High Tide makes a splash at La Bahia, but Santa Cruz roots feel shallow

On Friday, High Tide, a fine dining restaurant La Bahia Hotel & Spa, opened its doors to both the general public and hotel guests. It’s the third and final dining location to come online at Santa Cruz’s brand-new luxury resort, following Low Tide Bar & Grill, a casual lunch and dinner spot on the ground floor, and Pearl, a Champagne and cocktail bar in the lobby, both of which opened on Sept. 8. 

Like Low Tide and Pearl, La Bahia didn’t share much information about its premier dinner-only spot before opening day. As of last weekend, the menus for High Tide  — or Low Tide or Pearl, for that matter — still weren’t posted on the hotel’s website. It’s led by executive chef Fernando Reyes, who was previously the executive chef at Carmel Valley Ranch, and worked at other luxury hotels such as The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, The Ritz-Carlton Sanya-Hainan Province in China and Maravilla Los Cabos in Mexico. 

A media release sent out earlier this summer promised a focus on wine, rather than cocktails, and a Pacific Rim-inspired menu. But that ambiguous descriptor could encompass any of the coastal regions of the world’s largest ocean, from Japan and the Philippines to Australia and South America. I assumed there would be some seafood, at least.   

When I finally arrived for dinner on Saturday night, I couldn’t remember the last time in my four years as a dining reporter I had so little to go on in terms of what to expect from a new restaurant. 

At the end of the evening, ironically, High Tide delivered exactly what it promised: an elegant dining experience with exquisite service and a menu that has broad appeal without boxing itself into a definitive cuisine. However, I wished that Santa Cruz, with its bounty of farmers, fishers and local producers, had a seat at the table. While La Bahia has formed partnerships with local businesses like Cat & Cloud coffee and The Penny Ice Creamery to provide treats and experiences for its guests, there was little about the menu that would deepen a guest’s sense of place. 

Like the rest of the hotel, High Tide’s design is luxurious, with deep, comfortable seats and banquettes. While there’s no bar, there is a glass-encased and soundproof private dining area in the corner, as well as seating on a second-story terrace with a full view of Monterey Bay.

Overall, the menu sticks to twists on classic American dishes, like crab cakes, Caesar salad and steak, drawing flavors from a range of cultures that touch the Pacific Ocean, including California, as seen in appetizers that range from Szechuan pork ribs ($19) and spring rolls ($24) to ahi poke ($25) and crispy Brussels sprouts ($17). 

The flavors and technique were mostly good. The delicately spicy crust on two meaty crab cakes ($24) crunched under the fork. The Umami Forest Risotto vegetarian entree ($46) was exquisitely creamy yet al dente, with a richness created with, no doubt, copious amounts of Parmesan cheese, and crowned with crisp-edged roasted maitake mushrooms and snappy asparagus. 

My grilled king salmon filet ($38), glazed with a citrusy ponzu sauce and served with a side of silky buckwheat noodles, was understated, but the simple preparation was precise and thoughtful. 

There were some welcome eye-catching details, although a few missed the mark. Butter emulsified with briny uni melted into the juicy 14-ounce ribeye ($62), amplifying the savoriness of every bite. A bright pink gingery strawberry sauce surrounded pearly slices of hamachi crudo ($31), but while I tried to keep an open mind, it unfortunately veered into melted popsicle territory.

I eagerly dug into the silvery bocarones on top of the grilled Caesar salad ($19), but its brush with heat mainly served to wilt the crisp lettuces without imparting much smoke. 

Aside from a little opening-weekend stiffness, the service was warm and professional. At the start, our host guided my guest and me to an upstairs waiting area and gave us glasses of complimentary prosecco while we waited a few minutes for our table. Throughout the meal, our server was friendly and present without being obtrusive.  

To many locals who watched the three years of construction with interest, La Bahia represents a new and glamorous addition to the community. High Tide fulfills that expectation, but not in the way I hoped it would. It succeeds as a luxurious dining experience designed to dazzle an upper-echelon clientele with beachfront views and flawless service. I hope that in the future, they take advantage of the richness of our region and allow guests visiting the area to experience it through the food. 

215 Beach St., Santa Cruz; 831-285-1100; labahiahotel.com.

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