Dining out in Laguna Beach
Laguna’s New Lunch Star
Patrons can now enjoy the popular Asian coastal menu for lunch.
Starfish’s menu has many different scrumptious Asian options to tempt its diners. Luckily, now Starfish has added a comprehensive midday menu, answering the call for more exciting business lunches in town.
The new lunch menu includes all dinner menu items, with a few notable daytime additions, including Broiled Shiro Miso Salmon, Cambodian Cucumber Salad, Peppercorn Crusted Ahi Tuna Tataki, Wild Mushroom Garlic Noodles and Wok Thai Chicken. Variety like this pairs well with Starfish’s unique drink menu—or if hurried diners prefer to take their food with them back to the office, they can.
Starfish’s convenient location on Pacific Coast Highway in a shopping center with ample parking instantly makes it one of Laguna’s very best lunchtime options. Lunch is served at Starfish from Wednesday through Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (30832 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-9200; starfishlaguna.com)
Taco Tuesday : Asada Style
Laguna’s newest Mexican restaurant now offers great food and drink deals on Tuesdays.
“We really weren’t going to do [taco Tuesday], and then we got so many requests! It’s really a good value—locals love it,” Asada owner Scott McIntosh says of his decision to add the popular midweek discount.
Every Tuesday evening, locals can look forward to Asada’s tacos and a cold drink at a nice little discount, including $2 chicken or short rib tacos, $3 filet or mahi tacos, and $4 shrimp or crab tacos. Sparkling champagne cocktails are $2 each, premium draft beers, house margaritas and glasses of house wine go for $4, and Cadillac margaritas are $6 a piece.
Taco Tuesday prices begin at 3 p.m. and go until closing. (480 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-5533; asadalaguna.com)
Rigatoni Done Right
Italian night just got a whole lot tastier with this fresh recipe. From Ky’a Bistro comes this land-based Italian delight.
Rigatoni With Sausage and Mushrooms
1 pound rigatoni
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ cup white wine
1 bay leaf
1 cup beef stock
2 cups half-and-half
1 ½ cups Parmesan
Method: Melt butter and sauté chopped onion for five minutes. Add sausage and cook together for 15 minutes. Add mushrooms and rosemary together, and cook until tender. Add white wine and bay leaf; boil until liquid evaporates. Add stock and cook until syrupy. Add half-and-half; cook together until slightly thickened. Add cheese and rigatoni, then serve immediately. Courtesy of K’ya Bistro (1287 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-376-9718; kyabistro.com).
Carmelita’s Broadway Debut
The family Mexican restaurant prepares to open in a prime beachfront location.
Carmelita’s is set to open its newest location along Broadway near the intersection of Coast Highway in early spring, building on the success of its three prior locations.
Founded in two Sacramento locations before landing in Rancho Santa Margarita, Carmelita’s brings an authentic Mexican menu to town, and aims to compete for tourist and local business near Main Beach and downtown.
Jesus Galvez, currently a manager at the Rancho Santa Margarita location, and the man slated to become the local restaurant manager upon its opening, says the new Laguna location “should be open end of February/early March.” He also says that the Laguna menu will be the same as the Rancho Santa Margarita location’s menu.
Carmelita’s is set to take over the former Crab Zone restaurant and fill a spot that was in the spotlight of controversy when Chipotle tried to set up shop in early 2011 and was denied outright by the city. (carmelitasrestaurants.com)
Cheers to Flavor
Fresh fruit mixed with the syrup of the beautiful hibiscus makes this the perfect drink of love—just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The unique sweetness of hibiscus mixes quite well with the tart flavor of key lime in this elixir.
Hibiscus Key Lime Cocktail
1½ parts vodka
½ part Cointreau
1 part hibiscus syrup
1 part pineapple juice
1 part hand-squeezed key lime juice
5 cubes muddled fresh pineapple
Method: Mix all ingredients together and strain into a tall collins glass, garnish with three floating key lime wheels.- Courtesy of Tommy Bahama (400 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-376-6886; tommybahama.com).
Dine Directory: Laguna Beach
American
BJ’s Pizza and Grill
280 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-3802;
bjsrestaurants.com
Broadway
328 Glenneyre St.;
broadwaybyamarsantana.com
The Cliff Restaurant
577 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-1956;
thecliffrestaurant.com
The Cottage Restaurant
308 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-3023;
thecottagerestaurant.com
Hennessey’s Tavern
213 Ocean Ave.; 949-494-2743
lumberyard
384 Forest Ave.; 949-715-3900; blumberyard.com
Royal Hawaiian
331 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-8001;
royalhawaiianlaguna.net
Ruby’s Diner
30622 Coast Hwy.; 949-497-7829; rubys.com
Splashes Restaurant and Bar
1555 S. Coast Hwy. at Surf & Sand Resort;
949-497-4477; surfandsandresort.com
Stonehill tavern
One Monarch Beach Resort;
949-234-3200; surfandsandresort.com
Tommy Bahama Bar & Grill
400 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-376-6886;
tommybahama.com
Tivoli Terrace
650 Laguna Canyon Rd.; 949-494-9650;
tivoliterrace.com
Tivoli Too!
