BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2014

By Anonymous

Proquest LLC

AROUND TOWN 23

ARTS. ENTERTAINMENT G NIGHTLIFE 40

RESTAORANTS 52

SPECIALTY FOODS 56

SHOPPING G SERVICES 60

EDITORS' PICKS 93

Each year we invite submissions for categories we can add. This year the most popular suggestions were Best Wealth Manager and Best Dog Groomer.

AROUND TOWN

"Selfie" famously earned its place as a word in the dictionary in 2013, and Word of the Year from Oxford along with it. Around Town honors dozens of places that were epic in the year gone by, but have also been practicing their definition of excellence for a lot longer than a few months.

BEST ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE

Bixby Bridge

Highway 1 at Bixby Creek, Big Sur

When the Great Depression brought America to its knees, we stood up and built, creating the iconic structures that would redefine our landscapes, our image of ourselves-the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the U.S. Supreme Court, Bixby Bridge. Completed in 1932, Bixby introduced die world to Big Sur's coast, and die world hasn't been the same since, with visitors arriving each year in ever-increasing numbers. Bixby is far more than a beautifully-designed span of concrete-ifs a sculpture, standing arms out, connecting us to everything we need.

BEST PLACE TO WALK THE DOG BEST BEACH

CanmlBMdi

Ocean Avenue and Scenic Road, Carmel

www.carmelcaUfornia.com

Whiskey the Dog was always the coolest guy in the room-unless you pulled a tennis ball out of your pocket. Then he'd lose it. Whiskey would also lose it if his owners drove toward Carmel Beach. He was a good dog, but he would start whimpering and whining when the family minivan got around Carpenter Street Whiskey loved that stretch of white sand: It was where he could run off leash and play in the water, retrieving tennis balls tossed into the sea by his owners' Chuckit. Whiskey sure is missed, but we're all sure that he has found his own Carmel Beach in doggie heaven. Us twoleggeds love it too-the unique blue-green water is framed by stunning land masses on either end: Point Lobos to the south, and Pebble Beach to the north. But it's not just beautiful, it's functional. Dogs can run unleashed here. Fires can burn on the sand south of Tenth Avenue. And waves can be ridden right offshore.

BEST CLERGY

Dr. Bill Llttl«

Pacific Coast Church

522 Central Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 372-1942

www.pacificcoastchurchpg.org

The words above the lectern in the sanctuary of this Science of Mind church read "God is Love." According to Brooke Cole, who has known Dr. Bill since she was 5 years old, that is a message the minister lives daily. A former physics and math professor at NPS, Dr. Bill and the flock at the Pacific Coast Church will celebrate 10 years in Pacific Grove this Easter. According to Cole, Dr. Bill was voted best clergy not only because he models the truth of his messages, but he also sees the divinity in everyone.

BEST CONTEMPORARY/ MODERN BUILDING

Tanlmura A Anti* Family Mamorlal Library at CSUMB

100 Campus Center, Seaside

(831) 582-3733, http://library.csumb.edu

When the university opened in 1995, there was a library...of sorts. It was a set of old former munitions storage buildings that had been put together, a remnant of CSUMB's Fort Ord history. It was dark, ugly and had an occupancy of a whopping 100. Good thing the university ended up building the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library in 2008. The new library, a gleaming work of architectural ingenuity and environmental conscience, can hold more than 10 times the people that fit in the old one-and more books too. It's rated LEED Silver, built partly with recycled materials, and designed to let in abundant natural light. With 90,000 patrons a month-people come looking for books, lectures, counseling and a bite at the coffee shop-it's a lifeline for the university community.

BEST EVENT/FESTIVAL

Monterey Jazz Festival

Monterey County Fairgrounds

2004 Fairgrounds Road, Monterey

www.montereyjazzfestival.org

The day before 10-time Grammy Award-winning, vocal gymnast Bobby McFerrin-one of the headliners at the 56th Monterey Jazz Festival-did his thing on the Jimmy Lyons Main Arena stage, he took a stroll to catch a performance by 2014 Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Gregory Porter. Even, the most renowned bill-topping musicians-singer-songstress Diana Krall was also seen taking in an afternoon show at the Garden Stage as a regular audience member-can't help letting their fandom show at the world's longest consecutive-running jazz festival. Tickets for #57 go on sale May 12.

BEST FARMERS MARKET

Old Monterey Marketplace

Alvarado Street between Pearl Street and Del Monte Avenue, Monterey

(831) 655-2607

www.oldmonterey.org/farmers.html

With farmers markets all over Monterey County, nearly every day of the week year-round, it's easy to find fresh local produce in this blessed coastal nook of California. So it must not be the juicy berries, crisp greens or fresh nuts that make the Tuesday afternoon cornucopia on Alvarado stand out; our readers must gravitate toward this market over all other markets for the mouthwatering spread of international hot foods, maybe, from Korean barbecue to Lebanese shawarma. Or the crafters selling handwoven baskets and Big Sur jade jewelry. Musicians make you skip to the strawberries, and you'll probably run into some friends while you shop. It's not just a market-it's Monterey's own Marrakesh.

BEST GREEN/ECO TREND

Anything But Plastic

www.facebook.com/banthebagCA

For those of you unfamiliar with the 1970s television commercial: An ostensibly Native American actor named Iron Eyes Cody (he was actually an ItalianAmerican) cried a famous tear that successfully awakened us into reducing litter by 88 percent with the "Keep America Beautiful" campaign. You'd think that emotional reaction would have a longer impact on us. It didn't. We continue to litter plastics that kill delicate the life in our gorgeous bay, or break down and ultimately get eaten right back up by us. Alternatives to plastic are out there. Readers vote yes to those.

BEST HANGOUT FOR SENIORS

Carmel Foundation

Eighth Avenue and Lincoln Street, Carmel *

(831) 624-1588, (831) 620-8717

www.carmelfoundation.org

The four houses making up this senior center and club, founded in 1950, were built with the Carmel Foundation's mission of helping its members live out "successful aging." That goal can be accomplished through a large assortment of services, like low-cost lunches four days a week; more than 50 classes and activities including foreign languages, dancing and ping-pong; excursions to museums, plays and shopping; lectures on art, health and estate planning; affordable apartments for seniors; and free medical equipment loans. There are roughly 3,400 senior members 55 and older. Membership is $45 a year; the foundation accepts no government funds.

BEST HANGOUT FOR TEENS

Del Monte Center

1410 Del Monte Center. Monterey

(831) 373-2705, www.shopdelmonte.com

It's no surprise that the Del Monte Center was again chosen as the Best Hangout for Teens. Lets do the math... what do teens like...cheap food, shop- ping, technology and movies. Del Monte Center has 'em all. Food from Pizza My Heart, Chipotle, Subway, Starbucks. Fashion forward from Forever 21 to Banana Republic. Technology and games at Gamestop and Apple. And all of Hollywood's blockbusters at Cinemark 13. If Lorde was a Monterey res, we'd see her at Del Monte Center.

BEST HIKING TRAIL

Garland Ranch Regional Park

700 W. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley

(831) 372-3196, www.mprpd.org

The dogs may have egged their owners on with this vote. Canines give it a "four dog bone" rating because there is a river to play in and they get to be off-leash (albeit under voice/visual control). Other great aspects of a hike in Garland: no fees, open dawn to dusk, feels like wilderness though it is right off Carmel Valley Road, offers a variety of topography and biotic habitats with spawning steelhead in the river to deer in the hills. And, for the directionally challenged, getting lost in Garland is hard to do. The trails, thanks to a great staff and 50-plus volunteers, are well maintained. They have good signage and are brushed each year to keep them clear of nasty things like poison oak.

BEST LIBRARY

Monterey Public Library

625 Pacific St., Monterey

(831) 646-3932, www.monterey.org/library

For 2012-13, there were 500,000 items borrowed, 335,000 visits to the library or bookmobile, almost 10,000 people attended 224 cultural and informational programs, the help desk fielded 32,000 questions and volunteers gave 3,500 hours. "Over 800 people attended the multicultural Winter Celebration in one day," Burton says. "It was a busy day." But it was just another day in the life of the first library founded (in 1849) in California.

BEST LOCAL BLOG

Big Sur Kate

www.bigsurkate.wordpress.com

She lives, as she states, "on top of a mountain" the raw and bucolic south coast of Big Sur, and she knows everything. Well, everything about the goings on in Big Sur. Since the Basin Complex Fire in the summer of 2008, BSK has been the go-to source for information in the Big Sur community, whether a road falls into the ocean, a swath of the wilderness starts smoking or burning, or a heavy-hitting storm is dumping buckets of rain onto unsuspecting tourists and hearty locals.

BEST LOCAL DO-GOODER

Boys ft Girls Clubs of Montoroy County

1332 La Salle Ave., Seaside

(831) 394-5171

85 Maryal Drive, Salinas

(831) 757-4412

www.bgcmc.org

"*Our mission is to inspire and empower the youth of Monterey County to realize their full potential to become responsible, healthy, productive and successful citizens." That's a big mission statement. They do it by being affordable: Membership costs $25 and it's open to kids 6-18. They do it by being big: There are more than 4,800 youth members in both locations (which translates to 1,0001,200 daily attendees). They do it with teamwork: More than 20 community partners and 400 volunteers offer programs. They do it by being good: 45 years of countless awards and endorsements, including this readers' vote.

BEST LOCAL PLACE TO WORK

Community Hospital of tho Montoroy Ponlnsula

23625 Holman Highway, Monterey

(831) 624-5311, www.chomp.org

Say that you toil at Community Hospital and you were asked to shoot a selfie showing why yours is the best place to work. According to hospital spokesperson Brenda Moore, most of the 2,000plus employees work in patient care-so you might shoot photos of yourself and a newborn baby. Or of yourself helping someone check out of the emergency room. Or teaching a patient to treat their diabetes. Another take on the photo assignment might show you getting fit at the hospital-owned Wellness Center, or enjoying the $3 healthy lunch option in the cafeteria or strolling by the glass-domed koi pond on your way to your shift. Whether it is the physical environment, the nature of the work or even the pay, the image is coming in to focus: CHOMP is the best place to work.

BEST POLITICIAN

U.8. Rep. 8am Farr, D-Carmel

100 W. Alisal St., Salinas

(831) 424-2229, www.farr.house.gov

Other local pols have publicly (and huffily) commented, "I'm not even going to TRY to win this year because Sam always takes it." And Sam does always take it-he takes his sensibilities about the environment, veterans, economic development and the poor all the way to Washington, D.C., where he's represented Monterey County's interests for 21 years. In the last year alone he's a) helped get part of Fort Ord declared a national monument; b) helped bring a veteran's clinic to Marina; c) battled against ugly cuts to supplemental nutrition programs to the poor; and d) helped the Democrats fight through an ugly, Tea Party-driven effort to shut down the government.

BEST PARK

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

62 Highway 1, Carmel

(831) 624-4909, www.pointlobos.org

Criss-crossed with miles of trails, Point Lobos' landscape ranges from coastal scrub, cypress and Monterey pine forests to the famously jagged coastline that landscape artist Francis McComas described as "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world." Complementing the natural beauty is abundant wildlife-California sea otters, harbor seals and winter-migrating gray whales are just a few of the animals that frequent the waters surrounding the reserve. There aren't many large or sustained elevation changes, making it a perfect trip for the layperson or the family with small children. There are strollerfriendly areas, but to get to the really cool spots, you'll going to want to bring a child carrier. Don't forget the binoculars.

BEST PLACE TO TAKE VISITORS BEST LOCAL WEBSITE

Monterey Bay Aquarium

886 Cannery Row, Monterey

(831) 648-4800

www.montereybayaquarium.org

The Aquarium has earned its nonnegotiable must-see status with eyepopping special exhibits (coming April 12: Tentacles!), live feedings, auditorium programs, farm-to-table dining and, at the beating heart of the whole operation, a conservation mission. The website is a work of seamless beauty on par with the exhibits themselves-buy tickets in advance and map where to park; learn about the Open Sea exhibit, hang with sea otters on live webcams, listen to a podcast about the upcoming cephalopod exhibit, watch a video of a sea star eating, print shark coloring pages for the kids, learn about ocean acidification and download the latest Seafood Watch guide.

BEST PLACE TO BIKE/ MOUNTAIN BIKE

Fort Ord National Monument

(831) 394-8314, www.blm.gov

Eighty-three miles of trails set the stage for a biker's wild romp across everchanging terrain: golden grasslands, sticky monkey kingdoms, oak savannahs. It's a choose-your-own-adventure: pro or amateur, paved or dirt, hilly or flat. Henrietta Stern of Fort Ord Recreation Trails Friends recommends the Goat Trail (Trail 41), which blooms purple with lupine in the spring before dipping into a steep oak canyon. Tireless advocacy from groups like the Monterey Off Road Cycling Association, which hosts monthly trail-work days, makes this sprawling natural playground the best.

BEST PLACE TO DRINK NEXT TO A CELEBRITY

Mission Ranch

26270 Dolores St., Carmel

(831) 624-6436

www.missionranchcarmel.com

Well, let's just start with the owner, world's most eligible octogenarian and mega-celebrity Clint Eastwood, who from time to time mans up at the bar playing piano. (Do not ask him to play "Misty," he will pull out the Magnum.) It's not just Clint at the Mission, it is all his "friends" visiting the links at Pebble Beach that wander over. In past years, this list has included Carson Daly, Josh Duhamel, Wayne Gretzky, Don Cheadle, Ray Romano, Darius Rucker, Bill Murray, Marilyn Manson, Flip Wilson and Flipper the dolphin from the old TV show. (OK, I made some up.) Still, if it's celebrity you seek, the Mission is the place to go.

BEST PLACE TO EAVESDROP

Post Office

Various locations throughout

Monterey County

www.usps.com

Some may think that a coffee shop or diner might be a better-suited choice for the category, but consider this: Everyone trusts their postal worker. After all, they handle some of our most precious cargo. When you trust someone, you tend to spill the beans to them. When you're waiting in line to buy stamps, drop a package off or pick up the vacation mail, chatter happens.

BEST PLACE TO GET MARRIED

Lovett Point

Ocean View Boulevard, Pacific Grove

www.ci.pg.ca.us

Oh, Point of Lovers, how I love thee. Let me count the ways. For your lawns and your rocks and your sands. For your volleyball court. For your picnic tables and barbecue racks. For your peninsular outcropping and insular Puritan history. (Lovers is short for Lovers of Jesus, BTW.) For your kelp. For your new Beach House Restaurant. For your sunrises.

For your state marine reserve pristinity. In other words, Lovers Point, I do.

BEST PROFESSOR

Homer Bosserman

Monterey Peninsula College

(831) 646-4000, www.mpc.edu

Homer Bosserman has taught 12,000 students at MPC. Maybe more. After all, he's been teaching there for nearly 50 years. Since 1965, Bosserman has headed up a popular astronomy course that attracts some 250 students each class. He started at MPC in 1965 after getting his master's at the UC Berkeley and never looked back. The fun part of astronomy, he says, is simply looking up. Part of the coursé is taking field trips to secluded places in Carmel to gaze into the sky and ponder the universe. Astronomy isn't just about brainy science. Knowing your constellations, he says, could also come in handy next time you're trying to impress a date. At 78, he still doesn't know when he'll retire. The answer, perhaps, is in the stars.

BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE

Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links

77 Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove

(831) 648-5775, www.pggolflinks.com

From the Spanish moss-laden forest section to the wind-swept coastal final nine, there are more than 18 reasons these links get a write-up in this slot annually. It could be the ridiculously low price for a round; it might be the arrival of local culinary creative Dory Ford'sPoint Pinos Grill, offering up quality midor postround bites to complement the stellar Jack Neville-designed course. It seems every year P.G. Muni gets another nod from a national golf organization or outlet, be it a Zagat award or a "best kept secret" piece, and rightfully so. It's here that blue-collar golf enthusiasts can savor a taste of why Monterey County is a golfer's paradise, without maxing the credit card.

BEST RADIO DJ/BEST RADIO STATION

Jeff White/ KRML

102.1 FM, 1410 AM, www.krml.com

In the beginning, the FCC mandated radio stations "must use the broadcast medium to serve the public interest." (Look it up.) Not so with KRML, as it delivers 10 times more PSAs than most stations and limits ads to six an hour, largely in the business owner's voice. Quick digestible features spotlight finance, restaurants, gardens, sustainability and cooking (wine cometh soon), but the heart of this homegrown beautiful beast is music-cue the intuitive mixes of Johnny Cash, Mumford & Sons and the Fratellis, your new favorite band you hadn't heard of until Jeff White laid 'em down. As GM Mike Hale says, "He knows his stuff on the air and behind the scenes." This is what you want in a radio station-even before the hyper popular pop-up concerts like the one that hosted the Wild Feathers on Lovers Point cement pier right before they played Jimmy Kimmeland this is what founder and owner Scott McKay wanted when he bought the station. The visionary and businessman passed away from brain cancer last summer, but his community-driven mission is more alive than ever.

BEST PLACE TO READ THE WEEKLY

Anywtwre!

Behold the power of "all of the above." As in everywhere. Anywhere. Like the beach. The bocee ball court. The ball game. The bayside cafe. The cafeteria. The catwalk. The caboose. The catamaran. The cardroom. The doctor's office. The dentist's chair. The dive shop. The darkroom (with a head lamp). The dam... everywhere, anywhere, including the xylophone shop and the zoo. Each place works, whether via the web, mobile device or in print.

BEST PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN

Pebble B«acfi

www.pebblebeach.com

Whether it's the Tap Room, the trails, ol' Bird Rock, the beaches (and their barbecues), Spanish Bay, The Most Famous Golf Course on the Planet, the Beach Club, Cypress Point or that insane private party in that house the size of your high school gym, visibility is part of the vision here. And, hey, if not enough peeps see you, take a selfie.

BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET

The Bench

1700 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach

(800) 654-9300

www.pebblebeach.com/dining

There is an actual bench at The Bench, near the green on the I8th hole of the iconic Pebble Beach links. If inclined, one could watch the sunset from this hallowed golfers' ground. But why bother when The Bench has such an excellent patio, complete with firepits, warm shearling blankets and a world-class wait staff to help keep things cozy. So snuggle up with loved ones as the sun melts into the sea, and while you're at it, nosh on some melt-in-your-mouth goodies from the food menu. (The Asian street-foodstyle pork belly is a stellar choice, regardless of your sun position.)

BEST SURF SPOT

Montmy State Baach

Monterey and Seaside

(831) 624 3407, www.parks.ca.gov

Surfers are a unique bunch. Rather than sharing their favorite surf breaks with others, they like to tell you about other spots so their own waves don't become crowded. I have a feeling that the locals of Monterey County's two most popular beach breaks (Carmel Beach and Asilomar Beach) voted for Monterey State Beach to lead others away from their home spots. But the truth is the less hyped Monterey State Beach, which runs from Monterey'sMunicipal Wharf north to Seaside, does get some good waves now and again. The main breaks at Casa Verde and in front of the Monterey Beach Resort Hotel are never too crowded, while the surfers riding the mushy peaks offshore are usually downright friendly.

BEST TV ANCHOR

BEST TV NEWS

Dan Oraan, KSBW

238 John St., Salinas

(831) 758-8888, www.ksbw.com

It's hard to compete with the likes of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert these days, when TV news has become most popular for how easy it is to parody. So KSBW viewers are lucky to have in Dan Green, and co-anchor Erin Clark, a selfawareness that makes their newscasting more relatable, relevant and at times pretty wry. KSBW reporters are tough and persistent; they've dogged the King City police department for answers during the unraveling corruption allegations, and have followed Salinas City Councilman Jose Castañeda far and wide. Amid the breaking news, Green does a feature called "Animal Stories," where he covers adorable things like pandas.

BEST VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION

SPCA lor Montoroy County

1002 Monterey-Salinas Highway, Salinas

(831) 422-4721, www.spcamc.org

This is not just about snuggling with abandoned and injured kittens and puppies in need of a little TLC. SPCA also takes in farm animals and wildlife, from chickens, ducks, horses, raptors and fawns, to beavers and bunnies. Volunteers receive extensive training, becoming an educated and integral part of the animal care team that supplies the thousands of hours it takes to keep these critters happy. Baby birds are particularly demanding-these cuties need to be fed every five to 20 minutes, and March is just the beginning of baby bird season.

ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE

The selfie has its classic styles: the overhead ducklips-and-cleavage shot, the Gumby elbow shot in paradise, the flex-in-mirror pose. The best selfies take those conventions and make them their own with character and style. These spots do something similar, taking classic elements of creative work, fun times and social experience and giving them just the right punch of personality to make them inspiringly unique.

BEST ART GALLERY

Carm«l Art Association

Dolores between Fifth and Sixth, Carmel

(831) 624-6176

* www.carmelart.org

Founded in 1927, the Carmel Art Association is the second oldest artists' cooperative in the country-though the oldest one, located in New England, isn't nearly as active or visible. The association sponsors fundraising events, films, lectures, concerts and art demonstrations, in addition to comprising over 100 artists who live within 35 miles of Carmel. The five galleries of their historic building can show about 80 artists at a time, so wall space-and entry into the co-op-is competitive. Early members included artists such as Armin Hansen, William Ritschel, Francis McComas and E. Charlton Fortune, and April is when they jury new members in (or not) so the pool is recharged. A new development is the Carmel Art Association show at the Museum of Monterey, running now until April 27 "over the hill," as they say, to lure audiences who may not have visited their Carmel gallery space yet. If, in fact, such people exist.

BEST BAR FOR DARTS BEST PUB

Bulldog British Pub

611 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 658-0686

Seven plasma TVs are often airing the European Premiere Dart League (We kid not), so it's no wonder the Bulldog is the local bullseye. Says bartender Brent: "It's a combination of atmosphere, all sorts of locals and our great food that makes the Bulldog run." The gamut of Euro brews and food is pubtastic. Get banged and mashed or stick with the traditional fish-n-chips, tender, moist with a Britishborn extra-crispy crust. You'll find other patrons friendly and probably good for a chin wag. As Queen Victoria once said, "Give my people plenty of beer, good beer, and cheap beer, and you will have no revolution among them."

BEST BAR FOR FOLKS OVER 50

Mission Ranch

26270 Dolores St., Carmel

(831) 624-6436

www.missionranchcarmel.com

We're trying to figure out why the Mission Ranch was voted the Best Bar for Folks Over 50? Is it because Meals on Wheels does not have a liquor license? Or because the Mission is only nine blocks from downtown CarmeL.not too long a walk for those half-plus centurions? Is it because those of us slightly older can nod off counting actual live sheep as they graze nearby? Or is it because the steps into the bar are safety coded and UL approved for those with newly replaced hip and knee joints? The truth is, it's their rocking drink menu that ranges from old-style Bond martinis to old fashioned Old Fashions. Oh, who are we kidding? The Mission is perfect for anyone of legal drinking age and mind. Make your day, you 50-plus punks, and head to Clint's Mission Ranch. Be sure to ask about their AARP discount. They don't have one. But perhaps it will get a laugh.

BEST BARTENDER

Ira Comello, Graslng's

NW corner of Sixth and Mission, Carmel (831) 624-6562, www.grasings.com

Ira Comello is the kind of bartender who can make a classy place feel like a friendly neighborhood joint, who while concocting delicacies for a busy 100-seat restaurant can also hold down steady banter at a small bar and make you feel like a regular. It's appropriate that his official title is "social chemist," considering how deft he is at conversation, but he's also got what it takes in the liquid chemistry department, applying subtle, creative twists to classic cocktails. Comello's spiced Manhattan features his house-infused bourbon which settles for five days in the basement with vanilla beans, cloves, dried cherries and ginger, and agave nectar. It smells like Christmas, which is fitting for drinks that make every day feel like a holiday.

BEST BLOODY MARY

Big Sur River Inn

46840 Highway 1, Big Sur

(831) 667-2700, www.bigsurriverinn.com

Hungover? Need the hair of the dog? The Big Sur River Inn has something that'll set not only a hangover straight, but help grow hair in places that show how tough you are now. The River Inn Bloody Mary is traditionally made with pepper-infused vodka that the wait staff are told to warn patrons about when ordered. Yes, it's that hot. If the heat is too much, or spicy fare isn't your thing, the homemade mix with plain vodka-or by itself-is deliciously concocted daily. If, however, you do order the River Inn Bloody Mary, there's no turning back: You were warned. Your hangover will thank you for it.

BEST CLUB DJ

DJ Hanlf Wondlr

(831) 320-8745, www.hanifwondir.com

Hanif Wondir isn't one of those Top 40 button-pushers whose catalog barely scratches the early '90s; he's the official DJ of Pebble Beach and L.A. Food & Wine with real-world hip-hop experience, having shared stages with the likes of De La Soul, Macklemore and Talib Kweli, with the kind of think-outsidethe-boom box know-how needed to help turn any private party, special event or wedding into an all-night blowout.

BEST CLUB FOR BLUES BEST CLUB FOR ROCK BEST PLACE FOR DANCING

Sty McF!y*s

700-A Cannery Row, Monterey

(831) 649-8050, www.slymcflys.net

If you're willing to pay, the bands will play. According to Sly's owner Jack Burnam, that philosophy has kept the Cannery Row spot flush with live music seven nights per week for more than 35 years. Whether the Dani Paige Band is cranking out contemporary blues originals or Decades (the Cadillac of rock cover bands) is delivering early rock staples via Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven," the blues and rock-and-roll (and soul and R&B and funk) adds up to a formula that keeps the modest-sized dancefloor hopping on a nightly basis. More good news: It rarely costs anything to get inside.

BEST CLUB FOR JAZZ

Clbo Ristorant« Italiano .

301 Alvarado St., Monterey

(831) 649-8151, www.cibo.com

Working at Cibo as a 19-year-old busboy back in the day landed this writer a front row seat to an entertaining show of humans seeking fun with each other. That's because Cibo's winning recipe is to shut down its kitchen at night and keep its bar open, transforming into a live music spot for dancing. That can sound like soul, funk or R&B dance music on Fridays and Saturdays. But on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, that sounds like jazz, from Joe Lucido, Lee Durley, Dave Holodiloff and other jazz cats. The first and third Sunday of the month it sounds like Happy Hour Jazz Jam 2-5pm with early drink specials and no cover charge. No matter the night, the sound draws people here like flocks of birds. Jazz at Cibo's is one of the more sophisticated and lively nights in downtown Monterey.

BEST COFFEEHOUSE

Cwmvf Valley Coffee Roasting Company

Ocean Avenue between Lincoln and Monte Verde, Carmel (831) 626-2913

3720 The Barnyard, Carmel (831) 620-0844

246 Crossroads Blvd., Carmel

(831) 626-8784

319 Mid Valley Center, Carmel

(831) 622-0787

510 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 920-1663

East Village Coffee Lounge

498 Washington St., Monterey

(831) 373-5601

www.carmelcoffeeroasters.com

They emphasize organic coffee and roast all their own beans in mid-Carmel Valley. The espresso head honchos over at CVCRC have trained their baristas to craft a mighty fine cuppa, but they also have the business acumen to set up shop in primo locations that would make the coffee barons over at Starbucks HQ steam with a bit of real estate envy. With coffeehouses in downtown Monterey, P.G. and all over Carmel, it's easy to find a good spot to camp out with a latte and the latest edition of your favorite weekly newspaper. The brand extends beyond its five bricksand-mortar locations as well, offering its certified organic coffee at a slew of retail locations around Monterey County.

BEST DRINK WITH A VIEW

Schooners Coastal Kitchen t Bar

400 Cannery Row, Monterey

(831) 372-2628

www.schoonersmonterey.com

"46 Reasons to Win" is a fresh take on a classic Manhattan-style martini created by shaking Makers 46 bourbon, ginger Stirrings (a natural ginger liqueur), handsqueezed lemon juice, a hint of maple syrup and ginger beer served up with a Luxardo maraschino cherry. It is one of the many reasons why Schooners Coastal Kitchen and Bar has won Best Drink with a View for more than half a decade. Other reasons, besides an incredible view of the Monterey Bay, include a social hour on weekdays from 4-6pm where you can score top-notch deals like 13-ounce beer on tap for $3 a glass and specialty cocktails like the Ginger and Lemongrass Bloody Mary or the Rosemary Sour for $7. Don't lean over the edge of the deck too far to appreciate the view after a few tasty libations or you might end up in the bay.

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Hula's Island GHII

622 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 655-4852, www.hulastiki.com

Most happy hours around town follow a similar template: fried food and beer for about a dollar off the usual menu price. Hula's does something different, and it's great. They offer truly tasty stuff (Hawaiian ceviche, crispy coconut shrimp rolls, their always terrific basket of sweet potato fries) and some potent, well-made cocktails (Mai Tais, Dark and Stormys) for just $5 a pop. Add in that Hula's happy hour (2-6pm Wed-Sat and 4-6pm Sun-Mon) are more like happy afternoons (on Tuesdays they last all day) and it's no surprise at all the fun, islandstyle restaurant was singled out by readers as Best Happy Hour in the county.

BEST ICE CUBE BEST LATE-NIGHT HANGOUT

Restaurant 1833

500 Hartnell St., Monterey

(831) 643-1833, www.restaurantl833.com

Maybe it's the ice cubes so dope O'Shea Jackson's good day is getting worse-1 1/2-inch perfectly clear cubes produced by a specialized Kold Draft Ice machine, and designed to dilute and chill with precision-or maybe it's the hyper fresh and intuitive ingredients from the cocktail doctors behind the bar. (Try the El Diablo with tequila, cassis, lime and ginger beer.) Or maybe it's a sum-is-greater-than-the-parts equation, with the magic variables being the untillam weekend hours, fire pits on the patio, loungy library, glowing bar and Saturday nights with DJ BADDJ turning tables and frowns upside down.

BEST LOCAL ARTIST

Richard MacDonald

Richard MacDonald Studio

16 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Monterey

(831) 655-0424

www.RichardMacDonald.com

Sculptor Richard MacDonald has been sculpting sensual, dynamic and athletic figures for 25 years. It's easy to spot one of his pieces. They're usually struck fast in the midst of a dance move or on the precipice of an athletic feat, a strong and graceful chisel to the musculature of the body as it defies gravity. Some of his most significant works have been "The Flair," a 26-foot bronze in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympic Games, and "Momentum," a 15-foot bronze celebrating the 100th year of the U.S. Open (which was held at Pebble Beach). But beyond mere physicality, MacDonald, a post-modern figurative artist who's also worked in paint and is represented in the private collections of the famous and the galleries of the elite, is searching for a spiritual element in the human form. Locally, his work takes physical form at his own studio gallery in Monterey and at Dawson Cole Fine Art in Carmel.

BEST LOCAL BAND

Tha Money Band

Fridays at Sly McFly's

(858) 752-3590, www.moneyband.org

From superstar Adele's explosive compositions to the vibrations of Bruno Mars and Pearl Jam, the beats of Bob Marley, the crashing echoes of Journey, the legendary reverberations of The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Frank Sinatra and even the drawls of Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson, everyone hears their desired sounds to get their groove on. Our local boogie drum-in, The Money Band, performs the county's favorite hits with no shortage of charisma or precision. Zoe Alexander (vocals, percussion, harmonica), Michael Kobrinsky (drums), Steve Moseley (vocals, guitar) and Michael Chatfield (bass) rock your socks off, screaming ladies included.

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN

Casey Frazter

(831) 238-5555, http://caseyfrazier.net

Twenty-five-year-old Casey Frazier has already penned more than 150 original tunes, but it was only recently, since moving back to the Central Coast for a new start, that he's felt confident about his songwriting. His 2013 record Regal-a flood of Americana roots-meets-cleancut folk rock and self-discovery-unfolds through imagery of vast blue skies and great expanses of uninhabited land in the Old West. "There's something about that lonesome cowboy, wide open feeling that draws people in," Frazier says. Bom in Kansas City, Frazier's lived all over the country-including Denver and Nashville-but will always consider Carmel Valley home. He performs at 7pm every Friday and Saturday at Jack London's in Carmel.

BEST LOCAL THEATER

Pacific Itepartory Thaater

Monte Verde Street, Carmel

(831) 622-0100, www.PacRep.org

PacRep comprises two theaters. The bigger of the two is the renovated Golden Bough Playhouse, home to big musicals like The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and their annual Buddy Holly number, big-name plays like A Streetcar Named Desire and Julius Caesar. Thanks to a large new projection screen and technology upgrades, Golden Bough also doubles as a film screening venue for satellite broadcast Specticast Films. Adjoining that theater is the smaller theater-in-the-round Circle Theatre, where more daring or adult stuff shows, like An Iliad, God of Carnage or A Tuna Christmas. But let's not forget that the company also travels each season a few blocks to produce shows at the Outdoor Forest Theatre, like last season's Peter Pan, and train upcoming child thespians in their School of Dramatic Arts program. PacRep has been doing theater at a consistently high level since the 1980s. And is getting better with every year.

BEST MARGARITA

Baja Cantina and Orill

7166 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel

(831) 625-2252, www.carmelcantina.com

A margarita can be a quick way to ruin an exceptional shot of tequila, or, worse, lead to a sugar-saturated hangover. Fortunately for us, the tequila gods have smiled upon Baja Cantina, which has swept this category for more than a decade. The operating concept behind each of the margaritas at Baja Cantina is fresh and clean, made possible by a house-made mix that contains no processed sugar and all-organic products, including fresh agave nectar. The Partida Organic Margarita (on the rocks, of course) is a crowd favorite loaded with an invigorating dose of 100-percent blue agave bianco, but margarita mixologists can get creative with BC's list of 200 different tequilas, the largest selection of craft tequilas on the Central Coast. There's nothing quite like taking in views of Carmel Valley from the outdoor patio while listening to a little live music with the county's best margarita in hand.

BEST MARTINI

LALLApalooza

474 Alvarado St., Monterey

(831) 645-9036, www.lalla-palooza.com

James Bond, Humphrey Bogart and Ernest Hemingway all loved the martini. All were sought-after sex symbols in their spheres of existence. The martini is a strong drink to be sipped delicately and with class, and LALLApalooza on Alvarado provides an outlet for seductive sipping of this classic cocktail. Opt for the standard martini or special variations like the spicy White Mexican, the refreshingly fruity Mirage, or the naughty Betty Paige made with X-Rated Liqueur. With drinks like these, a night at LALLApalooza is always sufficiently stirring.

BEST MOVIE THEATER

Oslo Cinemas

350 Alvarado St., Monterey

(831) 644-8171, www.OsloCinemas.com

Osio gives downtown Monterey an important anchor of sophisticated culture. It's where grown-ups can see films that don't attack the retina and eardrum, but challenge and engage intelligence and emotion that push the boundaries of the artform. How innovative is that? And they do it not just by picking the cream of the crop of independent and art films, but by hosting local film screenings and appearances and Q&As by filmmakers. So, striving for the best in cinema, the prime location, the digital projector upgrades, the local love, the tasty Cafe Lumiere tucked inside (you can bring their food and beverages inside the theater) and for the relaxed atmosphere, Qsio is your fave. May we compliment your excellent taste?

