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"I chose this place for my anniversary dinner upon a recommendation from a friend who grew up in the area. I was quite pleased with the…" read more »
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I had always heard good things about Fresh Cream, but had never really had an excuse to splurge on their rather expensive menu. Enter Monterey Bay Restaurant Week and special prix fixe menus from great local restaurants at bargain-basement prices. My friend and I both had had some disappointments from Restaurant Week, and were a little worried what the night had in store. Luckily, Fresh Cream delivered an outstanding meal at an amazing price--so good I wound up going back two nights later.
We started with an amuse bouche--crème fraîche with chopped onion and caviar atop a pastry shell--that set a nice tone to the meal. With the cold weather last week, I opted for soup both nights--a nice cauliflower soup on Tuesday and a great carrot ginger soup on Thursday. Wound up getting the Dungeness crab cake both nights since it was so good--a tasty crab cake atop a Daikon radish salad over a roasted red pepper puree. Tuesday night I had the pan-roasted chicken, over a hash with chopped pea pods and corn, with truffle mashed potatoes and a mushroom risotto croquette. Absolutely perfect--flavors went nicely together and it was the perfect meal for the cold, windy night. Thursday night I had the halibut--over a cauliflower puree with a Cabernet cassis reduction--and unfortunately wasn't terribly impressed. (But I may be spoiled by Chef Didier's spectacular fish preparations at Bistro Moulin.) Desserts both nights were great--a Grand Marnier soufflé and a chocolate gâteau. The candied strawberry--their signature finish--was a nice touch too. We did the math and it was easily $70 worth of food for just $35--a terrific bargain that didn't compromise on flavor. Both nights we had outstanding service, with servers always attentive to our needs and a nice pacing between courses.
Turns out that Fresh Cream offers this prix fixe menu as an early bird special quite often, and I highly recommend it. Alas, Fresh Cream has recently left its spot in Heritage Harbor on the waterfront and is moving to Carmel, closing for the next three months while the new spot gets remodeled. Hopefully the new location gives them some better business--I know I'll definitely be back.
I don't know if this place is better than restaurants owned by Thomas Keller, Hubert Keller, Emeril Lagasse, Todd English and the like, but I'm pleased to report to the yelp community that Fresh Cream stacks up quite nicely against places like Bouchon, Ad Hoc, Fleur De Lys, Olives and Table 10.
I recommend, however, the early bird menu. Three courses, plus soup or salad, for 35 dollars is a screaming deal in a place where most of the entrees start north of 40+ dollars!
For my 200th review, I have to review some place very special. While I don't consider it the absolute best place I've ever eaten, the ambiance and occasion made it a great experience.
To be fair, my parents had been raving about this place for years so when they brought us here to celebrate our engagement, I had extremely high expectations.
To start, the location is kind of odd. It's located in this area with a bunch of office buildings and would be easy to miss if you didn't know where it was. The restaurant itself does not look as fancy as I expected it would be. As some of the other Yelpers mentioned dress varies. There was a family who was extremely casual, like straight off Cannery Row casual while others like us were there for a special occasion and a bit more dressed up.
There are two areas of seating. There is the front window section which you can get a glimpse of the ocean. It is a pretty small area so if you want to sit here it's recommended that you make reservations. It is dimly lit and has a nice ambiance.
The second seating area which you walk through to go to the more intimate area is more brightly lit and this is where they had the family and large parties sit. There is a partial partition that separates the two areas, but it is still kind of an odd contrast.
The food itself was really good. Everything was perfectly cooked, but nothing really stood out for me with that "wow" factor. The only item that really did it for me was the mushroom soup. I can still taste that creamy deliciousness. If everything else had been on that level, it would have probably bumped it up to 5 stars because the service was outstanding. To me the sign of good service at a nice restaurant is friendly and unpretentious while interpreting your every need which is exactly the type of service we received.
I don't know how soon we'll be back, but perhaps the next special occasion we want to go out to Monterey for we will.
Delicious!
Went here on a whim for Monterey Restaurant week and was not disappointed! Great food with great customer service.
