A new chef takes on the task of bringing Shearwater Tavern out of hiding.

Chef Fabian Di Paolo owns two Ducati motorcycles and loves to ride in his free time. So when he took over the helm at Shearwater Tavern—with the promise that weather in Monterey County is generally nice and calm—he took the opportunity to cruise from Florida to the Central Coast.

This was in February, which happened to be the second month of epic winter storms that lashed the area. Power cut out for more than a week in some places. One of his first tasks on arrival after shaking off the cold and damp was to trash $7,000 in spoiled meat and produce.

But the kitchen veteran was undaunted. “I love a challenge,” he says. “If it’s easy, anyone can do it.”

Di Paolo’s task is to continue the effort started by Chef Wayne Brooks to bring a gem of a restaurant out of hiding. Shearwater Tavern fills a portion of the Carmel Mission Inn, a hotel tucked behind a gas station and easy to miss from the highway. In its favor is plenty of parking—a rare feature—and an in-the-know vibe.

But that has been the challenge since the restaurant opened in 2021, replacing Fuse Lounge: visibility. Di Paolo acknowledges that “location, location, location” is the preferred mantra. Still, he is confident that people will come to know the place. “We can attract more customers,” he says. “We can make it happen.”

During Brooks’ stint in the kitchen, he set the tone of an elevated tavern—an affordable, approachable, yet still chef-driven menu. Di Paolo continues in that direction, keeping many of the dishes that turned curious diners into a core of regulars, such as the hefty, dripping burger, the pillowy tots and the parker house rolls.

Di Paolo introduced personal tweaks to some items, but otherwise left them as is.

“Change everything? Why?” he asks. “There’s no reason. It’s not going to hurt my ego.”

The dishes he did add to the menu reflect a deft balance of flavors, with a little Latin edge—although Di Paolo insists there is no defined flavor profile. 

Indeed, while piri piri shrimp brings some chile heat and sides like yucca fries and “street corn” salad dot the updated menu, the Argentine skirt steak is presented with “chimmy-curry.” A take on pork Milanese is served bone-in for a more robust steakhouse savor. And crispy pork belly from the restaurant’s happy hour menu is teamed with kimchi. Without overdoing it, the chef brings enough piquant bite to cut through the richness of pork belly and bring out the delicate nature of the meat.

There is some edginess—for example, an intriguing smoked maple plantain miso puree. But it measures nicely to a simple grilled salmon. And while he couldn’t resist layering chimichurri on the burger, it’s still a burger.

“We don’t need to be fancy,” he explains. “We need to focus on flavor. You need a consistent menu”—then almost with a wink he can’t help but add “with a Latin flair.”

Shearwater Tavern is at 3665 Rio Road (in the Carmel Mission Inn), Carmel. 624-1841, carmelmissioninn.com.