Is your reference to the Monterey Cafe, actually the Old Monterey Cafe? If yes, I like that place too. It's a good breakfast & lunch spot, as is Toasties Cafe and the Red House in Pacific Grove.

It was actually quite awhile ago, the service was very sluggish, the food mediocre and and we were very cramped at our table, maybe it has improved, hope you enjoy it if you go. We loved Fishwife, colorful, fun ambiance great food and service, we had the Crab Tostaditos here. ***kim***

Yes, it was the Old Monterey Cafe, but Rosine's is awesome whether for brunch or dinner. Their breakfast is the greatest as is their dinners.

Thanks Fosterag. I'll have to try Rosine's next time I get back to Monterey. The menu looks great!
I also like First Awakenings for breakfast/ brunch in PG, near the MB aquarium: http://www.firstawakenings.net/locations.html

If you go to Rosine's and see Rosine or Jim, please tell them hello from Pat & Foster.

I will, thanks Foster!

It's more than your price range ($28+ per entree), but I LOVE the Sardine Factory. The food is excellent. The decor is sumptuous and extravagant. And it's right there along Cannery Row, so you can walk off the food afterwards.

The Sardine Factory has 3 rooms you can choose from, we have dined in the Captain's Room by the glowing fireplace and also the Conservatory Room previously mentioned that is full of greenery and has a glass ceiling. ***kim***

I'd love to suggest but you've got to increase your price. It's your birthday, your worth it!

you're

Yes, I am worth it - unfortunately we can't afford the lifestyle to match my worth

Actually, it is a matter of priorities. We could spend a bunch of money on a few trips a year or we could spend less money on each trip and take more trips. We opt for more trips One of the ways to keep costs down is not to eat in high end restaurants.

I wouldn't enjoy the meal if I knew we were blowing the budget and perhaps shorting ourselves for other planned trips.

OK, then if you can handle the prices of the entrees at Passionfish, go there. Know that the entrees are outstanding. The service is iffy, the restaurant is noisy with no atmosphere and the desserts taste as if they don't know how to hire a dessert chef so they called Safeway to delivery. The wines are terrific. The last waitress we had at PF discussed preferences and made excellent suggestions.

If I were in your shoes, I'd choose Little Napoli. It's more romantic, the food is really good and it's in charming Carmel. Your husband needs to learn that there is more to life than Bubba Gumps, maybe this will give him a boost, a nudge, an eye-opener.

We live in Carmel. Our kids (one is still a teenager) have wonderful lifelong memories of "Mom" picking up food to go, bringing it to the beach with blankets and watching the sunset as we dine. Our beach is wonderful, you may want to consider that if the weather is right.

Our favorite romantic/charming restaurant is Fandango in Pacific Grove. We've been going there for the last 20 years and never got tired of it. The food is very good and the ambiance is hard to beat. You MUST book ahead and ask for the front rooms, preferably where the fireplace is. It looks like a country house in Southern France or Catalonia.
www.fandangorestaurant.com/index.html

Fandango is decent but not in their price range.

I beg to differ, most of the main entrees cost between $16.50 to $24.50 while appetizers & salad run $6 to $12.50. Just read the menu. Must try their osso bucco, it's out of this world. However the best part of the restaurant is the ambiance, Fandango transports you to southern France.