EDIBLE COMPLEX: The top new Monterey County restaurants of 2014, part two.

Come spring Weekly readers have the tricky task of deciding who follows Beach House at Lovers Point, la Balena and Restaurant 1833 as their pick for Best New Restaurant 2014.

Tricky because we had another tasty year of new places. Paired with a bumper crop of 2013 newbies – including jennini kitchen + wine bar and Big Sur Roadhouse pushing Beach House for no. 1 – it’s the best two-year surge in standout eateries in a generation. Um, yum.

Check out the full top 10, complete with runners up, on the blog, www.mcweekly.com/edible, or via the Wednesday Food E-newsletter, www.mcweekly.com/subscribe.

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5 • Googie Grill

1520 Del Monte Blvd., Seaside, 392-1520
www.googiegrill.com

Local family-owned-and-operated Googie takes over a critical gateway spot to Seaside on Del Monte, which would’ve been enough to capture the attention of the eater scene. Then, the unique-to-the-area architecture and baby talk name – which is the actual moniker for the Jetsons design style that dominated L.A. in the 1960s – promptly made it impossible to ignore. The diner-esque menu features casual Cali-American breakfast and lunch from Chef Teodulo Pinto (Norma Jean’s and Anton & Michel), with dinner having just joined the party. Signature Benedicts, beignets and other rib-sticking fare like Frikadeller meatballs and big burgers – plus lighter things like the Popeye omelet or panko-crusted sandabs with lemon caper sauce and rice pilaf – comfort eaters (skip the biscuits and gravy). Meanwhile, the chamber-within-a-chamber dining room, vivid carpets and angular windows make for plenty of conversational content when mouths aren’t full of Mad Men meatloaf and real corned beef hash.

4 • Taqueria Zarape

1107 Fremont Blvd., Seaside, 899-1125
taqueriazarape.com

There is no shortage of superb taco spots in Seaside, which makes the fact that Taqueria Zarape has the longest line of any of them – often twice a day – all the more impressive. The setting is clean, the atmosphere approachable, the prices reasonable (though inching up as its popularity widens). An industrious and close-knit family, led by young husband-and-wife Carlos andAlma Ruiz, makes it go, depending on a formula that proved successful at sibling spots in Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz. The generous salsa bar adds to the value, and they’ve got all the tortas and enchiladas covered, but it’s the shrimp tacos, fish tacos and wet burritos that make it top five material. Bottled beers just joined the mix, and go great with the patio and the spicy radishes.

3 • Giorgio’s

201 Main St., Salinas, 800-7573
www.201complex.com

A new brunch with fried chicken and waffles makes for just the beginning of the bigness here. The wait for 201 Main St. was huge (seven years), the budget XXL (unofficially $7 million), the format massive (26,000 square feet of wine tasting bar, deli, restaurants, dance club and fire-pitted patio). The crowds will have to match it to get this Gerry Kehoe/Berkley Inc. project thrumming, particularly at the 225-seat modern Italian restaurant Giorgio’s, directed by Tuscany native Alessio Giannuzzi. Spendy upscale cocktails like the Tuscan pear martini beckon, as do the Brunello-braised short rib pappardelle, the six-seafood stew, gourmet pizzas and anything prepped at the 17-seat show kitchen and its glowing stone bar. Plenty of potential pitfalls await, but sheer potential earns it a top three spot, and a linchpin place in Oldtown’s renaissance.

2 • Affina

San Carlos and Sixth, Carmel, 915-4756

Youthful Affina deploys premium farm fare in designed-to-share small and big plates from co-owner and France native Nico Izard and James Anderson (formerly of La Bicyclette), who use every ounce of product to make its higher costs manageable. An open kitchen looks out over a comely dining room brought together by designer Carissa Duncan, while a super social 20-seat wine bar (with a dynamic and far-ranging wine list) and a white Kimball Viennese grand piano in the corner provide further chic. Recent highlights on the plate include rabbit pot pies, Wagyu steak with white chanterelles and wild huckleberries and melty Kurobuta pork rillette.

1 • Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill

426 Alvarado St., Monterey, 655-BEER
www.alvaradostreetbrewery.com

Many of the best new local beers of the year were found here, but the Duane’s World IPA and jalapeño cream ales are only part of what’s brewing. The ceilings soar above vintage tile floors, a stately bar, a robust menu of house beers (typically eight, rotating quickly) and choice guest beers (another 10 or so). Some 110 high-top, bar and table seats face a shiny open kitchen and windows revealing the beer tanks. The food proves almost as exciting as the beer, even if it doesn’t change as much (or as much as promised). Standouts range from whatever fresh catch Exec Chef Aaron Haas (jeninni kitchen + wine bar, Evergreen Lodge) is working, salumi-beer melon salads, dripping poutines and memorable flatbreads. All told, Alvarado Street Brewery is simply the best thing to happen to downtown Monterey since Restaurant 1833. Affina could earn the top nod, but as much as Carmel’s youngest restaurant has sparked enthusiasm, Alvarado has quenched an even-deeper community thirst.

QUICKBITES

➔ Huge news at Fisherman’s Wharf: Sabu J.R. Shake and Chris Shake, whose Restaurant Pacific Group includes Fisherman’s Grotto, just announced Scales Seafood and Steaks will occupy the space once occupied by Gilbert’s. Check out sketches and details on the blog; it’s scheduled to open spring 2015 with an oyster bar and cocktail lounge.

➔ Heroic sake-bomb-giving owner of Soban Korean Hank Kim quashes a rumor that his upscale and simply gorgeous spot with all sorts of delicious bimbimbap and banchan is NOT for sale. Instead, it’s picking up business, with bulgogi and bimbimbap selling best.

➔ Eric Sineska had heart to match his prodigious wit and talent for design, and even his appetite for local food. An art exhibition-party-celebration of his work and spirit happens 5-9pm Friday, Nov. 21, at The Independent. Happy Girl Kitchen, Big Sur Bakery, Carmel Belle, Haute Enchilada and his other favorites provide bites; he provides the inspiration.

➔ New conscious eating movie Food Chains – featuring our own Eric Schlosser – focuses on the hands that pick our food and debuts at Maya Cinemas Friday, Nov. 21 (p. 50 for times).

➔ Saturday, Nov. 22, at Sweet Elena’s (393-2063) is annual Pie Tasting Day: from 2-5pm appetites sample five slices for $5.50, from ollalieberry to mince.

➔ Have a house draft beer Nov. 26 at Alvarado Street Brewery and Grill (655-2337) and the restaurant donates $1 from each to Monterey Public Library.

➔ Cowgirl Winery (298-7030) offers the chance to bottle and cork your own Pinot Nouveau 1-4pm Sunday, Nov. 23, at Corkscrew Cafe’s Clock Room.

➔ Fifi’s annual grand wine tasting ($20 with $30 purchase) flows 2-4:30pm Sunday, Nov. 23, with gourmet bites, insane deals on imports and 35 vinos.

➔ Luke Handy, you romantic bastard. Big congrats to you and Marcia Handy.

➔ On Nov. 21, from 5:30-7pm, dog lovers and flavor chasers sip Cima Collina wine and enjoy nibbles poolside at Hofsas House (624-2745) to benefit Peace of Mind Dog Rescue. Space is limited to 40 attendees and reservations are required.

➔ Albert Einstein: ”A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”