It is summer and what better thing to do than have a delicious, leisurely breakfast on a nice patio overlooking the ocean. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to do just that, as Sapphire Laguna hosted a media breakfast on their beautiful patio overlooking the beautiful blue Pacific. Chef Azmin Ghahreman has led an interesting life; born in Iran, schooled in Switzerland and then gaining his culinary education in San Francisco.
Later on, he traveled the world, serving as Executive Chef at 5-star resorts across the world and recently partnering with Crystal Cruises. He has cooked for kings, presidents and other world leaders, settling in Laguna to oversee not only Sapphire Laguna, his excellent sit-down restaurant, but also Sapphire Pantry and his highly lauded program for children’s school lunches that feeds over 5,500 students, Sapphire at School.
Photo gallery at end of article
Chef Azmin has taken the comfort food aspect of breakfast and combined it with his knowledge of foods and techniques from around the world. The breakfast had an emphasis on fresh ingredients and nowhere was that as evident as in Chef Azmin’s V6 and his Fresh Juice of the Day. In the Fresh Juice of the Day, kale, spinach, apple and lemon combined with fresh ginger, turmeric and cayenne for a refreshing juice with a nice zing to it.
Although everything was delicious, several menu items really stood out. The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes were simply wonderful, with nice chunks of cheese in the sweet batter. A Blueberry-Ginger Syrup topped the pancakes, with a Vanilla Chantilly cream and fresh blueberries that really added to the flavor. The Braised Pork Chili Verde was topped with an organic egg to make a complete breakfast dish with a Mexican flair. The pork chili was flavorful with a nice roasted tomatillo sauce on it.
Enjoy the following photo gallery of some of the breakfast dishes at Sapphire Laguna. It is a great way to start the day in one of the most beautiful and romantic towns on the Orange Coast.
Sapphire Laguna
1200 S. Coast Highway, #101
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-9888
