32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY July 15-21, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com You can ask Chef Jerry Regester about the qualities of matsutake, how Maldon differs from other salts or the proper sear on a slab of Wagyu. But he would rather speak to a more common soul. “There is nothing better than a great pot of soup,” he says. While Regester does not yield on quality or technique at Spotted Duck, his new restaurant on Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove, there is a noticeable lack of swagger. This is not a chef intent on strutting his abilities or pushing culinary boundaries. Instead, the goal is to prepare good food and do tradition justice. In other words, get it right. “When you go out, there are so many great restaurants,” Regester observes. “Everyone tries to overthink everything. Go back to where your heart is.” The dishes at Spotted Duck rest delicately on your palate yet are weighty with sentiment. Duck liver pate is plush, opulent, like foie gras blanketing a hunk of hearty bread. A spread of port gelee seeps over this—a layer of dried fruit, hearty and bittersweet— while pops of mustard seed lend a dour bite. Over sourdough scorched by the grill it becomes transformative—a pall on an October eve, with smoke curling from chimneys, the fruits of harvest curing in weathered barns, the earthy note of damp leaves under furrowed skies. And this is just a pate. Sauteed rock cod is almost rudimentary, yet equally decadent. Flaky lean fish relishes a creamy brown butter sauce that carries an earthy grumble tipped by a resonant tang of Meyer lemon puree. “You can eat that all day,” the chef says. “I love it.” For Regester, this is the good life. He comes to work and does some cooking before taking a paperwork break. Then he returns to the kitchen, joined by line cook Jorge Perez. The pair shoulder all cooking responsibilities. “I’m a chef who loves to cook,” Regester says. “You go this full circle and come back to where you started—in the kitchen cooking. I’m back to what I love to do.” The chef has helmed premier restaurants on the Monterey Peninsula. Most recently he served as executive chef at Schooners in the Monterey Plaza Hotel then at Carmel’s Rise + Roam. The former is a formidable operation popular with both upscale hotel guests and locals, the latter part of the Folktale Group, which also includes the winery and Seventh & Dolores steakhouse. Now, Regester is happy to be back in the kitchen. And owning a restaurant brings another form of freedom. “If I don’t want to do something, I don’t have to,” he explains. Regester and his girlfriend used their savings to purchase the muchloved Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar when Thamin Saleh decided to sell after a decade of building a regular crowd. Filling a popular space presented its own set of issues. For one, Regester inherited a clientele that had come to expect certain menu items and were unwilling to try something new. As a result, some would-be guests have stepped inside, realized it was no longer Jeninni, and immediately turned to leave. “We’ve upset a few people, which is too bad,” Regester says. “But Thamin was like, ‘Do your thing.’ I wanted to get back to what I call a bistro-slash-brasserie.” Essentially, the goal is to bring the vibrant, upscale casual vibe of a brasserie into the fold of a homey, neighborhood bistro. That means classics like steak frites, where the char and seasoning bring an herbal, smoky heft to the meat and the fries are served with aioli, rather than ketchup. But Regester is a fine dining chef, which means attention to ingredients—a side of Cabernet onions, arugula and other greens becomes a lively twirl of peppery, minty brightness with a licorice undertone. This is a chef in his element. And on this particular occasion, the pot of soup was split pea rich with pork belly and olive oil—a listing he’s free to change at any time. “For me,” Regester says, “it’s so much fun to do what I’m supposed to do.” Spotted Duck, 542 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. Open 5-9pm Thursday-Monday. 920-2662, spottedduckpg.com. First course Chef Jerry Regester in the dining room of Spotted Duck. “For me, this is so much fun,” he says. And his joy shows up on the plate. Carmel Bakery Takes Monterey…You can now get your hands on the incredible offerings of Carmel Bakery without a trip to Carmel. The European-style bakeshop has opened a new location in Portola Plaza so you can now get their coffees, baked goods, soups, salads and sandwiches in downtown Monterey daily from 7:30am-3pm. Portola Plaza, Monterey. chefpepe.com/carmel-bakery. Bocce and BBQ…Head to Bernardus Lodge & Spa on Sunday, June 18 for an afternoon of bocce, beer and barbecue in honor of Father’s Day. From 11am-2:30pm, the Lucia Bar & Restaurant will be serving a special lunch, and guests can sip a craft cocktail, beer or glass of wine on the lawn while playing a round of bocce or participating in a special putting contest. 415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. 658-3400, .bernarduslodge.com. Snack Attack…Other Brother Beer Co. now offers special lunch pricing on sandwiches, salads and snacks from the brewery’s new Snack Shack. Monday to Friday, from 11:30am-4pm, menu items like the B.L.T. ($11), beet and goat cheese toast ($7) and orzo and arugula salad ($9) make an affordable, delicious lunch. There’s always takeout, but we recommend sitting down, ordering a beer, and pretending (just for your lunch hour!) that you’re on vacation. 877 Broadway Ave., Seaside. 747-1106, otherbrotherbeer.com. Backwater No Longer… Carmel Mission Inn’s Shearwater Tavern has a brand new chef in Fabian Di Paolo, and he has identified his mission: to bring the restaurant out of hiding. He’s doing that with flavorful, elevated tavern food. Learn more about the menu, and Chef Di Paolo’s background, at mcweekly.com/food_wine. Al Fresco Future…The future of Pacific Grove’s popular outdoor dining parklets is under debate in America’s Last Hometown. Restaurant owners overwhelmingly want to keep the parklets as is, but there’s a move to replace the structures with extended sidewalks, similar to Alvarado Street in Monterey. You can add your two cents during an upcoming Pacific Grove City Council meeting at 6pm on Wednesday, June 21, either in person at City Hall (300 Forest Ave., P.G.) or online at bit.ly/ PGagendas. By Jacqueline Weixel morsels Send a bite to eatanddrink@mcweekly.com “I’m a chef who loves to cook.” Eat + DrinK Daniel Dreifuss Right Spot Chef Jerry Regester is back where he started, and that’s what makes Spotted Duck special. By Dave Faries
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