Press Releases
Monterey's Dominic Mercurio To Be Featured on California Bountiful
Showcasing Café Fina, Domenico's on the Wharf and his 300-acre ranch in the Central Valley
MONTEREY, CALIF. – Local restaurateur and farmer Dominic Mercurio will be featured Friday, January 13 on California Bountiful, a 30-minute weekly program that features segments on the people, places and lifestyles that have made California the nation's largest food-producing state. The show airs at 12:30 p.m. on KSBW8 and will showcase Café Fina and Domenico's on the Wharfs owner's 300-acre ranch in the Central Valley, which produces tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, watermelon, eggplant, sweet peppers, figs, cherries, fennel and herbs.
Produced by the California Farm Bureau Federation, California Bountiful is the latest installment in the organization's long-running commitment to promoting the importance of food, fiber and flowers grown in California. The Farm Bureau has produced regularly scheduled television programs since 1964. California Bountiful airs on dozens of broadcast stations, cable outlets and satellite services.
For 15 years, Mercurio has taken advantage of the local bounty by serving his clients the freshest organic produce the area has to offer. Along with all of his produce, he also grows a variety of almonds, which thrive in the Central Valley due to its arrid summers and rainy winters. His almonds are sold in stores, but they are also used in his restaurants' spectacular recipes. Often, almonds are the "secret ingredient" that has his customers wondering what that delicious flavor is in his dishes.
Mercurio grows cantaloupe from his heirloom melon patch, which he uses to make an outstanding gelato, a definite favorite among his restaurant patrons. His heirloom tomatoes are used in the delicious tomato ginger soup as well as in the Caprese salads with fresh mozzarella cheese. He uses figs and fresh goat cheese to make a seasonally sensational pizza cooked crisp over an almond tree-wood burning oven at Cafe Fina, the first restaurant in Monterey to have a wood-burning pizza oven.
What set Mercurio's restaurants apart from the rest is the quality ingredients and care that go into each meal. Even the pasta is handmade fresh each morning.
About Café Fina
Dominic Mercurio’s Café Fina opened in 1989 to rave reviews from both locals and its famous guests. Specializing in Italian seafood, Café Fina features fresh local seafood, seasonal organic vegetables from Dominic’s ranch, fresh homemade pasta and a classic wood burning oven—the first in Monterey. In addition to its standard menu, Café Fina offers vegetarian, children’s and banquet menus. The restaurant is pet friendly and has a doggie menu. Café Fina received the “2009 Best of Monterey Award” from the U.S. Commerce Association and is on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch List. Café Fina is located at 47 Fisherman’s Wharf No.1 in Monterey, Calif.
About Domenico's on the Wharf
Domenico’s on the Wharf opened in 1981 and is owned by Sam & Angeli Mercurio and Dominic Mercurio. A local favorite for over 30 years, Domenico’s on the Wharf features fresh sustainable seafood, handmade pasta made daily, friendly, impeccable service, an award-winning wine list and beautiful views of the Monterey Harbor. In addition to its standard menu, Domenico’s on the Wharf offers vegetarian, children’s and banquet menus. The restaurant is pet friendly and has a menu for its canine friends. Domenico’s on the Wharf is located at 50 Fisherman’s Wharf No.1 in Monterey, Calif.