Restaurant 1833
500 Hartnell St., Monterey
643-1833, www.restaurant1833.com
Restaurant 1833’s bar enjoys 12 creatively concocted cocktails (“House Remedies”), meant to be sipped not guzzled, with exotic ingredients and original names like Van Gogh’s Downfall ($13, absinthe, orgeat syrup, lemon, star anise and clove) or the Sleepy Hollow ($13, rum, kobocha squash, lemon and cinnamon). That pairs with candlelit ambiance featuring a glowing onyx bar, a hammered zinc communal table, vintage chandeliers and candelabra; or the adjacent late-1800s-style library where small bites like foie gras, guajillo chili crusted baby back pork ribs or corned beef meatballs can be enjoyed by the fireplace in one of the comfy couches and armchairs. This is style meeting grace, maturity balanced with youth, taste teamed with discovery.