650 Laguna Canyon Rd.;
949-494-6044;
tivoli-too.com
Belgian
Brussels Bistro
222 Forest Ave.; 949-376-7955;
brusselsbistro.com
California Contemporary
230 Forest Avenue
230 Forest Ave.; 949-494-2545;
230forestavenue.com
Café Anastasia
460 Ocean Ave.; 949-497-8903
Blue Laguna
696 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-376-2583;
bluelagunaoc.com
Cafe Zoolu
860 Glenneyre St.; 949-494-6825;
cafezoolu.com
K’ya Bistro Bar & The Rooftop Lounge
1287 S. Coast Hwy. at Hotel La Casa del Camino; 949-376-9718; kyabistro.com;
rooftoplagunabeach.com
The Loft
30801 S. Coast Hwy.
at Montage Laguna Beach;
949-715-6420;
montagelagunabeach.com
Madison Square & Garden Cafe
320 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-0137;
madisonsquare.com
Mosaic Bar and Grille at
Montage Laguna Beach
30801 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-6420;
montagelagunabeach.com
Nirvana Grille
303-101 Broadway; 949-497-0027;
nirvanagrille.com
Sundried Tomato
361 Forest Ave.; 949-494-3312;
thesundriedtomatocafe.com
Tabu Grill
2892 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-7743;
tabugrill.com
The Terrace
425 S. Coast Hwy. at the Hotel Laguna;
949-494-1151; hotellaguna.com
The White House Restaurant & Nightclub
340 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-8088;
whitehouserestaurant.com
Watermarc Restaurant
448 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-376-6272;
watermarcrestaurant.com
Caribbean
Eva’s Caribbean Kitchen
31732 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-499-6311;
evascaribbeankitchen.com
Chinese
Mandarin King
1223 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-8992
Continental
Dizz’s As Is
2794 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-5250;
dizzsasis.com
French
C’est La Vie
373 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-5100;
cestlavierestaurant.com
French 75
1464 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-8444;
french75.net
Studio at Montage Laguna Beach
30801 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-6420;
studiolagunabeach.com
Global Cuisine
raya
1 Ritz-Carlton Dr.; 949-240-2000
Sapphire Laguna Restaurant & Pantry
1200 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-9888;
sapphirelaguna.com
Italian & Pizza
Cucina Alessa
234 Forest Ave.; 949-497-8222
Gina’s Pizza
610 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-4421; 1100 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-4342; ginaspizza.com
Pizza Lounge
397 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-2277;
pizzalounges.com
Polina’s Salerno Italian Restaurant
220 Beach St.; 949-497-2600
Ristorante Rumari
1826 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-0400;
rumari.net
Romeo Cucina
249 Broadway; 949-497-6627; romeocucina.com
Ti Amo Ristorante
31727 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-499-5350;
tiamolagunabeach.com
Z Pizza
30902 Coast Hwy.; 949-499-4949; zpizza.com
Mediterranean
Picayo
610 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-5051;
picayorestaurant.com
GG’s Café-Bistro
540-108 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-9306;
ggscafebistro.com
Zeytoon Cafe
412 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-9230;
zeytooncafe.com
Mexican
Asada
480 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-5533;
asadalaguna.com
Avila’s El Ranchito
1305 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-376-7040;
avilaselranchito.com
Coyote Grill
31621 Coast Hwy.; 949-499-4033;
coyotegrill.tv
Laguna Feast
801 Glenneyre St.; 949-494-0642
La Sirena Grill
347 Mermaid St.; 949-497-8226;
30862 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-499-2301;
lasirenagrill.com
Las Brisas
361 Cliff Dr.; 949-497-5434;
lasbrisaslagunabeach.com
Olamendi’s
1100 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-4148;
olamendis.com
papa’s Taco
31622 Coast Hwy.; 949-499-9822;
papastacosinc.com
Taco Loco
640-1B S. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-1635;
tacoloco.net
Seafood
The Beach House
619 Sleepy Hollow Lane; 949-494-9707;
thebeachhouse.com
Claes ovation
425 S. Coast Hwy. at Hotel Laguna;
949-376-9283; claesrestaurant.com
House of Big Fish & Ice Cold Beer
540-200 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-4500;
houseofbigfish.com
Seafood/Steaks
Mozambique Steakhouse & Coastal Lounge
1740 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-7100;
mozambiqueoc.com
Rock’n Fish
422 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-497-3113;
rocknfishlb.com
starfish
30832 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-9200;
starfishlaguna.com
Specialty
Laguna Culinary Arts
845 Laguna Canyon Rd.; 949-494-4006;
lagunaculinaryarts.com
Sushi
242 Café Fusion Sushi
242 N. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-2444;
fusionart.us
Hapi Sushi
250 Beach St.; 949-494-9109;
hapisushi.com
katsuya
858 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-793-4030;
sbe.com/katsuya
O fine japanese cuisine
30872 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-5551;
ofinejapanesecuisine.com
San Shi Go
1100-303 S. Coast Hwy. (upper level);
949-494-1551
Thai
Laguna Thai by the Sea
31715 Coast Hwy.; 949-415-0924;
lagunathai.com
Royal Thai Cuisine
1750 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-494-8424;
royalthaicuisine.com
Thai Bros.
238 Laguna Ave.; 949-376-9979;
thaibroslaguna.com
Vegetarian
Zinc Cafe
350 Ocean Ave.; 949-494-6302;
zinccafe.com LBM
