Lofty Expectaions at the Loft

The Loft at the Montage

30801 S. Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, Ca. 92651

The girl in the picture above is my girlfriend's sister, Emily. Emily was turning twenty-one, and their family had a tradition of going to the Montage and having brunch for birthdays. Fortunately, I was off that Sunday and could tag along with them. I had never been to the Montage or any really high-end resort before, so I had no idea what to expect.

The service was phenomenal as we pulled into the driveway and valeted my car. Every person we came into contact with, from the valet to the wait staff, was there to ensure that our every need was met. I had never seen anything like it. The hotel's decor was contemporary and beautiful, like a model home, with everything in its perfect place. I had the feeling that this is how the other half lives.

The Loft is the Montage's version of a coffee shop. They serve a little bit of everything. We sat at 11, so we could choose from their breakfast or lunch menus.  After perusing the menus, this is what everyone got.

This is the banana bread on the house, compliments of the chef. It was a little dry and did not have much banana flavor. Not really a big hit with our table.

This is the Build your own Benedict with lobster. It had a good flavor, but the lobster was a little rubbery. They did not skimp on the lobster. There were big hunks on the plate.

Above is the house-made ricotta stuffed crepes with blueberries and lemon. This was probably one of the best-presented plates that arrived at our table. The taste, however, left a lot to be desired for me. I could not taste the ricotta and never got a hint of lemon. The crepes did have a good texture, but something was missing.

Now we go from one of the best-plated dishes to one of the worst. This is the Build an Omelet. They have twelve items that you could add to it, duck confit, prime rib, and rotisserie chicken.  The birthday girl decided on plain old ham and cheese omelet. Also served with a patty of potatoes, but when you are paying 22 dollars for this plate, couldn't they have added some garnishment to make the dish look less sterile. Not too many raves coming from our birthday girl on this one.

Next, we have the two eggs in any style. These eggs were cooked perfectly, but the hash brown patty was slightly overdone. Just needed a little something extra on the plate to liven it up.

Here is the Club Sandwich. Smoked turkey breast and heirloom tomatoes with Garlic aioli. I did not get a chance to try this, but Sara said, "It was pretty good!"

This is the Rotisserie Pulled Pork sandwich, with fries substituting for green papaya coleslaw. The sandwich had a lot of sauce, so it was difficult to taste the meat. The bun was great, though, very soft.

Lastly, my choice for brunch was Chef Black's Bistro Burger. When I saw this twenty-five-dollar burger, I knew I had to try it. The burger comes with black truffle butter, escarole and garlic, and midnight moon cheese. The first bite of this burger hit my mouth with many flavors, and it mellowed from there. It was cooked perfectly, maybe a little salty at first but still a decent burger. The fries were good, and the pickle slaw was just average, just rough cuts of pickles.

So my thoughts on the Loft? Have I had better brunches? Yes, I have. Do I feel that it is worth the money for what you get? No, you can get better and more food at half the price at most restaurants in the OC, but you are really paying for this place's killer view and atmosphere, along with the excellent service. So for a special occasion, where you want to feel pampered like Paris Hilton at a day spa, this could be the place for you. Just try to forget how much the meal is costing you.

So out of five silver spoons, five being best to zero, the Loft receives 3 silver spoons.

For more information about the Loft, here is their website: https://www.montagehotels.com/lagunabeach/dining/loft/