Beach House

Category: Food
Type: American / Seafood
Serving: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner
Price: Moderate

I went to the Beach House Restaurant with some friends for Sunday brunch. Located in Cardiff, its just a quick trip and fall away from the beach. After browsing the menu I ordered the Lobster Tail Eggs Benedict, which included complimentary champagne & orange juice for mimosas.

We arrived just before noon and had called ahead for reservations, so we were seated relatively promptly. The interior is interesting in itself, the foyer is two stories tall with stairs leading to a semi- balcony level (which doesn’t however open to the other dining areas) complete with a small bar, as well as the adjacent restrooms. We decided against dining on the beach patio, as the wind ws really getting rowdy and there appeared to be little wind break in that area. The main indoor area where we were seated is about four regular tables deep, so while I could see horizon through the large seaside windows, there wasn’t a “view” per se. Regardless I had come for the food and the company, and I’ve seen the beach before.

The meal was preceded by small muffins and a melon plate, both were tasty. Our server was attentive and professional, replacing our champagne bottles as needed. The meal itself was, in a word, fantastic. The lobster was incorporated into flaky puff pastry, topped by the eggs and Hollandaise sauce, and accompanied by Irish potatoes. The Hollandaise and the lobster complimented each other well, with the sauce’s flavor coming in to the rescue before the richness of the lobster threated flavor numbness.

The price was extremely fair, as the entirety of my meal came to $24.00, prior to tip. The only other expense was the valet parking; with that said one would be hard pressed to exceed $40 out of pocket for one person.

The Beach House is certainly one of my favorite new dining experiences, much like when I first discovered World Curry or Kabuki Sushi (reviews pending). If you’re in the mood for some great brunch and perhaps a leisurely drive on the 101, be sure to check it out.

The Beach House restaurant is located at 2530 S. Highway 101, Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007

Rating:7/10

Cold Stone Creamery

Category: Food
Type: Desert

As a diabetic I don’t find myself in ice cream shops very often; however, with today’s hot weather I made an exception at the prompting of a friend.

My first experience of Cold Stone, while not actively bad, defined it as not my cup of tea per se. The service was adequate, the staff was polite, and the prices were what I expected in a post-Starbucks world. The vibe in the shop, especially the naming of the items, was what I found the most off-putting. This sort of thing has always seemed like a pretty simple operation to me. Ice cream, toppings, container: mix in various combinations to please various tastes. Cold Stone seems to be over-reaching for a novel killer app, which in this case is folding the ingredients into each other with small spatulas on the counter and plopping the lump into a bowl or cone.

The item I purchased, the “Founders Favorite” is sweet cream ice cream, chocolate, caramel, and brownie pieces. Unfortunately, the flop & mix method turned everything but the brownie pieces into a neutral soup, so most of the component flavors were lost in the process. This is disappointing because the ice cream itself seemed to be of a good quality, and would have been complimented by the other distinct flavors, had they survived.

The trying too-hard attempt to elevate fast-food ice cream to the level of gourmet or connoisseur hangs plainly from the walls. this is undermined further by twitch-inducing item names like “Cookie Dough’nt You Want Some?” Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of the well-crafted pun, but there are limits; I don’t need my food to make me laugh.

In the long run I don’t see a particular need to go back, guess I’m just a simple guy when it comes to ice cream.

Rating: 2/10