Clean Plate Club: Monterey Peninsula

Clean Plate Club: Monterey Peninsula

We understand that time is the most valuable thing for everyone — especially you! And after time, its food. Life is too short for a bad bowl of soup. We firmly believe that each meal is an opportunity for bliss, hence we have done the hard work for you in selecting the best “fill in the blank” dining options. We work with local food editors up and down the coast, to compiles our “Best of” roundups.  

Who’s we? Please meet our California Clean Plate Club, specifically those in the Monterey Peninsula region.

And if we missed our favorite, please email us connect@localgetaway2.wpengine.com

Mark C. Anderson

A writer, photographer, editor and explorer based in both Bay Areas. He brakes his bicycle for fresh seafood tacos at places like Pescadero (local abalone tacos!) in Carmel, Sea Harvest in Moss Landing (local rockfish tacos!) and the vegan tacos at Flaco’s in Berkeley (the spicy house salsa is legit AF). His work has appeared in the San Francisco ChronicleBest American Food Writing and Edible Monterey Bay, where he’s lead columnist and contributing editor. He also appears weekly on KRML Radio.

Kasia Pawlowska

A Californian by way of Poland, I’ve spent the past 13 years living and eating in the birthplace of snobby ice cream flavors and (potentially) the martini — San Francisco. Whether it’s wood-fired Neapolitan pizza from a no-reservations-hour-long-wait spot, seasonal ankimo at 10-seat sushi bar, $2 take-out har gow, or a new chip at the bodega, selecting food is one of the most thrilling and important decisions of my day. Hence when I’ve traveled for work or pleasure, I study up on where I will spend my two precious resources, time and money. I believe that we can all eat really well regardless of budget and that an expensive meal isn’t always a good one. I love uncovering hidden gems tucked away in strip malls, and am a bit of a heat seeker, so you can catch me slapping on the wasabi and splashing on the Crystal house sauce on just about anything.

Sabrina Tuton-Filson

There are few things that get me like the crunch of freshly baked sourdough pizza, the sizzle of onions in oil, or a well-balanced hearty salad. I’m known for adding a pinch of fleur de sel to just about everything — open-faced toasts to smoothies to ice cream — and have a proclivity for fitting nearly every meal into a mason jar. In true SF-native form, I spend generous amounts of time ogling farmer’s market stands and talking about new veggie varietals I just learned how to cook. When I’m not perusing the aisles for cooking inspiration, I’m on the lookout for the best vegetarian, dairy-free and seafood dishes that restaurants offer — because yes, cheese-less pizzas (*gasp*) and dairy-free ice cream can be delicious. As a former dairy fiend, I’m here to spread the word.

Mimi Towle

Growing up in a restaurant family on Oahu, with a cattle ranch on the Big Island, food was always front and center, which is probably why, like many it’s my love language. Bring me fresh dim sum and you’ve won my heart. It’s that easy. My preference is anything Asian-inspired as in all fish should be served with a scoop of rice, because in my opinion, potatoes just don’t absorb the sauce as well. That said, I love a good burger (sustainably raised, because I care about cows, of course) pizza is also the perfect food, from The Living Foods bacon and egg breakfast pizza in Poipu to, Flatbreads in Haiku, the islands have a plethora of pies to explore. Equally as important as the food is the people making, serving and creating the atmosphere – life is hard enough, we don’t need attitude served with our açaí bowl or fish tacos. In other words, sour service, can ruin the best dish. Cheers to finding more good places to share and meeting more dedicated malasada masters.

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