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.

That package too over-the-top for you? Reserve your favorite room for any stay during this period by calling our front desk and tell our clerk that you want to add a “Romance Package” of flowers, champagne, chocolate, and/or spa services. Mention this blog, and we’ll give you $10 off any Romance Package (excluding Breakfast in Bed and Ultimate Valentine packages). Again, full descriptions of our Romance Packages can be found on our website’s Package & Specials page (bottom section). This discount applies only to packages to be delivered in conjunction with a stay during the period February10 through February19, 2012. You must order the package and mention the blog at the time you make your reservation and the discount cannot be applied to orders already placed. No refunds will be given. All packages must be ordered at least 72 hours in advance.

We also want to welcome Cole Van Hoogenstyn as the newest member of our front desk staff. Cole’s prior experience is with the St. Regis brand, and he came to us upon the departure of front desk co-supervisor, Nick Galantine, who has taken a position with a marketing firm. Nick was a hardworking employee who received many compliments from our guests. He will be missed. Returning guests will be pleased to know that they will still be greeted by the familiar face of our other front desk supervisor, Marchyndia Taylor, who will provide them with her usual dedicated guest-first service; along with the always pleasant and welcoming Trevor Elledge.

We are also delighted to have an accomplished new chef as part of our culinary team. Michell Bretall has come aboard as Chef Allan’s Sous Chef. Michell received her culinary training at the Laguna Beach School of Culinary Design, and is also a chef-partner in The Basement Table, a company that specializes in “underground supper clubs,” recently featured in a Laguna Beach Independent article. Mike Pilpuf is also a relatively new addition to our culinary team and will be backing up Chefs Allan & Michell. We are sad to say goodbye to our lead server, Marissa Koellisch, who is leaving us to follow her dreams in Texas. Thankfully, we still have Chanel McCord, who joined us a few months ago as a breakfast hostess/server, and who always gets praise from our guests for her superb service.

We are proud of all our dedicated hard-working staff, and we have confidence that each one will strive to provide our guests with the best possible service and attentiveness.

Casa Laguna has always been well ahead of the trend for Earth-friendly products and practices. In 2006 we began a serious recycling program in every guest room and elsewhere throughout the property. We located recycling baskets in all rooms and facilities so that guests and employees could place bottles and cans there for recycling. We also began reusing our "white" paper by printing on both sides before recycling. We started working together with our local Waste Management company to make certain our cardboard boxes along with the cans and bottles would be efficiently recycled.

In 2007 we began replacing garden plants with types that require less water. We then stopped using our sprinkler system and began hand watering, in order to greatly reduce water usage. Also, all plumbing throughout the property includes reduced-flow features and/or nozzles.

In recognition of our efforts, Casa Laguna Inn & Spa received the first "Environmental Recognition Award" from the City of Laguna Beach in 2008.

In 2009, the Inn began using low-impact, environmentally-friendly cleaning products, and purchased a new energy-efficient washer and dryer. Every appliance we purchase is rated as highly efficient on the California environmental impact chart. Lighting throughout the property has been changed to incorporate the use of power-saver bulbs.

In 2010 we changed our linens to the eco-friendly Comphy® line, made from recycled materials that also require less chemicals, water, and power to clean and maintain. These linens are again recycled at the end of their useful life. We also use the "Eco" line of towels & washcloths from Monarch.

In order to lower our carbon foot print we no longer distribute the typical small bottles of amenities you find in many hotels. We have changed to refillable pumps for all soaps and lotions other than glycerin bar soaps that are used in rooms with tubs. These are now being recycled through Clean the World.

According to Clean the World, 9,000 children around the world die each day from diseases such as acute respiratory illness and diarrheal diseases that can be prevented by washing with bar soap. Clean the World has a mission to put soap in the hands of people who need it most to improve hygiene and sanitation conditions to lessen the impact of disease and promote better hygiene and living conditions worldwide. Clean the World is the largest global recycler of hotel amenities, and in just two years of operation has distributed more than 9 million bars of soap to children and families in the United States, Canada and more than 45 countries worldwide, while also fulfilling a valuable environmental mission by diverting an estimated 600 tons of hotel waste from polluting landfills in the United States and Canada.