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

Crown and Anchor

150 W. Franklin St., Monterey

(831) 649-6496, www.crownandanchor.net

The decor is a lush, saturated British nautical theme that feels awesome to sink into as you walk down the stairs. Expect authentic fare like curried potato wedges, corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips (of course) and bangers and mash, punctuated with daily specials and weekend prime rib. There are vegetarian, vegan and even gluten-free options. The gorgeous full bar has 20 international beers on tap, but ordering a gin and tonic will score points for its reference to England's colonialist past. The popular patio, lined with benches and booths, abutted by the Osio Cinemas and an old adobe, loomed over by the Marriott Hotel across the street, sunken and enclosed from the tucked away plaza, is one of Monterey's prime drinking and meeting spots. Crown, as everyone calls it, is British class done American style-fun, rollicking and unpretentious.

BEST PERFORMING ARTS VENUE

SuitMtCMltW

San Carlos at Ninth, Carmel

(831) 620-2048, www.sunsetcenter.org

Sunset Center is lucky to have someone like Christine Sandin as executive director. From country pop demigod Vince Gill and beloved curmudgeon comic Lewis Black to '60s icon Graham Nash and Oscar winner Jeff "The Dude" Bridges, Sandin put together a dynamic and versatile 2013. So far, she's gone big in 2014 with country legend Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson & Family coming soon. Who knows who's next?

BEST PHOTO GALLERY

Woston Gallory

Sixth Avenue and Dolores, Carmel

(831) 624-4453, www.westongallery.com

Though their namesake family of photographic artists are represented continuously and nobly, they democratically share the marquee with many others. The space is divided into two rooms: The first one can feel cozy and close, the other one open and airy, but both are packed with significant photographic prints from the most important names in fine art photography. The gallery's collections are abetted by a fine selection of art books. And they represent the Golden State in big photography exhibitions and symposiums in New York and in weighty art magazines. It's small and compact, with a big voice in the landscape of fine art photos.

BEST PLACE FOR ADULT NOVELTIES

OohULa

115 Central Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 375-6969, www.oohlalamonterey.com

Good Old Days is fine and dandy, but America's last hometown is also home to some good old nights-thanks to the addition of their first adult, sex-positive novelty shop. The friendly proprietors are quick to offer helpful hints and suggestions for the perfect gizmos, lotions and whatnot to lube up your love life (or your self-love life, as the case may be). From the tame to the more adventurous (it's a neck massage, I swear), they'll help you find the right item for your purchasing pleasure. Or so we've heard.

BEST PLACE FOR KARAOKE Britannia Arms

444 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 656-9543

www.britanniaarmsofmonterey.com Don't stop beliieeeevinL.that the Britannia Arms Pub is the best karaoke joint in MoCo. Because it still is. Weekly readers' favorite maintains its title this year, and for good reason. One of those reasons: Bobby Vegas. The longtime host is known for drawing the crowds to this thrice weekly (Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday) event, and for getting that crowd-everyone from college kids to tourists-to sing their hearts out. If you've got a request Vegas doesn't have, he'll try to accommodate you next time. Or you

can bring in your own tune to rock out to. So what're you waiting for? Grab the mic and hit those high notes. But in music, as in life, it isn't about where your voice is going. It's about the Journey.

BEST SPOT TO SHOOT POOL

Blu* Fin Cafe A Billiards

685 Cannery Row, Monterey

(831) 717-4280, www.bluefinbilliards.com

If the block of Cannery Row that houses Blue Fin were a pool table, the joint would command both of the top corner pockets. On the scorecard, this breaks down to an expansive billiards venue with 11 full-size tables and sweeping Monterey Bay views. Pool sharks will enjoy sinking their bank shots during the weekly nine-ball tournaments, and even table game-averse land lovers will find solace in the weekly salsa dancing nights. Stop by during happy hour MondayFriday for deep discounts on beer and appetizers from the kitchen.

BEST SELECTION OF BEERS

Cannery Row Browing Company

95 Prescott Ave., Monterey

(831) 643-2722

www.canneryrowbrewingcompany.com Despite the allusion embedded within its name, CRBC does not actually brew any of its own beer. And while it's not a brewery, it is nothing shy of a brew emporium, offering 73 assorted beers on tap (a draft selection that's touted as the largest in Northern California) and a bottle list deep enough to fit in some large-format "magnum" brews that command vintage wine bottle prices. The draft menu is really heavy on the ales-everything from yeasty Belgian tripeis and uber-hoppy IPAs flow from the taps-but a nice selection of standard and dark lagers, ciders, porters, stouts and barleywines is enough to keep even the most discerning beer snob coming back for more.

BEST SELECTION OF WINES BY THE GLASS

A Tasto of Montoroy Win# Markot A Bistro

700 Cannery Row, Suite KK, Monterey

(831) 646-5446, www.atasteofmonterey.com

Just the vast and locally dedicated selection of Arroyo Seco Chards and Santa Lucia Highlands Pinots and South County blends-more than 90, nearly 30 available by the glass-are enough to win this convincingly. But there's also the new bistro, the 180-degree on-topof-the-water views, the tasting bar, the well-curated wine paraphernalia and the best view from a restaurant men's room in the state.

BEST SINGLES BAR

Th# Mucky Duck

479 Alvarado St., Monterey

(831) 655-3031

www.muckyduckmonterey.com

"Oh hai." "Hi." "You like draft beer? Me too." "Yes, the selection here is superb." "How did you know that trivia answer about Borneo? You're so worldly." "I once ran an orphanage there that was powered by a stationary bike I made from bamboo." "Oh then you'll love the patio. We can sit under the stars by the fire." "And order the Roasted Pear Salad?" "How about we skip the hors d'oeuvres and head straight for the digestif?" "You're my missing ingredient" "Let's pretend you're a farm and I'll be the table."

BEST SPORTS BAR T

KnuddM Sports Bar

Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa

1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey

(831) 372-1234, www.hyatt.com

Built-in beer taps and boar ribs on the plate, serenaded by the sounds of your favorite play-by-play announcer blasting through the table? Yeah, they got that, and then some. For more than 10 years, Knuckles has been the place to be when the competition is fierce and the need for exceptional edibles isn't expendable. With 24 flatscreen HD sets there isn't a bad seat in the house. Whether you're solo, sidled up to the bar shooting the shizer with the friendly 'tenders, or in a group of rowdy fans looking to catch all the action, Knuckles hits the spot with a wide variety of beers and hard-to-beat vittles. If you're looking for a quiet night out, take your night elsewhere.

f BEST TASTING ROOM

_ Talbott Vineyards

25 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley

(831) 659-3500

1380 River Road, Salinas

(831) 675-0492

www.talbottvineyards.com

Forget about wine for a moment, and think about some of the best spots around town to take a selfie: Sunset viewpoints might come to mind, but there is some equally impressive scenery inside Talbott's newest tasting room in Carmel Valley. This 2,800-square-foot expanse features a redwood bar and 15 vintage motorcycles on display. Before he founded the 100-percent estate-grown winery in 1982, Robb Talbott restored antique cars and raced motorcycles. Now, Talbott has cultivated a tasting experience as sophisticated as his wines (and his motorcycles). And of course the original River Road location-on site where all the winemaking magic happens-is where winemaker Dan Karlsen is at work and generally on hand to answer questions for visitors more interested in wine than bikes. Either way, you're going to be sampling some of the region's finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

BEST WINERY TO VISIT

Hahn Wintry

37700 Foothill Road, Soledad

(831) 678-4555, www.hahnestates.com

The eyes start on the vineyards and then jump west to the Salinas Valley, the Gabilan range, the distant Pinnacles. The view from the patio of Hahn's tasting room is tops in the valley, especially when accompanied by one of Hahn's wines, which-year after year-are among the best to be found in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Add to that an option not often seen in wine country: A private ATV tour, where one can zip around the upper reaches of the estate for an even better view, one that stretches from King City to Salinas. The tour concludes with a visit to the wine cellar and a reserve tasting in Hahn's VIP room, where aside from feeling very important, one is sure to feel fortunate.

RESTAURANTS

One of the most impressive pictures on the Selfie Olympics feed online-where heroic people do absurd self-portraits balancing on gumball machines and doing handstands on countertops-is of a guy playing chess on his lap while hanging from the top of the bathroom door all while taking a picture. That's about the equivalent demand of running a restaurant, Jet alone a new one, or a bustling one, or one that can seat 250, six or seven days a week.

BEST APPETIZERS/ SMALL PLATES

Mundaka

Seventh Avenue and San Carlos Street, Carmel

(831) 624-7400, www.mundakacarmel.com

This year Carmel's popular Spanish tapas restaurant celebrates its fifth anniversary, and five years as a; readers' favorite. The upcycled decor, live music, impressive wine list and steady expansions-owner Gabriel Georis has taken over two adjacent leases to open the Mundaka Cafe, serving daytime Ritual coffee, artisanal tea and light fare; and a bar, High Tide-are impressive on their own. But it's the food, dished small, that gets our pulses racing. Chef Brandon Miller constantly mixes up the menu with charcuterie (think high-class meats like hand-sliced, acorn-fed ham); seafood (dreaming of shrimp bisque with scallop ceviche); traditionals (can't go without the papas bravas, served with an addictive aioli); farm foods (the lamb sliders give a new meaning to hamburguesa); and nibbles (mmm, fried garbanzos with white-truffle salt). Most of them clock-in under $15, too.

BEST BREAKFAST

First Awakenings

125 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove

(831) 372-1125

171 Main St., Salinas (831) 784-1125

www.fi rstawa ken i ngs. net

Thick slices of cinnamon french toast, fluffy frittatas, eggs Benedict done classic or Florentine-style, and pancakes so big you'll probably need a to-go box are just a sampling of the breakfast menu at First Awakenings. They're also a testament to why this local breakfast institution has won this category for nearly a decade. First Awakening's hearty omelets are available in all the standard styles, plus a few original takes, like the Acapulco Express: a spicy chorizo, avocado, green chili and onion composition enrobed in melted cheese, sour cream and chives. Other egg creations include the nifty "crêpeggs" which combines crêpe batter with eggs to deliver a thin, crisp and fluffy treat stuffed with fresh ingredients. Expect a wait weekend mornings, but know that it's for a breakfast that will go down in the books as the best. Free coffee while you wait, too.

BEST BRUNCH

Red Houm Cafe

662 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 643-1060, www.redhousecafe.com

Crab Cake Benedict, baby. Cinnamon brioche French toast, toots. Smoked salmon on potato pancake with dill, crème fraîche and capers, Ke-mo sah-bee. Frittata with artichoke hearts, spinach and roasted red peppers, peeps. Trifle with berries, vanilla yogurt and housemade granola, governor. Chorizo and eggs, amigo. Saturday and Sunday-8am2:30pm-can't come soon enough.

BEST CHEAP EATS

Noodle Bar

215 Reservation Road, Suite E, Marina

(831) 384-6225

1944 Fremont Blvd. Suite B, Seaside

(831) 392-0210

www.noodlebarfood.com

Pho real, it is worth a trip to the affordable Noodle Bar for a true Vietnamese dining experience. The food is simple but never boring, colorful and aromatic, spicier or sweeter and always delicious. You'll find appetizers like spring rolls (four for $5.50), steaming bowls of soup with homemade chicken or beef broth (regular for $5.50; large for $6.50), noodle and rice bowls (again $5.50-$6.50), vegetarian choices and specialty plates. You can customize your order adding more noodles, veggies, meat, etc. for a small cost. They offer mouthcooling milk teas, smoothies and green teas for those who enjoy a little extra kick with their food. The original location is in Seaside with a second in Marina. Both locations offer the possibility of takeout or eating in. This family-owned business works hard to provide a great experience with quality food and service.

BEST CHEF

Cal Stamanov, Bamardus Lodga

415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley

(831) 658-3400, www.bernarduslodge.com/ marinus-restaurant.aspx

He believes in the connection of food to the land, that handcrafted and artisanal beats out mass produced or frozen any day of the week and that food is at its best when it's at its peak. Thomas Keller? Maybe. Cal Stamenov? Definitely. The esteemed chef at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley has relationships with foragers, farmers and fishermen that run deep and wide. He has his own herb and vegetable garden on the property and an orchard at home. He doesn't need to coax flavor out of anything because he only uses what's in season-and makes sure it's perfectly seasoned. While Bernardus is undergoing a transition that comes with new ownership, Stamenov remains firmly in charge of the food, and it's sexy, sumptuous food well worth the trip over the grade and into Carmel Valley.

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT

Tommy's Wok

Mission Street between Ocean Avenue

and Seventh Avenue, Carmel

(831) 624-8518

www.tommyswokcarmel.com

In China, they say the best way to test the mettle of a chef is to try his kung pao chicken, because the perfect balance of savory-sweet and numbing spiciness is hard to strike while also not killing the dish with oil. Start with the kung pao at Tbmmy's, and from there let your taste buds be your guide. All the standard Americanized Chinese classics (read: orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, etc.) are on the menu, as are a few Szechuan favorites and some house specialties such as the batter-fried Tommy's prawns, which have a delightful crunch that plays well against the garlickysweet Mandarin sauce they're served with. Tommy's menu has been the same for years, a nod to the chefs, who don't feel compelled to fix anything that's not broken. Tommy's Wok is also one of the cheapest meals to be had in a part of the county saturated with pricey restaurants, which is all the more reason to go.

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT

Black Baar Dinar

2450 Fremont St., Monterey (831) 645-9700

805 W. Laurel Dr., Salinas (831) 449-1545

Whether it's in Monterey or Salinas, this homespun eatery is your favorite place to take the cubs. Maybe it's because the place is a veritable-bear heaven housing everything from stuffed black bears to bears on candy to bears on T-shirts. It could be the friendly glow of the jukebox spouting hit after feel-good hit. But more often it's the food. Every Cub's Meal served after 11am comes with a free sundae loaded with chocolate syrup, rainbow sprinkles or Oreo crumbs, making us wish we could all stay 12 forever.

BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT

Bistro Moulin

867 Wave St., Monterey

(831) 333-1200, www.bistromoulin.com

If you are gearing up for a trip to Europe, more specifically the country home to the Eiffel Tower and the renowned Champs Elysees, and you want to get a taste of the food beforehand to avoid culture shock, then hit up Bistro Moulin. It's an authentic bistro dishing up classic European fare iaan intimate and well-decorated setting. Prepare yourself for escargot cooked with garlic and hazelnut butter, moules frites, steak Bordelaise or the coq au vin. But the mindblowers are chef and owner Didier Dutertre's potato-free gnocchi aux épinards which have been dubbed "angel's pillows" by a local food critic for their resemblance to fluffy white pillows. Not your average gnocchi by any means, these heavenly Parisian-style bites are made with a pate a choux (light pastry dough) and doused with Parmesan cream sauce before being thrown under a broiler au gratin style.

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

Ambrosia India Bistro

565 Abrego St., Monterey

(831) 641-0610, www.ambrosiaib.com

The chefs at Ambrosia create a flavorful fusion of the classic continental cuisine found in Indian restaurants across the country (dishes like saag paneer, chana masala, and chicken tikka masala, to name a few), and they execute these dishes well, but they also make use of our coastal locale, fusing coastal and south Indian cooking techniques to deliver a selection of fish and seafood curries. Southern specialties like Goan fish curry and Kerala scallop curry compete for menu space with northern delicacies such as rogan josh and tandoori chicken. During the lunch hour (weekends included) Ambrosia hosts a buffet, which is an excellent way to sample more than a few varieties of curry, and, if you're lucky, their phenomenal kheer (rice pudding) for dessert. Buffet items rotate throughout the weeks, which is a good excuse for repeat visits, and more kheer.

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

II vsccMo

110 Central Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 324-4282

www.ilvecchiorestaurant.com

11 vecchio takes old-school Tuscan trattoria casual charm and combines it with the sensibilities of the modem food movement and one hell-of-a-wine list to create the best Italian dining experience in Monterey County. Gnocchi with gorgonzola and apples is an il vecchio trademark that's quickly becoming a legendary local dish, but save room for classic Italian all-stars like spinach cannelloni and Chianti-braised pork shoulder. Wine comes by the glass in a generous selection of $6 pours, and bottles from regional and Italian vineyards are humbly priced but enticing all the same. Get to know your neighbors during the fun "family dinner" events every Tuesday, when the rustic restaurant's tables are put together and adorned with communal serving bowls and everyone seated is invited to dig in. Buon appetito!

BEST JAPANESE/ SUSHI RESTAURANT

Crystal Fish

514 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 649-3474, www.crystalfishsushi.com

Ponder, if you will, the takoyaki roll: a warm, ricey tentacle of octopus, avo and crab topped with baked bonito, otafuku sauce and tempura crunchies. It's different from your standard American sushi fare, which leans so heavily on shrimp, salmon and tuna. Crystal Fish does those standards beautifully, in popular maki rolls like the Firecracker, Volcano and Big Ryan. But outside-of-the-bento-box options are what makes Crystal Fish a standout with our readers, year after year. Inhabiting the extensive sushi menu are unusual selections (like the mussel shooter with quail egg) among classically rendered udon soups, salads, nigiri and sashimi. The connoisseur's touch extends to the sake, too: Try the Kikusui, and wait for it.

BEST KOREAN RESTAURANT

Orlont Bxprsss

1884 Fremont Blvd., Seaside

(831) 394-9494

The exterior of Orient Express isn't photogenic. The pink comer restaurant is part of a strip mall that neighbors a busy gas station. But it's not the aesthetics or architecture of the building that keep people coming back, raving and sharing the experience; it's the food that comes out of the kitchen. Big, heavy, hot iron pots filled to the brim with bubbling soups; box lunches anchored by sweet or spicy meats but balanced with white rice, salad and fried tempura; glistening glass noodles chock full of bright vegetables; crispy and chewy savory oyster or kimchi pancakes; black sheets of seaweed wrapped firmly around rice and a rainbow of condiments. And that's not even mentioning the seven to 10 little dishes ofbanchan accompaniment-marinated soy beans, radish kimchi, root vegetable, sweet black bean and others-that adds multitudes of dimension to the meal. The beauty of this place is where it belongsin the food.

