Chef megastar Michael Mina’s latest restaurant concept is one that pays homage to his roots in a delicious way. Orla, which has just opened inside the new Regent Santa Monica Beach, is an Egyptian-Mediterranean restaurant and takes the flavors that Mina grew up with as a child and then takes a spin, marrying them with the Mediterranean flavors through the lens of a modern interpretation.
Michael Mina’s Orla has opened at the new Regent Santa Monica Beach resort.
Andrew Bui
“Orla started coming to life more than six years ago when my team and I decided to introduce an Egyptian-inspired menu to my Michelin-Starred restaurant, Michael Mina, in San Francisco,” said celebrity chef Michael Mina in an email.
Mina shared that the more he and his team traveled to Egypt and researched the cuisine of his roots, he was increasingly amazed by how much of a Greek influence there was on so many dishes.”I knew at that moment I had to open a restaurant that celebrated these flavors as well as my culinary history,” said Mina.
Mina’s intent was to, from the moment a guest walks into Orla at Regent Santa Monica Beach, to make it feel like a one-of-a-kind destination. “The restaurant is the focal point when you walk into the hotel and has stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. It’s really magical to experience the Mediterranean menu alongside Santa Monica’s sweeping beach views,” said Mina.
“You absolutely must start your meal with the Royal Caviar Fateer,” said Mina. Fateer is a traditional Egyptian flaky pastry, and Mina’s team at Orla elevates it by topping it with Ashta cream, chives, and of course, Petrossian Caviar. “It’s the most decadent bite, while still being simple.”
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That’s the vision of the menu at Orla, which takes the inspiration of Mina’s roots and Egyptian and Mediterranean ingredients and then gives them an unexpected spin. For example: “The salt-baked sea bream is also incredibly special – it is finished and served tableside over thinly sliced zucchini,” said Mina.
The Orla menu is one that features a lot of fish and seafood, but there’s beautiful meat options as well. “The kebab platter is perfect for a group,” said Mina.
Mina is known to have a sweet tooth, so it’s not surprising there’s also a lot of focus on the dessert menu. “The 24k Golden Baklava Sundae is another stunning tableside experience, and the Golden Spiral Mango Tart is a highlight given mangos are as ubiquitous to Egypt as pineapples are to Hawaii!” said Mina.
Tableside cocktails is an emerging trend, and Orla offers a tableside spin on the classic Gin & Tonic that is “going to present the cocktail you may already know in a whole new way,” said Mina, who is also a fan of agave spirits. “The Santorini Sun featuring both mezcal and tequila is a great start to the night.”
But for those who are longtime Mina fans and have favorite dishes from his other concepts, don’t worry, you’ll find some special nods on this menu as well.
“While our team creates menus specific to each restaurant and location, you will find some dishes across our restaurants that are similar. One in particular found in a number of our concepts is the Macaroni Béchamel. You’ll recognize our macaroni as the noodles are neatly placed to stand up on the plate. It’s really spectacular!”