Where to eat on Friday night after a long workweek?  Yeah, even working in the Monterey Bay seems long sometimes!  But we are not without dining choices, certainly.  We decided on an unlikely spot – the Best Western Beach Resort Monterey hotel on Del Monte Beach.  One would not suspect that this would be a place for anything but a tourist-trap type restaurant – not so!  The menu is varied, including a couple of vegetarian choices, and the food was fresh and well-prepared.

Because of the large number of people on the Monterey Peninsula for the weekend, we elected to eat early to avoid the crowds.  That also turned out to be a good move in that we were seated at a window table, where we enjoyed the spectacular view of the beach and the waves crashing to the shore of the Monterey Bay.  While we waited for our entree to arrive, we watched an otter frolicking in the surf, also having his dinner.

The service was good, the food was good and affordable, and the view was wonderful.  By the way, don’t be deterred by the gated parking area.  Take a ticket and ask the waiter to validate it for you!