Splash Café: Fresh, Local and Delicious!
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of having lunch at Splash Café with owner Joanne Currie and manager Heather Berkowitz at their downtown San Luis Obispo location. Both SLO locations have been carrying Castoro wines for quite some time and I have been so excited to get in there and learn more about Splash, the food and how the wines fit into the equation!
Right off the bat I was fascinated with Joanne’s story as there is so much in common with us here at Castoro Cellars. Joanne and her husband Ross got their start at Splash Café in Pismo Beach 22 years ago and through their focus on family, quality and consistency have expanded Splash Café to three locations. Not only do they use local produce and seafood, when possible, they make everything from scratch. Originally known for their (now world famous clam chowder), it’s Splash Café’s customer loyalty and their insistence on using the highest quality ingredients that has caused chowder sales to grow from 5,000 gallons a year in 1991 to over 40,000 gallons a year between the three restaurants!
At Castoro Cellars we have always focused on diversity in our wines to make sure we have something for everyone who walks in our door and Splash Café is no different with their restaurants. All three locations have a different focus and the chefs at all three locations are more than flexible with any needs a customer may have. The Pismo Beach location focuses on seafood with a fun “beachy” theme, the downtown location is focused on fresh seafood from the grill and the Monterey street location is focused around the Bakery that is located at the restaurant. All three locations receive fresh bread daily from their bakery and all offer gluten free selections.
After hearing Joanne’s story and sharing some of ours I was ready for a glass of Castoro Sauvignon Blanc and their recommended Salmon BLAT, that of course came with a cup of some of the best clam chowder I have had! The Salmon BLAT came wrapped in my choice of a spinach tortilla and was fresh, nutritious and incredibly tasty. The crisp and refreshing acidity in the Sauvignon Blanc was a great fit for the meal and I was one happy camper! I have always loved our Sauvignon Blanc with food, especially seafood so this meal was tugging at my heartstrings from the beginning.
From one family owned business to another it is a wonderful experience to help each other out and work in unison. When you have the chance, stop in at one of the Splash locations and support local, fresh food. The service is great, the wine is Dam Fine and food is made with love daily. Splash will also be providing lunch at Castoro both days of our Vintage Paso Zinfest weekend on March 15th and 16th.
Till Next Time,
Cheers,
Luke
