This Week on the Central Coast…
MPC Football steps up, Reds celebrates 75 years of donuts, another Carmel restaurants gains Michelin recognition, and a Salinas company supports local artists.
Monterey
MPC Football Moving Up to “A” Division
Monterey Peninsula College’s football team will be moving up into the highly competitive “National Valley Conference, which includes defending conference champion Modesto, as well as Sacramento City, Sequoias, Fresno City and Reedley”. The Lobos went undefeated last season, out-scoring their final four opponents 257-30 including a win over their longtime rival, Hartnell, 68-0.
“What I’ve preached to the kids is we don’t fear failure, we attack success,” interim head coach Adrian Gallegos said. “My goal is to bring a state championship to Monterey Peninsula College.” Gallegos is a professor of Kinesiology at Monterey Peninsula College and hopes to become the full-time head coach next season. Former coach Ronnie Palmer left MPC to work as an assistant position coach at the University of Arizona. The Lobos were 23-1 in their conference under his guidance.
Joining Monterey Peninsula College in the “A” Division are Redwoods and San Jose.
Red’s Donuts Celebrates 75 Years
In 1950, Red’s Donuts opened on Alvarado Street. 75 years later, the management has changed, but the recipe and philosophy has stayed the same. Herman “Red” O’Donnell grew up in Arizona where he and his wife opened a couple “regular diners”. His brother owned a shoe store on Alvarado Street and Herman realized he had never seen a donut shop “just donuts” before. He purchased its current location across the street from the shoe store for $3,000.
Matt O’Donnell, Herman’s son, remembered working there from the age of 13. He eventually took over ownership until 2018, when some longtime employees bought the business from him. Those employees were not afraid to share the secret to Red’s success: consistency. “It’s just keeping the same, everything the same. Using the same recipes, trying to do the same products.” Another part of what makes Red’s special is its cheerful employees and dedicated regulars. “It’s like a bar without the alcohol.”
In recent years, Downtown Monterey has exploded with new restaurants and bakeries. And while many are of exceptional quality, offering artisan breads and trendy pastries, Red’s has always been there when you need the perfect, classic donut. Why not celebrate their 75th year by stopping in for a glazed donut or an apple fritter (my favorite) on your way to work?
Stationaery Joins the List of Michelin Recommended Restaurants
Monterey County has no shortage of good food and Carmel is quickly becoming a destination hotspot of high-end cuisine. While most people are familiar with the Michelin Star awards, simply being featured in the guide is a sign of significant achievement. Stationaery is the newest local restaurant to be featured in the guide.
The review highlights the brunch spots imaginative dishes featuring familiar ingredients, such as potato pancakes with Korean short ribs and kimchi or a lobster roll on brioche made by Ad Astra bakery. Something I didn’t realize until reading the review is that Starionaery serves dinner three times a week and features dishes like a duck egg raviolo with garlic and brown butter.
The county’s two Michelin-starred restaurants are both within walking distance of each other in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Aubergine was its first, now holding two stars and signifying “excellent cooking, worth a detour”. Chez Noir is its newest, holding one star and showing “a very good restaurant in its category”.
If you’re interested in exploring more Michelin-recommended restaurants, you can create an account on the Guide’s website and keep a checklist.
Salinas
Art Studio Lets Local Artists Show and Sell their Work
ArtWorks@Salinas in downtown is a new studio space that is open to all artists. The gallery subleases studio spaces for artists to show off and sell their work. Rent for the spaces covers all utilities, Wi-Fi, and marketing.
The company supports artists in the area by giving them a space to show their work while also supporting people in need with healing art classes. This is all in line with their mission of improving life through the arts. One artist expressed her appreciation of the program and Salinas in general: “Khan lives in Pacific Grove but has sold more of her artwork in Salinas — a community, she said, that appreciates art and artists.“
The next event will be May 2 and will feature historians and writers delivering talks about the American Civil War, followed by a live band on May 3.