GETAWAYS • Laguna
Dana Point, famous for its surf, is also home to several oceanfront resorts, including a Ritz Carlton atop Salt Creek Beach. Because creek drains lead to sand buildup, the wave never dies in this particular pocket of Laguna. Book a suite with ocean views for a front-row seat to SoCal’s surf scene and the tranquility of the expansive sea.
Another reason to visit Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel: a new fine-dining Indian restaurant, KAHANI, helmed by New Delhi native Sanjay Rawat. The Ritz brought Rawat on board in 2022 to upgrade the catering for its Indian weddings business. The program was so successful that a full-scale restaurant followed suit.
KAHANI is a tad stuffy — it’s a resort restaurant, after all. The dining room is brown and beige, with roomy chairs, leather booths, and red lace runners laid across each table. Never mind, because it’s the food you’re here for.
Specifically, the refined takes on Rawat’s grandmother’s recipes, like a caramelized goat cheese salad with masala-spiced beets, and flakey Chennai-style sea bass with delicata squash and curry leaf. Don’t miss the classics, either: malai kofta, chana masala, saag paneer.
Seriously good Indian food is hard to come by in Los Angeles proper. Your best bet is to head south to Artesia. Or, book a one-night stay at the Ritz, plus a dinner reservation at KAHANI. –Emily Wilson
→ The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel (Dana Point, CA) • One Ritz Carlton Dr.
→ KAHANI • Dinner Tues.-Sat. (except 1/14-2/6, when chef Rawat will be in India) • Reserve.