Pops’ California Travel Guide, Half Moon Bay

During our trip to Half Moon Bay I came across two gems I have to share with you.

On Saturday afternoon we went for a drive up and down the coast. Just south of Half Moon Bay we came across the Ritz Carleton Resort and decided to go in for drinks. The Ritz Carleton sits along the Pacific Coast and along the bluffs overlooking the ocean. The scenery is just amazing. I prefer the rugged Northern California coastline over the beaches of Southern California. It was an overcast day but the hotel has many fire pits outside and a lot of people were sitting outside enjoying drinks and food by the warm fire. Your view is the waves crashing upon the rocks below. The Ritz Carleton also has a golf course and you can watch the golfers as they are making their way around the course. We sat inside the bar area but we were lucky enough to get a seat by the window. From there I also noticed that it looks like some of the rooms on the ground floor have a fire pit in their patio area. If you are in the area make sure you drop by for at least a drink. Better yet, plan ahead and stay at the Ritz Carleton. Next time I am down there I would like to stay a few nights and write a report.

Later in the day we had reservations at a Peruvian restaurant called La Costanera. La Costanera is located a few miles north of Half Moon Bay and is also less than a half hour south of San Francisco on Hwy 1. The restaurant is at Montara State Beach on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. If you haven’t had Peruvian food you should try it. The food uses a lot of fish, meat and vegetables. The one way to describe eating at La Costanera is that it is an event. How many times have you been to a restaurant where you see people at other tables taking pictures of their food?  They are known for their Cebiche, which is like the Ceviche I am used to in Costa Rica. A Cebiche is usually a raw fish marinated in fresh lime juice. The acid in the lime juice cooks the fish. They have several on the menu and we tried two. We also had the Ensalada Nuovo Andina which was one of the best salads I have ever had. For our entree I had a pork shoulder and my wife had the mahi mahi. Both were delicious. I talked to a couple sitting next to us and they opted for the small plates and ordered about four of those to share. I would think that would be a great option so you can have a variety. The food was incredible and the service matched the food. I never had to pour my own wine and we were well attended without too much attention. Now for the view. From the restaurant you can see Montara Beach and the ocean below. It was about 5pm and the waves were very large. This had to be the prime time for surf as there were many surfers out in the water. Since it was overcast we didn't see the sunset but on a clear day the sunset would be awesome.

If you are in the area of Half Moon Bay or even in San Francisco I would recommend taking the short drive down to Half Moon Bay and seeing both the Ritz Carleton and La Costanera. You will not regret it.