Tabu Grill, Laguna Beach

A tiny restaurant right on PCH with large windows, the feeling is exotic, interesting and electric. With sensuous music, bright blue walls on one side framed with large square mirrors - and a stone wall on the other highlighted with pomegranate red glass globe candle niches. A beamed rattan ceiling presides over it all.

I recommend sitting against the wall at a table. In this trendily dark, fun, intimately crowded, small space, Chef Kevin Jerrold-Jones cooks literally right in front of your eyes. The music makes me want to dance...
I am just as happy being tucked into the cozy wood table for two by the window, as I would be at one of the ten bar stools facing the open kitchen.
This would be the perfect restaurant to take over for a party.

Nancy Wilhelm is the managing partner, and greets me warmly at the front door. She has been in business for more than 20 years, and knows what works and what doesn't. She exudes capability, and you can tell she's on top of things.
Momi is my server tonight, and Carlos is the busboy. Both will do an excellent job, but we'll get to that later - after the food :)

As usual, I start with bottled water, in this case a chilled Tynant still water.
Carlos brings me some garlic foccacio bread. It is excellent. Normally I don't like foccacio, but this - lightly buttered, this is hot, light, delicately crispy on the outside, and really just tasty.
If this is an introduction, I have a feeling it's going to be a wonderful night.


Vanilla Bean Citrus Salad with Watercress, Grapefruit Crisp, Citrus Supremes, Shaved Fennel, and Tahitian Vanilla Vinaigrette is really fresh, tastes good, and is an intriguing combination of flavors.

Momi brings a sparkling kumquat soda in a tall thin glass to drink along with this. It is an excellent offset, as is the grapefruit crisp against the soft grapefruit segments. Dressing is excellent too.

Watercress fans will rejoice at this salad :)





Asian Pear Salad, Pea Sprouts, Organic Baby Greens, Candied Ginger Walnuts, Herb Goat Cheese Balls and Ginger Asian Pear Vinaigrette.

Did I ever tell you of my asian pear fetish ? No ? well, I have one :)
The salad is outstanding ! Where do I begin to describe yummy in every way ?






Japanese Pumpkin Raviolis, Candied Pumpkin Seeds, Sage Brown Butter.

OH MY. Delicious, meltingly light, flawless pasta. Everything about this dish works beautifully. Slightly sweet but just barely so - it makes you want MORE pasta. I could make an entire meal just out of this...

I greedily mop up the sauce with a piece of foccacio, that even cold, is excellent.



I've been to Italy, and ONCE, forty long years ago had pasta I've always remembered. If you knew me, you'd know there were many years that I had pasta every single day. THIS pasta at Tabu is going to be another one I'm going to remember. Thankfully, living in southern California, I won't have to wait another forty years to try this again :)


Pear & parsnip cream soup with creme fraiche.

Who knew this was delicious ? It is, it is ! YUMMM !

Whatever Chef's Kevin Jerrold-Jones' salary is, he is worth it :)

Organic Rosie Chicken Breast Stuffed with Brie Cheese and Dates, Collard Greens, Roasted Chicken Stock Apple Reduction.

Perfectly cooked, and the roasted chicken apple stock reduction is wonderful. Chicken can be bland - this is not. Again, another excellent combination of flavors and textures and color.

I intend to take only 3 or 4 bites of the chicken so as to not spoil my appetite for the rest of the meal, but next thing you know, I have finished it all. I've never had collard greens before - done this way, I love them.





Pomegranate Goat Cheese Tart, Organic Baby Greens, Shaved Fennel, Creamy Pomegranate Dressing.

I love fresh pomegranate arils. Salad is okay, fresh, cold...
The goat cheese tart is light and incredibly flaky - the pomegranate is nice with it.

My least favorite course so far, but a good course nonetheless.



I ask for another soda, and get lemongrass soda. I sip it as a palate cleanser or intermezzo of sorts. It is just as delicious as the kumquat soda was.


Kobe Beef Bowl, Udon Noodles, soybeans, Baby Bok Choy, Shaved Carrots, Soy Ginger Broth

Smells great.

The broth is very tasty - I'd eat this as soup alone without the perfectly cooked Kobe beef and love it too.




So far, I know I'm coming back to dine at Tabu, and bringing all of my friends with me. I wonder if I can do my birthday party here...


Banana Chocolate Cake with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Rum Syrup is one the right.

Talk about melt-in-your-mouth moist, deliciously chocolate-y (with a just right hint of banana) without being overwhelming.

The ice cream is a lovely offset. Blueberries and blackberries are A+ quality.

Tabu Bon Bon, House Made Rum Cherry Ice Cream, Valrhona Chocolate Shell, Fresh Berries is on the left.
The ice cream is excellent, one of the best I've ever had, the second best being in France thirty years ago. I remember things like fabulous ice cream :)

The ice cream is superb with the chocolate shell.

Service throughout the evening has been good, swift and efficient. They time things well, do not intrude while I am eating but clear when I am done and ready. They are well-trained, something to appreciate in this day and age.

Tzao hot mint tea is excellent and finishes off an excellent meal. You notice that I've said "excellent' quite a few time in relationship to Tabu. They deserve it.

I ask for the bill, and when it comes it is so reasonable, so understated, so much less than I assumed it would be for food and service of this caliber, that I am seriously impressed.
THIS is smart marketing. THIS is a restaurant that despite being in a recession as everyone is, (and most cutting corners because of it) has instead rigidly high standards of quality across the board and whose intent is to please the customer and keep them coming back. They have, in my opinion, succeeded brilliantly.

Tabu Grill
2892 South Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA
(949) 494-7743
Chef : Kevin Jerrold-Jones
http://www.tabugrill.com/





"The difference between the ordinary and the superlative is the consistent attention to detail that you make. Your pleasure in doing so then becomes mine in receiving your thoughtful efforts. " (author - me)