Woody’s at the Monterey (CA) Airport by Ruth Paget
On a recent visit to the Monterey-Carmel Airport (California) to pick up my daughter Florence Paget from a winter vacation in snow-bound Wisconsin, we decided to go to Woody’s, the upstairs bar-restaurant at the airport with an observation deck and indoor/outdoor seating.
The suitcases came with us, and there was plenty of room to store them. Woody’s is set up to accommodate golf club suitcases for tournaments at Pebble Beach and other courses on the Monterey Peninsula. The region promotes golf tourism for all budgets.
Florence was welcomed back to Monterey with a heaping dish of calamari as an appetizer. The calamari came with creamy tartar sauce and pungent cocktail sauce made with freshly grated horseradish. (I consider horseradish an elixir of good health.)
We next ordered dishes featuring beef from the Harris Ranch northeast of Monterey by Highway 5.
I had a cheeseburger that came with tangy cheddar cheese, 3 slices of thick-cut bacon, the Harris Ranch beef patty, lettuce and tomato, slices of red onion, pickled red onion, sweet pickles, and a brioche bun. I had pub fries and pepperoncino peppers on the side. The pub fries can be made into truffled fries for an extra charge.
Florence ordered the patty melt, which came with the same vegetable additions for the burger with cheese on grilled and buttered rye bread.
Sometimes you just want a cheeseburger, and Woody’s amply delivers on that.
Woody’s will also validate parking tickets for up to two hours, so you can literally park across the street from the airport entrance and take the elevator or stairs up to the restaurant.
Woody’s at the airport is a gem bar-restaurant that merits a detour on the way home from work for local commuters on Highway 68 for dining or take-out.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
