enoSTEAK Debuts at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

 enoSTEAK Debuts at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

Under the direction of Executive Chef Andres Jimenez, enoSTEAK is the newest addition to The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel’s award-winning culinary line-up. enoSTEAK is an intimate steakhouse showcasing only the highest quality ingredients.  It features prime and grass-fed, pasture-raised beef, accompanied by organic produce that is locally grown and harvested at the peak of the season. enoSTEAK also highlights artisanal cheeses, charcuterie and a large selection of fine wines. enoSTEAK is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m.

Taco Tuesdays at Raya

Tacos are amazing, let that be heard loud and clear. With that being, said imagine eating Tacos that resemble fine pieces of art, loaded with exceptionally astounding ingredients that amaze and astound you with every bite. Flavors you wouldn’t commonly put together for whatever reason it may be (cause we can’t afford them on the daily or find them easily, being the first few that come to mind) are the stars of the show at Taco Tuesday w/ Chef Richard Sandoval, inside Raya at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel.

Recently hearing that the dynamic forces behind some of the best food in Southern California, had began to put their spin on the classic "Taco Tuesday, " we knew we were going to have to check this out and do it fast. If you have seen any of our previous reviews for Raya you already know that the scenery cannot be beat anywhere else on the coast. Great food, great views and an even greater staff pull together an ultra luxurious hotel that must you must visit in your lifetime.

One of the best things about the way this meal plays out is that you don’t have to attempt to select which Tacos you want to eat. The Prix Fixed menu ($65.00 per person and well worth every cent) means you will be treated to a wild ride through the minds of the amazing Chefs that oversee this remarkably forward thinking establishment.

The journey starts off with a “Botana” or appetizer course of Chips & Salsa, which couldn’t be further from your average bowl of corn chips and store bought salsa might I add. The incredibly fresh and vibrant bowl of Molcajete salsa that was served up surrounded by fresh-made Plantain, Yucca, Chicharrones & Boniato chips were hard to not devour as quick as they hit the table. If this was a hint of what was to come I knew I was in for something truly inspiring.

The first round of Tacos hit the table, labeled as “Tacos de Harina” for their flour shells and I couldn’t be more intrigued by how the thoughtful kitchen staff was keeping these delicately designed Canapès held together with mini clothes pins. 3 Tacos sitting side by side, each looking a tad bit more intricate than the next but yet all screaming eat me first were going to be my first victims of the night. 

The 1^st being a Maine Lobster & Avocado Taco, 2nd a Korean Fried Chicken w/ a fresh Cucumber Kimchee Taco & 3rd a Pork Cheek w/ Chipotle Aioli & Pickled Onion Taco, were all consumed rather quickly, leaving all of the guests at our table amazed at how fresh and light each of them were. The way the multi cultural flavors played off each other, yet allowing each their own bit of shine on the plate was incredible.

Next up were the “Tacos de Maiz.” This time the trio consisted of a Pork Belly & Habanero Slaw Taco, a juicy Shortib, Adobo & Pickled Onion Taco and a “Lechon Style” Suckling Pig w/ Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa Taco. Talk about having déjà vu, these Tacos were eaten just as fast and enjoyed even more than their first round counterparts. Again, each tacos flavors are perfectly balanced so that the mouth is left with a taste that could destroy what was to be eaten next. That is a hard skill to acquire, because if you think about it, how many places can you go to and eat everything on the menu and not have them taste exactly the same after a few bites of each?

I have to say that with a nice libation and perfect timing on when you make your reservations (hopefully around sundown for the ultimate view) this could really become a spot that you wish to frequent more often to simply enjoy the fruits of your hard labor.

Rounding the corner was the next course of Tacos, labeled as “Otros Tacos” this is where the meal took a delightful turn towards the unexpected and truly set itself apart from anything else under the California Sun. 

This time we were given 5 Tacos, starting with a Potato w/ Tempura Fish, Preserved Lemon & Poblano Pepper Taco, a Boniato w/ Crisp Oyster, Caviar & Togarashi Taco (by far my favorite,) a Won Ton w/ Smoked swordfish & Mango Taco, a Sweet Potato w/ Foie Gras & Kumquat-Tequila Jam Taco and a Duck Carnitas w/ Daikon & Curry Apple Taco.

Words do these beautiful creations no justice. Just look at the photo and think about how bad you want to bite your screen and or cut out of work and head down the freeway for one of the best dinners you will ever have in your life.

If that wasn’t enough, the “Tacos de Postre” or Dessert Tacos course had hit the table and looked like something right out of Food Arts Magazine. Perfect plating, bright colors, soft Ice Cream, a delicate crunchy “Chocotaquito," caramelized pieces of fruit and Rum (one of our favorites) made it impossible to tell if the dessert course was served because they liked us or because they wanted to tease us, knowing this was the last course to be delivered after stuffing us like Thanksgiving Turkeys.

The final 3 "Tacos De Postre" being; A Banana Ice Cream “Chocotaquito”, A Pineapple- Coconut-Rum Taco and a Strawberry Blood Orange Cream Cheese Taco all of which deserved to be permanently placed on the menu (regardless of the season) finished off the evening exactly how it was expected to be handled, Sweetly.

Tuesday, a day that hardly gets any shine now can feel respected, loved and looked forward too, thanks to Chef’s Sandoval, Howe & Gerlach. A beautiful evening will be yours to behold if you allow them to take you on a tasteful journey around the world, all without leaving your seat.

