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# Can’t dispel tastes of Carmel
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/cant-dispel-tastes-of-carmel/
- Published: 2006-06-24T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T00:17:35.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By CAROLE ORLIN SPECIAL TO THE D A I LY PRESSI* f you are looking for a quiet, romantic getaway that includes an exciting gastronomic journey in Northern California, I may have found the perfect destination. My husband and I recently had the pleasure of staying at L’Auberge Carmel in one of my favorite cities, Carmel-by-the-Sea. This recently renovated and refurbished 1929 historic inn has 20 guest rooms with a charming old-world ambiance. For those of you familiar with Carmel, it was formerly the Sundial Lodge. It is located four blocks from the pristine, dog-friendly Carmel Beach. But they don’t allow dogs at L’Auberge, so don’t bring Rover if you are planning on staying at the hotel.

The European style architecture of L’Auberge Carmel has some of the rooms overlooking the attractively-landscaped red brick courtyard and some offering a mini view of Carmel Bay. Underneath the courtyard lies a wine cellar containing a 4,500-bottle collection acquired for its restaurant. It contains wines from around the world, although it features wine from Monterey County, California and France. Our room was small but beautifully appointed, with great attention to even the tiniest detail. I loved the down bedding. The walls were decorated with original black and white photographs of the area by Helmut Horn. And yes, they do have plasma (LCD) T.V. and wireless Internet access. The bathroom was unusually spacious with antique travertine tiles, along with radiant heated floors which was a great touch, and a huge, free-standing soaking tub that was so decadent that it was hard to leave. But the highlight of the stay was dining at The Restaurant at L’Auberge Carmel.

The magic of the elegant and intimate 12-table restaurant — seating about 30 — at L’Auberge Carmel can be directly traced to its executive chef, Walter Manzke. Manzke was lured to Carmel after six years at Patina in Los Angeles. His resume includes working in the kitchens of Alain Ducasse in Monte Carlo and El Bulli in Spain. We had a chance to experience the chefs’ tasting menu. We did not do the wine pairing, as we did our own version of wine pairing, or just plain wine ingesting for much of our trip. We did however, sample some of their wines, and they were exceptional. We were able to meet Manzke at work in his kitchen. It was the cleanest working kitchen I have ever seen in my life. He told us that he recently returned from a trip to Thailand, where he researched new recipes that he has added to his wonderful menu. I must describe this menu to you, as I believe many food and wine enthusiasts will come to this inn simply to experience Manzke’s amazingly creative gastronomic delights.

The inspired eight-course chefs’ tasting menu — actually it was nine, as there was a surprise extra dessert presented after the first dessert — began with “Water,” which consisted of deconstructed lobster taco, beau soleil oyster and a Bloody Mary, and paella and gazpacho. They were clarified and presented in a shot glass. Through an intricate process that was explained to me, but I admit I could not quite understand, the food was reduced to its essence and appears as clear and pure as water. When you drink it you are surprised that it actually is lobster taco, etc. It was an exquisite surprise. Some of his other amazing dishes were Japanese and Thai inspired. We also enjoyed petite tastings of Alaskan halibut with European white asparagus and lobster truffle sauce, Liberty Farms duck with fingerling potato gnocchi, morel mushrooms and duck jus. My favorite sampling was the big eye tuna tartare, sesame vinaigrette and edamame foam. What an amazing creation. There were more delightful courses; I’m just giving you a sampling of the sampling.

The menu basically stays the same, but Chef Manzke tweaks it every night and modifies it to your desires. The night we were there he was preparing a vegetarian tasting menu for a guest. The waiters and sommelier clearly loved their jobs and were professional, yet warm and friendly. We left there satisfied that we had more than a great meal; we felt like we had a truly unique adventure. The sommelier suggested we take a walk after the dinner, and she was right: Those little delights can be very filling. This restaurant is a must the next time you’re in Carmel. I regret not doing the wine pairing with our dinner, but there is always next time. (Carole) IF YOU GO From Santa Monica I-405 N (towards Sacramento). Merge onto I-5N. Merge onto CA-152 W toward Gilroy/Hollister/San Jose. Turn left onto CA-156/Pacheco Pass Highway. Continue to follow CA-156W. Merge onto US-101S/CA-156W. Merge onto CA-156W via Exit 336 toward Monterey Peninsula. CA- 156 W becomes CA-1 S. Turn right onto Ocean Avenue. Turn left onto Monte Verde Street. End at L’Auberge Carmel (7th Ave. & Monte Verde). Distance is approximately 345 miles.

L’Auberge Carmel (www.laubergecarmel.com; 831-624-8578)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 24, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/062406.pdf?ref=smdp.com)