Californian toasts champagne dinner

Chopping off a few flakes of a hideously expensive white truffle so he can sprinkle it on his signature Chilean sea bass, Chef Adam Navidi demonstrates for his observers in a sneak preview that the dinner he will serve tonight will be as decadent as it gets.

Navidi whipped up some exotic concoctions to complement various champagnes and showed them to reporters last week in a little taste of what will be on display at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa’s restaurant, the Californian. Navidi puts on his apron and chef’s hat at 7 p.m. tonight in a final toast to the 2006 series he has put together with a champagne-pairing dinner.

The dinner begins with a nonvintage Möet & Chandon’s White Star champagne that glides over the palate as only something truly delicious can. It’s fruity complexion makes it a great starter before savoring the semi-dry and dry sparkling wines further down the menu.

Served with Navidi’s specialty — the Kobe slider with some golden Boursin Dungeness crab pot and duck “bacon” — the hors d’oeuvres work well with the bubbly. For the vegetarians, there’s filo-dough pastry filled with porcini mushrooms that is as satisfying as it is tasty.

Next up is a flute of Veuve Clicquot Rose, a popular champagne with a slightly pink hue. It’s a complex, enticing champagne with a sharp finish.

Navidi offers a crusty shell filled with smoked salmon and avocado tartar sauce, garnished with California caviar and some potato blinis to go with the pink bubbly. There’s also some cantaloupe caviar for a little extra something with special mother-of-pearl spoons to scoop it up with.

While you are recovering from Navidi’s beautiful presentation of the salmon, the team introduces a 1999 Vintage Veuve Clicquot, Gold Label, with lots of acidity. The gold label champagne accompanies spiny lobster meat with a toasted brioche and 50-year-old balsamic vinegar.

But Navidi’s profiteroles filled with goat cheese, served with a roasted walnut vinaigrette and beet graffiti, would charm the socks off any wannabe vegetarian.

Although the champagne dinner is pricey at $185 per person, the sold-out success of three previous quarterly wine dinners is a testament to Navidi’s skill.

“The wine dinners have been such a hit, and I’m sure the champagne one will be even better,” said Toni Purry, Hyatt spokeswoman. “It’s a great treat for the holiday season.”

A 1998 Dom Perignon accompanies his signature Chilean sea bass with white alba truffle risotto topped with porcini mushroom froth while the Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec with an array of desserts is worth reserving some of your appetite for.

Then there’s the California chocolate trio comprising a Scharffen-berger chocolate molten cake, a Guittards white chocolate raspberry terrine and a Ghirardelli hazelnut chocolate mousse. All of the creations use Northern California chocolatiers. The desserts are accompanied by a cheese tray, Navidi’s favorite.

The Californian is a few steps away from the in-house Pacific Waters Spa, where you can start off the evening with a sea lavender massage that can come very close to sending you to heaven.

For more information and reservations, call (714) 845-4776.