Barbiancas Cuisine – Organically Inspired
After a renovation of 12 million dollars the MDR Doubletree Hotel created a new contemporary design for Barbiancas Restaurant. The pool side of the contemporary design is open to diners, who can enjoy the open air feeling of the cabanas, taking in the ocean air.
MDR provides guests with an open air feeling that is comfortable for groups to converse and watch some sports on their LCD screens. It sets the mood for some creative cuisine.
Mark Gold, the executive chef, greeted Tom Hallick, an actor who starred in many television shows such as “Murder She Wrote,” “Matlock” and the popular “The Young and Restless,” and me, to some of the most creative dishes I’ve tasted in many years. Chef Gold has traveled extensively throughout the United States and has appeared on television shows such as Chop Chop. The Northern Italian fliar of his cuisine is organically inspired, and has a touch of the Napa Valley feeling.
Our culinary journey begun with a bruschetta board with oven dried roma tomatoes and an order of housemade veal meatballs. We then were served lemon-braised artichokes and parmigiana with reggiano and napa valley herb olive oil vinaigrette. Other items included roasted polenta cake with housemade crisp polenta, forged mushrooms, parmigiano-reggiano, covered with truffle sauce olives.
Our main entrees included a 12 ounce, center cut Black Angus Sirloin Steak with pee wee potatoes, black and peppercorn dune and Artichoke Ravioli, prepared with artichokes, mazzarelli, herb ricotta in a light marinara sauce.
With that said, there was just enough room in our tummies for some desert. Our choice included Vanilla bean mascarpone with fresh berries and a raspberry lemon sorbet, along with lemon toasted almond cake, prepared with vanilla bean cream and red wine syrup.
Barbiancas Resturant is located in the MDR Doubletree Hotel on 13480 Maxella Avenue in Marina del Rey.
Call for reservations at (310) 822-8555.
