Moss Beach Distillery

photo - Yelp, Don L.

Moss Beach Distillery, Dinner, Half Moon Bay
April 23, 2016

For the table:
Sweet Potato Fries - served with a spicy lime aioli
Coastside Crab Cakes - two pan seared crab cakes served atop a refreshing jicama-cucumber salad with a bay spice aioli and a drizzle of chimichurri sauce
Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip - topped with parmesan and baked until bubbly served with crispy flat bread chips

P:
Distillery Clam Chowder - creamy New England style chowder loaded with clams and potatoes
Pesto Stuffed Salmon - salmon filet stuffed with pesto, topped with a parmesan cheese and panko crumb crust, then finished in the broiler. Served with wild rice and sautéed seasonal vegetables
Distillery Decadence - warm brownie with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge & whipped cream

J:
Dos Fish Tacos - fresh cod, grilled, dusted with Creole seasoning and topped with spicy lime aioli and cabbage. Tucked into homemade Jalisco style corn tortillas with fresh pico de gallo on the side


Notes:
We ended up here with a group to celebrate a close friend's birthday - this is one of his favorite spots.  And if I had to guess, it could have something to do with the view.  In my opinion, the view is really the only reason to come here, but frankly I don't expect much else from any place occupying such an idyllic spot, where land meets the sea.

We ordered a few things for the table.  The Birthday Boy really wanted the crab cakes, and I really wanted the spinach and artichoke dip (because, duh).  I also ordered some sweet potato fries, otherwise known as the vehicle responsible for bringing spicy lime aioli (ahem, mayonnaise) to my mouth.  These were all surprisingly good.  The spinach and artichoke dip came with deep fried pita wedges which didn't do much for me, so I ate this straight off a spoon instead.  It was piping hot and bubbly, loaded with cooked spinach, quartered artichoke hearts, and some gooey, creamy cheesiness held it all together.  The crab cake was mostly crab (shocking, I know), nicely browned on top and bottom, moist and sweet with crab flavor throughout.  The accompanying "salad" was an odd plateful of jicama and cucumber hunks, but that didn't take away from what seemed to be the hit at the table.  I stuck to eating dip from a spoon.

Fish tacos were my choice for the main course.  The corn tortillas were soft and doughy (not in an unappealing way) and tasted fresh.  The fish (cod?) was moist, flaky and well seasoned - it may have even been fresh, but it was hard to tell under the generous drizzle of spicy aioli and shreds of raw, undressed green cabbage.  Adequately tasty, or to put it another way, not disappointing.

Patrick was pretty unimpressed by his meal.  The clam chowder was good, though it tasted just like any decent, ready-made clam chowder.  But, the main dish was particularly hopeless: overcooked, dry yet watery salmon was topped with a mess of breadcrumbs and pesto, served next to flavorless, waterlogged kale and broccolini.  The rice was the best part, apparently.  He tried to end things on a positive note with a brownie and ice cream dessert; possibly a success for Patrick, but I found the brownie dry, crumbly and unsalvageable by neither ice cream nor hot fudge.  The Birthday Boy's fudge cake was tons better, but it's all relative, I suppose.

We probably wouldn't visit this place again unless under similar circumstances as this particular occasion.  Though, situated on the lower level of the restaurant is a large patio, well suited for a cocktail and a sunset, with blankets provided.  So, there's always that.  They do have an amazing view.