Rappa’s and new Chef Alfonso Martinez give the Wharf some daring new flavors.

Sometimes the most delicious discoveries are sitting right in front of our snouts. And the latest such surprise addition to Monterey County’s lineup of forward-thinking restaurants – places where both the foodstuffs and kitchen creativity come fresh – enjoys one hell of a hiding place: smack dab in plain sight at the end of Fisherman’s Wharf.

It’s there the iconic, born-in-1952 Rappa’s Seafood Restaurant (372-7562) – long a reliable tourist magnet but a forgotten spot for locals – has shredded the old menu. The new style is immediately apparent in new items like blackened walnut-crusted ahi tuna ($24.95) and watermelon-avocado shrimp cocktail ($12.95) and new signature items with a certain name on them, like the “Chef Alfonso [Martinez]’s Gourmet Salad” ($19.95), packed with big grilled prawns, beets, grapes, tomatoes, avocado and orange segments, in a citrus-dill vinaigrette, and the “chef’s specialty,” a sustainable seafood pot stock cioppino ($27.95) piled with fresh clams, mussels, jumbo prawns, large scallops, salmon, swordfish, sea bass in a creamy tomato saffron broth.

Fish ‘n’ chips it ain’t.

“I can serve traditional chicken Parmesan, and for 25 years we’ve had a history of basically standard old-fashioned food,” Chef says. “But we want something new.”

Daily (and relentless) specials give his explorations that more latitude. Histuna tartare ($14.95), which he laces with fried capers, minced yellow beets, basil, parsley, chive and aioli – with a crown of arugula and more fried capers – is a light and clever take on a rich and classic plate. The sweet corn fritters ($14.95) with smoked salmon might be even tastier, thanks in part to wild salmon – he sources from Jerry Wetle, Monterey Seafood Company, Seafood Harvest and Central Coast Seafood Company – a nice lemon creme fraiche and inspired spark of chili cognac vinaigrette. Then there’s the inventive oysters three ways ($7.50) – fried “a la parmesan” with arugula, done with a Japanese-leaning hoisin sauce, wasabi aioli and crispy rice noodles, and garlic-scampi style ($14.95) – and the crab spring rolls ($12.95 for four), inspired by his mom’s old rice-paper recipes, packing basil, parsley, tarragon, fresh dill, cucumbers, shaved carrot and blanched bean sprouts in with the sweet meat.

“Frozen no more,” he says. Or as one employee put it, “No more Wharfy food” – and, sure enough, only a few fried items (including the tasty fried clams) remain, supplanted by seared, baked and grilled goodies.

A savory resume brought the smiley Cordon Bleu Mexico City grad here – he has worked with local sourcing leader Dory Ford at Monterey Bay Aquarium, picked up polish at Ventana Inn and served as a sous chef at a farm-to-table Napa capital Mustards Grill with Cindy Pawlcyn – but mama remains the foundation.

“My mom is my inspiration for cooking,” he says, adding his brothers are chefs in Mexico. “And for eating. She does incredible flavors, combinations.”

She’s not alone. His mahi mahi ($26.95) gets a sweet chili fusion sauce and a coconut rice cake, the pan-seared halibut ($27.95) a curry vinaigrette, the California white seabass ($22.95) a pesto cream. Upcoming specials include everything from marinated and fried sardines in escabeche sauce ($12.95) to fresh abalone from Wharf II with different styles every day (like shaved sashimi-style or in a summer-vegetable succotash).

“My style is really simple and different,” he says. “I want to be consistent, and use a secret ingredient: a passion for creativity. “

His addition is part of a wider renaissance led by longtime owner-operators Linda and Tony Rappa and consultant/do-it-all Rhonda Lynam that includes a new focus on hosting special events in the Lighthouse Room on the south side of the restaurant, an upright piano for sessions with players like local Dixieland hero Dr. David Wright and, most noticeably, Honey Boo Boos.

