A new seafood driven restaurant in the small town of Seaside shines.
Maligne has been open for a little over a year and immediately when we walked in it reminded us of The Charter Oak with its large hearth as it’s focal point of the restaurant.
Maligne.
Part of the Dining Room.
Like Chez Noir which we had dined the night prior, Maligne focuses on the bounty of ingredients found within the area. I would consider the food as Californian cuisine where they even serve some pizzas as well.
Menu.
Grilled Focaccia with Olive Oil (9/10).
We loved their focaccia that was super toasted served with aromatic olive oil. They were nice enough to give us another order for free which we devoured.
Grilled Corn with Shishito Peppers, Serrano, and Cotija (8/10).
A simple vegetable dish that screams summer with fresh sweet corn and blistered shishito peppers. The serrano sauce on the bottom of the dish as well as the Cotija cheese added richness and creaminess.
Caesar Salad with Kale and Boquerones (7.5/10).
I love a caesar salad and I liked the addition of kale but I wanted more croutons! Also I was expecting whole boquerones.
Sea Bass Crudo with Buttermilk and Preserved Lemon (8.5-9/10).
This was my favorite appetizer by far as the sea bass was beautifully cut and served with a tangy buttermilk sauce with preserved lemon and lovage. A well balanced crudo.
“Royale with Cheese” (8.5/10).
A “refined” take on a classic cheeseburger with American cheese and a spread reminiscent of In-N-Out’s signature condiment.
Pappardelle with Osso Bucco Ragù (7.5-8/10).
I really enjoyed the texture of the homemade pappardelle pasta but we both wanted the osso bucco ragù to be more unctuous with a stronger depth of meat flavor as it was too tomato forward.
Morel Mushrooms with Peas, Spinach, and Beurre Blanc (Tommy Ate Most of This).
Since morel mushrooms are seasonal, Tommaso wanted to get this dish and he seemed to enjoy it. I only tasted the fresh peas which were vibrant and so sweet.
Ricotta Cake with Cherries and Chantilly with Salted Caramel Gelato (8.5/10).
I loved the simplicity of this cake with macerated cherries and chantilly cream. Their salted caramel gelato in the back was also stellar. So luscious!
Lime Curd with Meringue (8.5/10).
This was basically like a mini trifle with layers of tart lime curd, graham cracker crumble, and crunchy meringue pieces on top. My kind of dessert.
While none of the dishes blew me away, everything was relatively consistent and well executed. Service was also very attentive and friendly which made for a pleasant evening so my rating is an 8/10.