Comfort Food with a French Flare

When thinking of eating at the Langham, Chef Strong’s The Dining Room is the restaurant that comes to mind. However, there is another restaurant, The Terrace which has a whole new menu and soon to have a new look.

Chef de Cuisine Loren Lawe, with the guidance of Executive Chef Denis Depoitre, has transformed this sometimes overlooked restaurant into something truly wonderful. The restaurant has “a whole new concept of a French-American Bistro,” says Chef Loren. “It’s still your comfort food but it’s got a lot more flare to it.”

“Flare” is definitely an understatement. I would say that it’s comfort food on steroids.

It was a warm January night when my companion and I dined at The Terrace, so we sat on their large patio. It overlooks the pool and there are plans to expand it.

We started our meal with Seared Sea Scallops accompanied by truffle celery root puree, sauteed wild mushrooms and veal jus. The scallops were a meal in themselves, fresh and tender with a nice crust from the searing. The added flavors of the truffle, celery, mushrooms and veal jus played off the smoky taste of the scallop.

The Slow Braised Short Rib glistened with a red wine reduction sauce. Fork-tender, it melted in my mouth. Artichoke hearts and micro cilantro salad rounded out this rich appetizer.

A salad of red and yellow baby beets topped with delicate Mache (lamb’s lettuce), tangy Roquefort and a light Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette was delicate and earthy. A light salad to compliment complex dishes.

Pan Roasted John Dory topped warm ratatouille and was drizzled with Chablis beurre blanc. The John Dory had a wonderful caramelized crust giving the tender fish a sweet nutty flavor. The ratatouille had just a bit of heat and made a delicious foil to the mild white fish.

One of the daily specials came next; a Whole Roasted Chicken spiced and served in a Moroccan Tagine (a clay dish with a triangular lid). The tender chicken pieces were served on a bed of couscous studded with raisins. This was served with three different sauces, one with garbanzo beans, a second that was sweet and a third that was fiery hot. I must admit I have been lusting after this dish and it did not disappoint. It was savory with Moroccan spices, along the lines of curry, but not as pronounced. The chicken was very tender and blended well with the couscous.

The Terrace offers different special everyday of the week, some are meant to be shared and others a single portion. Click here for a list of their specials.

Grilled Lamb T-Bone was my companion’s favorite. He exclaimed that it was “unreasonably good, all other lamb dishes were lamb in name only.” Cooked medium rare and served with a heavenly blend of olive oil potato puree, asparagus and chanterelle mushrooms this dish was a show-stopper!

Of course I saved room for dessert (I didn’t really but I made room). A trio of chocolate sweets came first. Chocolate Caramel Pot de Crème, Chocolate Beet Sorbet and Chocolate Espresso Fondant Cake delighted the chocolate lover in me. As an accompaniment to the dish we were served a Tawny Port which was wickedly good.

We also enjoyed a Chocolate Sabayon Mousse, Raspberry Yuzu Compote and Raspberry Meringue. This is a wonderful dessert for raspberry lovers of which I am one. It is creamy, crunchy and tart all at the same time.

The Terrace serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is open from 7:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m., Monday – Sunday. They have a Champagne Brunch on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Prices are on the high side but bliss costs. For more information and reservations call (626) 585-6218. The Langham Huntington Hotel is located at 1401 S. Oak Knoll, Pasadena.