• Best of Laguna Beach

  • By: KX FM
  • Podcast

Best of Laguna Beach

By: KX FM
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  • Summary

  • Insider tips and recommendations for all the best places to dine, drink and play in Laguna Beach.
    Copyright KX FM
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Episodes
  • Everything Tacos & Margaritas in Laguna Beach!

    Everything Tacos & Margaritas in Laguna Beach!
    Oct 17 2024
    On Monday, Sept 30th on my KXFM 104.7 radio show, I chatted with two great guests - Coyote Grill's Co-Owner Desirée Gomez and Rasta Taco's / RastaRita Cantina / RastaRita Margarita Trucks Owner Mario Melendez.This was an enlightening, funny conversation as we covered a multitude of topics primarily around the best tacos, inventive margarita trucks and decades of time in Laguna Beach as local-favorite MExican restaurants. Here’s a quick rundown:START: I introduce Mario Melendez, 9-year Owner of Rasta Taco and Desirée Gomez, 35-year Owner of Coyote Grill, How they arrived in the restaurant business and why they chose Laguna Beach 4:08 The two discuss the pros and cons of catering and renovations(Mario refers to a catering event as “moving a small apartment to another location.) 16:19 Remembering Adolfo Vides, our 39-year Adolfo’s Mexican Restaurant Owner, who passed away last week … and why our restaurant owners rarely meet each other in this town.18:14 Dealing with incoming tourist traffic in our summers, plus the odd seasons we’ve experienced this year. 20:51 Mario Melendez explains how he came up with “The Flank Move” to survive as a restaurant owner when he was initially denied a liquor license in Laguna Beach. This is when Mario became that Bugsy Malone guy who envisioned Las Vegas in the middle of a barren desert. Now, Mario pulls in tens of thousands with multiple “RastaRita Trucks, Cantina food truck and actual Cantina catering and event center.32:29 How Mario’s “pen pal” relationship with Island Records Founder Chris Blackwell turned into a Rasta Taco restaurant opportunity in Jamaica.36:00 Coyote Grill’s Baja-Style Local Lobster Season starts this Thursday!Desireé educates us on the difference between “other” lobster and “Laguna’s spiny local lobster” and what happened when China discovered our own crustaceans. We discuss the moving stock market price of lobster and why specific “I WANT LOBSTER” reservations from all of you are encouraged.43:37 The Best Taco in Laguna Beach discussion beginsMy guests talk to their best-selling tacos as well as their own favorites in their own kitchens. 45:24 The #1 Taco of Laguna Beach SURVEY RESULTS!49:36 How Coyote and Rasta Taco are celebrating National Taco Day (Tues, Oct 1st) 50:36 The difference between our indy restaurants in Laguna Beach vs. franchise restaurants 52:00 KXFMRadio’s Exec Director Billy Fried steps into the show to ask about a New 3% tax proposal levied on the Laguna restaurants Billy asks - How much of their customer base is more local than visitor? He discusses a “statistic” that was presented to the City as “80% of the restaurant business being tourist traffic,” but probably not the case. Mario comes up with an inventive idea for handling the swarm of tourists descending upon us.55:45 Indy restaurants vs. national franchises allowed in Laguna Beach56:50 I announce next week’s guest - Chef Maro Molteni from former Maro Wood Grill, Royal Hawaiian and Terra fame. We’ll be talking about the new restaurant he’s developing … where??Show NotesRasta Taco is a tiny shop in downtown Laguna Beach at 170 Beach St, across from the Whole Foods Market. Go to RastaTaco.com for additional information on catering, including the use of the 29 Palms Cantina Event Center and/or RastaRita Margarita Trucks.Coyote Grill is located in South Laguna (SoLag) across from the Community Garden at 31261 Coast Highway, laguna Beach. Go to CoyoteGrill.tv for breakfast/lunch/dinner menus and happy hour detailsJoin me LIVE on Mondays, 2 pm PDT/5 pm EDT at KXFM 104.7 Radio for new restaurant news and reviews, the best Laguna events, and plenty of rockin’ interviews with Laguna Beach chefs, restaurateurs and downright interesting people.If you’re not nearby to twirl that radio dial … in fact, if you’re one of my subscribers hailing from one of those 32 countries, download the free KXFM Radio app from Google Play or the App Store … OR just go online to KXFMRadio.org
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    57 mins
  • Laguna's Chef Maro Molteni is Ramblin' On

