No Humdrum, All Yum at The Red House Café Pacific Grove, CA

Homey, Friendly, & Yummy Eats

Dear Polite Travelers,

For our last night in Pacific Grove, we wanted something special and found it at the Red House Café.

Outdoor seating is limited but charming. A few tables surrounded by colorful potted plants fill an area carved out next to the sidewalk while the remaining tables dot the porch. "Farmhouse" is the first word that comes to mind when trying to describe the restaurant’s appearance. Comfy. Cozy. Farmhouse.

The same motif continues when stepping inside. Small wooden tables fill small rooms accentuated by simple accents, like small mason jars used as water glasses.

But don’t confuse the menu—or wine—with simple farmhouse cuisine. Nope. I chose the perfectly balanced portobello sandwich generously stuffed with goat cheese, basil, roasted red bell peppers, and caramelized red onions on a ciabatta roll. All was topped with a balsamic vinaigrette. As if a giant sandwich wasn’t enough, it was accompanied by a mixed green salad. Glad I was hungry.

My hubby chose a salmon filet topped with a luscious beurre blanc sauce, gently placed atop creamy au gratin potatoes with a variety of vegetables.

The only negatives were the bottom piece of ciabatta and the beurre blanc. The sandwich was much too large to eat with my hands, so I discarded the top piece of bread and ate the remaining with a fork and knife. Unfortunately, the toughness of the bottom piece of bread made it a challenge to cut, but it was still delicious. Hubby’s sauce was a tad rich for the salmon. He enjoyed it but certainly didn’t need it.

The wine was excellent and not overly expensive. We thoroughly enjoyed the Hess Chardonnay Shirtail Creek wine.

Will We Return?

The next time we visit this area, this will be our first stop. We so enjoyed our time here; we talk about it often.

Red House Cafe

662 Lighthouse Avenue Pacific Grove, California 93950.

More by The Polite Traveler

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