Spring Menu Preview at the Beachcomber

The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove

15 Crystal Cove

Newport Coast, CA 92657

Every so often, I get an email from someone traveling to OC from another part of the country asking me what restaurants they should be eating at when they come to our grand county. Of course, I always suggest eating at a restaurant you can not eat at while you are back home, so that means no chain restaurants. I also think it's vital that visitors get to experience the California vibe. That vibe is nowhere more evident than at the famous Beachcomber at Crystal Cove.

I'm not going to lie and tell you this is the most convenient of restaurants to get to, but the payoff is huge when you get to it. Parking for the entire Crystal Cove Historic District is located on the inland side of Pacific Coast Highway in the Los Trancos parking lot. Parking is charged at $5 per hour, with a maximum rate of $15 per day. However, the Beachcomber does offer validation for three hours with purchase.  After parking, you can either take the Beachcomber Shuttle, which will cost you $1.50, or you can choose the easy ten-minute walk along the well-maintained path, which goes through a tunnel underneath the whizzing cars traveling above you on PCH.

See, I told you it would be worth the small ten-minute jaunt to get here. Coming to Crystal Cove always brings to mind the feeling Catalina meets Gilligan's Island. Picturesque landscapes, no cars, and these tiny, historic cottages, many of which date back to the 1930s, line the beach. Hollywood also found this location idyllic and filmed numerous movies at this historic California State Park. Getting to the Beachcomber literally means getting your toes in the sand, as you have to walk on the beach to reach the front entrance of this restaurant. Talk about beachfront dining with an extraordinary view.

So, what brought us to the Beachcomber on this fine afternoon? We were invited to get a sneak preview of Executive Chef Carlos Olivera's new Spring Menu, which will be available starting Friday, April 7th. His inspiration for these new menu items is color, as spring is the season of color, and he wanted to create visually stunning dishes with equally stunning flavor profiles. Chef Carlos is also inspired by seasonal ingredients, which showcase his unique take on California coastal cuisine. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to be included in this media event.

Upon arrival at the Bootlegger's Bar, just off the Beachcomber entrance, I was presented with one of their most popular signature cocktails, the Pimm's Cup ($15). This concoction combines Pimm's No. 1 Cup, a little Bombay Saphire Gin, lemonade, sparkling soda, lime, strawberries, lemon, and cucumber and is garnished with an orange slice. Talk about refreshing. A few of these could sneak up on you, but with this vacation vibe, you'll want to throw caution to the wind. I've already got my eyes on their Tropical Crush cocktail during my next visit.

Food started making its way out to us, and they began with a tasting plate of three appetizers: Beachcomber classics. After my first taste of the Tiny Ahi Taco ($14.95), it was apparent that this taco was not tiny in the flavor department. The crunchy tortilla did an admirable job of keeping the very fresh ahi tuna, Asian slaw, and Sriracha aioli all together throughout the very short life of this taco. Delicious. Another hit was the Mahi Mahi Spring Rolls ($11.95). It resembled a lumpia, with a tasty filling inside, but it lacked the greasiness that usually comes with regular lumpia. Very well done. Last but not least were the Lemon Grass Chicken Skewers ($10.95). I'm always a little nervous that chicken will be overcooked, but this version was tender and juicy. It paired nicely with the coconut peanut sauce and the edamame salad.

The first of the new spring menu items was next, with this Seared Crusted Yellow Tuna. This fresh piece of tuna was perched atop a wasabi potato puree and served alongside an asparagus spear with a forest mushroom wine sauce. Again, this is just a tasting plate, and the entree version will be much larger. I thought the wasabi potato puree would overpower it, but it was very subtle. I was also a fan of the mushroom sauce, which made me want to lick the plate, but of course, I was on my best behavior this early evening.

Not a new item to the Beachcomber menu, but I was thrilled they let us try a small portion of their famous Chilean Sea Bass ($39.95). Seabass is a personal seafood favorite of mine, and this version was right up there. The fish was delicate and made even better with the inclusion of a fish consomme. This was paired with mushroom tortellini, which would rival any served in any Italian restaurant in OC. This dish should be on the top of your list when dining at the Beachcomber.

The last of the new entrees made it out to us, and they might have saved the best for last with this Island Roasted Chicken. With the regular-sized portion of this, you get half a roasted chicken, served with a Huli Huli glaze and then rounded out with baby bok choy and coconut rice. A very tropical feel to this dish, and some of the most tender chicken I've had in a while. I could have used a little more sauce, but still a very fitting plate for this oceanic paradise.

