Terranea Resort Delivers Both Beauty and Lavish Cuisine

Terranea Resort is the kind of place where you wish a weekend would magically turn into a month — 48 hours is way too brief a stay. From the moment you arrive – faithful hound in tow if you like at the pooch-friendly resort — the hospitality is impeccable, the food delicious and the room-with-a-Pacific-view nothing short of stunning. The 102 acres at land’s end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula are immaculately landscaped and the Spanish Revival architecture is a perfect complement to the rocky beach and blue water.

Terranea is celebrating its 15th year as L.A.’s local answer to luxury getaways, where great golf pairs well with a beautifully appointed spa, expansive views of Catalina Island and a pod of showoff-ish dolphins splashing past in the morning hours. Archery, paddleboarding and pickleball are among the activities available, as well as an adults-only pool and outdoor concerts.

Two words of advice: come hungry! If you arrive in time for afternoon happy hour at Catalina Kitchen, try the half-dozen fried “Dynamite Shrimp” with cabbage slaw or the perfectly chilled poke nachos with either wasabi or
sriracha aioli. (Confession: the very words “truffle parmesan fries” have a Pavlov’s dog effect on this writer, who broke down and ordered them as well. Verdict? Sinfully delicious and crisply cooked. To the fitness center!)

For supper al fresco, head to the elegant fine-dining venue mar’sel. Dining here strains the “19th hole” designation, as beef burgers and turkey wraps are customarily associated with that humble category. At mar’sel one swoons over the cauliflower & white chocolate soup, savors each spoonful of a roasted corn soup and tucks into a hulking Ibérico Pork Coppa Steak. Chocolate Dulcey Pot De Crème is wholly unnecessary at that point, but no less appreciated.

And just when you think it’s safe to undo your belt buckle and take in the view from the sea-facing terrace, it’s lunchtime at Nelson’s, a casual indoor/ outdoor facility with gold ribbon awards for ambience and location-times-three. Highly suggested here: blackened salmon salad or the Connecticut lobster roll served on a brioche roll with a Caesar salad on the side.

Outdoor fire pits are where you want to be on Sundays from 3-7 p.m., when slow-smoked meats and fixin’s are served up alongside live blues and country music.

And what would a certifiably five-star resort be without a legit seafood/ sushi emporium? Terranea answers the bell with distinction at bashi, where Chinese, Japanese and Southeast Asian dishes are complemented by an impressive sake roster and a lithium-mellow ambience. The cut shrimp tempura roll with cucumber and avocado is amazing, accented by yamagobo and bubu arare –whatever those are! There’s also a fifty-buck flight of four Japanese whiskeys and a “Gilded Petal” vodka cocktail with hibiscus, lemon and — of course — edible gold.

Terranea sits at land’s end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, with direct views of the Pacific

If you stick around for the sumptuous Sunday brunch at Catalina Kitchen, you’ll find charcuterie platters and prime rib compete with Northwest oysters on the half shell and an omelet station for one’s gustatory attention. (And okay, your humble scribe admits to being unable to resist the Chipotle Mary cocktail, a felicitous mix of Tanteo tequila and house-made Bloody Mary mix. Gotta get the old engine started, verdad?)

Nine holes and 70,000 calories later, you’ll be very happy campers on your way home.

For more information, visit Terranea.com