Los Angeles Restaurants|Palos Verdes, California, United States

Mar'sel at Terranea

Name: Mar'sel at Terranea
Telephone: 310-265-2701

Seaside dining on the California coast

VERIFIED LUXURY

Learn How We Inspect

Mar'sel at Terranea is the fine-dining option at the luxurious Los Angeles-area retreat Terranea Resort. The name "mar'sel" comes from the Spanish word for sea, mar, and the French word for salt, sel. So, it's no surprise that you find a beautiful mesh of the two cuisines and a good dose of Southern California flair.

While the food may be upscale, it's not at all stuffy here. The warm, inviting space opens up to the sea and, so as long as the weather behaves, you can dine alfresco on white linen while overlooking the roaring Pacific Ocean.

The restaurant caters to those here for the view — when the temperature gets a bit nippy, guests are offered cozy wraps and the outside heaters are fired up. Guests can also eat inside the lovely hexagonal main room, too, cuddled up in one of the plush cream and red striped chairs.

Our Inspector's Highlights

Chef Bernard Ibarra hales from the French side of Basque Country and you see his cultural influences popping up on the menu here and there.
Many of the ingredients Ibarra incorporates come from the resort's own farm, including Meyer lemons, fresh herbs picked that day, farm-fresh eggs, salt from the Pacific Ocean and honey harvested from the resort’s own hives.
Sunday brunch is a luxurious affair at the fine-dining restaurant. You can start the meal with a plate of fresh West Coast oysters and a basket of just-baked pastries to go with coffee and Italian mimosas, a sparkling drink made with Galliano liqueur, pineapple juice and prosecco.
California vintages make up the bulk of the wine list, but the range of international bottles is solid too, including Mark Haisma 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru and Cloudy Bay 2013 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
Choose your own wine adventure or have the expert sommelier do the pairing for you. You can also opt for a nice crisp beer made locally, or one of the many craft cocktails the mixologists create at the bar.

Things to Know

Dine on California coastal fare for dinner any day of the week, or indulge in a Sunday brunch with an ocean view.
Reservations are four-star at this popular coastal California eatery. Visit Mar’sel’s website, or call 888-279-8450 to book your table.
Mar’sel’s dress code calls for smart casual wear. Gents will feel comfortable in kahkis with a button down (no jacket required), while ladies will want to don a breezy skirt or dress.

The Food

Because the focus of the food is local, the menu is mostly seasonal. One night you may feast on a whole roasted Jidori chicken with green romesco and brassicas, and nibble on whole branzino with smoked lentils and heirloom apple and balsamic brown butter some other time.
Mar’sel also sources some choice eats outside of California, like the New Orleans barbecue prawns with house-made English muffin, a reserve line of aged Holstein prime steaks from Flannery Beef and Spanish octopus.
Vegetable options change frequently, but have included crispy Weiser Farms potatoes with aji amarillo, sea salt baked garden carrots with saba crème fraiche and red quinoa, and roasted king trumpet mushrooms with blistered shishito peppers.
And for those looking to really cap off the evening in luxury, the signature sea salt pot de crème with Valrhona chocolate ganache will do the trick — the decadent treat has the resort’s own crafted sea salt sprinkled on top.
At brunch, go for the crispy yeasted waffle with local strawberry butter and house-made strawberry maple syrup. Want something savory? The wagyu brisket Benedict is rivaled only by our green eggs and ham Benedict with Niman Farms ham, house-made English muffins and salsa verde.

Amenities