"Laguna Beach is Southern California's premier seaside destination, and a city deserving of praise for its promotion of sustainability and social responsibility," says Shawn Seipler, CEO and co-founder of Clean the World. "Our hotel partners in Laguna Beach should be applauded for their collaboration on this unique partnership and its distinction of being our first municipality to embrace Clean the World's mission to recycle soap and save lives. I hope the efforts of the LBVCB will inspire other communities, municipalities and cities to do the same."

Casa Laguna Inn & Spa also applauds the LBVCB for their dedication to keeping Laguna Beach a "green" city, and for the organizational efforts leading to a partnership between Clean the World and the Laguna Beach lodging-hospitality community.

[Portions of the above excerpted from the LBVCB press release "Laguna Beach, CA, Becomes First to Partner Citywide with Clean the World" dated November 7, 2011.]

Before I go any further, I need to say that we loved this place—the food and the service were excellent. I am going to make a couple of observations that might be construed as negative, but they are really very minor points and are just one person's observations. Keep in mind that this was only the fourth night that Broadway was open, so they were still getting their act together. Taking that into consideration—and considering how much we loved it—I have no doubt it will only get better.

I must be honest and say that, after viewing the Broadway website, I made reservations with some small degree of trepidation. At first view, the menu appeared very ordinary and very limited. When we arrived, our first impression was equally apprehensive. The restaurant's interior decor is very—very—eclectic. The wait-staff were all very casually dressed in blue jeans and aprons, briefly giving the impression that we had just walked into a high-end cowboy country barbeque eatery. Let me quickly say that the impression quickly changes as your night progresses. The place, quite simply, grows on you. You soon come to realize that the restaurant is exactly what Chef Amar Santana intended it to be—a little slice of Broadway transported to Laguna Beach.

Most of the tables at Broadway by Amar Santana are closely lined up along one wall, facing the lounge-style bar and open kitchen. There's method to this madness. The kitchen is the focus of the entire room – it's the "stage" for the culinary show you are about to experience. For the lucky six who get to sit at the "chef's table," it's a front-row seat for the chef's six-course tasting menu. If you can put together a group of six – or if you catch them on a night when no one else has reserved all six seats—the Chef's Table is the place you want to be.

As I previously mentioned, the standard menu is short and sweet, but Santana plans to add more items as he gets a better feel for his patrons' likes and dislikes. On the night we were there, you could choose from five appetizers ranging in price from $11 to $22. There was also a selection of 11 different small plates ($6 to $16) and we chose two of these as our starters—pita bread with hummus topped with delightful crunchy garbanzos; and decadent bacon wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates. There were so few Mains that I can actually list them all: Lightly Smoked Wild King Salmon $26; Crisp Seared Duck Breast $31; Butter Poached Jidori Farm Chicken $27; Grilled Prime Ny Strip Loin $39; and one special, Filet Mignon with crispy polenta, lobster mushrooms, and a red wine sauce $35.

I went for the Filet Special and my husband of course chose the Salmon. Interestingly, the steak portion was huge and half of it went home with us. The Salmon portion was just the opposite; a long thin ration paired with baby potatoes, ikura, and crème fraiche on a plate the size of a bar stool seat, which only made it seem smaller. My husband, who greatly appreciates modern culinary presentation and who does not expect massive portions at any gourmet restaurant, commented that the typical male patron is probably going to ask, "When does the rest of it show up?" That said, the portion was perfect for him. He also said it was perfectly cooked and delicious and he loved the luxurious addition of Ikura roe. My steak was top quality and perfectly done and I devoured the polenta—one of my favorites.

We will be back to Broadway again and again—and not just because they make our illusive Vesper Martini with Cocchi Americana, which harkens back to the days of Ian Fleming and Kina Lillet. (But that’s another story.)  Chef Amar Santana, along with partners Ahmed Labbate and Rich Cadarette, has created more than just another same old Laguna Beach restaurant. It’s clear that Broadway by Amar Santana will become a favorite meeting place for locals whose tastes are a little left of typical. We were very excited to meet Santana and Labatte in person on the night we were there, and we immediately liked them both. These two have an extensive background with Charlie Parker restaurants, but this ain’t no Charlie Parker’s. The look is clean and eclectic. The vibe is a lot New York—but without pretentions. Chef Santana told us he wants Broadway to be a place where people can simply have a casual bite at the bar with a cocktail; impress friends or colleagues with fun and exciting dinner at the chef’s table; or just have a comfortable and delicious dinner out. We think it will become one of our favorite places for all of those things.

