Starfish Asian Coastal Cuisine

Starfish Asian Coastal Cuisine

Upon entering Starfish - the latest venture for local Laguna Beach resident and business owner, Nancy Wilhelm - I zone out and escape from busy Pacific Coast Highway where the cacophony of street cars buzz in my brain and the dusty funk of engine exhaust wafts through my nostrils. As I’m escorted past the hostess cubicle to my table, I find myself engulfed in a warm Shangri la and instantly my perception shifts from frenzied to peaceful-exotic as I anticipate the upcoming continental feast.

For her encore Nancy has succeeded in creating another alluring dining establishment with Starfish Asian Coastal Cuisine. Le Cordon Bleu graduate Chef Jarvis Yuan - a native San Franciscan reared by Taiwanese parents - is credited for confidently expediting dishes with his talented kitchen staff. Having spent many days of his childhood hanging out in his family’s many restaurants, Chef Jarvis confidently transports flavors from Southeast Asia to south Laguna Beach.

The setting of avant garde Asian inspired décor: thick padded-jade colored banquettes, shiny black lacquer furniture and Asian antiques, rekindles my memory of the wonderful dining establishments I visited in Southeast Asia. For an instant I consider a surreptitious pinch to my arm. Am I merely just minutes away from my home? Immediately I notice the pretty emerald colored glass tiles glistening from the horseshoe shaped bar where attractive mixologists cater to thirsty and equally attractive bar patrons. I gently shake the marbles in my dome grounding myself back to reality. A little voice in my brain confirms that I am in Laguna Beach and advises me to sit back against the comfy banquette and enjoy the culinary adventure.

Ahi poke, Korean style tacos, Vietnamese pho, garlic noodles and whole Asian style fish are merely a sampling of the many dishes I have enjoyed at Starfish. And that does not include the fabulous cocktails and dessert. I’m not quite sure where to begin!

Sichuan Yu Sang small Japanese eggplant is slow braised to tender perfection with house made sambal – Asian spicy chili sauce. I could have devoured this whole side dish alone had I not been forced to share with my dining comrades. A slow braising method reveals the rich deep purple hue of the eggplant and the sweet-salty and spicy combo triggered my greedy craving for more!

Starfish poke - small chunks of yellow fin tuna, crunchy pine nuts, micro shiso and tobiko caviar - is tossed with a hint of truffle oil and served with a side of taro chips. Traditional sesame oil does not over power this dish and the woodsy truffle oil blended with aromatic tiny shiso leaves is a nice gourmet touch.

The highlight of my dining experience at Starfish was the “fish of the day.” My dining group and I decided on the wok braised method. After all, woks are essential cookware in an Asian kitchen – it would have been sacrilegious not to eat wok fried fish. Choy sum (inner core of bok choy) cabbage, sweet Thai basil, black bean sauce, bits of sweet garlic and bright red Thai chilis are generously ladled over a whole slightly-crispy fish. In an interesting, non-traditional presentation, the fish seemed to “stand on its own” as it was methodically placed in a sculptured u-shape form on the plate. One of the servers offered to “filet” the fish and, needless-to-say, the server could use a little more experience filleting whole fish. But the flavor was lovely and I would not hesitate to order this dish upon my next visit to Starfish.

My first experience with the garlic noodles left me feeling less than satisfied due to the oil which had coagulated at the roof of my palate. Alas, never give up…every restaurant deserves another chance. Upon my third trip to Starfish, I ordered the wild mushroom garlic noodles. Third time was a charm as these noodles were prepared well with a blend of three types of exotic mushrooms, sweet basil and delicate noodles. One taste confirmed the over- dressing of oil problem had been solved although my dining partner complained that the ratio of noodles to veggies seemed a bit out of balance – he would have liked more veggies in the over abundant noodle mound.

I would gladly visit Sarfish solely to drink the specialty cocktails. A groovy libation is the Citrus Brynner made with Hangar One Citron Vodka, elder flower liqueur, white wine, grapefruit bitters and lemongrass. As I sip my refreshing aperitif, I remind myself of the medicinal benefit of lemongrass being a gentle degestivo and I take root looking forward to my upcoming dessert.

Those in the know appreciate my love for all things coconut – especially coconut cuisine! Therefore, at the conclusion of my savory meal it was imperative that I had my very own order of coconut panna cotta. To my delight I was served an over-sized portion of Bavarian cream layered with essence of exotic passion fruit. Although the consistency was a bit gelatinous, the flavors and creativity of this dessert was wonderful. I closed my eyes and savored each layer separately. As I enjoyed each individual flavor again I was reminded that Nancy, along with Chef Jarvis, had succeeded in transporting me – even for a brief repast – through the tastes, sights and smells of Asia at Starfish. Bravo!


Open Daily 4:00p.m.
Spirits, Beer & Wine

THE PRIDE OF LAGUNA - "TABU GRILL"

Fellow foodies out in blog land, I have unanimously decided that “Tabu Grill” in Laguna Beach is arguably one of the best restaurants in Orange County…if not in all of California! Yes, my friends, you heard it here! I am well aware that this statement is a matter of opinion but the well-recognized Zagat national restaurant rating guide has given Tabu Grill a rating of 29 out of 30 two years in a row (the highest rating was given to star Thomas Kellar’s French Laundry in the beautiful Napa Valley). Located on the hillside of Pacific Coast Highway in South Laguna Beach (near the Nyes Place intersection), Managing Partner and Laguna Beach resident Nancy Wilhelm oversees all the magic that is Tabu Grill. Nancy has guided the restaurant into utter success for the last six years and brings over 30 years of restaurant experience to Laguna Beach having assisted in putting Sorrento Grill (formerly Cucina) of Laguna Beach on the map. Along with the Executive Chef of Tabu, Kevin Jerrold-Jones, she is a breath of fresh air in a town where restaurants can easily become stifled due to lack of creativity, imagination and the sluggish economy. Laguna Beach is very lucky to have Nancy and Tabu Grill to tantalize our taste buds!

