Gemmell’s Restaurant

Bon Appétit!

by Dina Scaglione

Say “bonjour” to the delectable French cuisine you’d expect to find at some of Paris’ best eateries, without traveling abroad. Imaginatively healthy, freshly prepared, made-when-you-order meals await at Gemmell’s Restaurant. For more than 20 years, this Dana Point Harbor gem has transported diners to a time and place where quality food and deliberate meal preparation was both fashionable and personal.

Long-time restauranteur Byron Gemmell has found a way to elevate fine dining without any of the pretense you might expect. Bringing more than 50 years to the table, chef-owner Gemmell delivers a full menu complete with traditional, Old World fare and a few surprising twists. After two decades, Gemmell’s continues to create artful masterpieces for locals and visitors, with a hint of the French countryside.

Walking through the menu is a delicious adventure, whether you relish classic French fare or something a bit more daring. Must-try dishes include the housesmoked wild salmon, pâté de canard, creamy lobster bisque and the hearts of romaine salad with roasted walnuts, crumbled blue cheese and diced tomatoes. Whether you prefer fresh fish or exotic game, Gemmell’s offerings will not disappoint. Savor the poached salmon, embellished with a champagne lemon dill cream sauce, Sand Dabs Meniere with white wine, butter, parsley, lemon and butter sauce, or Shrimp Provençale with delicately sautéed Gulf shrimp, diced Roma tomatoes, basil, parsley, and caper sauce, all served with rice and vegetables. Carnivores will appreciate Gemmell’s succulent and slow roasted duck in a banana liquor reduction or the roasted lamb with fragrant thyme and garlic demi-glace, or sirloin steak, seared to perfection and finished in a bordelaise sauce. Of course, one’s meal is never complete without dessert; whether you choose the decadent flourless chocólat cake, fresh lemon tart with shortbread crust, or the soufflé served with a rich crème anglaise sauce; each one is worth every sinful bite.

There’s no need to travel to France when culinary masterpieces are available right in Dana Point. Make your reservation for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch, served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at GemmellRestaurant.com.

Gemmell’s Restaurant
34471 Golden Lantern
Dana Point • 949.234.0063
GemmellRestaurant.com