Taking a Dip at Splashes

Splashes at the Surf and Sand Resort

1555 South Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

I do not take advantage of the beautiful coastline of Orange County nearly enough. I realize this almost every time that I drive to one of our beach cities, and can visually see the water through my dusty windshield. The picturesque ocean view always takes my breath away. I'm always thinking to myself, why am I not down here more often. Then I remember that I'm part of the pasty posse. The sun and I do not mix too well, as my snow white skin usually burns in about ten minutes of exposure. Katie's right there with me, so it seems the only time we make it to experience the beach is when we get the chance to dine at the shore, which we had the opportunity to do recently at the Surf and Sand Resort in beautiful Laguna.

Every time we are at this beach front resort, we are instantly transported into vacation mode. You can honestly feel the stresses of your workday wash away with the tide. We were invited to this sun kissed resort to meet their new, or I should say, new to us chef, Chef Ron Fougeray, who has the pleasure of working in this beautiful paradise. With views like this, I wouldn't get much done, but I'm generally a lazy person.

Chef Fougeray comes to us from Philadelphia, where he built up a pretty impressive resume. After graduating from culinary school, Chef Ron went through a snow storm to meet with famous chef, Georges Perrier of Le Bec-Fin, and agreed to work for free for him, just to get a start in the business. Three months after that he was hired, and worked every station in the restaurant, until the business was sold six years later. He then moved on to another French restaurant, the critically acclaimed Bibou BYOB, where he would be named Executive Chef in 2013, and win a whole host of accolades, including being named a finalist for a James Beard Award as Best New Restaurant. Alas, he would leave this prestigious position as a promise to his OC raised wife, that they would move back to her beloved Orange County, and the much more cordial weather.

Philly's loss is the Surf and Sand's gain, as he took over the kitchen almost a year ago. His predecessor at Splashes was more Asian influenced culinary wise, while Chef Ron is of course much more trained in the French style of cooking. This has lead to a complete overhaul of the menu at Splashes, which has been a big hit with the guests of the resort and the locals that flock here for stunning views and world class cuisine. They were going to be featuring Chef Ron's Summer Menu on this evening, which all of us food media were all looking forward to experiencing.

I couldn't resist adding a few more pictures of the spectacular view we experienced. We did get cheated of a sunset because the clouds rolled in, but beautiful nonetheless. We were met with a glass of wine, and situated on a patio right above the pool deck. It took every ounce of my being not to strip off my clothes and join the other vacationers having a great time in the water, but I knew I had some eating to do on this evening.

When I was growing up, I would have never have guessed that Brussels sprouts would be as big as they have gotten. I never really had a bad association with them like a lot of my friends, because my mom never made them. These are not your mother's Brussels Sprouts ($17). They came with a lighter touch than most restaurants deliver, with a splotch of cranberry puree streaking across the plate, along with lardons, dried mulberries, and a watermelon radish julienne. I really liked this summer version of this classic veggie side item. Of course I could have handled more lardons in this, but those little pieces of pork made themselves known, and still allowed the Brussels sprouts to be the star of the show. I was not even bothered by the inclusion of fruits with vegetables like I usually am. A very nice dish with a good array of textures, which kept me interested.

Not on the summer menu, but I think Chef Ron wanted to show off some of the things he picked up on a working vacation he recently took to France with the other JC Resort chefs. This Salmon dish had us all smiling. The salmon was rubbed with peppercorns and espresso grounds, and came with a mustard-mango sauce and a fresh herb salad. The salmon was cooked wonderfully, and the rub did not overpower the natural flavor of the fish, but enhanced it. I liked the sauce well enough, which is a big statement considering I'm not really into mustard or mango. Look for this to make an appearance at Splashes soon, if we have anything to say about it.

Back to the summer menu, and when you think of summer, soup is probably not something you think of, but at Splashes they offer this Chilled Cantaloupe Soup ($15). This is prepared table side, with a dramatic flair which I always enjoy. Little bits of duck prosciutto and mint oil join an orb of melon sorbet, as a cantaloupe and honeydew soup is poured over the top. Unique flavor profile, and refreshing are what came to mind when I ate this. I'm not really into melons, but I think the duck and mint oil kind of softened the sweetness here, and made for a lovely chilled soup that can be enjoyed fully once the temperatures reach the triple digits in a month or so.

