I am sure you figured it out by now...that my first post was a teaser. That dessert you all were drooling over while waiting for me to start contributing to my new blog was some fabulous creation at Raya in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Laguna Niguel, CA.
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Ritz Carlton in Laguna is one of my favorite places to "decompress". And on one particular day last week I suggested that Mr. B and I head there for a nice lunch. The agenda also included taking a nap on the Adirondack chairs that the Ritz has strategically located on the property, which is perched on a bluff 150 feet above the Pacific Ocean. You see, for me this visit to the Ritz was so much more than just needing to fill my belly. I needed a mini vacation. Coming here for an afternoon always recharges my batteries.
On a sunny day an ice tea was the perfect refreshment. And I always get a thrill out of gnawing on the the sugarcane stick in public!
Sweet Corn Soup
Creamy base with truffled masa dumplings and simple modern garnish. Oh, so heavenly.
Lobster Salad
A perfect portion of baby spinach garnished with a generous helping of fresh Maine lobster on top of a sweet potato puree and chili ancho-port reduction sauce.
Chocolate Tart
The Chocolate Tart was an architectural work of art. The tart features Mexican chocolate, almond crust and garnished with a ball of sour cream sorbet, espresso anglaise and caramelized orange.
The views of the California coastline from the unobstructed dining room windows are phenomenal.
Fresh roses are abundant and line the public areas on the main floor of the hotel.
The hotel is modern yet sophisticated. The muted colors of greys and beige with pops of deep purple are very soothing...everything you would expect of a luxury hotel.
Before taking my nap I managed to snap some pictures of the landscaping surrounding the property. By the way, does anyone know what this plant is?
