Edible Skinny presents NorCal Explored: Of Mystery Mansions, Breathtaking Views, and Fine Dining (Vegetarian) Tasting Menus

Edible Skinny presents NorCal Explored: Of Mystery Mansions, Breathtaking Views, and Fine Dining (Vegetarian) Tasting Menus 

Edible Skinny loves a road trip like nobody’s fool so last month were delighted to hop in our ride towards the Bay area! There we explored Mysterious Mansions, dined on extravagant (and veggie friendly) tasting menus and at a hotel that has one of the most breathtaking views this country has to offer!

The Winchester Mystery House

Our first stop was something for our inner Nancy Drew had been dying to do for years: a tour of the world famous Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California!  San Jose's #1 attraction, this “Mystery House” is the former home of Sarah Winchester, a widow of the Winchester Rifle fortune.  The house is an extravagant maze of Victorian craftsmanship and eerie eccentricity.  

Informed by a Boston Medium she haunted by the spirits of those who had been killed by the guns that created her fortune she was also advised to moved westward and build a house until she died.   

And so, Winchester constructed her house with equal parts of money and crazy. 

Her additions to the original eight room structure started around 1884 and continued for nearly 38 years round the clock.  The mansion now has 160 rooms spanning 24,000 square feet over six acres.  There are 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 fireplaces, 40 stairways, 13 bathrooms, six kitchens, three elevators, and two basements.  Legend has it that Walt Disney used the Winchester house as inspiration for Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. 

With stairs that lead to nowhere, corridors that loop back on themselves, and doors that open into nothing, this is definitely a house to be explored at least once! 

Hyatt Carmel Highlands

After our spooky tour we drove down the coastline to spend the night at the majestic Hyatt Carmel Highlands.   This oceanfront retreat, which opened on July 28, 1917, recently celebrated a birthday turning 100 years old.  Both the grounds and the view at the Hyatt are histrionic, focusing on what NorCal vistas do best: the drama of the ocean. 

Things may have changed over the hotels 100 years, the hotel has undergone major renovations in the past two years (with the opening of a new restaurant, a new lounge, new menus, and a new deck), but its mission remains the same: to offer an exemplary guest experience with impeccable service, world-class dining and breath-taking views in a hotel that seamlessly blends the amenities of a large hotel with the refined charm of a boutique hideaway.

The Hyatt Carmel Highlands staff knows hospitality inside and out.  Upon our arrival we were bestowed with complimentary glasses of champagne before being golf carted and umbrella-ed (it’s always on the edge of raining in Carmel) away to our expansive room with an even more expansive balcony view. 

 

Overnight guests of the Hyatt Carmel Highlands enjoy one of the 48 non-smoking guestrooms that include 11 suites, 32 Ocean View rooms and five Garden View rooms.  The rooms come with free Wi-Fi, 42-inch flat screen TVs and fully equipped kitchens.  Upgraded suites add private balconies and tubs.  Guests can also enjoy hotel amenities, like a heated outdoor pool, three outdoor garden spas, and a 24-hour fitness center.  The Hyatt Carmel Highland offers live entertainment three nights a week and Happy Hour Monday through Friday.

The room was dusted with the perfect details: fantastically fluffy towels, high tech coffee maker with local Carmel Coffee Roasting Company products, and a Hyatt Grand Bed, that was one of the most comfortable things I’ve slept on in months. 

And my favorite part: a natural wood-burning fireplace for that perfect end of the night fire.   Kindling, newspapers, matches, and tons of different types of logs were provided, for that perfect snuggling opportunity on a cold rainy night (which is almost every night in Carmel). 

Pacific’s Edge Restaurant

And even though the temptation of cozy fire was calling we headed out to partake in all that the Hyatt Carmel Highlands had to offer in award-winning dining at the newly merged the California Market at Pacific’s Edge.

