What could be better than an ocean vista serving as a dining room's backdrop, and a warm wood-burning rotisserie where you can see first-hand a chef's innovative creations?

Answer: Tasting the new dinner menu debuting today at The Loft at the Montage hotel in Laguna Beach.

Chef John Cuevas says he loves to create dishes that are "imaginative but more importantly, memorable and consistent." We recently had a sneak taste preview, and the chef has more than met his goal.

Highlights from the new menu include starters such as organic white asparagus with crispy pancetta, smoked goat cheese, and cured lemon pesto; grilled Maine lobster with sour apples, pistachios, garden basil; and herb-potato gnocchi morels and whipped crème fraîche, madeira sauce. Also try pepper-crusted ahi tuna, marinated calamari and cashew salad, ponzu-soy mignonette.

Salad choices include wild arugula and peppered strawberries, shaved parmesan and lemon-lime oil; or market baby green with dinosaur plums and smoked almonds and banana ginger vinaigrette.

Seafood choices include roasted Atlantic monkfish with golden raisins and salami, sweet pea velouté; pan-seared Mediterranean loup de mer with confit bing cherries and baby mint, smoked almond butter; and Copper River salmon with organic tomato tortellini and chilies, tarragon; or caramelized Atlantic skate wing with baby pickle and roasted cauliflower salad, caper aioli.

From the grill, try Shelton Ranch barbecue organic chicken with grilled cobb-corn and fried pickles; or blackened pork tenderloin with roasted stone fruit and rosemary-honey. A must is the 28-day dry-aged, coffee-crusted New York strip with Fourmet d'Ambert cheese and wild arugula and bourbon caramel; or braised short ribs with charred romaine and cheddar, braising jus.

Be sure to check out the interactive cheese gallery overseen by fromagiers who present cheese plates that are works of art. Choose from more than 150 cheeses carefully paired with house-made condiments such as blackberry port jelly, lavender caramel, avocado honey and citrus butter with fleur de sel, along with crisp crackers and farmer's market fruits and nuts.

Save room for Pastry Chef Maren Henderson's seasonal desserts: pan-seared Comice pears with shortcake and pomegranate taffy; coconut beignets with burnt sugar and sweet potato with cream soda; and liquid chocolate cake with candied cranberries, nougat and chocolate salt.

The Loft is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Montage is at 30801 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. 949.715.6116
www.montagelagunabeach.com.

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