Bluewater Grill
In 1996, Rick Staunton and Jim Ulicickas had a vision to open a Seafood restaurant that focused on quality, sustainably caught seafood. They started their first location on the Lido Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. The concept was a success and they have now grown to seven locations with an eighth opening in 2018. Even with their success, they have stuck to the core principles of serving fresh seafood to happy diners.
While it is difficult to get fresh seafood in a landlocked state, you will discover it can be easier than one thinks. Once you get inside the restaurant you will enjoy the nautical theme throughout the restaurant. The first thing that will catch your eye is the large fresh seafood counter where you can purchase fresh seafood to take home as well as some of their great soups and fresh bread. The hostess station is just past the seafood counter and from there on you will forget you are in the Valley of the Sun for a little bit.
We were amazed at how many items on the menu had a classic preparation style, yet there were also some more modern takes as well. We were quickly welcomed with a basket of warm and I must add delicious Sourdough Bread. Be warned you find yourself quickly filling up on the bread, as it is very warm and inviting. We reviewed both the dinner and Sushi menu items and with considerable difficulty narrowed it down to a few plates to enjoy.
We started our meal with a cup of their Homemade New England Clam Chowder ($6.50). The cream based soup was full of fresh clams, and with small bits of potato took me back to the many mouthfuls of clam chowder that I enjoyed in my youth on the East Coast. It was a large cup of soup and was easy to share for two people. It was served with the traditional oyster crackers and that added a bit more nostalgia to the starter item. If you are a fan of Clam Chowder, I highly recommend getting a cup and try to save some of the Sourdough bread to enjoy with it.
We also decided to try an item from their Sushi bar as well. We ordered the Rainbow Roll ($14), which was a larger than you would expect sushi roll. The California Roll base was packed with fresh crab and thinly sliced cucumbers. Then wrapped with sushi and than white sushi rice. It was finished off with some sashimi slices of Ahi Tuna, Yellowtail, Salmon, Shrimp, and Avocado. The fish slices on top of the roll were the stars and brought a lot of freshness to the roll. But the shear size of each piece was astonishing, and three or four guests could easily share one of the sushi rolls.
We then moved on to the entrée section of the meal. The first selection was from their Today’s Fish menu area. This allows you to create your own dinner item by selecting one portion of fish and two side items to create your own offering. We decided on the Walleye ($26) that came fresh from Canada. Walleye is sometimes called Perch, and is a fresh water fish. Here they serve it with a light crust and accented with some butter and lemon. For the side items we selected sautéed Spinach and Yukon Gold skin on Cheddar mashed potatoes. The fish was cooked very well and the mashed potatoes were sinful. The spinach was a tad bland and was not a great choice. Upon further thought, perhaps the sautéed Summer Squash with Kale would have been a better pairing.
The final item we ordered was the Grilled Mahi Mahi with Risotto ($26.50). This was from the Favorites section of the menu and the chef inspired meal was fantastic. The base was a creamy risotto that was mixed with herbs, leeks, and Romano cheese. It is then adorned with heirloom cherry tomatoes and some sautéed escarole. The grilled Mahi Mahi is placed on top of the risotto and then some tasty balsamic vinegar syrup served around the plate. It is finally finished with olive oil poached shallots. Everything on the plate worked perfectly together except the shallots. The shallots were a tad large in scale and overwhelmed the plate a bit. But the balsamic mixed with the risotto and then with a bite of the Pacific Mahi Mahi was stupendous.
Overall the meal was very well done. The service was quick and just the right amount of attentiveness without becoming overwhelming. The kitchen staff on the other hand would be prudent to remember they are working in an open exposed kitchen and that dancing and carrying on doesn’t fit perfectly with the rest of the restaurants motif. That was a small price to pay for some fresh and tasty seafood in the Desert. If the fresh fish isn’t enticing enough to get you to try this restaurant, then the Sourdough bread should be enough to reel you in like a compliant Marlin.
Location and Website – 1720 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016 https://www.bluewatergrill.com/