To learn more about Santana, Labbate, Cadarette, and Broadway, take some time exploring their website. You’ll quickly come to appreciate what makes Broadway by Amar Santana stand out from the crowd.

The California Department of Transportation will be resurfacing Laguna Canyon Road, between Forest Avenue and the 73 Toll Road from now through November. Asphalt grinding will be done during the first three or four days, then paving will go forward until sometime in November. Although there will be no work on weekends, we still suggest that our guests completely avoid Canyon Road (a.k.a. Broadway or Hwy. 133) until the repaving is completed.

Actually, it’s always been easier to get to Casa Laguna via Crown Valley Parkway rather than via the Canyon. And, of course, it’s not really a secret. Most of the locals who live south of Bluebird Canyon come and go “over the hill” on Crown Valley Parkway.  Coming north or south on Interstate 5, just take the Crown Valley exit and head west toward the ocean (6.5 miles). When you top the hill and see that beautiful expanse of blue Pacific before you, you’re almost to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Get in the right hand lane, turn right (North) onto PCH, and you’re just 3.6  miles from Casa Laguna (on the right just a block past the Nyes Place intersection). If you have any problems, just call us on your cell. (Hands-free please. Don’t get a ticket.) We’re always willing and able to talk you through it.  1-949-494-2996

Bidding is currently taking place on Casa Laguna’s Facebook “Event” page until 6:00 PM, Saturday, October 1, 2011. Bidders must first click “I’m Attending,” then simply post a message on the event page including the amount of their bid. Bids must be made in $100 increments. Where two or more bidders bid the same amount due to posting lag, the bid that arrived first per Facebook time-stamp will be the current bid. All others will need to re-bid. Bidders should return to the page frequently to keep track of bidding and increase their bid when necessary. Be sure to read all rules and policies before bidding. The winning bid will be the highest bid received by 6:00 PM October 1, 2011, based on the Facebook time-stamp accompanying the bidder’s post. The winning bidder will be contacted by a Casa Laguna representative to arrange payment within 24 hours of the close of bidding. Payment will be made directly to AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County. Runner-up bids will be retained as back-up bids until payment has been received in full, at which time the winner will be announced.
 
This is a charity auction, with all proceeds going to AIDS Services Foundation Orange County, a non-profit organization (Tax ID # 33-0126491). Per IRS regulations, donors who purchase items at a charity auction may claim a charitable contribution deduction only for the excess of the purchase price paid for an item over its fair market value.
 
Our thanks to French 75 Laguna Beach and Best Chauffeured for their generous contributions to the package. Casa Laguna is a Gold Sponsor of the Orange County Ride for Aids (OCRA) which also benefits AIDS Services Foundation Orange County.

 
LIMITATIONS: Dinner at French 75 subject to $200 dinner-check limit. Winner will be responsible for dinner costs in excess of $200 and for all gratuities. Before bidding, bidders should familiarize themselves with Casa Laguna’s policies regarding reservations, cancellations, and spa services, all of which will be applied to this stay. Getaway package must be used by April 15, 2012. Reservations must be made no less than 15 days and no more than 30 days prior to arrival. Not valid on holidays or holiday weekends.
 
IMPORTANT: Casa Laguna reserves the right to discontinue this auction at any time, for any reason. By bidding in this auction you thereby agree to forever waive, release and discharge Casa Laguna Inn & Spa, French 75 Laguna Beach, Best Chauffeured, AIDS Services Foundation Orange County, their parent companies, directors, managers, employees, and any and all persons or entities associated with this auction from any and all claims arising from your participation in this auction.