$35 for a 4 course prix fixe meal and I was SO stuffed afterward. Excellent cauliflower soup with heirloom tomatoes, ginger plum prawns with wasabi infused caviar (zingy!!), Alaskan halibut with cabernet reduction and Madagascar vanilla brulee. My friends were all exceedingly pleased with our experience.
I believe that they are currently closed however, and are reopening in another location in Carmel next year? We heard this from our server that evening.
I would definitely go back!
I picked this place for a birthday dinner date and it really was a great location and restaurant for just such an occasion. Be prepared, the place was very difficult to find as no other functioning store or restaurant seems to be around it, however the hostess was kind enough to walk out of the restaurant and find us while staying on the phone with me. Huge thanks to the very nice hostess that evening. I should also note, that we were 50 minutes late for our reservation due to delays and getting lost, but my original reservation time was set for 8:30pm. Regardless, the restaurant staff was nice enough to still save our table and we still got the window seat next to the bay just as originally requested.
The interior and view was excellent. Ordered Australian Lobster tail and prawns (~$35) and Australian Rack of Lamb (~$40), and got special desserts: souffle, sugar-glazed strawberries and a birthday strawberry shortcake. Total, the bill was alittle over $120. Kind of pricey, but for the location, the awesome service, excellent food, and what ended up becoming a perfect way to celebrate a birthday dinner, this place deserves 5-stars and two-thumbs up.
We ate here on Saturday of Labor Day weekend - fairly empty, as tourist season is over. The food was solid, with attractive presentation, and the servers were exceptionally helpful and friendly. We thought the mains looked expensive and boring, so basically built a tasting menu out of appetizers, soups, sides, and salads. They offered to split them for us in the kitchen, which was very nice. My only complaint is that service was SLOW - there weren't many people, so no idea why we sat so long between courses. They did bring out a nice amuse bouche (creme fraiche tartlet w/caviar) and some glaceed strawberries when we were too full for dessert. Would certainly eat here again.
Total $100 for two people, splitting the following:
lobster ravioli (OK, nothing special)
shrimp appetizer (lime, I think? very good)
escargot (nicely garlicky!)
curried cauliflower soup (excellent!)
sauteed mushroom side (fabulous!)
beet salad w/blue cheese (fantastic - great combo)
Great food, great service.
Went there for my anniversary. We got the filet mignon and halibut and the crab cakes and mushroom soup (special of the day) for starters. Everything was fantastic.
I found their signature dessert (souffle) just okay. They make it clear it is not a classic/standard souffle. It really is just glorified meringue (egg whites).
Yelp says dressy attire but when I called they said to come in as casual as you want. However, if you don't dress up, you will feel out of place. We were dressed up b/c it was a special occasion.
Reservations at 8:00pm on Monday for an anniversary dinner. The table was the best seat in the house (in my opinion) which was intimately set in a corner overlooking the harbor at sunset (aaawwwww)
Dinner:
Me: lobster bisque, filet mignon
BF: caesar salad, lobster and shrimp
Dinner was very good. The bisque was creamy and rich, but not overwhelming. The filet was cooked a perfect medium rare and was paired with two sauces that I could have done without. The meat itself was delicious and tender and was perfect with the Duckhorn merlot that we ordered! What I sampled from BF's food was delicious. My favorite was the white corn stuff that came with the lobster dish. Definitely an upgrade from the butter dipping sauce that usually comes with lobster.
Dessert:
Grand Marnier Souffle
I feel bad for not LOVING the Grand Marnier souffle (which came highly recommended), but souffle may just not be my thing. It did come with a rum sauce was rather yummy.
Overall:
Definitely a good experience. The service was very warm and not at all pretentious. I heard the complaints about the dated-ness of the restaurant, and yes- I saw that, but I wasn't there to stare at decor so it didn't bother me. The price was also not that bad. One salad, one soup, two entrees (both the most expensive entrees on the menu), dessert, a good bottle of wine and two cocktails rounded out about $260 without tip.
We'll be going back on our next special trip down to Monterey.
Honestly, there is no reason why this place shouldn't be a 5 star for many people. To me, they executed everything very, very well. The rack of lamb was excellent (apps were amazing), service was top notch, view was absolutely beautiful. My problem was that... I rate 5 stars as... "I'd eat this any time no matter where I am in the world". I'm afraid that fresh cream doesn't make it to that list. So close to a 5.
