Point Pinos Grill (648-5774)—within/overlooking Pacific Grove Muni golf course—remains a semi-secret.
That's both awesome (more food! and peace, for us!) and unfortunate (tastebuds deserve more places like this, and this place merits more tastebuds!).
It's closed for dinner in winter, but that has helped hatch a new “19th Hole” menu 3-6pm every day except Sunday (when it’s 3-4pm). And some happy hour goodies too.
I went by last week and was thoroughly satisfied with, well, pretty much everything, from the resourcefully assembled drinks to the clever takes on classic bar-and-grill comfort food.
The small but well-curated (and rotating) rack of draft beers, which are only $3 a pint come 4-6pm happy hour, now includes Ninkasi Total Domination IPA, Stone Arrogant Bastard, Scrimshaw Pilsner and English Ales' Fat Lip.
Another couple dozen beers come in bottle or can, with a quite solid Pinot-strong, local-leaning wine list covering around 60 bottles ($26-$180), with 15 available by the glass ($6-$10).
Select wines go for $5 during happy hour; $5 snacks like padron peppers and chicken quesadillas appear too.
They've also concocted a nice lineup of sparking wine and soju cocktails like the Myer lemon ginger beer number I loved, with TYKU Soju, lemon simple syrup, ginger beer, fresh lemon juice and a crust of sugar ($8.50).
Soon that creativity will spill into beer cocktails—maybe even some beer floats with bourbon ice creams and chocolate stouts and all sorts of inventive takes from manager Diane Kleindienst and supervisor Raina Overman.
The munchie side of the 19th Hole menu includes pan-fried sand dabs ($15.95), bistro steaks with Brussels ($16.95) and bacon-scallions-truffled-ale-cheese fries ($9).
I tasted through some standout green chile triple mac ‘n’ cheese ($9.95), pigs in a blanket ($7.50), atypical Asian wings ($11.95) and poppin’ falafel balls ($7).
The classic pigs in puff pastry comforters were a nostalgic highlight.
The falafels were judiciously salted, starring a dynamic crust with good garlic and cool and thick yogurt dip.
The thin but crunchy bread crumb dusting on top of the mac 'n' cheese works as a keen textural detail that speaks to Chef Shane Griffin's precision; the intuitive marriage of smoky roasted green chile and triple Gruyere, fontina and white cheddar speaks to his savvy. The fiery but dynamic wings—which he marinates, charbroils and then deep fries—do too.
They also offer evidence Griffin is settling nicely into the Aquaterra Culinary family of food purveying—Dory Ford's outfit also directs another hidden gem, Taste of Monterey, several school nutrition programs and one of the more creative and sustainable catering operations in the area—and leaving his unique signature on a unique range of tastes.
"Shane's been here long enough that he's had a chance to introduce his style all over the menu," Ford says.
That's a very good thing.
Check out the slideshow (above right) for images and further tasting notes.