Sticky Buns and Frittatas at the Gallery Café in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget
When my daughter Florence Paget and I went to the Gallery Café in Pebble Beach (Califoria) a few days ago, we were in a rush, because it was late morning and the cinnamon sticky buns might be sold out. (Oh no!)
The Gallery Café is an American diner that serves freshly baked, very large cinnamon rolls that can easily feed three people. Florence and I shared one. The sticky bun arrived so warm you could smell the cinnamon and sugar seasoning.
Warm, liquid powdered sugar frosting was poured over it at the table and settled in little pools around the sticky bun for dipping. That was a delicious appetizer.
While waiting for our main course, I sipped a hot chai latte, a Central Asian tea drink that can be flavored with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, clove, pepper, and/or nutmeg. The chai arrived with a frothy layer of steamed milk on top that was sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. In California, chai is now a standard beverage offered like Italian coffee drinks. I like tea that reminds me of hot chocolate.
My brunch order was a vegetable frittata, a baked Italian omelet. Delicious, organic vegetables from the Salinas Valley really make this dish shine. The frittata was full of bite-sized green asparagus, sautéed spinach, shallots, and mushrooms. The frittata was topped off with slices of ripe tomato, goat cheese (Is this made in Pebble Beach? They have goat herds.), and velvety smoked salmon with snipped chives.
This beautiful dish was served with a generous bowl of fresh fruit – strawberry halves, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe slices, honeydew melon slices, and pineapple wedges. The fruit was so sweet it needed no sugar.
We sat outside for fresh air and had a great view of the golf course and ocean.
The Gallery Café is located between the Pebble Beach Market opposite the Lodge and the Tap Room and Bench’s temporary location.
For a pleasant and delicious brunch or breakfast, The Gallery Café in Pebble Beach, California is a nice place to relax, especially if you are driving along 17-Mile Drive.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