MMMMMMM!!!! LOVED the food here! I will remember the Double Vanille Brulee forever!
The entrance is kind of strange and doesn't look like one for a fancy restaurant. Not the easiest to find if you don't find a directory to look at. It's on the 2nd floor and looks like it's in an office building.
They started us with these little tarts of creme fraiche with caviar and onion that definitely left us all wanting more. Even their bread and butter was good. They present the butter as beautiful pale yellow roses. Such a nice touch. I had the scallops with garlic risotto. I only wish I had more room for my tummy to eat them all but I knew I HAD to leave room for the dessert. I had no room for all the dessert but I forced it all down anyways.
I had heard Fresh Cream is good from Yelpers and now I know it is!
My boyfriend took me here, as a surprise, for Valentines Day 2009.
When he made the reservations a month ago they told him that they were very booked and the only reservation left was at 8pm at the worst table in the house. He made them anyway. Possibly they had a cancellation, but our seat was in no way "the worst." We had a great view of the ocean from our table only 4 feet from the main window out to the bay.
The first thing I noticed was the temperature. It was so warm inside, and that is lovely! There is nothing I hate more than wearing a dress and being cold. Fresh Cream earned major points right from the start for that.
They brought the sample appetizer with caviar and onions which I looked at for a few minutes before I decided to eat it. It was tasty, but I don't think that kind of "status food" is my type of thing.
We started with a house salad and the soup de jour, which was a mushroom soup flavored with truffles. SOOOOO GOOOD, and so filling. I love mushrooms and I love that the waiter brought us two spoons without us needing to ask.
For our meal, my boyfriend ordered the filet mignon and I had sashimi grade Ahi tuna. My meal was so wonderfully prepared. The ahi was juicy, not in the least bit "chewy" and did not taste old or refrigerated. I do not remember the kind of sauce my dish was paired with but trust me when I say everything tasted perfect. Nothing was out of tune.
My boyfriend said the filet mignon was perfect, and asked me if he thought it was a bad idea to ask for ketchup... (which you'll only find funny if you've seen that episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.) I did not taste it since I'm not a red meat kind of girl.
For dessert we shared a chocolate flowerless cake, which was wonderfully paired with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and berries.
The only thing I found displeasing about the restaurant was the decor. It seemed very dated in the dim night lights. Maybe things are less gloomy during the day but the clunky light/glossy wooded chairs, wallpaper, and pastel colors reminded me of the 80's, or a doctors waiting room. Nothing about this economy invites a total remodel... but then again, nothing about this economy invites me to eat here very often. Who am I to judge?
It was a great treat, and I would recommend anyone staying at a Monterey hotel to eat here since you can walk, and you wont need to worry about catching a taxi back to your hotel room after you've had a few cocktails.
This place is so DELICIOUS! My husband and I went here Saturday night to celebrate our anniversary. We had the early dinner special, which was only $35/pp for a 3 course meal. I had the soup of the day, which was so good. It was a taste that I've never tasted before and so light. My appetizer was the crab cake - this had to be the best crab cake I had! For my entree, I had the salmon over potatoes and for dessert, I had the creme brulee - the best creme brulee ever! My husband had the soup of the day, ginger jumbo shrimp, rack of lamb, and assorted sorbets. All were delicious. The rack of lamb was so tender that it was easy to eat. Service was excellent! Since the host knew it was our anniversary, the server threw in a strawberry bread dessert and an anniversary card. That was very nice of them! Definitely coming back!
This restaurant was a little difficult to find, but it has a great location on the top level of some building overlooking the water. Upon entering the restaurant, you can tell that this restaurant has high class written all over it, so you'd better dress the part. We ordered our souffle at the beginning of the meal so that it would be ready by dessert time. I also had the lobster, which had a sauce so delicious, that I still fantasize about it to this day. The souffle was quite filling; it came with some scrumptious sauce to drizzle over it. Also, they brought me a dessert off the menu: glazed candied strawberries and strawberry shortcake. What a great birthday treat!