BEST MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT

Damotra Cafa

Southeast corner of Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Street, Carmel

(831) 622-7766, www.dametracafe.com

It's a Mediterranean mashup of upbeat oud and satisfying food that treat Dametra's diners to a truly unique dining experience. No, seriously, this Carmel gem recently ranked sixth in a national poll of Yelp-reviewed restaurants, thanks in part to authentic plates like the Jerusalem kafta, Greek moussaka and a stacked gyros plate complete with roasted lamb and beef. The warm, welcoming atmosphere and spontaneous dancing sessions set Dametra apart from scores of other modest eateries, Mediterranean or otherwise. And their sizable list of out- Standing local wines doesn't hurt much either.

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Peppers MexiCall Cafe

170 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 373-6892

www.peppersmexicalicafe.com

Of all the delicious Latin-infused eateries in the area, one might not expect the best of the best to be this cozy comer spot in sleepy P.G. Precisely why you don't judge a cantina by the paint job. The ever-crowded dining room is the first hint there's something good going on. But, any skepticism melts like pepper jack cheese atop a wet burrito after a taste of the local fried calamari platter with cilantro tartar sauce, or the super-spicy prawns Gonzalez. Need more heat? Homemade salsa and Melinda's habanero sauce multiply the kick and complement any dish. Scoville overload? Cool down with a drink from one of the only full bars in the city, including a handful of signature margaritas, flights of quality cactus juice and all the pale south-of-theborder brews a self-respecting Mexican spot should have.

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT

Amir's Grill A Bar

794 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 642-0231

Formerly Amir's Kabob House, chef and owner Mukhtar Amir, a Monterey High and CSU Monterey Bay graduate, specializes in the world of kabobs and Afghan cuisine. If you visit his establishment and are not a fan of lamb then you may be one of the black sheep. Not to fear, Amir is a food wizard who can help patrons become lovers of young sheep with just a single bite of his magical lamb kabobs or tikka lamb which are prepped in an overnight meat marinade of pureed garlic, onions and seasonings, a secret family recipe. If lamb still doesn't entice you, maybe a drink from their new full bar will-and the belly dancers that shake their hips every second and fourth Friday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30pm can't hurt.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Btach House at Lovers Point

620 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove

(831) 375-2345, www.beacbhousepg.com

The field in this category came more loaded than any in the 20-plus years there's been a Best of Monterey County Readers' Vote. Which means the Beach House is loaded with so many qualities it somehow swallowed the huge hype that preceded its much-delayed opening and spit it into Lovers Point Cove: nice values, a versatile menu, clever and fresh firecracker shrimp and bacon-wrapped meatloaf flavors, early bird bargains, locals love, super-friendly service, one-ofa-kind views, expert bartenders and two gorgeous young chefs making sweet harmony behind the kitchen doors.

BEST OUTDOOR DINING BEST RESTAURANT - BIG SUR

NvpenttM Restaurant

48510 Highway 1, Big Sur

(831) 667-2345, www.nepenthebigsur.com

To dine outdoors in fresh and open air is divine. To spend a day in Big Sur can be transformative. Might heaven be located, then, at Nepenthe Restaurant?

An international and local crowd would say with conviction they've been sent to the clouds with a view of Big Sur's south coast from the umbrella covered back deck while holding the famous Ambrosia Burger in one hand and a mind-numbing South Coast Margarita in the other. While Nepenthe's main restaurant is only open for lunch and dinner, down below, the outdoor only Café Kevah is open from 9am (weather permitting) with a full coffee and brunch menu. And their Incredible Sticky Bun is so good they posted the recipe to the Nepenthe website.

BEST PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH

Tarpy1! Roadhouse

2999 Monterey-Salinas Highway, Monterey

(831) 647-1444, www.tarpys.com

More business deals than anyone can count have been struck over a few glasses of wine and a nice flame-grilled cut of Black Angus steak. Over at Tarpy's Roadhouse, a lunchtime menu of grade-A cuts of meat and fish, a veritable garden of salads, and more sandwiches and pastas than days in the week ensure a something-to-please-everyone selection of noontime noshes perfect for sealing the deal. Whether you're meeting a client oneon-one or entertaining a group, the nine dining areas at Tarpy's offer any necessary combination of space or intimacy, and with the help of a wine list about as deep as Monterey Bay, you can get the deal done right. Working on the weekends? No fear. Tarpy's does brunch, too.

BEST RESTAURANT IN A SHOPPING CENTER (TIE)

Rio Grill

101 Crossroads Blvd., Carmel

(831) 625-5436, www.riogrill.com

Sure you can enjoy their wildly popular half-smoked chicken served with red potatoes and baby artichokes sauteed in chipotle butter, but if you haven't gone lately you've got to check out Chef Cy Yontz's new screaming additions like the pork belly-cured, smoked, braised and then fried to order and rolled in a concoction of brown sugar and cider vinegar while it's hot. It's finished with a dusting of jalapeno salt, giving your palate a ride of a lifetime by hitting up all your senses. Look out for their new menu additions coming out any day, like the mahi-mahi with an achiote-beurre blanc sauce served over a shrimp-and-sweet potato hash. Innovative cuisine added seasonally alongside their menu full of traditional favorites, desserts by Inga of Inga's Piehole (Chef Cy's wife), a superior bar scene and all around awesome staff make Rio Grill a local's favorite. Who knows? If you visit often enough maybe your caricature will make it onto the colorful wall next to celebrities and local legends alike.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro

1200 Del Monte Center, Monterey

(831) 375-0143, www.pfchangs.com

Why did P.F. Chang's tie for best restaurant in a shopping center? Perhaps it's their daily happy-hour specials from 3 to 6pm Monday through Friday, or maybe it's because of the new menu addition of spicy tuna and California rolls, or the new non-alcoholic ginger beer made in house with fresh lemon juice, ginger, lime and soda water (a sober relative of their signature ginger beer that's made with Sapporo on draft with a splash of Elixir G ginger syrup). Their gluten-free menu also shines, offering many of their most popular items like the spicy chicken or the chicken lettuce cups sans wheat.

BEST RESTAURANT - MONTEREY COUNTY BEST RESTAURANT - PACIFIC GROVE

Passionfish

701 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 655-3311, www.passionfish.net

When a James Beard Awardnominated restaurant and a host of hallowed local dining destinations are your competition, you can't take shortcuts on the path to being named Best Restaurant in Monterey County. You must come to play the dining game and win. Every. Single. Night. Chef/Owner Ted Walter has done it again, earning two more notches in his Best Of belt for doing nothing less than exactly what we've come to expect of him: delivering a feel-good sustainable menu of seasonally inspired treasures. These days the riches have been manifested in creations like basil-stuffed rainbow trout, tomatotruffle scallops and crispy catfish dumplings with curry sauce, as well as timetested favorites like lamb breast roasted for so long it's "spoonable." Passionfish is adored by Pagrovians, who are fortunate enough to live nearby, and Walter and his environmental stewardship-minded wife Cindy have made a name for their restaurant that circulates well beyond P.G.'s sphere of cultural influence, most recently getting a nod in AAA's Via magazine as a favorite restaurant in all of California. As long as Passionfish continues to do what it does so well, expect these accolades to continue to roll-in with the certainty of the tides.

BEST RESTAURANT - PEBBLE BEACH

Roy's

The Inn at Spanish Bay

2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach

(831) 647-7423, www.pebblebeach.com/ dining/the-inn-at-spanish-bay/roys-atpebble-beach

These multicultural flavors-think East meets West-were bom in Hawaii then transported like a cool island breeze to California and across the United States. Roy's in Pebble Beach was the first of celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi's mainland locations-one of 21 in the continental U.S. and 30 around the world. Here you can taste the authentic Asian-Hawaiian fusion that make Yamaguchi world famous: The tosaka-wasabi swordfish, the mango-jalapefto encrusted ono, Roy's charred garlic honey-mustard beef short ribs. It's so good you'll want to return to say "aloha" (hello) as soon as you've said "aloha" (goodbye) for the night.

BEST RESTAURANT MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD BEST WINE LIST

Tho Sardine Factory

701 Wave St., Monterey

(831) 373-3775, www.sardinefactory.com

How about Best Restaurant More Than 44 years old. When The Sardine Factory celebrated 45 years a couple of months back, it drew a who's who of Monterey power, taste and influence. Pink and Blue Sardine cocktails flowed, abalone bisque wooed and steak and lobster tail flew. Ted Balestreri and Bert Cutino worked the room; Big Mike managed the bar. It was just as it's been since the '60s-in a word, timeless-and compelling evidence why they win in this category. And the legacy lives beyond the plate: the restaurant's iconic wine cellar is 32,000-plus bottles deep, anchoring a legendary wine list that is every oenophile's dream. It was even once named "Best Wine List in America" by Restaurant Hospitality Magazine. Like the restaurant, it's aging well.

BEST RESTAURANT - CARMEL

Casanova

Fifth Avenue between Mission Street and San Carlos Street

(831) 625-0501

www.casanovarestaurant.com

It's tempting to photograph your food (and yourself) in this beautifully decorated, definitively European-feeling restaurant, but it's just as easy to forget about technological distractions like your smartphone and go back in time. This is an authentic, old-timey French bistro with an elegant (and evolving) menu. It makes a meal into what we all long for: simple, with an emphasis on good hearty food, good wine, good conversation and a comfortable space with excellent service-no amount of selfies could quite capture the all-encompassing sensory experience. The Mediterranean-accented French menu envisioned by the Belgian family that owns the restaurant is executed finely by Exec Chef David Baron with local, fresh, creative ingredients (think olive puree with rabbit, basil seeds with oysters). Best of all, it's possible to feast here even on a limited budget.

BEST RESTAURANT - CARMEL VALLEY

Cafe Rustica

10 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley

(831) 659-4444

www.caferusticavillage.com

At this valley destination you can bring your family dog to accompany you on the pet-friendly patio while you enjoy a little sunshine and a delectable lunch. Thincrusted, wood-fired pizzas are quite the rave here, especially the Flammekueche (an Alsatian family favorite), with prosciutto, onions, fresh thyme and crème fraîche. Or go for the bolder Lorraine, covered with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, maple-smoked bacon and Italian parsley. For dinner you might be surprised to find Hungarian paprika-beef goulash, a stew served atop egg noodles, crème fraîche and roasted red peppers. But you shouldn't be surprised they've been named Best Of before, many times over.

BEST RESTAURANT - MARINA

Kula Ranch Island Steakhouse

Best Western Beach Dunes Inn

3295 Dunes Drive, Marina

(831) 883-9479, www.kula-ranch.com

Kula Ranch strikes just the right balance between a familiar island-themed restaurant and a local joint with mom in the kitchen putting together a pupu platter. Sure, you can get a fruity, adult beverage garnished with hunks of fruit and a tiny umbrella, but this place has the resources to pull off an expansive and multicultural dinner menu featuring Polynesian/Pacific Rim-inspired winners like Hawaiian nachos, coconut panko tiger prawns and macadamia nut-encrusted mahi-mahi. It also has the tuned-in local sensibilities to serve up something like sanddabs, that legendary local catch, done here with a lemon pepper panko breading. A daily 4-6:30pm happy hour offers build-your-own food platters with $2 small bites and deep drink discounts. The ranch also has two big patios with fire pits great for outdoor sunset celebrations. Lucky for Marina-dwellers. Worth the drive for the rest of us.

BEST RESTAURANT - MONTEREY

Restaurant 1833

500 Hartnell St., Monterey

(831) 643-1833, www.restaurantl833.com

They came to change the game. And the Coastal Luxury Management team behind 1833 has. No other spot in Monterey or elsewhere in county offers as many swank-but-accessible spaces to eat and interact, so many sharp cocktails, so many of-the-moment creative tastes. But with such an ambitious and big restaurant, the details can get endangered. Not here, where every morsel of crispy pork or drop of Penicillin No. 2 or polished magnifying glass prop dovetails-by design-and transports visitors to a place of merry memory making and delicious overindulgence.

BEST RESTAURANT - NORTH COUNTY

Phil's Fish Markst

7600 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing

(831) 633-2152, www.philsfishmarket.com

Try going there on a holiday. It's something of a dare, and for many throughout the region, it's something of a tradition. The lines wrapping around the parking lot during Christmas attest to that. Part restaurant, part fish market, Phil's is a North County institution that dates back to 1982. If it's local-like the salmon, octopus and Dungeness crab-they'll tell you. If it's flown in-like the trout, catfish or albacore-they'll tell you that too. If you want to know what's in Phil's world-famous cioppino (a recipe you'd think might be held as a secret) it's on the website. The bad news is that Phil's, which rents from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, might have to move to give MBARI room to expand; the lease is up in 2015. The good news for seafood lovers is that founder/owner Phil DiGirolamo is already working on a way to relocate or extend the lease.

BEST RESTAURANT - SALINAS

Gino's Fins Italian Food

1410 S. Main St., Salinas

(831) 422-1814, www.ginospasta.com

The food here is flat-out crave worthy. From a blackened-chicken fettuccine in a thick, creamy Alfredo sauce to a manicotti featuring homemade crepes and deliciously, deeply crimson sauce, Gino's really does have something for everyone. The tender calamari strips are some of the best in the county, the meatballs are juicy and ingredients are handled with a deft touch that belie Gino's reputation as a red-sauce joint. If the line at the reservation desk or the jam-packed parking lot seem overwhelming, pick up the phone and order a family meal to go. (Or if you have a crowd to feed, order a few party trays.) The choices are almost overwhelming, but just almost.

BEST RESTAURANT - SAND CITY

SwMt Ilona's

465 Olympia Ave., Sand City

(831) 393-2063, www.sweetelenas.net

Bring on a breath of freshly-baked, French-inspired air hiding quietly amid the warehouses of Sand City. Not that people don't know about it: A typical day will find the cafe buzzing with locals hungry for owner Elena Salsedo Steele's delectable pastries, pies, tarts and galettes. With a deft hand, honed by decades as a master pastry chef, Elena has a passionate understanding of the art of baking, and one that shines through on every bite. Savory treats like quiches and sandwiches also come recommended, as does the cafe's patio, a wonderful place to while away a lazy, sun-splashed morning.

BEST RESTAURANT - SEASIDE

Fishwife

789 Trinity Ave., Seaside

(831) 394-2027, www.fishwife.com

Some swear they could live off the lobster bisque or clam chowder and supremely satisfying garlic bread that comes with it. One former Weekly editor would get crazy eyes when articulating the many virtues of the green cashew dressing-best ever, she said. The Weekly's publisher would have a mild, limérick-spewing meltdown if he couldn't hold business lunches there. But the rest of us, we just can't picture Seaside without it.

BEST RESTAURANT - V

SOUTH COUNTY ^

The Windmill

1167 Front St., Soledad

(831) 678-1775

www.soledadwindmiHrestaurant.com

This is no Don Quixote abstraction: It's actually The Windmill, spinning out breakfast, lunch and dinner 365 days a year. You could eat every single meal here-without getting tired of the food. That's thanks to a varied menu that features standbys like steaks and burgers, a robust sandwich list and filling, creative salads like the shrimp-avocado and Gonzales citrus salad. But the real draw isn't the big menu, it's the fresh, local ingredients; the steaks and ground beef are never frozen, and the produce is plucked from surrounding fields in season. And to toast to those principles of fresh and local, raise a glass of wine with Soledad-grown grapes from Hahn or Paraíso. Cheers.

BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT

Pacific's Edge Restaurant at Hyatt Carmel Highlands

120 Highlands Drive, Carmel Highlands

(831) 622-5445, www.pacificsedge.com

A restaurant does not have to be small to create an intimate atmosphere. With Pacific's Edge's uncrowded newly remodeled interior, Chef Matt Bolton's ever changing menu and knowledgeable sommeliers who are there to help pick out that perfect wine for two, it will be easy for you to please your current or soonto-be honey. Pablo Picasso once said, "Love is the greatest refreshment in life." That may be true but even if you aren't "in love" you will go gaga over the epic views from the restaurant, scenes Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor experienced years ago and that continue to stun.

BEST RESTAURANT FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION

Aubsrgliw at L'Auberge

Monte Verde at Seventh, Carmel

(831) 624-8578, www.auberginecarmel.com

Each plate here is a special occasion, what with the abalone raised in a tank in the kitchen and Miyazaki beef so carefully raised it comes with a birth certificate. In the hands of Justin Cogley, just named a James Beard nominee for Best Chef in the West, the exactingly foraged, sourced and sought-out ingredientswild chamomile and pineapple weed, cliff-grown Japanese seaweeds, hibiscus (and those are just the accents)-become manna. They don't even bother with item descriptions on the menu because words get in the way. They just list ingredients: raw milk, mussels, green tea, oyster, spot prawn and so on. They could take it a step further and just list three ingredients: passion, execution, awe.

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Monterey Fish House

<location>2114 Del Monte Ave., Monterey

(831) 373-4647

Mahi-mahi, dungeness crab and artichoke seafood pasta are current specials that will make your flippers curl. But on any given day you can enjoy their beloved ginormous barbecued oysters, signature creamy crab cakes, shrimp spinach salad with a honey sesame vinaigrette, cioppino and the decadent bananas Foster which is a fiery tableside show. You may know that Chef/Owner David DiGirolamo's father and mother are of Sicilian and Japanese descent, and both cultures speak true to his food, Sicilian with a hint of Japanese flair. But I bet you didn't know that, like In-N-Out, they too offer a secret menu like steamed rice as a side item and, my personal go-to since the mid '90s, a mind-blowing chicken fettuccine Alfredo. Not creamy but heavy on the cheese and garlic side in a great way.

