Dinner At RAYA at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

RAYA, a restaurant idea by Richard Sandoval, showcases Pan-Latin Coastal Delicacies ready with sustainable seafood, native produce, pure and natural meats, and Chef Sandoval’s signature Latin flavors. RAYA was named named “Restaurant of the Yr” by Riviera Orange County in 2011.

RAYA is situated in Ritz Carlton lodge in South Orange County. The room is gorgeous, luxurious and distinctive. In good climate, the terrace is a better option however contained in the restaurant nonetheless gives a panoramic view of the ocean.

The menu is split into three sections: shared, small plates, salads & soup, and specialties. We didn’t brother with the soup or salads as a result of the choices didn’t look that fascinating. As a substitute, we targeted on the restaurant specialties, beginning with the wagyu beef tartare.

Wagyu stands for Japanese cow, however I extremely doubt the meat come from Japan. It was nonetheless very tender, simply not A5 degree. The dish is ready tableside utilizing black garlic aioli, coinichon, cured egg yolk, pickled mustard seeds, inexperienced olive tapenade and grilled focaccia bread.

I’m unsure why the dish was completed tableside. It wasn’t a lot of a present. They may have simply as simply ready it within the kitchen and introduced it to the desk, and also you wouldn’t miss something.

Roasted cauliflower with peanut guajillo sauce and smoked grape chimichurri. That is one unusual dish. Take a complete cauliflower head, however don’t minimize it up. As a substitute, roast your entire factor within the oven till you create a crust on the surface, then cover it in sauce. Unusual however good.

Seafood enchiladas made with shrimp, Dungeness crab and lobster. Coated with a creamy guajillo sauce and served with heirloom cherry tomatoes. Probably the greatest tasting enchiladas I’ve ever tried. It’s additionally the costliest enchilada I’ve ever tried.

The above dish is name Mariscos A Lo Macho, which is a conventional Peruvian seafood sauce that’s savory, hearty, aromatic, and barely spicy. It may be pair with just about any seafood. On this case, RAYA paired the sauce with sea bass, tiger prawn and little neck calm mussels. Yucaa, tomato and salsa criolla full the dish.

Scallops and pork stomach on a cream corn sauce. The components had been all place on one facet of the plate, making me questioned if one thing was suppose to be on the opposite facet. Each scallops and pork stomach had been excessive tender.

RAYA had 4 desserts on the menu, and we determined to pattern two of them: a peaches and cream parfait and a lemon cake. Each had been actually good and nice technique to finish the meal.

Dinner for 4 got here to a bit over $100 per particular person, which is kind of affordable for a high-quality dinning restaurant. If you end up staying on the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel (it’s actually in Dana Level), dinner at RAYA ought to be a part of your itinerary.

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