Regarding Monterey Bay- assuming this is the one on top of the Jonnet
Bldg. in Monroeville:
I also have dined there twice. I agree the wine list is excellent. As
a native of the Chesapeake Bay area (I grew up in a commercial fishing
village on the Potomac River- as a boy my job was tending the family
crabpots), I rate the seafood here no better than (but I guess no worse
than) any other commercial attempt 350 miles from the coast to try to do
something palatable with 1-2 week old seafood. This is not to put the
place down- the unfortunate fact is that it simply is not possible to
get good seafood anywhere at any price except when it is 6 hrs or less
old from when it was caught. (1 Hr. or less is preferable, IMHO.)
Monterey Bay does probably better than many in disguising the age with
clever sauces, spices, etc.
Regards,
Cap'n JohnPittsburgh, PA