We recently lost Larry Cano, a true icon not only in Orange County dining but a major player in introducing America to sit-down Mexican dining and cuisine at a sophistication level way above the familiar taco genre.
It goes back to a flashy-looking waterfront restaurant called Cano’s in Newport Beach (now housing A’maree’s boutique). Larry swathed the tables in white linen, put servers in upscale attire, and seated us in the vast room with views of the ocean. From the kitchen came Mexican fare that looked great on the plate and embodied fine-dining sensibilities.
Larry had more ideas and launched the El Torito restaurants that grew into a mini-empire and set the stage for modern Mexican restaurants. They were envisioned and endure as a balance between casualness and service-oriented upscale Mexican food in colorful sit-down scenarios. He also turned Victor Hugo’s, dining playground of the movie stars in the Hollywood glamour era, into Las Brisas in Laguna Beach, a waterfront restaurant known worldwide.
I was personally influenced by him in many ways in the culinary part of my life, but that’s another long story. Larry was influential to American dining in a profound way, and he made an indelible mark on the dining industry. We will all miss him.
Tortilla Republic
Tortilla Republic in Laguna Beach is an exuberant and interesting restaurant these days. The location was the first for Javier Sosa in his string of restaurants—all named Javier’s—here and in Los Cabos and Las Vegas.
It had a couple of other incarnations after Javier sold it and moved on to building his fashionable Mexican eateries.
Chef Chris Tzorin has emphasized the appearance and bold, fresh flavor in his forward-thinking Mexican food. His vision is directed to changing how we perceive Mexican food, even in the upscale realms.
Chris says he uses organic ingredients as much as possible and prime all-natural meats in creating this fare.
Catch a seat at the kitchen bar if possible, where you can observe the action going on with the chef and his crew. Otherwise, the tables and booths suffice nicely in the good-looking space. The noise level is rather high in the evenings, quieter at lunch.
Lunch, dinner and brunch are served, but there’s also a delightful smaller “afternoon” menu for those of us dropping in between ordinary meal times. Have a wagyu beef Hamburguesa from the 11-item afternoon menu, or Flautas (made with Mary’s organic chicken), Ceviche of swordfish and shrimp, or Duck Confit Tacos.
Other dishes from the midday and evening menus have made my repeat list. I love the Mole made with Mary’s organic chicken as the center point, and the chef’s dense mole sauce as the clincher. Other dishes garnering my attention include Torta de Carnitas, with the delight of candied orange for taste-bud happiness; Sweet Potato and Hibiscus Tacos; Mushroom Quesadilla with crimini and oyster mushrooms; Short Rib Chile Verde Burrito; and Lobster with creamy truffled tomatillo sauce.
This is one cool place, with food for foodies of all levels. Fun and unpretentious on the upper end of casual.
480 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 393-4888
Oak Grill
Island Hotel has revved up the dining scene with the Oak Grill, a complete remake of the former dining room. Gone is that tropical-themed aura, replaced by a serene landscape of properly dressed tables and blond wood furnishings that now conjure an image of a fine meal to follow.
I, however, am a fan of the terrace just outside the dining room. It’s quintessential California outdoor dining in a tres chic setting. Appealing tables in the garden-like area are shaded by large trees in the daytime. At night it turns downright romantic with the twinkly little lights streaming through the tree branches and soft music in the background. Heat lamps keep us toasty on cool days. Perfect.
Chef Marc Johnson ups the allure even more with his gorgeous plates of food. You can go online and find raves about his presentations and the decisive flavors—bites that keep catching me off-guard because surprise elements of taste and texture continually jump out.
The menu is quite different from the former restaurant fare. Take, for instance, the Roasted Heirloom Carrot and Prosciutto Salad that echoes the colors, thoughts and feelings of the season. This salad resembles fallen winter leaves strewn across the plate—orange from the carrots, the redness and bold colors of the root vegetables, and the green of the lettuces all blended together.
Marc says that he can hear the notes of a recipe in his head as if it were a musical performance, long before he tries anything. To him, the tweaking of the ingredients is akin to tuning instruments to assure perfect harmony.
It’s soup season, and butternut squash is a common winter ingredient. What makes Marc’s soup different is the subtle, symphonic blending of banana and curry. Duck Confit Risotto also incorporates the butternut squash and a hint of sage maple syrup. Other choices that sang out to me were Spiced Ahi Tartare, a French Dip sandwich that’s as good as it gets, Wild Mushroom and Truffle Flatbread, and Little Neck Clams with a French twist.
