Terrace Menu Overextends, Results Underwhelm

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You may not recognize the name, but the Langham Huntington Hotel has been drawing travelers to Pasadena for more than a century. Formerly known as the Ritz-Carlton Huntington, the historic hotel got a name change and a $25 million renovation after its purchase by the Hong Kong-based Langham Hotels International in late 2007. There are two restaurants on site, but the Terrace is the go-to lunch spot for those craving luxury and proximity to downtown Los Angeles. As the younger sibling of the Michelin-starred Dining Room, the Terrace seems to be still searching for its culinary identity and experiencing some growing pains.

The hotel was built in 1907, and is famous for hosting lavish events as well as the cr & #269;me de la cr & #269;me of society. Closed in the mid-1980s due to structural concerns, the property was demolished and rebuilt to its original splendor, reopening in 1991 as the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa.

Though naysayers had worried about how the hotel would fare under foreign ownership, the grounds speak for themselves. Set on 23 acres of luscious greenery, the hotel’s facelift seeks to incorporate the English roots of the Langham brand with an extraordinary refinement. Impeccably appointed furnishings decorate the lobby and labyrinthine halls that lead to the Terrace. Getting lost has never been so enchanting.

The Terrace overlooks the pool with expansive windows, telegraphing a more relaxed objective with a less-fussy d & #233;cor. Comfort is the focus here the menu features a wide range of influences for those far from home. Not too many places offer a charcuterie plate alongside a chicken quesadilla. (But such is the peculiar nature of hotel dining.)

We start with soup the appetizer offerings are otherwise curiously limited to two items. The organic gazpacho is much better than it looks which is like a thick, gelatinous tomato soup. Despite the color, the flavor is dominated by a zippy chorus of green vegetables. Hunks of cucumber are at the bottom of this refreshing starter. The spicy pumpkin and butternut squash bisque has a faint kick of yellow curry, though not enough to make the dish truly spicy. Sprinkled with pumpkin seeds, the concoction has a cloying sweetness that masks the natural flavor of the gourds.

The Thai ginger shrimp appetizer is also tooth-achingly sweet, though that’s mainly due to the sauce drizzled on the edges of the plate. Beautifully served, the shrimp are arranged atop a mold of cilantro sticky rice with a puff of micro-arugula crowning the dish. The problem? The microgreens have been salted. It is strange and superfluous, but the phenomena is not unique to the shrimp.

While the Terrace seems to succeed somewhat with Asian fusion, the Parma caprese salad shows that it falls flat attempting Italian classics. The salad comes on a bed of frisee and mache not the most authentic of choices. With hunks of buratta and twisted lumps of prosciutto, the plate looks sloppily thrown together in comparison to the others. Adding insult to injury, the salad is salted and drowned in black pepper. The upside? The tomatoes are ripe and flavorful.

The ginger beef salad is the better choice. With a great chili-lime dressing, the beef is flavorful and a hearty counterpoint to the greens, which are a little anemic. While satisfying, the salad is begging for that little something extra to make it outstanding.

The tempura tuna sandwich is possibly the most interesting item on the menu, though it too could use a few minor tweaks. The ciabatta bread is a bit too hard. Along with the sheer size of the sandwich, this makes it extremely difficult to eat, especially if you are attempting to hold down a conversation. That said, the sesame aioli is perfection.

The truncated list of entrees is overwhelmingly Italian pizzas and pastas with distinct California influences. We try the clam linguini and are unmoved. The thick noodles appear nearly sauceless. Though the clams and roasted wild mushrooms are good, the dish is boring and bland. Little red flecks that look to be bell peppers give the dish a little color but not much else.

In stark contrast to the sometimes overly simplistic cuisine, the desserts are ragingly intellectual. Though pleasing to the eye and interesting in theory, we are left unsatisfied. The “chocolate-chocolate” is a triptych featuring chocolate caramel pot de cr & #269;me, chocolate beet sorbet and a chocolate espresso fondant cake. The most interesting aspect of the pot de cr & #269;me (which, by the way, tastes like plain-old chocolate pudding) is its presentation in a tiny latch-lid jar. And the beet-flavored sorbet is not as wonderfully strange as we anticipated. It’s a pity that the chocolate souffl & #233; is not available at lunch.

While the Terrace’s attempt to please all palates by taking diners on a round-the-world tour is admirable, the effect is disorienting. Though it is the business of hotel restaurants to provide a wide range of comfort foods, the Langham overextends itself and underwhelms on nearly every front. A terrible shame, especially considering it is the companion to the universally praised Dining Room. The grounds of the Langham Huntington Hotel are world class and the service unparalleled, but with the right menu edits, the Terrace could be so much better.



THE TERRACE AT THE LANGHAM

Where: 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, 91106. Cross Street: Hillcrest Avenue

When: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Sunday

What to Try: Thai ginger shrimp, tempura tuna sandwich, ginger beef salad

Noise Level: Low

Meeting Room: Yes, up to 16

Parking: Complimentary

Price Range: Appetizers, $11-$21; entrees, $14-$37

Reservations: (626) 585-6218



Reviewer Lindsey Styrwoll can be reached at [email protected].

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