For more info or reservations check out: The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Online.

Raya, Seasonal Gastronomy At It's Finest

     When dealing with a restaurant that is located in a hotel synonymous with consistently delivering excellence, it is hard to begin to imagine what to expect when you find out they recently changed their menu to allow a new wave of seasonal cuisine to overtake their guests.

Raya, which is located inside of The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel has been making more waves in the culinary world over the last year than the astounding milieu their diners get to see each and every day. The minds behind the menu of Raya are constantly putting together dishes that simply cannot be categorized. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Raya, please check out our previous feature on the restaurant which gives an overview of the location, ideas behind the menu, Chefs and staff who help entice us to put fork to plate here: Raya, Delivering Tranquility One Plate At A Time.

The only difference this evening was that instead of finding the kitchen being helmed by Chef Howe, I found my stomach being tended to by none other than Chef Marissa Gerlach (who also gave me a quick tour of the kitchen upon being stuffed like a holiday turkey from the insanely tasteful creations we ate this evening.)

Raya has revamped the menu to allow for guests to order a few selections from their “Smaller Plates” menu and share them before ordering a entrée from the “Large Plates” menu. Starting off with the Chipotle Lobster Bisque, Sea of Cortez Bay Scallop Ceviche and Rock Shrimp Quesadilla I quickly found myself overwhelmed with a trio of amazing seafood appetizers that could easily fill up 2 or 3 people. 

The Chipotle Lobster Bisque is something out of this world as once again the minds at Raya put an unusual but truly delightful twist on the dish by combining black beans, caramelized apples, butternut squash and avocado-yuzu crema fresca to make a dish so velvety and creamy I really am going to ask if I can buy a quart next time I go.

The Sea of Cortez Bay Scallop Ceviche (served with fresh plantain chips) is a perfect example of what can come from a little ingenuity with ingredients. Putting avocado, wasabi, apple, red onion, white soy, lime and white sesame together with mouth-watering ocean fresh salty Scallops is the kind of stuff that sets Raya apart from your local seafood restaurant.

Now as far as appetizers go, I am a firm believer that they can make or break a restaurant. People come to certain locations expecting to be blown away with every plate they see, scent they smell and especially every bite they take. The Rock Shrimp Quesadilla explodes literally with flavor. Oaxacan Cheese mixed with smoked bacon, Togarashi, Avocado Crema, Tomatillo Salsa and Rock Shrimp of course were the ultimate compliment that could paid to the humble Quesadilla. This is something I hope to see remain on their menu even as the seasons change here in California.

Almost completely consumed from what they call “Smaller Plates,” I ordered the Achiote Troll King Salmon which is served over Chayote Squash, Smoked Bacon, Wild Mushrooms, Chipotle Aioli and drizzled in a Achiote Ponzu sauce that took a perfectly cooked piece of Salmon to another level. The Achiote Ponzu sauce gave off a spicy / salty aroma that when mixed with the mushrooms and smoked bacon created an amazing main course only that could only be topped off by the smoothest, creamiest accouterment I have eaten in my life, which were the King Crab Mashed Potatoes.

Stuffed to the gills by this time (and thoroughly enjoying the spicy kick that every sip of my Tamarind-Togarashi Margaritas were supplying me with, I was curious as to if I should even dare to attempt to face the dessert menu. Of course I could not say no when the sampler of desserts showed up featuring a Milk Chocolate Peanut Torte, Mayan-Style Ancho Chili “Hot Chocolate,” Fresh Made Cinnamon Spice Churros, Watsonville Organic Strawberry Salad.

The amount of words that came to mind when taking the initial bites of these desserts were far from few but the first thought I had was Passion.  Many desserts that are served at high-end restaurants taste amazing and use expensive ingredients. But what they often lack is some form of passion that makes them come alive when being served to the guest.
This may come simply from how they are plated, what the actual name of the dessert may be or even better the amount you are served. Raya and more importantly, its promising kitchen staff, have to know that they are creating palate-pleasing pieces of art. The likelihood of finding anything like they are serving, somewhere else is highly doubtful.

Weaving together a selection of rare ingredients found on very few other menus, the flavors culminated inside the kitchen at Raya are somewhat of a must to be experienced in your lifetime.

Check Raya and all of the other amazing sites to be seen at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel out on their site for more information:
                                       Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

                                       RAYA

Enjoy!

Raya at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Delivering Tranquillity, One Plate At A Time.

Highway 1 (or Pacific Coast Highway as it is commonly called) has played host to some of the most amazing restaurants and scenic views Californian’s have been fortunate enough to enjoy since its inception in 1919. With the Pacific Ocean serving as its backdrop, it’s only fitting that the handiwork, coming from some of the worlds most amazing Chef’s would be infused with flavors imported from other nations.  

Richard Sandoval Restaurants, a leading international restaurant group with properties in The United States, Mexico and The Middle East, is once again pushing the culinary envelope with Raya, a Pan-Latin Coastal Cuisine themed restaurant housed inside The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel.

Upon entering the beautifully designed restaurant, with its alluring dark hardwood floors mixed with the platinum and amethyst décor, guests are greeted by massive floor to ceiling windows overlooking the wonderfully maintained grounds of the property. The views of the ocean at sunset (I recommend you try to get reservations around that time for the picturesque scene alone) allow you truly relax and enjoy the culinary adventure you are about to be taken on.