When you’re visiting Laguna Beach and you are looking for a hearty, satisfying dinner with wine for a reasonable price, nothing fits the bill better than Italian food and Italian wine--and Laguna has more than a few Italian eateries. One of our favorites is conveniently located just a half mile north of Casa Laguna on the same side of Pacific Coast Highway. Operated by the Crivello family for more than 18 years, Ristorante Rumari, is classic Italian in every way. The place is small but classy, with a nice bar area and friendly efficient staff. We recently went there with friends. Everyone had something different, and everyone loved what they had – including Gnocchi Al Pesto: Tender potato dumplings in a creamy pesto sauce; Penne Al Samone: Penne pasta in a tomato-cream sauce with mushrooms and generous chunks of fresh salmon; Lasagna Della Nonna: Classic lasagna pasta layered with meat sauce, mozzarella and parmigiano cheese; and Fettuccine Dello Chef Alfredo: Fettucine pasta in a perfectly flavored Alfredo sauce with tiger shrimp that had the flavor and texture of high end lobster. Our server was always available but never hovering and provided recommendations that were spot-on, including a marvelous Chianti Classico that complimented everyone’s dish. Portions were generous and the leftovers were just as fabulous at home the following night. Knowing how much food was coming, we skipped the appetizers and salad, and thus dinner for four with wine and a shared dessert was just a little over $100. How’s that for value? So, when you’re staying at Casa Laguna and you want a delicious, filling meal, with great service, in a classy atmosphere, nearby, for a very reasonable price, we “heartily” recommend Ristorante Rumari. We had a little trouble viewing the menu on their website, so  check out their menu on laguna-beach-info.com.

Casa Laguna is proud to announce that our Chef Bretall is one of the Savory 16 finalists in BedandBreakfast.com's recipe challenge!! Her recipe is first up for voting--but only until noon tomorrow--so we need everyone to go to the Facebook contest page, then vote for Casa Laguna's Quackin Good Hash & Egg. Now go...quick...vote! :-)

Casa Laguna Inn & Spa is proud to announce the promotion of former Sous Chef Michell Bretall to the position of Chef de Cuisine. Chef Bretall will carry on the Casa Laguna tradition of developing and presenting an array of exceptional cuisine, unlike any you’ll find in any Southern California hotel or bed & breakfast inn. Our new exec-chef has put together her own cohesive culinary team to assure the highest quality food and service for every guest, every day of every week.

When she is not manning the burners at Casa Laguna, Chef Bretall is chef-partner in a “common table” catering enterprise called The Basement Table. She and her associate specialize in producing exclusive gourmet dinners for small groups, hosted by the Laguna Culinary Arts Café on Laguna Canyon Road. Chef Bretall has traveled extensively, honing her craft during visits to Italy and France. She plans to visit Spain this summer, and we’re pretty sure Casa Laguna guests can expect to see some Spanish influence in our upcoming summer and fall menus. Through her dedication to ingredient-driven menus, Chef Bretall has been a supporter of organic & local farmers for nearly 20 years, and this tradition will continue at Casa Laguna.

Chef Bretall’s new “second” is Sous Chef Sarah Spry Keenan. Chef Keenan graduated from Laguna Culinary Arts in 2010. In addition to her duties at Casa Laguna, she runs personal chef business and writes a popular cooking blog called “Spry on Food.”  Chef Keenan will oversee the kitchen in the absence of Chef Bretall. Her cooking style is simple and natural, producing cuisine that is really good, really healthy, and really delicious. You can read more about Chef Keenan at wherewomencook.com.

Rounding out our new trio of ladychefs is Assistant Chef Danielle Love Bettis. Chef Bettis comes to Casa Laguna with over a decade of catering experience & a very green thumb! She has begun to fill in the gaps in our kitchen garden, with several Heirloom variety herbs & greens that we look forward to harvesting for our breakfasts! Cooking has been a passion since she was very young, and Casa Laguna is thrilled to provide her with a place to continue her learning process and hone her culinary and kitchen management skills.

In recent years, Casa Laguna Inn & Spa has developed a reputation as a foodie destination. Just read our reviews on TripAdvisor, and you see that just about every guest mentions our breakfasts as one of the major highlights of their stay. (Be sure to check out our online menu.) Of course, since we are a bed & breakfast inn, you have to experience our beds before you experience our breakfast. Because we have only 22 rooms and occupancy is limited to two person per room, your culinary experience will never be crowded or rushed. We are able to provide each guest with personalized service and attention you won’t find in any Laguna Beach hotel or restaurant.