few cooks buzz around a slightly open kitchen toward the back, and the feeling is welcoming and calm. The calamari is just the right amount of crunch to share over a glass of sparkling wine (many options here) or even a bottle of red from Daou. As you notice the short rib tortellini is decadently melting in your mouth and the butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and sage is touched with just the right amount of sweetness, you might also notice that the prosciutto on the zucca is crisped. Some menu items can be exceedingly simple—homey, Italian-style. You might want a bit of comfort on date night. The richly creamy and sweet homemade cannoli will bring back the elegance. Mangia - Eat on Main, 328 Main St., Salinas. 256-2170, instagram.com/mangiaeatonmai BREWPUB While Alvarado Street Brewery Taproom offers a menu of pub fare— think upscale burgers, hand-tossed pizzas, creative tacos—there are some fun sharables. Start an evening with an artichoke-spinach dip that packs a little heat or cheesy garlic bread paired with a tangy marinara sauce. Although the menu (and the 40-plus taps) may say pub, the room has a date night ambiance. Alvarado Street fills a 1929 bank, so there is Art Deco charm. The modern decor emphasizes rather than detracts from this. And large windows allow for some interesting people-watching to spark the conversation. There are wines and cocktails if one or both members of the couple are not beer drinkers. But Alvarado Street’s brews come highly recommended. Alvarado Street Brewery Taproom, 301 Main St., Salinas. 356-0219, asb.beer. Taryn Yudaken blogs at cookandcrumbs.com. WWW.MONTEREYCOUNTYNOW.COM 15 Lunch & Dinner Served Daily from 11:30am to 8:30pm 57 Fishermanʼs Wharf, Monterey Reservations Recommended: 831-373-1851 • abalonetti.com ’24 Serving Monterey’s Favorite Calamari Over 20 Ways! One of Monterey’s Original Restaurants With the Largest Patio Seating Area on the Wharf $12.95 - $17.95 Monterey County Favorite Localsʼ Menu Served Everyday Voted The Best Calamari 21 Times! Abalonetti_1-3s_ED25_GK.indd 1 4/4/25 1:48 PM SAVE THE DATE BIG SUR FOOD & WINE PRESENTS BIGSURFOODANDWINE.ORG FOR TICKETS PLEASE VISIT: THEBARNYARD.COM/EVENTS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==