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Hush Opens Under Chef Pflueger of Vertical, Montage Fame; Rock, Reyes Are Key Partners
EXECUTIVE DINING
Laguna Beach has a new ultramodern restaurant-Hush.
The restaurant is a very attractive place tucked unobtrusively amidst the nostalgia of downtown.
Chef and partner Jonathan Pflueger is a fine chef whose career I have followed for a long time. In the recent past, he was the partner in Vertical in Laguna.
After closing Vertical, Pflueger became the executive chef of Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach when it opened. He remained at the Montage until Hush was under way.
In looking at Hush's menu, the main ingredients of Pflueger's dishes may be readily recognizable; however, his clever take on what to do with seafood and meat has an edge that really is delightful to encounter.
The other two Hush partners are Chuck Rock, the major investor and owner who came to the partnership with a formidable wine collection, and general manager and partner Danny Reyes.
Orange County luckily acquired Danny, a customer-friendly pro, a few years ago when he came here from a high-profile Los Angeles restaurant.
Danny liked our seaside lifestyle so much that he moved his family here. He's a great addition to the team.
The restaurant has a flat facade in light tones that has a driveway on the side where your car is valet parked.
Hush sits a few steps up, on what would be considered a second level, all the better for perching above the energy of Pacific Coast Highway.
Hush features clean lines, but in a modern twist that manages a fairly high level of sophistication with a decidedly friendly nature.
The entry has you peering directly ahead into a cocktail and bar area outfitted with handsome dark wood. The bar is fronted by a dozen stools. In the middle of the room there's an elongated table with 16 more tall stools around it.
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