"At the Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant Chez Noir in Carmel-By-The-Sea, some of the most stunning bites are served at the very start when palates are primed for flavors that fire on all cylinders. The restaurant from hospitality pros Monique Black and her husband chef Jonny Black occupies a gorgeous building that feels lived in even though it is an entirely new build. The move is to arrive for an early dinner and bask in the dining room’s immaculate golden hour glow while enjoying a well-crafted cocktail with a few small nibbles. Among the parade of amuses, including chilled and grilled oysters and delicate toasts flanked with local anchovies, was grilled Monterey abalone." - Eater Staff