The fusion of the Hyatt Carmel Highlands' two popular and award-winning restaurants, the casual bistro California Market and the fine dining Pacific's Edge.  This renovation created a new 1,200-square-foot deck, featuring louvered roof and glass-panel walls with dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean and the Big Sur coast.

But the thing that made my eyes sparkle like the sea spray of the Pacific Ocean was Pacific Edge’s Plant-Based Tasting Menu!

Because the menu is curated by Executive Chef Chad Minton (a Vegan) it offers a four course locally sourced menu for “you people,” as my dining companion refers to vegetarians as (she’s my token meat eater when traveling for work…)

It was as if Gracias Madre had migrated to Big Sur…  My first course appetizer was Almond Yogurt with root vegetables, pistachio granola, and cilantro oil.  It looked like a desert, but was wonderfully savory in taste.   The dish was expertly complimented by a glass of the M. Chapoutier Belleruche Rose from the Cotes de Rhone.  My dining companion had the Brussel Sprouts featuring crispy Brussel sprouts, kimchi toasted hazelnuts, and dulse seaweed.  Another perfect cozy plant based dish for a rain soaked night!

And it should be noted how fabulous our waiter, David Bindel, was.  This food specialist had been working at the restaurant for 12 years and he knew every element of the menu, pairing, and service in and out.   He was present at our meal, but not overwhelming.  And when Bindel needed to be scarce, he was practically invisible.

 

My second appetizer was Squash Tom Yum (as dish I adored in my fish eating days, but never get these days because of the use of Fish Sauce in Thai dishes..).  Composed of charred vegetables, local mushrooms, and coconut squash broth, it was the favorite dish of the evening for both myself and my meat eating dining companion.  This was paired with a Dr. Loosen Riesling from Mosel, Germany.  

My dining companion’s second course with Pacific Edge’s famous Octopus featuring octopus braised in olive oil and then finished on the grill.  Peppered with local heirloom baby potatoes, black garlic emulsion and sorrel it was an unsuspectingly tempting dish, so tender it could be cut with a spoon.

And I should note the fantastic price point to boot on the Vegetarian Tasting Menu!  For a tasting menu at a restaurant with a breath taking view this meal is fabulously priced at $50 per person without wine pairing and $80 with 4 glasses of paired wine!  Quite the delight to your pocketbook!

My entrée was a Smoked Mushroom dish comprised of king trumpet mushrooms, heirloom cauliflower, Romesco sauce and pickled mustard seeds.   This dish is the vegetarian version of the restaurant’s famous scallop dish.  Chewy yet tender, the dish utilized liquid smoke for the perfect taste of the woodsy seaside hamlet of Carmel.  My dining companion had a similarly crafted meal although instead of Veg friendly mushrooms, it was highlighted by scallops.  The meal was paired with the fantabulous Stolpman Vineyard Syrah from Santa Barbara County.  The wine was an absolute delight of earthiness! 

I finished off my four course meal with a Chocolate Hazelnut Tart with burnt marshmallows, wild huckleberry granite and whipped coconut cream paired with a Tawny from Portugal.  The ultimate bite of sweetness to savory while listening to the raindrops above.

After our dinner we huddled towards our room under a massive hotel umbrella, honing in on that finishing fire.   When we arrived there was a bottle of Monterey red begging to be uncorked in front of the flames. 

And naturally we had to comply for the perfect button to the perfect road trip!

Here’s to life being delicious and all roads leading to NoCal!

Kat Thomas is the Editor in Chief of Edible Skinny, a site dedicated to making your life postcard worthy.  She is also the CEO of the creative media company This Way Adventures.  You can find more about both brands at www.thiswayadventures.com

Pacific’s Edge Takes Dining to New Heights: A Perfect Pairing of Beauty and Taste

Pacific’s Edge Takes Dining to New Heights: A Perfect Pairing of Beauty and Taste

By Kelly Grace Thomas

Pacific’s Edge, the award-winning restaurant at Hyatt Carmel Highlands, takes dining to new heights in every decadent and delicious way possible. Built cliff-side with soul-stirring views of the Big Sur Coastline, this restaurant is the perfect blend of both beauty and innovation. 