    Laguna's Chef Maro Molteni is Ramblin' On
    Oct 17 2024
    On Monday, Oct. 7th, it was another lively interview in my “Best of Laguna Beach” show at KXFM 104.7, Laguna’s Community Radio station.This week, my guest was local favorite, the immensely talented Chef Maro Molteni, who initially began Maro Wood Grill … then moved to Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill. He then stepped in as pinch hitter with Chef Leo Bongarra for the 2023 summer season at the Festival of Arts’ Terra (along with concessions, seven 7 seven, the [seven-degrees] event center, Hotel Laguna’s Larsen, and even the restaurant at Laguna Art A Fair … long story that you’ll hear about here).

    This past summer, Chef Maro stepped in again to handle Terra through the Festival season, but NOW he’s working on his own project. And it’s not in Laguna Beach. (sob).
    Here’s how Chef Maro’s story unfolds:




    3:00 Maro’s recent birthday, his Argentinian origins and what he really planned for his life (that was not about cooking).

    6:00 Maro’s first (disastrous) forays in the cooking world but why he chose to continue.

    9:00 When wood grilling, here are his preferences of wood for various proteins.

    13:00 How his schooling internships led to Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Manhattan and the deciding factor that got Maro to permanently move to the States.

    15:15 What brought Maro to Orange County and why he and his growing family specifically chose Laguna Beach in 2008.

    19:40 How Chef Maro discovered the original building that became the famed Maro Wood Grill in Dec. 2010 (and the weird way they opened).

    23:35 Why I, the designated restaurant reviewer, never reviewed Maro Wood Grill.

    24:15 The biggest mistake Maro made when he sold the restaurant in 2017.

    25:50 How Chef Maro landed on his next restaurant, Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill, why he chose it, and the initial issues he dealt with in establishing his “Argentinian way” in RH. We further discuss the COVID shutdown, how I managed to work out my “Annual Gratitude Party” virtually with Chef Maro’s help, and the best idea he came up with to continue bringing in income.

    37:40 Chef Maro is opening up shop in … Laguna Niguel. But before we discuss THAT terrible news, we quickly review more of the great “chefery” Chef Maro has provided since leaving Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill. This includes a super fast prep with Chef Leo Bongarra for the onslaught of the Festival Summer Season in 2023

    43:15 Chef Maro explains the grand plan for his new restaurant, Tierra de Fuegos, including why he chose Laguna Niguel instead of Laguna Beach. (And the restaurant he tried to check on in Laguna Beach that he didn’t get a response on.)

    47:05 We talk “ideal square footage” of restaurants in Laguna Beach vs. the more ideal square footage Chef Maro wants for Tierra de Fuegos in Laguna Niguel.

    49:20 Chef Maro shares his timeline for planned opening of Tierra de Fuegos, and explains his “all-wood cooking” plan that includes his grills, a pizza oven and rotisserie. He also discusses lunch and dinner menus, coffee-and-pastry afternoon moments, “to go” family dinners, late night gatherings (that will likely attract fellow Argentinians he says) and a large table plan for … well, you’ll have to listen for this one.

    SHOW NOTES
    Join me LIVE on Mondays, 2 pm PDT/5 pm EDT at KXFM 104.7 Radio for new restaurant news and reviews, the best Laguna events, and plenty of rockin’ interviews with Laguna Beach chefs, restaurateurs and downright interesting people. If you’re not nearby to twirl that radio dial … in fact, if you’re one of my subscribers hailing from one of those 32 countries, download the free KXFM Radio app from Google Play or the App Store … OR just go online to KXFMRadio.org
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    57 mins
  • Unlock Big Profits with Killer Restaurant Design

