 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, so close you feel you could touch them, 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. Daniel Roberts is a seasoned chef who has mastered the Mediterranean gastronomic scales that he finishes with a California touch. He excels in those traditional, unpretentious dishes like veal saltimbocca seconded by prosciutto sprinkled with mozzarella on a bed of sautéed spinach in a light white wine, shallot and sage sauce, and accompanied by lemon ricotta gnocchis. Expectedly enough in such a seaside location, seafood (of prime quality) has the right of way all the way, from the starters (raw oysters, prawns, yellowfin tuna, fried squids, steamed mussels, crab cakes) on to the mains. Tuna is “Provençalized” in the good company of artichokes, fennel, olives and a delicate watercress purée. More sophisticated, Maine diver scallops are seared to the second to brown their top while keeping their inside moist and juicy, surrounded with grilled romaine wedges in a basil sauce with a touch of bacon vinaigrette. If you can’t do without a burger, there’s one 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 and tzatziki yogurt to make it lighter. Far from simple, the desserts of pastry chef Charles Yoder crowned our meal with their beautiful presentation and delicate fragrances, exuded by the chocolate crêpes with a dark chocolate mousse, berries in Grand Marnier and white chocolate shavings; the cardamom baked peach with a carob brownie, bacon (yes!) ice cream and caramel; and the kaffir lime crème brûlée and kiwi sorbet. A superlative conclusion. 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.
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Cafe Del Rey Restaurant is one of GAYOT's 2013
| Top 10 LA Beachside Restaurants
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Visit the photo gallery of Cafe del Rey.
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