Geoffrey's
photo: Courtesy of Geoffrey's
As the weather warms here in Southern California, we are drawn like lemmings to restaurants along the shore, of which we have never had a lot – oddly enough. Along the rockbound shores of Maine, there are lobster shacks; around the Chesapeake, crab houses abound. In the Pacific Northwest, you can watch the Pacific ebb and flow while chewing on salmon and oysters. But here in Southern California, we don't have a seafood object-of-desire that draws us to the sand. Instead, we go for the ocean itself.
We dream of the Quintessential Beachfront Restaurant, which, in theory at least, hovers just one storm away from disaster above the breakers. So what exactly is the Quintessential Beachfront Restaurant in SoCal? The Beach Boys sang about how they wished they all could be California girls; we sing of how we wish all California seafood restaurants could be like these worthy contenders:
Chart House:
The Malibu outpost of this national surf 'n' turf chain offers dazzling views. If the
seas are rough, the waves have been known to splash high enough to hit
the windows. This is the essence of the Old School of Beachfront
Restaurants – great for visitors and locals alike.
Duke's Malibu: Born in Hawaii, with another branch down in Huntington Beach,
Duke's offers Pan-Pacific cooking, and bars both inside and out. Sit
outside so you can sip your Cosmo while warming your toes in the
sand.
Geoffrey's:
This Californian sits on a cliff high above the surf, bringing a
certain elegance to the beachfront experience. Though ties and jackets
aren't necessary (and would mark you as an out-of-towner), linen pants
and Tommy Bahama shirts go well with the martinis and Chardonnay.
Gladstone's Malibu:
At the very end of Sunset Boulevard, where the Strip flows into the
sea, this sprawling seafooder has long ranked as the highest-grossing
restaurant in SoCal, last year bringing in $14.5 million
and serving 590,000 meals. There are barrels of
peanuts to chew on (remember to throw the shells on the floor), and a
vast outdoor patio where you can lose yourself watching the waves. As
many do – I've known people who have shown up for breakfast and stayed
through dinner.
Moonshadows: This American is known partly
for its oceanside location and partly for its always-packed patio,
where live jazz is played nightly. If the surf is crashing in,
the musicians have to do a modern-day version of Demosthenes, competing with the waves.
Neptune's Net: This is my personal favorite, a rough-and-ready shack across the highway from Leo Carrillo State Beach and its ample supply of surfers, many of whom can be found at The Net, drinking beers and eating french fries. Large groups dig happily into mounds of shellfish along with some of the best clam chowder this side of the St. Lawrence Seaway. It's a spot that appeals to Harley riders and Ferrari drivers – which is SoCal incarnate.
-Merrill Shindler