On Tuesday, November 14, 2017, my husband Mike and I attended the monthly tasting event at Coronado’s Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill, where we dined on their signature version of Holiday Baked Stuffed Maine Lobster. The menu item, a popular favorite that’s been featured before, has been reprised for the remainder of November and all of December.
With Mike’s Navy career, we’ve been lucky enough to be stationed in Newport, Rhode Island three times, and when it comes to New England fare, we definitely know a thing or two. We have fond memories of our time in Newport, where we could walk around the corner to Aquidneck Lobster Company, the place where fisherman delivered fresh “lobstah” plucked right from the sea. We would hand pick which lobsters we wanted to prepare at home, and with our giant pot that covered two burners, we loved treating friends and family to a “wicked-awesome” lobster feast.
While I’ve lost count how many times I’ve eaten fresh lobster, prior to our dining experience at Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill that evening, I never had the pleasure of tasting stuffed lobster. What a decadent and delicious treat! For $34.95 per guest, our meal felt like an incredible deal!
Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill issued the following statement:
“In keeping with Bluewater Grill’s mission to practice 100% responsible harvesting and purchasing, a menu offering involving sustainable Maine lobster is a natural,” explained Bluewater Grill co-founder Jimmy Ulcickas. “The Maine lobster industry is the model of a well-managed fishery — ensuring that both lobster populations and the environment are protected for generations to come. Maine harvesters were environmentally conscious and ‘eco-friendly’ long before it was fashionable. They harvest their lobsters the same careful way they have for over 125 years — by hand, one trap at a time — thus protecting the quality of their product and the marine environment.”
With the outdoor heaters keeping us nice and toasty even on the cool, November evening, Mike and I felt perfectly warm as we were seated. Our waitress, Daisy, whose service was exceptional, gave us the specialized “Baked Stuffed Lobster” menus, which included a brief background about lobster, including its strong roots to New England.
While the lobster menu was fixed, there were definitely still choices to be made! New England Clam Chowder OR Manhattan Clam Chowder? St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc from Napa OR Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand? So many hard decisions!
As we noshed on the warm sourdough bread, Mike and I came up with a plan. So we could experience all the flavors, I ordered the Manhattan Clam Chowder while Mike went with the New England, and we asked Daisy to bring a glass of each Sauvignon Blanc selection, pinky-promising to share with one another.
I was excited that Sauvignon Blanc was the varietal that was paired with the lobster dinner because it’s my favorite white, and its acidity balances the rich, creamy flavor of the clarified butter, almost always served with New England style lobster. I found the Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc to be more acidic than the St. Supery one, which was crisper and smoother, but overall both wines were enjoyable. Personally, I liked how the wine selections were included in the meal, knowing that Bluewater Boathouse had already taken the guesswork out of choosing the perfect wine. Cheers to that!
When our clam chowders were served, Mike and I noted how they were both the perfect temperature. The Manhattan Clam Chowder was peppery with subtle hints of spice, and I liked the small pieces of tomatoes and peppers interspersed within the soup. The creamy New England Clam Chowder had a powerful potato flavor, and I liked how the potatoes were still intact as opposed to blended to the point where I couldn’t see them. In both soups, there were lots of hearty bites of clam, which pleased me. (I don’t know about you, but there’s almost nothing worse than eating clam chowder that lacks distinguishable pieces of clam in it.)
As Daisy came to check on us, I asked her which of the clam chowders was her personal favorite. She blew our minds when she confided that she likes to mix them both together! Of course, Mike and I had to try that too, and we were not disappointed! Blending them together created a creamy and peppery concoction that delighted our taste buds.
After our soup bowls were all but licked clean, we were brought lobster bibs to prepare for the main course. As we fastened our bibs, we were ready for the big show! Lobster time!
The lobster was served at the perfect temperature, warm enough to eat but not so hot that touching it caused discomfort. Looking down at our respective plates, Mike and I both exclaimed in unison, “Wow!” Neither one of us could wait to dig into the stuffed lobster, coleslaw, and au gratin potatoes.
Of course, with no real experience in eating stuffed lobster, the first thing I did was inspect the stuffing. What exactly was in it, and, more importantly, would it complement the lobster? Carefully tucked inside the lobster shell was a special shrimp and buttery panko-crumb stuffing. I really appreciated the unique flavors, and as someone who’s made lobster dozens of times, I liked how Bluewater Boathouse elevated the lobster experience by stuffing it. It’s not something Mike and I would have done had we prepared the lobster ourselves, but that’s what we loved about it! After all, isn’t that one of the greatest joys of fine dining, to experience flavors you wouldn’t create for yourself at home?
As we took bites of the buttery stuffing, Mike and I also went to town on the rest of our lobsters, carefully removing the tender meat from the claws. After we finished eating the stuffing, we were able to effortlessly remove the remaining lobster from the tail, dipping each glorious bite in the butter. Heaven!
As far as our two side items were concerned, I thoroughly enjoyed the coleslaw, which isn’t something I typically eat because I don’t like how most coleslaw offerings seem to be drowning in a sea of mayo. Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill’s coleslaw was crisp and vinegar based, making each bite taste guilt free (balancing out how I was also generously submerging each bite of the lobster in the clarified butter.)
The au gratin potatoes had a distinctive flavor which I initially couldn’t put my finger on, but, as it turns out, it was thyme. While not my favorite spice, I appreciated how the au gratin potatoes tasted unique. Upon first inspection, Mike pointed out that they resembled apple pie filling, but, trust me, the marriage of Parmesan and potato made for a savory side.
If you’re looking for a departure from the typical Southern California cuisine, be sure to visit Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill this November and December! With each bite of the Holiday Baked Stuffed Maine Lobster, you’ll feel like you’re transported to New England, without having to brave the frigid, fall temperatures or feeling pressured to root for the Patriots.
Additional Information:
Monthly tasting events are held on the second Tuesday of each month at all Bluewater Grill, Bluewater Boathouse and Bluewater Avalon locations, and feature seasonal seafood specialties paired with hand-selected wines or specialty draught beers.
For menus, locations, hours of operation, phone numbers and other information about 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 Instagram.
