Flaherty's Carmel: 5 Dishes We Had for Lunch at Carmel, CA

After a long day of exploring the 17 Mile Drive at the Pebble Beach Resorts in Pacific Grove, California, we knew we deserved a heavy lunch. We headed to the small town of Carmel-by-the-Sea just outside Pacific Grove and settled to have lunch at Flaherty's Carmel along 6th Avenue.

Flaherty's Carmel

Flaherty's Carmel

The gentleman that greeted us at the door of Flaherty's Carmel mentioned that they have been operating the restaurant for the past 40 years. So we settled down and ordered our food: crispy local calamari for appetizers, grilled Ahi tuna sandwich, fresh fish curry, coconut shrimp, and a lobster soup dish. It was truly a seafood-laden lunch.

Crispy Local Calamari

Seasoned with aoili and tartar sauce, this deep-fried little squid ring dish has its own local flavor . The flavor is richer than just the usual salt and pepper I am used to in this kind of an appetizer.

Fresh Fish Curry

Fresh fish curry

Janus also got a good one with his fresh fish curry. It had an assortment of fresh vegetables, toasted coconut, and a cup of rice that went along with the fish curry.

Grilled Ahi Tuna Sandwich with Caesar Salad and Lobster Bisque

grilled tuna sandwich at Flaherty's Carmel

Grilled Ahi Tuna Sandwich

According to the menu description, sandwich is usually center-cut and generally cooked medium rare so You will have to tell the host if you want it well-done. The sandwich comes with tomatoes, red onions, and Asian vinaigrette. The order comes with a small bowl of Caesar's salad and a cup of the award winning Flaherty's lobster bisque. Since Flaherty's Carmel prides itself of sustainable practices, I soon foresee that this will be off the menu. That is owing to the fact that Ahi or yellowfin tuna is now considered a near threatened species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Coconut Shrimp

Coconut shrimps

Oh I was so envious when I saw Nathan's order of coconut shrimps, a plate full of shrimps in a bed of red bell peppers, green bell peppers, sweet white onions. It was swimming in red coconut sauce, and garnished with raw spinach leaves. And it also came with a cup of rice.

Lobster Dish with Beans and Corn Bread

My lunch was a dish with lobster chunks drowned in beans with a heavy sauce and a slice of corn bread. Oh boy! Those beans were heavy, I hardly finished it.