HBBs are the most buzzed-about concoctions on the new martini menu ($8.75 each), and it’s actually pretty good thanks to Pinnacle Gummy Bear-flavored vodka, cranberry, pineapple and orange juices – and certainly better than the Poo Poo Monkey with banana liqueur, “whipped” vodka and chocolate. The even more adventurous new drink list, of craft cocktails featuring Gonzales-made Fog’s End California Moonshine, does even better, and stars standouts like the Farmer’s Daughter ($8.75) with strawberries, basil and triple sec.

But not everything needs tweaking. The wraparound views and nicely seasoned staff remain. So do the $1.35 raw oysters and $2.50 baked ones every day but Wednesday at the oyster bar – and endless Wycliff Champagne mimosas every day with an entree. And while they do the $3.99 blue margaritas, red sangrias and plenty of fettucine alfredos for the tourists – they do other things a little differently than before. Like, yes, the fish ‘n’ chips. The beer-battered haddock ($15.95 with fries and coleslaw) now finds its identity less from the coating, and more from the freshness.

The prices aren’t small, but the passion is certainly sizeable, which provides inspiration for locals to play tourist here, and at neighbors with their own under-the-radar farm-to-table partnerships, like Domenico’s (372-3655) and Cafe Fina (372-5200). But while we might have to share the sea lion show with visitors, the locals deals are all ours. Check a deluge of discounts – including Abalonetti’s (373-1851) insane $8.95 lineup – on the blog.

And keep the discoveries coming.

QUICKBITES

• Three great nibbles of foodie news from the last few days: Lafayette Bakery (915-6286) is now bustling in the Barnyard, giving Carmel a very solid – and very French – bakery 7am-7pm daily. The cannelés chocolat I had were absurdly good. Favaloro’s Big Night Bistro (373-8523) reopened its warm Italian arms after 19 months dark, with its entire staff back to carry on a true family-run tradition. The deep fried avocado stuffed with crab is a must try. Mama mia. The Wharf Marketplace (pictured below, 649-1116) opened its produce stand/cafe with a killer four-cheese panini, great local goods like Baker’s Bacon and Schoch jack cheese and fish and meat counters on the way. Hit the blog (www.mcweekly.com/edible) or subscribe to the foodie newsletter (www.mcweekly.com/subscribe) for the scoop(s).

• PigWizard had his use permit for a sandwich shop in Sand City approved last week.

• Produce super spot Fresh from D’Vine (737-8689) celebrates its year anniversary all weekend: 5:30-7:30pm Friday is adult happy hour, 11:30am-3:30pm Saturday is family fun day, with face painting and eats prepared by the Salad Shoppe and 11am-2pm Sunday brings a brunch tasting. Best of all, the food is all free.

• Mundo’s 2 second location (236-1433) is alive and sandwiching in Marina.

• Big Sur Food & Wine 2013 tickets go on sale Friday, Aug. 16, at www.bigsurfoodandwine.org. Hiking With Stemware, Magic Mystery Tours and endless other epicurea awaits on the edge of the world.

• L.A. Food & Wine – from the Coastal Luxury Management crew behind the Pebble Beach version, Restaurant 1833 and Cannery Row Brewing Company – unleashes year three next week. www.lafw.com.

• Domingo Rivera is in as bartender at the Intercontinental’s underrated watering hole on Cannery Row (375-4500).

• The North County Chili Cook-off (633-2465) comes to town Aug. 18 at the Pruendale Shopping Center noon-4pm.

• A small comfort in a scary environmental era: While I wasn’t looking forward to our species’ overfishing habits leading to an era of jellyfish sandwiches on the menu, maybe I got spooked too soon. Sourcing sourcerer John Cox of Sierra Mar (667-2800) is doing a moon jellyfish with finger lime, jalapeño and shallot. But we still need to fish wisely.

• Chateau Julien (624-2600) does Dine in DiVine ($95-$105) Aug. 14-15 in its stunning 1,000-barrel cellar cavern, with a selection of incredible cars to match the wines and fine dining.

• Couple biggies coming at Bernardus: the annual garden party ($65) Aug. 25, with valley sun, live music, new wines and epic hors d’oeurvres by Cal Stamenov and the Heirloom Tomato Lunch ($95) Sept. 7.

• “When engaged in eating,” Agatha Christie said, “the brain should be the servant of the stomach.”