News for the new year at Surf and Sand Resort

Glori Fickling

On the brink of a new year, it is a pleasure to report exciting new

happenings at the Surf and Sand Resort, where a whopping $6.5 million

renovation of the property is in the offing. Add to this, general

manager Blaise Bartell has just announced the appointment at Splashes

of food and beverage director, Gary Murray, in concert with executive

chef, Matthew McClinn.

A native of Scotland, the energetic Murray has impressive

worldwide associations in the hotel industry. His acclaim in the

restaurant realm embraces a career launched in the Scottish

Highlands, continuing on to Switzerland, then reaching across the

globe from Kuwait to Palm Springs and to Chicago, where the Four

Seasons Hotel was his a destination. His current position in the Surf

and Sand Resort follows tenure at St. Regis Resort in nearby Dana

Point.

The talented McClinn, who hails from Scottsdale, Ariz., has been

honing his culinary skills since age 15 when he was first attracted

to the industry doing odd jobs in local kitchens, ultimately moving

up the ladder to work with several prestigious chefs at eminent

domains.

His innovative approach to the culinary arts appears much more

intrinsically oriented than gleaned from a brief training stint at

the California Culinary Academy. Impressive, too, are McClinn’s

personal contacts with diverse epicurean sources, from which he

obtains prime ingredients for his many recipes. Tender Kobe pork from

Japan becomes kurabuta roast pork; sweet butter imported from

Normandy, France, is carved into tiny round cakes frosted with sea

salt and sprinkled with pink peppercorns to accompany with the basket

of bread.

There is some sort of magical rapport between these fascinating

entrepreneurs, each of whom complements the other as much in their

compatible sense of humor as in their definitive approach to just

what creative dining is all about.

For openers, to assure consistency, the dinner menu is now

seasonally oriented, rather than altered on a daily basis. The bill

of fare commences with an intriguing tasting menu paired with

suggested wines for each of five courses. Typifying McClinn’s

creative concept of appetizers is an awesome taste sensation

featuring a single plump poached Maine scallop nestled atop shredded

Kobe pork then posed on a slice of vanilla-poached persimmon.

Suggested wine is sauvignon blanc New Zealand 2004.

The salad course combines crisp shavings of celery root, apples

and walnuts in creamy black truffle vinaigrette with suggested Stags

Leap chardonnay 2000. Next is lump crab fricassee tossed in brown

butter with roasted chestnuts, Serrano ham and crisp potato gnocchi,

paired with pinot noir 2002.

A second entree stars confit of veal with marinated rapini, crispy

artichokes and parmesan cheese, a 2002 Merlot with this.

For a finale, velvety chocolate valhrona gateau enhanced with wild

strawberry gelato is complemented with Dow’s vintage port, 1994.

Tariff for all this bounty is $68 a person, add $45 with wine

recommendations.

The dinner lineup offers a half dozen main courses priced from $9

to $18. For starters, roasted chestnut soup is wafted with red wine

and crowned with a little scoop of truffle ice cream to swirl as you

ladle the broth to your lips.

Appetizers range from $9 for roast apple/parsnip soup with curried

pork confit to $18 for lobster salad with asparagus, parmesan

ribbons, white truffle honey and lemon vinaigrette.

Ten main courses commence with braised veal parmesan in lemon

black pepper risotto at $24, going to $36 for prime New York steak

with creamed spinach. McClinn’s innovative spin emerges again in

family-style dinners presented en casserole for three or more at $26

to $35 a person.

Current entrees are ginger poached lobster bouillabaisse with

tomato confit risotto and saffron rouille; and a roast bistro du

jour, which may be leg of lamb, beef stew or classic Stroganoff.

Beyond dramatic room renovations forthcoming, Murray’s inspired

design ideas promise delicious surprises for the opulent restaurant

and for the upscale cocktail lounge, provocatively perched atop our

sandy beach.

NEWS BITES

For anyone hoping to get back in shape after too much holiday

over-indulgence, executive chef James Boyce at Studio in the Montage

Resort and Spa is introducing a vegetable/herb tasting menu that

promises plenty of low-cal taste sensations all through the month of

January. The five-course dinner will be $80 per person, and $25 more

with pairings of nonalcoholic wines. Studio is open Tuesday through

Sunday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Phone: (949) 715-6000.

To learn more from Boyce, tune in to the “Today Show,” Jan. 12 on

Channel 4 and watch him demonstrate the art of creating deliciously

crisp fish tacos. The show will air from 7 to 10 a.m. and the segment

is scheduled for 9 a.m. For more information, phone Marguerite Clark,

(949) 715-6116.

* GLORI FICKLING is a longtime Laguna Beach resident who has

written restaurant news and views columns since 1966. She may be reached at (949) 494-4710 or by e-mail at ghoneywest@aol.com.