Our Gift Certificates can be used toward a stay in one of our cozy rooms and/or rejuvenating spa treatments while staying at the inn. Because our room rates are variable, we cannot provide a Gift Certificate for a "night's stay." We will be glad to assist you in choosing an amount that comes close to covering the cost of accommodations. Before giving a certificate for a stay, be aware that our spa services are available to registered guests only, and our rooms accommodate a maximum of one or two adult guests. Our standard policies and cancellation penalties apply for reservations to be paid by Gift Certificate.

If, at any point, you have any questions about our products or the use of our online gift shop, please call us toll-free at 1-800-233-0449.

Zesty Chorizo Omelette: A unique frittata-style gourmet omelette with sautéed chorizo, shallots, garlic, roasted red bell peppers, and potatoes. Garnished with micro cilantro and cherry tomatoes.

Savory Abelskivers: The latest take on our popular spherical Danish pancakes. These are stuffed with orange & basil-infused ricotta cheese; served with ground-mustard hollandaise and a sprinkling of bacon bits.

California Benedict: A non-traditional "bene" with fanned avocado, crispy greens and tomatoes tossed in balsamic and oil, and a perfectly poached egg, sitting atop a crispy toasted sliced bagel. Finished with salsa-cremoso, lime, and cilantro.

Laguna Egg Rolls: Not what you're thinking. A blend of eggs, sautéed garlic, shallots, potatoes, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, chives, and avocado, is rolled into a won ton wrapper and pan crisped. Garnished with mixed crisp cabbage & shaved carrots.

Just Peachy Waffle: Our waffles are a long standing Casa Laguna favorite that change with the season. The current version starts with a vanilla waffle, accompanied by peachy vanilla-bean whipped cream, a fan of peach slices, and raspberry coulis.

Starving Artist Breakfast: Not into gourmet fare? Need something a bit more hearty? How about three eggs done your way, 2 slices of bacon, 2 link sausages, and choice of seasonal vegetable hash or Wine Country Potato Hash.

Wine Country Potato Hash: Potatoes are minced and sautéed with cumin, chili powder, & garlic powder. The pan is deglazed with red wine and the potato mixture is then tossed with Panko bread crumbs and the wine reduction before it is pressed into a ring for shaping and serving.

Seasonal Vegetable Hash: Our popular vegetable hash changes with availability & the chef's whim.

And, of course, we always offer our celebrated house-made Vegan Muesli containing dried fruit, coconut, oats, and molasses. White or Wheat Toast with Jam and/or Applewood Smoked Bacon are available as sides. We honor all requests for egg-white breakfasts and will do our best to accommodate other special diet orders. Casa Laguna is a strong supporter of the Slow Foods Movement and of local organic farmers.

Those of you who have read our reviews before know that I don't eat fish of any kind. Therefore I rely on my husband to provide feedback on restaurants who specialize in seafood—and he was very excited when I told him it was time for Casa Laguna to review the new Katsuya Laguna Beach. But the great thing about Katsuya is that, while they do specialize in sushi, sashimi, and a wide range of seafood, they also have something for everyone—and not just one or two items like many fish-oriented restaurants.

I first have to say that we were so lucky to have Kendall as our server. When you go to a new restaurant—especially one as eclectic as Katsuya—you sometimes feel like a stranger in a strange land. Kendall immediately made us feel comfortable by explaining the way most people enjoy Katsuya's varied menu. Much of what they serve consists of small plates, and Kendall suggested that we take our time and move slowly through the menu, ordering what we want, when we want. She made a few recommendations and gauged our reaction to her suggestions, then adjusted her guidance accordingly. I started with a variety of Robata (grilled appetizers) including beef-wrapped asparagus, maitake mushroom, and grilled red onion.

On Kendall's recommendation, my husband ordered baked crab handroll and delicately sliced Halibut Usuzukuri sashimi (right). We both raved about the flavor and quality of everything we had. I have to admit that the presentation of his sashimi plate was quite beautiful.

We usually rely on our iPhone for photographs, but it was a bit too dark in Katsuya and most of the images, including an otherwise cute shot of us with Kendall, were too grainy to use.