Upon entering Tabu Grill, with its Pacific Rim theme, I instantly felt a sense or warmth and coziness. The restaurant’s interior color hues of royal blue and dark green painted walls and the golden glow of the soft lighting created a cozy mood beckoning me to sit, rest and enjoy what was to come. The sexy lit umbrellas which hang upside down from the ceiling along with a lovely painting of a Polynesian goddess made me think of the tropics on a toasty summer evening. As quickly as I entered the restaurant I was at ease and ready to enjoy a lovely repast.

If you are interested in meeting new people and observing the kitchen staff perform their magic then request or reserve a seat at the counter. It is also a great way to chat up Chef Kevin or his staff asking them any questions you may have regarding your meal. Heck, you may even walk away with a few culinary tricks you can use in your own kitchen!

At the helm and doing a wonderful job of navigating Tabu Grill through the tumultuous rough waters of these economic times is Executive Chef Kevin Jerrold-Jones whose knowledge and experience range from the St. Regis to the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach. While most restaurants are struggling to attract and keep loyal customers, Chef Kevin does not seem to tussle with keeping his customer base due to his create innovative dishes and use of fresh ingredients which are always seasonal.

In my most humble of opinions the best dish on the menu is the 16 oz. “Angus Bone in Rib Eye Steak” plated on a bed of “Forbidden Rice Risotto”. A sexy concoction of firm yet creamy Black Bali Thai Rice (while dry, the rice is black in color but when moisture is added it cooks to a deep beautiful purple color), exotic mushrooms, caramelized onions and a creamy sauce, this entree had me begging for more (I am a glutton for a delicious grain dish). The steak was seasoned very well and cooked to perfection for my picky palate.

Seriously fellow foodies, it is extremely difficult for me to decide on a favorite dish at Tabu Grill since I find them all to be rather delectable. The seasonal soup of the day was the “Corn and Lobster Bisque” and it was better than good, it was great! The consistency was a velvety cream base that included smokey flavored lobster chunks, crisp sweet corn, tiny diced ham hock and purple potatoes. My mother-in-law with her sophisticated palate (she cooked for James Beard and Julia Child in her day) said the bisque was “ambrosia”…and yes, I must agree with her whole-heartedly.

Although I felt there were too many different flavors going on in my palate, the “Ahi” was interesting but very tasty. A compilation of Dungeness crab, avocado and stir-fried veggies is served atop a mound of sticky rice. What makes this dish very different is that the accoutrement's are little balls of “frozen dipping sauces” in the flavors of Soy Sorbet, Wasabi Frozen Yogurt and Pickled Ginger Ice Cream. I must admit that eating the Ahi with the frozen sauces created an interesting explosion in my mouth! I will definitely try this entree again upon my return to Tabu.

A light and refreshing starter is the “Tabu Style Yellow fin Poke”. The Poke was yummy and delicate with fresh diced mango, small chunks of avocado, mint and soy ginger essence. Although I have yet to savor it, the “Three Cheese Macaroni” is a favorite among diners along with Tabu Grill’s signature “Caesar’s Salad”.

Chef Kevin has just changed his menu to the new summer menu and one particular dish that perked up my senses was the “Colorado Double Lamb Chop” with oven dried strawberries and a champagne strawberry-mint gastrique. I have yet to try this dish but it sounds amazing with a combination of complex flavors and based on the many dishes I have had at Tabu Grill, this entree will be amazing I am sure!
To celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary (after all these years of matrimony they still like each other!) hubby and I took my in-laws to Tabu Grill. My spousal unit dug into his wine cellar and we all shared a 1999 Kistler Chardonnay and a 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild….they were absolutely exquisite on my taste buds (enough boasting)! In any case, Gretchen Andrews is Wine Director at Tabu Grill and I was pretty impressed with her nice variety of wines from many different countries (from Italy, Spain, France to the Russian River and Napa Valley in California). There is also a multitude of wines available by the glass including split bottles as well as various beer and ales.

I was assured by Nancy that Tabu Grill accommodates vegans and vegetarians alike with fresh made to order dishes. And, for those who are looking for great food at a great price from Sunday to Wednesday, Tabu offers a four course fixed price menu for a mere $35….reservations required.

Do not experience Tabu Grill without savoring some dessert! I have had many yummy taste treats at this fine dining establishment but one of my favorite desserts is the "Valrhona Chocolate Cake" with white chocolate ganache and house made ice cream. My dessert came with house made caramel ice cream and fresh berries...lovely!

With great food, a lovely setting, excellent service and a wide range of wines from countries all over the world, Tabu has earned every point Zagat has awarded them. I look forward to my return to Tabu Grill to experience the many other tantalizing items on the menu.

Cheers!


Open nightly from 5:30 p.m.
$25 Corkage fee