When I die and go to heaven, I hope there's a Fresh Cream behind those Pearly Gates!
It's FRENCH and VERY expensive but worth every dollar. Fine linens, crystal, china, etc., and every table has a Harbor view so don't worry about asking for a "window seat" when making reservations. And this is SO COOL: if you get up during your meal, like to go to the bathroom, your waiter will fold your napkin into a flower while you're gone. I LOVE that! (Of course, I love the little "towel animals" the Cabin Steward makes and leaves on my bed while on a cruise too but that's another review.)
There are a few items on the menu - all in French, with English translation- that will please most vegetarians but Fresh Cream's signature dish is the pan-seared rack of lamb, TOTALLY worth the $$$$ price. You can have a fantastic meal without appetizers, just don't skip dessert. Start with a House Salad and order the Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert and make sure to order with your entrée as it takes 45 minutes to make from scratch - I had to restrain myself from licking the plate to get every drop of rum sauce.
The wine list is a manageable 7 pages but quite extensive. Lots of California varietals and a few non-snooty French varietals as well but you'll find something you'll like, even if you like White Zinfandel (yuck).
Fresh Cream is located in a high-end office complex (near Fisherman's Wharf) and unless you know your way around Heritage Harbor, you'd think you were in the wrong place. Best to call for directions.
My memories of how wonderful Fresh Cream was in 1984 made me cautious. Would I be disappointed going back a second time? Since 1984 I've eaten at a number of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. Would it still hold up? Or perhaps Fresh Cream had peaked and was now just riding on its reputation.
After a recent visit, I'm happy to report that Fresh Cream is better than ever. We got a table with a beautiful view of Monterey Bay and Fisherman's Warf just before sunset. I still appreciate the west coast's great scenery. We started out with the lobster bisque which was very good. For an appetizer, my girlfriend got the plum glazed prawns with Asian vegetables in a wonton basket and I got crab cakes. Both were excellent. For the entrees, she had duck with black currant sauce and I had the rack of lamb which was perfect. For dessert I had the apple tarte and she had their impressive "Sac au Chocolat" which is a chocolate cup filled with a mocha milkshake. This must be nearly as good as traditional French cuisine gets. Add in helpful, friendly, and attentive service and the clean elegant decor with a spectacular view, and this is great dining.
Is Fresh Cream as good as the best Bay Area restaurants? In my opinion, not quite. It doesn't offer a tasting menu with wine pairing which I think is the ultimate in dining and almost necessary to be considered in the very top tier. More importantly, it isn't as innovative in choice of ingredients, menu selections, preparation, and presentation as the very best restaurants. Perhaps this is being too picky as I enjoyed every minute at Fresh Crme and I'm looking forward to going back again next time I'm in Monterey.
This is a really nice place to have a romantic dinner. View overlooking the Monterey harbor. The appetizers are really good, I had three, lobster bisque, lobster ravioli with black and gold caviar, and the foie gras, all three were sooooo good. I had the rack of lamb for the entree, I should of had the dover sole, I hear it's to die for. For dessert I had the Grand Marnier souffle, very good. The service was incredible, the waitress remembered I had a bottle of Dom Perignon back at the hotel and gave us some Hors d'œuvre to take back and have with the champagne, it was delicious and so nice of her. It was one of the greatest weekends of my life!
My boyfriend took me out to dinner here last Thursday for my birthday. We were running late, so I asked to change my reservation to a later time, which was perfectly fine with them.
When we walked in, I was a bit taken aback by the dated furniture and wallpaper. It seemed as if I was walking into my grandma's house. Not the best first impression.
The staff was wonderful and polite and promptly seated us at 6:30 PM on a Thursday night. We were the first ones there. We scored a great ocean view and we were able to watch the sunset during dinner.
We received an amuse-bouche. A small tartlette with creme fraiche topped with caviar. It was refreshing and subtle.
For our appetizer, we ordered the lobster ravioli with beurre blanc and lobster sauce. The raviolis were stuffed with lobster and served with black and gold caviar on endive leaves. It was very delicious! The flavors went very well together.
