PLACES TO EAT PLAY & STAY 29
marinated bay scallops, sweet shrimp, crab and avocado. The portions were good sized and filled with generous amounts of seafood. We moved onto our entrées; the signature Sam’s Lobster Roll and the Shrimp Scampi. We also ordered a few sides to accompany our lunch: Old Bay fries, artichoke salad and coleslaw. Yes, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs but who could blame us? Everything on the menu sounded so good, and the flavors delivered.
Pasta Moon, 315 Main Street #C (650) 726-5125 •
www.pastamoon.com Pasta Moon’s mission “is to provide an environment for all
customers that provide a memorable, fun and positive experi- ence realized through thoughtful, creative and professional actions.” We found that this statement rings true after our evening of top Italian fare, using high quality, fresh, local ingre- dients all in a warm and comfortable dining room in the heart of Half Moon Bay. We began our culinary journey with an appetizer of fried
kale chips; crispy and full of flavor, once you have one you can’t stop until they’re gone. The antipasti selections ranged from brussel sprouts with pancetta, roasted butternut squash, cannellini beans, frisee and pine nuts to the fritto misto featur- ing Monterey Bay calamari, rock shrimp, fennel, red onion, green olives, lemon, capers, marinara and lemon aioli. One of the entrées we tried was the juicy Neiman Ranch aged New York strip steak with chanterelle mushrooms, potato gratin, black truffle butter and Swiss card. We also ordered the special house made gnocchi with cranberries and Harley Farms goat cheese. It is not surprising that this Zagat rated establishment was named one of the ‘Top 15 Italian Restaurants in the Bay Area’ by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The service wasn’t rushed, allowing us a moment for a cock-
tail before dinner, time with each course and a breather of sip- ping cappuccinos prior to dessert. You must try the Ghirardelli butterscotch pudding with whipped cream or the Meyer lemon parfait with lemon curd, Italian meringue, passion fruit caramel sauce and lemon sorbetto – to die for! After dinner try slipping into one of the handmade leather seats in the adjacent Music Box lounge, part of Pasta Moon, and taking in an after dinner drink while listening to either Latin, live jazz, blues or rock music.
Navio at the Ritz Carlton One Miramontes Point Road (650) 712-7000 •
www.ritzcarlton.com TThe Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay’s Sunday morning buffet
has been awarded San Francisco Magazine’s “Best Weekend Brunch” destination. Navio, the distinguished dining room in the Ritz with dark woods, a fireplace and stunning views of the Pacific, is the setting for this romantic spot. We arrived just after opening and the house was packed, so reservations are recom- mended. Patrons were lined up at every station filling their plates with the scrumptious items beautiful- ly presented alongside the display kitchen. Once comfortably seated at our table our
server greeted then instructed us to begin our culinary journey at any time. She did give us the advice of, “Slow and steady wins the race.” Ok, so don’t fill up on the traditional breakfast items available such as pastries, fruits, made to order omelets, waffles, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Instead, begin with the sushi and sashimi, the tower of fresh shrimp, the mini salmon mousse, or the caviar. The
S P R ING 2012 • EAT P LAY S
TAYMAG.COM
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