Over the last
year Laguna Beach has had several new restaurants open, one of which is Three Seventy Common Kitchen + Drink.
This farm-to-table eatery is the vision of Ryan Adams, former executive chef at
local legendary restaurant, Sorrento Grille. When Adams was offered the chance
to purchase the restaurant from the owners, he jumped at the opportunity and Three
Seventy Common was born.
From the moment I
began reading and hearing the buzz surrounding Three Seventy Common, I had to try
it. Finally, this past week I had my chance to experience what everyone has been
talking about. Crossing over Mermaid Street and up to the doors of the
restaurant, it was hard to tell what was going on inside. When we passed the
threshold I immediately saw and felt the “common” and friendly atmosphere that
I had been hearing about. Adams has clearly focused his attention on creating a
space with an urban feel using repurposed wood and metal for the décor. The dining
room, the bar and the kitchen bar were filled with people… chatting, eating,
drinking…literally meeting around the dinner table to catch up on life. And
that’s exactly what I found myself doing with a dear friend of mine. We eagerly
looked at the drink offerings. Both of us were impressed with the extensive
drink menu of wines by the glass (about 30) and the inventive house cocktails.
I choose the elusive “Sexy Dennis” and she the “East Side.” I call “Sexy
Dennis” elusive because the description is this: “a nightly cocktail lovingly
crafted for Mr. Dennis Finger.” I was intrigued and asked what the drink
consisted of, “homemade lavender lemonade (lavender and lemons from Chef Adams
Mom’s garden) and Buffalo Trace Bourbon (the oldest distillery in America).” I
was sold! The Sexy Dennis was refreshing with a tart bite balanced by the
sweetness from the bourbon. The Eastside was the perfect ‘hot day’ drink with
muddled cucumber and basil that also had a refreshing taste with a citrus kick.
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| The Sexy Dennis |
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| The East Side: Ion vodka or Blue Coat gin, basil, cucumber and citrus. |
After a few sips
of our drinks it was time to peruse the menu. We liked the simplicity of how it
was separated into categories of “Small,” “Medium,” “Large” and “Sides” and it
read like a dream filled with the kind of food you could eat for eternity. To
be honest we had a really difficult time deciding on what to order because the
descriptions of the plates were making us salivate. With advice from our
waitress we settled on the asparagus from the “Small” section and the baked mac
n’ cheese from “Sides” section for our appetizers. Generous amounts of charred
asparagus topped with a fried egg and prosciutto made for a smoky salt
explosion. The baked mac n’ cheese was hands down the BEST mac n’ cheese I have
ever had in my life!!! Made with smoked cheddar and baked in an iron skillet,
this dish had a crispy lid and a delicious, creamy inside. If these two dishes
were an indicator of what our entrees would be, all I can say is HOLY
PHENOMENAL! My taste buds were already singing the praises of Chef Adams.
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| Asparagus: Fried egg, asiago, prosciutto and bread crumbs. |
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| Baked Mac n’ Cheese |
We finally settled
on the Shepherd’s Pie and Salmon for our main dishes. A healthy salmon steak
was set before me topped with shaved leeks, radishes, sliced onion and parsley,
which was paired with lentils mixed with chorizo. It was an interesting and
mild combination of flavors. I’m not usually a fan of radishes or parsley and
yet I was enjoying how they brought that crisp element to the dish. Three
Seventy Common put its own twist on the traditional Shepherd’s Pie with the
potatoes in the middle surrounded by the veal, veggies and gravy. One of my
friend’s favorite dishes of all time is Shepherd’s Pie and as she was eating
this one she would not stop raving about it and kept begging me to taste it.
She built me a “trifecta” bite of veal, carrots and mash. It was a bite that I
thought only existed in my dreams…the flavors saturated down into every piece
of food and made me want to lick the fork clean.
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| Salmon with lentils, chorizo, leeks, sherry vinegar, parsley and red onion. |
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| Shepherd’s Pie with veal, carrots, peas, pearl onion, gravy and cheesy mash. |
Even with our
bellies full and satisfied we couldn’t pass on the opportunity for a dessert
created byChef Adams. We chose “The Presley,” a cinnamon toast, banana, peanut
butter ice cream delight. Again our mouths were in heaven with the caramelized
bananas, peanut butter ice cream and cinnamon toast combined making this a sweet treat. We sipped on the house Manhattan
that is made with bourbon that is aged in oak barrels in the Whisky Room (a
private room in the restaurant with seating up to 8) at the restaurant.
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| The Presley: cinnamon toast, banana, peanut butter ice cream and honey. |
I am so happy
that Three Seventy Common lived up and surpassed my expectations. It is quickly becoming a
hot spot for locals and visitors and I can clearly see why. I can’t wait to go back and try more of
these flavor explosions, especially the Burger, which is Chef Adams personal
favorite.
370 Glenneyre
Open for
dinner Tuesday through Sunday, 5pm to close
Try these
special Food and Wine Gatherings
Sunday Night
Social: A rotating list
of old-fashioned supper classics includes roast chicken, pot roast and
meatloaf. $25 per person (half-price for kids 12 and under)
Tuesday
Brown Bag Nights: Order
dinner and enjoy a bottle of red or white wine for $15 a bottle. (served in a
brown bag you don’t know which wine you might get)
Wino
Wednesdays: Featuring a three-course
dinner menu with a wine pairing for just $30 (in addition to the a la carte
menu).
Buy your
Friend a Drink: Guests
can buy a friend a drink in advance. Friends’ names are then posted on a board
at the bar, and they will have a pre-paid drink waiting for them on their next
visit.
By Anne-Marie S.
