Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/739845
Dining is always an epic experience in California. On our first night, we dined at the dramatic Marine Room where Pacific waves crash onto the windows. Overseen by executive chef Bernard Guillas, the menu is equally as memorable. Educated in Vanne in Bretagne, Guillas incorporates French- style cuisine sourced from local ingredients. Our meal began with a glass of Louis Bouillot and a medley of appetizers consisting of lilikoi hazelnut-coated wild prawns; a trilogy of lobster, ahi tuna and caviar; and diver scallop and foie Rossini. Next, a classic Caesar salad was prepared tableside gueridon style. My main course, Togarashi Sesame Spiced Ahi Tuna served with sticky black rice, avocado and mango in a white port hibiscus reduction, was exceptional. A selection of desserts finished off the evening as Bernard shared his phi- losophy: "What I look for is the balance at the centre of the plate. If it looks good, it better deliver on taste, too. There needs to be great energy, otherwise it doesn't make sense. Needless to say, my world is really a lot of fun and my life is delicious!" The following evening, we attended a trendy, sold-out "signature artisan dinner" set up on a heated outdoor terrace at the Lodge at Torrey Pines. At this weekly four- course communal event, 10 to 24 diners sit at a long harvest table, on which farm-to- table dishes are placed and carefully paired with wines. Guests help themselves to por- tions much like family members would at a Thanksgiving dinner. It was a most pleasant way to meet and engage with strangers over food and wine. UPSCALE AMBIANCE Time to move farther up the coast to Laguna Beach, with a slight detour to Newport Beach for lunch at the Cannery, a local seafood favourite. Nor could we resist a side trip to Balboa Island, a quaint island known for its shops and nightlife. Our hotel was the very elegant Montage Laguna Beach resort. This former oceanfront trailer park has been transformed into a Mon- tage-managed hotel where accommodation options range from spacious 46.5-square- metre guest rooms featuring private patios or balconies and marble bathrooms with deep- soak tubs to an exquisite 279-square-metre DREAMSCAPES FALL/ WINTER 2016 34 ABOVE LEFT: The Studio's executive chef Craig Strong adds a finishing touch to one of his culinary creations. ABOVE RIGHT: Guests enjoy a magnificent view from the rooftop pool perched on top of the London West Hollywood Hotel. BELOW: The Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills is considered a classic Los Angeles landmark. Max Whittaker