BEST STEAKHOUSE

Whaling Station

763 Wave St.. Monterey

(831) 373-3778

www.whalingstationmonterey.net

r John Pisto'sWhaling Station is more than the Peninsula's longtime, go-to spot for top-notch steak euphoria. It's an education that begins with a mouthwatering, tableside visual aid, showcasing the various cuts available: filet mignon, cut top sirloin, bone-in rib eye, New York strip, porterhouse and dry-aged natural rib eye. Learn about the dry aging process, which yields flavors more complex than Chinese algebra. The culmination of a Whaling Station steak dinner: A scholarship to beef heaven. Like the proverbial Julia Child once professed: "The only time to eat diet food is when you're waiting for your steak to cook."

BEST THAI RESTAURANT

Thal Bistre II

159 Central Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 372-8700, www.thaibistropg.com

According to the American Chemical Society, people get a pleasure-inducing endorphin rush from eating spicy food because of a chemical reaction. It's your body's way to numb the pain caused by capsaicinoids, which are what give chilles their heat. The spicy satisfaction is, chemically, not unlike a runner's high. So ask your server to "make it hot" at Thai Bistro II and get ready for a masochistic ride down the tasty side. Mouth-numbing Thai salads and spicy stir-frys can be balanced by curries rich in coconut milk and peanut sauce, and classic dishes like Bangkok duck and pad Thai can be made mild for folks who find the spice of life to be an ingredient best left off their dinner plates. But Thai Bistro II owners Jill and Nicky Sriprayul, a pair of Bangkok natives, can deliver Thai flavors so authentic, it is our recommendation to turn up the heat, at least for this meal.

BEST VEGETARIAN MENU

Tllll« Gort1» Cafo

111 Central Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 373-0335, www.tiliiegortscafe.com

Who needs meat loaf when you can have a "no meat loaf"? Think about this satisfying and healthy combo: eggs, bread crumbs, yogurt, cheese, veggies, almonds herbs and spices, topped with a healthy dose of marinara. For the MoCo vegetarian crowd, Tillie Gort's is the answer to your dining-out needs. There's a huge variety of innovative veggie meals (tofu scramble, vegetarian paella, artichoke quesadillas), a well-stocked drink menu (including a fine collection of beer and wine), and a friendly cafe vibe fit for breakfast, lunch or dinner. No meat, no problem.

BEST TAQUERIA

Mlchaol's Grill and Taquería

197 Country Club Gate Center, Pacific Grove

(831) 647-8654

321 Main St.. Salinas (831) 754-8917

265 Reservation Road, Marina

(831) 884-2568

www.michaelsgriliandtaqueria.com

We're not sure who Michael's mama is, but she must know a few things about a proper meal, because customers don't get served anything that doesn't meet her standards. Or at least that's what Michael's slogan-"If it ain't good enough for Mama, it ain't good enough for you"- says, and we're inclined to believe it: Chicken breast, steaks and jumbo prawns RESTAURANTS continued on page 64 are blackened to order, and rice, beans, chips, sauces and salsas are all made fresh every day. It's that attention to detail-a focus on fresh ingredients and flavorsthat make Michael's a Peninsula favorite year after year.

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

Chopttlx

1988 Fremont Blvd., Seaside

(831) 899-2622

1244 Munras Ave., Monterey

(831) 372-2622

www.chopstixboba.com

The best way to approach a meal at Chopstix is to start small and heavy (popcorn chicken, fish balls, or calamari) and roll from there (spring, summer or egg). Then the choosing gets tough. The wide assortment of noodle soups are ever-popular and superbly satisfying, but the other entree options are hard to resist and showcase the full range of Vietnamese flavors and style. There's dry noodle dishes like BBQ pork and shrimp, lemongrass chicken or beef, and the always succulent char-grilled meatballs. And there are the rice plates, where the proteins get star, sticky sauce treatment: You can't go wrong with the shaken beef, chicken wings (lemongrass or mandarin), or barbecue (chicken or pork chops). Another thing you can't do: leave hungry. It's not possible.

BEST WAITRESS

Jackl« Trtjo

Carmel Valley Ranch

1 Old Ranch Road, Carmel

(831) 626-2599

www.carmelvalleyranch.com

When the managers at Carmel Valley Ranch look at their reservations list each night, Jackie Trejo's name shows up as a requested server more frequently than the names of their regulars. According to her husband Gus, who works as the restaurant's banquet chef, Trejo loves what she does and treats the profession as a way to build relationships, rather than as a job to do. "She always tries to take an extra step," Gus says. "She treats people at home the same way. She tries to make you as comfortable as possible without getting too much in your space." Dining Room Supervisor Rigo Garcia says Jackie has a high energy that's contagious, pleasant and not overbearing. "She can explain and engage and answer questions. She knows wine exceptionally well," he says, adding, "She's always in a great mood." Trejo offered her own assessment, but she was more modest than others, saying she stands behind the products she serves and enjoys her work, which she says may be noticed by her guests. "I think I have fun, so I think they have fun, too," she says.

SPECIAL FOODS

Selfies have become an indulgence of sorts, a guilty pleasure people take a lot more of than they're likely to admit. So it goes with many of the entries here-pizza, cupcakes, food on a stick. There are other similarities: Both selfies and specialty foods go well with friends. Both preferred selfie style and preferred specialty foods can tell a lot about an individual's identity. Both ourselves and specialty foods are among the top few things photographed in the world, period. Bonus: specialty foods go great in selfies.

BEST BAGEL

Bagel Bakery

539 Carmel Rancho Blvd., Carmel

(831) 625-5180

452 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 372-5242

1132 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 649-6272

110 Northridge Mail, Salinas

(831) 449-1110

969 W. Alisal St.. Salinas (831) 758-0280

1257 N. Davis Rd., Salinas (831) 757-9933

2160 California Ave., #D, Sand City

(831) 392-1581

www.thebagelbakery.com

If you can't find a bagel here to match your appetite, maybe it's time for a new appetite. We're talking breakfast bagel sandwiches with egg, jalapeño, cheddar and avocado; pesto-cheese bagels; chocolate fudge bagels with peanut butter; oat bran raisin with jam; super seed bagels with bacon, turkey, salami, hummus and sprouts; whole wheat bagels with herb cream cheese, capers, tomato and lox. These zeros turn you into a hero. These delicious O's give you the "O face." These holes give you holy-yum caloric fun. Bagel up, baby.

BEST BAKERY

Paris Bakery

271 Bonifacio Place, Monterey

(831) 646-1620

1232 Broadway Ave., Seaside

(831) 394-7798

www.parisbakery.us

Even if you're on a diet, you can still snap a selfie with the impressive pastry counter and make it look like you've been to France. This is an authentic French bakery with an incredible range, of everything from jam-spotted bite-sized cookies to decadent, savory ham-and-cheesefilled croissants, and a lunch menu with sandwiches, salads and cheesy bowls of French onion soup. It's the kind of place where you can transition from a morning pastry to a mid-morning cup of coffee to a light lunch, and never leave-and when you finally do, you can take home a freshly baked baguette. And then repeat. They'll be here. They've been here seven days a week for 25 years.

BEST BARBECUE

Henry*« BBQ

401 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 646-6999, www.henrysfamousbbq.com

The folks over at Henry's have been smokin' up some of the tastiest b-to-theb-to-the-q in town for nearly a decade. A plate of Hawaiian-style pulled pork dripping in its own smokey broth goes great with a heaping side order of potato salad and a basket of crispy fries. Other winners include a dry-rubbed sirloin slow roasted over oakwood and mesquite until fall-apart tender, and pork spare ribs-sold by the full, half and one-third of a rack-made all the more delectable by Henry's homemade sauce. Combo plates are available for the indecisive, including a meaty four-item smorgasbord for just $20.

BEST BURGER BEST MILKSHAKE

r.g. Burger«

201 Crossroads Shopping Village, Carmel

(831) 626-8054

570 Munras Ave. #30, Monterey

(831) 372-4930

www.rgburgers.com

You have a choice of flame-broiled beef, chicken, turkey or even falafel. You have a smorgasbord of condiments: r.g. sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion and 5PEQMTY FOODS. continued on page 68 pickle. You have the mushroom-cheddar and the guacamole-Swiss and the blackand-bleu or the barbecue sauce-onion ring Western and the pastrami and the Cajun-spiced Firehouse with pepper jack and jalapeftos. You have the hickory bacon and the patty melt and the Hawaiian. You have the Bernaise and the Mediterranean and the Ortega. You have real ice cream milkshakes, more than 20 ail told, including chocolate peanut butter, orange freeze and root beer. You have to take a long and sumptuous nap.

BEST CHICKEN WINGS Buffalo Wild Wings

1553 Fremont Blvd., Seaside

(831) 394-4483

1988 N. Main St, Salinas

(831) 449-2863

www.buffalowildwings.com

Yeah America! The Founders of BWW, unlike the Founders of America, consider the fried chicken wing to be "the greatest invention of all time," even if Thomas Jefferson preferred "freedom." But really, what is freedom without chicken wings? With 16 signature sauces, there are more options than Heisman Johnny in the backfield. Heck, at BWW, you can even do your wings boneless. The fryer is hot and ready, just like the wings. Git on down!

BEST BURRITO

Chlpotle

2140 California Ave., Sand City

(831) 899-1096

500 Del Monte Center, Monterey

(831) 641-9353

1748 N. Main St., Salinas (831) 444-0943

560 Munras Ave., Monterey (831) 718-9369

www.chipotle.com

This place eats wimpy burritos for breakfast. Chipotle's burritos are so weighty, you could buy two, use them for training exercises, then eat them and not feel guilty about it. Their chicken, steak, and pork are never treated with antibiotips or hormones and their veggies are sourced locally, which makes scarfing this burrito on the agriculturally rich Central Coast an especially delicious experience.

BEST BUTCHER SHOP

Grove Market

242 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 375-9581, www.grovemarketpg.com

A man once asked a Grove Market butcher for exactly two slices of thickcut European bacon and was met with a logical reply: "You gotta have more than two slices of this bacon." Indeed, you do. Unless you are saving room in the shopping basket for the other bundles of blissfiil butchery that Grove Market will wrap up for you-sirloin and tri-tip steak, stuffed pork chops, ground beef and turkey, rack of lamb, chickens and kabobs. Any of it can be cut to order, and the guys and gals behind the counter know their meat well enough to answer any cooking questions that arise. As an added bonus, this butcher shop is located in the best neighborhood market in the county according to Weekly readers, so once that pound of pork shoulder is all wrapped up, head over to the Grove Market's lush produce section for the fresh ingredients needed to make that pig squeal with flavor.

BEST CAKES

Layer's Sensational Cakes

9 Soledad Drive, Monterey

(831) 655-1544, www.layerscake.com

If you grew up with Sicilian neighbors then you know that Christmas time meant a basket of cookies. Not just any cookie, but a Sicilian, fig-stuffed cookie traditionally made with dates, a hint of orange zest, spices and nuts. It's then coated with a simple, almost iridescently white frosting and colorful sprinkles. If you miss them like Í do, you are in luck, as Layer's carries them year round. They offer numerous baked goods perfect to grab with a hot cup of joe, but their crowd-pleasing cakes are what makes them stand out. From their signature cakes with a sweeping bow and or gran- diose flower, you can choose from more than a dozen different styles-including the cookie cake, where you have your favorite cookies "tucked between chocolate layers and fresh whip cream." Or order a custom cake, where the possibilities are endless: a golf ball, a pig roast or pet's face may be a challenge to some. For them, it's a piece of cake.

BEST CALAMARI BEST CLAM CHOWDER

Old FtehMinait's Grotto

39 Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey

(831) 375-4604

www.oldfishermansgrotto.com

When it comes to selfies, complicated doesn't always mean best. Sometimes simplicity is the winning ticket, and it's the same with many long-time family recipes at Old Fisherman's Grotto, including their signature clam chowder and crispy calamari. These two food items are defining elements of Monterey cuisine, and the Shake family sticks to what's worked for 40-plus years, focusing on quality ingredients. The calamari is tenderized and cooked just enough, keeping it from getting too chewy or soggy, and the clam chowder is a bowl of buttery and garlicky ^ Monterey, notably smooth thanks to an emphasis on purchasing the best bivalves.

BEST CAPPUCCINO/LATTE

Camt*l Valley Coffee Roasting Co.

Ocean Avenue between Lincoln and Monte Verde, Carmel (831) 626-2913

3720 The Barnyard, Carmel (831) 620-0844

246 Crossroads B)vd., Carmel

(831) 626-8784

319 Mid Valley Center, Carmel

(831) 622-0787

510 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 920-1663

East Village Coffee Lounge

498 Washington St., Monterey

(831) 373-5601

www.carmelcoffeeroasters.com

With five locations in Monterey County, Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co. has had enough practice to pour compelling coffee. If you need a fix of espresso, steamed milk and foam and you're wandering the Peninsula, chances are there is a Carmel Valley Coffee nearby. For non-coffee people, they also make chai lattes, stock tasty teas and sandwiches. This is the first family of local coffee.

BEST CATERING COMPANY

AQUA TERRA Culinary, Inc.

529 Central Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 657-9790, www.aquaterraculinary.com

Sometimes the Best of Monterey County transcends borders. Cuttingedge chef Dory Ford gave his catering shop its name with the brave motto that he wanted to prep anything from land (terra) and sea (aqua) anywhere on land and sea. Still, he wasn't exactly envisioning the scale of parties like the one he and his team pulled off for 500 Safeway bosses and their guests in the parking lot of San Francisco Giants' ballpark earlier this year, with busloads of local chefs and staff joining his own nuclear A-team to makfc it a roaring success. These Aqua Terra peeps are so into good grub that their team-building exercise-on a retreat to Central America-was to comb the local market and whip up an endlesscourse meal with everybody responsible for a meat or fish or salad dish. You can get their goodies without throwing a party by visiting Point Pinos Grill or Taste of Monterey, which Aqua Terra directs on top of the epic event circuitry.

BEST CHEESE SELECTION

Th« Ch**M Shop

Carmel Piaza, Ocean and Junípero, Carmel

625-2272, www.cheeseshopinc.com

"We are about education here," cheesemaster Kent Torrey says. "If you come in and tell one of us that you love a sharp cheddar for instance, we won't just taste you on that, or a couple of sharp Cheddars, we'll have you also try maybe a sharp provolone, a sharp aged gouda, a sharp gorgonzola, and try to help you expand your understanding and experience." Cheese heaven, then, is also a cheese college. Bring on the Cots wold, an English classic, or the Garrotxa, Spanish goat's milk cheese from Catalonia wrapped in maple leaves, and have your cheeseology degree earned by way of olfactory and tastebud. Beautiful cheese, pretty please.'

BEST CUP OF COFFEE

Acme Coffee Roasting Co.

485-B Palm Ave., Seaside

393-9113, www.acmecoffeeroasting.com

For some, a cup of coffee is a simple, thoughtless task imbibed in the morning to wake up, but Acme Coffee in Seaside takes a more detailed, careful and tasty look at liquid caffeine. Their walk-up cafe in Seaside offers four bean blends, one espresso bean and a decaf option, as well as four single-origin beans from all over the world that change with the seasons and all are available in their drip bar. Discounts for bringing your own cup as well. This place is an institution. Without it, scores of locals would be lost.

BEST CUPCAKE

Mrs. Dsllsh's Cupcake Boutique

800 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 612-1884, www.mrsdellshs.com

Oh Mrs. Delish, you make us crazy. Your light and fluffy little cakes, your sweet loft of frosting and adorable decorations, your wide array of flavors with names like "Hippy Tie-Dye" and "Fluffernutter." And your environmentally friendly packaging options (unbleached fiber made from a com product) is sheer genius. Your list of "cupcake occasions" is also charming, but discerning cupcake fans around the county know, you don't need a special occasion for a sweet little treat from Mrs. Delish. (Hey wait...is that coconut/coconut I spy in the case?)

BEST DELI SANDWICH

Compagno*« Market A Ddl

2000 Prescott Ave., Monterey

(831) 375-5987, www.compagnos.com

Owner-operator and sandwich creator extraordinaire Bennet Compagno has a gift for the service men and women that frequent his DLI-adjacent storefront and for regular folks around the county willing to make the trek up the enormously steep hill that is Prescott Avenue. With his hot and cold deli sandwiches-which are presented in proportions so huge it's nearly comical-Compagno's has a reputation built around the idea of a meal big enough to feed an army. Military-inspired sandwiches like the Air Force Special (smoked turkey breast with cream cheese and cranberry sauce piled high with the fixins') or the crowd favorite #27 (breaded chicken with bacon, avocado and pepper jack) are noteworthy, but the delicatessen has a full arsenal of meats, cheeses, breads and veggies to special order just about any sandwich under the sun. So man your battle stations and get ready for a fight: your appetite versus the biggest, tastiest sandwiches around.

BEST DESSERTS

Ro«Im,i Restaurant

434 Alvarado St., Monterey

(831) 375-1400, www.rosinesmonterey.com

Hearty sandwiches, homemade soups and finger-licking-good pies are the norm here at this family restaurant which excels in comfort food. However, their unusually large cakes have been stealing the show for nearly two decades with countless awards. If you are a lemming, order the six-layer German chocolate cake. If that's too choco loco and you want to travel the path less traveled, then hit up the three-layer seasonal white cake made with local strawberries. Now for the kicker, Rosine's recently started serving up a two-layer carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting. Doesn't sound remarkable until you find out that it has no gluten. Not an easy task and much appreciated by many.

