If the name of downtown Monterey’s newest restaurant sounds familiar, it’s because Frutti de Mar recently moved there from humble beginnings at a strip-mall spot in Marina. Tito and Sonia Perez remain the chef and manager, respectively, and deliver family vibes and homestyle cooking. Happy to have a bigger place for their longtime regulars and fresh clientele, the two bring genuine passion to customer service—and cooking—in the former Turtle Bay Taqueria. The spacious restaurant and high ceilings create an airy feel, with a modern edge created by black leather booths and glass wall dividers.
On a pleasant Sunday evening, it was sunny enough to enjoy one of the outdoor tables with a view of some downtown Monterey streets. The weather also called for some white wine—and the list featured plenty of local options—so we tried the creamy and slightly oaked Bernardus Chardonnay ($10/glass) and some less-local bubbly, Freixenet Cava ($6/glass). The wine was refreshing and quite complementary to the ample amount of seafood on the menu that we were eager to dig into.
Frutti de Mar, or “fruit of the sea,” makes good on its promise of ocean fare, but not without an Italian-Caribbean twist. It’s an interesting amalgamation of comforting Italian food Tito mastered working at places like Pasta Mia Trattoria, and some popular bowls and tacos held over from the Turtle Bay days. The test was up to see how the Perez team delivered on such variety.
Starting on the Italian side, the eggplant Parmesan came differently than I expected. The eggplant was thin and didn’t really seem fried—not necessarily a bad thing, except the comfort factor was lessened. The eggplant itself was a little bland, but yummy marinara, lively basil and a pretty presentation provided a spark.
The dinner menu was extensive, and a couple of entree options stuck out. Even though the calamari steak came in somewhat of a patty, it had calamari’s trademark delectable flavor ($15.95). Steamed veggies on the side brought crunch while wild rice added a healthy touch.
As a sucker for pasta, it was hard to choose between the many offerings, 14 to be precise (ranging from $14.95-$19.95). There’s the classic chicken fettuccine alfredo, some seafood linguine, comforting lasagna and a few more interesting pastas like fusilli pasta con luganega, sausage and chicken in pink sauce, linguine alla puttanesca and cannelloni—rolled pasta with veal, spinach, mozzarella, meat sauce and basil cream sauce.
With all the options it seemed only fair to try the house special, the Frutti de Mar fettuccine ($18.95) with shrimp, scallops and crab sauteed in garlic cream sauce.
It certainly proved creamy and garlicky, yet somehow light, which allowed the fishy flavors to shine through, particularly the buttery crab and shrimp. My carb craving was fulfilled and my tastebuds were satisfied.
Frutti de Mar is the kind of place you can go to any time, so I found myself there again one weekday lunch break for some sustenance to keep me going. Hot apple cider seemed like a random but delicious idea, and it was pleasantly sweet with spices ($2.50).
More warmth came in the form of sopa de lima chicken stew from the Turtle Bay playbook—namely, “Caribbean style with lime and corn tortillas” ($5.95/cup; $7.95/bowl). Although the salty broth was cozy and I appreciated the texture of tortilla strips and zest of cilantro, the chicken appeared and tasted a little too mechanically processed for me.
Thankfully the rest of the meal seemed fresh. Lunch items such as rice bowls, wraps and tacos do well here, and I was tempted to try one of each. The grilled tilapia bowl ($12.95) brought a big filet of fish seasoned by a light rub of achiote sauce with earthy and peppery vibes. Though the beans were a bit boring, the rice had a nice pure taste, and tons of flavor came from the Caribbean salad of cabbage in a mildly spicy green sauce with cilantro, onion and thinly sliced green peppers.
The seafood combo wrap ($14.95) was another winner. Tender rock crab meat sounded irresistible, but played background notes behind the scallops and shrimp, which came in a buttery lobster cream sauce topped with pico de gallo, cabbage and cilantro. The wrap was so big that it required a knife and fork, but no complaints on that.
I couldn’t resist a taco, and charbroiled steak called ($4.25). Everything tastes better on a housemade corn tortilla, and smoky steak with tasty salsa is no exception. Bean paste and cabbage joined the party, and the mix was quite nice.
All in all, “nice” is a good word for Frutti de Mar. I wish the best for the hardworking couple behind the scenes, but some more flavor a la the delicious lobster cream sauce and vibrant salsas could take it from “nice” to “excellent.” It has well-earned fans and followers—enough to warrant the expansion and top-notch relocation—and my heart and taste buds look forward to watching (and eating) as Monterey’s latest unfolds.