The Gossiping Gourmet: Urth Caffé retains The Cottage’s charm

The Cottage restaurant is no more.

The craftsman-style bungalow, built in 1917, became a restaurant in 1938 called the Laguna Vista Cafe, and then 48 years ago it became The Cottage.

It has been an icon in Laguna Beach but recently was sold. It is now the Urth Caffé, which has branches in Los Angeles and Pasadena. The new owners have done a wonderful job of retaining the original charm and have enlarged the outdoor patio space.

This is a very casual spot. You stand in line to place your order and pay, then find a seat and wait for your food to arrive. As you stand in line reading the menu, you will pass by the desserts and baked goods. Beware the cheesecake; it’s dangerous.

The Urth Caffés are noted for their use of organic eggs, vegetarian-fed chickens and ethically raised beef, free of hormones, nitrates, antibiotics and additives. They use locally grown organic produce whenever possible.

From the day the Laguna location opened, it has had lines out the door. The offerings are extensive, with many items from The Cottage days. There is a separate menu for breakfast, which has always been a specialty of The Cottage.

My dining companion and I stared with the Pizza Catona, which has a thick base of very good baked dough topped with a light tomato sauce, mozzarella and Burrata cheeses, thin slices of prosciutto di Parma, basil and arugula. We really liked it. There wasn’t too much sauce but just enough to give the whole thing an underpinning of flavor.

I tried the Reuben sandwich, which is called the New Yorker. Having a father who owned a delicatessen, I consider myself a bit of an expert when it comes to deli meats.

I must say that the pastrami did not pass the test. It was tough and simply didn’t have the more intense flavor of the good stuff. It was helped a bit by all the accouterments, braised green cabbage, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing all piled up on marbled bread. A mixed green salad and cornichons completed the dish.

Much, much better was the lasagna, which was as rich and gooey as lasagna could be. The generous portion contained mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant and ricotta cheese in abundance. We balanced that with a big Greek salad. Mixed lettuces were tossed with avocado, cucumbers, lots of feta cheese, Kalamata olives (with pits) and tomatoes, all tossed with Urth oregano vinaigrette. Pita bread came on the side.

We returned the next day at lunchtime to taste a few more items. The Mediterranean Platter could be a lunch on its own or a lovely appetizer for a group of four. The large, pretty plate had slices of feta, grape leaves, a wonderful warm hummus with a nice garlicky background, very tender marinated grilled artichokes, sweet roasted red and yellow peppers, and mixed olives. All were served with very good, fresh-tasting olive oil, and after a request we got some pita bred to soak things up.

Our other entree was the Urth Quesadilla. I opted for the chicken, but you can get cheese, tuna, grilled veggies or soy cheese for the filling. Add as you wish from two little bowls of guacamole and salsa. A small pot of beans was also provided.

The chicken was well seasoned but a bit on the dry side. The beans were bland and the guacamole needed more seasoning, as did the salsa.

We had to have something to finish our meal, and that something was the cheesecake — a round portion sitting on a delicious crust. The cake was dense and rich and smooth, with just the right amount of sweetness. It was topped with whipped cream and a strawberry. As good as any in New York!

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URTH CAFFÉ

Location: 308 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach

Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 6 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays

Prices:

Salads and soups: $7.50 to $19.95

Entrees: $9.50 to $19.95

Desserts: $ 3.75 to $6.75

Wine: Not available

Information: urthcaffe.com; (949) 376-8888