Fish Hopper, Monterey.

We started our trip quite early on the 28th as we thought we had to drive 2 hours to reach Monterey. :) But turned out the ride was smooth with no traffic jam at all, so it only took us 1 hour to reach our destination.

It was such a warm and sunny day. We were glad we picked this week for our trip instead of the last week. Last week was miserably rainy and cold.

It was such a wonderful drive, lots of green fields and cattle can be spotted on the way.

Our first stop was the Cannery Row. We had been here last March also, but we didn't get to check out too much of it due to lack of time. But this time, we got to wander around it longer and had a proper lunch at the Fish Hopper Seafood Restaurant at the Cannery Row.

Now let's review this restaurant. :)
Location: A+
Atmosphere: A
Food: A
Service: A+
Price: $$$ out of $$$$$ due to big portion

Mike's order was "Salmon and Shrimp Monterey" (picture on the left). It was quite delicious. The Salmon and shrimps was cooked just right. The portion was quite big. I think this dish needs more vegetables instead of rice though.

My order was "Fresh Monterey Abalone with Seared Scallops". Ohh, the abalone was cooked tenderly which (to me) practically melts in my mouth. The scallops were -=HUGE=- and it's my favorite shell fish. :) The dish was sprinkled with a rich garlicky sauce with lots of seasonal veggies and a scoop of mashed potatoes. I enjoyed this dish very much.

Oh! I almost forgot our soup! It was the reason we come to this restaurant again!!
The world famous clam chowder!! Oh so creamy, oh so rich!!!
This is where I want to mention about my great waiter (I forgot to memorize his name though!). When it come to order my favorite soup, I usually get quite greedy and would order the biggest size on the menu! :D However, the waiter advised us to take a small cup instead because he pointed out that the main course's portion was quite hearty. Good thing we took his advice.

However, to compensate myself for not able to get the clam chowder served in a sour dough bread bowl, I improvised my own little bread bowl. :D It was heaven on earth! I highly recommend visiting the fish hopper just to taste this soup!


If you are not convinced, you can always try a 'test cup' of the clam chowder outside the restaurant too. The picture below shows the 'soup stand' in front of the restaurant. I dare say 98% of the people who had tasted a test cup of soup would be lured into the restaurant for some more! :D

After the Fish Hopper, it's off to the fish tank we went! :D