My husband will be celebrating his 40th birthday. Where to go for the ultimate dining expereince. I need suggestions for Pebble Beach as well as Carmel Valley.

For romantic, I would choose Anton & Michel in Carmel (excellent seafood, lamb). Raphaello (italian) is also terrific.

In Monterey at the Monterey Plaza Hotel, there is a restaurant called the Duck Club that overlooks the bay, very nice.

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Reasonable minds may differ as to "the ultimate dining experience." For the absolute best food with the bonus of a view of Monterey Bay, Fresh Cream. For a homey, romantic spot with very good, but not great food, Casanova's. For a more "toney" (read, expensive) place with killer view of the Pacific Ocean and very good food and outstanding wine list, Pacific's Edge in the Highlands Inn.

Also Roy's in Pebble. I disagree--I like the food at Casanova's and it certainly is romantic! Fresh Cream is a winner too. La Boheme is a treat too, but they only serve one choice per night so you'll need to check their website for the menus ahead. No ocean views though.