July 21, 2014 – Chef Adam Foster was walking through the Tuesday Farmers’ Market on Alvarado Street, when he came across some Black Monukka table grapes. Strangely enough, one of the first things he thought of was risotto—which he immediately put on the new Bistro Night menu at A Taste of Monterey.
Bistro Night is a short, supplemental, farmers’ market-inspired menu that changes weekly and is served Thursday to Sunday beginning at 5 pm. The idea was hatched by Chef Dory Ford, who owns Taste’s culinary partner Aqua Terra Catering. Foster’s onsite execution is spot-on. EMB’s reporter was invited to visit and sample the goods, which included the aforementioned grape risotto. The grapes were roasted and sprinkled on top of the risotto, along with toasted walnuts and a fresh salad of sprouts. Foster also stirred in some St. Nectaire cheese—a semi-soft, cow’s milk cheese that added extra creaminess to the dish. The seafood entrée was a mildly spicy chorizo-stuffed Monterey Bay Calamari. The stuffed tubes and tender tentacles were served on hearty herbed polenta accented by a little bit of savory puttanesca sauce and a bit of pickled fennel salad. One of the servers noted that another recent seafood entrée was ling cod that the chef caught himself in the Monterey Bay. Maybe that’s “deck to table?”
Appetizers were equally inventive—the caprese salad with housemade mozzarella featured thin, crisp slices of fresh white peaches tucked alongside the heirloom tomatoes. Little puddles of saba—a sweet syrup made from fresh grape juice—replaced the usual balsamic drizzle, and a generous spoonful of pesto nestled to one side added a welcome bit of salt to the plate. The Castroville artichoke and potato bisque was topped with Monterey mushroom confit, crisp bacon, and Gilroy garlic chips. It was spoonful after spoonful of smooth, earthy comfort food. We only needed a little more bread to scoop up the pesto and wipe out the soup bowl!
Additionally, all the regular menu items are still available: the flatbread pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and share-able nibbles, as well as the build-your-own cheese plate option. And the long list of Monterey County wines by the glass is reasonably priced; some sparklers or roses would round it out nicely.
Dessert was key lime pie topped with whipped cream and a strawberry. It was served in a cute little mason jar, and had a thick consistency and perfectly tart flavor. Look out for the Achocolypse Now, it’s really deceptive! A little disk of triple chocolate mousse that couldn’t have been more than two or three inches across came topped with raspberries, caramel sauce and sea salt—and it was so rich that it would have been difficult to manage more than a few bites. Entrees are priced in the $20 range, while appetizers ranged from $6 for the generous bowl of bisque to $12 for summer greens with Humboldt Fog goat cheese, berries and almonds. Desserts were $7.50 each.
Taste has plenty of tables with great views of the Bay, and by 7:00 p.m. on a Thursday evening, just three or four tables had a whole school of frolicking dolphins and several playful otters all to themselves. With summer days stretching far into the evening, it’s definitely worth stopping by to check out Chef Foster’s weekly finds and inventions with a glass of wine and sunset views.
About the author
Elaine Hesser grew up in rural Pennsylvania and started cooking at age 6. By age 9, she'd made her first dinner and at midlife, is amazed when high school graduates can't scramble eggs. After the U.S. Army paid for her B.A., it also moved her to Monterey County, where she served on active duty at Ft. Ord and Ft. Hunter Liggett. She has a wide variety of interests, but is most passionate about faith, writing, and food - and encourages everyone never to stop learning and looking for truth.
