Passion Fish

03/01/08

Excellent food and nicely-priced wines.

by tnthor

My wife and I went late on a Monday night, so we had no problems with noise or space. Our server was charming and knowledgeable about both the food and wines, and we were treated to a delicious meal: crab cake with a fresh salsa, salad with crisp "croutons" made of asiago, lamb shanks in an exquisite sauce. The wine was a hard-to-get Pinot Noir from a boutique winery in Monterey county, which was stupendous as well. When we googled it later that night, the bottles we found were all more expensive than at the restaurant. Well done!

• Pros: Great food, wine and service
• Cons: None when we went.

01/20/08

Lots of Love and Passion! Pacific Groves Jewel!

by tozansha

You'll find some of the best seafood on the Monterey Peninsula-located in the heart of Pacific Grove, along with an ample selection of meat dishes-as well as a few vegetarian treats. This gem of a restaurant is filled with the best! Best servers, bussers (yes, even the bus boys were top-notch...never had to wonder "where's the water".) Was very busy when we arrived-and while we dined-yet never felt rushed!) Just relaxed...(and we didn't even take advantage of their famous wine list). In a fast-paced restaurant it's a pleasure to feel "at home"-and welcome) Our server,Barbara certainly made us feel this way and was knowledgeable of all the specials, ingredients and the "sustainable" features of the local fresh-catches. The whole staff was very professional! The two people I went with had meat dishes (both outstanding-lucky me-I got a sample of the Pork Shanks and another friend's ribs) My New England (fully sustainable scallops) were 95 out of 100. The risotto was also very good with fresh local-baby Bok Choy. Delicious! I inquired that chef-co-owner-Ted must be behind the stove, as everything we ordered was just perfect" Nope-just the usual chef and cooks (Obviously-Quality Control is of the utmost importance) along with environmentally served dishes, and full adherence to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's famous SEAFOOD WATCH LIST. A truly comfortable environment-from the greeting by the lovely young ladies at the reception desk-to the tasteful art and comfortable seats. After "putting off" trying this restaurant for years I finaly made it-and boy, am I glad! This is one of the best in California-maybe the United States! I loved it! Definitely the best restaurant in Pacific Grove! I guarantee, I will make it back, soon-as will-my friends. We all left happy and well fed. I got the feeling everyone at this restaurant is passionate about what they do! Great experience! Loved the "vibe" of the place.

• Pros: 100% Sustainable Seafood and Truly upbeat staff. Top Notch-fresh food!
• Cons: absolutely none!

10/21/07

Expected better food!

by djlittle

I was so excited to go to Passionfish to celebrate my sister's birthday; the reviews made it sound like the perfect place. The staff was outstanding- seated quickly, friendly service, water was always full, plates were taken away immediately. The Dungeoness crab salad on avacado with ginger vinaigrette was unbelieveable. One of us ordered the grilled Tilapia and the other the scallops; then we swapped. I found the scallops to be soooo salty that my tongue felt swollen, sandy as well. We both found the Tilapia charred in places; therefore, bitter. And loud..wow. If you were with the larger group, it would have been fine but with two people having a quiet conversation, it was almost impossible. Great ideas on the menu- execution needs some work.

• Pros: staff, service,portions are very generous
• Cons: very loud, food not up to par

05/28/07

One Amazing Restaurant

by lord_humongous

Our dinner at Passionfish was one of the best meals we have ever had. First, the food is excellent. The appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts were all delicious. Second, they have an extensive wine list with very fair prices. Third, the service was outstanding. Our waitress was very helpful and always there when we needed her. Finally, if you are there for a celebration of some kind, an anniversary, a birthday or what have you, they go the extra step. They'll add a little extra decoration to your table and add soem candles to your dessert.

All in all, Passionfish is a wonderful restaurant. I highly recommend it to everyone (as long as you like fish).

• Pros: Great Food, Wonderful Service, Great Wine List

05/26/07

OMG! This Place is wonderful!

by bchstarr

This place is incredible from the food to the service. My husband and I were in Carmel for the week and decided to go to Passionfish because I saw some good reviews. Since I love to cook and am a foodie I always try to look for a place that has a menu that is unique and offers variety. The food here is excellent! From the appetizers to the entrees and they also have a great wine list. Here?s a tip, don?t order the wine by the glass. The prices here are almost retail prices, they just add a few $ for the corkage so it is much more economical to order the bottle if you are going to have more than 1 glass.