Ahi has really hit the mainstream, as you can now get it in any strip mall across OC, but not as fresh and delicious as this Ahi Tuna Crudo ($19). Chef Ron adds a whole slew of items to these dice sized tuna cubes; cured black olives, jicama, raspberry vinegar, mustard oil, cucumber, and an excellent avocado mousse. It's not overly dressed, and the avocado mousse really comes through at the most opportune times.

Lastly, we are just steps from the ocean, so of course more seafood was needed for our last savory item of this evening. This Bay Scallop Ceviche was a fitting end to our evening at the Surf and Sand Resort. Good sized hunks of scallops were served alongside cucumber, radish, dill, celery leaves, citrus supreme, and verde jus. There were notes of citrus, along with a freshness that most restaurants seem to miss when preparing ceviche. I liked this reworked take on this classic dish.

Desserts are something special at Splashes, and we were lucky enough to finish with this Mango Meringue Tart ($13).  I'm always partial to non-fruit desserts, but this dessert might have shown me that there is some merit to non-chocolate desserts. This tart had three distinct layers to it.  The mango puree was sandwiched by a praline crumble on the bottom, and a very well done and eye pleasing meringue topping this. Not overly sweet, but you knew you were having a dessert item.

This was just a sampling of what Chef Ron has in store for his guests when they visit the Surf and Sand Resort. The Grilled Lamb Loin, Duck Breast and Halibut are on my radar for the next time we eat at Splashes, but I'm sure Chef Ron will have some nightly specials that may entice me as well. Perfect for out of town guests, or locals who want to take advantage of where we live, Splashes at the Surf and Sand will not fail to delight.

For more information about the Surf and Sand Resort and Splashes Restaurant, click here: http://www.surfandsandresort.com/splashes/

A Little Bit of Paradise Here in OC

Splashes at the Surf and Sand Resort

1555 South Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

This summer overall has not been crazy hot, except for the last month or so. The last few weeks have become unbearable. I really shouldn't complain, with all the flooding that has gone on in Colorado, and the tornadoes that have touched down in the Midwest, we in California have had it pretty easy. Only a few weeks of 90 degree weather, as compared to what the rest of the nation goes through all year round, we got it easy. Even though I should be thankful we don't have to go through what the rest of the US goes through, I was still excited when we were invited to come down to the Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna to meet their new chef, get a sneak peek at their new Fall menu, and of course escape the blistering heat inland.

You could not ask for a more beautiful setting than the Surf and Sand. When we got out of the car, I told Katie it instantly felt like we were on vacation in a tropical paradise, instead of just being fifteen miles from home. We were ushered to the pool area, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Wow, what a view. Chef David and his team were busy preparing last minute details on the food we were going to be having, so we made a beeline for the bar, to try the two new cocktails at the Surf And Sand.

The first cocktail I tried was the oxymoron named, New Old Fashioned. This take on the old standard drink of are elders, got new life at the Surf and Sand. This version uses Hudson Bourbon and Koval Honey Chrysanthemum Liqueur, which is aged in an oak barrel for 2 to 3 months, then is combined with muddled sugar, bitters, orange, cherry, lemon, and soda water. The result is a not too sweet cocktail, which is refreshing, but not too strong. I am not much of a bourbon drinker, but all the fruit helped to neutralize the bourbon taste for me in this drink. A very solid drink for the bourbon drinkers out there.

As much as I liked the New Old Fashioned, this Pamplemousse Fizz was more to my liking. This drink started with a base of Hendricks Gin and Pamplemousse liqueur, which is also aged in a barrel for two months. It is then muddled with mint and grapefruit, then topped with soda and a lemon twist. This is a drink that could get me in some trouble. It went down way too easily. I could easily imagine having a couple of these by the pool at the Surf and Sand.