Entrees are meant to please everyone, as they should. Pork Chop is graciously juicy and waltzing with smoked cherries, broccolini, pork belly risotto and a Madeira demi-glace. Toothsome Bucatini (hollow spaghetti strands) is the pasta married with a tomato confit sauce. New York Steak comes with blistered Brussels sprouts and forest mushrooms. Fresh fish, from soft-textured to firmer varieties, is available.
All in all, the menu is made up of dishes whose names we recognize, but each is presented in such an eye-appealing manner, and there are those unexpected taste elements that grab us with the first forkful. I am such a fan of this chef and his ability to turn well-known ingredients into new works of culinary art.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch are served since Oak Grill is the signature restaurant of the hotel. Fascinating food prevails any time of day.
690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 760-4920
Watermarc
Watermarc in downtown Laguna Beach carries on with a great deal of class, the fame of its location, and its forever stature as a fine restaurant (it was Partner’s Bistro for decades and has been Watermarc for several years).
The restaurant, as it looks and represents food today, is the result of the collaboration of two dedicated chefs whose intellect and enthusiasm for availability of fine products is so apparent when they stop by the table to check on your assessment of the food and in the delightful takes on food that keep us smiling as we travel through our meal. Classify it as a destination for compellingly good fare.
This is a place where it’s so easy to come back often and just settle in and enjoy the very vibes of Laguna.
I call it relaxation central. But it’s the food that cements our relationship.
The chefs responsible for what you eat are Marc Cohen, owner and executive chef, and chef de cuisine Kiel Anderson. Marc has long been known as a partner and chef for the Opah Seafood Grill in Aliso Viejo and 230 Forest Avenue restaurant in Laguna Beach.
Kiel stays put at Watermarc. I could listen to food talk from these two guys for hours on end. Their eagerness about what they do with food certainly makes customers comfortable.
What is little known is that they serve morning, midday, evening and happy hours—I’ll have to get over there for breakfast.
Small plates are so popular now, and there are 16 of them at lunch or dinner that can be shared or eaten as smaller, lighter meals. Among them are Beet Carpaccio, Lump Crab Cakes, Herbed Lamb Chops, Fried Shishito Chiles, Ahi and Watermelon Skewers with a fascinating seaweed salad on the side, Sizzling Garlic Shrimp with fennel, and a small Filet Mignon Pot Pie.
The Heirloom Tomato Soup with its manchego grilled cheese accompaniment is a customer fave. Big approval, too, for the Prime Hangar Steak Cobb Salad. Anyone for a burger made with duck confit? There are both classic and creative versions of the burger and other sandwiches at lunch.
Dinner main courses cover fresh seafood, steaks, chops, a version of Chicken Cordon Bleu fitting for the season, and Short Ribs with stewed onions and tomatoes.
Another smile emerges as I think of their “239 different ways to enjoy remarkable wine with extraordinary food.” They manage to make even wine- and food-matching a fun experience.
448 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 376-6272
Sipping in the Chai
I’ve been trucking through the current issue of Wine Spectator magazine, which is considered the Bible of the industry, and still have stories to read. One thing is certain: I will be hanging on to this issue, because it’s the one that has the Best 100 Wines of 2014 list, with a short background story on each one. There are even separate stories on specific tasting notes for every one of the wines.
These 100 wines have a price range of $12 to $240, so it really is possible to drink terrific wine at little cost. There’s also a list of every top wine pick for the years 1988 to 2013.
As if that weren’t enough reason to pick up a copy at $5.95, this hefty issue is also crammed with information about international wines and the people and wineries associated with them. This is my teddy bear magazine for the moment.
Yet another bon mot in this issue is the recipe for the famous Alpine Cheese Fondue at the Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, Colo. Making that at home—it’s actually rather easy—can turn you into an admired wintertime host who knows how to keep things casual and delicious.
Those of you who are true wine aficionados probably have a subscription to Wine Spectator. For those who merely love having a good wine but aren’t constant followers of every morsel of wine info out there, this issue is for you. Only two things left to say: No, I don’t work for Wine Spectator, and it’s available at book stores and newsstands till about the 10th of this month, so pick up a copy right now.
