This amazing café is one that I had the pleasure of discovering thanks to Rachael Ray's $40 a day show. I had missed out on this incredible "it" place up until that point because, as a local, you don't always take the pleasure of driving to the Carmel Valley Village (unless the sun is out and you're heading to the community pool nearby on your day off or just going to get a little break from the fog). This building began as a corkscrew museum, so when you arrive take a look inside at some of the remaining unique corkscews on display. I cannot tell you enough how amazing the food is here...the owner of this café also owns the popular Casanova Restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea which provides fancier fare, although in my mind, they are equally delicious. The flavors at Corkscrew are outstanding and the prices are equally satisfying. Lunch is my favorite time to venture out this way primarily because of the sunshine that greets you with a gentle breeze. Sitting outside in this relaxing setting is sure to take a load off. Evening dinners at Corkscrew offer a great date setting...just very romantic. Another plus comes when large tourist events occur in Carmel or Pebble Beach, i.e. the AT&T Pro-Am, since you can usually still find a reservation available at Corkscrew. One of my favorite entrées is the Nicoise Salad with Grilled Salmon...every bite is amazing. To be honest, everything I've had there is amazing. I'm usually an order-by-habit-person, but at Corkscrew, you can't go wrong. Another special touch to this restaurant is their children's menu...each of these adorable menus appear inside a children's book. The last two times we went there we read the most adorable stories to our son from his "menu"...it is my personal thought that more restaurants would benefit from this great idea! For any of my readers who hold a great appreciation for Organic, Fresh, Local, and the like...you will be glad to know that this is one restaurant that operates on all those fronts. Corkscrew has their own garden nearby the restaurant where they obtain most of their produce for your entrée, fresh picked that day. They offer great, fresh quality and add that to their skill in combining flavors and textures which are outstanding...this sort of combination always makes me think of the movie Ratatouille! They recently added a a beautiful display in the front of their restaurant showcasing their handcrafted, delicious pizzas. So, if you want to ditch the regular tourist spots and enjoy some outstanding food in a beautiful setting, go to Carmel Valley and experience food at its best!
Visit www.corkscrewcafe.com to view their hours, obtain directions, hear more about their restaurant, garden, or nearby Georis Winery and Tasting Room.
A special 'Thank You' to the Rachael Ray show for introducing me to this wonderful spot...sometimes even locals appreciate the new info. To view the food network "Monterey" episode link click here.
Below Pictures Courtesy of When in Monterey Blog Author:
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