Ahi tuna tartare with a squid ink tapioca chip
The tuna tartare incorporates cucumber, jicama,
capers and fermented chile vinaigrette as well as
garnishes of sliced radishes, microgreens and a
squid ink tapioca chip, which made for the perfect
light bite to start the night. And the iced seafood
tower, which is meant to be shared and can feed
either two or four people, was truly exquisite.
Piled high with tiger shrimp, king crab legs, oys-
ters and mandarin-cured snapper ceviche served
in half of an avocado, I returned for seconds and
thirds of the deliciously fresh assortment.
We were then given a choice of cocktail,
for which I swayed toward the Pilgrim for its
beautiful blue hue and its ties to local history,
as its namesake is the ship that was once sailed
by Richard Henry Dana Jr., whom the city of
Dana Point was named after. Comprising Nolet
gin, local butterfly pea flower, agave nectar, fresh
lemon juice and egg whites, this frothy drink was
a great balance of sweet, floral and citrus flavors.
Regardless of the drink we chose, it certainly
helped loosen us up for the next activity: a ukulele
lesson led by Matthew, a musician, songwriter and
composer who has a partnership with the resort.
We immediately bonded over our shared roots;
not only were we both from the island of Maui,
we grew up in the same town. And though I’m not
musically inclined when it comes to instruments,
cultivating that connection to my homeland and
watching as others were immersed in the cultural
experience was wondrous in its own right.
As the sun began to set, we moved into the pri-
vate dining room where the evening culminated in
a family-style dinner that spoke to the type of din-
ing that Lee intended to present. First up was the
seafood Cobb salad, which includes shrimp and
chicken as well as avocado, egg, tomato, bacon
and gorgonzola dolce, all drizzled with a roasted
shallot vinaigrette, making for a sizeable salad that
was perfect for passing around the table.
We were then presented with two entrées: the
seafood carbonara and lobster clambake. The
The beach lawn plays host to fire pit experiences and other fun activities.
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