As I quickly downed my second drink, Chef David Fune was just about ready with everything. Chef David recently came aboard at the Surf and Sand Resort as their new Executive Chef of the property, including the critically acclaimed Splashes Restaurant. Chef David comes from San Diego, where he worked at the Hotel Del Coronado. He also had stints at Pechanga, as well as his latest gig before the move to Splashes, as Executive Chef at the Temecula Creek Inn. As if that was not enough of a resume, Chef David has also appeared on the TV show, "Chopped", one of Katie's favorite shows. The show aired in June, and I do not want to give anything away, but he did do pretty well. He welcomed us, and told us a little about what he is trying to do at Splashes. He really loves local flavors, and describes his food as simple and fresh coastal cuisine. After getting to know Chef David, I was very excited to see what he had planned for us.

As soon as Chef David was done talking, it seemed like everyone headed straight to this Wild Mushroom Flatbread. This was definitely a favorite of almost everyone in attendance. This flatbread was topped with tallaggio cheese, mushroom duxelle, and an onion veloute. I learned two things about this dish when I got home, and found the answers on Google. Duxelle is finely chopped mushrooms, and the onion veloute was the cream sauce on this flatbread. I acted like I knew what I was eating, but I really had no idea until I looked it up later. Hopefully I acted like I knew what I was doing on this night. I know my secret will stay safe, since none of my fellow food loggers ever read my blog. This was a very good flatbread. Very crispy, the mushrooms provided an earthiness, and the toppings were very subtle and fresh.

Since it has been so hot lately, the last thing I expected to enjoy was soup. That was until I tried this Charred Eggplant Bisque. This was topped playfully with a crumble made from everything bagels. I am not a big eggplant lover, but this had a very comforting smokiness that really brought to mind the fall season. Not too salty, and a very smooth taste. This was another favorite of all in attendance.

It seems like everywhere we have been lately, there has been ahi on the menu. This was also the case here, with this Ahi Mi Cuit. Of course this had me rushing to Google as well, and I learned that mi cuit means semi cooked. I guess I should have took French in high school. This ahi was joined on the plate with pickled pear, onion, and a quail egg. The ahi was very fresh, and the accompaniments did not get in the way of the flavor of the tuna. For me, the other items on the plate were really just about textures, adding some crunch to this. I was also a fan of the presentation with this one, a lot of attention to detail.

My absolute favorite item of the night was this Pork Osso Bucco. I could not contain my glee with this plate, as I had three helpings of these. The pork was fall off the bone tender, with an almost pot roast type flavor. The sauce was a very rich Parmesan broth, and the pork was paired nicely with giant white beans, spinach, and pinenuts. Comfort food for the coming cooler weather. I will definitely be back for this item, so good.

As much as I loved the pork, I was not so enthralled with Chef David's version of Lasagna. Maybe because when I hear the word lasagna, I expect red sauce, pasta and meat. Chef David's interpretation was a little different. He started with Belgian endive as maybe the pasta, then used walnut butter and white bean chevre mousse as the sauce, and finished it with langoustine as the meat. I guess all the components are there, but I expected a little more from this dish. The flavors were way too subtle for me, and when I heard there was lobster in this, I could not recall tasting it. This was definitely not the dish for me.

Desserts are not to be missed at Splashes, as evident from this Maple Cheesecake. This is not just your standard, run of the mill cheesecake. This had a lot going on with it. The cheesecake starts with a base of graham cracker crust, then includes an apple bacon confit, a bourbon apple puree, and is finished with a walnut Parmesan tuille, which is a small curved cookie, (I had to look that one up too). I am pretty picky with cheesecake, because some can be dry and chalky. This was not the case here. The cheesecake portion was smooth and moist, while the maple definitely shined through. The bacon added just enough saltiness to balance out this dessert. I also was a fan of the torched top of this cheesecake.

As the sun set into the Pacific, it was nearing time to leave the Surf and Sand Resort. Our three hour vacation in paradise was wrapping up. It would soon be back to the real world; battling traffic down PCH, getting ready for work the next day, and of course, living with the 90 plus degree temperatures again. It was great meeting Chef David, as he has appeared to bring new life into the food at Splashes and the Surf and Sand Resort. I talked with a few of the people helping prepare the food on this night, and they all really love working with him, and like the direction that the kitchen is going. If this little taste of their new fall menu is any indication, I would say that I am very happy with it as well. Can't wait to come back to Splashes and the Surf and Sand Resort, and have another vacation for a few hours soon.

