summer eating at Tommy Bahama's

Tommy Bahama's Island Grille, one of my favorite restaurants here in Newport Beach, invited my husband and me to try a few new menu items recently, and boy, were we in for a treat!

Their menu features amazing seafood and yummy island-inspired cuisine, and it’s always a pleasure dining there. We’ve often dined at the TB Island Grille over the years since they opened about 20 years ago, so we were really excited to try some of their new menu items.

World Famous Coconut Shrimp

We were really impressed by several of their new menu items like the Miso Glazed Ōra King Salmon, Togarashi Crusted Ahi Tuna and Halibut Ceviche, along with Tommy Bahama longtime favorites such as Braised Pork Shank, the vegetarian Harvest Burger, and their World Famous Coconut Shrimp.

In fact, here’s the recipe for this crispy and delicious shrimp appetizer, if you’d like to make this at home.

TOMMY BAHAMA'S WORLD-FAMOUS COCONUT SHRIMP

Ingredients:

1⅔ cups all-purpose flour

2 egg yolks

2 cups Kona Brewing Co. Island Lager or similar

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 lb shrimp, 16/20 size, peeled, deveined and butterflied

2 cups coconut, shredded

Instructions:

·         Mix 1 cup flour, egg yolks, beer, sugar, salt and pepper with a wire whisk to form batter.

·         Dredge shrimp in remaining flour, then dip into batter.

·         Prop shrimp by their tails from the bowl’s rim after dipping in batter. After you work your way around, they’ll be ready to coat with coconut.

·         Coat shrimp with coconut, pressing gently to make coconut adhere.

Fry in stockpot or deep fryer with peanut oil at 335°F for 3 minutes.

Yeild: 16-20 shrimp

Ahi Poke with Avocado and Siracha Aioli  

Seafood is definitely at the forefront of the menu at Tommy Bahama’s Island Grille, but there are a lot of other delicious options like burgers, ribs, chicken, salads and my favorite the Prime Rib French Dip! My hubby and I happen to LOVE fresh seafood, so we were loving every single bite of the dishes we ordered.  

Halibut Ceviche with Coconut Mango Broth 

Ahi Tuna Bowl with Baby Lettuce, Roasted Corn Salsa and Avocado

Adobo Braised Pork Shank with Kale and Cauliflower-Potato Mash

Here are a few more new menu items that sound amazing:

• Shrimp & Grits – Stone Ground White Grits, Aged White Cheddar, Andouille Sausage, Jalapeños, Roasted Corn Salsa, Green & Red Bell Peppers, Cajun Brown Butter

• Oven Roasted Mojo Chicken – Charred Sour Oranges, Andouille Sausage, Saffron Plantain Peas & Rice, Tangerine Achiote Vinaigrette

• Cilantro & Ginger Crusted Mahi Mahi – Crispy Furikake Rice Cake, Shrimp Broth, Sautéed Squash & Carrots, Chile Oil

Piña Colada Cake with White Chocolate Mousse

And we haven’t even talked dessert yet… I actually twisted my hubby's arm a teeny bit to have him order the Piña Colada Cake while I had the Malted Chocolate Pie. 

What can I say? I wanted to taste both!

A round-up of all their famous desserts

Next time you’re in Corona del Mar,

stop by the Tommy Bahama Island Grille for a real taste of the islands!

 ciao! fabiana

Tommy Bahama Island Grille is

 located in the Corona del Mar Plaza,

right near Fashion Island.

854 Avocado Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92660

(949) 760-8686

Disclaimer:  I was invited by Tommy Bahama’s Newport Beach Restaurant to try menu items free of charge and am reviewing them at no cost and must disclose that fact. All opinions are truly my own.

new menu items at Tommy Bahama's

A few weeks ago, my husband and I

had the opportunity to try a few of 

the new menu items at 

Tommy Bahama's Island Grille 

here in Newport Beach. 

Their menu always features super

 yummy tropical-inspired dishes,

and it’s always a treat dining there. 

We’ve often dined there for a fun date night,

treating out of town guests to a fun dinner or

just taking the family out for a nice dinner, 

so we were really excited to try some 

of these new flavors.

Shrimp Summer Rolls

We started out with the Shrimp Summer Rolls

and the Grilled Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad.

Both of these menu items were

really fresh and so full of flavor!

Grilled Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad

Grilled Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad

My husband also ordered the

Miso Sake Ramen as an appetizer too,

and of course I had to have a little taste.

It was really good!

Miso Sake Ramen

The main star of the day was the

Prime Rib French Dip!

I love me a good French Dip sandwich,

and I’ve even dined at Philippe’s in downtown L.A.

where the French Dip is said to have originated,

but this sandwich at Tommy Bahama’s

was way off-the-charts!

Prime Rib French Dip

It was tender, melt-in-your-mouth

 delicious, and so full of flavor.

I’ve never had anything quite like it,

and I highly recommend it.

It’s definitely my favorite menu item,

and this is from a girl who generally

choose to eat a huge organic salad
or vegetarian pasta!  

Pork Belly Fried Rice

We couldn’t leave without also trying the

Pork Belly Fried Rice, which was highly recommended.

This yummy dish is the ultimate comfort food

that’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Here’s a list of a their new menu items:

Shrimp Summer Rolls

Pork Belly Sliders

Roasted Vegetable Tacos

Grilled Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad

Prime Rib French Dip

Blackened Fish Tacos

Miso Sake Ramen

Pork Belly Fried Rice

& Peanut Butter Pie

Be sure to try at least one or two of these,

if you are at this Tommy Bahama's location!

