Congratulations Carmel Belle, Maha’s, and Cypress Inn/Terry’s

HER Helmet Thursdays features H-E-R businesses and organizations—Hotels/lodging businesses, Educational attractions and entertainment venues, and Restaurants—all of which give discounts to cyclists on Thursdays!  And today’s post highlights the restaurant category, due to a New Year’s Eve announcement regarding special year-end awards.

2009 Best in Dining Awards

An added New Year’s Eve celebration is in order for three charter participants from the “R“/restaurants category:  Carmel Belle, Maha’s Lebanese Cuisine, and Terry’s at the Cypress Inn! All three of these early participants in HER Helmet Thursdays were especially honored today.

Each of these three was chosen for 2009’s Best in Dining for Monterey County.  The judges were Monterey County Herald food critics Mike Hale and Melissa Snyder, who make their restaurant visits  anonymously.  In 2009, Hale and Snyder visited 39 restaurants, and among these were three of our ecology-economy leaders, whom the critics judged as very special dining leaders too.

For details, see “The best in dining ’09” in the Dec 31, 2009-Jan 6, 2010 issue of the Monterey County Herald’s GO! Refer to pages 10-11 in the print version, or click here for the online version.

Bike to special places in MoCo!

From the HER Helmet Thursdays charter participants list, I am excerpting below the individual listings for these three award winners.  Tips on bicycling to their destinations are included.

Yes, bike tips!   This is a unique feature in the listing for each HER Helmet Thursdays charter participant—how to reach them by bicycle.

HER Helmet Thursdays was just launched Thanksgiving week, and already you’ll find so many extraordinary, bike-friendly places here.  Looking over the list, it is hard to choose where to cycle next…

Congratulations,

Carmel Belle, Maha’s Lebanese Cuisine, and Terry’s/Cypress Inn!

We celebrate your dining awards and

your ecology-economy leadership.

Carmel Belle, Carmel – 10% – Cozy friendly environment for breakfast and lunch, featuring California’s artisanal cheese, charcuterie, and wine producers. Acclaimed by Monterey County Herald GO! food critic Melissa Snyder for “simple, top-shelf ingredients,” and a “perfectly poached egg.”  You can almost smell Belle’s organically grown grains cooking in the morning, or taste their soups at lunchtime if you follow them on Twitter!  http://www.Twitter.com/carmelbelle Take a lovely early-morning bike ride while Carmel’s streets are quiet, to enjoy a yummy, hot breakfast, or bike here for lunch and avoid parking problems. Coming from elsewhere in the county? Use the MST bike-and-ride option to buses that go to Carmel Plaza.  Then hop on your bike to go to the very closeby Carmel Belle and other Carmel attractions.

Maha’s Lebanese Cuisine, Monterey – 15% – 470 Alvarado St; 831/372-8999 – Native Lebanese cuisine, homemade on the premises–and acclaimed by Monterey County Herald GO! food critic Melissa Snyder as “intensely flavorful and utterly delightful.”  Entrees include lamb, beef, and chicken kabobs; vegan and vegetarian dishes, such as vegan stuffed bell peppers. Traditional favorites falafel, humus,  dolmas, and more.  Salads, soups, baklava and other desserts. Belly dancing on Friday and Saturday nights.  Near the bike path, Maha’s is located straight up Alvarado Street from the Custom House plaza/Fisherman’s Wharf; however note the following bike tip. At Del Monte Avenue (in front of the Portola Hotel & Spa), cyclists are directed to use Calle Principal, since Alvarado is a one-way street.  No worries, it’s a wider street anyway!  Bike up Calle Principal until you see Comerica Bank on your left.  Get off your bike here and walk through the little Bonifacio Plaza; you’ll quickly reach Alvarado Street (Brittania Arms will be on your right, Rosine’s on your left).  Turn right and walk up Alvarado to Maha’s, which will be on your right.

Terry’s at the Cypress Inn, Carmel – 15% (Alcohol excluded) – Terry’s serves lunch and dinner, and a complete afternoon tea that is well suited to this historic landmark hotel owned by Doris Day and Dennis LeVett.  (They also serve breakfast to guests of the Cypress Inn.)  Enjoy afternoon tea in the “Day Room,” where Doris Day films may be viewed on request. Small plates are a dining favorite here, along with fine Monterey County wines. The Moroccan chicken tagine is especially celebrated by Monterey County Herald GO! food critic Melissa Snyder. Coming from elsewhere in the county? Use the MST bike-and-ride option to buses that go to Carmel Plaza.  Then cycle down Ocean Avenue to Lincoln Avenue. Turn left (south) onto Lincoln, and go one block to the corner of Lincoln & 7th Avenue.  Cypress Inn is on the left. From Terry’s, it’s a short bike ride to Carmel’s Scenic Drive above Carmel Beach.  In the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Terry’s also enjoys ideal proximity to Carmel Village shops and art galleries.

# # #