Carol w/ Sous Chef Lance Repp

One of the great contributing factors to the joy we experience as we roam around the world are the many wonderful, and completely different fine dining restaurants we get to visit.

The La Valencia Hotel’s Mediterranean Room is just one such example.

After we got ourselves settled in our La Valencia Hotel Ocean Villa, rather than take the elevator, we climbed the steps up to the restaurant where they perched us directly in front of the window with a majestic view of the Pacific Ocean, and the beautiful sunset that was currently on dazzling display.

With a nice glass of wine in hand, we began to peruse the menu, and opted to start out with the Mediterranean Room’s very popular Mediterranean Spreads (tzatziki, melitzanosalata, tramasalata and hummus with house cured olives and homemade pita).

Mediterranean Spreads

As you can see in my photograph, these spreads were beautifully presented, and even more delightful to the taste!

Moving along in our epicurean journey, we next decided to share Pickled Baby Beets (gorgonzola dolce, candied pecans, chive pesto, wild baby arugula, citrus crème fraîche).  Wow!  We love beets, and this dazzling display of various colored beets was a treat to the eye and palate.

We oft enter a restaurant with the intention of sharing the whole meal, but the main course is generally where we will have our path divided.

In this case, Carol was seduced by a Roast Prime Rib Eye Filet (macaroni and goat cheese gratin, haricot vert, oven dried tomato, herb roasted shallot), while I was listening to the siren’s song of my oft tendered Paella Valencia (local seafood, shrimp, lobster, scallop, shellfish, sausage).

Carol’s eyes rolled back in glee as she savored her filet, while my piping hot dish of paella kept my discriminating palate happily surprised with each bite.

Neither of us completely cleaned our plates for two reasons:

• We couldn’t
• We were instructed to leave room for the Mediterranean Room’s banana cream pie.  We both always follow instructions.  Yeah, right!

I think there exists in the heart of every chef an evil troll who delights in the remote possibility that they might make actually make someone explode with the size of their portions.  Really, I think it’s true.

As we began to discuss with our waiter our desire to simply share one dessert, we could tell that his lips were moving, but he knew better.

As Carol’s decaf coffee appeared, along with my double decaf espresso, up shows our waiter with not one dessert, but two!

See, I told you that most chefs have an evil streak in them.

Well, not wanting to be insulting to the chef, we gathered up our forks and began to dive into Banana Cream Pie (white chocolate curls, banana ice cream, and butterscotch sauce), and I think we also actually heard our taste buds sing for joy as we sampled Goat Cheese Strawberry Cheesecake (dark chocolate balsamic sauce (oh my!), candied pistachios, and strawberry mint tartare).

Oh my sweet, delectable desserts, how I love thee!

Well, what a remarkable evening.  A beautiful Pacific Ocean sunset, a most wonderful meal, the company of my bride of nearly 25 years, and the magnanimous hospitality of the La Valencia Hotel’s Mediterranean Room.

Sublime, and highly recommended!

Disclosure:  this wonderful dining experience was provided by the La Valencia Hotel.  Thanks!