Paséa Hotel & Spa, an oceanfront resort set in the heart of Huntington Beach, Calif., finished a $5 million renovation of its food and beverage program this spring, debuting a new restaurant perfect for group gatherings and giving a refresh to its popular open-air rooftop lounge.
The hotel’s newest restaurant, Lōrea, is a California coastal-inspired restaurant with a “land and sea” theme. Ideal for buyouts, Lōrea boasts beautiful design details, like a lively community table that was hand painted by a local artist and a 77-foot-long stone bar, plus has a sprawling patio and Pacific Ocean views and a fire pit for al fresco dining year-round.
As for the cuisine?
“Although we are located in Southern California with bountiful access to the season’s best seafood and meats, at Paséa and Lōrea, we don't force ourselves into a specific signature dish,” says Scott Rackliff, Paséa Hotel & Spa’s Executive Chef. “Instead, we follow a few philosophies: to use the finest local ingredients the land and sea have to offer; to utilize the whole ingredient; and to transform them into a memorable dining experience.”
Think: A menu with abundant seafood offerings like seared diver scallops, whole market fish, and seafood stews as well as premier beef cuts and vegan dishes, like cavatelli featuring peas seven ways.
Ahead, learn about the unique and delicious culinary experiences for groups at Paséa Hotel & Spa, which is elevating the dining scene in Orange County.
Immersive Culinary Experiences at Paséa
A highlight at Lōrea is the immersive tableside experiences, like warm Parker House rolls served with a melting edible candle of Turkish chili-lime butter and a decadent Pavlova dessert presented with a dry ice ‘smoke.’ Headlining the dessert menu is a carrot cake inspired by Chef Rackliff’s family.
Rackliff says he’s noticing a couple of trends in group dining. The first is shareable, family-style meals that were making a surge pre-pandemic and is back again. Another is live-action stations.
“At a property like Paséa, we are very fortunate to have a lot of space,” he says. “We are able to create customized live-action stations all spread out to mimic a fun interactive food hall-like experience.”
Some popular live-action stations, he says, include the smashburger station and an avocado toast station.
“When our team works these stations, they are able to build a genuine connection with the guest which makes for an amazing experience for both the guest and the team member,” he says.
At Lōrea, Rackliff says, the culinary team will also offer interactive cooking classes for smaller groups. Chefs can teach meetings and events guests how to make some of the property’s favorites dishes, like various pastas from scratch, mozzarella, and burrata.
Indoor-Outdoor Meeting Spaces Along the California Coast
Taking advantage of its sunny climate and prime location along the Pacific Ocean in “Surf City USA,” Paséa Hotel & Spa has 34,600 feet of flexible meeting space, and options for outdoor dining and gatherings.
Paséa’s rooftop lounge Treehouse on PCH can accommodate 130 people, and the open-air bar features an iconic life-size tree sculpture that envelops the bar, with lanterns hanging from it and deep-seated sofas by Restoration Hardware and firepits clad with Taj Mahal quartzite stone. The bar serves specialty cocktails and a curated menu of non-alcoholic mocktails, plus bites like eggplant tacos and Peruvian ceviche. The rooftop also has a DJ booth so live music can set the soundtrack of events.
A prized outdoor meeting space, the 14,600-square-foot Ocean Lawn & Terrace comes with ocean views. The hotel’s meeting spaces also include meeting rooms with terraces that open to palm trees and ocean views. Drift and Coast is ideal for smaller meetings and private dining, and can accommodate up to 30 attendees.
For groups looking to add wellness to the itinerary, the on-site Aarna Spa features a serene outdoor spa garden and a salt-therapy room, which are known for promoting skin and respiratory health, as well as relaxation.