There are some restaurants where you simply must linger and savor the atmosphere, the finely-crafted food, and the leisurely pace of drinking and dining that so typifies European style. C’est La Vie in downtown Laguna Beach is just such a place. If you come here with an already-jaded palate dulled by slabs of cheap pizza or the latest over-promoted mishmash from Fast Food, Inc., you will be disappointed that you cannot immediately stuff your jowls, twitter your buds about the low-cost, and jet to your next unsatisfying destination. No. C’est La Vie is experience-dining for the connoisseur.
Does this mean — at Laguna’s bistro by the beach — that you need to be elite to eat? Mais non. It means you need to slow down to Euro time and pamper yourself with what must be described as “le classic,” whether its form is breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Just a couple of short blocks from The Greeter’s Café (which we’ll review shortly) along Pacific Coast Highway, C’est La Vie entices you into to its deceptively shadowy interior with a storefront display of freshly-baked pastries and breads that should already be making your mouth water. The hostess waltzes you past the showcase with its wafting aromas and sights that murmur “Dessert is a must” (even if you have to take it home for later). If you’re lucky and you’ve timed your appearance wisely to avoid crowds, you can ask to be seated upstairs out on the patio. Unlike many bistros al fresco dining, C’est La Vie’s does not thrust you on the sidewalk. Instead it gives you a breath-taking view of scraggly rocks, cliffs, palm trees, pale sandy-shore, and the sussurating waves of the blue Pacific Ocean. Beneath the table umbrella, sipping your cocktail — and they have all the best varieties, including champagne cocktails — and musing over what delectables the menu offers, your eyes will stray to the horizon and you can easily imagine you are sitting in Nice, or (lacking the throng of cruise ships) Cap d’Antibes, in France.
When it comes to Euro cocktail taste, the object is not to get rapidly hammered into oblivion with the potent, but to sip the soothing. We ordered a La Nina (which is basically the same as a French Martini – vodka, Chambord, pineapple juice, and lemon twist) and a similar concoction of vodka, Chambord, Frangelico, and cream (delicious!). The back-flavor and aroma of Frangelico is hazelnut and mixed with the cream was one of the more memorable cocktails I’ve tasted.
The menu is exclusively California French with various croques (sandwiches), quiches, pasta dishes, salads, entrees, etc. — and yes, for the Philistine who is no gourmet, even a French ‘burger and fries! We opted for matching monte cristos, which is a variation on the vintage ‘30s croque-monsieur — a cheese and ham sandwich which is batter-dipped and deep fried served with jam or preserves (we had strawberry). The first bite proclaimed “Now, this is how a monte cristo should taste!” The sandwiches are served with a healthy portion of penne rigate. The large, ridged tubular pasta is tossed with a subtle blend of finely-diced carrots, zucchini, parsley, and red onion, and lightly coated with olive oil and seasonings.
After a slow and sensual meal, comes the piece de resistance: dessert! At C’est La Vie, the desserts are displayed on the traditional large tray where a dozen or fifteen temptations vie for the remaining space in your tummy. Fruit glazed cakes and tarts, custard filled pastries, chocolate adorned delights, and a browned — very scentful –brick of warm bread pudding reclining on a pool of crème fraise: what to choose, what to choose!
We decided on the bread pudding and, believe me, this is not your mother’s pudding (unless of course she’s a Cordon Bleu graduate). It’s accompanied by a perfectly-sized scoop of rich vanilla ice cream and C’est La Vie’s signature shortbread cookie in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. “Yum!” hardly does it justice.
In conclusion, the next time you’re strolling the galleries in Laguna or boutique shopping there, hike yourself over to C’est La Vie for a memorable, slow, leisurely-paced California-Euro dining experience that will leave you sumptuously sated.
www.cestlavierestaurant.com
373 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA
It’s okay really, you know. You’re among friends. You can admit — entre nous — when you go out to dine, you want culture, too. Not fast food culture of plastic and fast fake smiles. You want the real stuff. Linen napkins, suave and genuinely friendly folk, maybe some light jazz or soft blues in the background, upscale, sophisticated conversation, and the solidity of old brick walls, crystal glass, a good wine list, and quality enticing food and desserts. If the weather’s fine, you want to sit out outside and watch the world pass by in its never-ending panorama. Bienvenue to bistro culture, cheri.
At Bistro 400, Pierre and business partner, Robert Fontes, treat you as if you’re a returning friend who is ready for some pampering in high style. And what tender mercies they dispense: mouth-watering Black Mussels (very big this year in culinary circles), Peppered Lamb Chops, Petite Osso Buco, and Pork Chop Dijonnaise (one of my favs!). Or if you’re in the mood for lighter fare, sip cocktails and dip into their new Artichoke and Bacon Melt served with bread rounds (delish!).
Thai Gulf is well-hidden in a small strip mall on Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach. Upon first arrival in the parking lot, you may initially be disappointed. It doesn’t look like much, but fear not, friends; you’ve just stumbled upon the best Thai food in Orange County. Outside, the windows are plastered with pictures of Thai food and advertisements of the dishes within that just don’t do them justice. But once you step inside, the garish HB strip mall quality is lost. The tiny corner shop has only 6 or 7 tables. The decor is nice, inviting and bright but the small LCD T.V. in the corner, permanently tuned to a Thai home shopping network, is a bit annoying. The owner is an amusing little man named John who seems to live to please his customers and the kitchen generally boasts only one cook at any given time. Show up anytime near the conventional lunch or dinner hours and you’ll be in for quite a wait. I’ve found that the best time to go is right around 11am on a Saturday morning or 8-9pm on a Saturday night. If you’re a regular, you’ll often be greeted with a pitcher of Thai tea, served a complimentary appetizer of soup and salad, some frozen fruit with housemade ice cream for dessert. Even if you’re not a regular, you’ll usually still get a free cup of soup and some green tea or coconut ice cream for dessert. And more often than not, you’ll be sent home with an armload of goodies.
