Raising the Bar

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T’S TOUGH TO TOP the warm comfort and drop-dead views at Andrea Bar. Tucked between the Andrea dining room and the soaring Great Room Social Lounge off the lobby of The Resort at Pelican Hill,® Andrea Bar is the perfect roost for taking in the action, both indoors and out.

Relax into a comfy barstool for a bird’s-eye view of the Resort’s most creative mixologists, or pull up a chair for front-row seating as the sun slips gently into the Pacific’s rolling waters.

“We serve simple, fresh food in an unpretentious setting,” says Derek Domeracki, general manager of Andrea. “We are as happy to serve a family-friendly Wednesday dinner to our regulars as we are to welcome Resort guests winding down the week.”

This season, earthy plates and seasonally inspired wines and cocktails top the menu. Every day from 5 to 7 p.m., the Andrea Bar happy hour offers up $5 cocktails and wines, while guests are invited to select from the same food menu that dining room patrons enjoy.

As an ideal starter, mid-pasta course or entrée, the restaurant’s signature barrel-aged acquerello risotto is prepared “tableside” out of an imported Parmigiano-Reggiano wheel. The thin-crust pizza bianca with prosciutto and truffle oil and the crispy Brussels sprouts with dates and house-made pancetta are especially popular, and shareable, bar choices. For a hearty main course, Domeracki recommends the grilled European sea bass prepared with wild garlic, English peas, broccoli and a country ham broth.

As with any standout plate, a complementary libation is a must. Domeracki notes that the Italian wine varietals Gavi di Gavi, Barbaresco and Barolo pair beautifully with hearty meat dishes and seasonal white truffles. An autumn-to-winter cocktail called the Headless Horseman inspires with its complex ingredient list, which includes Angel’s Envy bourbon, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, applejack brandy, cinnamon, orange bitters and a Strongbow hard cider float. And a Coravin wine system allows Andrea to offer, by the glass, many of the more sought-after labels, including Opus One.

In addition to the wide variety of foods and beverages, Andrea Bar guests enjoy the upbeat music of a three-piece band that sets up shop Thursdays through Saturdays from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. in the adjacent Great Room. Inside the Andrea dining room, guests are treated to music from a local guitarist nightly from 6 to 9.

“We pride ourselves on getting to know our repeat guests so that we can personalize their experience,” Domeracki says. “Every guest counts. We want them to understand that their presence is what makes this property what it is.”