RESTAURANT REVIEW:

This was shameful for me to admit, but I had always thought the Balboa Bay Club and Resort was private.

I assumed — wrongly so — that the restaurant, First Cabin, and the bar, Duke’s Place, were off limits unless you were a member or staying at the resort.

There was really no explanation for that, and the strange thing was many people I asked held the same belief.

The management had felt that sentiment for some time and worked on changing the public’s perception.

“People still have it in their mind that we are private,� said George Lysak, executive director of sales and marketing. “They are missing out on some wonderful food.�

After a recent dinner there, I completely agreed.

We began at Duke’s Place with a drink. I was introduced to Three Olives Vodka and felt that was a great sign of my evening to come. The premium vodka goes through a quadruple distillation and filtration process and was both smooth and clean. It has replaced my usual vodka when I can get it.

The tavern was quite cozy with comfortable chairs and tables that circle the dance floor and band area. Live entertainment, mostly jazz and standards, occurs nightly, and I would argue it is one of the best places to enjoy a drink during sunset with the view of the bay.

First Cabin’s dining room was just as elegant and unpretentious. The attention to detail was refreshing. The staff was attentive and friendly but not overly so in either category. It was a nice relaxing evening.

That was until the food came, and I was sent straight into a food nirvana.

Chef Josef Lageder was born in Austria but has lived all over the world and transfers many of those influences to his cuisine.

Simple items like chilled shrimp are infused with an aioli cognac with a tomato and mayonnaise caviar that creates so many non-competing tastes and is a wonderful sensory overload for your taste buds.

The escargot was another appetizer that was presented simply but has so many layers to it. The escargot was firm, but not chewy and was baked in a garlic and Herbes de Provence with butter that brought out a rich, flavorful sauce that was perfect for sopping up with the fresh French rolls.

The real starter that floored me was the lobster bisque. Being a favorite of mine, I have had that soup in many places, but that was the best I have ever had. If you come here for nothing else, come for the bisque. It was so creamy and rich and the chunks of Maine lobster were so sweet.

Wine is a very important component of the meals at First Cabin. There are an approximate 40 by the glass and more than 600 bottles offered from just about every country that grew grapes. I tasted wine from New Zealand, Oregon, Lebanon and Portugal.

The other philosophy that Lageder followed when creating the menu that I instantly appreciated was the concept of food for all people. Nowhere was that more evident than in the entrees.

A straightforward white Dover sole, or New York steak is offered with a more complex coconut seafood curry and roasted Muscovy duck with black currant reduction.

I tasted one of the more popular dishes, the seared Chilean sea bass. The sun-dried tomato vinaigrette was a touch sweet, but was balanced out nicely by the saffron orzo.

Another dish I enjoyed was the Hungarian veal goulash. The slowly braised veal was so tender, I didn’t need a knife. The garlic and caraway seeds and authentic Hungarian paprika sauce are perfect with the buttered linguine and red cabbage.

The final entrée I sampled was the tenderloin tips and wild mushroom ragout. The pork was sautéed with shallots and assorted mushrooms, including Shiitake, and blended in a Cabernet Sauvignon reduction. Served with spinach and black cherries it was expertly prepared.

A perfect ending to the meal was the mango crème brulee, though the bread pudding was quite good as well and favored by many of the regulars.

I concluded my evening the way I began it, with a walk outside around the property, looking at the yachts anchored in the bay. Membership may have its privileges, but you can get the identical experience at First Cabin. It was an evening that I will repeat in the very near future.

FIRST CABIN

ADDRESS: 1221 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach

PHONE: (949) 645-5000

WEBSITE: www.balboabayclub.com

CUISINE: Continental

SPECIALTY DISH: Chateaubriand for two

ALCOHOL SERVED: full bar

ENTRÉE PRICE RANGE: $22.50 to $46

FAMILY FRIENDLY: yes, separate children’s menu

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: American Express, MasterCard and Visa

RATING: *** 1/2

JOHN REGER reviews local restaurants and may be contacted at [email protected] or P.O. Box 2984, Seal Beach, CA 90740.