I first found out about Blue Coral when I was shopping with my mom in Fashion Island. I didn't have a strong desire to try the restaurant until my cousins came back from the restaurant one night and "highly" recommended the restaurant to my family. So, we had to try it!
Blue Coral opened in 2006 and is located next to Roy's in Fashion Island.
The ambiance was clean and contemporary.
I've never seen tea ($4.95) served this way before. Where it looks like the stem of an "apple" holds the tea bag in the cup.
When we were seated, we were immediately served with these room temperature cheese biscuits. It was tasty but it could have been a little more moist.
For our appetizer, we ordered the Yellotail Crudo ($18). It is thinly-sliced yellow tail swimming in a fresh blood orange vinaigrette. Alaea salt and serrano chiles adds alittle more character to it's flavor, however, this dish didn't do anything for me. I wouldn't order this again.
We also ordered the Blue Crab Cake ($16) which is pan-seared crab cake served with roasted tomato aioli. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of crab cakes until I have tried this dish! The only complaint I have about the crab cake is that it falls apart easily when you try to pick it up but it's probably the best crab cake I've had so far.
White Clam Chowder ($7) is basically a East Coast style chowder with bacon, leeks and potatoe. It's a rich pool of yummy delight. =)
Melted butter for the lobster is kept warm with a tea light.
My brother ordered the Blue Coral Surf & Turf ($55). It is basically a petite filet with chimichurri butter and your choice of shrimp scampi, collossal lump crab cake, alaskan king crab, or broiled tristan island lobster tail. Obviously my brother choose the lobster tail which he enjoyed. Although my brother mentioned that he's had "better" filets before... he still thought that the dish was good.
My mom ordered the Tristan Island Lobster Tails ($55). It is water tails, seasoned with pimenton spice, slowly-baked and served with drawn butter. My mom said that she didn't like this dish as much as she would have liked because the lobster tails could have been a little more moist and "sweeter" in terms of it's natural flavors and juices.
I ordered the Dungeness Crab En Fuego ($44). It is slowly baked dungeness crab with blue coral's signature creamy fuego chile aioli, with homemade chips. Using a fork, I just ate through the center of the crab, which is picked apart and assembled nicely in the crab. However, I wish the chef could have cracked the crab legs for me rather than have me try to crack them myself. =T This dish is full of intense flavors and it's even a little spicy which is great for me because I lUv spicy food!
We also ordered a side of White Truffled French Fries ($7). The fries were seasoned well but I probably would order something else next time because I didn't feel like it was worth $7.
Overall, the Blue Coral experience was wonderful! The service was prompt and efficient and the food was delish! This restaurant is on the pricey side but that's what you kind of expect for an upscale restaurant in Newport Beach. So, if your ever in the OC and in the mood to splurge, be sure to check out the Blue Coral! It's definitely a yUmmY tiMe! =D
Blue Coral
451 Newport Center Drive
In Fashion Island
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949)856-2583
http://www.bluecoralseafood.com/
