STEPHEN SANTACROCE -- Dining Review

My friend Karen has suggested that I occasionally misuse an adjective

or two in my writing, so in preparation for this article I looked up the

word “venerable.” Here’s what the World Dictionary had to say: “worthy

of respect as a result of great age, wisdom, remarkable achievements or

similar qualities.”

Just the word I was looking for to describe 21 Oceanfront, the tony,

beachfront eatery located next to the Newport Pier on Balboa Peninsula.

The stately building first housed Alley West, then the Ritz and finally

the Rex Ristorante, before owners Jeannie and Rick Lawrence settled in,

serving a pricey, continental menu featuring fresh seafood and classic

prime meats.

The restaurant is literally steps from the pier and boardwalk, and

you’ll be wise to watch out for in-line skaters whizzing by as you head

for the main door.

Inside the restaurant, the elegant muted decor is quite a contrast to

the casual beachfront bars it keeps company with. Brick walls, rich

burgundy carpets and oversized black leather booths give the restaurant a

clubby, Bostonian feel.

Just off the reception desk is the cocktail lounge, where jazz combos

are often heard playing, and you’d swear that the bartender knows

everyone by their first name.

The continental setting carries over to the leisurely service. Dining

here is meant to be an experience to linger over. Cocktails are served on

gleaming silver plate chargers embossed with the restaurant logo, and

you’re to mull over your drink and your date for a while before a menu is

ever presented.

As befitting a restaurant that might actually be sprayed by surf on

stormy days, seafood rules the day on the menu. Cold appetizers include

plump Blue Point oysters ($10.75) or seared ahi sashimi ($13). Of course

a shrimp cocktail ($10.50) is listed, featuring some of the largest

prawns I’ve laid eyes on.

Hot appetizers include steamed clams ($12.50) in a savory tomato broth

loaded with chunks of celery and other vegetables. The clams are steamed

just long enough to remove any rawness without making them tough or

chewy. The broth is perfect for sopping up with the warm dinner rolls,

although the rolls themselves reminded me of store-bought packaged fare.

A nice crusty baguette would definitely be an improvement.

Oysters Rockefeller ($9.50) were some of the best I’ve had anywhere.

Plump oysters are baked with bread crumbs, spinach and just a touch of

pernod. It’s a rich, elegant starter, perfect for sharing.

If you’re in the mood for some greens, try Chef Tracey Harter’s Asian

pear salad ($9.50). Baby greens are mixed with chunks of mild-flavored

Asian pear, sweet onions, tangy Gorgonzola cheese and crunchy candied

pecans. A handful of fresh blueberries are thrown in for good measure,

creating a delightful combination of flavors and textures.

Simpler, but still satisfying, is the fresh tomato salad ($6.95) --

thick slices of ripe, beefsteak tomato topped with maui onion and a

creamy Roquefort dressing.

Seafood dominates the entree selections. The menu is changed often so

as to feature whatever fresh fish is available. On a recent visit, we

tried the Ono ($24.50), a long slender fish also known as wahoo that

resembles a large barracuda. Here it’s sauteed and served with a delicate

garlic cream sauce. The fish is flaky without being dry, and the mild

white flesh is accented, but not overpowered by the garlic sauce.

The restaurant is known for its “baseball cut” swordfish ($29.75), a

loin cut the size of a linebacker’s fist that is broiled and served with

a simple garlic, caper and lemon sauce. It’s an indulgence everyone

should try at least once.

The bouillabaisse ($28.75) is worth its hefty price tag. This hearty

fish stew is so loaded with an assortment of clams, lobster, mussels,

shrimp and fish that it could easily feed two. My friend David, who’s not

known for a light appetite, needed a doggy bag for his order.

The pricey menu hits the stratosphere with the restaurant’s abalone

selections. 21 Oceanfront is known for always serving this rare mollusk,

but if you’re in the mood, first call your banker. The two abalone dishes

listed recently were priced at $90 a piece. I’ve tried abalone several

times and, although it’s hard to find, I don’t think it’s worth the price

charged here.

One nice thing about looking at the abalone prices is that the filet

mignon seems like a relative bargain at $35.50. And it just might be,

considering that this perfectly cooked 8 ounce cut is as tender and

flavorful as any I’ve had at some of local high-end steakhouses that

charge the same price a la carte.

Here the filet is offered with either a bordelaise sauce or au poivre

with a pepper sauce. I preferred the bordelaise, an eggy hollandaise

scented with a sprinkling of fresh tarragon. The pepper sauce didn’t have

enough pepper and surprisingly reminded me of bottled steak sauce.

Other meat offerings include a rack of lamb ($32.50) served with mint

sauce and mango chutney, or a juicy rib-eye with a sage au jus.

In addition to a full cocktail selection, 21 Oceanfront features a

well thought out wine list with an ample selection of California and

French vintages. Corkage is a hefty $20, and I thought the wine list

prices were also a bit steep, but not overly so.

I should point out that while you’ll pay more for a meal at 21

Oceanfront, the portions are extremely generous, the quality is top-notch

and the service is impeccable. It’s true that you get what you pay for.

Finish your meal with a delicious espresso-flavored creme brulee ($7)

or maybe the classic bananas caramel ($7.50), a well-dressed cousin of a

banana split.

21 Oceanfront, like its predecessor the Ritz, is a throwback to the

days when dining out was a special event, a cause for celebration. It’s

still the perfect spot for a romantic date, birthday party or whenever a

treat is in order.

Get there before sundown, if you can, and enjoy a cocktail as the

sun’s last rays stream in through the windows. I can’t think of a better

way to end the day.

* STEPHEN SANTATCROCE’S restaurant reviews appear every other

Thursday. Send him your comments at [email protected].

FYI

What: 21 Oceanfront

Where: 2100 Oceanfront, Newport Beach

When: Daily, 5:30 to 10 p.m.

How Much: Very expensive

Call: (949) 673-2100