Nepenthe
Famed Nepenthe Restaurant is located on Highway One nestled high above the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur. Truly gorgeous views from almost the entire restaurant almost take your breath away when you arrive. We happened to visit on possibly the most picturesque day of the year; the sun was out and the sky and ocean were crystal clear blue. At one point my niece noticed some whales just off the coastline... could we have chosen a better day to drive down the coast? No, probably not.
Needless to say I was excited for lunch. Over and over I had heard people rave about Nepenthe's "Famous Ambrosiaburger" and how amazing it is but oh the disappointment. At a whopping $15.50 ($14 base price, add $1.50 for cheese) the burger was greasy and under seasoned. I assumed the burger would come with normal burger toppings (IE lettuce and tomato) but it arrived with cheese, bread, sauce, and meat only. I, like most people, eat with my eyes first and so I was already let down before my first bite. The ambrosia sauce looks sort of like a 1000 Island dressing but not a good 1000 Island dressing (I later learned that it is made up of mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and salsa). After initially looking at the burger I was sure that the sauce would be amazing and save the experience but unfortunately it wasn't. There were three options for sides: garbanzo-kidney bean salad, crunchy coleslaw or tossed green salad. I chose the coleslaw which turned out to be a bland mess of mayo and cabbage... disappointment again.
The best item on the table, aside from my ice cold Hoegaarden Beer, was the green salad that my sister had ordered with her vegetarian burger. She chose blue cheese dressing and it was delicious - a sort of tangy vinaigrette packed with blue cheese crumbles.
Bottom line: the beer and wine list is fantastic and it is worth stopping by at least for a drink and the view!
48510 Highway One
Big Sur, California
Sarah Simms