Tuesday, June 30, 2015

California Classic Cuisine, The Beach House at Lover's Point in Pacific Grove, California

By Laura Medina

https://www.tastemade.com/places/the-beach-house-at-lovers-point-620-ocean-view-blvd-pacific-grove-ca/NnibAuGTTgaqPUDKdql1TQ

Central California, especially the Inland Central Valley is the world's, as well as America's fruit and vegetable basket, producing half the world's produce.

Monterey, Pacific Grove, and the Carmel area are a short one-hour drive south below San Francisco.  San Francisco existed before Los Angeles.  For the outsider and the visitor, they are pleasantly startled that San Francisco/Central California Cuisine is nothing like the Los Angeles' faddish/trendy vegan/gluten-free dishes, the bubbly, bouncy but appearance-conscious sister to the south.

Being a capital of bountiful produce feeding the world, the visitor will be surprised that Central California Cuisine doesn't specialize in raw, vegan, gluten-free meals.

Because of the bounty of the best quality fresh produce and the grazing cattle and the access to the seafood, it attracts the world's best and most serious chefs...real chefs; and they want to utilize their skills on the best produce possible which means...

The beef, dairy, seafood, vegetables, and fruits are cooked, sauteed, grilled, creamed, and broiled to the best of the chefs' ability.  No models-actresses, aka "mattresses, here.

The Beach House in Pacific Grove, California, is a timeless classic that still carry the tradition of Classic California Cuisine that was set foot when San Francisco was founded, meaning the best fresh ingredients cooked in Classical French Traditional Cooking.  Sorry LA blonde, vegan, anorexics.  San Francisco/Central California region is proud of their centuries-old cuisine that stood the test of time long enough to set the world's culinary standard that many others have tried to duplicate in America and the globe.

https://www.tastemade.com/places/the-beach-house-at-lovers-point-620-ocean-view-blvd-pacific-grove-ca/NnibAuGTTgaqPUDKdql1TQ

Even though The Beach House is new, it's former identity was The Bath House Restaurant. The name and owners may had changed but they still stick close to the Classical French menu where the dishes are treated as comfort food in the chilly and foggy Central California Coast air.  This is where warmth, comfort, and trustworthiness precede over trendy and flashy.  The Beach House also kept The Bath House's classic Central California wood, Craftsman-style architecture.  Who says California doesn't respect history?

If you get a corner table, you can look out the windows and watch triathletes 

https://www.tastemade.com/places/the-beach-house-at-lovers-point-620-ocean-view-blvd-pacific-grove-ca/NnibAuGTTgaqPUDKdql1TQ

Okay, this is still the cultural and ethnic-melting pot that is California.  Asians and their Asian-American descendants were central (yes, pun intended) to the development and history and culture of California.  To those who deny and don't believe it, remember this...California is on the Pacific Ocean...duh.

This is why the supposedly trendy Firecracker Shrimp, is on the menu, a sweet-fiery fried, glazed shrimp, sprinkled with sesame seeds, fried and glazed in crispy shrimp tossed in a spicy, sweet Thai aioli.

The sweet-fire crunch combo compliments the stereotypical but proud fresh produce of The Beach House Salad, a simple but bold salad tossed with mixed greens, dried cranberries, orange segments, blackberries, granny smith apple, goat cheese, toasted pecans, honey-citrus vinaigrette.

https://www.tastemade.com/places/the-beach-house-at-lovers-point-620-ocean-view-blvd-pacific-grove-ca/NnibAuGTTgaqPUDKdql1TQ

The biggest hit was "Classic Californian," the Baked Scallop Pot Pie.

Because of the Nordic, Mexican, and Asian immigrants turned fishermen and farmers,  the flaky puff pastry crust meets succulent plump scallop swimming in classic Bechamel Sauce. 


After filling up on the hearty and cozy dinner, just stepping out onto Lover's Point Park then climbing on the rocky outcrop is enough to burn calories and fill you up with fresh ocean air.

Just climbing on the rock outcrop, jutting out into the Pacific Ocean is an unique Californian treat.

The west-east Pacific Ocean breeze circulating the vineyards are the same breezes shaping the slating trees.  Trippy.

The Beach House sitting on Lover's Point both satisfies the stomach and the eyes in a Classical California way, what a souvenir.


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