The best in our books
As members of The Pinnacle staff, we refrained from casting
votes for the Pinnacle Awards
– after all it wouldn’t be fair for us, with our insider tips on
who was neck and neck. Instead we decided to share a few of the
things we most look forward to around the county, including a few
things that didn’t make the official list.
The best in our books
As members of The Pinnacle staff, we refrained from casting votes for the Pinnacle Awards – after all it wouldn’t be fair for us, with our insider tips on who was neck and neck. Instead we decided to share a few of the things we most look forward to around the county, including a few things that didn’t make the official list.
Best cookie
Ever since The Pinnacle office was moved from the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets to Sixth Street, the fresh-baked goods at Elegant Touch have become harder and harder to resist. With just a half a block between us and their glass display case, it’s a temptation we give into all too often. While some of us favor the chocolate-covered cream puffs or the cheesecake, we all agreed the cookies are the best in the county. We couldn’t, however, agree on which of the dozens of varieties they offer throughout the year is the best.
One staffer gave his vote to the cowboy cookie, which has been referred to around the office as “the everything cookie.” It combines oatmeal, coconut and pecans along with other ingredients. Another prefers the double chocolate cookie that is dusted with powdered sugar. And of course, there is the simplicity of the chocolate chip and the snickerdoodles. The cookies are always soft in the middle and crisp at the edges, making them the best in San Benito.
Best day trip
The dog-lover among us votes for Carmel “for its dog-friendly restaurants and stores, its powdered sugar (and dog-friendly) beach and for the over-the-top people watching.” Where else but Carmel can you find a beach that caters to dogs and their owners, as well as a restaurant that offers up a menu for pooches? At Forge in the Forest dogs are welcome to dine in for dinner. The menu offers sandwiches, seafood and salads for owners, but also has a fair share for dogs. They can get kibble, milkbones, hot dogs, chicken strips or a hamburger. And for the especially spoiled canine, there is a six-ounce New York steak.
There are plenty of other places to eat, including the Village Corner, which offers a killer breakfast in the morning and a reasonably-priced lunch of salad and sandwiches after noon. Stop by the Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co., for a hot drink on cold days, and then head down to Scenic Road to check out the unique architecture of the million-dollar homes lining the coast.
Best burger
This is another one where we had some trouble coming to a consensus. There are so many places that make a great burger in San Benito County, it’s hard to recognize just one. So we won’t. We’ll tell you about all the ones we like and why we like them so much.
The 19th Hole Rendezvous has only been open for a few months, and we think by next year it will have a lock on the best burger category. The eatery serves up its burger with a hearty bun and grilled onions on top. The burgers are cooked to order and taste perfect with the shoestring French fries served on the side. The atmosphere in the historical bar just adds to the experience.
Like the 19th Hole Rendezvous, Maverick’s serves burgers with a little something extra grilled on top. Their burger comes topped with mushrooms and barbecue sauce. We like places that automatically add grilled vegetables to our carnivorous meals – then we feel a little less guilty about the indulgence.
Next on the list is the cheeseburger at Johnny’s Bar and Grill. It is the guilty pleasure for several staff members who give in from time to time to the restaurant across the alley from us. This is the burger of short-order cooks and it looks like it belongs on a Food Network show when it is topped with tomatoes, lettuce, onions and pickles, with cheese oozing out the sides of the bun. When you eat this burger, you know it’s not healthy, but it tastes so good it’s worth the guilt.
For those who prefer grill marks on their burgers, Running Rooster is the best choice. The owners of this eatery have a secret seasoning mix that goes into the ground meat that makes this burger taste so great it doesn’t need condiments. The only downside of this one is that the small hamburger buns don’t stand up to their filling. By the end of lunch, there is generally a mess.
And visitors to San Juan Bautista don’t need our advice. They can just follow the aroma to JJ’s Homemade Burgers right where the Alameda turns into Third Street.
Best mural
When it comes to public works of art, San Benito County has quite a few that are worth a mention, and our readers identify at least a dozen that they like. There is the mural at Hollister Super on Third Street that incorporates fields and the American Dream. And the one near Maddux that captures the county’s history as an apricot capital. But when it comes to art in public spaces, there is one we agree is the best. The “Historic Hollister” mural is easy to miss, overlooking the Fifth Street municipal parking lot, but for anyone who hasn’t looked at it recently it is worth a visit. The mural, painted by Ernie Valles, is a map of the historical core. It offers a glimpse at where Hollister came from – and maybe a little insight into where we need to go. As downtown Hollister continues to reinvent itself, it is nice to see a reminder of a downtown that was once thriving – and could be again soon.
Best burrito
When it comes to Mexican food, we all have different picks for favorites. But when it comes to burritos we all agree Super Taqueria is the only place to go. Around our office, it is nearly impossible to do a lunch run and find something that everybody likes – we have some adventurous eaters and some who are very picky. But Super Taqueria is always the exception because the burritos can be made to order. That means we get to pick the meat, the salsas and the other ingredients that go into it. The salsa bar makes this even easier, since we can pack up plastic containers with salsa, cilantro, fresh chopped onions and limes.
While the bean and cheese burrito is great with some of that salsa bar stuff on the side, one staffer wrote “the super giant from Super Taqueria is the gold standard.” The perfect combo is boiled beans, carne adobada, “topped with a drizzle of the salsa rojo and limon. It’s perfection.”
Best beach within 60 min.
One of the great things about living in San Benito County is that it is so close to a variety of different landscapes. We can get to mountains and beaches all in an hour’s drive. That means every once in a while, we are tempted into calling in sick for a beach day. The only tough thing about a trip to the coast is deciding what beach to visit, and once again, we differ on our opinions.
If we had to pick one beach that has it all, it would be Lover’s Point Cove in Pacific Grove. The small beach is sheltered from wind, offers crystaline water, a 1950s-style snack bar, a pool and it’s all topped by a shady park with stunning views. Restaurants are a short walk away. The only serpent in this paradise is parking. It can be a challenge.
The same can be said of Capitola, where we often play hooky during the summer. For those who want to have a nice meal before laying out on the beach, this is the place to go. The Esplanade offers cheap fare such as Pizza-My-Heart but also has a variety of sit-down restaurants. Paradise Bar and Grill offers outdoor seating that overlooks the beach, and tasty food throughout the day. Or stop on the drive down to the beach at Gayle’s bakery and pick up sandwiches to eat on the shore. Parking can be a challenge here, too, but there is generally plenty of metered parking in a city lot near Capitola’s city hall for those willing to walk a few blocks. Just be sure to check the time limit and beat it back because meter maids take their job seriously in this city by the sea.
Santa Cruz offers plenty of other beaches, too. We usually head to one or another of Santa Cruz County’s beaches. While much of San Jose bakes on Main Beach in front of The Boardwalk, local folks are just across the San Lorenzo River at Seabright Beach, also known as Castles. It’s a broad stretch of sand stretching from the small boat harbor to a sandstone cliff at the edge of the river. A cave through the cliff offers an insider’s shortcut to The Boardwalk (provided you don’t mind wading the river).
