EDIBLE: Ranking the best Monterey County restaurants of 2015.

Roux opens on Pilot Road in Carmel Valley as soon as next week. French Chef Fabrice Roux (who founded Joya in Palo Alto) and his tapas-wine bar approach, a seductive brunch, remade interior and several patios all bode well. A peek at the preliminary menus reveals tamarind-marinated chicken, salmon cake salads and black truffle French-style scrambled eggs. Thirty sparkling wines and 40 Cabs highlight a wisely curated wine list.

By my unofficial count that makes more than 30 new restaurants this year in Monterey County, and that doesn’t include three very worthy wine lounges that have cool concepts and above-average food. (Those three are Stave Wine Cellar at Spanish Bay, The Wine Experience on Cannery Row and Sovino Wine Bar & Merchant in downtown Monterey.)

That must be the most openings in several generations, if not ever. I checked in with a couple elder statesmen on that front, like Sardine Factory co-founder Bert Cutino, who was serving abalone before most local chefs knew the difference between clams and Clamato.

“Never 30 in one year,” he says. “And some years, even with a lot of openings, there were more closing than opening. Thirty surprises the hell out of me.”

Glen Hammer has been around for 37 years in hospitality and managed or owned a buffet of restaurants.

“Maybe 10 or 12 a year,” says the longtime Chaine Des Rotisseurs officer. “Thirty? I don’t think so.”

Now to the rundown and rankings.

While it might seem a little early to launch into an end-of-the-year list, there are way too many worthy places to honor in one column. So here comes the first of three courses, with the unified countdown appearing on the blog, www.mcweekly.com/edible, for Christmas. I welcome responsible and irresponsible replies at mark@mcweekly.com.

30. Blue Aces Bake Shoppe (975-4714) at tiny 8 W. Gabilan St. in Salinas touched off a Kickstarter storm for owner-operator Adrian Jimenez-Saldaña. Sure it’s not exactly a restaurant, but it’s so strong with its character – and affordable éclair puffs, creative cheesecakes and “jalapeño popper” scones – it makes the list.

29. Ginger Thai Kitchen (422-8424) at 1104 S Main St. in Salinas seems like a familiar face, and that’s because it’s the new baby of Anna Sawadpeera, former owner-operator of D’Anna Thai in Marina. She continues with signatures like the pad prik khing duck in curry paste. A more robust beer and wine list helps, as does a lush red interior. But service hiccups deserve attention.

28. Birriería & Restaurant estilo Coalcomán (453-7060) at 10500 Merritt St. in Castroville does the traditional Mexican stew, usually goat, with aplomb. At the former Central Texas BBQ there’s also beef, pork and lamb, all slow-simmered and deeply flavored. An extensive menu of other Latino comfort food favorites like chilaquiles also appear.

27. Arigato Sushi (443-0100) at 740 N. Main St. in Salinas gives you what you want from a sushi joint: cleanliness, precision, healthy diversity and zingy maki like the sun-kissed and sizzling white rolls. Also the rare local spot where there’s ramen and chicken yakisoba.

26. Ticino Coffee Shop & Deli (800-7573) in Salinas’ 201 Main presents a solid lineup of panini (like the grilled chicken-basil-parmesan-apple); wraps (roasted vegetable-hummus); “gourmet of the day” specials (grilled tri-tip Wednesdays); rotating soups (broccoli-cheddar); tossed-to-order salads (Asian edamame). Breakfast options (ham and cheese croissant sandwich!) and upscale coffees and espressos round out the prepped items.

25. Harborside Deli & BBQ (884-5996) does humble barbecue with an earnestness befitting the Coast Guard Pier, like the grilled tri-tip plate with potato salad and corn on the cob. Sandwiches enjoy a pick from six breads, six meats and five cheeses. Toasted couscous salads, breakfast burritos, sandwiches and casseroles too, plus nice beers on tap, taste better right on top of the dock.

24. Keoki’s Hawaiian Barbeque (809-8644) at 3170 Vista del Camino in Marina serves up no-frills Hawaiian comfort like the loco moco (hamburger, rice, gravy and two eggs), lau lau (tea-leaf-wrapped and steamed pork and salted-butterfish); and malasadas (golden and crispy donut holes). Affordability and popularity have already triggered an expansion.

23. Mrs. Delish’s (612-1884) commerical kitchen/dining room at 1098 Del Monte Ave. in Monterey stars square gourmet pot pies like the curry chicken but also grab-and-go salads like the whole wheat pasta. Cupcakes remain a strength, in flavors like red velvet, peanut butter marshmallow and gingerbread.

22. The Crab Bucket (433-0111) brings on the shellfish, in the bag, by the pound. Located at 1260 N. Main St. in Salinas, this new Cajun-style restaurant dishes crab, lobster and mussels smothered in sauces that range from mild to spicy, spread out on newspaper and ready for the crackin’ and peelin’ and eatin’. Bibs and lemon pepper fries advised.

21. Namaste India Bistro (641-0130) at 538 Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey welcomes people to take on an avalance of rotating items like vegetable pakora, saag paneer, coco curry, mango lassi, aloo bodi, aloo baigan, chicken tikka marsala, kadi, chicken tandoori, kheer and beautifully stretchy naan for the high-value lunch buffet. Dinner’s just as good.

QUICKBITES

• Carmel-by-the-Glass (402-PEPE, $50) moves from Devendorf Park to La Playa Carmel for the 5-8pm Friday, Dec. 11, event and stars more than a dozen wineries and Pepe dynasty grub.
• Santa Cruz Fungus Fair ($5-$10) rises from the underbrush Jan. 8-10 with demos, culinary elements and pure fungophilia at Louden Nelson Center.
• Free admission at the Aquarium through Sunday, Dec. 13, with local ID, equals a great way to try Cindy’s Waterfront, one of the area’s 10 best.
• Monthly pizza night at Happy Girl Kitchen (373-GIRL) happens Thursday, Dec. 10, starting at 7pm, with 12-inch organic sourdough-crust pies (margherita or wild mushroom-Brussels sprouts; $15 includes salad). Sells out quicklike.
• Twisted Roots (594-8282) timed the full release of its new sparkling private cuvée right. Done with Chardonnay grapes in a semi-dry style, it presents a tidy value at $45 for two bottles ($28/one) through New Year’s Day.
• Gusto Handcrafted Pizza & Pasta (899-5825) had it going a week ago, with sweet singer songwrtiter stylings from Jonathan Sotelo, quattro formaggio pizza, lentil spaghetti and charcuterie from new chef AlessioGiannuzzi (formerly of 201 Main), including wild boar prosciutto in martini glass.
• Ag Against Hunger seeks nominations for 2016 Ag Woman of the Year until Jan. 22, www.agagainsthunger.org.
• Jeff White, the community’s best friend on the dial (at KRML) has Pizza My Heart (656-9400) dialed. He reports they do an off-menu “Porkalicious” with chicharrones, red onion, cilantro, honey, lemon and Serrano chile peppers.
• KRML and Folktale Winery’s (293-7500) Live in the Vines concerts in the barrel room are ongoing. Next up: Greg Holden and Maia Sharp with Casey Frazier opening 7pm Saturday, Dec. 12.
• “Christmas in Italy Holiday Party” at Cibo Italiano Ristorante 5-10pm Tuesday, Dec. 15, features live singers, Mike Marotta’s accordian, a canned food drive and 20 percent of proceeds to San Carlos Cathedral Food Pantry.
• Lewis Grizzard: “It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”