Sbrocco: A carnivore's dream in Seaside... Fernandez: It's a monster of a beef rib.

Sbrocco: ...seasonal Thai cuisine in Santa Cruz... Houts: It's like fall and spring together in one plate.

Sbrocco: ...and seaside slurps and sips in Monterey... Traylor: A ton of fresh crab.

Fernandez: Yes.

Sbrocco: ...on a special Monterey Bay area edition of "Check, Please!"

Like "buttah"!

Houts: Delicious.

Yeah.

It's like "buttah."

♪♪ Sbrocco: Hi, I'm Leslie Sbrocco.

Welcome to a very special edition of "Check, Please!

Bay Area."

Today we're venturing down the coast to explore the scenic Monterey Bay area.

We have three guests, and each one recommends one of their favorite spots, and the other two go check them out to see what they think.

Joining me at the "Check, Please!"

table today are supervising naturalist Ashley Houts, retired school teacher Vicki Traylor, and real estate broker Robert Fernandez.

Welcome, everyone.

Are you ready for a good show?

Fernandez: Yes, we are.

We are great.

Houts: We're so excited!

Sbrocco: Robert gets us started with his favorite lunchtime hangout.

From melt-in-your-mouth brisket to house-smoked cold cuts, all sustainably sourced from local ranches, it's a true meat lover's paradise.

Located in Seaside, it's The Meatery Butchery and Eatery.

Fisher: Okay, so calamari po'boy.

Meatball?

One burger, one fry, please.

Goomba now.

Mac-n-cheese right now too.

♪♪ We are The Meatery in Seaside, California.

Shaking and baking, bro.

We are a destination deli... Where did you guys drive down from?

Man #1: Oregon Hill.

Fisher: All the way from Oregon Hill to come here.

Man #2: San Martin.

Man #1: Yes, sir.

That's right.

Fisher: ...offering not just good sandwiches, but great sandwiches.

Mmm!

The best.

I took 30 years of being a chef and sandwiched it between two pieces of bread.

I mean, our sandwiches are just unbelievable.

♪♪ People walk in and they're kind of like overwhelmed by all the things we have going on in here.

We always kind of reassure them -- "Take your time.

There's a lot to take in."

French inspiration in my culinary background.

You can see it through the entire menu in all the offerings.

We craft all of our own sausages in-house, probably 27 flavors on a given week.

We offer about five different pâtés on a regular basis.

We do amazing hand-cut steaks and roasts.

We do all of our own dry aging in-house.

We actually use a gravity technique where we hang all of our steaks.

For our pastrami Reuben, we take American Wagyu brisket, and we cure that for 12 days before we pepper it and smoke it.

Our signature item is actually our smoked brisket.

We smoke it for 18 hours, so it just literally jiggles as we slice it.

Just a spectacular piece of meat.

Teaching is one of my core values.

It has been ever since I've been in the business.

As the consumer comes in and if I'm trying to talk to them about a new cut that they may not have experienced, being able to walk them through how to prepare it.

Now when they come back in and they're like, "My family loved this steak I made!"

it's a pretty cool experience at the end of the day.

That's a steak.

My mantra is "Be great every day."

Man #3: Just checking out the dogs.

Fisher: We're definitely a family-owned and operated business, and by "operated" I mean literally almost every person in here is family.

Woman: Any wedge fries or mac-n-cheese for you?

Fisher: We all long for that personal connection.

Man #4: Thank you, Chef.

Fisher: Cheers, guys.

It's why I became a chef -- that experience of seeing somebody so satisfied.

Man #4: Mm!

That was great.

All: Salud!

Sbrocco: Now, Robert, besides being fun to say -- The Meatery Butchery and Eatery... Fernandez: Right.

Sbrocco: ...it's a really special place, isn't it?

Fernandez: It is.

Their array in the meat case is just spectacular.

But also what they offer as far as lunch items and specials is really fantastic.

Top of the list for me would definitely be the brisket.

It's just the right combination of char from the smoke, and it literally just falls apart.

Super savory.

It's delicious.

Sbrocco: I heard Ashley over there going, "Ohh..." Houts: Mm, it just sounds so good!

Because I didn't have that one.

I had the Reuben, which was... Fernandez: Yes.

Houts: I love a Reuben.

If I see it on a menu and we're getting sandwiches, that's what I'm gonna get.

But it's different here at The Meatery because it's not your traditional sauerkraut.

It's a Brussels sprout kraut... Traylor: Oh, wow.

Houts: ...which is also fun to say.

Brussels sprout kraut.

But it was delicious.

Like, I could have just a side of that alone.

But the meat was, like you said, with the brisket just like falling apart, melt in your mouth, so juicy.

One of those sandwiches while you're eating it, it's dripping down your arms and you don't care because it's just so tasty.

Traylor: Wah.

Well, I was disappointed because we were there at about 12:40 and they were out of it.

Houts: Oh, no!

Fernandez: Ah.

Okay.

Sbrocco: Out of the brisket and the Reuben?

Traylor: No, they were out of the Reuben.

Sbrocco: Okay.

Fernandez: Right.

Traylor: But then I did ask to get a sample of the brisket.

It was, as you said, it was just like melt in your mouth, like you could just cut it with your fork.

Fernandez: Right.

Traylor: So we just had a sample of that.

My husband got the Goomba, which is it's basically an Italian sub.

And it was really delicious.

The bread was very soft and perfect with sesame seeds on the top.

We also had delicious potato salad.

Houts: Mmm!

Traylor: I loved it.

Fernandez: They also do a Caesar salad.

It's one of the Caesar salads to which others aspire to be.

Houts: Wow, ooh, I'll have to try.

Fernandez: Perfectly seasoned dressing.

And it also features potato wedges, which you wouldn't necessarily see in a Caesar salad, but it works so well.

Crunchy on the outside.

Really nice and soft on the inside.

So flavorful.

And it's just -- it's a beautifully prepared salad.

And don't miss the pâté.

It's a French country-style pâté accompanied with a lovely mustard, cornichons, fried capers, and a beautiful baguette.

It's just spectacular.

He has an amazing curated list of wines that he offers.

That particular day I had the CdP.

I will spare myself with trying to pronounce it correctly.

Sbrocco: The Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Fernandez: That one.

[ Laughs ] And it was amazing because it paired so well with everything that we had ordered that day on the menu.

Traylor: I had the bánh mì sandwich.

So it did have pâté, and it was delicious.

Not too fatty, and succulent.

And the jalapeños and the pickled vegetables, and the bánh mì bread was beautiful.

Sbrocco: Have you had the bánh mì before?

Fernandez: I have had the bánh mì, and it is also a very, very good sandwich.

It's really hard to pick because there's so many great options there.

Also the po'boy.

A calamari steak po'boy, which was just great.

Houts: Oooh.

Fernandez: Really nice crunch to the calamari that's really perfectly breaded.

Juicy, soft.

It has this relish on it that pairs so nicely with the calamari.

Super-soft bread.

It's amazing.

The other item that I don't know if you had a chance to try is the beef rib.

It's a monster of a beef rib.

The char that it has on it.

And just... Traylor: : Like the brisket.

Fernandez: Yes, and just how juicy it is and flavorful and melts in your mouth.

It's an amazing rib.

Sbrocco: Is it for one person?

Or five?

[ Laughter ] Fernandez: I would say one of their ribs would be more than enough for two people to share.

Sbrocco: Okay.

Houts: I know it's called The Meatery, but what was really delicious that I would go back there for was their mac-n-cheese.

Sbrocco: Oh!

Houts: Did you try that?

Fernandez: Yes, mac-n-cheese.

Houts: Oh, my gosh, so it's a blend of cheeses that's just exquisite.

We ordered one to share at the table and we're all, like, just starting.

Oh, it was gone in a flash.

Fernandez: [ Laughs ] But the thing about their mac-n-cheese that's different is it has a bit of, like, pimento flavor.

Fernandez: Yes.

Houts: My family, we love pimento cheese dip.

It's, like, the fact that that was, like, in their mac-n-cheese was so good.

And they sell a container of it that you can take and bake at home, and I had it again that night because we got that container.

Sbrocco: You got that container Houts: It was so good.

Traylor: They had a lot of beautiful things to take home, and I took home quite a few.

[ Laughter ] They had these marinated mushrooms.

Houts: Mmm.

Traylor: All these, like, garlic butters and just all these things that would make a meal at home wonderful.

Fernandez: Right.

Sbrocco: Meatery, butchery, eatery, shoppery.

Traylor: There you go.

Houts: Exactly.

Fernandez: One-stop shop.

Sbrocco: [ Laughs ] Alright.

If you would like to try The Meatery Butchery & Eatery, it's located on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside.

And the average tab per person without drinks is around $30.

Vicki's restaurant is the quintessential definition of a hidden gem.

Tucked inside a rare and used book shop, it's a cozy little spot for curries, roti, and other traditional Thai delights.

Located in downtown Santa Cruz, it's Hanloh Thai Food.

♪♪ Kaewsawang: Hanloh Thai Food, well, we cook really good Thai food, and a lot of them come from my childhood.

So this is nam prik lon, the crabmeat coconut relish.

I always try to tell a story.

Man: Oh, my gosh.

Kaewsawang: Every dish that's on the menu has a part of me in it somewhere.

So Hanloh started in 2018.

We were doing pop-ups and catering everywhere.

And in 2021, I got a call from Bad Animal, which is a bookstore and a wine bar in Santa Cruz, to be a chef residency.

It's pretty casual, very Santa Cruz.

Never in my life I thought I would be opening a restaurant in a bookstore.

♪♪ I started cooking because that's how I stay connected to home.

My mother is a street food vendor in Bangkok, and she's really inspired me to cook.

The street vendors have very focused menu and I love their movements.

I love how meticulous their ingredients are.

I'm very inspired by that.

When I established my career in Santa Cruz, I started to realize, to make this unique, you have to use local ingredients.

Okay, let's cut this roti up.

One of the dishes on our menu is roti martabak, which has a lot of Indian influence and Muslim influence.

My mother is Muslim Thai.

So this is a dish that is a homage to my mom and to her heritage.

So I chose to make it all vegan.

It's like a blend of Thai culture and Santa Cruz.

The nice part about us being in a bookstore is sometimes when people have to wait, they can get a glass of wine and browse the book, and it doesn't feel like they're actually waiting that much longer.

They wait for a while, but it doesn't feel like it.

Our food is made for sharing, so order family style, a couple glasses of wine.

It's pretty chill.

[ Laughs ] Man: Cheers.

Kaewsawang: Cheers.

Child: Cheers: Kaewsawang: Cheers.

We love it here.

Man: Cheers.

Sbrocco: Okay, Vicki, so, hidden inside a used bookstore.

Traylor: It's called Bad Animal.

Houts: And the Bad Animal is an American badger, which is one of my favorite animals!

[ Laughter ] I sat -- Sbrocco: You can tell us about that.

Houts: Yeah!

They're ferocious, but so cool.

But I sat right underneath a taxidermied badger.

Just like all the stuff on the wall -- not just the book-- the bookstore was wonderful.

Fernandez: It's just -- it's such a great feeling when you're in there.

Sbrocco: Very Santa Cruz.

Fernandez: Very Santa Cruz.

That's a great point.

Houts: I just kept saying, "This place is so hip."

You're hanging out, you're talking.

Sbrocco: They're not turning tables.

Houts: They're not.

That's not what they're for.

Sbrocco: Alright, Vicki, so many dishes to try.

But do you have a favorite?

Traylor: I do.

My favorite is an appetizer.

I think it's called nam prik lon.

And it is a beautiful crab custard with a lot of fresh crab.

It has makrut leaves.

The preparation of all the vegetables is like a feast for the eyes.

And then the shrimp crackers that you dip in.

And it's absolutely delicious.

Houts: So we sat down and we saw this dish keep going out to all of these different tables, and we asked our server, "What is that?"

And she said, "Oh, it's my favorite salad.

You have to get it."

It was the yum galumpii.

It was with tofu.

Just perfectly cooked.

Crispy on the outside, warm and soft, like almost gooey tofu on the inside.

It had all of the cabbage and cilantro and lime, was really, really fresh flavors.

But then there was a crunch with the peanuts in there.

We just devoured it, and I could have just had like three of those salads for my dinner.

I crave it, and I want to go back for that.

Sbrocco: Did you start with with anything?

Fernandez: I did.

I had the scallop salad, and that salad -- I would go back just for that salad.

It was so good.

The scallops with a dried shrimp also.

They just -- they were paired beautifully together.

Sbrocco: Have you had this salad before?

Traylor: We did, we did.

It just -- the scallops are melt-in-your-mouth.

Fernandez: Yes.

Traylor: And then, yeah, it comes with lettuce so you can wrap it.

It was just dressed perfectly, because you could taste the makrut lime, you could taste the fish sauce.

But nothing was overpowering.

Just fresh and and delicious.

Sbrocco: So a good way to start, with a salad, one of the salads.

Fernandez: Good way to start is with the salad.

The fried chicken.

Traylor: Oh, my gosh.

Fernandez: Oh, gosh.

The fried chicken is just perfectly prepared.

Sbrocco: All three of you are going... Fernandez: Yes.

The fried chicken, super crispy on the outside, super juicy on the inside, paired with a sauce that was just really a nice complement.

Traylor: It was perfectly fried.

Fernandez: It was great.

Traylor: And the presentation is so beautiful.

They've made the cucumber look so pretty.

Sbrocco: Mm-hmm.

Man: It's so good.

It's -- always.

Melt in your mouth.

Traylor: I love the cod.

Houts: Mm-hmm.

You talked about "melt in your mouth" with the other dish, but the cod... Traylor: It's fabulous.

Houts: And it's local and it's sustainable, but it just flakes apart.

And it was like we just kept saying, like, "Is this butter?

Are we eating butter?"

'cause it was just so flavorful.

Traylor: And it's steamed in a broth, a spicy kind of... Houts: It's spicy.

Traylor: ...lemongrass broth with a little chili.

I mean, it so perfect... Houts: Lime and coconut in there.

Traylor: ...to put the jasmine rice in to soak it all up.

So it was perfect.

And then the wine, they have all these natural wines.

We got this really nice German white wine that paired perfectly with everything we got.

Fernandez: Yes.

Sbrocco: We haven't talked about the roti.

Houts: It's delicious.

We had the roti.

Traylor: You did?

Houts: Yes, we did.

And it's stuffed with yams and caramelized onions.

And I was like, "Oh, my gosh, it feels like I'm eating fall."

But it's paired with a really light cucumber salad.

Fernandez: Yes.

Houts: I was like, oh, my goodness.

The combination, it's like fall and spring together in one plate.

It was so good.

Traylor: What did you get for dessert?

Houts: A coconut-pandan custard.

And the waiter that brought it out, he, like, leaned over to us and said, "You're gonna love this.

I can't get enough of it."

And so the custard itself was really thick, but also light, because it's coconut, but it was green.

And I was like, "Wait, why is it green?

Sbrocco: Pandan.

Houts: Well, pandan is -- yeah.

It's like a tropical plant... Traylor: Oh!

Houts: ...that's mixed in with the coconut.

And it was served with this brioche bread.

The brioche was so buttery and you dip it in there, and, ohh, it was so good.

But we also got the coconut ice cream with that beautiful cookie.

Traylor: With the little cookie.

Houts: Yeah!

Fernandez: With the cookie.

Yes.

Traylor: So delicious.

Houts: It's so pretty too.

Fernandez: Didn't last.

It was great.

Traylor: Ours didn't either.

[ Laughter ] Houts: I feel like the dishes were like her work of art, the chef's work of art.

Fernandez: The quality and the preparation of everything that we received that day that we ordered was really great.

Traylor: Every person I know that has gone there has really loved it, so I'm happy that you liked it too.

Fernandez: Well, you can count one more on that list.

It was very tasty.

Houts: Two more.

Fernandez: Enjoyed it very.

Sbrocco: Alright, if you would like to try Hanloh Thai Food, it's located on Cedar Street in Santa Cruz.

The average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $75.

♪♪ Ashley's nautically themed restaurant holds a special place in her heart.

It's where she got engaged.

Step onto the terrace with a cocktail in hand and the ocean breeze in your hair, and it's not hard to feel a romantic vibe settling in.

Located inside Monterey Plaza Hotel, it's Schooners Monterey.

♪♪ Rotondo: Schooners is really our quintessential Monterey restaurant.

Our location is right on Cannery Row.

Very historic.

You can see one of the last canneries adjacent to our restaurant.

I'm originally from Boston, Massachusetts.

I gravitate towards water, so being here on the Pacific really makes me feel at home.

Our menu is based on the seasons.

All our seafood is sustainable.

We really listen to our fishermen.

Whatever type of seafood is at the highest quality is what kind of is gonna get my attention.

Man: So good.

Rotondo: I'm really super proud that we put on some local Monterey anchovies.

We cure it, pickle it, and it goes on this amazing toasted focaccia bread.

Just a couple one-biters, but it really is a great way to start your meal.

Woman #1: Tell me when.

Woman #2: That's when.

When.

Rotondo: A lot of people ask me what is the secret to our clam chowder.

Well, it is a secret, but we do use sherry wine that has this beautiful kind of undertone.

It's creamy.

It's delicious.

It's super yummy.

We hollow out this sourdough bread that is made to order.

So have that with a beautiful IPA, and you're good to go.

Our seafood pasta -- the pasta is made daily.

We do have some dry-aged steaks on the menu too, so it's not all seafood.

This view is unbelievable.

On any given day when you're sitting out here at Schooners patio, you're gonna see sea otters, you're gonna see sea lions, you're gonna see the fog kind of rolling in.

You're also potentially gonna get wet by some of these crashing waves that can hit the sides of these rocks.

You get a splash.

And that's kind of part of the experience.

It's really beautiful, very tranquil.

But also there's a jovial kind of ambiance to our dining room.

It's a pretty fun time here at Schooners.

Sbrocco: Now, Ashley, this might not be your typical hotel restaurant, right?

How did you discover this?

Houts: It's definitely not.

So the first time we stayed there, we were celebrating my husband graduating fire academy, which is a big deal for firefighters.

The next time we went there, he proposed.

Sbrocco: Ohh!

Traylor: Ohh!

Houts: And it was one of those places where even if you're not celebrating an engagement, you know, or a birthday, it's just such a beautiful place to go for a meal.

Fernandez: When you walk into the doors of the restaurant, you're actually walking out into that outdoor terrace area from where we entered.

Houts: It feels like you're on a boat.

Fernandez: Yes, it does!

Houts: You're suspended over the bay.

The wind's blowing, but then they have the heaters so you're not cold.

And I always come equipped with my binoculars because I love wildlife, so I'm out there looking for otters and they're always right there.

Traylor: We ate inside right by the window.

Absolutely gorgeous views of everything.

I loved it.

Fernandez: Yes.

Absolutely.

Sbrocco: And the food is an event in itself, right?

You can get big towers, and you can get all sorts of things, sardines and... Houts: Did anybody have the Supreme Plaza Mary?

This Bloody Mary, it's like a meal in a glass in itself.

It's a big, beautiful goblet.

And it comes with two thick slices of bacon and these perfectly poached shrimp.

There's blue-cheese-stuffed olives.

There's pepperoncinis.

It's just like so many things.

And then it's a perfect spiciness.

To be out there with the wind in your hair.

Or inside.

Sbrocco: So that's your appetizer.

Houts: That's your appetizer.

Fernandez: We started out with the burrata.

Burrata was visually beautiful.

First bite I was a little disappointed that it wasn't more flavorful.

Traylor: Gooey.

Fernandez: But beautifully prepared dish.

Traylor: Over arugula and sliced tomatoes and watermelon around the outside, with this delicious, delicious sourdough with balsamic glaze.

It just -- it was so delicious.

And then we got the most amazing salad, the Pacific seafood salad.

And it had poached prawns that were fabulous, but a ton of fresh crab, very generous.

And sliced ahi that was seared perfectly.

The sesame dressing.

It was so good.

I will go back for that salad any time.

Fernandez: Well, the one dish that I will definitely go back for were the brined anchovies.

Houts: Ohh!

Fernandez: The anchovy dish... Sbrocco: They're known for that dish.

Yeah, absolutely.

Fernandez: The brined anchovies were just amazing.

Perfectly brined.

Really nice salt.

And it also had olive tapenade.

The dish was amazing.

Houts: Did anybody have the clam chowder?

Traylor: It's delicious.

Perfect creaminess.

The potatoes were just the right size.

Houts: Right?

It's really creamy and rich, but it's not so thick.

It's still light.

The clams themselves, just like butter, melt in your mouth -- Sbrocco: Like "buttah"!

Houts: Yeah.

It's like buttah.

So good.

Fernandez: Let me tell you about the tuna poke.

The tuna poke was really marvelous also.

The way it was prepared with the sticky rice, avocado.

There was one thing that I felt that it could have done without, and that was the mango.

For me, the mango took a little bit away from the tuna, but the tuna poke itself was a really beautiful dish.

Oh, gosh, I'd go back for all of them.

It was great.

Sbrocco: You're shaking your head, Ashley.

You've had that.

Houts: Yes, I've had that before.

They do a great job with all of their "raw bar," they call it -- their oysters, you can get a seafood tower, their ceviche.

Mm!

Traylor: We also got the crab BLT.

Houts: Yes.

Fernandez: Wow.

Houts: Yeah.

Traylor: It had so much crab.

And it was served on this thick, soft, beautiful brioche, which I will say didn't hold up that well because they had so much crab.

Houts: Just so much crab.

Yeah.

Traylor: But it didn't matter.

I ate it with a knife and fork.

Sbrocco: Not a real complaint.

Fernandez: That's a terrible problem to have.

Traylor: And it had the bacon.

And somebody was like, "I would think the bacon would take away from the crab."

No.

It was so delicious.

Houts: Did anyone have the mussels?

Sbrocco: Mm.

Houts: Mmm.

Fernandez: No, did not have the mussels.

Sbrocco: But I can see that look in your eye like... Traylor: Like that they were good.

Houts: So good.

I mean, and if you like the Thai flavors of coconut and lime, they're so fresh.

They're just really plump, beautiful, big mussels, but so tender.

And it comes with, again, that really nice sourdough crostini and can sop up everything and then use your spoon when the bread runs out 'cause it's such a good sauce.

Fernandez: The dish that I was really impressed with was the cioppino.

It comes out in a pot.

I've got to tell you, the amount of seafood in this cioppino was really impressive.

Shrimp.

Clams.

Mussels.

Seasonal fish.

It's a saffron-based sauce that's just really so beautifully seasoned.

And the waiter was really generous enough to see that I was done with the bread that came with the actual dish, so he brought additional bread for me because -- Sbrocco: That's because it's "sop-up-able."

Fernandez: Yes, yes, that is -- Traylor: Sop-up-able.

Fernandez: That's the technical term.

Sbrocco: What about desserts?

Any room, anyone?

Traylor: Well, we didn't, but my granddaughter, she got the ice cream sundae.

And of course we took bites and -- Sbrocco: "My granddaughter got it, not me."

Traylor: Not me.

Of course not.

Sbrocco: [ Laughs ] Traylor: But I had a couple bites, and just everything, they presented it so well and they did a really good job of making you feel special.

It was really a nice experience.

Houts: They just go the extra mile there to make you feel so special.

Fernandez: They did.

They absolutely did.

Sbrocco: So you will be back?

Fernandez: Absolutely.

Traylor: As will I. Sbrocco: Alright.

If you would like to try Schooners Monterey, it's located on Cannery Row in the Monterey Plaza Hotel.

The average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $65.

♪♪ Looking for more Bay Area bites you've just got to try?

Phillips: [ Laughs ] Sbrocco: Check out "Cecilia Tries It" online at kqed.org/checkplease.

I want to thank my amazing guests on this week's show -- Ashley Houts, who says "I do" time and time again to the seafood delights at Schooners Monterey; Vicki Traylor, whose pick of Hanloh Thai in Santa Cruz will thrill bookworms and foodies alike; and Robert Fernandez, who pairs his pâté with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape at The Meatery Butchery & Eatery in Seaside.

Join us next time when three more guests will recommend their favorite spots right here on "Check, Please!

Bay Area."

I'm Leslie Sbrocco, and I'll see you then.

Cheers, everyone.

All: Cheers!

Sbrocco: Cheers!

Whoo-hoo!

♪♪ Fisher: Everybody's hyped on brisket.

The key to a good slice is across the grain.

Like any piece of meat, you always want to cut across the grain.

We'll go through that bark, and we'll just kind of cut straight down.

It's a difficult cut, but it's an amazing cut, right?

So well marbled, so rich, so unctuous.

We have some guests that want the fattier point end and some that want the leaner end.

We get a ton of Texans here who will never say that it's the best brisket they've ever had, but they put it up there as a high watermark.

Brisket, it's -- It's God's gift to us all.

[ Laughs ]