September 6, 2022 – There’s something intriguing afoot at arguably Pacific Grove’s most interesting restaurant—with repercussions for one of Carmel’s.
After nearly a decade delivering inventive pan-Mediterranean fusion fare to go with uncommon wines, owner-operator Thamin Saleh is selling jeninni kitchen + wine bar.
Local foodies will recognize the names of the new owners.
Jerry Regester has helmed kitchens from C Restaurant to Monterey Plaza Hotel to The Preserve, and most recently served as executive chef at Rise + Roam Pizzeria and Bakery.
His partner in hospitality and heart, Gail Grammatico, has a similarly long local resume, in the front of the house, and was a key part of Rise + Roam herself.
In a Facebook post that went live yesterday—which happened to be Regester’s and Grammatico’s last day at Rise + Roam—Saleh describes them as his “good personal friends.”
“Owning and operating jeninni these past nine years has been nothing short of fantastic,” he adds. “I’ve met so many wonderful people and made some awesome friends that I’ll never forget. I want to extend a special thank you to the customers, staff, vendors, city officials and locals who have supported us over the years.”
The restaurant opened on the bottom floor of the landmark Holman building on Lighthouse Avenue in P.G. in November 2013.
Its combination of Spanish-Middle Eastern flavors (think smoked lamb mollete sandwiches, warm calamari salads with mussels and white beans, persimmon pudding flan); thoughtful international wine library (a definite Saleh strong point); and contemporary setting gave the area something it hadn’t seen in one place (and an atypically youthful place that was open past 9pm).
Founding chef Jeffrey Weiss—James Beard nominated author of Charcurtería: The Soul of Spain—brought dexterity with Iberian foodstuffs, while Saleh provided steadying and welcoming energy after years as a sommelier, manager and GM at spots like Bernardus Lodge and Pacific’s Edge.
Weiss was one of the first to respond to the news on Facebook.
“I’m so honored to call you a friend, Thamin, and I’m so proud of what Jeninni has meant for the Monterey Peninsula,” he wrote.
Former restaurateur, one-time food critic and longtime local hospitality pro Dorothy Maras-Ildiz has tracked jeninni kitchen from the get-go.
“It’s been a cornerstone in more ways than one,” she says. “Thamin took a huge chance and brought a type of food to Pacific Grove that had not been a part of Pacific Grove at a time when Pacific Grove wasn’t quite there yet. But he did it, and he did it well, and he was consistent. He deserves kudos.”
After Weiss left, Thamin proved adept at recruiting worthy new staffers and introducing inviting new programs—note the creative happy hours and even more creative wine-based cocktails.
Now that keep-it-fresh challenge falls to Regester and Grammatico.
Maras-Ildiz is confident Regester’s well-suited to move things forward.
“Jerry is solid as a rock, and he will take that ball and run with it,” she says. “He has a good sense for the community and always has—he has some sort of an antennae that works impeccably. I’m excited to see what he does there.”
The operation will officially change hands Sept. 15. Saleh will continue to help out through October to make the transition as fluid as possible.
Regester and Grammatico plan to better understand the space with Saleh’s guidance and keep the existing flavors in place while deploying some specials.
From there, Regester says, they’ll make the menu his own.
“I love lamb burgers,” he says, laughing, “but in time we will make it more ‘me.’”
The duo also plans to feature catering options, partly by way of an undercover room in the back of Holman that features a stage, 15-seat bar and mini movie theater components.
When asked what sort of alchemy of emotions is happening as he and Grammatico prepare to open their first restaurant after years working on other peoples’ properties, Regester’s diagnosis comes quickly.
“There’s not much anxiety,” he says. “We’re excited to build a business together—it’s a dream come true.
“We’ve done this for everyone else, now it’s time for us.”
More at jeninni.com.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