BEST FISH 'N' CHIPS

London Bridge Pub

256 Figueroa St., Wharf 2, Monterey

(831) 372-0581, www.lbpmonterey.com

London-born owner John Eales is justifiably proud of winning the title and leaving others to cry in their warm Guinness. The London Bridge is going on 25 years in business and the fish 'n' chips is one big reason. (Did I mention the Guinness?) In explaining his victory, Eales says he only uses the best Icelandic cod and makes his own beer batter. He would not divulge his secret recipe, but he did tell me that his wife is fond of saying that it has an "ample sufficiency of beer." As does the pub with a wide variety of Euro finest. BTW, you can also get this same awardwinning work at his pub Cooper's on Cannery Row.

BEST FOOD ON A STICK

Monterey County Fair

2004 Fairground Road, Monterey

(831) 372-5863

www.montereycou ntyf a ir.com

Before humans tried to get all civilized and started eating with forks and knives, or in some places, with sticks, we ate food on sticks. Goat legs, squirrels, yams, whatever we could get our hands on, we'd put it on a stick, hold it over a fire and, boom, food on a stick. It's a simple, primal pleasure, and the Monterey County Fair is a top spot to deliver it. Chicken satay, check. Corn dogs, of course. Elotes, a Mexican take on cornon-the-cob with mayo and chili, oh yes. And then there's the sweet stuff: Caramel apple, yep. Fried banana, so nice. Cake pops, why not? Grab a stick, and stick it in your mouth.

BEST ICE CREAM/ FROZEN YOGURT

MYO ProiM Yogurt

685 Cannery Row, Monterey

(831) 375-3769

491 Alvarado St.. Monterey (831) 649-3769

1091 S. Main St.. Salinas (831) 759-9769

www.myofrozenyogurt.com

If it wasn't the idea of a healthy dessert that got you pumped for yogurt this year, it must have been the chocolatecovered marshmallows, dark chocolate raspberry cups or caramel sauce. Because knowing something is kinda good for you leaves so much room to be bad. Most options are naturally gluten-free and MYO keeps things fresh by switching up flavors like pink lemonade, maple bacon donut and angel food cake every few weeks. plus, they always have at least one dairy-free and sugarfree option available so just about everyone can enjoy.

BEST JUICE/SMOOTHIES

Jamba Jute«

Inside Safeway, 815 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Del Rey Oaks, (831) 393-2090

398 Alvarado St., Monterey

(831) 655-9696

2160-C California Ave., Sand City

(831) 583-9696

1552-A N. Main St.. Salinas (831) 449-3200

1126 S. Main St., Salinas (831) 755-7777

www.jambajuice.com

With locations scattered throughout the county, some even tucked into your favorite grocery store, you're never too far away from a cool, 100-percent fruit juice-infused treat. Enjoy their classic blends like the Banana Berry or Mangoa-Go-Go or get even more healthy with vegetable infused offerings like the Apple 'n Greens or Berry upBEET. Take the health benefits to the next level with a boost of soy protein after a hard workout or kick your desk job-sapped metabolism into gear with a shot of B vitamins. For those with a more simple take on life, try the fresh-squeezed carrot and orange juices or a blend of both.

BEST LOCAL BEER

Peter B's BruwPub

2 Portola Plaza (behind Portola Hotel & Spa), Monterey

(831) 649-2699.

www.portolahotel.com/dining/brewpub

The Belly Up Blonde, Inclusion Amber, Stout Resistance, Fort Ord Wheat, Legend of Laguna IPA are only the beginning. Seasonal and special brews like the incredible ACME Stout and Ginger Ale flow too-at more and more places like Turn 12, Post No Bills and Taste of Monterey, in addition to Peter B's HQthe mug club kicks down deals, growlers make for portable values and brewer dinners deliver mad paired flavor. Speaking of beginning, you get the feeling, despite all the action already, that brew master Kevin Clark is just getting started.

BEST LOCAL RED WINE

Boekenoogen Pinot Noir

24 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley

(831) 659-4215

www.boekenoogenwines.com

With a score of 90 points for their 2009 estate Pinot Noir from Wine Enthusiast it only makes sense that this family-run Santa Lucia Highlands appellation winery continues to stomp out some of Monterey county's finest Pinot. John Boekenoogen changed the path of his great-grandfather's legacy of row cropping and cows to tending and harvesting grapes. His A-team includes his son Garrett as the winemaker, daughter Holly as the marketing specialist and artistic wife Susan creating the label. French oak barrels, top-notch wine crushing and pressing equipment from Europe and all their attention to detail is why their vino truly uncorks something remarkable in a county crowded with worthy wines. Stop by their tasting room to taste their 2011 and 2012 vintages or pick up a bottle from your local market for your next dinner party. Both are superior food-pairing wines.

BEST LOCAL WHITE WINE

Bemardus Chardonnay

5 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley

(831) 223-2533, www.bernardus.com/ winery

Monterey County's climate and soil are ideally suited for Chardonnay, capable of bringing out a trademark fruitiness in a wine known by many as oakand buttercentric. Dean DeKorth, the winemaker at Bernardus, takes advantage of sunny summers and warm, dry conditions in September and October to grow grapes ripe for a hallmark wine. He collects grapes from a collective of choice growers in Arroyo Seco and the Santa Lucia Highlands, and takes the literal fruits of their labor and crafts it into a fruit-forward concoction of his own, with subtle, toasty oak character brought on during the fermentation process in French oak barrels. Hints of pear and ripe apple aromas accentuate the wine's floral bouquet, and soft and crisp creaminess makes it elegant on the palate.

BEST PICKLE

Happy Girl Kttchan Co.

173 Central Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 373-4475, www.happygirlkitchen.com

Pickles were bom out of ingenuity and necessity, a way to preserve summer's bounty into the cold, icy months of winter. We ate pickles because we had to. Now, we eat them because we want to, because no other food enlivens the palate like a slightly acidic, delicately spiced pickle. And no one in Monterey County does 'em better than Happy Girl, which employs a wide, carefully curated array of spices for each different thing they pickle. Sometimes it's a sweet hint of fennel or clove, and others it's a savory note of coriander, cumin, celery or dill. There's pickled beets, peppers, zucchini and more, each uniquely satisfying and delicious. Pickles are the original slow food, and Happy Girl has 'em dialed.

BEST PIZZA

Gianni's Pizza

725 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 649-1500

Just check the reviews: "This pizza was phenomenal, with fresh ingredients and a crispy crust"; "the pizza has the best sauce of any pizza place I've tried"; "excellent crispy crust and perfect amount of cheese"; "cooked to perfection and puffy on the edges. It tasted like it was wood fired, even if it was not. They are not afraid to load on the toppings, including the cheese. It was divine! Ooey, gooey and so yummy." Gianni's does specialty pies like the "Big Wheel," a quarter pepperoni, quarter Canadian bacon and pineapple, quarter veggie and quarter cheese. Their gluten-free pizza also scores big.

BEST PLACE TO CHEAT ON YOUR DIET

Lula's Chocolatas

2 Harris Court, Suite B-6, Monterey

(831) 655-8527, www.lulas.com

Here's how Lula's Chocolates came to be voted Best Place to Cheat on Your Diet. Lula, Scott Lund's then-91-year-old grandmother (who had at that point been making candy for 80 years and was a renowned wholesaler in the area) called him one year and said, "I'm not making candy this year." As Lund puts it, "It was an idle threat, that if I didn't come over, she and my uncle weren't going to make candy for Christmas." Lund learned chocolate making at the feet of the master, and now he manufactures everything from Baja chili toffee to luscious, creamy truffles at a Monterey factory, selling them at two lovely boutiques in Carmel and 37 other locations around the Central Coast. For the ultimate in diet-breaking decadence, go for the salted caramel. It's a melt-in-your-mouth bestseller.

BEST SALAD

Crazy Horse Restaurant

1425 Munras Ave, Monterey

(831) 649-4771

www.crazyhorserestau ra nt.com

Any time between 11:30am and 9pm the expanse awaits, costs just $12, and includes potato salad, tuna salad, rice salad, Waldorf salad and a sesame-oil marinated green bean salad; an absurd amount of dressings by tub and ladle or private label bottle; hot soup and cold cuts; several lettuce mixes; multiple cheeses (yes pleases); baked potatoes and yams; cherry tomatoes, red onion, white mushrooms, green broccoli, hard-boiled eggs, roasted chicken and oh, 20 other toppings; and, gloriously, a choice of ice creams to round it all off.

BEST TAKEOUT FOOD

Whole Foods Marfcot

800 Del Monte Ctr., Monterey

(831) 333-1600, www.wholefoodsmarket. com/stores/monterey

Picture yourself in a happy place, one of abundance, freshness and bounty for the belly. Imagine any food you want, already made and ready-to-go, and all you gotta do is reach out and take it. Salads, soups, meats and cheeses, they're all there waiting. Arancini, crab cakes, roasted artichokes, quinoa tabouleh, they have been prepared for you. Or you can go renegade, build your own salad or sandwich, and you're still out the door in a jiff. It's a foodie's paradise, it's Whole Foods Market, the unparalleled standard in delicious, healthy, ready-made provisions, like something you might make at home, but tastier, more convenient. It's gourmet pleasure by the pound, there for the taking.

SHOPPING & SERVICES

Huffington Post was helpful enough to list "The Eight Selfies You Must Absolutely, Positively Never Take." Among them-each cited with examples, cringes required-the funeral selfie, the driving selfie, the driving past someone else's accident selfie and the selfie that shows your teacher having contractions. This list, meanwhile, is for selfies you should take. Because if you take a selfie at one of these spots you're in a good place. And if you hashtag it with #bestofmc you can win food, drink and spa treatments.

BEST ACUPUNCTURIST

Rk VakntkM

17812 Moro Road. Prunedale

(831) 663-0444

www.ricvalentineacupuncture.com

Ric Valentine talks about depth and amplitude, and the right twist of the needle. He talks of his energy connecting to his patient's. He talks of nutrition, and how GMOs and modem so-called nutrition are ruining people's health. A practitioner of a 2,500-year-old form of acupuncture called I Ching or Distal Point, Valentine focuses his work on the points between the scalp and the ears, the elbows and the fingers and knees to the toes. "Resonance harmonics allow me to manipulate the energy that's normally blocked or deficient in the body," he says. A complicated concept that helps yield simple results: pain relief, expanded energy and an overall feeling of well being. BEST ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER

Dr. AshMgh Putnam, ND

Central Coast Wellness

350 Calle Principal, Monterey

(831) 601-4147

www.doctorashleigh putna m .com

Dr. Ashleigh Putnam provides natural therapies in addition to, and complementing, your nutritional supplements or pharmaceutical remedies. She can approach your entire family's lifestyle, utilizing homeopathy, botanical medicine, and bio-identical hormones. She supports and encourages your well-informed healthy changes with her extensive herb and plant knowledge. She customizes preventive medicine and empowering education to your individualized needs. In short, she's the Best.

BEST ANTIQUE SHOP

Cannery Row Antiqua Mall

471 Wave St., Monterey

(831) 655-0264

www.canneryrowantiquemall.com

Some stuff doesn't get old, it gets more awesome. The Cannery Row Antique Mall used to be a warehouse for Carmel Canning Company but within the last couple of decades it has become home to items from more than 140 vendors and everything from local art, mod '60s decor and trunks of vintage clothes to eclectic furniture, collectible posters and repurposed material creations. Have your own stuff to sell? They would be happy to help. Spaces can be leased and, as of recently, bought outright.

BEST ATTORNEY

J«ann«tt« Witten

Hudson Martin Ferrante Street

Witten & June PC

490 Calle Principal, Monterey

(831) 375-3151

www.hudsonmartinwittenjune.com

They are big ideas: transparency instead of mystery, and being part of a team instead of a consultant to them. This works for Witten and her clients. Witten is a transactional lawyer, meaning she works with companies and small businesses, drafting contracts, negotiating and advising. She also works with individuals interested in estate planning. To all, she is approachable. In November, her firm merged with the Central Coast area's oldest law firm, Hudson Martin Ferrante Street, which was founded in 1908 and represented the likes of John Steinbeck and Henry Miller.

BEST BANK

Wells Fargo

Various locations

www.wellsfargo.com

Welcome to the final frontier of banking. Since 1852, Wells Fargo has taken deposits and done whatever it takes to keep them safe (the "shotgun" seat in a car derives from the position armed guards took on old Wells Fargo coaches). The bank has also maintained an unflagging commitment to customer service. With more than 20 bank and ATM locations in Monterey County, they are always close and ready to help with anything from supplying loans for a new house to saving for college.

BEST BIKE STORE

Bay Bikes

585 Cannery Row, Ste. 101, Monterey

201 Pearl St., Monterey (temporary location)

3600 The Barnyard, Carmel

(831) 655-2453, www.baybikes.com

A chillaxing gang of tourists taking selfies atop a surrey on the Rec Trail. A local in a Cinzano jersey and cycling shoes zips by, headed for Carmel. It would seem the two have little in common except wheels, but there's probably something else that unites them: Bay Bikes, the Peninsula's hub for all things pedal and chain. With three 831 locations, the locally-owned bike shop is the go-to spot for residents to upgrade their two-wheel steed, or perhaps just take it in for some tuning. And even if you're not a tourist, renting from Bay Bikes presents a welcome option: oneway, from Cannery Row to Carmel. If that seems a little far for you, choose electric, and ride easy.

BEST BOOKSTORE - NEW

Pilgrim's Way Books

Dolores between Fifth and Sixth, Carmel (831) 624-4955, www.pilgrimsway.com

"If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden."Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden. This whole family-owned, community-centric shop is a garden, full of books for the flowering mind and flowers and plants and dreamcatchers and hidden pathways to help the senses blossom. What started out 45 years ago as a specialty bookstore has evolved and expanded: It now carries the latest New York Times bestsellers, young adult and children's books, paperback novels, biographies, self-help and cookbooks, local interest, travel and adventure-plus T-shirts, music, greeting cards, plants, candles, wind chimes, thermometers, i.e., a lot. Customers who can't find parking can call ahead and when they drive by and their book is handed to them-which works as a microcosm of the personal hands-on attention that comes standard.

BEST BOOKSTORE - USED

Bookbuyers

600 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 375-4208, www.bookbuyers.com

Put away your back-lit reading device. This a bookworm's treasure-hunting paradise, featuring an ever-rotating collection of literary gems, including plenty of classics-there's always a well-stocked Steinbeck section, including collector's editions that make great gifts-and the kinds of books you never would encounter in the world of search-term-driven f shopping. Bookbuyers invites browsing, an art in and of itself, and a luxury. If you've lost interest in whatever's collecting dust at home, bring it in; trade prices are especially fair.

BEST CAR DEALERSHIP - USED

Stahl Motor Company

2330 Del Monte Ave., Monterey

(831) 648-9500, www.stahlmotorcars.com

Pre-owned can be a good thing. Especially when it's a cool car like a shiny red BMW or a clean white Mitsubishi Galant. But buying a pre-owned car can be dicey-you don't want to go just anywhere for what's going to be one of the most expensive purchases you make, which is why Weekly Best Of voters have chosen Stahl Motor Company as the best place to buy pre-owned (or used) cars three years in a row. Service and quality are more than a key here-they are the key stuck right in the ignition of your new pre-owned ride.

BEST CAR DEALERSHIP - NEW

Victory Toyota

5 Heitzinger Plaza, Seaside

(831) 393-3020, www.victorytoyota.com

One afternoon I was out biking, miles from home, enjoying the beautiful day. Until my flat. I don't do flats. I started walking. A number of cars went by me. Until my white knight: a salesperson with a client test driving a Toyota RAV4. My bike and I got a lift home. There is a stereotype when it comes to car salesmen-that they are schemers out to make a buck at any cost. At Victory Toyota, it is all about customer service and taking care of any problem or concern, which in my case, extended to helping someone in need along the road. They went the extra mile in building their new facility too. It opened in April 2013 and is LEED certified, not something too many dealerships can boast. It has a big showroom and a covered service drive for inclement weather. They offer free coffee and fresh donuts from local favorite Red's.

BEST AUTO REPAIR

Tom's Montoroy Auto Ropalr

870 Abrego St., Monterey

(831) 372-5854. www.tomsauto.biz

Monterey motor staple have been fixing the clinks, clanks and clacks that drive drivers crazy. The goal is to get you in and get you back on these Monterey County roads without the headaches.

BEST CAR WASH

*llstaro

590 Fremont St., Monterey

(831) 373-1801

www.elesterocarwash.com

It takes lots of sponges and air fresheners to survive in car-wash land. No one has done it better or longer than Monterey'sEl Estero Car Wash. This car spa has been topping our Best Of list for 21 years, making it a dynasty destination for dirty cars and their owners. Even waiting is a breeze. While Herbie is out getting his Full Service Car Wash ($14.95) or Magic Clay & Camuba Wax ($89.95), you are perusing the rows of greeting cards and accessories, sipping complimentary coffee, watching TV and sitting inside or out.

BEST CHIROPRACTOR

Dr. Aaron Gaily

1299 Pacific St., Monterey

(831) 657-0191

www.chiropractorsmonterey.com

It's only fitting that this is a back-toback Best Of for ol' Doc Gailey. Get it? Back to back! OK, you're in no mood for humor or taking selfies because you are in serious pain. Fortunately the doc has the training, intuition and listening abilities to match his bedside manner, which is all-world. Fresh baked cookies too. If it's time to align right, it's time to line up with Gaily.

BEST COMPUTER STORE

Apple Store

240 Del Monte Center, Monterey

(831) 647-4480

www.apple.com/retail/delmonte

The following was a real conversa- # tion with artificial intelligence. Me: "Siri, help me out." Siri: "That may be beyond my abilities at the moment." Me: "Then what am I supposed to do?" Siri: "I found at least 25 events." Me: "No, I need real help." Siri: "I don't understand. But I could search the web for it." Me: "My phone is screwed and I need help to fix it. Siri, what is your problem?" Siri: "Sigh." It doesn't have to be this way. The Apple Store awaits, as does relief, with incredible tablets, laptops, accessories and genius types ready to help.