As my main course, I chose Kobe Tobanyaki—bits of tender Kobe beef on a bed of wild mushrooms, served on a sizzling iron plate. Kendall suggested Miso Marinated Black Cod (left) for my husband, and it arrived exotically displayed on a long brown leaf. (We were so caught up in our delicious food and enjoying our conversation with Kendall that we forgot to ask what kind of leaf it was.) I'm not a big eater, but I polished off my generous serving of Kobe with no problem—it was just too good to give up. Once again my husband raved about the wonderful freshness and flavor of the seafood. He said that the miso marinade gave the cod a wonderfully intense and unique flavor that was simply amazing.

Katsuya is what we judiciously call a high-end restaurant. I say judiciously because $270 per couple for a meal in Orange County is not considered outrageous for many residents. This is not to say you have to be wealthy to go to Katsuya and enjoy a wonderful meal. And, we must quickly add that the quality of the food and service makes it worth every penny.

Every silver lining has a cloud, and for Katsuya, it is bad acoustics. We always try to schedule our review meals as early as possible in the evening so that we can experience all the restaurant has to offer in an unhurried manner. Even with no other patrons in our section of the restaurant, we had to shout at one another across the table to be heard. As more and more customers arrived, the din became insurmountable. And it wasn't just us who thought so. Everyone around us complained to their dinner partners and to others nearby. This has much to do with the beautiful but overused hardwood that lines every inch of the interior.

Bottom line—Katsuya has really, really, good food, chosen from an extensive menu of classic and unique gourmet fare. And, perhaps we've just been lucky with servers lately, but Kendall was perfection, and it appeared that those around us were enjoying the same high quality service from the mostly very young and attractive service staff. It is possible that there are sections of the restaurant where the noise is not as bad as it is in the main dining area, but Katsuya is not, as far as we could tell, a place for a romantic dinner. And, finally, this is the location where Hush used to be, and it attracts the same upscale twenty-something bar crowd on weekend nights. If you don't fit into that category, we suggest you go early, especially if you just want to sit at the bar and have a drink and enjoy some small-plate Robata, sush, or sashimi.

Overall, we loved Katsuya, and it will no doubt become a favorite place to take visiting out-of-towners. We will definitely recommend it to our guests at the inn--with caveats regarding noise level and being sure to arrive early. Katsuya Laguna Beach is located at 858 S. Coast Hwy. Hours are Sun-Wed 5:30-11pm and Thurs-Sat 5:30pm-12am; and, they are open for lunch daily 11:30am-2:30pm.

Welcome to Casa Laguna's brand new website. This is only the fourth website design in the inn's 11-year history, and it replaces an all-Flash version that was cutting edge when introduced just six years ago. But, today, technology advances at the speed of nano-gnats and all-Flash-based websites are quickly giving way to clean, well-organized, and easily accessible HTML5 sites like the one created for us by Azaris Studios.

The concept of "below the fold" is gone. iPads and iPhones took care of that. You'll see that the pages are once again "page-like." Hey....that's what that scroll wheel on your mouse is for. Scroll up, scroll down, it's all there with a flick of the thumb.

The current version of our site is fully mobile-capable, and looks great on our iPhones, as is. However, a simplified, dedicated mobile version of the site will be up and running in a few weeks.

The first thing you'll notice about the new site is the big, bold photographs. Even if you know nothing about Casa Laguna, you'll quickly get a feel for our grounds, rooms, and amenities, in less than one minute, by watching the automatically repeating slide show on the home page. Like what you see? Scroll down just below the slide show and click one of the three representative photos that will take you to pages full of information about our comfy rooms, highly-acclaimed food, and soothing spa services.

If you're more of a visual person, just skip to the gallery page. Then sit back and watch the show. Within minutes you'll have a perfect picture of Casa Laguna's style and beauty. Ready to pull the trigger on a reservation? Just about anywhere you are on the site, there's an obvious "Check Availability" bar or button. Need directions to the inn? Click on over to the Contact page and type in your address. One click more and you have a map and detailed directions.

We sincerely thank Robert, Darryl, and the Azaris Team for giving us the opportunity to work closely with them on the design of the new site. They could not have been more obliging and open to our suggestions. We are already using their superb Vortex dashboard to make little tweaks, add photos, write this blog, and add even more personalization. (No, Vortex is not WordPress. Check out the link.)

