Delectable seafood and ocean views await at Newport Beach restaurants.
By Tanya A. Yacina
Set against a backdrop of scenic coastal views, several Newport Beach restaurants are reeling in diners for expertly prepared seafood dishes that showcase the best of the ocean’s bounty.
And, at Bluewater Grill, some of the swordfish and other local catch selections on the menu are caught using the restaurant’s own fishing vessel. For much of the other seafood and shellfish the establishment offers, the team works directly with local fishermen whenever possible.
Jimmy Ulcickas, co-founder and co-owner of Bluewater Grill, explains that he and business partner Rick Staunton “are fishermen at heart” and, over the years, have attracted a number of managers and staff members at their restaurants who share a passion for fishing.
“The result is a culture that loves seafood and respects the sea,” Ulcickas says. “This spirit extends to just about everything we do—from our sustainability efforts to only serving seafood and shellfish at the very peak of freshness. It also means that we naturally want others to experience just how delicious and healthy fresh seafood can be. For almost 30 years, we’ve been on a mission to make everyone a seafood fan.”
At Topside, the rooftop dining spot at Lido House hotel, chef partner Riley Huddleston says it’s also important to his restaurant group to support local fishermen and ensure that the seafood his team prepares is fresh, sustainably sourced and respectful of the ocean’s resources.
“When you get to look at the ocean every day, it’s hard not to be inspired,” Huddleston says. “The Southern California coastline gives us an abundance of fresh local ingredients. We source our seafood from sustainable fisheries, many of which are local to our coastline. This allows us to provide the best quality seafood to our guests while helping to preserve our local marine ecosystems.”
Catch of the Day
Ulcickas says nothing beats simply grilling fish on an open fire and believes this is the best way to appreciate the flavors. Bluewater Grill uses spices and seasonings that bring out the flavors of each dish even more. The restaurant also offers pan-seared salmon, sea scallops and ahi tuna; a whole-roasted fish as well as fried fish and chips.
“Bluewater is known for several signature dishes, but one of my favorites is our chipotle blackened swordfish. We take locally caught Pacific swordfish from the waters off Catalina Island, the same fish depicted in the Bluewater Grill logo, and chipotle-blacken it and serve it with chipotle dirty rice, tomato oil, and roasted corn-and-avocado relish made with red onion, red pepper, jalapeno and garlic,” he says. “It is an amazing combination of flavors that is unique to Bluewater and popular at all of our restaurants.”
Another restaurant with views of the water, 21 Oceanfront offers everything from scallops to Alaskan king crab legs, jumbo lobster tail, cioppino, Chilean sea bass and more. It also serves a baseball-cut swordfish, which is grilled, finished off in the oven and served with a homemade lemon caper sauce. Pete Levonian, the restaurant’s business operations manager and chief financial officer, explains how a baseball cut is different than a traditional cut of swordfish: It’s a dense center cut from the top loin, the “filet mignon of the swordfish”—and when prepared to the perfect temperature, it becomes juicy and tender.
Huddleston notes that his favorite fresh seafood selection on the Topside menu is the signature yellowtail ceviche, which features delicate yuzu-cured yellowtail paired with pickled watermelon, cucumber, avocado and serrano chiles to create a balance of refreshing and spicy flavors.
“The yellowtail ceviche is prepared by marinating the fresh yellowtail in a tangy yuzu dressing,” he says. “We pair it with pickled watermelon and cucumber to add a refreshing crunch. The dish is topped with serrano chile for a little kick and avocado for a creamy-cool finish. The ceviche is a simple yet elegant dish that showcases the beauty of fresh, sustainable seafood and locally sourced ingredients.”
Nobu offers a different preparation in its yellowtail jalapeno—thinly sliced into six pieces and set in a yuzu soy sauce with sliced jalapenos. Cilantro is placed in the middle of the dish, as the chef recommends a piece of cilantro from the center with each bite to complement the fish’s flavor. The dish offers a unique simplicity in its ingredients, but their interaction creates the perfect bite.
At Fly ’N’ Fish Oyster Bar & Grill, Executive Chef Adolfo Hernandez recommends the fra diavolo, saying it has the best combination of the restaurant’s seafood, including king crab, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari in lemon-tomato basil sauce and tossed with linguine. The dish is assembled in a saute pan over high heat, and the ingredients are added separately to eventually create an ensemble of delicious seafood.
Meanwhile, at Lighthouse Café, which offers everything from a lobster roll and lobster mac and cheese to oysters, coconut shrimp, calamari and honey-glazed grilled salmon, the most popular seafood dishes are a seared scallop entree with guajillo beurre blanc and a scallop wonton appetizer in fried wonton shells with avocado mash and gochujang aioli, according to managing member Tad Belshe.
Lighthouse Café also offers the Coastal Catch meal. “Guests love its amazing value for providing a three-course seafood dinner for under $45,” Belshe says. The dinner includes a cup of soup or chowder or a salad, and a choice of sea bass, halibut, mahi mahi or salmon prepared in one of three styles—grilled, poached or Cajun-blackened—and served with a bearnaise, mango-chipotle or citrus beurre blanc sauce. Then choose two sides including garlic mash, rice pilaf, roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables, and end the meal with a dessert of ice cream cake or cinnamon sugar beignets.
For its ocean-based ingredients, the restaurant works with purveyor Santa Monica Seafood. “They focus on the freshest fish and deliver daily ensuring the closest possible thing to ‘sea-to-table’ seafood procurement,” Belshe says.
Breathtaking Seaside Dining
Lighthouse Café is set on the harbor in the Balboa Peninsula’s Marina Park, offering fantastic views whether coming for brunch or dinner.
“The site is amazing with beachfront and dock access, adjacent parking—free after 6 p.m.,” Belshe says. “The Lighthouse features an expansive outdoor dining area with fire features and heaters surrounding the patio as well as a large glass, lighthouse-shaped dining room for indoor seating. And, if coming by boat, there is a massive side-tie dock so boats of all sizes, electric Duffy or … [other] electric vessels are a fun way to slip on in.”
Bluewater Grill also boasts a dock for customers arriving by boat plus a refreshed dining area.
“The original Bluewater Grill in Cannery Village is a very special place that will never be duplicated no matter how many new restaurants we open,” Ulcickas says. “We offer one of the largest over-the-water outdoor dining patios. … We also recently remodeled the restaurant’s interior in a way that feels clean and modern but respects that rich history of the building.”
He further explains that Bluewater Grill on Lido Park Drive was once home to the Delaney’s and Sea Shanty restaurants, so they feel an obligation to continue the legacy of offering the absolute best seafood experience.
Huddleston says there’s no better pairing for fresh seafood than Topside’s 365-degree rooftop views of Newport Beach. Nobu’s open design and sweeping views of the harbor create a serene and sophisticated atmosphere—the coastal setting and interior’s minimalist elegance mirror the simple artistry of the dishes.
“Stepping into 21 Oceanfront is like stepping back to the Victorian era, with black leather banquette booths, burgundy accents and gold chandeliers; you are transported back to the early 1900s,” Levonian says. “Accompanied by the highest quality seafood and a breathtaking sunset view over the ocean, 21 Oceanfront creates the perfect ambiance for anniversaries, birthdays and a date night out.”
Hernandez says enjoying seafood alongside the ocean is a natural combination.
“There are a lot of dining options in Newport, and enjoying the views [and] the fresh air along with the casual coziness of our restaurant and our team of longtime veterans is what makes [Fly ’N’ Fish] such a special restaurant,” he says. “The locals would love to keep it a secret, but some secrets are too good not to share.”
