BBE Editor's Pick

Geoffrey's Malibu

27400 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu (Santa Monica)

Let the drive along PCH be your amuse-bouche, prepping your palate for Geoffrey's upscale surf and turf touched with Cal, Med, and Asian influences. (Tempura soft shell crabs come with yuzu vinaigrette while filet mignon gets a Cabernet sauce.) Knock-out cliff-top Pacific views and formally-attired servers make this the go-to for birthday celebrations, third dates, and the popping of questions over mammoth Maine lobsters. Then again, the fresh sea air and that Malibu glow that the diners all seem to share keeps the vibe relatively casual and unpretentious.

menu musts

Sautéed sea scallops with foie gras risotto and pomegranate reduction
Slow-braised Kobe Wagyu beef with mashed potatoes, rotkraut dumpling and braising jus
Warm brioche bread pudding with rich bourbon sauce

chew on this

Geoffrey's brunch offerings are even more extensive than the dinner menu--including specialties like challah French toast, lobster quiche and crab cake Benedict.

sweet seats

Make an early reservation to catch the sunset. Ask to sit on the patio -- most tables are outside, where the heat lamps will keep you warm on cool nights.

hours

Lunch: Mon.- Fri. 11:30 AM- 4 PM
Dinner: Sun.- Thurs. 4 -10 PM, Fri.- Sat. 4-11 PM
Brunch: Sat.- Sun. 10 AM- 4 PM

price range

$19 (miso-braised tofu with sautéed Asian vegetables and hot and sour sauce) to $77 (Geoffrey's surf-'n'-turf: a petite filet, potato risotto and Cabernet sauce and a two-pound lobster, vegetable ribbons and vanilla lobster sauce)

27400 Pacific Coast Highway (between Malibu Canyon and Cross Creek Rd.) , Malibu, CA 90265; 310-457-1519 www.geoffreysmalibu.com