Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa has an enviable location above Dana Point Harbor, but the resort’s restaurant and menu was ready for a refresh. The revamped Lantern’s Edge restaurant launched last November and has quickly become popular with guests and locals.
The décor and atmosphere are casually upscale, while the menu comes courtesy of Chef de Cuisine Kristine Davis, who previously worked in the kitchen of Mayor’s Table in Newport Beach with Chef Riley Huddleston and at The Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel.
The creative dishes draw inspiration from the coastal environments of Dana Point and blend Mediterranean and California classics with a touch of Filipino influence.
Davis came on board last year while the restaurant was being rebranded and was set to work, creating a menu based on her experiences and inspirations, including her Filipino heritage.
“We are focused on California flavors,” Davis told the Business Journal. “It’s more California cuisine than coastal cuisine. California flavors are diverse and include Mexican flavors, and up and coming is Filipino cuisine. I highlight some of the flavors from my background along with the techniques I have learned.”
Davis explained that when she arrived in America, there were not a lot of Filipino restaurants. Her first job was in the kitchen of a Japanese restaurant.
“I was eager to try a lot of different flavors, and that has helped me infuse those techniques from different cuisine and kitchens. The menu at Lantern’s Edge has things that I like and appreciate, food that makes me feel at home. I don’t label it Filipino cuisine, which it’s not.”
As an example, Davis explained that the Lantern’s Edge salad has coconut curd, pumpkin seeds and other flavors that display a subtle Filipino influence. The Dynamite oysters are a play on Dynamite sushi and include miso and sesame.
And then there is the picanha and yucca fries dish. Picanha is from the same cut of meat as top sirloin with a generous fat cap and a buttery flavor.
“It’s my Mediterranean take on steak frites,” said Davis. “The steak is marinated with herbs and topped with a bearnaise sauce.”
Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa, 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point, (800) 533-9748, marriott.com/en-us/hotels/snadp-laguna-cliffs-marriott-resort-and-spa/dining.
TRELA’S HOT TAKE
To get a sense of the menu, Chef Kristine Davis sent out several dishes that she thought were a good representation of her cooking style. My dining partner, Jim Owen, and I tried more than half a dozen dishes plus dessert.
We started with the delightful Lantern’s Edge salad, which had grapefruit, rosso lettuce and pumpkin latik. That was accompanied by the dynamite oysters, a unique and tasty twist on oysters on the half shell.
Our entrees included Mary’s half chicken with saffron rice pilaf, lemongrass and achiote papaya slaw; branzino with guajillo piperade, celeriac soubise, confit leek, marble potatoes and shitake mushrooms; picanha and fries with mojo butter; and seafood orecchiete pasta with shrimp, squid, clams and scallop with a lobster bisque sauce.
Jim and I remarked on the presentations, the intricacy of the combined ingredients and the combination of flavors in each dish. It was difficult to single out a standout dish because they were all praiseworthy, although Jim gravitated towards the chicken while I relished the seafood pasta.
