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From SqueezeOC:

Owner/chef: Azmin Ghahreman, recently the executive chef of the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point. Ghahreman has worked around the world, including stints as the executive chef at Four Seasons properties in Malaysia, Hawaii, Turkey, Singapore and Maui.

Details: The star of the new center at Coast Highway and Brooks Street is the 120-seat restaurant and bar Sapphire Laguna. It’s reminiscent of an Indonesian beach resort — distressed wood floor, a ceiling framed with wood beams, and a view of the ocean; with Laguna artistic touches like glasswork by John Barber and plein art paintings.

The menu is an eclectic collection of international comfort food, inspired by Ghahreman’s love for fresh street food. The Malaysian black pepper shrimp, for example, is an uncomplicated but exhilarating concoction of crustaceans tossed in a sauce with fiery, dry-fried black pepper. The outdoor tables are perfect for crowd watching.

Next door, Ghahreman has set up Sapphire Pantry, a 930-square foot gourmet shop with fine wines, artisan cheeses, and produce like the chef’s homemade preserved lemons, apricot preserve from Napa, and black truffle oil from France. The restaurant opened Feb. 21, and Sapphire Pantry is scheduled to open by March 1.

Worth a try: Malaysian black pepper shrimp with long beans and garlic chips ($13, appetizer), braised prime short ribs with creamy Parisian mashed potatoes ($26.50, entrée), brown-buttered skate wing with wilted greens ($13.50, appetizer).

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international , restaurants , eclectic , sapphire restaurant