So if you follow along on my daily IG stories you know I’ve been no stranger to The Ritz Carlton resorts lately. I went to Half Moon Bay two months ago, then The Baccara last week and just got back from the one in Laguna Nugel here in Southern California. I guess when you find a hotel chain that you like, why not stick with it right. Well, aside from being a five star resort the best thing about them all have been the dining experiences. Now don’t get me wrong, theres an extra five pounds lingering on me and these pants sure don’t fit like they did a few months ago but how can you say no when the chef brings out all of their specialty dishes. I have ZERO I mean ZERO self control when it comes to good food, and especially if theres anything with truffle in it..oh and of course desserts too. So, here’s some food porn for you to drool over and hopefully you’ll make it to one of these restaurants on your next Ritz getaway.
Ritz Carlton – Half Moon Bay
We opted to have cocktails and a seafood platter out on the Ocean terrace the first night as it was a beautiful night to bundle up and watch the sunset. No complaints here on this amazing view and even better crab legs.
The second night was spent at their restaurant The Conservatory which was absolutely incredible. Seeing that I was in Northern California I felt like I had to stick to seafood, and i’m glad I did because these pan seared diver scallops with smoked carrot puree, chorizo butter and onion emulsion were to die for.
Ritz Carlton- Bacara Santa Barbara
Well, we may have gotten a flat tire on the drive which caused us to be stuck on the side of the highway for quite some time. Meaning we were absolutely STARVING when we finally got to the Bacara to check in. The bag of granola we shared on the drive didn’t exactly cut it for me. Not that i’m bashing you vegans but this girl needed some substance. One of my favorite perks of staying at the Ritz is getting club access which has bite sized melas and snack throughout the day…oh and great Pinot Noir. Now, i’m not going to lie, my girlfriend and I may have eaten every once of hummus they had in that entire resort. My girlfriend who’s the vegan ate every last once they had on the buffet morning and night. Funny enough they even gave her a togo box of hummus for the drive because it became a joke amongst us all.
Ok, lets get back to why we’re here…food pics.
After pigging out in the club lounge like two teenage girls getting home from a day at school we opted for dinner at their fine dining restaurant, Angel Oak.
I started with the Lobster Coconut Bisque which reminded me of a thai style coconut soup, with an extra element of lobster. When I tell you this was damn good, I mean it. After indulging in this rich goodness I ordered the Alaskan Halibut with a Macadamia Nut Crust. You cant go wrong with Halibut.
Ritz Carlton- Laguna Niguel
leaving the biggest meal for last. This may be the culprit for the extra five pounds, but i’m not complaining. It was WELL worth it. Hope you’re not too hungry cause your mouths about to start watering….better run to the fridge for some snacks, or better yet just make a reservation at your closest Ritz Carlton restaurant.
The first night was spent at Raya, their casual restaurant over looking the blue sea.
And if that wasn’t enough food for 24 hours of course I had to try Enosteak lets just say I now know what the meaning “Eat Like A King” feels like. The chef went above and beyond to make me feel like it was going to be my last meal on earth, and if it was my last meal, I’d be A OK with it. It was that good. After the 12th course I may have said differently, but i’ve had a day to digest and feel normal again. Pretty sure I did ask the waiter for a wheelchair to wheel me out after dessert.
Ok, Are you done drooling yet? That was just the appetizers….
Now on to the mains…
HERB CRUSTED SEA BASS with Black Garlic and Leek Fondue..and it was just as good as it looks.
SNAKE RIVER FARMS WAGYU RIBEYE CAP
Ive never seen this on a menu before, so of course I had to order it. Im not much of a red meat person but when there’s something this decadent you have to at least try it, right?
Lets not forget about the mouth watering, uber delicious truffle white cheddar pasta side dish and sherry wine mushrooms.
And this is where the pants had to be unbuttoned from utter fatness…but…..that didn’t stop me from devouring the best strawberry goodness Ive ever had. I had to have our waiter go into the kitchen and tell the chef it was by far the best dessert i had ever eaten in my life. For all of you that live in LA you may be familiar with Mastros butter cake, well add some fresh strawberries, homemade ice cream and times the taste by a million…
Darn it, now i’m staring at this and my mouth is watering…I wonder if Uber Eats or Postmates would deliver?