At Atom, sip locally produced wine and contemplate Santa Cruz (overcast) views, kelp forests, pelicans, and the 2.7-mile-deep Monterey Canyon. (Photo: Mark C. Anderson)
October 25, 2024 – The Leaping Blenny ranks among my favorite treasures discovered at Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Not only are they hidden away in the Splash Zone, a children’s area on the second floor at the west end of the aquarium, but they also display a variety of special talents that are worthy of praise.
The same goes for this found treasure. This found treasure applies to the Taste of Monterey Wine Market & Bistro (ATOM), which happens to be Blaney’s neighbor, just above Cannery Row.
It’s hidden in the far corner of the maze of stores at 700 Cannery Row, adjacent to Steinbeck Plaza, with Sly McFly filling stations and Lily Mae cinnamon rolls as its main features. It starts with the fact that
GM Jasmine Hernandez has an encyclopedic depth of knowledge and personal experience, and knows local winemakers and winemakers intimately. (Photo: Mark C. Anderson)
Jumping Blennies can do things that are unthinkable for “fish”.
Under its namesake brand, Alticus saliens can jump out of the ocean and onto rocks on the shore, where it can continue flying around on land as long as it stays moist enough to breathe.
“A Taste of Monterey” is not to be outdone, pulling off feats not seen in many “tasting rooms,” especially when considered as a whole.
Featuring wines from dozens of regional wine producers, including Bernardus, Comanche, Lars, Scheid and Silvestri, ATOM estimates all 90 will be available for tasting flights between winemakers and in retail stores. We also have bottles to take home (25 bottles) (markdown % for 4 packs).
The list of carefully selected wine options is enough to distinguish this place by itself.
However, ATOM also offers an extensive menu worthy of its bistro title.
This includes sugar-cayenne-thyme-spiced almonds ($8), olive medley with fennel and citrus ($8), bacon-wrapped/blue cheese-stuffed dates ($10), and fine wines. It corresponds to a classic menu that is perfect for . The catalog of graded cheeses lists producers such as Cypress Grove, Di Stefano, Marin French and Grafton Village from “soft” to “medium” to “hard” to “specialty.”
Next up is the charcuterie salami action, which combines six imported Italian meats with one, three or five cheeses and charcuterie ($12, $24, $26).
But chef Alicia Velasco is also expanding the possibilities to include garlic shrimp and cheese grits ($16), Monterey crab dip with local artichokes ($17), and wild-smoked salmon ($14). Masu. The reality for fishermen is that the fate of crab and salmon fisheries remains at risk.
Also available are rectangular flatbread pizzas like the Viva Italia ($16-17) with sun-dried tomatoes, pumpkin seed pesto, prosciutto, ricotta, fresh apples and arugula ($16-$17), and carnitas, ham and provolone. There are also paninis like the Monterey Cubano, which is served with pickles, pickles and mustard.
At Taste of Monterey, we organize our wine inventory and tastings by variety. Wine table flights ($23 – $27/3 oz.) depart as follows: Not Too Dry, Rosé All Day, Pinot Noir, Que Syrah, Syrah, Sparking, Monterey Sampler, White Wine, Chardonnay, Rockin’ Reds. , Red Blend and Mission Trail. (Photo: Mark C. Anderson)
Blennies are timeless, steampunk, futuristic, smooth-horned, evolved, bulbous, cool-looking creatures.
Taste is unlikely to win here either (it’s not a contest), even though the jumping species Kusiblenii was hundreds of thousands of years ahead of us.
The setting here is a winning factor, even considering the sublime wine lineup and value-for-money food.
If you know a soul, you can legitimately say I buried the lead.
This place is impressive enough that it would be a great spot if they sold grape spirits instead of great wine and 7-Eleven hot dogs instead of oak-grilled Santa Lucia tri-tip paninis. Probably.
These are winking, twice-blinking views from italics befitting floating four-tops and cushioned couplets.
The list of venues with this kind of seascape in this area is shorter than my fingernails after four overtimes.
ATOM also aesthetically stylizes the space with art photography that accurately and thoughtfully depicts Bixby Bridge, Rivera Beach, and the local landscape, reinforcing the wine’s provenance by highlighting the location in a vibrant way.
Another great attribute worth admiring is its camouflage. The inability to blend into rock surfaces makes this special athlete a special snack for birds, lizards, and crabs.
Thematic taste also surpasses that of Brenny. ATOM is home to tourist flypapers like Bucket Candyland, hot sauce emporium Pepper Palace, Monterey’s Global Candle Gallery, Daniel Woodland Shooting Gallery, and the holy grail of disposable outposts you’ve seen on TV. It covers itself with an ungodly avalanche of places.
A collection of banalities can act like a repellent for locals, or a reminder that you have to dig every once in a while if you want to find treasure.
Expert Tips on this: Another challenge is parking. Foam and Prescott garages are safe. More risky is slow-rolling Cannery Row, where we’re hoping for more open spots during shoulder season.
Soup and salad lunch at A Taste of Monterey (Photo: Mark C. Anderson)
As a refresher, this place has long checked a number of “Found Treasure” boxes. Among them are hidden locations, incredible inventory, invested staff (see below), nifty snacks, great drinks, a unique approach, and one of the most important things: heart. there is.
I remembered this and split the Castroville artichoke and potato bisque, the arugula salad, and the Pig Wizard flatbread pizza. (For the record: The bisque is balanced and provides just enough creamy artichoke yum. I used all the leftover sliced garlic sourdough to clean out the bowl like Cardi Taylor. The salad, although unfortunately overdressed, is beautifully packed with roasted beets (I find the flatbread to be outstanding), fennel sausage and multiple different mushrooms. . )
While he asked for prickly pear fresh lemonade ($5, $6), I opted for the Santa Lucia Highlands Cru Pinot ($13), a nice little lunchtime tasting combo, and the Monterey Wine Table. I was allowed to watch a little bit of the flight ($23-). ($27).
Our server, Scott Crumler, takes care of the floor himself, never losing track of the timing of service and throwing local naturalist-level knowledge of buoys and reefs right out the window.
GM Jasmine Hernandez takes charge of the welcome desk and does not interact with former locals who have been members of the wine club for years and still return from Southern California to keep up with the latest in the world of wine. I can’t go in.
Before leaving, I confirmed my identity, told her that I intended to make Atom the latest recipient of the love letter to Sangun Treasure, and asked her two fun questions.
She answered: “Well, it’s better to have fun!”
#1: Do locals still walk around the world without knowing they are here?
“Oh, that’s right.”
#2: How would you explain this combination of choices and settings to a beginner?
“This is the best job I’ve ever had. I’ve been here 18 years.”
Her long life resonated something in the back of my head.
Ken Lau, who was responsible for hatching Atom in collaboration with his wife Robin and the growers, moved into this heavenly vineyard earlier this year, sooner than life-loving people had ever hoped. I remembered what happened.
Hernandez asked me if I knew him. I spoke to her not only personally, but also in the best part of 20 years covering local hospitality, and it would be impossible not to know of his extraordinary love and advocacy for the region’s wine world. did.
The reacquaintance of her loss subtly but visibly hit me like a tractor beam, making my eyes water and reminding me to take in the ocean view and breathe.
For more information, visit atasteofmonterey.com and A Taste of Monterey’s Instagram page. Lau’s obituary is posted there.
ATOM offers a wide selection of Monterey County wines. (Photo: Mark C. Anderson)
Mark C. Anderson can be reached via Instagram at mark@ediblemontereybay.com or @MontereyMCA.
