And the nominee for the nicest guy on the west coast north of the Oxnard, CA border... Restaurateur, television chef, and good friend Tene Shake! The man is quickly becoming a legend in Crowder Band folklore. Over the past few years, we have had more than our fair share of dining experiences. Whether it be mall food courts, cheeseburgers in Maui, or Pizza Hut in Scotland, we love to eat. Rarely do we speak of such instances, until now…
On our recent trip to the west coast we were invited by Tene to check out his newest restaurant called Latitudes at Lover’s Point. Just driving there is spectacular. Its location in the Pacific Grove district of the Monterey Bay Peninsula is pretty much right on the water and just past Cannery Row. The view is almost surreal; you have to see to believe!
Where to begin in describing this meal? Well, for starters, we were treated to a sampling of every appetizer on the menu including seared ahi tuna, Maryland crab cakes, lobster egg rolls, and jumbo JUMBO prawn cocktail. These prawn were so big they actually scared David. Oh, and by the way, they were caught earlier in the day by the local fishing boats… straight from the ocean to our table. Outstanding!
Moving on to the main course, it’s all about Tene’s signature recipes. The parmesan salmon, lobster pot pie, chicken alfredo, and the potato-crusted halibut. That’s correct, potato-crusted! Basically what we’re saying is fresh halibut covered in hash browns, and laid on a bed of rice and steamed veggies… who could ask for anything more?
Desert anyone? Holy freaking cow! The staff brought us another sampling of every dessert on the menu… our favorite being Napoleon. Don’t really know how to describe it, but trust us when we say it is quite possibly one of the best desserts ever invented. You’ll just have to taste it for yourself.
We’ve told you about some of the items on the menu, but what hasn’t been mentioned is that our table was located next to a large fireplace in the middle of the restaurant. The atmosphere could best be described as cozy, relaxed, and in the immortal words of Ron Burgundy…classy! They offer live jazz on Friday and Saturday nights, which makes for a great place to take a date or just hang out with friends.
So if you like a fine dining experience, and we know you do, then Latitude’s at Lover’s Point is the place to be. If you are in the Monterey area, please stop by and tell them the Crowder Band sent you…
A very special thanks from the DCB to Tene Shake and his staff for a fabulous evening in Monterey. We won’t soon forget it!