Half Moon Hotel Menu

[Chiquita Mcnicholas]

Assomeone who lives in California's Bay Area, I have a habit of forgetting that I live in one of the most beautiful regions in the world and took for granted that The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay was only about a one-hour drive from my home, giving me an excuse to go see if it lived up to the hype for myself.

Half Moon Bay is a short 30-minute drive south of San Francisco International Airport (SFO). It is home to Sam's Chowder House, a popular seaside seafood restaurant, and legendary surfing since waves are known to get as tall as 6 feet in the waters off the coast of Half Moon Bay. We certainly weren't in the city to surf, though we did stop at Sam's Chowder House for takeout on the beach before heading home on our way out of town.

As you pull up to the hotel, there is a required stop before entering the grounds where someone checks your name for a reservation before allowing you to drive to the front entrance. A valet was graciously waiting to help us with our luggage, ask if we'd been to the property before and wish us well during our stay.

The hotel lobby actually took my breath away the first time I saw it. Past the tall glass doors of the hotel's entrance, we were greeted by a crystal chandelier surrounded by autumn-colored flowers and greenery adorning the ceiling. Below, a compass motif on the hardwood floor was an ode to the nearby coast.

In the next area, right in front of the check-in counter, was a much less elaborate space with coffered ceilings and modern carpeting. At the counter, we were told that our room had been upgraded from a deluxe room to a coastal-view guest room, thanks to my Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status. Our room wasn't ready yet, so we dropped off our luggage and headed outside to have lunch at The Ocean Terrace overlooking the water. When our room was ready, they called my cellphone and offered us a glass of wine that we could take up with us.

After checking in to our room and before our dinner reservation, we took advantage of the free time to walk along the coastal trail that wraps around the hotel's golf course. The path includes a pedestrian bridge over the water that leads to a public-access beach. Luckily for us, the sky was clear and we watched the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean from high above.

The cool silver-and-white walls were another nod to the coastal location, without feeling overdone, and the wooden nightstand and entryway furniture brought needed warmth to the room. The marble bathroom was large and featured a separate shower and soaking tub with Diptyque Philosykos bath products. A bathrobe was hung between the door and tub, and slippers could be found inside the closet.

The focal point of the room however was easily the view of the ocean. We crowded the chairs around the window and sipped our wine while discussing whatever it is parents talk about when their kids aren't with them. It was peaceful and beautiful, and we couldn't hear a peep from anyone walking by outside of the window.

We decided to take advantage of the great award availability and splurge on dinner at Navio, the hotel's fine dining restaurant where we had a choice between a three-course prix fixe menu or the chef's tasting menu. We decided on the prix fixe ($155 per person) but added the Kaluga caviar starter from the chef's tasting menu instead of the cheese starter.

The Kaluga caviar was served inside a small white pumpkin and layered on top of creme fraiche and pepitas with toasted brioche bread. For my first course, I enjoyed a salad with fresh tomatoes, persimmon and Maine lobster, while my husband had the duck consomme. For our main dish, we shared a savory black cod with Florentine broccolini and cuttlefish pasta and the Colorado lamb rack with eggplant puree.

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is in fact worth a spot on every points and miles enthusiast's bucket list. It is just a 30-minute drive from San Francisco International Airport and a perfect location for locals looking for a relaxing staycation.

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In between my several trips overseas over the past few months, I visited San Francisco to meet with some of the best chefs in the country and to enjoy good food and some much needed downtime. My visit to the Ritz-Carlton at Half Moon Bay, a short drive from downtown San Francisco, transported me to a place with breathtaking vistas, great food, and was one of my favorite breaks this year. I plan to escape more often to the picturesque Half Moon Bay retreat to unwind, chill a couple of days and just be another day tripper into the bustling city of San Francisco.

Fall is around the corner, there is a nip in the air, and the warm embrace of the sun feels good again. Looking back at summer while making plans for another get away I wonder what fall is like at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay. Pleasant memories surface of an impulsive escape from a heat wave in Southern California that lead to a road trip up north a few months ago. Finding a hotel on a spur of the moment or even for well planned visit to San Francisco is always a challenge for tourists from any part of the world. For some local and out of town visitors a few scenic Napa Valley resorts end up as an alternative to the busy city by choice.

In this instance a picture of the view from the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay prompted a search due south of the city by the bay. Just 23 miles from the San Francisco International airport and about a forty five minute drive down lies the scenic coastal town of Half Moon Bay. The 14 acre Ritz Carlton cliff-top luxury resort sitting on a bluff above the Pacific set amidst two pristine championship golf courses offers stunning views over the half moon shaped bay. After driving down the single lane approach through the small town with its beach bound traffic the six storied grey hued hotel appeared as a welcome sight. It seems familiar, reminiscent of Scotland in one instant and an old world sea side lodge somewhere on the East Coast the next. The windswept structure reflecting the golden hues of the sun follows the natural curve of the bay and seamlessly blends into the surroundings despite its considerable size and 260 plus guest rooms. Once the friendly staff take over upon arrival in the porte cochere and guests step onto the compass inlaid floor of the lobby it is easy to lose a sense of time or place in the elegantly appointed public spaces as well as the guest rooms.

The stunning view from the room was mesmerizing and hard to get away from but the winding paths above the craggy coastline called out for exploration. The menu of services offered at the resort spa were equally inviting but the outdoor terrace and ocean lawn beckoned with picture post card views that delivered what the hotel site had promised. Dotted with fire pits and blanket draped Adirondack chaises it was a perfect setting for relaxing with a glass of wine or an aperitif. In the evening a spectacular sunset bathed the skies with a pinkish glow as the sun dipped into the Pacific. Adding to the magic a lone bagpiper appeared on the horizon and the fading light seemed to synchronize with the plaintive notes of his bagpipe. That experience is enough to draw back guests for repeat visits!

I was always down towards fine dining and Charlie Trotter was someone I looked up to and was inspired by early on. He was a mentor and big inspiration since I was living in Idaho and working with a lot of game at that time. Then I came to San Francisco and worked my way up learning from all the other chefs around.

I think what I have brought back with me are techniques from the East Coast and as far as evolution is concerned restaurants like Benu and Saison in San Francisco have drawn a lot of attention to the food in this region and now there is not just the great produce but also the techniques to enhance it.

It has been eight years since I took over a kitchen and now I am building a team here at Navio. I enjoy the creative freedom instead of having to follow someone else ideas. My greatest joy here is when I speak with guests and hear how much they have enjoyed their experience.

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