Nirvana Kitchen & Pantry chef-owner Lindsay Smith ( left ) and a variety of her dishes ( right ) |
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REDEFINING RESTAURANTS Indeed , last year witnessed a slew of new restaurant openings . Finney ’ s Crafthouse , located in the historic White House restaurant space on Coast Highway , is a craft kitchen and bar designed to appeal to all ages . Carnitas nachos , pepperoni flatbread , burgers or mini lobster rolls are just a few of the menu choices to pair with a margarita flight or one of the many craft beers on tap . Finney ’ s opened in March 2023 , as did upscale Chinese restaurant Red Dragon , which focuses on unique and authentic Cantonese cuisine . Shareable , family-style dishes echo traditional Chinese meals like stir-fried Wagyu beef , Peking duck and Hong Kong-style wok-fried noodles . |
Last May and June , respectively , saw the acquisition of Rumari and Royal Hawaiian by new owners . Rumari , now part of the same ownership as Mozambique and Skyloft , offers Italian cuisine with a Greek influence on the reimagined menu , including grilled lamb chops , house-made pasta and chicken Parmesan . The vision for the new iteration of Royal Hawaiian — reopened by Los Angeles-based Boulevard Hospitality Group — was to pay homage to the history of the restaurant as one of the oldest Tiki bars in the country , and staple menu items like a pu-pu platter and grilled meats continue to be served for a taste of the islands , adding to the nostalgia .
Then , over the summer , Cabana
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Restaurant & Beach Club replaced Peruvian restaurant Suenos in August , serving contemporary Mexican beach cuisine while celebrating traditional fine dining with weekend brunch and dinner throughout the week .
In early fall , Bodega Laguna Cocina & Cantina moved into the space that was briefly filled by Laguna Fish Co ., and combines coastal and central Mexican flavors that remind Executive Chef Angel Velazquez of the food he enjoyed as a child , including branzino zarandeado , halibut ceviche and tacos filled with carnitas , blackened fish , chorizo , charred mushroom and more .
“ So far , we [ have ] had great support and positive feedback ,” Velazquez says of the newest sister restaurant of Skyloft ,
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LEFT : ASHLEY RYAN ; RIGHT PHOTOS : LINDSAY SMITH ; OPPOSITE PAGE , CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : GEMMA TOTTEN ; SHARON WILLIAMS ; SAMANTHA WHARTON |
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