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Cafe du Jour

4.0 (1 review)
ModerateFrench

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18 years ago

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Patria

Patria

4.3(625 reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$$

We visited Patria in to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday, and it was a hit for all of us. We…read moremade reservations ahead of time and were seated promptly. The restaurant has a great drink selection and a great menu. We were pleasantly surprised to learn they offer a Tuesday dinner special that includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for only $32! This menu also had a special drink selection. I ordered the house salad, prawn risotto, and chocolate lava cake. The salad was very fresh with spring mix and butter lettuce, which I especially enjoy, and it was topped with a light vinaigrette style house dressing that was light and delicious. The prawn risotto was creamy, flavorful, and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. The chocolate lava cake was rich and very chocolatey, a bit too rich for my personal taste, but still enjoyable. It also came with vanilla gelato, which was delicious. As a table, we also ordered the tableside tiramisu, which was such a fun and unique experience. I am a tiramisu connoisseur, so anytime I see it on the menu, I ordered it. It is my favorite dessert. Although this was not my favorite one, I very much enjoyed the experience. I will mention the espresso needs a little more time to fully soak into the ladyfingers, but the presentation and experience alone made it worth trying. The ambiance was lovely with nice background music, and the service was attentive and welcoming. Everyone in our party truly enjoyed their meal, especially the birthday girl. Overall, Patria is a fantastic dinner spot in Salinas, and I would absolutely return and highly recommend it.

Food was great, start to finish, and there was finally some ambiance and I say this as my sole…read moreissue in the past was that the place was silent as a library, because when I'm out for dinner and drinks I like at least a little ambiance. I'm glad to report that last night had some music in the bar, it was soft and sounded like Italian folk (Frank Sinatra would've been nice too) but it was perfectly fine because it broke up the atmosphere in a positive way. Calamari appetizer was great and my pork chop was too. Service was equally great as it was prompt and accompanied. I'll be back soon, so if you haven't tried Patria yet, you should.

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Patria - Dining Area

Dining Area

Patria
Patria

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La Bicyclette - Classic Pepperoni wood-fired pizza

La Bicyclette

4.1(2.7k reviews)
17.1 mi
•$$$

La Bicyclette came highly recommended by some friends as well as a few Carmel locals, so it was…read moreHIGH on our list. We arrived about 20 minutes before opening and waiting in the (short but growing) line and were seated promptly. The inside is charming and casual, nice without feeling stuffy. Our server was kind and attentive and gave helpful recommendations on how much to order since we were splitting items. My mom and I ended up trying a seasonal pizza and the spinach gnocchi. The flavor of the pizza was exceptional (I loved how the figs helped cut the richness of the cheese), and the dough was perfectly chewy. And the gnocchi!! Each was so fluffy and flavorful. We ended up dipping our pizza crusts in the leftover sauce, it was delicious. If I could rate a restaurant 6/5, this would be one of those times. I wish we could have made it back to do dinner here as well, but it will definitely be top of the list for the next time we are in the area! This is a spot worth waiting in line for.

Such a good dinner. My husband let me try his minestrone, and that broth was a winner. We shared…read morethe gnocchi and the steak au poivre and everything was a 10/10. The fries were good, and that aoli.... I was dipping my steak in it it is was SO GOOD. I don't love the fact that there are just waiters carrying around hot pans of soup everywhere... Also there are two halves of the restaurant and when I went to use the bathroom (only one) I found out that we got seated on the half that looks like a high school theater set. I didn't love that. I would have liked to sit on the other side. They lost a star for service. Our server was a nice guy, but it seems like once we were done, he dipped. We probably sat for an extra 10-15 minutes when we wanted to leave because he wouldn't come back. And he definitely passed us. We found during our trip people were very pushy about dessert. Also, no mention of our anniversary, very disappointing. We were in Carmel for our 20th wedding anniversary and I mentioned that for all our reservations.

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La Bicyclette
La Bicyclette - Oysters du Jour

Oysters du Jour

La Bicyclette - Celebratory Profiterole

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Celebratory Profiterole

ROUX

ROUX

4.0(490 reviews)
13.9 mi
•$$$

We had a great dinner at Roux this past weekend. The restaurant has been open and closed off and on…read morethe past years since Covid and we were happy to see it back open. We had the deviled eggs and the tuna tartare to start. Both dishes were very tasty and fresh. Our entrees were the Beef Bourguignon and the ribeye. The BB's short rib was fork tender and the mashed potatoes were the perfect texture. The ribeye was cooked medium-rare, as requested, with a lovely sauce. The asparagus on the side could have been cooked more, it was close to being raw. But the roasted potatoes were crispy on the outside, fluffy in the inside. We took off a star because while the fire in the fireplace was nice, there was a faint smell from what was burning and it was a bit unpleasant. We'd sit farther away from the fire next time. The server was very attentive and all in all, we're going back with more friends soon. We hope more people come and try Roux so they make it. CV village really needs a restaurant like this!

