Because Another Sudsy Event Doen't Suck

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa already enhanced the summer season with its oceanside concert series, which Special Edible nibbled on recently.

They're now upping the ante with a local beer soiree of sorts 2-8pm Saturday, Sept. 11, on the unmatched upper patio overlooking Monterey Bay's humpbacks.

English Ales, Ale Works and Carmel Brewing will pour their tastiest brews for $2 per 4-ounce pour and Schooner's (372-2628) does a la carte brauts, sliders and such.

John Broadway Tucker brings the blues rock-funk tunes 4-8pm.

And, in honor of Sept. 11, all police, firemen and military get all the goods half off.

On Fire

Beaches for bonfires

By Aaron Ely

Beaches that allow fires are becoming few and far between because our predecessors screwed it up and abused the privilege. Protect what we still have by respecting the beach and the authorities who caretake them. After all, much like the person you made out with in the sand, the morning light shows the ugly reality. Trash, broken glass, cigarette butts and sandy underwear tell the tale of a fun night, but are en eyesore to the non-vampires coming to enjoy our “pristine” coast. Remember that it’s a privilege, and one that can easily be revoked unless we do our part.

So first, rules of the beach:

1. Never cover a fire with sand. Let it burn out. Sand insulates, and coals can stay hot for hours, waiting for unsuspecting feet or paws to discover it. This isn’t the forest, leaving an unattended fire on the beach is fine. In fact it may allow the next person to reuse yours.

2. No glass. Cans are lighter, won’t break and pack down easier for hauling away.

3. Have a D.D. Rest assured that you and your vehicles have been noted by the local constabulatory and stand a very high chance of being stopped soon after departure. Nothing screams “DUI” like a carload of youth departing late from the beach.

4. Park Wisely. Carmel and Asilomar have midnight cutoffs, unless you park further away.

5. Pack your trash; don’t burn it or leave it.

6. Don’t forget a flashlight (foraging for wood, finding your lost cell phone…), lighter, a beach blanket or towel.

7. Bring wood. It’s always worth it to scavenge leftover wood from others’ fires, but don’t count on it as your only source, or you could be huddling around a sad little pile of soggy coals instead of dancing around your own bonfire.

Asilomar

If the wind and weather are cooperating, this one’s tough to beat. Hide up in the dunes for a private party, or down on the flats if you’re with the crew. Dogs welcome off-leash south of the creek.

Carmel Beach

Still legal, but for how long? With the 10 p.m. curfew being strictly enforced, expect a friendly visit from Carmel’s finest earlier than you expect.

Casa Verde, Monterey

Enjoy the night-lights of Monterey as seen from Seaside. Spiffy boardwalks, tables, fire rings, port-a-potties and adjacent parking make this a best bet for families or big groups. Park on the inland side of the street to avoid post-sunset tickets.

17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach

Several locations from Moss Beach to Spyglass drive offer a motley roadside assortment of tables, trash cans, and fire rings just a few meters from 17-Mile Drive (and all the passing rental cars and tour buses). Avoiding the entrance fee can be a fun test of your verbal creativity.

Monastery Beach

At the northern boundary of Point Lobos you can roast your marshmallows just a few meters from one of the steepest offshore drops in North America. Heed the warning signs about the dangerous shorebreak, which has already claimed lives this year.

Honk If You Love Babaloo Cuban Food Truck

What can I say. I wanted Monterey County to be a part of the revolution.

As the booming boutique food truck trend delivered great grub to every big city sidewalk from Atlanta to Albuquerque to L.A.—Argentine meats! Gourmet grilled cheeses! Falafels and waffles!—I’ve been patiently looking for someone local to join the rolling repast, leaving a path of drool in my rearview mirror along the way.

So after a long hungry wait, I say this: God bless Gladys.

In other words, we have our first real foodiemobile merging into traffic. Gladys Parada has survived the unnecessarily arcane gauntlet of state and county inspections to bring her colorful 1986 Chevy P30 Stepvan and its Babaloo Cuban Cuisine to the West End Celebration this weekend.

She’ll take the truck she calls “The Duchess”—after her flamboyant Cuban mother, who is painted on the side—to local businesses and parties thereafter (she has to stick to private property).

While wearing a tropical fruit hat and grilling up sandwiches and chicken, the Caribbean native told me she was drawn to the mobile game after she left a manager position at the former Citronelle.

“I was thinking I have to do something that doesn’t kill me,” she said. “Like a lunch truck. I started reading and everyone was doing it, but not here. I thought, ‘I can’t die without trying.’”
With it she’s bringing a fresh-organic-sustainable attitude—sourcing her ingredients consciously and distributing compostable containers—and some downright tasty stuff with names inspired by I Love Lucy.

