230 Forest
230 Forest Ave. (Pacific Coast Hwy.) 
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Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-494-2545 | Make Restaurant Reservations
| 230 Forest, located in the heart of downtown Laguna, is chef Marc Cohen’s flagship restaurant in OC. And while he’s gone on to open other locations under his less interesting Opah concept, Cohen’s talents still shine mostly brightly here even though his fusion cuisine does at times seem rather outdated. First off, this chic spot with its minimalist and artsy décor is usually abuzz with a crowd of locals who come to hang out at the tiny wine bar. For those who come to dine, there's a lively outdoor patio and the main dining room, which has some NYC sophistication with brick walls and ever-changing modern art work. For starters, try the rock shrimp or the ahi tartare with its accompanying papaya, wonton chips and a crab-and-wasabi caviar. There are also pasta bowls (lobster Alfredo, shrimp scampi), lots of seafood dishes (wild king salmon, day boat scallops), steaks, chops and always-on-the-menu baby-back ribs. The specialty martinis here are seriously potent, so be careful when ordering up a second round. The wine list hits some good notes, mostly from well-chosen California producers. |
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