Adding to Orange County’s robust culinary scene found along the coast, Henry's Coastal Cuisine at The Waterfront Beach Resort brings an elevated, yet approachable dining experience to Huntington Beach. Since debuting as a fine-dining restaurant in 2019 as Henry’s Ocean View Dining, the concept has navigated through a pandemic to find itself with a modern vision and a new chef at the helm.
With a seasonally driven menu curated by Executive Chef Lewis Butler, this modern, sophisticated neighborhood restaurant presents a lively, yet refined dining experience that plays into the picturesque and captivating oceanfront setting for which Huntington Beach is known. According to Chef Butler, the menu at Henry’s Coastal Cuisine is a reflection of guests’ current dining preferences and will continue to evolve as those trends change. He looks to French traditions as the backbone of his dishes, with a touch of “California surf country” flavorings, to present a creative coastal cuisine. At the heart of Chef Butler’s kitchen are locally sourced, fresh ingredients – from land and sea.
The dinner menu features regional flavors from Southern California and South American shores with dishes centered around seafood, with starters such as Grilled Octopus with roasted forest mushrooms and potatoes with carrot-truffle vinaigrette; and Honey-Soy Marinated Hamachi Crudo with winter citrus and romesco sauce. An impressive Lobster Bisque with brandy cream and fennel streusel serves as the winter soup offering, as guests make their way to a selection of ocean-to-table entrees. Chef Butler presents Pan-Roasted Sea Scallops with fricassee of snap peas and leeks, with chorizo-saffron foam; Crispy Skin Salmon with spinach horseradish puree, bacon-roasted vegetables, and lemon butter sauce; and Pan-Roasted Sea Bass with confit marble potatoes, tapenade, and saffron sauce.
Rounding out the restaurant’s dinner entrees are elegant offerings from the land, including a Roasted Portobello Wellington with baby squash and vegetable pinot sauce; Braised Lamb Shank with wild mushroom risotto and roasted asparagus; and Grilled Filet of Beef Oscar with serrano-wrapped king crab, fondant Yukon gold potato, and béarnaise sauce. Chef Butler also offers Cote de Boeuf, a Cowboy Ribeye Chop for two, with garlic gratin dauphinoise, baby vegetables, pinot noir sauce, and béarnaise.
Chef Butler has been involved with the region’s robust dining scene for years. Prior to joining The Waterfront Beach Resort in September of 2021, he oversaw the culinary program at a long-time premier private club, Center Club Orange County in Costa Mesa, where he curated cooking classes, wine dinners, weddings, and charity galas. Before his time at Center Club, he served as executive chef for JC Resorts at the Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach and the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego. During his tenure with the properties, Chef Butler had the honor of being invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City.
Born in Ottawa, Canada, Chef Butler spent his teenage years in England at his parents’ Bed and Breakfast, assisting in the kitchen. He went on to earn diplomas in cooking and management for the catering industry from Somerset College of Arts and Technology in England. After graduating, he began an 18-year journey with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, working at eight of their properties internationally, eventually settling at his favorite, the Four Seasons Beverly Hills. As Executive Sous Chef at the property, he commanded a brigade that catered to Hollywood’s elite and helped the hotel earn their AAA Five-Diamond status.
Henry’s Coastal Cuisine at The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, is located at 21100 Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach. Current hours are for Dinner service 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lunch and Brunch service to be introduced in the coming weeks. For more information about the restaurant menu, hours and reservations, please visit https://www.waterfrontresort.com/dining/henrys-coastal-cuisine.
