April 25, 2017 – Portola Hotel & Spa cuts the ribbon Wednesday on its entirely reimagined restaurant and bar space—Jacks Monterey—and unveils a new menu that chef Danny Abbruzzese calls ‘California Cultural Cuisine.’
“I’m thrilled about how opened up Jacks is now. It’s an inviting space. We have seating in the atrium so you can sit under the stars at night and the sun during the day,” says chef Danny. “I’m very excited about serving our interpretation of fresh, cultural foods from this region.”
General Manager Janine Chicourrat says: “There is no other place that has more cultures than California. There are so many varied flavors and seasonings.”
In that vein, Chef Danny’s new menu reflects a melting pot of flavor profiles. He takes traditional moussaka, which is ubiquitous in every Greek household, and uses goat meat from Pajaro Pastures in Soquel.
He prepares halibut en papillote which means “in parchment” in French and gives it a decidedly Asian flair, with thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, fresh ginger threads, black beans, and garlic.
In a nod to his own cultural heritage and all the Italian immigrants who settled in the Monterey area, the menu includes his mother’s secret recipe for Eggplant Parmesan.
Chef Danny’s new offerings are creative interpretations that present international flavors with an elegant, fun style always keeping an eye on sustainably conscious ingredients. Working closely with local purveyors including Coke Farms, Monterey Farms, Route 1 Farms, and others to source fresh, local produce, Chef Danny’s menu will change with the seasons. Other local products featured are cheeses from Schoch Family Farmstead in Salinas, sustainable seafood from the bay, and beef from California’s famed Harris Ranch.
“Here, summer is long while fall and winter meld together. The food will reflect that,” says the chef.
The current Pizza of the Season is a crisp crust topped with asparagus, pesto, and burrata cheese prepared in chef Danny’s new state-of-the-art Marra Forni Neapolitan gas-fired oven. “It’s a work in progress,” admits the chef. “I’m on my seventh or eighth dough recipe.” One impressive thing about the pizzas: they cook in just ninety seconds.
To encourage diners to sample a variety of items, the dinner menu includes an option for a solo plate or a sharing plate. But even the solo portions are sized generously enough to share, especially if you are ordering multiple dishes.
The libations also have a local focus. House wines—Pinot Noir and Chardonnay—come from 10SPAN Vineyards, a winery that supports Ventana Wildlife Society’s mission to conserve the native wildlife and habitats of California’s Central Coast. And beer lovers can order beers crafted onsite at Peter B’s Brewpub. Mixologist Tuyet also uses local ingredients in her unique cocktail offerings.
The Portola Hotel & Spa is one of the first Green Building Council LEED® Certified hotels in the nation and the remodel made sure to take those green values into consideration. Designed by the San Francisco-based Puccini Group, the new space reflects the palette of the Monterey Peninsula with its crisp blues like the Pacific, subtle browns of weathered driftwood, and muted greens of fragrant sage and other coastal flora. Live trees adorned with lanterns add to the natural feel of the space.
The new bar with its subtly curved wooden ceiling evokes a feeling that you’re in the belly of a boat. While burnished metal shelves lined with bottles add to that sense that you could be drinking in a galley.
Everything from the furniture to the art and the drinks to the dishes offer a fervent sense of place with Portola Hotel & Spa’s location on the Monterey Bay. The coast and the community are evident in every detail. Additionally, these improvements, including cutting-edge energy and water conservation fixtures, reinforce the Portola’s commitment to green practices and its U.S. Building Council’s LEED® Certified Status.
About the author
Camilla M. Mann has crammed a lot of different jobs into four decades: florist, waitress, SCUBA divemaster, stock photo agency manager, stroller fitness teacher, writer, editor, and au pair. But, if she had to distill who she is today – tree-hugging, veggie-crunching, jewelry-designing mean mommy who loves to cook but hates to clean. Thankfully her husband and their boys clean like champs. Her current culinary goal: grow conscientious, creative kids with fearless palates! She blogs at culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com
