Estéban Restaurant
700 Munras Ave., Monterey
(831) 375-0176, hotelcasamunras.com
At places like Keystone Hall in Laramie or Tombstone’s Crystal Palace, a shared plate meant passing the bottle. The folks at Estéban have elevated that idea, more than a little bit. The Spanish-inspired menu features empanadas, patatas bravas, black cod croquettes and more. There is a list of paellas and local artichokes set to the grill. The restaurant even holds tapas hour, as if to emphasize the beauty of appetizers and shared dishes. Of course, no one is likely to share a bite of the bone-in Iberian pork chop. Even at Estéban you have to stake your claim once in a while.
