If you live in Washington, DC you may be familiar with the restaurant Bourbon Steak in the Four Seasons in Georgetown. The chef is Michael Mina, whose star seems to be rising. I hadn’t heard of him until Bourbon Steak (of course, I’m not a professional restaurant reviewer…).

I recently had the opportunity to sample his resturant Stonehill Tavern in Dana Point, CA (south Orange County). It’s inside the St. Regis resort there, which is stunning in itself.

Stonehill feels a lot like Bourbon. It was probably designed by the same person. It’s modern, hip American with lots of dark wood and old-fashioned class. I went with a date. We had two glasses of champagne, for which there was really poor selection and frankly some outrageous pricing.

That out of the way, we had an amazing meal. Appetizers, dishes, and desert (pumpkin donuts!) were awesome. I had the sommelier bring me a glass of whatever red would go best with my pork chop, and it was perfect.

Michael Mina’s not cheap. But I think you get your money’s worth. And in this case, with a view of the ocean. If you’re in SoCal and want an elegant, expensive meal, try Stonehill Tavern.