Page 24 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

CA.CUISINE
WINE TASTING in Lodi; Cheese Therapy
truck, right; everything’s fresh in
farm-to-table dining, opposite.
Silicon Valley
In Los Gatos, gem of Silicon Valley, Dio
Deka (Greek), Forbes Mill (steakhouse) and
Nick’s Next Door (creatively exquisite com-
fort food) are top drawer, while in Saratoga,
it’s The Plumed Horse (Michelin-starred)
and Sent Sovi, along with Nemea and Grill
on the Alley in San Jose.
Seacoast Stars
Think Mendocino for some of the most
romantic and isolated coastal dining estab-
lishments with drop-dead gorgeous views
and zero traffic. North Coast stars include
Chef Marc Dym, of Little River Inn and
Chef Nicolas Petti of Mendo Bistro, mul-
tiple winner of the Dungeness crab cake
cookoff held each January during Mendo-
cino’s Crabfest. The gourmet cuisine of
Chef Peg Davis at Brewery Gulch Inn makes
it the finest B&B in Mendocino, and new-
comer The Wild Fish in Albion sets new
standards for white linen seaside dining.
Carmel & Monterey
Michelin-starred Aubergine, where Chef
Justin Cogley and Pastry Chef Ron Men-
doza work wonders, and Carmel Valley’s
Marinus at Bernardus Lodge, home of
esteemed Chef Cal Stamenov, continue to
wow diners.
In Big Sur, superstar Chef John Cox
makes any meal at clifftop Sierra Mar an
otherworldly experience, with views
plunging to the Pacific deep.
Food Trucks Bring It On
Trending skyward, food trucks have gone
from flash mob craze to commonplace. Off
22 2015 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
the Grid, a Bay Area network offering just
about every imaginable international cui-
sine, now includes an artisan cheese truck
called “Cheese Therapy.”
Food & Wine Extravaganzas
True epicures should not miss the defini-
tive food and wine events put on yearly by
Pebble Beach’s Coastal Luxury Manage-
ment. First, there’s Pebble Beach Food &
Wine in April, a multi-day extravaganza
showcasing the hottest new chefs doing
live cooking demos. And the wine selection
is so unbeatable, you’d best learn to spit.
LA Food & Wine follows in August.
Seminars at both bring world-class educa-
tors, chefs and winemakers together to
create learning experiences that will open
your eyes to the incomparable scope of the
culinary cosmos.
Dorothy Maras-Ildiz, “Chef Whisperer”
in charge of coordinating chefs for the
aforementioned events, notes, “Octopus is
the protein darling of the year and ramen
is the hottest trend. The immersion circu-
lator has become so prevalent that no one
even dares to print the words ‘sous vide’ on
a menu: everyone is utilizing these precise
cooking tools.”
This year’s hottest new event is Tes-
tarossa Winery’s Wine & Food festival on
May 17 in Los Gatos, featuring Michelin-
starred chefs.
» FIND YOUR
NEXT MEAL
seafoodwatch.org
passionfish.net
fandangorestaurant.com
nimanranch.com
barinagaranch.com
cowgirlcreamery.com
harleyfarms.com
cheesetrail.org
gravensteinapplefair.com
applehill.com
swantonberryfarm.com
aratapumpkinfarm.com
duartestavern.com
stellacadente.com
victorinevalleyfarms.com
oleafarms.com
wentevineyards.com/restaurant
manresarestaurant.com
loveapplefarms.com
chaminade.com
summit2seawinetrail.com
littleriverinn.com
mendobistro.com
mendocino.com
bernarduslodge.com
postranchinn.com
cheesetherapytruck.com
offthegrid.com
pbfw.com
lafw.com
testarossa.com
Mouthwatering News
chow.com
slofoodbank.org
tastingtable.com
seriouseats.com
ANTHONY MCCAMMON PHOTOGRAPHY; CHRISTINE MCCALL. OPPOSITE: VISIT SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY