Watermarc Restaurant & Bar ~ Laguna Beach

Watermarc’s charm starts with the amazing building in which it resides. 448 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach has long been the top dining destination in this quaint little beach town.

Laguna Beach has always been rich in history and charm. Now the restaurants of Laguna Beach have become part of that charm and are making history with distinctive and creative dining opportunities.

Map of Watermarc

For tonight’s dining event I was fortunate enough to bring my mother, Mary, out for a pre-Mother’s Day celebration. We both share a love for all things Laguna, as well as great foods and wines. Watermarc hits a home run on both: remarkable foods and stellar wines.

Once we were seated, both of us were blown away by the unique and mouthwatering menu. The first section of the menu is dedicated to “Grazing Plates”, which offers smaller portions of bursting-with-flavor dishes. You could make an entire meal out of a few of these petit servings.

I am a lover of Lobster Bisque. Whenever I spot it on a menu, it is a must-have for me. Watermarc’s Lobster Cognac Bisque with tarragon sorbet was jaw dropping good. This bisque was smooth with delicately creamy flavors, while the tarragon sorbet was just the perfect cool for between bites. Mary ordered the Sizzling Garlic Shrimp, which arrived at the table with a wave of sizzling garlic aroma. The sweet onion and fennel was paired with a hit of citrus making this dish truly stand out.

Watermarc has the most wonderful wine selections and a knowledgeable staff to help you pair your wines with your meal. They offer half glasses of wine, which makes it nice for sampling different varietals with each dish. More wine ordering options include full glass, half carafe and full bottles. Not to worry if wine isn’t your thing; check out the beer and creative martini selections.

When our main dishes arrived at our table, we were both thrilled with the presentation of our food. I have always been the girl who tries to order the prettiest food on every menu. I ordered the Fillet Three Ways: Oscar with lump crab, asparagus and béarnaise; Wellington with mushrooms and puff pastry; and Diane with peppercorns and a lovely brandy sauce. All three selections were out of this world. Too perfect to pick just one, I love that they offer you three tasty versions. My Mom was very happy with her festive Grilled Swordfish with olive tapenade crust. Our dinners were nicely sized portions with a lot of unique flavors. We also split an order of the Artichoke Risotto. Its rich, creamy flavor went perfectly with both of our dinners.

It would be a shame to not save room for dessert. Watermarc outdid themselves with their “Sweet Endings”. Mary tried the House Made Ice Cream Sampler. She chose three flavors out of the six flavors they offered. Her beautiful frozen plate was filled with salty caramel, toasted coconut-lemongrass and peanut butter ice creams. Each one was very unique and delicious. I vote for the Salty Caramel. On our server’s recommendation,

I went for the White Chocolate Macadamia Bread Pudding with Kahlúa anglaise and pineapple ice cream. Oh my, this yummy, tropical dessert really was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

There is a section on the menu with the simple heading: “Burgers”. Upon my return to Watermarc, I am most definitely ordering one of these amazing burgers. They are half-pound Angus chuck and you choose from these amazing toppings: Cheese (white cheddar, gorgonzola, gruyere or manchego), Burgundy (wild mushrooms and gruyere cheese), Burrata (Burrata mozzarella, vine ripe tomatoes and pesto), Duck (Duck confit, red onion marmalade, brie and aioli), Foie Gras (Foie gras, grilled pineapple and fig jam) or Surf and Turf (lump crab cake, asparagus and béarnaise). Now these are BURGERS!

Our evening out at Watermarc was marvelous. From the cozy atmosphere to the wonderful staff, Watermarc is the perfect dining destination in Laguna Beach. Whether it is a special occasion or you just want to stop by and enjoy their brilliant Happy Hour selections, make Watermarc your choice.

Watermarc is located at 448 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach. For more information, check out watermarcrestaurant.com or call 949-376-6272. Lunch is offered daily from 11:30am - 3:30pm; Dinner is offered Sunday – Thursday until 10pm and Friday – Saturday until 11pm. Online reservations are available through Watermarc's website and Open Table.

Don’t forget that the Watermarc family of restaurants also includes: 230 Forest Ave Restaurant and Bar in Laguna Beach, as well as Opah Restaurant and Bar in Irvine and Aliso Viejo.