Coastal

130 Recipes from a California Road Trip

You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Mar 11 2025 | Archive Date Mar 03 2025

Talking about this book? Use #Coastal #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

A celebration of California home cooking with 130 recipes and more than 300 photos that capture the beauty, magic, and bounty of the coast. From acclaimed chef Scott Clark, who flipped his fine dining chops into the ultimate railroad-car diner at the edge of the Pacific.

Coastal is a visual feast of free-spirited Californian cooking and living, set against the surf, peaks, curving roads, and sunsets of the westernmost United States. This inspired collection of crave-worthy recipes, gorgeous photographs, and vivid stories takes us on a road trip beginning at Chef Scott Clark’s beloved sandwich-and-pie shop, Dad’s Luncheonette, in Half Moon Bay and ending in Ventura County. Along the way, it visits the fishermen, crabbers, farmers, winemakers, and foragers who stretch along the Pacific Coast Highway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Clark’s accessible seasonal recipes deliver the adventure of the coast in smart, creative, unfussy, and delicious ways. They express the breadth of California cooking and its regional and cultural influences, organized into thematic chapters, including:
  • Road Trip Snacks (Furikake Popcorn, CA Muddy Buddies, Perfect Meyer Lemonade)
  • Fishing and Foraging on the Coast (Dungeness Crab Rice, Lingcod Ceviche, Fries with Eyes)
  • Lunch in the Vineyard (Smoked Mackerel with Lemon-Dill Relish, Deviled Quail Eggs, Barley and Wine Grape Salad)
  • Back Home with the Kid (Fish Stick Hand Roll Bar, Matcha Mochi Waffles, Watermelon Aqua Fresca)

Coastal is more than your average California cookbook; it brings the Californian table, way of life, and state of mind to home cooks and armchair travelers anywhere.

QUINTESSENTIALLY CALIFORNIAN: Scott Clark’s Californian culinary training shows through in his stellar recipe list, laidback storyteller’s tone, and road trip-oriented approach. With transporting photographs by fourth-generation Californian Cheyenne Ellis, this book captures an outdoorsy, pioneering California spirit on every page.

HOME COOK-FRIENDLY RECIPES: From simple flavor pairings to grilling, Clark’s “aha!” techniques are perfect training for home cooks. He reaches into his deep knowledge to pass along big flavors and teachable techniques with a relaxed and flexible approach. His main goal is to energize food prep for home chefs of varying skill levels.  
 
MULTICULTURAL INFLUENCE:Coastal is inspired by the mash-up of cultures along the west coast: the Chumash, Portuguese, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Latin American, Vietnamese, and Japanese communities who have adapted their cuisines and made them staples of the state. This book celebrates and pays homage to all of these wonderful cuisines.

Perfect for:
  • Home cooks who cook locally and seasonally
  • Residents and visitors of California or anyone who enjoys California cuisine
  • Foodies who collect regional cookbooks rich with history and visuals
  • Parents who want to put fun but healthy things to eat on the table for their kids
  • Armchair travel readers
  • Fans of regenerative/farm-to-table approaches
  • Fans of The Bear and tough-yet-well-trained culinary personalities
  • Readers of Six California Kitchens, Tartine, Gjelina, and The French Laundry Cookbook
A celebration of California home cooking with 130 recipes and more than 300 photos that capture the beauty, magic, and bounty of the coast. From acclaimed chef Scott Clark, who flipped his fine...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781797226644
PRICE $35.00 (USD)
PAGES 384

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)
Download (PDF)

Average rating from 11 members


Featured Reviews

As a native Californian, born and raised in Monterey, this book checks all the boxes. The cuisine in Central California is fresh, fun and not one bit fussy - just like the recipes in the book. I love that most recipes give the option to be vegetarian or not. Very fish heavy which I appreciate since that is such a big part of food culture here on the Central Coast. Overall a lovely book with fabulous recipes and gorgeous photography that captures the essence of Central Coast living.