The boyfriend ordered the Australian rack of lamb, which he said is the best lamb he's ever had. I personally am not very fond of lamb (yes, I've attempted to try it SEVERAL times, including this time around), so I can't really provide an unbiased opinion on his dish. It also came with fingerling potatoes, which he didn't comment on.
I had the grilled sole, which was de-boned table side. Yes, table-side. Our waitress was so professional with the process, it seemed effortless! She did express, however, that when cooked perfectly, the bones just separate from the fish. It was topped with browned butter, fresh squeezed lemon juice and toasted almonds. It also came with a rice cake. The fish was extremely delicious. The best sole I've ever had! I've usually had some really salty or really bland, but this was perfect. Simple and light. Loved it. I ordered this with a side of the truffle whipped potatoes. Yum!
As a birthday treat, they served me with a strawberry shortcake which was absolutely delicious! The cake soaked up the sauce, which I think was made with creme fraiche, but it wasn't soggy at all. The cake was topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Not too sweet and not too heavy. I definitely enjoyed this dessert better than the tarte tatin that we ordered with our meal.
I'm not quite sure if we'd come back here because we didn't really talk about that. It's a little pricy, but it's definitely a place worth trying at least once.
Fresh Cream has been my most favorite restaurant in Monterey for several years now. Though I mainly stick to their seafood appetizers and entrees (halibut, ahi tuna, lobster bisque, etc), I've been so far satisfied with every bite. The desserts are irresistible, especially the brulee and the souffle. The overall atmosphere also meets my expectations - cheerful, unpretentious and delightfully accompanied by the ocean view.
Can't complain about the service, either. We once held a corporate event in one of the private dining rooms, and they were very accommodating despite the technical requirements involving laptops & LCD screen.
Mmm...can't wait to go back.
Ooh. Tasty.
Amuse-bouche of roasted garlic creme fraiche, black tobiko and red onion in a little tart shell: tasty. I usually loathe raw onion, but it worked.
Lobster bisque: tasty. I can't resist a seafood bisque.
Pan-roasted chicken: The skin on it was actually crispy -- almost as though it had been deep-fried, though it wasn't. Restaurant chicken rarely achieves this level of tasty.
The only thing I wished was for more mashed potatoes than the couple of piped dollops holding up the chicken. Mmm...carbs.
I totally coveted other items on the menu -- wish I had been dining with other people so we could share!
This is a place you visit to feel special. It's French, it's beautiful, it's expensive, and every bite will leave you wanting more. The restaurant may be tucked away in a business plaza, but once you step inside you'll quickly forget that. We got seated at a table that overlooked the Monterey Harbor and because it was a little after 7pm, we got to see the sunset while enjoying some of the best French food I've ever tasted (and I lived in Paris for 10 years!).
It has the feel of being very upscale and it has menu prices to support that, but don't be intimidated. All the items are listed in French, but they each come with English translation. The staff was eager to help answer any questions and was very attentive for the two and a half hours we were there.
I had the pleasure of having the Pacific Dungeness crab cakes as my appetizer, Portebella Mushroom on a bed of Mashed Potatoes surrounded by quartered artichokes all over a thin layer of white chocolate and raspberry sauce as my entree, and the Souffle au Grand Marnier and the flourless dark chocolate torte for dessert. As if that was not already heavenly enough, our server presented us with a petite strawberry shortcake and two hard sugar coated strawberries, compliments of the chef for our special occasion. One word: WOW.
Don't wait another minute. Call to make reservations, get dressed up, and go enjoy the divine food this restaurant as to offer.
Easily the best fine dining in Monterey.
The service is very, very good and the food is cooked perfectly almost every time (I had to send an Ono back for it being overcooked, but it came back tasting amazing).
The atmosphere is quiet and romantic and the views are of the bay.
The deserts are decadent as well and very well done.
They lose a star for a few things:
- The portions are just too large. The flavors are very rich and by the time you're halfway done, you're over the flavors (this is why French food is usually such small portions)
- The wine list = booooooring. There was nothing interesting on there and most of it was pretty standard (Duckhorn, Silver Oak, Opus One, etc).
- None of the dishes made me want to come back to have it again.
