Rogue Chefs
730 Main Street
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 712-2000 

There’s nothing much more beautiful than the drive up Highway 1 from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay. That’s how our evening started, staring at the sun setting over the sea, then coming into downtown Half Moon Bay. We spotted Rogue Chefs and the parking gods found us a space practically right across the street.

View from the Chef’s Table.

The atmosphere when we walked in was a relaxing sort of chaos. We sat at the Chef’s table, which is essentially sitting in the kitchen watching Executive Chef Kevin Koebel and his staff at work. You feel as though you’re a part of the mis en place!

We got a bottle of Pellegrino and, unlike at the French Laundry, they asked us if we wanted another bottle before just pouring us more! The waitstaff was courteous and attentive although still trying to adjust to the incredibly rapid growth of the restaurant. In its short lifespan it’s gone from opening night to fully booked almost nightly!

Pork Chop

Sitting at the Chef’s Table gives you a true appreciation of the choreography that has to take place in a kitchen to avoid sheer disaster. It also gives you a preview of all the dishes being ordered by the other patrons. I have to admit, it made me wish I liked meat! I saw many a pork chop (with garlic-rosemary mashed potatoes, Asian pear shiso chutney, and roasted Kentucky Blue Lake green beans) and filet mignon (with chipotle pepper cornbread, braising greens and Mexican chocolate mole reduction) orders come up and go out and they looked delish!

Roasted Red Pepper-Saffron Bisque

We stuck to our pescatarian palates and started with three of the four “small plates” on the menu. The Roasted Red Pepper-Saffron Bisque, while a little liberal with the chili oil that stepped on the wine, had a great flavor and was incredibly visual—a mélange of colors. The Rosemary Prawns featured a classic flavor combination but with a twist. You can’t go wrong with lemon and rosemary but the lemon was roasted which made it simultaneously compliment and contrast the prawns which were skewered on a rosemary sprig and roasted as well. This was all piled high atop a “roasted garlic croute” which was like a little, crisp biscuit that added a textured crunch to the dish. The only thing I’d change about the dish is the topping of it with a tomato slice—while it would be a great addition in the summer, the winter tomato detracted from how good the rest of the plate was. That was easily remedied by just pushing the tomato off to the side though! The last small plate (Roasted Local Brussels Sprouts) was a hit. The brussel sprouts were caramelized to perfection—a deep, dark, golden brown. Added to them was a little chèvre and balsamic. Well done.

The first round of food also brought the first round of wine. The sheer number of wines available by the glass (really the whole list is available!) was a refreshing change. Plus you can get either a 5oz. glass or a 2oz. taste. I liked the 2oz. deal since I could pair a wine with each dish that way. My first wine was the 2004 Lamblin & Fils Bourgogne Blanc(Maligny-Les-Chablis, France). Citrusy, crisp and wonderful with the prawns. Paired with the soup and brussel sprouts was a phenomenal 2001 Mariana Cvetic Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (Italy). “Pairing” is used loosely since pairing anything (especially a red) with either chili oil or brussel sprouts is either a challenge or just a bad idea but the wine itself was just amazing.

Crisp Seared Ahi Sticks

The highlight of the night for me (and apparently for many others since the dish was “86’d” half way through the night) was the Crisp Seared Ahi Sticks. The fish was absolutely amazing! The ginger-sprouts salad served at its side was fresh, slightly sweet and a perfect compliment. The sauce on the side was a little mustardy for my taste, I thought it overpowered the delicacy of the fish, but I still would have ordered five more of these!!

I knew I should have beer with the Ahi, but I apparently felt the need to challenge the waiter into finding a wine that went with Asian food! He actually recommended one that worked! The 2003 Villa Russiz Tocai (Friuli, Italy). It was sweeter than most wines I like but it contrasted the Ahi well.

Canadian Rockfish marinated in a puree of arugula and parsley (before and after)

For an entrée I went with the fish special: Canadian Rockfish marinated in a puree of arugula and parsley. The fish was buttery—perfectly cooked. The sauce was a wasabi-miso beurre blanc, flavors I’d not think to pair but they meshed so well. Being the saltaholic that I am, I would have sprinkled a little fleur de sel on this one but I enjoyed every bite nonetheless. I again challenged the staff. I got a fish dish, very much prepared in a way that should have a white wine poured with it. But, contrary to this evening’s trend, I’m a red wine person and I couldn’t go this whole meal with only whites! Kevin suggested his favorite, which we’d already had, the Montepulciano! So I got his second favorite, 2000 Resalte Crianza (Ribera Del Duero, Spain). It was full of vanilla (new oak?) and blueberries and was a great suggestion. Admittedly, I had to doggie-bag the fish (it made an excellent sandwich on francese for lunch the next day!!) if I was going to have room for the desserts I saw going out to the other tables all night!

Ginger Coconut Torta

The couple sitting down the bar from us had a wheat allergy and everything on the dessert menu had at least a little flour in it so Kevin whipped up a fabulous looking caramelized fruit dish that I soooooo wanted a taste of! I however “settled” for ordering from the menu and, my goodness, they aren’t shy with portions! The Ginger Coconut Torta with cardamom and caramel was unique cross between a rum baba and a macaroon.

Hazelnut Chocolate Fudge Cake

Pairing with the Bonny Doon Muscat was complimentary but would have been better with something contrastingly drier since both the dessert and wine were so sweet. I managed to make my way through about half of the Hazelnut Chocolate Fudge Cake with whipped cream (yep, half the dessert for lunch the next day!). It was a perfectly packaged, not so little mound of brownie-ful goodness! So incredibly rich, I probably could have shared this with two or three others! To top off the evening, what goes better with chocolate than an aged tawny Port. I got a taste of the 30 year Graham…Oh YUM! Perfect closure to the meal.

I haven’t spent much time in Half Moon Bay but it appears that they were desperate for some good food in a relaxed, yet elegant environment. Rogue Chefs has accomplished just that. Well worth the drive from north, south or east.