In the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea there is a restaurant that should not be missed! It’s the Grill on Ocean Avenue, where my husband and I had one of the best restaurant experiences of our lives.
To begin with, the location is ideal. It’s walking distance from anywhere in the village, making it a great location for dinner if you know you’d like to enjoy an adult beverage (or two!). The exterior of the restaurant is very inviting, and the interior is extremely impressive. They’ve made wonderful use of what is not a large space, and the decor is warm and classy. We were seated near their beautiful large stone fireplace, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Right off the bat our waitress was excellent, making us feel welcome and taking an interest in us in a very personable way. When I was curious about the red wine options, asking for something a little on the sweet side, she offered to bring me a few tastes of a few reds that she thought I might enjoy. I thought that was great, as I always feel disappointed if I end up with a recommended full glass of something that doesn’t taste quite so good to me. I loved the tastings she brought and happily chose one for a full glass.
I knew that I wanted to try an appetizer, and I’m an artichoke lover to the core, so I opted for the Grilled Castroville Artichoke with Balsamic Aioli. Delicious! It was served with a tasty dipping cream that added to the flavor and was easy to eat leaf by leaf. My husband is not a “greens” guy, so I got to enjoy that one all by myself. Oh darn.
For our main courses we each wanted to try something the other was interested in tasting, so we opted for a steak and a pasta. He ordered the Center-Cut Filet Mignon, which was cooked in a port wine reduction that made us want to go home and start making port wine reductions. His Yukon potatoes gratin was a perfect side, and we both enjoyed the perfectly cooked meat. 
I ordered the Butternut Squash Ravioli, which turned out to be heaven in a deep plate. The light nutmeg cream sauce was divine, and while it was not a small dish, I managed to eat every last possible bite. I may or may not have had to walk ever so slowly back to the hotel.We opted out on dessert, and you know why if you read my last sentence. But that doesn’t mean we weren’t tempted by all the delicious options they had. (Chocolate Mousse Cake. Grand Marnier Creme Brûlée. Butterscotch pudding. Are you understanding the temptation???)
A big thank you goes out to the Grill on Ocean Avenue and to the Hofsas House for making this dinner possible. We were extremely grateful for the opportunity to enjoy such a fabulous restaurant with great ambiance, thoughtful employees and an incredible chef. We look forward to our next visit!
If you can plan a family getaway in Carmel, I highly suggest you treat yourself to a stay at the Hofsas House. We know we’ll be going back!
Merrie is a writer for the Jen is on a Journey and you can also find her at her blog, Sleepless Mornings: Merrie is the mother of two beautiful children, newly married, a scrapbooker, a baker, and always fun to be around!
Our dinner was hosted in exchange for honest review, all opinions my own.
This food looks amazing we have to put this place on our list for the next time we are in Carmel.
Everything looks incredible and so divine. Looks like a great place to relax and enjoy some great food. The Grilled Castroville Artichoke with Balsamic Aioli would be my first pick!
Thanks for the great recommendation!
The food looks delicious! I just visited Carmel, but didn’t know about this restaurant
This all looks wonderful–it’s making me hungry!
Sounds delicious!! I like how they offered you tastes of wine first because you are right there is nothing worse than a full glass of something you dislike! I kind of expected to see seaood on this post, but your choices look divine!
Everything looks so yummy, made me hungry! 🙂 Looks like a great place to enjoy some delicious food.
I’ve never had a Port wine reduction, but it looks rich and decadent. The ravioli looks delicious and exactly like what I’d order.