Iconic California restaurant featuring Guy Fieri is suddenly closing

Guy Fieri has rarely remained silent throughout 40 seasons of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” but a little spot in the heart of Monterey did just that when he came to visit in 2014.

And now, like many respected people and legendary Central Coast institutions He left suddenly this fall.

Loulou’s Medium PanIt is located near the less trafficked but entrance to Monterey. Respected Municipality Pier 2had a well-deserved reputation for taking the abundance of seafood available and creating magic from the fresh catch.

Fieri’s highlight, along with thousands of other visitors each year: Dungeness crab.

“For me, sea crab is the king of the sea,” Fieri said as he watched chef and owner Allecia Garrett prepare a pot of boiling water and submerge an entire freshly caught crab upside down.

While the boiled crab was being placed on the plate, Fieri just looked on and helped one of its legs by squeezing half the juice of a freshly cut lemon onto it. He stood there silently and in awe.

Finally, he calmed down and said, “The natural taste of crab is very ugly.” “And buttery. Very sweet. Very sensitive. The key to this is that you don’t get involved in it. Just treat it with respect. Cook correctly, serve hot.”

He paused and whispered once more: “Ugly.”

Ugly might go some way to describing how Monterey Peninsula residents felt after learning about this. Loulou’s The business, which Garrett and co-owner Grace “Gigi” Davis had run since 2001, would suddenly close.

The news came, as it often seems nowthrough Instagram. A post on LouLou’s page on Nov. 21 read: “We really don’t know what to say right now… so we’ll just get right to it. “It is with great sadness and heartbreak that I tell you that Loulou’s will be closing, effective immediately.”

Although there were few details, the post indicated that negotiations with the city of Monterey for a new lease had stalled.

“Lease negotiations were approaching and it would not be possible for us to move forward with a new lease,” the post continued. “We know this shutdown was sudden and abrupt for all of you… Believe us, it was like a punch in the gut for our team. We are so sorry we couldn’t bring you this news sooner, but obviously we are all mourning this loss and it has been much harder than we could have imagined.

The restaurant’s current lease was set to expire on Dec. 31.

The day after the closing announcement, Deputy City Manager Nat Rojanasathira said: Now Monterey County It was stated that the municipality reached out to the restaurant owners in May, but the two parties never began negotiations for a new lease agreement.

“We didn’t even have the opportunity to meet,” Rojanasathira said, noting that the restaurant owners notified the city of the closure in late October. “We are sorry to see them so soon”

The closing of Loulou’s hit many people in the neighborhood hard.

“Yes, you know a lot of locals will be sad to see them go,” said Marc Rede, manager of a nearby hotel. Dust Bowl Brewing Companyhe told SFGATE on Monday.

Rede emphasized that Loulou’s is the perfect blend of a place where locals will never disappoint and a place where lucky tourists can also stumble upon and receive an instant treat.

“Yes, I went there,” he said. “And I would always direct people there if they were looking for something unique. I started going there myself; “I remember it was 15 years ago.”

The brewery manager said he was “a little surprised” Loulou’s decided to close just before the holiday rush, which is already gearing up for a busy season.

“This weekend has been a little slow due to the weather, but we will be busy today, tomorrow and especially Wednesday and Friday,” he said.

While details are scarce, there may be more to Loulou’s. SFGATE reached out directly to the restaurant but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

“We can promise you this, we will not let our legacy fade,” the Instagram post read. “We want to survive in this community more than anything. So PLEASE don’t forget us… We will be sure to keep you all informed on this journey with us.”