The Gossiping Gourmet:

It seems that at Claes, in the Hotel Laguna, there is an annual chef shift. At least there has been for the past three years. This is great for us because we have the opportunity to sample a new menu and again enjoy the pleasure of dining in one of the few restaurants in town that overlooks the riveting spectacle of sunset on the beach.

If you’ve never been to this Laguna landmark, the contemporary dining room is done in warm, soft tones of beige and brown, allowing the view to be the most exciting element in the décor.

Paul Bauer has been at the stove for nearly a year and has made some significant changes in the menu. His new offerings are creative and let you be creative as well. Expanding on the previous concept of allowing you to choose the sauce that accompanies your steak, Bauer lets you select the sauce pairing for your fish entrée as well.

The menu is committed to regular seasonal changes and this review is based on their April/May selections. Claes has also added a three course pre-fixe dinner for the reasonable price of $36. One thing that hasn’t changed is their world-class wine list, ranging from a modest $27 Clos du Bois Chardonnay to a $6,000 ’92 Chateau D’Yquem sauterne (by advance order only).

The starter menu is totally revamped with many interesting, inventive mingling of flavors such as mussels with apples, lardons and sage or Ahi sashimi with watermelon, feta puree, basil coulis and balsamic vinegar.

As we waited for our tea-smoked duck breast, we were served some chilly bread, obviously not long out of the refrigerator. Odd! We sent it back to be toasted and it was light and tasty. Tea smoking the duck lent a depth of flavor that enhanced the seared rare bird. The skin was well seasoned and crispy, and it was quite delicious even though a bit chewy. But that is the nature of all duck breast served in restaurants these days if it is served rare (which is the way we prefer it). Adding to the flavor profile was a subtle pineapple chutney — tiny cubes of sweet, lightly spiced fruit.

The Claes house salad features Point Reyes blue cheese, prosciutto, dried blueberries and a honey truffle vinaigrette. Another nice-sounding salad is the baby artichoke and white asparagus with baby arugula, picholine olives and golden beets in walnut vinaigrette.