Andrea, Refined Modern Italian in the Resort at Pelican Hill

In the luxurious universe of Newport Coast nestles a small exclusive world of Pelican Hill, where high class refinement and flawless service rule. Newly opened on November 26, 2008 is The Resort at Pelican Hill, an additional gem of new restaurants, spa, and resort accommodations complimenting the celebrated golf course and Pelican Hill Grill. It is an oasis, the epitome of Southern California coastal lifestyle at its best.

The resort’s signature fine dining is Andrea, an unpretentious, amicable, and relaxing restaurant presenting Northern Italian cuisine with a twist. The name refers to the influential Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio, who revolutionized western architect; his design sensibility is the inspiration for the resort’s architectural style. A lofty surrounding, an affable staff, plush furnishing, and a glorious panoramic view of heaven on earth are your first exposure as you enter the restaurant. Prepare to acquaint yourself with sophistication and grace at Andrea’s.

To continue the tradition of Italian authenticity, Andrea’s chef is the demure Gianluca Re Fraschini, a young Milanese resembling a Baroque scholarly poet with his fine features, blonde locks and sporting intellectual glasses. A career chef with a worldwide background, him and executive chef, Jean-Pierre Dubray, who holds an illustrious career with the Ritz-Carlton group, created the menu; however, recipes are Re Fraschini’s own. His concept for the cuisine is simplicity, resisting intricate dishes. The menu’s straightforward description avoids contrive excessive ingredient list. It gets to the point, just like the dishes. Here you won’t find useless garnish or wham bam designs kicking it up a notch or two. The food is not typical Italian with its heavy creamy sauces, mountain of melted cheese, and portion so massive you can’t see the color of the plate.

Guests are welcomed with an amuse-bouche, a one bite yummy morsel to awaken the taste buds. The beef carpaccio is a light and pleasant salad with broccolini, polenta croutons resembling skinny pita chips, and 18 month aged Parmigiano shavings which add to the robust flavor of the dish. For Burrata lovers, this imported Italian luscious cheese comes with a simple fresh arugula salad and tomato confit all dressed in the finest imported extra virgin olive oil. The risotto should be ordered to witness an interesting presentation to an otherwise familiar dish. For orders of two or more, your server brings out on a cart, a giant Parmigiano cheese wheel with an empty hole in the middle. This center is where the risotto is being mixed for flavor with the cheese shavings in which the server delicately scrapes. It is dished up in a personal sized sterling silver oval pot with a handle, a visually attractive and elegant way to serve plain looking food. Indeed, the risotto with mushroom and generous shavings of truffles with Bartolo wine deserves this classy treatment. The kitchen has a pasta room where the best Italian flour is used to make home made pasta, naturally dried, and temperature controlled to a perfect 68 degree. The tasty and very light ravioli filled with Ricotta and spinach with butter and sage sauce is one of the most popular dish along with the maltagliati with rock shrimp and Porcini mushrooms. The pasta has good texture and ingredients balanced in flavor and proportion. No guilt carb eating at Andrea’s; it’s almost spa cuisine-esque. The pan seared Turbot with white wine and young spinach and spring onion salad is honest and healthy. One tastes the fish in its true state as it is sparingly seasoned. With quality ingredient, there is no need to mask nature with excess. Sexy and simple food is the goal. Experiment with the selection of fine artisanal Italian cheese.

The Gorgonzola Dolce, Taleggio, and Tomino drizzled with honey are an eruption of hearty flavors. End the meal with the poached pear with white wine and home made toasted almond ice cream or ask your server the specialty for the evening’s Napoli pastry with gelato. The last complimentary treat from the chef is an assortment of sweet goodies including the decadent
chocolate truffles displayed on a 10 arm dessert tree, the perfect companion to your after dinner coffee or digestif. The limoncello from Capri is always a tradition to prolong the meal and an excuse to linger on hoping the night wouldn’t end. Perhaps another bottle of wine is called for since there are 1,200 bottles of wine to chose from but where else, mainly Italy.

The cuisine is very consistent with healthfulness and purity in mind. It blends perfectly with the warm understated elegance of the restaurant’s serene décor and ambience. This is truly one soigné establishment where guests will experience the seemingly effortless balance of basking in the magnificent sunset ocean view, enjoy beautiful live acoustic guitar, savor Re Fraschini’s delightful cuisine, and be spoiled by a dedicated staff. Andrea is a choice restaurant for an evening of quality in every sense, a perfect place to recharge.