- The lobster bisque tastes nothing like lobster. It tastes like a really good tomato bisque.
- The truffle mashed potatoes needed something, maybe butter. They just weren't mouth watering like mashed potatoes can be.
If I'm comparing this restaurant to every other place in Monterey, it's five stars, but I'm rating it and comparing it to other fine dining establishments.
Thanks to yelpers' recommendation. I had my anniversary dinner here this past Saturday. And YES! A solid 5 stars restaruant it is!
Almost every table can have a direct view to the bay, but we were lucky enough to be seated right in front of the full-height window directly looking at the fabulous water. No formal dress code is required -- and we were in our jeans and sport shoes.
I recommend everything we had that evening, including the butter and bread. We had lobster raviolli and crab cakes as appertizers, and they were both served very hot and juicy. Crab cake was one of the best I have ever had. Almost wanted another order, but I needed to save stomach room for my main courses.
The rack of lamb was EXCELLENT. For $41, I actually had 8 pieces of lamb (Where most other places have 3-4 pieces) Medium rare is the perfect way of tasting the lamb. My wife had the veal, which was recommended by our server. He said the sauce needs 3 whole days to prepare. We were glad we took his recommendation.
The Souffle was yet another highlight of our meal, and no one should leave this restaurant without having an order of souffle.
I will definitely return again. And again.... and again.
If it wasn't for the ambience, it would have been 5 stars.
It is 5 for the food,
3 for the way the restaurant looks
2 for the bathrooms (which are shared with an office?)
4 for the wait staff who were very courteous
2 for the hostesses that looked like underdressed teenagers.
My husband took me there for our 5th anniversary, and the food was truly spectacular. We were dressed up, and everyone around us was in (not necessarily clean) blue jeans.
That was a bummer.
We had a table by the window (thankfully) because the main dining room was deafeningly LOUD.
One of the best restaurants I've ever been to. From their herbal teas to dessert, mixed drinks and wine to fresh seafood and meats, EVERYTHING is delicious. Breathtaking views, superb and friendly service, and good food with generous portions.
Chocolate strawberries, tasty treats from the chef, and great views: a nice way to spend an evening. Very romantic setting.
A must visit on any trip to Monterey.
(if you're in the monterey area you should also check out the Sardine Factory and Little Napoli (in Carmel).)
The food was so yummy here! My hubby and I came here this past weekend as a part of our 2nd anniversary weekend mini-break.
We ordered the lobster ravioli after reading the rave reviews on yelp and it was a great! The sauce was really good and each ravioli had this fat piece of lobster in it.
I got the salmon and it was cooked perfectly. It came with actual artichoke hearts. Like not the kind you get in a jar or whatever, but the real thing. So good! Also had some nicely cooked potatoes and lovely sauce.
My hubby had the steak and it was cooked perfectly with some great mushrooms.
I take a star off just b/c the wine by the glass selection was very limited. The decor is a little old school, but still nice. It was also a little disappointing that we could not see the pretty view.
A lovely place to have a nice dinner when you are in town. The hard sugar coated strawberries they give you at the end of dinner was fun too!
I'm giving it 3 stars because I was here for a large group event and so have no idea what a sit-down dinner is like.
The food was excellent, considering it was little munchies and a buffet table. I heard the lobster ravioli was amazing, but I loved the duck breast and filet mignon slices myself. (Not big on shellfish.) The little tiny shredded-pork-tortilla-chip-avocado hors d'oerves were great, too.
The food was pretty good but was it did feel overpriced. I don't mind paying for good food, but I didn't the quality warranted the prices. I got the lobster ravioli as an appetizer and was very disappointed. The pasta was overcooked and rubbery, and I did not detect much lobster in there. The lamb was very good like others have stated. The service was quite good too, and the views are great. But we also ate at Passionfish the next night and thought it was a much better meal and value.
The original idea to go to this place was because I had seen that a lot of people reviewed it well.
Maybe I just caught the place on a bad night?
I went back in December and felt that this place was just ok.
Pros
1) good wine selection
2) cute view
3) walking distance from place I was staying at
4) lobster ravioli... wish i had only ordered this for dinner. If I could have done it all over again I would have ordered three of these.
