Romance above the waves
A reader called recently looking for a recommendation for a restaurant by the beach. He’d be entertaining somebody from the East Coast whose one request was dinner in view of the Pacific.
The guy didn’t want much. He wanted sunset on the ocean, good food and the opportunity for conversation, somewhere within a short drive of the Westside. But that meant I couldn’t send him to Montage in Laguna Beach, where the restaurant sits perched, literally, at the edge of a cliff overlooking sea pounding on rocks. It has the killer view and also serious food.
Geoffrey’s I couldn’t recommend; it’s been coasting on its Malibu panorama for far too long. Gladstone’s? Unh-uh.
And the other places along the Malibu coast are really just hangouts for surfer crowd drinking and noshing — not a scene you’d like to show off to someone from the East, unless he has a fascination for surf culture.
OK, I had it: Moonshadows. But I hadn’t been there in a while, not since the chef had changed. Hence, a checkup visit to see what’s going on now.
On a weekend night, the parking lot was packed with posh rides. Inside, every table was occupied. Something on the outdoor deck? Maybe one of those booths along the wall, or even one of the lounge pads so close to the water beating on the rocks you can feel the spray? Not a chance.
We waited, just minutes, before a table was free. And we lucked out. It was in the far corner and yes, there was that view.
The noise from the rowdy crowd broke over us in waves. Tables were mostly big groups of family or friends, all ages, sizes and ethnicities. In fact, it was one of the most diverse crowds I’ve seen anywhere in L.A. We couldn’t help noticing, though, the couple two tables over, both dressed rather formally for this beach scene, and clearly in love.
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