I love to start with the Fried Olives and a glass of red wine. Kalamata olives are battered to perfection and served warm. This great combination of crunchy, salty, and the soft plump meaty texture of the olives will have you hooked at first bite! While here you have to try the fish. It is extremely fresh and the sauces are light to compliment the fish and not to drown or cover it as many other places do. I have been to Passionfish 2x in 1 week and look forward to many more. Do not pass this restaurant up, you will be pleasantly surprised by the food and great value.

• Pros: Food, service, wine list, Prices, did I mention GREAT Food?!
• Cons: Absolutely none. (well I wish they were in Los Angeles : )

11/03/06

Sleek seafood shines at this sophisticated eatery in downtown Pacific Grove.

by Contributor

The Scene
Located in a low, boxy beige building at the end of Pacific Grove's main shopping strip, Passionfish does indeed have a passionate following. Locals and savvy visitors keep the two simple, white-tablecloth dining rooms buzzing. Servers are knowledgable but apt to disappear once orders have been placed.

The Food
Chef-owner Ted Walter has built Passionfish's following with a sophisticated approach to contemporary California cuisine. The emphasis is on local, seasonal produce and fresh fish, with Walter's inspiration ranging from Asia and the Mediterranean to San Francisco and the heartland. A flavorful warm goat cheese salad with apples and pecans precedes an equally savory plate of sage-laced butternut-squash ravioli. Seafood selections include Alaskin halibut with black-pepper rum sauce, and Kauai shrimp with lemongrass salad and spicy Vietnamese sauce. Beyond the sea, entrees such as rack of lamb, duck confit and a classic rib eye round out the menu.

07/25/06

Amazing Food!

by valleyboy94131

I was down in Laguna Seca for MotoGP and needed a nice "date" place to take my boyfriend on Sunday. Using the reader reviews as a guide I decided to go to Passionfish and I'm happy to say I was extremely pleased. The service, from the host all the way to our server (who just happened to be Cindy, the chef's wife) was excellent. They were friendly, knowledgeable and very warm. We were treated like family. The space was clean and well lit, and while there were many conversations going on, I didn't find it to be exceptionally noisy. However, what was exceptional was the food! The fish was absolutely fresh, from the salmon to the ahi to the sturgeon. Their crab cakes are awesome and their desserts with the suggested apertif or tea (we chose tea) were remarkable. Our only complaint was the salad dressing was a bit strong. Otherwise, the greens were very fresh and the salad accessories (beets, goat's cheese, etc.) were very tasty. Overall, we give it an A+

07/20/06

Fantastic but be prepared for the cramped seating and noise.

by azfoodie

Having read all the reviews, I have to agree the food was fantastic. The service was very good. The only problem was the seating and the noise. The waiter had to put his rear practically on our table to wait on the end table. No one said anything about it being noisy. Maybe it was just our luck that their were a lot of 6 and 8 tops the night we went.

Don't get me wrong the food was great and it was a great value. We didn't stay for desert but went across the street for ice cream.

06/09/06

passionate @ This Place

by Mother knows Best

What a night, the food is excellent, the service was good and the location is easy to get to. My boyfriend from Nashville found this place on City search, and we had the best meal ever. We started out with the Ahi Tuna appetizer with the crab cake, both were as expected high quality and prepared to order, the cost was a great value $9.00 per appetizer, unbeatable. We shared the salad with fried olives, also large portion and wonderful taste. We then split a large piece of mahi mahi which was prepared in a oriental sauce and was the best fish we have had on our trip to California spanning LA, Santa Barbara, and now Monterey. The entire cost WITH a Bottle of wine was $89.00 without tip. This also included 2 cups of coffee and 2 desserts, (get the mint and clocolate mud pie) Excellent food, great value good service wonderful experience!

• Pros: Seafood, location, parking
• Cons: small close quarters

03/03/06

Outstanding experience

by goatya

Ate dinner here this evening, and was very impressed overall. The place has a nice ambience, without being pretentious. Service was very attentive and helpful. The wine selection was substantial without being overly pricey. The food was the star though. Our dishes were outstanding, from the ahi tuna appetizer to the short ribs and halibut mains. They were prepared to perfection and were delicious. I wholeheartedly recommend this place...