First time to Roux and they didn't disappoint…read more Drink - Glass of sparkling rose each Starter - We shared the roasted Brussel sprouts Mains - My wife had the truffle fettuccine and I had the salmon on a bed of cauliflower risotto Desert - we could not make our mind up so ended up with both the lemon cheesecake and the crème brûlée I've attached pictures of all the dishes (literally) !.. you'll figure that piece out and how much we enjoyed them. I'd read up on the fan fav. French onion soup but was put off as someone said it was filling so skipped it .. After seeing it served at another table I was kicking myself but we will hopefully return for a lunch and will pray that's on the menu. Talking of menus, the only tiny gripe is the website had a menu that is out of date and the 2 dishes I really fancied were no longer available (lobster fettuccine and crab ravioli) .. please please could you update your website or the menu on Yelp or at the least take a photo of the new menu and delete the old ones as they are all 6+yrs old and I forgot to photograph it !. Anyhow, the ambience was great, service was faultless and food devine. Both my wife and I came away (from her birthday dinner) feeling we'd chosen really well with a sincere desire to return !. Thank you to the team for your obvious passion for food, there's lots of choices in the area and Roux stands tall in the valley of giants as a solid recommendation.

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ROUX
ROUX
ROUX - Wine Case in entry

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Wine Case in entry

Bistro Moulin - French Onion Soup

Bistro Moulin

4.4(1k reviews)
14.4 mi
•$$$

We came to Bistro Moulin with a group, which was perfect because we got to share and try several…read moredishes. I had the filet mignon special, and it was genuinely out of this world...perfectly cooked and served with asparagus, carrots, and silky puréed potatoes. We also shared the Sicilian eggplant pasta, which was absolutely delicious, along with the arugula salad and several desserts. Everything we tried was excellent. Incredible food, wonderful service, and such a warm, charming atmosphere. I already can't wait to come back to Monterey and eat here again!

We were really looking forward to our meal, but unfortunately it didn't meet our expectations. The…read moremussels had a strong, unpleasant odor that concerned us. I felt bad about sending them back and was apologetic when we brought it to the owner's attention. He was responsive, explained that it was the natural smell of the sea, and kindly showed us the invoice proving they were purchased that day. He also offered to check with the vendor. While we appreciated his efforts, the smell was off-putting enough that we decided to order something else. We tried the lamb lollipop special instead. For $42, the portion was quite small--just five thin, uneven pieces--and the lamb was overcooked and overly salty. When we gently mentioned this to our server, she responded with an eye roll, which was disappointing. We genuinely dislike leaving negative feedback, especially for small independent restaurants, but the overall experience left us quite disappointed. Hoping they can improve these items, as the restaurant has potential.

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Bistro Moulin - Inside

Inside

Bistro Moulin - Seafood Risotto

Seafood Risotto

Bistro Moulin

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L'Escargot

L'Escargot

4.4(299 reviews)
16.9 mi
•$$$

Elegant but cozy bistro off the main strip at Carmel…read more Just a couple blocks north of Ocean Ave hides a cute little bistro tucked away between some houses. Somewhat unassuming from the outside, you might be forgiven for thinking its interior was also rather low key. But upon stepping in, you are hugged with a relaxed but definite vibe that screams French bistro in a cottage. The service was warm, friendly, but forgiveably slow, seemingly apart of its charm. Ah, but the food is worth the wait! What did we get? 1. Potato leek soup. Deliciously done, you can taste the potato a bit while savoring the leeks. Solid starter. 2. Onion soup gratinee. Arguably one of the best French onion soups we've had (we had some in France even), the broth is full of flavor and not at all overpowering. The onions are deliciously sweet and the cheese crusty and salty as desired, with the added gratin being a nice addition. Definitely recommend. 3. Mushroom escargots. If you love garlic butter-cooked snails per the French staple, finding them in mushrooms is definitely next level. The mushrooms are a perfect pair with the snails and buttery goodness, offering a complimentary soft chew. Total recommend. 4. Scallop Risotto. Scallops were perfectly cooked, tender, and not too tough or dry with excellently done carmelization on the grilled crust. Risotto was soft but not mushy and had some nice texture as a result with great savory flavor. The green sauce added a nice sweet touch. Absolute recommend. 5. Rack of lamb. Total recommend, and my favorite of the evening. Lamb was perfect: no gaminess with beautiful savory flavor, well cooked and tender with a nice crust added. 6. Apple tart. Served warm with vanilla ice cream. I'm a sucker for apple anything or pie, so this hit the spot, ending the meal on a high sweet note. Apple was just the right sweet and tart, and the paired ice cream was an excellent march. Recommended. Will we go again? You bet. But don't take my word for it. Give this hidden gem a try when you're in town next.

This place is such a charming little gem in Carmel. The food is absolutely delicious! Their…read moreescargot is my favorite dish: rich, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic, and very "Carmel." The service has always been kind, attentive, and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. I've visited twice already, and both times I preferred sitting outside. The outdoor seating feels lively and relaxing, especially in the evening. Inside is cute too, but for me personally it felt just a little stuffy compared to the patio atmosphere. The only small disappointment was yesterday, during my birthday dinner. I mentioned that I was celebrating my birthday, and I honestly expected at least a small complimentary dessert or gesture, especially considering the level of the restaurant. It didn't ruin the evening at all, I still give this place a five stars review, but it would have made the experience feel even more special. Overall though, this is still one of my favorite spots in Carmel for French food, atmosphere, and a cozy dinner experience. I'll absolutely be back again, mostly for that incredible escargot and crème brûlée.

Photos
L'Escargot
L'Escargot - Vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate cake

Vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate cake

L'Escargot

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Cafe du Jour - french - Updated October 2026

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