as my nose had correctly indicated, the taste did not disappoint. I could’ve eaten a whole bowl of this skin. Crispy, crunchy, charcoal-infused, caramelised, rosemary studded, the list of adjectives could go on.

And if you can’t make it to the market on Saturday, it’s also around on Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes, as those lucky financial district workers know all too well. Failing that, there’s the Ferry building itself, where at Boccalone, with their slogan of “tasty salted pig parts”, offers a quality sandwich of pulled pork and pickled spicy peppers by the name of The Mess Piggy.