As detailed on the chalkboard sides of the truck, The McGillicuddy pictured below (named after Lucille Ricardo’s maiden moniker, $6) comes dynamic and sassy like its namesake, packing grilled organic chicken, melting muenster cheese, gobs of avocado and a tangy citrus salsa between two pieces of crusty Cuban bread baked by Palermo and grilled to order there on the spot.

The Ricky Ricardo ($6, not pictured) is a more macho version with pulled pork, Virginia ham and melted Swiss.

The Fred and Ethel sliders ($6) are two cute little fishcake sliders with tilapia or mahi mahi (from Sea Harvest for now), a clever cream sauce and a tasty tropical island slaw...

…that also accompanies the grilled chicken (above) and “Vitameatavegamin” veggie plates ($8 and $5, respectively, with pedestrian yellow rice and some serviceable beans).

Parada and her sweet wingwoman Lady also slang delicious virgin strawberry mojitos or guava drinks ($2) depending on the day.

Call 262-4150 or hit up bablootruck.com if you’ve got at least 20 hungry monkeys ready to eat.

(The website is worth checking out for the food-porn photos alone—they're as pretty as the custom paint job on the truck.)

When I got the truck to visit the Weekly, it inspired one of the paper’s powers that be to pull me aside for commentary on my career.

“Mark,” he said, “this is the best thing you’ve ever done.”

Oh Heller Yeah

He not only makes memorable wines for Heller (659-6220), he was the only guy at the Monterey County Vitners and Growers' Winemakers Celebration earlier this month to pack along barrel-sampling action.

Good people, I give you winemaking guru Rich Tanguay. (That's him doing mandatory barrel quality control at the winemakers event.)

He's a star of the upcoming grape-stomping harvest party at the glorious Cachaugua grounds. It's coming 1-4pm Saturday, Oct. 16, with delicious al fresco treats from Bahama Billy's, tastes of new releases and all kinds of messy, squooshy, grape-stomping fun. I went last year and may make it an annual pilgrimage.

Here's the quick lowdown from a year ago:

Heaven might be a place called Heller. Or so a tribe of young oenophiles and I discovered at their annual wine stomp held at their pioneering 1,000-acre organic outpost, where the views of the Cachagua Valley are angelic.

Rich Tanguay led a lively tour of the grounds, pouring unfermented grape juice from the catwalk and pausing for word from Rep. Sam Farr (“I took this wine to the White House,” he said, “and told them they should make it their official wine.”). Dozens sloshed, hugged, giggled and jiggled in the grape tubs – there’s no feeling like having cool dark purple skins up to your knees – then rinsed in rose and lavender water before adjourning for some of Heller’s delicious new releases, Bahama Billy’s grub and plucking from a pair of Cachagua Playboys.

Smiles and sunshine blanketed the affair. Cheers to the Hellers for assembling a fun and friendly group as welcoming as the gorgeous grounds.

Estimated price—$25 for members; $30 for nonmember knuckleheads—is a solid deal.

One more heroic bit from RT appears below. He posted it on TwitFace yesterday. I give it a 9.5.

(If it's too small you can click on it and it will appear in a larger window.)

Flavor Phenomena to Flag

Styrofoam getting whacked.

Old Fisherman's Grotto took Best Chowder in Monterey County from our readers this spring; a couple of months back the old Fisherman's Wharf institution claimed the People's Choice at Monterey Wine Festival's Chowder Cook-off. But their greatest recent victory was a decision visible this Saturday: No more little Styrofoam sample cups that will outlive all of us, often breaking down so small that marine life ingests the particles and passes the poison back up the food chain.

Not only does the chowder taste better in the metal vessels; tasters must linger closer to the tempting smells coming from the Grotto kitchen while they slurp, upping the possibility they may be drawn inside for more.

That's what I'm talking about.

Avocado becoming unstoppable.

Chopstix on Fremont (899-2622) now slangs an avocado boba smoothie ($3.75). "Does it taste like drinking guacamole?" one colleague asked.

Not so much, but it does taste authentically avo. And while I certainly like a little honey (and hot sauce) with fresh avocado/tomato/onion/tropical fruit salsa on home-fried tortillas, this drink doesn't interact with the sweet so naturally...let's say it was more interesting than tasty. The cantelope came off superior for $.50 less. Yum.

Sources tell me Bagel Bakery (various locations, including Monterey [372-5242] and Sand City [392-1581]) is also advertising avocado smoothies. And they're adding boba too.

I have glimpsed the future. It's a steady showers of green fruit and gooey tapioca balls.

Pepe acting saucy.

Carmel restauranteur Rich Pepe is doing something cool with his high school buddy Joe Pantoliano of Matrix and Sopranos fame.

As Pepe writes in an e-mail, they've been teaming up for a while.

"Joey, known as Joey Pants and an Emmy Award winning actor, was my original partner in my food ventures over 20 years ago," Pepe says. "But even back in our youth, whether it was delivering newspapers or bussing tables in the high school cafeteria, we like to say we've been in business since the 60s."

