always remain awesome: Restaurant 1833

if you find yourself in Monterey and are in need of a meal that isn't some form of fried seafood, Restaurant 1833 might be THE best option. from the street view it's pretty unassuming and if you weren't looking for it you would definitely miss it. while it's located right near downtown Monterey, it's not amidst the strip of restaurants and bars. it's in an almost residential area and looks like a large house enclosed by a wall of greenery. the structure itself has an interesting history as it's former existence was a doctor's office and eventually a private residence until it became Restaurant 1833. somewhere down the line the house was expanded giving way to lots of different rooms for the restaurant, each with it's own character (my favorite being the sitting room that looks like it used to the library). the seats around the tables are large and comfortable much like cigar chairs, inviting you to stay as long as you wish. we took that unsaid offer up ordering far too much food for two people and spent a couple of hours there (you'll notice the photos become darker as the meal progresses). increasingly becoming uncomfortably full from all of the gastropub-esque food and delicious cocktails, we were happy to sit back after each dish and lounge around as if we were being served in our own home. they've got an area outside with fire pits and seating, perfect for warm nights too! this is an awesome place for a date night or even a great place to bring a bunch of friends.

carrot soup amuse bouche

nothing special about the shooter but it's always a nice touch when you are offered an amuse. the cocktail (i can't remember exactly what was in it) was light, refreshing and tasty.

bacon cheddar biscuits with maple chili butter

these biscuits were enormous for being placed in the "small bites" section of the menu and i say that with no complaints. it was super cheesy and bacony without being too salty. moist, fluffy and luscious, which is every quality a good biscuit should possess.

consomme with duck liver tortellini

the broth was light but rich in flavor. the tortellini were also very light but for me the flavor was just okay. also, i sort of expected a sort of fluffly, creamy center but instead the texture was more like a meatball. maybe i was wishfully hoping for a taste of something like foie gras as i miss the flavor after it's ban from california.

roasted bone marrow

exactly as you'd expect it to be...fat and rich. i like it paired with the roasted garlic, however it doesn't necessarily enhance the flavor so i prefer to eat the marrow on it's own spread atop plain bread to enjoy the natural flavor more.

deep canoes full of pure fat and heaven.

poached hen egg on toasted truffle brioche with crisp proscuitto

holy cow this was as decadent as they come! the bread was toasted up and nearly soaked with tons of truffle oil. the bechamel sauce was super rich and to top it off they threw on a poached egg just in case you felt like the arugula was making it too healthy. oh, and add some crispy proscuitto for some extra protein too. this dish was almost too much. i say alllllmost though. it was crazy good and had i not eaten a bunch of already rich stuff and known there was yet another dish to come, i would've gladly demolished this. still, i ate a hearty amount because it was awesome.

almost like breakfast for dinner. rich people breakfast though.

branzino with thai coconut sauce and rice

the branzino is hiding somewhere underneath that "skin" made of a very thin layer of buttery crisped up bread. the fish was cooked perfectly, the sauce light and creamy yet packed full of all of the thai flavors you know and love (a tad bit more tart but in a good way) and the bread gave it some good texture. i lurved this.