The Cork & Plough
200 Broadway St., King City (831) 386-9491, thecorkandplough.com
Yes, King City is a long way from the Peninsula – not only south, but well east of Eden, to paraphrase some author. But there are many good reasons to hop in the Buick Regal (hopefully the Grand National edition) and head to The Cork & Plough. For one, the restaurant’s compelling menu. Another reason? They prepare everything from scratch, including routine condiments like ketchup. The dishes are not out there – think root beer-braised chicken, whiskey-soaked pork chops, oxtail and other sturdy fare. But if it requires several days of work to create a stock, they commit to it. And the results show. Clever cocktails, too.