We would like to thank everyone at the Surf and Sand Resort for the wonderful service that they provided us on this night. Even though we were only miles from home, you guys made us feel like we were on vacation, without a care in the world. We can not thank you enough for that. We would also like to thank Chef David Fune, for taking the time to answer all of my questions, and share his passion for what he does. Lastly, we would like to thank Lindsay Weightman, and the entire J Public Relations team for thinking of inviting us to this great event. We really had a great time.

For more information about the Surf and Sand Resort or Splashes Restaurant, go to their web site here: http://www.surfandsandresort.com/ 

A Little R and R at the Surf and Sand Resort

Splashes at the Surf and Sand Resort

1555 Pacific Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Do you dream of being lulled to sleep by the waves rolling over the shore? Do you long for a place that washes away the troubles of your day, just by enjoying the view from your seaside table? Want to get away from it all, even if it is just for one night, or one meal? Luckily, Katie and I got to experience this, thanks to McCue Marketing Communications and The OCeanfront.

The setting could not have been more perfect as we rolled in straight from work. The traffic we battled to get to the Surf and Sand Resort was just a mere annoyance after our first glimpse of the views from the legendary Laguna Beach hotel. We were lucky enough to be invited to a Seafood BBQ poolside, but first we got to tour the rooms, let's take a look.

The rooms at the Surf and Sand have recently gone through a $3 million renovation. They now feature a California coastal theme, modern lighting, and  marbled entryways. The suite we toured had a very relaxed feel to it. I usually always focus on TVs when I enter a hotel room, and here I am not even sure if they have a TV,  wonder why?

Oh yeah, I probably did not notice the TV, because of these great views. I did check the Surf and Sand web site and they do have TVs in their suites, but why would you waste your time with them when you have this view staring back at you?

After the tour of the suite, it was off to the poolside BBQ. Of course the surroundings were gorgeous. There was even a couple getting married on the beach below us. I am not sure if it was the ocean air, or if I am just always hungry, but I was ready to eat. So let's checkout what was prepared for us.

Starting us off was the Roasted Corn Salad. This salad not only featured corn, but tomatoes, olives, and peppers, among other items. The result was a fresh tasting salad, which was light, and combined flavors and textures well.

Chef Armstrong, of Splashes Restaurant located at the Surf and Sand Resort, offered up two kinds of Ceviche for us to try. The green one, was a ceviche made up of local fish. This one had a real mild taste, and the green sauce, whatever it was made of, was very smooth. The more traditional ceviche was a lot more what I am used to when I think of ceviche. This one had a little more bite to it, which really brought out the seafood.

Katie was of course pleased to see Grilled Shrimp Skewers in the buffet line. The shrimp was very good, and when paired with the Grilled Pineapple Salsa, really made a winning combination.

The star of the show this night for me was BBQ Octopus. I really could have eaten the whole plate by myself. I was not shy having two servings of this. I had never had octopus served this way before, and hopefully this will not be the last time. The octopus was a little chewy, but not like you would expect. The seafood flavor definitely was present, and the sauce this was served with paired up nicely. Very well done.

We were also served Grilled Red Snapper, pictured here with more octopus of course. This mild tasting fish was nice and flaky. A little on the mild side for me, but Katie really enjoyed this.

For dessert we were given the option of three desserts, so of course I had to try all three. The S'more Tart was my favorite out of the three. I really enjoyed the playfulness of this, and it really brought to mind my childhood, sitting on the beach, cooking s'mores. The White Chocolate Bavarian Shooter was very smooth and light. The Savory Apple Tart was good, but I did not get a lot of apple flavor out of this.

This was really a great night, with great food, and awesome people. It was really nice catching up with bloggers I have already met, Kat, from Kat's 9 Lives and  Holly, from the Endless Supper, as well as bloggers I met for the first time, Michael, from South Bay Foodies and Priscilla, from She's Cookin. We all had a great time enjoying the food and atmosphere. Thanks also to Chef Jeff Armstrong for the wonderful dinner. We can not wait to come back and try his restaurant Splashes. Also, thanks again to everyone at McCue Marketing Communications, especially Sienna, Michelle, and Anne, for the invite.