This past Tuesday Bluewater Boathouse in Coronado began offering its September tasting menu, and this time it is A Taste of Spain. My husband and I were able to sample the menu that same night, and, as usual, Bluewater did not disappoint.
As soon as we were seated by our table overlooking the water, a waiter set down a plate of hot sourdough bread and salted butter. I always look forward to this trademark starter at Bluewater, and I was delighted to see how each table around us received their bread as soon as the guests were seated. This is an improvement for the restaurant and was definitely appreciated by all the guests that night.
Our waiter was also by within the first minute of us taking our seats, and he gave us an overview of the tasting menu. The kitchen must have been especially ready for guests that night, because we received our first course within just a few more minutes.
The appetizer dish was a seafood tapas platter. The narrow rectangular dish held three separate tapas: marinated Spanish olives and red peppers, herb grilled squid salad, and orange and red onion salad.
As we picked up our forks, the sommelier arrived with a bottle of Marques de Riscal Rueda Verdejo 2015, a full-bodied white wine that paired well with the tapas selections that evening. The sommelier noted that the slight bitterness at the finish would cleanse our palates for each bite of the diverse tapas, and I found this was true. I enjoyed a sip of wine after each taste to reset my taste buds before trying something new.
My husband commented that the flavors reminded him of one of the most memorable meals he’s ever had. He and his friends had been hiking in Majorca, a Spanish island between Spain and Italy, and they finally arrived, exhausted, in town after a day on the trails. They decided to splurge on a real Spanish feast that night, and the wine and flavors we enjoyed at Bluewater brought back memories of that original Spanish meal. The orange and red onion salad also reminded us of blood orange and green onion salad I would make with balsamic vinegar and olive oil when we lived in Sicily, Italy, two years ago.
After we finished our appetizers, the main course arrived: Seafood Paella Valenciana. The course was served in a wide metal dish and included Spanish chorizo, clams, mussels, shrimp, and tender chicken pieces mixed into arborio rice with saffron, petite green peas, red piquillo peppers, and a dusting of paprika. We love shellfish, and so the fat clams and mussels bursting with flavor were our favorites. Everything tasted delicious, however, and we both ate heartily, despite having already enjoyed the bread, appetizers, and first glass of wine.
The sommelier arrived to offer a second glass of wine, this one the Marques de Riscal Proximo Rioja 2012. The mellow, vibrant red was a perfect pairing with the heavier main course. Marques de Riscal, we learned, is the winemaker for the king of Spain.
Afterward, we both finished the meal by sharing our favorite dessert on the menu: a slice of key lime pie. As usual, this tasting was a delicious trip to another culture’s cuisine, and we look forward to enjoying future Bluewater Boathouse tastings.
The September tasting menu costs $34.95 per person. In addition to the special tasting events, customers can order Spanish paella from the lunch and dinner menus throughout the month. During this time, the featured Spanish wines will be available by the glass at the menu price.
Offered on the second Tuesday of every month, Bluewater’s tasting series allows food aficionados to enjoy seafood and wine in a setting featuring the latest seasonal seafood and shellfish varieties paired with hand-selected wines (or specialty draft beers or cocktails). As a companion to the events, a special, limited-time menu offering allows customers to sample the tasting event throughout the month. The result has become a popular monthly diversion for Bluewater’s large fan base.
Also, this year Bluewater Grill–Bluewater Boathouse’s parent company–is celebrating its 20th year. To commemorate the opening of the first restaurant in 1996, Bluewater Grill founders are planning “Throwback Thursdays” Sept. 8 through Oct. 6 featuring weekly Bluewater menu favorites at 1996 prices. The special menu offerings range from a Half-Dozen Oysters and Calamari to Bluewater’s popular Tuna Poke in Jar, Crab Avocado Dip, and housemade New England and Manhattan Clam Chowders.
According to Bluewater co-founder and co-owner Jimmy “Jim U” Ulcickas, the celebrations and changes are the most since he and partner Richard Staunton opened the first Bluewater on the site of the former Delaney’s and Sea Shanty Restaurants 20 years ago. “Back in 1996, Bluewater was at the forefront of the fresh, sustainable seafood conversation,” he said. “Folks weren’t used to getting hyper-fresh seafood and shellfish right in their own neighborhood, and the question of fish origins was just starting to take off.”
“Today, many restaurants claim to be fresh and responsible – but we are still the sustainability leader, on track to practice a 100% sustainable trade, and one of the few to regularly certify our menu with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and other organizations,” he added. “We’re also one of the few restaurants to operate our own fishing boat, which gives us more control over the fish we ultimately serve our customers. It’s a difference you can taste.”
The all-day Throwback Thursday specials offered at special 1996 prices include:
- Thursday, Sept. 8: Half Dozen Oysters – $7.95
- Thursday, Sept. 15: Tuna Poke in a Jar – $7.95
- Thursday, Sept. 22: Bluewater Crab Artichoke Dip – $7.95
- Thursday, Sept. 29: Calamari – $7.95
- Thursday, Oct. 6: A Bowl of Bluewater’s housemade New England or Manhattan Clam Chowder – $4.50
For menus, locations, hours of operation and phone numbers for the seven unique Bluewater restaurants in Southern California and Arizona, go to www.bluewatergrill.com. You can also follow each restaurant on Facebook, or the Bluewater family on Twitter and Instagram.