Dessert is not to be missed at the Beachcomber, and I was pretty impressed with the Beachcomber Beignets ($8.95). These were light and pillowy but still had a lot behind them. These are usually served with chocolate syrup and some vanilla bean ice cream which I assume would push these over the top. I missed what kind of cake this was, but it did not last too long on my plate. I really enjoyed the moist cake and the caramel topping.

The food is usually an afterthought when a restaurant has a view like this. However, that is not the case at the Beachcomber. Chef Carlos and his team not only presented food that tasted great but was also presented wonderfully. A significant accomplishment in this rather small-spaced kitchen. I love that they are doing a seasonal menu here while keeping all the customer favorites. Unfortunately, we did not get to try it, but I'm already planning to return to try their new Honey Maple Glazed Pork Chop very soon. The Beachcomber is a worthy pick for any out-of-town guests and locals who want to enjoy dining right at the beautiful California shoreline.

I'd like to thank the staff and owners of the Beachcomber for this fantastic chance to sample their new spring menu and classic favorites. It was a wonderful evening, with a great group of food friends. I'd also like to thank Lexy Berru at the wonderful ACE Agency for the invitation to this great event. Much appreciated, Lexy, and it was wonderful to finally meet you.

For more information about the Beachcomber at Crystal Cove, head to their website here: https://thebeachcombercafe.com/crystalcove/

Soaking Up the Sun at the Beachcomber

The Beachcomber

15 Crystal Cove Way

Newport Beach, CA 92657

Katie wanted to take me out for my birthday, but she was unsure where to go. She scoured Urbanspoon, read numerous food blogs, consulted the Zagat guide, talked to multiple friends and colleagues, wrote to Dear Abby, inquired with a medium, and finally decided on the Beachcomber in Crystal Cove. I am not sure she did all of this, but I would appreciate it if she did. Of course, she did not have to go through all this trouble. I would have loved just being anywhere with her, trying a new place.

The Beachcomber is in Crystal Cove, south of Corona Del Mar. I had never been to Crystal Cove before. They are really renovating the place, and a lot of construction is going on. Crystal Cove was the setting for numerous movies (Beaches was partly filmed here), and they have over twenty cottages to rent. The cove was a weekend getaway spot for many people in the 30s, and being here is like being transported back to that era.

So now, on to the reason that we have come to Crystal Cove, the Beachcomber. The aptly named Beachcomber is mere steps from the sand. It is one of the most picturesque restaurants that Orange County has to offer. They have a huge patio that is comfortable and inviting. Each table is given two blankets if you feel a chill in the air. So let's find out if the food will get a chilly reception.

To begin the meal at the Beachcomber, we chose to start with Nana's Crab Cakes. These are made with blue crab and then fried. The inside, as you can see, is very flaky and good. The remoulade sauce served with this was superb and made the crab cake better. I felt these were overpriced for the two crab cakes we were given. There was so much greenery on this plate that there was no need to order a salad. Instead, I used the extra remoulade sauce to make an impromptu salad.  

Katie ordered the Ultimate Tuna Melt. This sandwich has albacore tuna, red onion, herb aioli, and Gruyere cheese on their French bread. I am not usually a big tuna melt fan, but it was pretty good. The bread was excellent, and the cheese was melty and plentiful. This dish usually comes with tomato gorgonzola bisque, but Katie subbed that out for fries. The fries were crispy and not too oily.

My birthday lunch was the Blackened Swordfish Tacos. These Creole spiced tacos were served with organic mixed greens. After eating the greens with the crab cakes, I was done with salad and should have asked for another side dish. This fish was cooked well and spiced great. The menu said these were served with a pineapple tarter slaw. I did not taste this at all. I should have asked for more of the delicious remoulade sauce.  

If I have not mentioned it, this was my birthday, so they brought out the above Sundae. This featured slightly brown bananas and vanilla ice cream. It is your pretty standard sundae with no topping.

So, what to make of the Beachcomber? The food is good, but the view and service make the food taste better. This is the type of place that you want to take tourists to show off our beautiful coast. Or a place to go to escape reality, at least for an hour or two.

Out of five metal detectors (because beachcombers use these to find treasures along the beach), five being best to zero being worst, the Beachcomber gets three metal detectors.

For more information on the Beachcomber, click here: https://thebeachcombercafe.com/crystalcove/