BEST DENTIST

Dr. J. Mark Bayhu

333 El Dorado St., Monterey

(831) 375-9232, www.drbayless.com

A magic show and a movie is not what you'd expect in a dentist's office, but we expect nothing less from longtime local dentist Dr. Mark Bayless. This is where the kids go to have fun, oh and, learn about tooth brushing as well. While cleaning teeth, Bayless is legendary around here for making patients giggle. It's not every day you hear about kids who actually want to hang out with staff and let a dentist fill their cavities; it's magic how Bayless does it. When he was a kid, Bayless loved working with children while lifeguarding at a city pool. One of his patients grew up to become a Registered Dental Assistant-having had such a good dental experience with Bayless-and is currently playing, err, working with his incredible team.

BEST DISPENSARY

*thno Botanical

1-877 768-3354, www.potdeli.org

Their buds include Candy Kush, Girl Scout Cookies, Allen Wrench and Harlequin-plus 17 organic strains like Tahoe Thunder, Blue Dream and Purple Cadillac. Their concentrates cover oils, waxes, and hashes alike-with names like GDP, Sour D Pressed, and Green Crackand come complete with measured and published THC levels. The edibles run the ganj gamut-honey cornbread muffins, fudge bars, sugar cookies and sea salt chocolate covered caramels-with a quarter gram of kief or hash in each. And they deliver the meds to members. Put that in your Atmos nano vape pen and smoke it. (They sell those, too.) But the real difference with EB is their superior medical professionalism, including comprehensive lab testing, organic certification and a large compassionate discount program.

BEST DIVE SHOP

Aquarius Diva Shop

2040 Del Monte Ave., Monterey

(831) 375-1933, www.aquariusdivers.com

Put simply, these guys get it. When "it" is an ocean the size of the Pacific, with all its curious harbor seals and surreal decorator crabs and sleek leopard sharks, that's no small statement. Come for cert classes, dry suits, dive advice, technical support, tour opportunities, tank refills, scuba stickers, fishing spears, expert conversation. Go away inspired.

BEST DOCTOR

Dr. Craig Gallar

900 Cass St., Monterey

(831) 242-0110

The online comments about this internist, based at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, show why he's won two years straight. "Maybe the best internist in Monterey," one said. "Listens well. But expect him to strongly suggest you adopt a healthy lifestyle. And I mean STRONGLY." He has almost a dozen years as an internist under his belt, so in addition to strongly suggesting a healthy lifestyle, he knows how to help his patients figure it out too.

BEST DRY CLEANERS

Vapor Suddon Sorvlco Cleaners

1193 10th St., Monterey

(831) 375-5221, www.vaporcleaners.net

Keeping clothes clean while keeping the Earth green is a noble commitment, and Vapor Cleaners has been following through on that mantra for more than a decade, earning a host of accolades for their environmentally conscious service that stamps out stains without leaving a nasty toxic footprint in our backyard. This family-run dry cleaning shop will tackle all of your laundering needs, be it a quick clean of your best suit (same day service if turned in by 10am), getting that oil stain out of your favorite Star Wars T-shirt, or a more delicate job like cleaning a wedding gown. Minor garment repair, as wells as laundry pick-up and delivery service are free of charge.

BEST ECO-FRIENDLY BUSINESS

Bco Cannai

San Carlos between Seventh and Eighth, Carmel

(831) 624-1222. www.ecocarmel.com

An impressive diversity of products is packed into this modestly sized space: building supplies, non-VOC paints, flooring, baby clothes, mattresses and more. Owner Kristi Reimers and her team curate the inventory with care, researching the latest in eco-conscious invention. "We want to make sure we're finding the healthiest and most local products for our customers," Sales Associate Megan Hirst says. That includes beeswax candles made in Carmel, aromatherapy blends from Pacific Grove and salts from the Monterey Bay. Shoppers are likely to find what they're looking for and discover a sustainable treasure or two along the way, making this shop, once again, our readers' go-to green bazaar.

BEST ETHNIC MARKET

Ml PimMo Food Center

950 E. Alisal St., Salinas

(831) 751-9713

1712 Fremont Blvd., Seaside

(831) 233-5929, www.mipueblo.com

Corn tortillas made fresh all day, every day. If you want to spice things up, you can get 'em flavored too, with cactus, chipotle or jalapeño. There's also fresh chips, tamales, and masa to take home and make your own (which also comes in various flavors). The cremería is chock full of enticing cheesy offerings, from panela and cotija to Oaxaca and Mennonites. Mi Pueblo also makes their own queso fresco. And then there's the ever-popular meats, in particular the arrachera, a barbecue staple. The kitchen dishes out solid offerings, while the bakery's tres leches cake is a slice of sponge-cake heaven.

BEST FLORIST

Swenson and Silacci

110 John St., Salinas, (831) 424-2725

432 Alvarado St., Monterey, (831) 375-2725

www.swensonandsilacciflowers.com

The window displays of Swenson and Silacci-bursting with seasonal colors and lush bouquetsprovide the first hint how they've won this category seven years straight. And while they excel at the single-bouquet scale, it's for big events that you really need an exacting florist who chooses only the healthiest, most vibrant flowers. They account for shape, height, color and aroma to complement wedding decor and attire, so you can pay attention to other things that day-like taking selfies with beautiful arrangements in the background.

BEST FOOT SPA

ComFOOT Spa

500 Polk St., Monterey

(831) 655-3132

379 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 375-7878, www.comfootspa.com

It's quite possibly the best deal of any kind anywhere on the Peninsula: $25 for a one-hour foot reflexology and clothes-on body massage. Walk in, have a seat, take off your shoes and kick back for 60 minutes while a ComFOOT massage therapist works out every kink in your neck, shoulders, back, and hits every pressure point in your foot and each of your toes. Embrace sleepiness as relaxing background music lulls you toward a dream state while your forehead, temples and face get the full breakdown. Fight even harder when your pant legs gets rolled up and your shins get worked onmuscles you didn't even know you had. It is not just a great deal, it is the deal, and proof that some deals that seem too good be true actually are true. Bring cash and tip well. It's deserved.

BEST FURNITURE STORE

Mum1« Place

246 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 372-6250, www.mumsfurniture.com</a>

The experienced, knowledgeable staff are eager to give honest opinions and suggestions to make the furniture shopping part of the home decorating adventure pleasant and relaxing. The owners of Mum's, Mr. and Mrs. Terskyan, follow trends in design and fashion and travel all over to stay a step ahead with their inventory selection. They know their clients and visit their houses to offer them design advice and choices they will truly enjoy. Customers want to "live" in their homes, not make them into museums, and the Mum's staff aim to help them do just that. Great service, great value.

BEST GOLF SHOP

The Golf Mart

2040 Fremont Blvd., Seaside

(831) 583-1000, www.thegolfmart.com

Indoor distance, swing and putting areas scream legitimacy. A huge selection of the latest and greatest in golf gear means no need to shop around. But all the state-of-the-art golf goodness doesn't mean much if the staff can't help elevate your game to the next level. Good thing these guys get it. Not only does Golf Mart have all the best, but they can tailor-make a Taylor Made outfit to complement your individual swing style. And if you just need to grab a used hybrid for a long link you just can't get on in two, they got that covered there, too-literally-as you get a free club cover for every purchase.

BEST GOURMET/ KITCHEN SHOP

Stone Creek Kitchen

465 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Monterey

(831) 393-1042

www.stonecreekkitchen.com

Eaters, drinkers and cookers: This is the place. The place to grab some of the best snazzy deli food around (the curry chicken salad on raisin bread is the bomb). The place to grab a reasonably priced bottle of vino (although the local microbrews keep the hops a-popping too). And the place to grab that kitchen gadget or set of wine glasses you have to have for your next dinner party. The lines at lunchtime can be a little chaotic, but the congenial and extra helpful staff will get you in and out. Stone Creek also offers excellent cooking classes in its demo kitchen, teaching everything from soup making to traditional Japanese hot pot. Stone Creek's paella Fridays are not to be missed either-they sell it by the pound or by the pan, every Friday.

BEST GROCERY STORE

Trailer Joe's

570 Munras Ave., Monterey (831) 372-2010

1170 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 656-0180, www.traderjoes.com

Whether you're a cuisinier or simply eat to sustain yourself, you best get to know my bro Trader Joe. From frozen pizzas and taquitos for the hungry college student, affordable kid-friendly cereals for busy parents, to a delectable truffle oil and salt which can raise the bar in any home kitchen* they carry the stuff of life, including health-craze coconut oil, great wine bargains and potted orchids.

BEST HARDWARE STORE

Ace Hardware

229 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 646-9144

1136 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 372-3284, www.acehardware.com

Has your father-in-law ever been over on a Sunday morning and then started fixing things only to break them? Speaking from experience, both of Pacific Grove's Ace stores will be open and ready to sell you the goods in your moment of need. But know that they do so much more than just solve family-induced embarrassment. These two independently owned Ace outlets have the backing of a corporate partner to ensure the aisles are stocked with all the DIY essentials, but staffed with local crews with not only

expert hardware know-how, but also an intimate knowledge of the local climate and how it may affect your home projects. They'll take no responsibility for your in-laws, however.

BEST HEADSHOP

Nor Cal Smoke Shop

765 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 645-9021

www.thenorcalsmokeshop.com

They've been in the county for nine years, recently remodeled to pack in more while keeping their clean bewitching look, and take pride in their deep selection. That includes stuff like water pipes, grinders, papers, tobacco, drug tests, cigars and bowl pieces; stuff we've heard of, like vape pens, scales, ash-catchers, down stems, wraps, steamrollers and extractors. But despite the vast array of products across price ranges, the three new cigar humidors, the 20-plus cases of merchandise, it's their customer service that readers respond to most.

BEST HEALTH CLUB

Monterey Sports Center

301 E. Franklin St., Monterey

(831) 646-3730, www.Monterey.org/ sportscenter

It can't be coincidence that the place that sculpted my pecs was voted Best Health Club. The public knows that guns like mine don't just happen unless you hit the happening that is the Monterey Sports Center. Aquatic, sauna, hot pool, the newest and greatest of fitness equipment, all manner of group exercise, gym, camps, physical therapy, personal trainers and a snack bar that is better than many cafes...the Sports Center has it all. Plus, managers Jeff Vierra and Ryan Nunez and their staff are possibly the nicest people in the county. (Next year that should be their award.) It's time for the Sports Center to bump up a division and go for Best Health Club on the Planet.

f BEST HOTEL

Monterey Plaza Hotel A Spa

400 Cannery Row, Monterey

(800) 334-3999, (831) 646-1700

www.MontereyPlazaHotel.com

Readers love the Plaza. Let us count the ways: 1. Binoculars in your hotel room to spot seals, sea otters and the glistening moon over the Monterey Bay. 2. Beach access adjacent to the fountain plaza and terrace. 3. Rooftop fireplace and oceanview Jacuzzi, hot-stone couples' massage, oxygen-infused facial, or the live, jazzpiano melody including the crackle from the flames and ocean waves. 4. Surprise gifts like chocolate-covered strawberries, possibly a free breakfast, or discounts to a romantic dinner at the Schooners Coastal Kitchen and Bar, where Executive Chef James Waller accommodates food allergies and dishes up Seafood Watch guide servings. 4. Outdoor fire pits. 5. Legendary pampered turndown service. 6. Café La Strada Peet's coffee-and-pastry goodies. 7. Personalized service with a friendly staff notorious for greeting hotel guests by name.

BEST INTERNET PROVIDER

Comcast

Various locations

www.comcast.com

Zing! Pow! Zap! That's the sound of Comcast zooming back to top pick for fast-acting, butt-kicking Internet. The company pairs good deals with quick service, and with its strong ties to media giants like Time Warner Cable, NBCUniversal, Xfinity and, recently, Netflix, Comcast is not only number one in Monterey County but poised to become one of the largest Internet providers in the world.

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Pejmani of Belgium

225A Carmel Plaza, Carmel

(831) 300-0900, www.pejmani.com

Pejmani of Belgium has only been open one full calendar year (it opened in the middle of 2012) so owner Ramin Movahedi considers it a true honor to have been voted the best jewelry store. Pejmani pieces are special, individually hand made, and for the workmanship and diamond quality, not set at crazy prices. It helps that there is no middleman or multiple middlemen supplying the stones. At Pejmani, prices are displayed, a rather uncommon practice at high end jewelry stores. United Way and Voices for Children are both happy to be partnered with them and appreciate their generos- ity in hosting events in the store or providing items for silent auction.

BEST LAUNDROMAT

Suds Cyber Laundry

709 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 324-4920, www.sudzpg.com

Dirty clothes are usually a hassle. With this place, they're a ticket to kick it with a 55-inch high def TV with 170 channels, sip free organic coffee and tea, use free high-speed WiFi and clean up your act. If you don't love it, go for fluffand-fold wash-and-dry for $1.35 a pound for 24-hour service. Bonus: Local owners Kevin and Loni McCallum are upgrading the machines to take credit cards.

BEST LOCAL PET SHOP

Stone's Pot Shop

13748 Center Street, 9-C, Carmel Valley

(831) 659-5317

1122 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove

(831) 375-4471, www.stonespetshop.com

Stone's Pet Shop might not be the oldest continuously operating pet store in the nation, but it's pretty close. Since 1957, Stone's has been the premiere place on the Peninsula to keep Fido and Fluffy well-fed, well-groomed, well-turned-out with collars and leashes and well-engaged with chewies and bobos. Owner Tom Radcliff, who bought the location about eight years ago, opened a second lôcation in Carmel Valley and plans to open what he calls a "second-and-a-half" location too: a new do-it-yourself dog washing center and expanded grooming center in the P.G. location. If you visit and see animals, it's because they're being boarded (they take care of everything from lizards to birds to fish), or they're being cared for while Stone's helps find them new homes. A recent success story: The rehoming of a hamster named Boo.

BEST MASSAGE THERAPIST

Sallyaiut Forzani

Vista Blue Spa

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

400 Cannery Row Monterey

(831) 646-1700

www.montereyplazahotel.com

It's no secret Vista Blue Spa is a premiere destination for rest and relaxation, but they do have a secret weapon: Sallyann Forzani. For the past eight years, Forzani has created some of their top treatments, like Bliss on the Bay. The luxurious body treatment combines exfoliation, massage and detoxification with blue cypress, lemongrass and juniper oils for 80 minutes of, well, bliss. When she's not at the spa, Forzani is hiking, running marathons or cycling but, unlike the rest of us, she comes back to work to unwind.

BEST MEN'S CLOTHING SHOP

Khaki's Men's Clothier of Carmel

Carmel Plaza</location>, Junípero and Ocean, Carmel

(831) 277-4975, www.khakisofcarmel.com

"Clothes make the man." which makes me, at best, an underdeveloped hermaphrodite. But now, with the public's choice of Khaki's of Carmel, I have no excuse. Considering themselves "thinkers, tailors and bold merchandisers," Khaki's of Carmel is the triple threat of fashion. From sportswear to fully custom tailored suits, they have you covered.Jiterally. Moderate prices. Covered. Luxurious brands. Covered. Hornback alligator belts and four-ply cashmere sweaters. Covered and covered. You can even ask for the owner, Jim Ocker. He covers it all. For those of a sartorial mind, you can't beat the quality of Khaki's Men's Clothier with a giant bat of lamb's wool.

BEST NAIL SALON

Sion« Creek Nalls

457 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Del Rey Oaks

(831) 394-8199

Leave smudges and smears behindthen add glitter! The bubbly staff at Stone Creek Nails says the secret to their success is a friendly, welcoming environment, and palate of more than 300 colors. They have a passion for nail art and can do justice to emblems like team logos, cupcakes and Disney, all in a day's work. Their gel nail polish means nails will shine for weeks and stay chip-free. But it's not just polish they offer, the salon also does waxing, eyelash extensions and paraffin dips.

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET

Grove Market

242 Forest Ave.. Pacific Grove

(831) 375 9581. www.grovemarketpg.com

Grove Market feels so right for a place like Pacific Grove, America's "Last Hometown." This family-owned and operated market is well-loved and wellstocked, and it's a pleasure to pop in for a quick meal from their hot case or to grab a nice cut of meat and a few fresh veggies to cook at home. Everything you need can be obtained quickly and efficiently. It's exactly how shopping should be. Pleasant, neat and orderly, with the satisfaction of supporting a local business.

BEST NEW BUSINESS

The Wharf Marketplace

290 Figueroa St., Monterey

(831) 649 1116

www.thewharfmarketplace.com

When the fragrant salt air coming off the harbor inspires an appetite for delicacies from the deep, many are faced with a common conundrum: not enough duckets. Enter The Wharf Marketplace, where the savvy gastronome can scoop up some melty panini, tasty Acme coffee, fresh local produce or housesqueezed juices for darn reasonable prices. Or try this: Grab a fresh-steamed crab, already cracked and cleaned, then scoot over to the outstanding wine section and choose among several standout local whites, many priced below $20. Head to the wine bar for glasses, the deli for plates and napkins, find a table outside and feast like a king. At about $20 each for two people, you'll feel like there is such a thing as a luxurious lunch, like you're having your crab and eating it too.

BEST NURSERY

Griggs Nursery

9220 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley

(831) 626-0680, www.griggsnursery.com

The best kind of nursery is like a botanical garden, a fragrant space to wander amid flora and become intoxicated by the beauty of it all, the myriad life forms that nature gifted us. The best kind of nursery is Griggs. With more than two f acres of inventory, the nursery teems with what seems like every plant under the sun, from California natives, grasses and succulents to fruit trees, veggies and herbs. And because Griggs is locally owned, they're more in tune with what locals need than a big-box chain, and as such offer an array of deer-resistant plants, which can be found by asking the ever-helpful, always-knowledgeable staff.