Cons
1) fish was very, very dry.
2) kind of felt rushed to leave
3) we were seated a little too close to the table next to us.
4) kind of expensive for what it was.
Yeah, yeah. The view is amazing. And yes, the service is impeccable.
But my god! The food! Are you kidding me? Can I die here? It's been a few years and everytime I go to a French restaurant in San Francisco/Bay Area, I can't seem to stop comparing it to this place!
Simply amazing!
Fresh Cream, why are you in Monterey?
We were here as part of a private party for about 40 people in a separate room. We had great menu offerings for appetizers, entrees, desserts.
I had the lobster ravioli, rack of lamb, and the gran marnier souffle dessert. I had tastes of the glazed shrimp, and the lobster bisque. And all 3 wines. [Yes I never saw the prices or the bill]
Except for the souffle all I had was great. For years I cooked souflle and learned that there was a certain crustiness to airiness that made a souffle. These were all airiness, and no taste in the souflle, just in the sauce on top.. Better you should ask for a side of Gran Marnier to go with the bisque. And go for the sorbet if you've still room, though the apple tart certainly looked good.
AND the service was VERY good. Hard to do well with a huge group and they did fine.
And now, can I complain here about that BORE at our table who just went on and on about the vintners and money he knew?
This is one of those restaurants that will never be trendy and not really a place to be seen. It's a very nice, classy joint, on the second floor of a 2 story office building overlooking the bike path, harbor and pier in Monterey Bay.
When my friend and I got there we got the BEST table, right at the window. We watched the otters playing and the seals pick their rock to sleep on for the night. We had a great bottle of wine, ( as usual, as the person I am usually with at these nice dinners is much more of an educated wine conessieur than me), I had the salmon and he the steak. Of course I order fish to watch my calorie intake and he orders the steak and then he lets me try it and I think, damn why didn't I order the steak!? My salmon was ok, could have used a little more sauce or mixed in the artichoke flavor a little more.
I know we had dessert but I can't remember exactly what but know it was good, dessert is NEVER bad....unless there is like mold on it or something, but anyhow, great restaurant!! Great place to have a more quiet romantic type meal, good place to impress! Dress code enforced here!
Tipped off to this awesome restaurant by a former co-worker, I chose this as a fine dinner location on a weekend trip to Monterey. The view of the bay was absolutely stunning, and I suggest asking for a seat by the window overlooking the bay when you reserve.
I went here about 3 years ago, so I'm trying to remember what we ordered. The only thing that stood out in my mind was our foie gras (save the shame on you's, I've heard it already). I expected a tiny little cube of it garnished with a sprig of something, but when they hauled it in, it was about a hand-sized slab of it along with some cheese and wine we ordered. Puking yet? I'm not, because it was delicious.
Great place hidden away down a path and under some trees. It's worth looking up and hunting down. Possibly the only thing I found to criticize was that although it is a romantic style restaurant, the room was extremely dim during our dinner and I could barely see a thing. But then again no restaurant for miles can hold a candle to the food and service we had here.
A long-time fine dining restaurant in Monterey, Fresh Cream still serves fabulous food. Even though the building has a random 80's vibe, the views at sunset are especially nice.
Rack of lamb is a great entree choice. The beet salad comes topped with micro-greens and was a hearty serving. Both the lobster ravioli and lobster bisque are rich and delicious.
I was too full to really enjoy the flour-less chocolate cake, but I'm sure it was delightful as well.
A single complaint - the people dining around us... There was a teenage make-out couple in jeans and another lady wearing a warm up suit. Please dress it up a little people.
might want to check on page 7 also, as this restaurant is listed under the shortened name of "Fresh Cream" and is listed as #68.. Make sure when you write reviews to get the complete name :).. I wish Yelp would allow a search by name and then tell you its #25 of 127 area restaurants when it comes up...
i believe a waiter actually muttered under his breath, "that's clint's favorite dish" - as in client eastwood, when we were ordering - the food is what one would expect to find in any good restaurant in any city across the united states and abroad - high quality ingredients, prepared in a creative manner (but not TOO out-there) artfully presented - very high quality meal and the prices reflect the location, overlooking the monterey bay - lovely, running about $15 for an appetizer, $40 for an entree.
we received delicious amuse bouches of creme fraiche and caviar in little cheese and onion tartelets - I had the beet salad to start -which was, to be honest, pedestrian - the beets were cubed for crying out loud! they have to rethink that beet salad.