With its glass walls for sweeping views and its outstanding offerings, Pacific’s Edge has found the perfect pairings to match natural beauty with culinary curiosity. To rival the jaw-dropping vistas is an equally impressive culinary cast. The restaurant is headed by Executive Chef, Chad Minton, who previously earned a Michelin Guide recommendation for his restaurant, Jerne and Executive Sous Chef, Alvaro Dalmau, who formerly studied at the world’s best restaurant El Bulli. This dynamic duo has crafted an impressive menu full of inspired eats and regional treats.

Pacific’s Edge was named one of the top 100 Restaurants in the U.S. by Zagat and has also won a number of awards, including a Four Diamond award and was distinguished as one of the Top Ten Restaurants with a View by USA Today. With more than 900 wines to choose from, Wine Spectator has lauded their wine list with Grand and Excellence awards. Pacific’s Edge raises the bar on craft and service. Therefore, it is no surprise that they hosted the 1986 Masters of Food and Wine, and have hosted world renowned chefs like Julia Child and Gordon Ramsay to cook on their premise.

Edible Skinny was lucky enough to sample some of Pacific’s Edge standout selections and one thing’s for certain, this place has done their homework. While some places are all view and no value, Pacific Edge has some stunning sophistication that showcases both talent and innovation of the area and staff.

 

Edible Skinny began our Pacific’s Edge dining experience with a stunning sunset and a Domaine Eden 2012 Chardonnay. Light, but still rounded with hints of oak, this was the perfect sipping wine to prep our pallet for Pacific’s Edge outstanding starters. 

Being a lover of seafood, I just had to order the Octopus Confit. Being both local and sustainable the dish was served with Fingerling Potatoes, Smoked Paprika, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Maldon salt.  This was perhaps one of the most impressive seafood dishes we had in California. Delicious. Moist. Cooked to perfection. Confit translates to cooked in it own fat, but for this dish the octopus was cooked in a terrine for five hours in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  The result: meat so tender you could cut it with a spoon. Octopus when not cooked well can feel like a tug of war in your mouth, instead this dish was both tender and firm without being hard. There was accents of salt and smokiness without being over pronounced. Thanks to the Spanish inspiration and amazing talent, Executive Sous Chef, Alvaro Dalmau, has created an exquisite starter that showcases skill, it knows its personality without apologizing, it plays on its savory strength without overpowering.

We also sampled some vegetarian friendly starters to report back to our more health conscious readers. The  Zucchini Carpaccio, Wild Arugula, Shaved Parmesan Reggiano, Pickled Mushrooms, Lemon Olive Oil Vinaigrette is a new take on a old classic. They have adapted this meat dish to create a freshness of deliciousity. With rich but light flavors there are amazing mushrooms dotted a valley of wild arugula. We also sampled their Faro Burrata Cheese, Garden Herbs, Cauliflower, Crème Fraiche, Extra Virgin Olive Oil which was light and pillowy but in a savory way. This creamy cheese had cloud-like consistency, almost a whisper, like what the freshest marshmallow seeks to be.

  

While Pacific Edge we had some delectable samplings to start, during our main course it was clear that these entrees were perhaps one of the most delicious and detail orientated meals we have had to date. Paired with a Weingut Brundlmayer 2004 Cabernet Franc from Austria the dinner was filled with so many divinely delectable dishes.

Being born and raised within miles from Barnegat Light, New Jersey (one of the seafood mecca’s of the country) Edible Skinny tends to be a little snobby about their seafood, especially scallops. While they are one of our favorite delicacies, scallops are usually overcooked and over-flavored, but not at Pacific’s Edge. We were blown away by their Maine Dayboat Scallops served with Grilled Asparagus, Romesco Sauce, Shishito Peppers, Crispy Basil. All seafood at Pacific Edge is never frozen, from ocean to table within 48 hours and what a difference in taste.  These scallops were graceful in taste and presentation, they had just the right amount of rich and round notes, while still being airy, difficult in craft but an amazing juxtaposition to experience. 

