MacCallum House Restaurant & Grey Whale Bar
When you're on your honeymoon, you have to treat yourselves to at least one fine dining experience. We're not typically ones to spend exorbitant amounts of money on food (read: we're not big foodies, though we appreciate a good meal), but given the occasion we gave ourselves the green light.
Driving north from Napa, we headed up Route 1 to Mendocino, a romantic coastal town in which time seems to have stalled. With a population under 1,000 people, this town is built around one main street with local shops branching off the side. We stayed in the Hill House Inn, which boasts traditional Victorian style rooms and is situated in Victorian gardens and native vegetation. I absolutely loved this hotel and really wished we had more than one night there; I would recommend it to anyone interested in visiting the historic village of Mendocino.
Mendocino is a cooler and more breezy than Napa due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. So we bundled up and walked from our inn to MacCallum House Restaurant & Grey Whale Bar in under 10 minutes. Since we didn't have time to visit Russian River Valley wineries, which are predominately known for their Pinot Noirs, much less try many Pinot Noirs at the wineries we did visit, we opted for a half bottle of this particular varietal. Our server described it as the "best bang for your buck" and I'd have to agree. It had a lovely garnet color, which you can see above, and a medium body. I wish I could remember what I tasted on the palate, but it's been nearly four months since I had this, so you'll just have to find out for yourself!
The menu at MacCallum House Restaurant changes with what's seasonally available and by George I wish I could try everything! We started off our food experience with an appetizer of smoked salmon with dill sauce, capers, red onions, and cucumbers, a delicious classic.
We also decided to go all out with the appetizers and order the clam chowder. Different from what you'd expect out of a New England clam chowder (of course, we're not in New England!), this variation is fresher and more brothy. Along with the clams were potatoes, corn, croutons, and fresh herbs. It's not as hearty as traditional chowder, but it still hit the spot!
Unfortunately for you, that's where my food photography ends! I was too consumed (see what I did there?) by the decadence of my meal to divert anymore attention from it. If I remember correctly, I ordered a scallop dish for dinner (they were cooked perfectly!) and my husband ordered a fish dish (which he was quite happy with).
However, there's more to do than eat in this little town. There are quite a handful of local craft shops and bakeries, which we sadly didn't have time to see. You can also drive to the bluffs and have some spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean as well as the colorful local flora. Stay tuned to see those photos soon!
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