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As a child, the only thing that beat a day along the Orange
County shore was rolling out a sleeping bag and spending the
night along the Orange County shore. As an adult, the beach
still calls, but it's amazing how much better you sleep in
high-thread-count linens with nary a grain of sand in sight.
Thank you, Hyatt Regency
Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.
The Hyatt Regency brought to Surf City, USA -- a.k.a.
Huntington Beach -- a touch of the Orange County resort class
that once was the sole purview of tonier south-county towns such
as Newport Beach or Laguna Niguel. There's an embracing spa with
treatments taken from Pacific Islanders, and a salon and gym.
The architecture is romantically Mission Revival, with
white-washed walls, tile roofing, iron work, and recessed
windows, niches and alcoves, while the interior d'or and
furnishings borrow from Andalusia. Accommodations are large and
refined, yet intimate. Balconies serve up front-row seating to
the light-show extraordinaire of a Left Coast sunset. (Be sure
to leave the slider ajar at night as the onshore breezes tickle
the air with the sleep-enhancing scents and sounds of the
ocean.) Outdoor fireplaces and Jacuzzi grottos invite
contemplation and snuggling. And the fit, finish and service --
even if you don't opt for the Regency Club upgrade -- are all
Hyatt Regency-suave, teased ever so by coastal comfort.
As a Hyatt Regency, the resort's eateries are as dynamic as
the resort is alluring. The look is Mediterranean and the fare
is contemporary California. At The Californian, that means
vibrant tastes and colors, and a bounty of ingredients as
diverse as the Golden State. The adjoining Patron's Room is the
spot for group dining, and the tasting menus dreamed up by the
chef marry surf, turf, garden and vineyard just so. Pete
Mallory's Surf City Sunset Grille has a
Baja-cantina-meets-Orange County-board-factory look to it.
The chow is best described as an eclectic fusion that parallels
the d'or, with influences from Hawaii, Thailand, Mexico and the
good old United States, meeting in comfort food, salads, burgers
and sandwiches, and seafood. The resort also offers
in-room service, plus Mankota's Grill for leisurely outdoor
dining, to-go goodies from Surf City Grocers and appetizers
within the sophisticated Red Chair Lounge.
Befitting the Spanish-influences on Huntington's signature
resort, find time between rounds and aromatherapy to dine at
Felix Continental Caf'in Orange. The caf's Cuban and Iberian
fare comes out authentic, extremely tasty and in quantities and
prices that don't seem to belong together.
Felix is located on the south end of downtown Orange's
historic square; yes, there is a heart, actually many, to
frenetic northern O.C. Tables fill up early in the morning on
weekends when breakfast is served, and seats remain at a premium
through lunch and dinner; it even buzzes midweek. The place is
also known as "La Casa de la Paella," so while Spain's national
dish of rice, saffron, seafood and meats is certainly a
signature and worthy feature, I really can't suggest it over
ropa vieja, various types of carne, fish and fowl, or Cuban
iterations on paella, served of course with maduros -- fried
plantains, not cigars.
Accent the meal with a mojito, sangria or some Spanish
bubbly, and you're heading for an evening that just might beat
my youthful nights on the beach.
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