Blue Coral Seafood and Spirits: Newport Beach, California

by Catherine Ipcizade | More from this Blogger

07 Nov 2006 10:59 PM

The other night I was lucky enough to be assigned a restaurant review for Blue Coral Seafood and Spirits in Newport Beach. Blue Coral offers an upscale, contemporary environment. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the electric blue vodka bar, which boasts more than 60 international vodkas, and their open kitchen, which gives guests a birds-eye view of what goes on behind the scenes.

While we were looking over the menu, the server brought freshly baked buttermilk biscuits and honey butter to our table. They were delicious. We ordered cocktails, because how can you not with an electric blue vodka bar staring you in the face, and let me tell you, they were delicious.

The appetizers at Blue Coral are divine. You won't want to pass up the Baked Goat Cheese, served delicately with thin crostini and a red and yellow cherry tomato tapanade. For seafood enthusiasts, the Crispy Calamari won't disappoint. Fried in a light buttermilk batter, it comes served with a refreshing cucumber vinaigrette and a lemon caper aioli.

For my main course, I ordered the Sea Scallops. It was my first time to order them and to eat them. I wasn't disappointed. Perfectly pan seared; they sit atop a delicate honey-lemon sauce. A mix of savory and sweet, they are sprinkled with black pepper for a spicy kick and paired with a delicate serving of sautéed fennel. My husband ordered the Maine Lobster En Fuego. Slowly baked with Blue Coral's signature fuego chili aioli, the lobster is then placed back in the shell and served to your table over freshly made chips. The spices were a bit much for our taste, but if you're in the mood for a Cajun-style meal, you'll enjoy this entrée.

Sides are ala cart at Blue Coral; we ordered the Silky Mashed Potatoes topped with snipped chives, and a side of Grilled Farmer's Market Vegetables. They also serve creamy Lobster Mac N' Cheese.

For dessert, we had to try the Upside Down Apple Tart. It was delicious with layers of apple rings atop a mound of puffed pastry. Surrounded by raspberry glaze and served with a side of strawberry ice cream, it's worth saving room for. I must admit, I also sampled the Godiva White Chocolate Martini. Shaken with amaretto, cream liqueur and navan, I was in drinkable dessert rapture.

If you're looking for a restaurant for a special occasion, you'll want to consider Blue Coral Seafood and Spirits.

Learn more about Catherine Ipcizade

Cathy Ipcizade is 30 years old and currently resides in Southern California. Prior to coming to California she grew up in Arizona.

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