Turn 12 is the best restaurant in Monterey!
We were looking for a decent restaurant that served lunch food in downtown Monterey, preferably within walking distance of our hotel. We knew there were a lot of great coffee places in town, but we hadn't been overwhelmed by the cafe/lunch options available. The pictures Yelp users posted of Turn 12's food was what helped us decide to try it out.
Turn 12 is a largish restaurant with table, bar and outdoor seating. We were promptly seated when we entered. Behind the check-in counter is a free racing game, so kids can have a turn before/after dinner or while waiting. The restaurant is decorated with a nice selection of racing-themed photos, memorabilia and accents.
The lunch menu is quite extensive, with appetizers, sandwiches/burgers, entrees and salads, all priced reasonably for a mid-range restaurant. I ordered grilled cheese and tomato soup, plus a grilled chicken salad and iced tea. (It was hard to decide which salad to order because they all sounded so interesting!) We ordered truffle fries for the table. The fries came out first and they were thin-cut and drizzled with truffle butter, with aioli on the side. I liked that they lightly dusted and didn't go overboard with the parmesan. The salad came out next, and my first reaction was, "It's huge!" I was expecting a few handfuls of lettuce, thin slices of chicken and not much else to chew on, so it was a happy surprise. The avocado, dates, corn, etc. were tossed evenly in the fresh baby greens, and the chicken chunks were quality breast meat charred to perfection. I hadn't been expecting the salad to be so big, so I couldn't finish the grilled cheese and tomato soup, which was also excellent--a generous amount of cheddar cheese, crispy bread, and warm, creamy tomato soup. Another person in my party had the braised short ribs, which she found tender and perfectly cooked. The portion was also quite large and she couldn't finish her plate, either.
We came back to Turn 12 the exact same day because we loved it so much! The difference between the lunch and dinner menu is negligible--a few items are added or subtracted, and the entree selection is expanded, but all the things I wanted to try at lunch were there. I ordered the honey-something chicken (can't remember the exact name), which sounded like a country dish from the menu. I was in the mood for rich comfort food, so the deep fried thing sounded good to me, but when the dish came, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was only lightly breaded, and not dripping with oil. The honey glaze was sweet, but not overpowering. The other people in my party ordered the healthy option grilled chicken, which came with two chicken breast pieces, while my dish came with one. That confused me a little because I would think nearly identical chicken dishes would come with the same serving sizes. It wasn't a big deal, though because the dish overall was so delicious and it filled me up. We also shared a baked mac and cheese appetizer. Sooo good! Perfect! I topped off the meal with a mint chocolate chip milkshake to go.
Our waitresses during lunch and dinner were both great. One looked like Nicole Richie, haha.
All in all, I was very impressed by Turn 12. Don't let the racetrack theme fool you! They bring serious food game with quality ingredients, well thought-out dishes and amazing flavor. I highly recommend giving Turn 12 a try! :) read more