Paradiso Trattoria - Monterey

I visited Paradiso Trattoria for lunch. We were greeted by the “salesman on the street” who is a common practice among the restaurants in Monterey. He showed us the special menu, and when we decided to enter, he accompanied us inside and led us to the hostess. Guests enter the dining area through the bar area that was empty on Monday. What I immediately noticed was the fantastic view of the Bay of Monterey. Windows line the width of the restaurant and the building is just 1 story above the beach and water. The decor is a rich colorful Mediterranean palate of decorations, pictures lighting. The music was a soft Spanish style that fits well with the ambience. We sat on a window table from which we enjoyed watching kayaks and sailboats through the bay. Tables have white paper over the top of bed linen tablecloth. Ours did not seem to have changed since the previous guest, and it was not quite clean. The lunch menu offers a variety of choices, many of which were seafood. The Specials menu offered 4-5 choices of duck and soup or salad for $9.95. My guest and I wanted something local – one of us had the Rockfish Special and the other had Sand Dabs. These are similar textured fish that have been produced identically. I found the fish more fried than armoured, and personally tasted more of the fish than the dough, but it was good. The duck included spaghetti and green beans to go with the two generous fillets. The spaghetti was not buried in sauce and the green beans were gently seasoned. There was so much food that I skipped the appetizers. My guest had the special that included a salad I found good, but dressed over. Our server was pleasant and the bus participant efficient. From observing the tables around us, the waiter seemed to fight to maintain and maintain order. The waiter did not introduce the specials, nor did he separate on the menu we considered. He was only there to take our order and answer questions. We didn't want to go without something sweet, and I'm glad we split. The chocolate mousse was served in a high Sundae glass, making it more than enough for both of us. In the end, my guest and I left the feeling that we had made a good choice. The food is good, and the view, decor and value are great.