Close but Far from the Crowds

There's a little place, a shack, really, on the Municipal Pier in Monterey that's a world away from the throngs, the souvenir shops and greasy food at Fisherman's Wharf. It's a cute wooden building painted yellow with a bright red trim and it's got a cute name: Loulou's Griddle in the Middle. The first I time I stumbled across it, Loulou's reminded me of the Eagle Cafe, an old sailors' diner that was transported to touristy Pier 39 -- San Francisco's biggest attraction -- some years ago. Unfortunately, today the Eagle is part of a restaurant chain. But Loulou's is the real thing. It's on a working pier across the small harbor from the wharf. A few weeks ago I returned and found its lively cook and owner, Allecia Garrett, manning the stoves. There are only a few booths and a long counter. The service is a bit absent-minded but the food is good, the portions big (local Monterey bay fish, sand dabs and squid, are specialties) and the atmosphere fun. It serves up breakfast and lunch, with no set closing time, just sometime after the lunch business clears, usually between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.