36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 6-12, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com There is a description in The Great Gatsby where Daisy and Jordan are draped on a couch, listless, but with evidence of flight, buoyed as if on a balloon. Such is the image that the spinach artichoke ravioli at Pacific’s Edge brings to mind. The languid sauce causes shoulders to slump back into the seat in abstracted repose. Now, if pillows of pasta as the cause of such imaginative reverie seems improbable, consider that after trying the dish, a dinner guest closed her eyes and whispered, “This would bring ‘yes’ to any proposal.” Perhaps this is the response one should expect from an entree served at a resort destination. But Chef Chris Welenc sets the tone from the start. “I’m a big appetizer guy,” he says. “It’s an introduction to the meal.” The shrimp and crab stack is a delicate assembly in which otherwise inappreciable dabs of flavor are allowed to strut. A meager drop of olive oil casts a grassy, bitter shadow to the musty-sweet calm of shrimp. A light dusting of herbs flit over the palate like sparklers, with crackles of pine, citrus, earth, pepper and more darting and disappearing into crab meat. Yet nothing interrupts the appreciation of fresh seafood. “What I wanted to get away from was shrimp cocktail,” Welenc observes, adding that it’s common for chefs working with such ingredients to fall back on reliable combinations. “That was my play on it. Everything in one bite.” When he delivers the expected, however, the chef prods the senses just a bit further. Burrata, pesto, balsamic, heirloom tomatoes and grilled bread—even Welenc gives a “burrata is burrata” shrug. The cheese is creamy, lolling on the palate. A revelry of pepper, freshly cut grass, sweet mint and a sensation drifting between anise and clove drifts casually into a slumber. A gentle nuttiness and faint bitter cries poke at each other, like a pillow fight on your senses, until a refreshing splash of tomato snaps the palate back to awareness. Yes, the ingredients stand out, but there is something fidgety about the pesto. Welenc shakes his head, comparing it to traditional. Adding arugula is hardly a stretch. “I toss it in vinaigrette—I like a little sweetness,” he says. “It’s my mom’s recipe, but I blend a little avocado in it.” As a nod to California, Welenc sneaks avocado into several dishes. Yet the Colorado native—he naturally recommends the rack of lamb, sourced from the state—draws from experience at restaurants from the Bahamas to Teton, Wyoming. He refers to his cooking style as head down and workmanlike. On the plate, however, the expression is of gracefulness and potential, without pushing beyond limits. For that reason, the catch of the day is Welenc’s favorite menu item. The delivery of a different fish each morning or afternoon allows him to create with familiarity. “I would order the shrimp and scallops,” he says. “But I take pride in the daily fresh catch.” Shrimp and scallops is a recent addition to the menu. The shellfish rests on a bed of polenta with cheddar—a twist on shrimp and grits, with a bonus. “We had a scallop dish that was popular,” the chef relates. “I basically combined them.” Working with what he has, from local ingredients to existing menu items, may not be remarkable, but it drives Welenc’s decisions. The shrimp and crab stack appetizer began as two distinct concepts and evolved into one. Another factor also shapes the menu. Pacific’s Edge is an aptly-named restaurant, perched over the coast with an expansive view of the ocean. Basking in the sunset while savoring pan-seared halibut or braised short rib is a big part of the experience, which is all factored into the timing of each dish. Orders can be prepared and plated to the ticking of the deepening orange sky. But in the setting is Welenc’s motivation. He has crafted a menu that is not challenging. There is chicken breast with mashed potatoes, fettuccini with clams, steaks, crab cakes, a burger and the like—nothing that distracts from the view, at least until the first course arrives at the table. “To have food that is better than the view, that’s the fun part,” Welenc says. “Simple and elegant.” And that style is evident from the start. Pacific’s Edge, Hyatt Carmel Highlands. 120 Highlands Drive, Carmel. (831) 620-1234, hyatt.com. FIRST COURSE Pacific’s Edge Executive Chef Chris Welenc in the dining room. His simple but elegant approach to dishes is evident, even in the appetizers. And he is currently revising the salads. STEAK BY THE SEA…Char, a new steakhouse, has just opened in Carmel in the former Cantinetta Luca location. While steak is the specialty, Char’s menu features a wide selection of starters, house-made pasta and pizza, as well as sandwiches. Currently open for dinner. Stay tuned for the future opening of the lounge. Dolores Street between Ocean and 7th, Carmel. (831) 2938078, charcarmel.com. COME TOGATHER…There’s a new farm-to-table restaurant in Carmel Valley. Gather officially opens on Thursday, Aug. 6. serving Polish- and Japanese-inspired dishes (a nod to the family heritage of the husband-wife team) featuring local ingredients, as well as decor and settings from other local businesses. It fills the former Roux space. 6 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley. (831) 624-3588. HAVE A BALL…Links Club is hosting open mic comedy nights on Tuesdays starting at 7:30pm. Get your laughs on or see if you crack other people up as much as you crack yourself up. Carmel Plaza, Ocean and Mission, Carmel. (831) 250-7816, linksclubgolf.com. CAR FARE…The restaurants of Fisherman’s Wharf are celebrating Car Week from Aug. 7-12. For Cars, Cocktails and Calamari, the wharf will be decorated with car-tastic touches and businesses on the wharf will be showing off their different takes on calamari, such as the calamari sandwich at Crab House and the pan-seared calamari steak at Domenico’s on the Wharf. And car-themed cocktails are on order, as well. Lean into the car love—even if, ironically no cars are allowed on the wharf. Old Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey. montereywharf.com. FAMILY AFFAIR…Vesuvio is hosting Tutti A Tavola, a special 100-person dinner, on Sunday, Oct. 11 from 1-4pm, and tickets are on sale now. All 100 guests will be seated at one extra-long table to share this special evening family-style like a traditional Italian supper. In addition to food and wine, there will also be live music. $125 all inclusive. Proceeds from the evening go to the Carmel Mission Foundation. (831) 402-7373, chefpepe.com/tutti. BALLOT BOXING…The finalists have been selected and voting is now underway for the Weekly’s annual Best of Monterey County reader’s poll. Vote for the best in many food, drink and nightlife categories at montereycountynow. com/bestof. By Jacqueline Weixel MORSELS eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “This would bring ‘yes’ to any proposal.” EAT + DRINK DANIEL DREIFUSS See Food At Pacific’s Edge, Chef Chris Welenc takes the familiar to the level of the view—and beyond. By Dave Faries
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