Now they're starting a new venture, a response to all the requests Pepe has gotten for sauce recipes over the years. The pair is calling it the "Newman's Own" of pasta sauces—all profits will support No Kidding Me Too, Pantoliano's foundation that brings awareness to mental illness.

Buy the sauces at the Pepe and Pants website.

Here's a recipe with one of the signature sauces.

"Legend has it that Jackie O. ordered Penne alla Vodka whenever she visited Italian restaurants in America and in Europe," the intro reads, "helping make it all the rage in fashion-conscious circles by the mid 70’s. Pepe’s version is to poach large prawns in the heated vodka sauce, then serve over penne and garnish with crispy chopped pancetta and peas creating his famous 'JFK.'"

Penne alla Vodka “Jackie O” Recipe


INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6)
- 1 jar Pèpe & Pants Vodka Sauce
- ½ cup diced pancetta
- ½ cup cooked large peas
- Small bunch of pea sprouts
- Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
- Parmesan or Percorino cheese for grating or shaving
- Italian parsley for garnish (chopped or pulled leaves)
- Basil infused olive oil for garnish (or high quality extra-virgin olive oil)
- 1 pound penne pasta (or other cut pasta your choice)
- one shot high quality vodka (optional)
- 1 ½ pounds large prawns (optional to create the “JFK”)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large flat bottom sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté pancetta until caramelized and crispy, stirring often. Remove pancetta and hold on side. Pre-cook peas and hold on side. Add 1 jar Pèpe & Pants Vodka Sauce and heat gently on low. If adding additional vodka, add now. Add red pepper flakes if desired. If using prawns, add now and cook gently about 3 minutes.
Cook the pasta in 4 quarts of boiling salted water, approximately 8-10 minutes until firm but not overcooked. Drain lightly and add cooked pasta to sauce pan. Add one half of the crispy pancetta and peas and toss together, coating evenly.

PLATING PROCEDURE:
Place pasta on a large serving platter or individual plates and top with remaining crispy pancetta and peas. Sprinkle on pea sprouts (if you can find them) or parsley, drizzle with basil-infused olive oil and add grated or shaved cheese.

And, by adding prawns and red pepper, you get the "JFK."

La Playa Knows How to Play

The upcoming La Playa Wine Festival Saturday, Aug. 21, looks like a ravishing value for wine lovers. Master local and Napa crafthouses—like Opus One, Caymus, Quintessa, Stags Leap, Jordan and Rubicon—all pour tastes and offer deals.

Can I get a hell yes from the assembly hall.

Meanwhile the Edenesque gardens charm, Richard MacDonald supplies sculptures to contemplate and Exec Chef Bunyan Fortune rolls out "gourmet" appetizers.

I've seen tickets like this go for upwards of $75. This one's $35 for four hours of indulgence at La Playa Hotel, Eighth and Camino Real in Carmel. 624-6476 x488.

Here's a look at the complete list of vinos:

Robert Mondavi Winery • Franciscan • Rubicon • Beringer Vineyards • Chateau St. Jean • Rodney Strong • Quintessa • Opus One • Joseph Phelps • Stags Leap Wine Cellars • Chimney Rock • Antica • Caymus • Chalk Hill • Jordan • Clos Du Bois • Cuvaison • Ferrari Carano • Gary Farrel • Mumm • GH Mumm • Perrier Jouet • Ravenswood • Bernardus • Groth • Pine Ridge • Paraiso • Pessagno • Charles Krug • Clos Lachance • Stags Leap Winery • Sanford • Rutherford Hill

Believe It: Friday Just Got Better

Everybody loves a discovery. There's one to be made above Seaside with Bayonet-Blackhorse's clubhouse grill (899-5954).

The revelation was inspired by BB's infant Friday Afternoon Club. From 4-6pm Fridays, draft pints like Black Horse Ale (by Red Hook), English Ales Fat Lip and Sierra Nevada are but $2. Local wines are $4. Well drinks run $3 and a nice lineup of appetizers—inferno hot wings, chili verde nachos, Monterey Bay calamari, etc.—are a 5 spot. Worthy burgers, a grilled Caesar chicken sandwich and barbecued tri-tip sandwich (each with fries) are $6.

Blue collar local lyricist Donald Carroll and I tried the honey mustard chicken strips ($5), a big basket of long, panko-breaded, thin-sliced chicken strips with twice-fried potatoes that stayed nice and hot.

The Texas chili potato skins ($5) didn't do it as much for us just because the beans in the chili deadened the flavor, the cheese wasn't melted and they were hard to eat. But the bacon was thick and crisp and the potatoes tasted fresh.

The real treat, then, was the underpopulated, oceanview patio and window-heavy bar-dining area. Whether there's a discount going on or not it makes for a great mid-Seaside/Marina/Salinas stop off for a scenic sipper and maybe a little play on the putting green.

Play through.