BEST OIL CHANGE

Jiffy Lube

2415 Fremont St., Monterey

(831) 375-5823

865 Abrego St., Monterey (831) 649-5823

228 N. Main St., Salinas (831) 422-5823

www.jiffylube.com

No appointment necessary. Acecertified mechanics will perform the following warranty and car-saving services at your convenience: Jiffy Lube Signature Service* Oil Change, service air conditioner, air filtration, cooling system, drivetrain, electrical, engine, fuel, transmission, tire rotation, and windshield.

BEST ORGANIC PRODUCE MARKET

Whole Foods Market

800 Del Monte Center, Monterey

(831) 333-1600, www.wholefoodsmarket. com/stores/monterey

Getting organic celery root ain't easy. Or blood oranges. Or fingerling potatoes. Whole Foods isn't the cheapest local market by a long shot, but for variety in organics it has no match, and it's not close. The immaculate produce section is beautifully stacked with familiar (yet toohard to-find) organics like onions, fennel, radishes and tomatoes. And then there are the not so familiar (and even harder to find) kohlrabi, watercress, romanesco and okra. It is the one-and-only store for local foodies to pick up anything they might need to try out a new recipe, and it's hard to imagine money better spent.

BEST PHARMACY

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy

570 Munras Ave #10, Monterey

(831) 333-0751, www.pharmaca.com

The white coats aren't just for show. There's a good chance the cashier ringing up your New Chapter multivitamins and your Schmidt's lavender-sage deodorant is a certified naturopathic doctor, nutritionist or herbalist herself-so go ahead and ask her advice. (It's free.) The credentialed pharmacists also stand ready to answer questions about your prescription. Incentives like senior discounts and the Feel Better Rewards Program sweeten the pot.

BEST OUTDOOR GEAR STORE

REI

145 General Stilwell Drive, Marina

(831) 883-8048, www.REI.com/Marina

Any outdoor shop can sell gear, but what sets a good outdoor shop apart is the ability to get the right gear to the right customer. REI does this deliriously well. Whether it's fitting you for the perfect boot, bike or pack you'll get what you need for your specific adventure, with the opportunity to get annual refunds by becoming a member. They stock the best gear you can buy including Mountain Hardwear, Osprey, JetBoil and Petzl with frequent sales and specials. Ample classes then teach the uninitiated how to get the adventure(s) going.

BEST PHOTO/CAMERA STORE

Green's Camera World

350 Main St., Salinas (831) 424-5247

555 Del Monte Center, Monterey

(831) 655-1234

Fifth and San Carlos, Carmel

(831) 624-8880, www.greenscamera.com

Yes, they still do film. Green's sells film at all three of their locations and processes slide film, 35mm black and white negative film and medium format film. Green's also stocks a full selection of digital cameras and lenses for the proud parent photographing their kids to the seasoned professional shooting Laguna Seca mach speeds. And their savvy staff is always helpful.

BEST PLACE TO BUY ART/CRAFT SUPPLIES

Beverly's Fabrics

2090 North Fremont St., Monterey

(831) 646-5141

344 Main St., Salinas (831) 422-1508

www.beverlys.com

It's been a long day and you haven't even finished cooking dinner when your kid tells you that she has to bring valentines for her classmates. And they have to be homemade. You could cut some lazy hearts out of old magazines and call it a day. But you, m'lady, are no quitter. No child of yours is gonna half-ass a holiday. You holster your hot glue gun, grab the shopping bag you sewed from an old sweatshirt and head to Beverly's. Rows of purty papers, sequins, ribbons, stickers and glitter later and you've got the makings of some heartfelt goodies.

BEST PLACE TO BUY A MOTORCYCLE

Monterey Harley-Davidson

333 N. Main St., Salinas

(831) 731-5066

www.montereyharleydavidson.com

700 Cannery Row, Suite B, Monterey

(831) 731-5067

Forget Saturday Night Live-check out Friday Night Live in Salinas' HarleyDavidson shop. Free grub, sales, promotions, live music every first Friday of the month. Now that's customer appreciation. And the customer has a lot to appreciate as well, namely the revered, high-quality machinery that gives Harley its reputation. Monterey Harley-Davidson offers 2014's latest models in addition to used bikes, leathers, helmets and everything you need to ride high.

BEST PLUMBER

A and R Plumbing

1720 Contra Costa St., Sand City

(831) 394-7221

www.aandrplumbinginc.com

You might not be happy when you need to call them but you'll sure be glad you did. This Sand City team will not only rescue your old pipes and drains but can install new ones that last. Familyowned and operated since 1974, A and R sticks by their commitment to be fast, fair, honest and reliable, charging only for time and materials. They even offer 24-hour emergency service.

BEST REAL ESTATE OFFICE

Alain Pinal

Junípero between Fifth and Sixth, Carmel

(831) 622-1040, www.apr.com

From a high-end $12 million estate on Aguajito Road in Carmel and a $550,000 fairway lot in Seaside Highlands to a seven-bedroom/six-bath, $15 million compound in Pebble and modest $400,000 exclusive in Prunedale, Alain Pinel caters to just about every price point and region in Monterey County. With a team of more than 50 agents, your customer service needs are always met, whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned investor.

BEST REALTOR(S):

Joy A Jon Jacobs Tho Jacobs Team

Keller Williams Realty

26435 Carmel Rancho Blvd., Carmel

(831) 236-7976, (831) 241-1598

www.joyjoysellshomes.com

In a market where inventory is unusually low, the mother-daughter team of Joy and Jen Jacobs are forced to rely on creativity to get Monterey County buyers into their dream home. "We use an extensive network of past clients and buyers," Jen explains. "We call in favors and do whatever it takes." Another key: caring about what their clients want on a more personal level. "Our clients end up becoming friends and even family," Jen says. "As cheesy as that sounds, it's the truth."

BEST ROOFER

BEST SOLAR COMPANY

Scudder Roofing Company

3342 and 3344 Paul Davis Drive. Marina

(831) 384-3900, www.scudderroofing.com

Pete Scudder, founder of Scudder Roofing, started climbing ladders and nailing shingles when he was just out of high school, moving here in 1975 from Walnut Creek with $500 and a dream to be in business. Thirty years later, being a company in one of the fastest growing industries in the world may seem like easy money, but the road to a sun-lit power grid is littered with companies that couldn't cut it. At Scudder they've taken a hands-on, personalized approach to solving their customers sustainable energy needs by doing away with the cookie-cutter photovoltaic systems, opting instead to customize every installation. All of this with zero money down up front. Also cool: He brags about his employees on his website; most have been with Scudder an average of eight years.

BEST SALON

Oya

201 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 656-0570, www.oyasalon.com

It's a sexy, sleek place meant to make you feel that way too. Oya has some of the best trained stylists in California, the only certified Kevyn Aucoin (huge name in the celebrity world) makeup bar on the Central Coast and a veritable plethora of services to keep everything from your tootsies looking spiffy to your brows perfectly plucked. In a world where it's easy to say "satisfaction guaranteed," Oya really means it: If you're not happy with the results, call within two weeks and they will give you a redo, free.

BEST SEAFOOD MARKET

Sm Harwit Pish Market

100 A Crossroads Blvd., Carmel

(831) 626-3626

598 Foam St., Monterey (831) 646-0547

2420 Highway 1, Moss Landing

(831) 633-8300, (831) 728-8686

www.seaharvestcarmel.com

Where else can you snatch a catch of trout or red snapper or rock cod or catfish or halibut or prawns or salmon or tilapia or sea bass or scallops or swordfish or tuna and take it over the counter to roast/grill/saute/bake/broil wrap at homc-or have them prep in-house with a choice of clam chowder or salad, fries, rice or baked potato, plus steamed vegetables? Nowhere 'round here. These folks rule on the affordable-and-fresh fronts. Enough said. Buen provecho.

BEST SECONDHAND CLOTHING STORE

Goodwill

266 Reservation Road, Marina

(831) 233 7767

571 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 649-6056

708 E. Alisal St.. Salinas (831) 424-5346

1325 N. Main St.. Salinas (831) 755-8668

729 Broadway Ave., Seaside

(831) 394 1212

2269 H Déla Rosa Sr St.Soledad

(831) 237-6987, www.scgoodwill.org

As if a few bucks for a shirt or sweater isn't cheap enough, a third of Goodwill's clothing goes half-off every Sunday. That means you can buy a sweet Hawaiian shirt for all of $2...and save the rest for that island vacation. Even if you don't want clothes (and they've got everything from socks to hats), you can find a variety of household goods, appliances, CDs and furniture. If, on the other hand, you're looking to unload, you can do that here too. The best part: Your purchase or donation goes to support job-training skills at Goodwill's cooking school in Marina and cosmetology school in Santa Cruz. Everybody wins.

BEST SELECTION OF LIQUOR BEST WINE MARKET

B«vMoI

26540 Carmel Rancho Blvd., Carmel

(831) 250-0621

1900 N. Davis Road, Salinas

(831) 442-2411, www.bevmo.com

Albarino to Zinfandel, with every Barbaresco, Barbera and Barolo in between. Chianti and Chenin Blanc. Grenache and Gewürz. Pinot and Port. Riesling and Rioja. Syrah, Sauv Blanc and Sake. So go wine well, and time the visit with the 5-cent sales. Or just stick to the f liquor. Mad mixers, bourbons, brandies, gins, whiskeys, rums, scotches, tequila, vodka and liqueurs from France, Scotland, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and across the country. Spirits are up.

BEST SHOE STORE

H«dl*sShoM

Ocean Avenue and Mission, Carmel

(831) 624-5580

3630/3646 The Barnyard, Carmel

(831) 625-2055

330 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 655-3080

440 Del Monte Center, (831) 641-0780, www.hedi.com

First there was one location, founded about 27 years ago at the Barnyard by one Hedi Movahedi. Now there are three and they're run by managing owner (and Hedi's daughter) Shara. Here are just some of the brands they carry: Ecco, Ugg Australia, Mephisto, Allen Edmond's, Pikolinos, Munro American, Rieker, Dansko, Clarks of England. And they're keeping alive the fading craft of fitting people for their shoes for size and width (narrow, medium, wide). Although Hedi's name graces the signage, you likely won't see him at the stores: While his daughter is running things, Hedi's spending most of his free time playing with his granddaughter, perhaps the next generation of the stores' proprietors.

BEST SHOE REPAIR SHOP

Fradwtco'i Drive In Shoe Service

542 Abrego St., Monterey

(831) 649-3322

Frederico's is more than the local place to get your flip-flops fixed or heal your heels. With embroidery and printing services, Frederico's could repair your local softball team's cleats, outfit them in jerseys and create a trophy for your big playoff win. They'll also work on larger items like horse blankets and boat covers. The family-run business even has a nifty drive-in window.

BEST SHOPPING DISTRICT/ CENTER

Dd Monte Shopping Center

1410 Del Monte Center. Monterey

(831) 373-2705, www.delmontecenter.com

It flickers through the trees off the Soledad-Drive-and-Munras-Avenue exit like a shining beacon of consumeristic hope. You feel your cash and credit cards itching to be set free. Retail therapy never looked so good. A plethora of shops and restaurants like the Apple Store, Macy's, California Pizza Kitchen, and Century Cinemas call your name. You seek an endless combination of eat, shop, watch, repeat. Pace yourself.

BEST SPA

Unfug«

27300 Rancho San Carlos Road, Carmel

(831) 620-7360, www.refuge.com

The big, four-tiered Finnish sauna and the su per-steam room bring the sweat. The plunge pools bring the insane circulation. Dozens of Adirondack chairs clustered around stone-framed fire pitsand several relaxation rooms with "zerogravity" lounge chairs and airy chords of transcendent music-bring the peace. Sculpted waterfalls and six different hot pools bring the slow soothing warmth. A closing massage brings the thought that you never want to leave.

BEST STORE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Music Unlimited

425 Alvarado St.. Monterey

(831) 372-5893, www.facebook.com/MusicUnlimitedMonterey

If you buy an instrument from Music Unlimited in Monterey, you get free service on it for life. If you've ever had your axe's neck go out of whack and had to shell out the dough to get it adjusted, you know "free service" equals "damn good deal." And that's not all. The store offers a collection of mostly new guitars, drums, keyboards, recording equipment and other goodies that'll make an audiophile smile. Plus instrument lessons, sheet music, and a chill staff. No wonder the place has been around for 25 years-and in a location that's been a music store since the Depression. Rock on.

BEST SURF SHOP

On lb« Beach Surf Shop

693 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 646-9283

www.onthebeachsurfshop.com

Back in 1986, Mr. Mister, Survivor and Atlantic Starr ruled the charts. Ronald Reagan was president, and The Oprah Winfrey Show began one of the longest runs in TV talk show history. Dang, that seems like a long time ago! In that same year, Kelly Sorenson opened the first On the Beach Surf Shop in Carmel. Since then, surf culture has changed like popular culture-goodbye Jams shorts and neon thin-as-a-wafer surfboards!-but impressively, On the Beach has weathered trends and continues to be the Best.

BEST TATTOO PARLOR

Creative Visions Tattoo ft Body Piercing Studio

856 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey

(831) 649-1882

www.creativevisionstattoo.net

This tattoo parlor is different from what our minds may conjure. The artists smile and greet you and answer questions in a conversational manner, with an ease that comes from impressive longevity, having each worked there five years or more. The new space is just a month old-clean, comfortable and bright. They do realistic tattoos, old school tattoos, customs and cover-ups. They do piercings of just about anything except for surface anchors, and if they don't want to do it, you don't want it.

BEST THRIFT STORE

Y«llow Brick Road B«n«fft Shop

26388 Carmel Rancho Lane, Carmel

(831) 626-8480

www.yellowbrickroadbenefitshop.org

Just shy of 25 years in business and almost $5 million distributed in grants and scholarships, this thrift store takes pride in serving Monterey County. They have their "regulars" that visit the store daily or even every morning and afternoon. Supplied by steady donations they keep the inventory fresh, well-displayed and organized for easy perusal. Over 90 volunteers help make this happen, each bringing unique interests and qualifications, like the specialist in antiques who evaluates, researches and prices items. Check out the half price book sale Monday and Wednesday from 4pm-6pm, which one volunteer describes as "quite the little event."

BEST TIRE SHOP

Sullivan's Tir« Pros G Auto S«rvlc«

1730 The Mall, Seaside

(831) 394-6561, www.sullivanstire.com

When the rubber meets the road, tires get the worst of it. Fortunately, close to the highway in the Seaside Auto Mall, you can't miss Sullivan's Tire Pros & Auto Service and its big-windowed building. Roll in or call or just enter the car make, model, and year into their website; it then displays brand name tires matched to your car.

BEST TOY STORE

Thinker Toys

Seventh and San Carlos. Carmel

(831) 624-0441

480 Del Monte Center, Monterey

(831) 643-0907, www.thinkertoys.com

While big-box stores line their aisles with nearly disposable doodads, Thinker Toys stocks new products of old-school quality. Imagination blossoms in the presence of sturdy instruments, dolls, kites and puzzles, many of them made with eco-friendly materials. Big this year among 10-to-15-year-olds: the Rainbow Loom, allowing kids to create colorful bracelets and necklaces out of rubber bands. Legos still reign among littler siblings; check out the architectural bent in the Creator series. Your kid will have so much fun, she won't even realize how much she's learning.

BEST TREE TRIMMER

Tope's Tree Service

P.0. Box 51964, Pacific Grove

(831) 373-7765, (831) 596-6969

www.topestreeservice.com

Topes is tops. They've branched out into crown cleaning, crown raising, crown thinning, crown restoration, view enhancement, shaping and structure clearance, tree removal, stump bumping, cabling, bracing, lot clearing, storm damage clean-up, wood splitting, tub grinding and-oh yes-crane service lifting as much as 23 tons 135 feet tall.

BEST VETERINARY

Carmel Valley Veterinary Hospital

13738 Center St., Carmel Valley Village

(831) 659-2286, www.carmelvalleyvet.com

If your pets could speak, their sentiments would echo ours when it comes to a trip to the doctor: It's for the birds. Still, the caring staff at The Carmel Valley Veterinary Hospital know how to give our creatures their comfort. The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment, laser surgery capabilities, laboratory facilities, skilled groomers and extended boarding capacity. They also have a pet van that offers pick-up and drop-off services. Arf arf.

BEST WOMEN'S CLOTHING BOUTIQUE

Anthropologie

Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, Carmel Plaza, Carmel

(831) 624-2129, www.anthropologie.com

Miniature green hot air balloons are hoisted in storefront windows; a grand antique birdhouse emerges from behind hand-painted teacups and colorful linens; scattered candles flicker like fireflies and exude exotic scents. Anthropologie makes shopping during each new season an event for all the senses. Exquisite women's clothing, accessories and housewares are the beginning at a boutique that fosters a welcome new way of wearing.

BEST YOGA STUDIO

Seaside Yoga Sanctuary

1360 Fremont Blvd., Seaside

17th Street and Central Avenue, Pacific Grove

44 Plaza Circle, Salinas

(831) 899-9642

www.seasideyogasanctuary.com

Like a cleansing breath, these yoga studios keep expanding: from Seaside into Pacific Grove, and just last summer, into Salinas. Each of the three locations offers a free community class every week. That's part of owner Laura McKinnon's commitment to making yoga accessible to everyone. There are classes in about a dozen schools of yoga, from Soma to Vinyasa-plus prenatal, postnatal, yoga for kids, yoga for seniors and more. Ahhh.

Copyright:	(c) 2014 Monterey County Coast Weekly
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