La Casa del Camino is a gem of a hotel – a quaint 37-room lodging that dates back to 1927. It’s a landmark that’s nestled into the corner of South Coast Highway and Cress Drive in the heart of Laguna Beach. And k’ya is a gem within that gem.
   
In contrast to the vintage charm of the hotel, k’ya’s backdrop is upscale and modern, though not completely out of step with the Spanish-style architecture of the building. You’ll see arches in the dining room, and the furnishings give a nod to the California mission era.
   
The food, however, is something else. Here’s a place that can take you to Europe, Asia and back to America, all in the time it takes you to read the menu.
   
Like classic French? Try the coq au vin (it’s a stew made of chicken that’s simmered in wine with mushrooms and onions). Prefer Japanese-inspired cuisine? There’s the Hawaiian Ahi Poke, with onion, seaweed, avocado and a spicy soy sauce. Maybe you’re more in the mood for some comfort food, in which case you’re in luck. What could be more comforting than a slab of BBQ Braised Beef Short Ribs with grilled veggies and crispy onions?
   
You can enjoy a culinary jaunt to the South, if you please. The Blackened Catfish with Lobster-Creole Sauce or the Cajun Shrimp (served with k’ya’s own Blue Cheese Slaw) can certainly take you there.
   
Perhaps most enticing, though, are k’ya’s three-course themed wine dinners, which are priced at a surprising $30 – and that includes the wine. You can choose from six themes – Sonoma Coast, All Red Monterey County, Spanish, Italian, Central California Coast or All White.
   
Somehow, it seems appropriate that k’ya chose a hotel to serve as its home.

k’ya Bistro Bar
kyabistro.com
• 1287 S. Coast  Hwy., Laguna Beach
   949.376.9718
• 1221 S.Harbor Blvd., Anaheim
   714.759.0900
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 4:30 to 10 p.m. (till 10:30 Friday and Saturday)