Was this review helpful?

Visually stunning, the photographs in this book are amazing. I also really enjoyed reading all about the California Coast, Scott's winding road to where he is, and was so impressed with the breadth of knowledge about food, the sea, and the coast.

The recipes are inventive, unique, and sound so good. This book would be just as at home as a coffee table book, or in the kitchen to use to cook.

Thank you Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

Coastal is a sampler of the sights and flavors of the beautiful central coast of California. Full of photos of both food and scenery, the book is a feast for the eyes. The story follows a chef with high-end dining creds to his roadside sandwich shop that embraces local and straightforward foods and on a trip down the coast with inspired menus along the way. After an introduction where readers can learn a bit about the chef and his path, tools and pantry staples, the chapters break into menus for each stop. The first chapter, "the go-tos" are the building blocks and basics (like mayo, pickled items and spice blends) for many of the recipes. "Afternoon at dad's " takes readers into Scott Clark's luncheonette, with recipes from his menu to reproduce at home if Half Moon Bay isn't a quick drive away. And then we are off with "road trip snacks", because every road trip needs snacks between stops. "Post-break breakfast" sets out multiple ways to start a morning off right. "Visit to the seaside farmers" is a vegetarian dream and treat for omnivores as well. "Fishing and foraging" handles coastal California seafood in a way to showcase local ingredients while "after the hunting trip" highlights local meats. The menus set out for "lunch in the vineyard", "grilling on pismo beach", and "sailing to the channel islands" are well thought out dishes that compliment each other and the setting that they were made for. And finally, "back home with the kid" finishes off the trip on a high note with some treats for kids as well as adults as they unpack and unwind. Recipes throughout the book highlight the ingredients locally found but can be adapted to those found around the country. They are structured with a header brief; ingredient list, which is broken down by the component parts of a dish; instructions on how to make each component; and bullets for time, yield, and special equipment; and the occasional pro-tip. The book was a feast for the eyes and a pleasure to read and I can't wait to try several of the recipes in my own kitchen.
I received access to this ebook thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Chronicle Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Was this review helpful?

Delicious, California-inspired recipes that I cannot wait to try! As a CA native-turned-southerner, some of these look so mouthwatering and yummy. Love the premise behind this book and the narratives throughout!

Was this review helpful?

Coastal was an accumulation of a variety of recipes that I was not expecting! There were a huge selection of cultural recipes that I had never heard of, but am eager to try out! The book caught my interest almost immediately with a recipe for pear butter! The recipes were in depth and easy to follow and were accompanied by stunning photos!

Was this review helpful?

Beautiful book full of inspiring California coastal cuisine. Very evocative of the place. What a gorgeous cookbook. I’m excited to try many of the recipes.

Was this review helpful?

Some very gorgeous photos in this book as well as interesting back story and recipes added of course. I love traveling the coast of California so I was excited to read this especially see lovely coastal Cali photos on top of it. The recipes have much more of an Asian influence than I expected, I thought would be have more Mexican influence on food but both make sense since both populations have lived there since official statehood and even predating that for some. Sadly the recipes weren't my palete but I'm sure they would work well for someone else. Thanks netgalley and publisher for this arc.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. The book leans more towards Asian influences but there’s also a mix of vegetarian and seafood as well. The photos were gorgeous and I’ll definitely be trying several of these recipes.

Was this review helpful?

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved the photographs in this book, and there were a few good recipes, but it's not a book that I need to purchase for myself.

Was this review helpful?

Intense at times, endearing at others.

Burned out by the elite restaurant life, Chef Scott Clark finds peace on the remote central California coast. His stories center on his restaurant Dad’s Luncheonette (crafted from a caboose), his daughter Frost, and a host of interesting neighbors that have the same values as he does. The recipes range from simple upward. Photographs by Cheyenne Ellis give you a sense of place. If you have ever traveled that road, her photographs take you right back.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: