Luciana’s Ristorante may be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, but the popular Italian restaurant is not showing its age. Set in a former historic home reminiscent of a Tuscan inn, Luciana’s continues to delight diners with classic cuisine served amid an ambiance of upscale comfort that oozes charm.
Second-generation restaurateur Jorge Luhan II ensures guests feel as welcomed as they did when his mother Lucia founded her namesake restaurant more than 40 years ago.
This year Dana Point’s Luciana’s was again honored for its outstanding wine program with Wine Spectator’s prestigious Award of Excellence, thanks to a wine list that features 350 wines from more than 10 countries.
The restaurant continues to reimagine its menu thanks to Luis Sandoval, who joined the restaurant as executive chef in June.
Sandoval was previously the executive chef at Faulkner Winery in Temecula, where he was voted Best Chef two years in a row by Inland Empire Magazine. Sandoval oversaw The Pinnacle, Faulkner’s award-winning restaurant serving Mediterranean-style food.
Prior to The Pinnacle, Sandoval, who is classically trained in French, Italian, Spanish and Argentinian cuisine, was the executive chef de cuisine at Europa Village Bolero Restaurante in Temecula.
“Cooking was always my passion, and once I got in a professional kitchen, I couldn’t leave,” Sandoval told the Business Journal. “Cooking and good food touches people and brings happiness, which is not only my philosophy, but it’s what the dining experience at Luciana’s is all about.”
Luhan told the Business Journal that Sandoval is a “great new addition to our team.”
“Our brand is always evolving,” he said. “Our old chef did a phenomenal job, but we have to go above and beyond and take old dishes and reimagine them—adding more pizazz, changing the plating.”
Italian Cuisine is More than Pasta, Pizza
Luhan noted that many people think Italian cuisine is mainly pizza and pasta, but it’s also wild game, legumes and fish, and Luhan wants the menu to reflect all aspects of Italian cooking.
“We have to change a little, but you can’t change drastically. In 1994, I decided to try farm-to-table, so we went from a four page menu to a one page tasting menu. It was an incredible menu, but the public was not ready for it. I lost 85 percent of my business and spent years regaining it.”
After four decades in business, Luciana’s Ristorante is ingrained in the community.
“We have a legacy,” explained Luhan. “For example, one longtime diner who had her wedding rehearsal dinner here many years ago is now hosting her daughter’s rehearsal dinner here. This has become the living room for a lot of Dana Point residents.”
But Newport Beach locals were the first to get a taste of Lucia’s cooking when she opened That’s Cooking Bistro in 1976 followed by What’s Cooking Express.
Luhan took over Luciana’s in 1991 after his mother retired to Italy.
“I know what makes us unique: the building, the service, the food, the price point, the consistency. I made my mistakes. I know my foundation and my customer base. People want an experience. If COVID taught us anything, they want a personal experience.”
TRELA’S HOT TAKE
Personal experiences are what Luciana’s Ristorante delivers.
My recent dinner at Luciana’s with fellow foodie Jim Owen was indeed an evening to remember. We sampled several new dishes that Chef Luis Sandoval was introducing, including a watermelon salad with gorgonzola cheese and candied walnuts with a strawberry balsamic glaze, and a burrata appetizer served over herb marinated baby heirloom tomatoes.
We also savored lobster ravioli and shared two pasta dishes, as well as Saltimbocca: pork tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto di parma.
We paired each dish with wine while our jovial server Nikki made sure we enjoyed our experience.
Based on our memorable evening at Luciana’s, the restaurant will be delighting diners for another 40 years.
Luciana’s Ristorante, 24312 Del Prado, Dana Point, (949) 661-6500, Lucianas.com