    Unlock Big Profits with Killer Restaurant Design
    Oct 17 2024
    Overview: This Monday, Oct 14th on my Best of Laguna Beach™ show at KXFM 104.7, I introduced one of the most prolifically successful restaurant designers in the United States. Bruce and I first met in 2015 when his Dallas-based restaurateur client asked him to oversee the Laguna development of what would become “Taverna” at 222 Ocean Avenue. I was on the prowl, covering all the restaurant happenings in Laguna Beach. We’ve been fast friends ever since.I consider Bruce Russo the most consequential, definitive restaurant developer and designer in the U.S. Having developed nearly 600 restaurant concepts and operated multiple concepts of his own creation, Bruce has a sweeping mastery of what it takes to create a successful, thriving restaurant from the ground up. Since I’m the one who is more commonly called in to help fix or tout restaurants in a more strategic way, we figured we’d have some interesting points to offer restaurateurs as well as some surprising insights for patrons who love dining out. Bruce will be joining me every 3-4 weeks on my Monday radio/podcast show.Key Moments in the Interview1:55 Bruce’s 22-year connection to Laguna Beach and the “highly historical” retail building he turned into a restaurant here.3:53 What got Bruce into restaurant design in the first place. (It started with a hamburger joint that he helped construct as a teenager.)5:57 What was decided for Bruce when he was in the womb.6:58 Bruce’s total restaurant concepts all over the U.S. and here in California (and 14 on deck through 2026!).8:38 The biggest challenges with Bruce’s buildout of the Laguna restaurant (first “Taverna”) and the demands for the historical architectural refurbishment of the apartment up above.12:35 The reason why Bruce completes restaurant builds so quickly, and why hospitals and restaurants are surprisingly similar in nature.14:58 Why restaurant development is ALL about the Opening Day15:56 The primary restaurant concepts:Fast Casual ($10-20 check average, like Papa’s Tacos or Lost Pier Café) …Chef-Driven Fast Casual ($25-$40 check average, like Finney’s or Coyote Grill),Fine Dining ($85+ check average like Oliver’s Osteria with “traditional” wait staff), Upscale Fine Dining ($150+ check average like The Drake Laguna Beach),Upscale Prix Fixe Dining ($200-$350 check average, like Rebel Omakase)19:05 Why “Fast Casual” is on the rise nationally.22:00 Why staffing of restaurants is so difficult in a town like Laguna Beach.22:41 The concepts Bruce prefers to build and why 3,500-square-feet is a benchmark for restaurant operation and the “profit void” that occurs.24:18 Why the loyalty of the local Laguna Beach people is paramount in order to survive as a restaurant in Laguna Beach.24:47 How a larger restaurant in Laguna Beach can more efficiently create multiple concepts in the same space. (And how NOT to end up “in the weeds” when private dining (PDR) happens with 50 tickets at once, OR how to create kitchens and menus that can accommodate multiple concepts, including places like The Rooftop).27:28 Bruce talks about the two gigantic pickleball facility concepts he’s designed, using the example of 3 bars and 2 kitchens to accommodate an additional 150-person restaurant at the top. He explains how the two kitchens differ for greatest efficiency, even when dealing with those occasions when a 2,500-person tournament occurs.29:34 Bruce' explains the strategy behind 2 cook lines and 2 prep/expo lines in the same kitchen (when you can’t shoehorn a second kitchen into your existing space).31:17 Understanding the battles, challenges, needs and pitfalls of restaurants, which are actually “manufacturing plants.”32:43 How you design a kitchen for slow days and busy days, and when kitchen staff works in a 4-foot x 8-foot square vs. a 4-foot x 4-foot square.“Most restaurants are not designed to make money.” - Bruce Russo35:20 The biggest reasons why restaurants don’t make money in the kitchen, and why large kitchen demands are different than small kitchen demands.38:02 The biggest mistake Bruce made in a restaurant’s development.40:26 How you store and display your wine bottles for two different audiences in your restaurant.43:08 As a restaurant owner in Laguna Beach, here’s your highest priority.46:10 Why restaurant owners choose Bruce and his team over others.50:08 Bruce tells the story of famed Restaurateur Norm Brinker who, on his opening day, asked Bruce to wait 90 days to pay Bruce for his development work … and Bruce agreed. Here’s what happened from there.53:29 Why it’s so important for patrons to understand just how complex a restaurant operation really is, and what to do on the first days when a restaurant is newly opened.ShareShow NotesBruce Russo will join me again next month at KXFM 104.7, Laguna’s only community radio. You can stream in from anywhere in the world (see details below). Contact Bruce Russo for restaurant ...
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    54 mins

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