For my fellow East Coasters, there is nothing like the taste of fresh lobster dipped in drawn butter, eaten by the sea. For those seeking this taste of home — or for discerning Californians who love excellent shellfish — Bluewater Boathouse is offering a lobster and clams tasting menu for a limited time.
My husband and I were able to sample this menu at the Second Tuesday Tasting in June. We began with our choice of beer or wine to compliment the meal. My husband chose a draft beer, and I went with the recommended pairing of crisp chardonnay. We also opted to order our favorite scallops as a starter; they are not included in the tasting menu, but I highly recommend them. That kick of jalapeño aioli is something I would love to recreate at home, but have yet to do so successfully.
Just before our main course arrived, our server tied plastic lobster bibs around our necks, a fun touch that everyone around the restaurant was enjoying that evening. He then slid our plates in front of us: one large red lobster, corn on the cob, a bowl of clams in broth, fresh coleslaw, and a dish of melted butter. A feast for the eyes as well as the senses! My husband and I dug in, appreciating that our lobsters’ tails and claws were already split open to help us extract the meat more easily.
My husband’s first comment was how fresh this lobster tasted. We have now eaten Bluewater’s lobster and clambake menu for three years in a row, and my husband is a lobster aficionado who is especially sensitive to the freshness of shellfish. This year, the lobster’s meat felt especially firm and springy, filled with flavor, without a hint of mealiness or softness. Bluewater’s lobster are flown in fresh from the East Coast, and they tasted just as delicious that night as they have to me on nights in Maine with my family, as we gathered around picnic tables and cracked open lobster that had been alive and kicking earlier that day.
The rest of the meal is also delicious, although pales in comparison to the main dish. Both my husband and I enjoy the clams, although there are always fewer than we hope — shellfish lovers right here! The corn is good, especially with the grilled lemon drizzled over it. The coleslaw is a tasty compliment to the rest of the meal, and it’s light on mayonnaise and deliciously flavorful with cilantro.
We finished the meal with a slice of key lime pie (always) and a classic martini for my husband, stretching out the evening as much as we could. This was our last Bluewater meal maybe for a long time, as we were moving the next day to Virginia. Military life has its perks — and its downsides. This was quite the way to end our season in Coronado, however, with the most popular tasting menu of the year, a table overlooking the Coronado Yacht Club, and the sun slowly setting across Glorietta Bay.
Bluewater Boathouse is a gem among restaurants in Coronado, with its unique setting over the water and special ties to the Hotel Del, as well as its high standards of excellence in fresh and sustainable seafood. The lobster and clambake tasting menu is also our favorite of all the Bluewater Second Tuesday Tastings — and I have tasted and reviewed all of them at least once during my three years in Coronado.
For locals and visitors alike, this is my advice: don’t waste any time. Get down to Bluewater Boathouse during the month of June — nothing tastes like summer by the seaside like fresh lobster and clams! Visit Bluewater Boathouse’s website for more information and directions.