To accompany these tastes we also ordered a their impressive Parmesan Potato Gratin. Built with the towered flakiness of a croissant, the gratin mix and cheddar and rosemary was the perfect invitation to autumnal flavors we seek take comfort in during the colder seasons. To satisfy the herbivore in us, we also enjoyed Haricots Verts and Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Garlic Spinach. With an impressive mix of vegetarian options, Pacific Edge serves an exquisite vegetarian fare showcasing that less options doesn’t mean less flavor.

Impressive until the last moment, Pacific Edge dessert selection could be a separate dining experience in its own. The  Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Sea Salt, Praline, Balsamic Caramel Ice Cream, had the perfect texture and tenderness. With most bread pudding as hard and overcooked, this dish was moist and runny in a good way, like great scrambled eggs in which technique can be perfected over the years. We also sampled Peanut Butter Mousse Cake with Vanilla Crème Chantilly, Manjari Chocolate Ganache Caramel Sauce, Roasted Peanuts along with a Tawny twenty year old port.

  

This is one of our best dining experience in California, and perhaps the states. So it you find yourself near the Carmel Highlands or even Monterey Peninsula, make the trip to Pacific Edge, a restaurant centered around the beauty of each delicious flavor with an unbeatable view. It is sure to be an edible experience you won’t forget. As always we at Edible Skinny hope life is delicious. 

The Hyatt Carmel Highlands, a Location of Details

Welcome to living the High Life!  Edible Skinny was up in Carmel last weekend for a night at the Hyatt Carmel Highlands.  This charming rustic retreat is surrounded by the inspiring crisp freshness of pine trees (absolutely nothing smells cleaner, there’s a reason why we use this smell in all our cleaning supplies…) while overlooking the Big Sur coastline with epic views of the Pacific Ocean!

So let’s get this out of the way: YES! The Highlands is definitely the perfect place for a small intimate sunset wedding ceremony.  It’s absolutely gorgeous during the magic hour!  And this is a venue that thrives on making each couple’s special day perfect (and their booking schedule reflects such…).  But there’s so much more to the Highlands than a fantastic place to wear a white dress…

There’s the award winning Pacific’s Edge restaurant (of which you’ll hear more about from Kelly).   There’s complimentary Bianchi bikes you can take down to Point Lobos (also more on this one coming up).  There’s S’Mores kits in the gift shop and fire pits every few steps.  Complimentary binoculars allow you to get a closer look at the seagulls drifting on the gusts echoing from the cliffs below.   The saltwater pool is heated to exactly 82 degrees and three outdoor Jacuzzis are strategically placed around the property for those chilly Carmel evenings. 

The Highlands is a location of details.  When we arrived at this picturesque hideaway we were quickly greeted with a welcome glass of Prosecco, not one but two roaring fireplaces, and a view you will never forget.  Each of the 48 rooms also has a fireplace (whose chimneys are the originals of the 100 year old property) with preset kindling in the hearth so all you need to do is light a match.  There’s intimate boardrooms with view inspiring vistas for an intimate corporate retreat of thirty or less.  When showing us our room our bellman recommended we leave our balcony open at night, allowing us to hear the Pacific’s melodic waves crashing below when drifting off to sleep. 

And with the potential for bottles of wine, plates of cheese, and fabulous Monterey Meringues strategically placed around the room, it’s the perfect retreat for a couple looking to drive up the coast for the weekend.  Or to return once again!  Along with the hotel, Hyatt offers a timeshare side of the property for those who want to return year after year, a popular choice for those wishing to celebrate their wedding anniversary in the same location they got married at!

The Hyatt Carmel Highlands, a great choice for a romantic getaway, an intimate corporate retreat, and yes a charming boutique wedding.