THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cafe Del Rey Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cafe Del Rey Restaurant Review:

Under the sun, the spectacle of the ballet of boats in the Marina captures one’s attention, while at night, the masts of the yachts mimic the trees of a maritime forest. In the lounge, drink in hand, savor the magical moment when dusk slowly fades the colors. It’s then time to discover the dining room with bold blue accents that reflect the ocean, its size doubled by an enclosed semi-outdoor area for private parties. A setting so close to the water calls for enjoying the raw bar that includes oysters, chilled prawns and salmon carpaccio, and even American caviar and a beef tartare. Start with a nicely presented beet and burrata salad topped with lamb’s lettuce and Marcona almonds, and seasoned with Jerez vinaigrette; or the Dungeness crab cake composed with corn, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro. The truffle pizza has become a classic; and, while in season, opt for the soft shell crab. We strongly suggest you indulge in the seafood selections among the entrées, such as the seafood paella where the rice is replaced by saffron couscous and is flavored with coconut milk; and the scallops in red wine fig sauce accompanied by house-made sausage, roasted figs, mâche and charred leeks. Chef Chuck Abair has done a commendable job with his barramundi recipe: he keeps the grilled skin and sets it on a bed of shaved fennel, tangerine, Brussels sprouts and basil aïoli. A good meat dish would be the Wagyu New York strip in a verjus sauce paired with a cauliflower gratin. If you can’t do without a burger, there’s a version made with lamb sandwiched in a house bun and given a Moroccan treatment with harissa (North African hot paste) spiced french fries and toned down with sheep’s milk cheese and tzatziki yogurt to make it lighter. Desserts span from a maple berry pie to a chocolate tower which we’re still not sure if it’s good or just different. Rather than trying to encompass the whole world, the intelligently structured wine list focuses on the prestigious cellars of California and France, offering a comprehensive range of choices in whites and reds from Napa and Sonoma to the Loire and Rhône Valleys.