“Hidden Jewel” Portola Restaurant Discovered

In the Monterey Herald newspaper today, the Bon Appétit team at Monterey Bay Aquarium received well-deserved kudos for their "use of fresh, seasonal, organic and sustainable food items — along with heavy doses of creativity."

Several culinary delights that impressed food writer Mike Hale and his "foodie" 16-year old daugther:

  • Not-your-ordinary calamari: "Monterey Bay squid pieces share a panko dredge with Meyer lemon slices and shaved fennel bulb"
  • Colorful, sustainable, flavorful char: "Pan-roasted, tarragon-dusted arctic char (a sustainable alternative to farmed salmon) with golden beet risotto, crisp asparagus, grilled ramps and orange" 
  • Expand-your-seafood-palate shellfish: "Monterey farm-raised abalone with fava bean purée, braised vidalia onions, Meyer lemon and olive oil sorbet"

That’s enough to entice any food-lover to stop by for a visit! Add in a beautiful ocean view and great service, Portola Restaurant is a ‘must-experience’ when you’re visiting northern California. As Mike puts it, Portola is "one of the Peninsula’s most innovative, interesting and conscientious restaurants." Check out customer reviews on Yelp.

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The dynamic Bon Appétit team (left to right): Pastry Chef Cheyenne Diaz, Chef de Cuisine Estevan Jimenez, Executive Chef Dory Ford, Executive Sous Chef Jeffrey Walker (photo credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium/Randy Tunnell)

-Katherine Kwon, Communications Project Manager