StuDudley

>>If time was limited and you had to make a choice, would you choose Pfeiffer beach or Point Lobos?,

Pt Lobos !!!

Stu Dudley

sf7307

Sorry, hibiscus, I don't remember! Anyway, listen to Stu -- everyone on here says go to Pt. Lobos, but I haven't been (at least in many many years). That'll be another trip!

hibiscushouse

Pt. Lobos it is then. Thanks!

SAB

sf--the owners of Passionfish are Cindy and Ted Walters; Cindy is often the hostess, Ted is the chef. Many of their waitstaff have been with them for years, we have been going since they first opened and Jannae, who is now the manager was our first waitress. Even though we really only go a couple of times a year they always remember us and greet us like family. Another reason we are really fond of the place, in addition to the food!!

sf7307

SAB, you'll appreciate this then...what the hostess really told us about our casual dress was that we were "fine" meaning the only people they wouldn't seat were people who weren't dressed at all

hibiscushouse

Pt. Lobos...WOW!

sf7307

So glad it was a "Wow" Hibiscus. Guess we'll have to take another day trip!

november_moon

I've been trying for 2 years to get my husband to give Passionfish another try, but he won't do it. The food was soooooo good when we went. Service-wise, I think they had a really off night when we went though. Even with a reservation, we waited almost an hour for a table, the waiting area was really cramped (think Denny's on a Sunday morning), and then the tables in the dining room were so close together that we could listen to the neighboring conversations easier than we could hear each other.

Specific items from your trip report - the stuff in the water off Capitola is indeed kelp. You will sometimes see otters out there And Hwy 1 does get narrower and curvier south of Nepenthe. The the road through the south end of Big Sur is a lot tighter than on the north end.

sf7307

NM, actually, I'm pretty sure the building DID house a Denny's at one time!

Deb15July

sf and SAB,
I'm trying to decide on PG restaurants and Passionfish is on the list. However, some of the more recent reviews have been less than stellar. Of course there are still many great reviews. I've checked TripAdvisor, yelp, etc.

We don't do well waiting a long time for a table when we have reservations. Any recent feedback from either of you...we will be staying in PG.

SAB

We went in April, had no wait. But as I posted back in 2010, we know the owners and manager, so I don't know what the typical experience is. I don't know if they were having an off-night, but it was the first time in 15 years that we didn't love our entrees. It was not enough to prevent us from going again, as one disappointing entree in 15 years is nothing.

sf7307

Sorry, we've only been the one time, but we really enjoyed it.

hopingtotravel

Don't know how to post the link but there is a webcam from the deck at Nepenthe--ran across it when searching the Big Sur area.

We ate there around 15 years ago and hope to (if it's not raining) have lunch there again in a few weeks.

Again, if it's not raining, will try to go the few miles further south, then take the detour over to 101 to continue on south.

sf7307

Just google "nepenthe webcam" and you'll find it!

starrs

Here's one Nepenthe webcam -
http://www.webcambiglook.com/california/canepenthe.htm

starrs

This one seems to have better resolution -
http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/weather-cam.html

Click on the image to enlarge it

hopingtotravel

Now, if we could get a weather day like that!

starrs

I've been there several times over the years and have always gotten great weather.

But then again, I always seem to hit sunny warm days in Seattle in the spring

hopingtotravel

Alaskans find that a sunny February day in a stocking cap sitting on the roof at Inn of the Market is a 'warm spring day in Seattle'.