I’ve been wondering what was happening with the old Tabu Grill space in south Laguna Beach. A product of restaurateur Nancy Wilhelm, Tabu was a popular local hangout that closed in 2015.
The space has been reincarnated as The Drake, opening several weeks ago and already garnering rave reviews. Its motto is “Where great food meets great live music,” and the night I was there, I can vouch for both.
Named after New York’s famed Drake Hotel, an Art Deco structure, now gone, dating to the 1920s, the restaurant is an homage of sorts to those days, with comfortably elegant décor and ambiance.
I arrived on a Thursday afternoon just after a 5:30 opening as it was already filling up. I noticed an expanded interior that now includes a bar and lounge area with a grand piano. The live music of the motto is every night.
The main dining area is completely revamped, the intimate patio boasts fire pits, and the chef’s counter looks about the same from the Tabu Grill days. Which is fine: that was always my favorite place to observe chefs in action and chat with fellow foodies.
Count me fortunate to have grabbed a seat there that night. The chefs to watch are Executive Chef Paul Gstrein and his son, Sous Chef Nick Gstrein. Chef Paul worked at Spago in Beverly Hills, Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, and others before coming to Bistango in Irvine and then Bayside in Newport Beach. Now, he shifts focus to The Drake with a menu he describes as “Modern Californian fare with global influences.”
I started on lobster tacos with avocado, tiny garden greens and chipotle emulsion, packed into a flour tortilla. Pure bliss in every bite, adding a side of thick cut New York fries with bearnaise sauce. Some of the best fries I’ve had, made even better when dipped in the sauce. The bucatini pasta with wild boar short rib ragu was thick and rich.
The menu includes a selection of steaks, seafood and starters. Creative cocktails and a good wine list complete the picture. You can bet I’ll be back with friends to sample more of The Drake’s menu and soak up its elegance.
The Drake, 2894 South Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, (949) 376-1000, thedrakelaguna.com.