I ordered as an entree, the halibut - it was meaty and flaky, but a little dry - the menu said that it came with artichokes but no artichokes were to be found when the plate was brought out. at the end of the meal, the chef sent over strawberries glacee, ripe strawberries dipped in sugar - which I had in all my little foodie life, never seen and so that made up for the beet salad.
during the dinner, they kept conspicuously adjusting the lights down, and then back up, and then back down - it was a little strange.
if you're in monterey I would recommend this place for a romantic meal.
Hmmm let me start with the fact that this is a completely respectable restaurant. Great view, attentive staff, solid food. This is the place your yachting grandparent take you for a nice meal, however. Pastel interior, surf and turf menu, etc., etc.. Menu was basic and boring. Covered all the basic meat dishes and all the basic fish dishes and nothing more. Rack of Lamb, Fillet, NY Strip, Pork Chop, Salmon, Sole, Lobster... blah, blah blah... Food was cooked well, but was unexciting. Took the advice of others and ordered the Lobster Ravioli. Tasty. The highlight of the items I tasted. For the price I am POSITIVE there are better restaurants in Monterey, views or not. In fact I found them and will be going to them next time :) Look for more reviews!
Ok, I probably have to start this out with stating the fact that i have been to very few "fancy" restaurants, so as impressed as i was might be based on lack of experience with other fancy pants places where you can drop such a sum of money on a meal for two.
HOWEVER
I think I ate one of the tastiest, most thoroughly savored meals of my life at Fresh Cream. We left absolutely stuffed of tasty goodness. I would love to go back here, the food was rich, fresh, delightful, and pretty. The flavours and textures left me in awe of food and it's ability to make me fall into a coma-like state of bliss.
Food - 4.5
Service - 4
Ambience - 4
A few years ago, my girlfriends and I did a road trip to Monterey and had dinner at Fresh Cream. It was such a delicious meal, with artful presentation and superb service. I'll have to dig up the pics of the dishes we took to share with you.
One notable item was the truffle mashed potatoes -- heavenly. Fluffy, creamy and with a decadent truffle flavor. Yumilicious. Is it weird that I dream about those mashed potatoes now and again? Fill a swimming pool with them and I will die a happy woman.
Highly recommend this location. Like Jennifer A. said, it's neither trendy nor a hot spot, but who needs that when you can have a wonderful meal with great company?!
This restaurant came highly recommended from a friend and now having gone there myself, I can see why. The food was excellent. We tried several of the items on the menu and everything was really delicious.
When I first walked in, it looked like a place that could well be pretentious. However, our waitress was great and a lot of fun. I would assume that the menu changes from time to time. Our waitress gave great recommendations.
If you are in Monterey and want a really nice meal, this restaurant would be high on anyone's list, I am sure.
I've been to Fresh Cream a few times over the years and what made it special the first time I went several years ago, hasn't changed a bit. In fact, that may ultimately be my only criticism.
Let's start with the good. The appetizers and entrees are typically great and generously proportioned. Their lobster ravioli appetizer is larger than many restaurants main entrees. I had the almond crusted sole which they fileted at the table and is was prepared perfectly. Of course, my favorite part of the meal is always the candied strawberries that come with every meal - their version of a fortune cookie.
The overall look and feel of Fresh Cream has not evolved over the years and while still charming in an old Monterey sort of way, city folk are likely to wonder whether they are in a trendy Zagat rated restaurant or in a higher end Holiday Inn restaurant. The menu, while always good, seems to never change as well so if you're used to the Town Hall like experience where every trip comes with a different menu, this isn't the place.
You also pay for the beautiful Bay View you're getting with average entrees around $40.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Category: Restaurants
Carmel, CA
Category: American (New)
Monterey, CA
Category: Seafood
Carmel, CA
Category: French
Monterey, CA
Category: Restaurants
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