Taking over the space occupied by EnoSteak, Kahani (meaning “story” in Hindu) will open up in its place on Saturday, Oct. 7. Executive chef Sanjay Rawat, who was hired by the luxury resort as chef de cuisine in 2022, will lead the kitchen inside his first dedicated Orange County restaurant.
Born in Uttarakhand, India, Rawat grew up in New Delhi where cooking was a major part of his family — so much so that, after getting a culinary degree in Malaysia, he toiled away in kitchens across the globe, from the Taj Hotel in New Delhi to Irvine’s Clay Oven. While at the Ritz-Carlton, he created menus for 400-plus person, multi-day South Asian weddings as well as last year’s Diwali festival.
In order to help bring the chef’s ideas to fruition inside its dedicated restaurant space, the resort formed a voluntary Indian Cultural Committee — which includes several Indian food and beverage managers and directors across operations and banquets — to assist Rawat in his vision.
“When I immigrated from India eight years ago, I never imagined I would be given the opportunity to helm a restaurant at an iconic resort like The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel,” said Rawat in a written press release. “I want Kahani, my story, to inspire other chefs to dream outside of their parameters and have trust that their journey will come full circle like mine.”
Dishes will include corn and cardamom bisque with turmeric and cilantro crema; tandoori spice-tinged lobster risotto; a Kashmiri curry of beef short rib with roasted root vegetables, pickled onions and crispy garlic; cardamom cheesecake with laddu crumbs and kala jamun; and traditional sweets like gulab jamun, kulfi and rasmalai.
In addition to helping Kahani get its sea legs during its nascent period, Rawat will continue to have his hands full as he hosts his second-annual Diwali Mela event at the beachside resort on Saturday, Nov. 4.
Kahani will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. starting Oct. 7.
Find it: 1 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point
