Estéban Restaurant at Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa welcomes the cooler temperatures of fall with hearty new dishes that use the freshest seasonal ingredients from local farmers, fishers, ranchers and food artisans—Spanish-inspired cuisine with a California flair.
Be sure to stop by and try the Halibut served with butternut squash risotto and chili oil or the Fogline Farm Half Chicken with brava sauce, chimichurri and Spanish rice.
Returning to the autumn tapas menu are Estéban’s popular Zanahorias, roasted carrots with honey, saba, Marcona almond chimichurri and sunchoke puree. Other favorites include Crispy Bruselas, Brussels sprouts with Baker’s Bacon and truffle aioli, Patatas Bravas, Gambas a a Plancha and Croquetas—updated for the season with shrimp, chorizo, potatoes, brava sauce and Manchego cheese. The idea is to order several dishes to share with a glass of wine or a pitcher of sangria and create a party vibe.
Fall vegetarian dishes include the rich new mushroom medley, with Parmesan cream, leeks, leek oil, truffle dust and pickled shallots, as well as the seasonal farmers market salad with beets and whipped goat cheese.
Of course, for sunny weekend brunches and starry nights, the fire pits on Estéban’s recently refreshed patio beckon.
The garden landscape, warmed by a pergola and overhead heaters, is brightened by brilliant bougainvillea and framed by mature lemon and olive trees. Everywhere you look, you’ll find a feast for the eyes: terracotta and ceramic pots spill over with blooming Spanish lavender, Santa Barbara daisies, lemon drop fortnight lilies and more, providing seasonal color to keep pace with the exciting tapas style cuisine.
With its hammered copper fire pits and massive stone fireplace, the patio now boasts three distinct dining spaces that effortlessly combine into a multi-level Mediterranean sanctuary. A classic pergola outfitted with toasty heaters is now in place for wintertime outdoor dining. The upper deck area with bar-height tables offers a superb vantage point of the action below, while the fire pit tables offer comfy seating for four, perfect for sharing a glass of wine and a few plates of tapas.
Casa Munras began as the vision of Don Estéban Carlos Munras, a Spanish diplomat, artist, and businessman, who was born in Barcelona, Spain, and came to Monterey via Lima, Peru, on a diplomatic mission for King Ferdinand II.
In Monterey, he met the Mexican-born Catalina Ponce de Leon Manzanelli, a descendant of Ponce de León, who had come to the area with her family and stepfather, who was the surgeon general of the Mexican Army at the time. The two were married at Mission Soledad in 1822, and it was shortly thereafter that work began on the hacienda-style adobe that became known as Casa Munras.
Don Munras chose the site for its unobstructed view of Mission San Carlos, then known as Misión de San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, established in 1797. The 4.5-acre site was initially called “La Granja,” Spanish for “farm,” and was a cornerstone of Munras family life, which was centered on farming, trading, and generosity.
As a devout Catholic, Don Estéban Munras expressed his faith through art. Inspired by sketches from the Roman Empire, he designed frescos for Mission San Miguel, which were rendered on the walls by members of the Salinan nation under his supervision. Some of his striking murals are prominently displayed in the lobby of Casa Munras.
Estéban Munras lived until age 61, while Catalina lived until age 96. The estate ultimately passed through the family generations to their great-granddaughter Maria Antonio Field. Mrs. Field was heavily involved in preserving and documenting the history of California’s Spanish Franciscan missions and wrote “Chimes of Missions.”
In 1940, Mrs. Field offered the Munras property to the City of Monterey at a discounted price of $28,000 (asking price $30,000). A committee was appointed to review the possibility of the purchase. The bureaucracy had many questions: where would the money come from? And what would the historic property be used for? Ultimately, the City of Monterey missed the deadline for purchasing the property. In 1941, Maria Antonia Field sold Casa Munras to P.J. Dougherty, former Mayor and Postmaster General of Monterey. Dougherty transformed the house and property into the Casa Munras Garden Hotel.
After P.J. Dougherty’s death in 1948, his son Jack continued improvements to the property, including the addition of five cottages, five shops, a dining room, and a candlelit lounge. Eventually, 16 additional rooms were added, and by 1953, a heated pool with a sun deck and convention, meeting, and banquet facilities were added. It was renamed Casa Munras Hotel and Cottages.
In 2012, it was acquired by the Cannery Row Company and remains Monterey’s largest contiguous parcel of land. Under the management of Inns of Monterey, it was renovated and renamed Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa.
Estéban’s serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 1:30pm, with housemade cinnamon rolls, Ad Astra Bread French toast, a variety of pasture-raised egg dishes and cocktails.
Tapas Happy Hour at Estéban is from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm daily. Estéban Restaurant and patio dinner hours are from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Sunday-Thursday, and from 4:30 pm to 9:00 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Estéban 700 Munras Avenue, Monterey, CA | 831.375.0176 | Complimentary on-site parking available
About the author
Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist, columnist and judge who contributes regularly to Edible Monterey Bay, Spirited, WineOh.Tv, Los Gatos Magazine and Wine Industry Network, and a variety of consumer publications. Her passion is telling stories about the intriguing characters who inhabit the fascinating world of wine and food.
