Laguna Beach's Sorrento Grille ~ Artful Dining

My daughter, Emily, and I had an amazing “Girls Night Out” at Sorrento Grille Martini & Wine Bar restaurant in Laguna Beach. My 13 year old is adventuresome and loves to try out new foods. She was the perfect companion for this dining escapade.

Sorrento Grille is a lovely split-level restaurant full of charm and character. Recently remodeled, the décor is just remarkable. The totally cool atmosphere welcomes you as well as warms you. The warm tones and dark woods give this local landmark restaurant a very inviting and relaxed atmosphere.

Emily and I sat upstairs overlooking the diners below. We both love to see what beautiful foods everyone else is ordering and plan our selections accordingly. Our server was charismatic and so very knowledgeable. I asked him for a martini suggestion. He offered up the “Bees Knees” martini.

Oh boy! This martini lives up to its name. My great grandma would have been hollering her approval of these “knees”. The Bees Knees consisted of Oxley gin, lemon juice and agave nectar. This drink was a refreshing sipper for my entire meal. When ordering wines by the glass, notice they offer two serving sizes: a 6-oz. or 9-oz. glass. Ask your server for wine paring options. Nothing is as wonderful as a perfect glass of wine paired with your courses.

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My Wood-Grilled Heart of Romaine with Mediterranean relish and Caesar dressing was out of this world. The woodsy flavor added a unique twist to a classic salad. For my main course, I went for the seafood special. The delightful Halibut filet was served with a creamy asparagus risotto.

Its rich flavor, along with a beautiful presentation, made my entrée worthy of a spot on the daily menu.

From down below I heard the cappuccino machine purring away, so I just had to order myself a Decaf Cappuccino. Oh, the aroma of this frothy hot drink was dreamy – robust and subtly sweet.

With what little room I had left in my stomach, I ventured forth with the Bananas Foster with French Toast. This dessert was comfort food in its honest, down-home form. Creamy, sweet, warm and cool; the perfect conclusion to my terrific dinner.

And now, Sorrento Grille from a 13-year-old perspective:

This has been the first time I have accompanied my mother on one of her blogging adventures. I have to tell you, Sorrento Grille was the absolutely best restaurant I have ever been to in Laguna Beach! Even when I was the only person under twenty years of age in that entire building, I still had loads of fun talking and eating fantastic food with my mom.

For an appetizer, my mother had ordered the Wood-Grilled Heart of Romaine Salad and I, the Seared Rare Tuna ‘Nicoise’. Mine was a gently-seared tuna steak topped with fried quail egg and served with a small arugula salad, green beans, tomatoes and tapenade. This dish is very delicate, light and was a great starter to my meal. I’ve also never eaten a quail egg, let alone sunny-side up. My mom poked fun at me till my curiosity had gotten the better of me and I ate the quail egg whole (it was yummy, don’t worry).

For my main course, I chose the Roasted Wild Seabass. This plate came with herb-fried smashed potatoes, spinach, Romesco sauce, and almonds. If you’re wondering what on earth Romesco sauce is, it is a red sauce that contains paprika and other spices, adding a spicy, hearty flare to the light taste of the fish. I have to say, I also had never had seabass in my entire life up until that day. I was so glad that I tried this amazing fish over anything else on the menu. My mother had ordered the seafood special that I wish they put on their regular menu, for I tried some and it was also delicious and original. We also found out another weird, bizarre fact about culinary art. The green herb that topped our meals was the top of fennel also known as anise, simply diced up and sprinkled on top for artistic appeal.

Finally I’ve come to the best course: dessert. My mom had ordered Bananas Foster with French Toast and I, the ‘Avalanche’. When we asked how big the ‘Avalanche’ was, the waiter said “If someone said an Avalanche has covered a town in Switzerland, do you think it’s going to be small?” He was right. The ‘Avalanche’ was a chocolate cake topped with fudge, salted caramel ice cream, whipped cream, and peanuts. The Bananas Foster had caramel sauce topping it off with French toast and bananas. The ice cream, the manager said, was a salty caramel ice cream they had found at a local creamery and they just had to use it on their desserts.

Sorrento Grille is both an elegant and sea-side restaurant where both art and good taste combine.

Thank you Emily, for your first restaurant review. Nicely done!

Part of the fun of dining in Laguna Beach is getting there, finding parking and wandering around this quaint little beach community. Plan a little extra time around your night out. Take a walk around the shops or on Main Beach before or after dinner. Really immerse yourself in the cozy sprit of Southern California’s most charming beach city with the most artful dining!

Sorrento Grille Martini & Wine Bar is located at 370 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach. For more information and to make reservations, call 949-494-8686 or check out sorrento-grille.com . Reservations may be made online using Open Table.