We should also again recognize Matt and Mark, a.k.a. Jumping Rocks Photography, for the bulk of the photographs you'll see on the website. I wish we could give them specific credit for the individual photos they took, but that's just not possible. Check out this YouTube slide show to see the entire Jumping Rocks Casa Laguna Portfolio.

We hope you have the time to browse through the site and give us your feedback. If not, we know that you will make use of the site again and again in the coming years as you select your rooms, schedule a "Special," and/or make a reservation. Now, it's easier than ever to become part of the Casa Laguna family.

So what’s the catch? If you think about it a minute, you’ll quickly figure it out. A restaurant with all that going for it has got to be very, very popular. Having heard that Friday and Saturday nights are super-busy, we visited The Deck on a Tuesday night and arrived early enough to try their Local’s Only Grog & Grub specials. (Not a local? Don’t worry, everyone’s a local Monday-Thursday.) This “kinda-happy-hour” menu–served 2:30 to 5PM–includes selected $4 beers, $6 wines, $5 well/rocks drinks, and $7 Mai Tais and Margaritas.

The $8 Grub menu has a nice variety of nine items ranging from a huge, luscious cheeseburger to chicken pasta pomodoro, and a wide variety of seafood dishes. After seeing the size of these dishes being served at nearby tables, I opted for Pita Bread with tapenade and hummus from the regular appetizer menu, while my husband went for the coconut shrimp special, which included Asian noodles and sweet chili sauce. (As I said, for small eaters, a meal onto itself.)

But what about on weekends, when the local menu isn’t available? Many of the appetizers on the regular Deck menu are essentially small plates, perfect for light eaters or an early hold-me-over. And the appetizer prices ($6-$14) are still very reasonable for what you get. Entrees range from a $14 Burger to $39 Paella for two.

I chose the flatiron steak with warm potato salad and green beans. It was well-prepared and delicious—and arrived at the breezy table still surprisingly warm. There’s lots of seafood to choose from of course, but this time my husband surprised me by selecting the Surf & Turf Kebob—comprised of filet mignon, shrimp, and veggies on a bed of cous cous. He also loved the flavors and presentation, and only had a small complaint about one of the pieces of filet that was a bit chewy and ended up being the only thing left on the plate.

Our server, Jackie, was perfection—not only because she was friendly and attentive, but also because this tall, tan, blond in a sea-blue beach dress looked like she just came up from the sand to take our order, which added to the atmosphere. All the staff are dressed in casual but identifiable resort-style “uniforms” (for lack of a better word), and you’ll see patrons in everything from t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops, to dressier sportswear and deck shoes. The equally friendly and accommodating manager on duty, Stephanie, stopped to chat for a moment, and told us that those who want to get a good seat need to arrive early, especially on weekends. Those who arrive at 7:30 for the 8:00 sunset are probably going to be disappointed. Sorry, no reservations after 4:30.

The Deck on Laguna Beach is open for lunch from 11:00 A.M. Lunch, dinner, and cocktail service is also available in the beachfront cabanas that can be rented for gatherings, meetings, or private rendezvous. The Deck website is still a little sparse on information, and clicking to make a reservation will get you the Open Table link for the Beach House, so call the restaurant directly at 949.494.6700 with questions or reservation requests. The clearly marked entrance to The Deck is just past the Beach House at 627 Sleepy Hollow Lane, one-half block off Pacific Coast Highway.

We give this beachfront deck restaurant two suntanned thumbs up for getting it right in every way.

The Common Table’s preliminary menu shows that Chef Adams has retained a few of our Sorrento Favorites, like Mushroom Risotto, Daily Flatbread creations, Rib eye Steak, and the luscious Crème Brulee Bread Pudding; but, for the most part, the menu will undergo a major change. Small ($2-5), medium ($6-15), and large ($14-28) plates will be offered. We’re particularly anxious to try the Veal Cheek Shepherd’s Pie, and the very Southern-sounding Pork Deckle, served with greens and black-eyed peas, and cider-mustard gravy. All in all, the menu we saw was eclectic, with a good balance of familiar and unique dishes. No bar menu was included and we have to say (with tongue in cheek) that our favorite martini not being available could be a deal-breaker. The Common Table should open sometime in September—we’ll keep you posted.