Chez Loma

When I caught my first glimpse of Chez Loma, I was reminded of many of the fine restaurants in San Francisco that operate out of what were once grandiose, Victorian style homes from the 19th Century. This fine dining establishment is located practically next door to the famed Hotel Del Coronado; both properties hail from roughly the same era and enjoy vaguely similar architectural themes. The labor-intensive craftsmanship manifest in almost every aspect of these structures would be prohibitively expensive to duplicate today, and harkens back to a time when quality and pride in workmanship were the primary concern of builders.

Luckily, diners can be assured that these same high standards still exist inside the kitchen of Chez Loma. Owner and Chef du Cuisine, Ken Irvine, is a detail-oriented master of classic French cookery who was formally trained at the renowned Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park. He remains enthusiastically dedicated to the rigid standards of Le Gran Diplome, and consistently delivers authentic renditions of timeless favorites using only the finest of ingredients.

On the evening that my guest and I visited, we were seated in the intimate, enclosed front patio that used to be a favorite haunt of the late popcorn magnate, Orville Redenbacher. Our amiable server, Kristy, immediately brought us over an assortment of wonderful, warm artisan breads along with a bruschetta-like mixture of olive oil, Roma and sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and herbs de province. The crunchy crust on the sourdough rolls blended well with this flawlessly seasoned garnish.

Our appetizers were stunning. The tasty, rum-cured smoked salmon in my Saumon Fume was light and delicate atop crisp brioche toast in a rich avocado crème fraiche. My guest enjoyed the regal Crèpe de Homard; a Maine lobster and asparagus crèpe filled with Marscapone cheese in a truffle-carrot emulsion. Both of these items were absolutely first rate, and particularly good while sipping from our several, sample-sized carafes of crisp Trimbach Riesling, Zaca Mesa Viognier and J. Pinot Gris.

We also tried the Gallette de Crabe; prime cakes of Canadian snow crab in a gingered beurre blanc sauce garnished with peppered green melon balls. This elegant precursor to our entrées was augmented by a plate of tender sautéed sea scallops and Béarnaise drizzled coulis along with an incredibly delicious smoked filet mignon tartare topped with microgreens. We also split a fresh spinach salad adorned with a dense, creamy goat cheese, grape tomatoes and Sonoma duck bacon.

When Kristy brought our main courses to the table, we were almost completely full, but their magnificent aromas helped to bring our appetites back to life. My guest had the Canard Roti, which was made with a roasted half duck under a traditional sauce comprised of Lingonberry cherry-port wine, burnt orange and green peppercorns. It was every bit as good as my Longe d’Agneau; thyme marinated loin of tender lamb in a Merlot sauce next to a saffron risotto cake. Chef Irvine graciously saw to it that these dishes were perfectly paired with sample carafes filled with an assortment of well-balanced Merlots from Fallbrook, Morro Bay and Sonoma, California.

We were then served a dessert sampler that included a dense and decadent chocolate cake, ginger cake with warm caramel sauce and a crème brulèe smothered in fresh raspberries and blackberries. I would be less than honest if I did not confess that we could only sample a bite of each of these showstoppers, and took the rest home to relish later.

During these days of highly experimental menus and overly eclectic cuisine, it’s comforting to know that there is still a restaurant like Chez Loma around. As long as their doors remain open, there will always be a bastion for those of us with a taste for a style of cooking that has been lovingly forged and perfected over centuries.