Peanut Butter Pie

Chad the manager there at Tommy Bahama’s

 surprised us at the end of our lunch

by bringing over his favorite dessert for us to try,

 the new Chocolate Ganache Peanut Butter Pie

with a crushed pretzel crust …OMG!

What a way to end a fabulous meal!

ciao! fabiana

Tommy Bahama's Island Grille is

 located in the Corona del Mar Plaza,

right near Fashion Island.

854 Avocado Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92660

(949) 760-8686

tommy bahama’s key lime pie recipe

Celebrate National Key Lime Pie Day today 

with Tommy Bahama’s special recipe. 

Drop in to a restaurant near you, 

or whip one up for yourself! 

The one thing that everyone can agree on is that

 the Tommy Bahama Key Lime pie has 

long been a guest favorite and the 

perfect ending to any meal.

Originally, the remote island of Key West wasn’t easily accessible. Transporting food and other supplies was challenging, so local products like Key limes and foods with long shelf lives, such as sweetened condensed milk became essential foods on the island. Now the official pie of the state of Florida, with origins dating back to the early 20th century, one could say Key Lime pie is as American as apple pie.

Tommy Bahama’s Famous Key Lime Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 10" graham cracker crust
1 egg white
2 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk
9 large egg yolks
1 cup key lime juice
1 lime, sliced into 8 equally-sized "wheels"
White Chocolate Mousse Whipped Cream as desired (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Brush egg whites onto uncooked pie shell using a pastry brush, making sure the shell is evenly coated. Pour off any excess egg whites.

Place pie shell in oven and bake for 5 minutes. Shell should look golden brown.

Let cool at room temperature.

While the shell is cooling, mix the egg yolks and condensed milk together using a wire whip until incorporated.

Pour the key lime juice into the mixture of yolks and condensed milk, slowly mixing with the wire whip until incorporated.

Add the key lime pie mixture into the cooled pie shell.

Adjust the oven temperature to 250° F and bake pie for 25-30 minutes. The finished pie should have a "Jell-O"-like consistency.

Place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Cut into 8 even slices when serving.

For the White Chocolate Mousse Whipped Cream:
8 fl. oz. heavy cream
3/4 oz. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp. instant white chocolate mousse

Using an electric mixer, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.

Using the whisk attachment, beat cream mixture on high speed for 2 minutes.

Add the white chocolate mousse to the cream mixture and mix until it reaches the consistency of stiff peaks.

Place the whipped cream into a piping bag with an open star tip.

When serving, pipe it onto each piece of key lime pie. (If you do not have a piping bag, you can simply dollop a generous scoop of the whipped cream onto the center of each piece.)

Cut a slice in your lime "wheels," twist and place in the center of each piece.

ciao! fabiana

photo credit: Tommy Bahama

new look: the tommy bahama island grille

Tommy Bahama Island Grille in Corona del Mar Plaza has opened its new light and bright remodeled Restaurant & Store just in time for summer. The welcoming space reveals the brand’s latest design concept developed especially for coastal Newport Beach.

Tommy Bahama has been a mainstay in the Newport Beach community since 1998 and this dramatically redesigned space with its fresh indoor/outdoor feel is the perfect fit for the Orange County lifestyle.

They’ve even revitalized their iconic menu to include new favorites but have kept several island-inspired favorites from the original menu. The expansive bar and dining area is accented with blonde wood ceiling beams and panels that are a much brighter version of their former space.

Ocean-worthy blue and cream colored tile add dimension to the bar and a tiled floor. The bar has been repositioned as a focal point of the space with seating on all four sides and includes adjacent high top tables.

Serving delicious, native California cuisine, Tommy Bahama Restaurant provides a relaxed environment to refuel and recharge from shopping. Locally sourced foods include Carlsbad mussels, California pistachios, golden state avocados and farm raised chicken from Orange County.

On the patio, cozy fire pits with lounge seating are available for casual drinks and light bites. An upper level raised terrace offers seating with a view of the pretty surroundings.

New menu items include:

·         SANTA BARBARA HOT SMOKED SALMON Grilled Sourdough, Mt. Tam Triple Cream, Red Mustard Greens, Capers, Red Onions, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes

·         CHAR-GRILLED ARTICHOKE Herbs de Provence, Lemon Tarragon Aïoli

·         “NASHVILLE” HOT CHICKEN SLIDERS King’s Hawaiian Bread, Cajun Dry Rub, Island Slaw, Garlic Aïoli, Siracha, House-Made Pickles

·         GRILLED MISO AVOCADO TOAST Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Jicama, Red Mustard Greens, Pumpkin Seed Gremolata

·         SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOWL Roasted Mushrooms, Lemon Garlic Broth, Roasted Corn Salsa, Bloomsdale Spinach, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pumpkin Seed Gremolata

·         ZA’ATAR & HERB CRUSTED AHI TUNA Beluga Lentils, Chile Oil, Roasted Carrots and Romanesco, Avocado Green Goddess

·         PRESSED HERB CHICKEN & “BRIE” SANDWICH California Free Range Chicken, Mt. Tam Triple Cream, Vine-Ripe Tomatoes, Garlic Aïoli, Green Romesco, Fries

Cajun Blackened Fish Tacos

Za’atar & Herb Crusted Ahi Tuna

Kona Coffee Crusted Rib Eye 

Ahi Tuna Bowl

Piña Colada Cake

Tommy Bahama Restaurant, Bar & Store

Corona del Mar Plaza

854 Avocado Ave

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Restaurant Hours & Phone

949.760.8686

Open: 11:00 AM daily

ciao! fabiana

P.S. I’m on a mini-summer vacation for August, so you’ll be reading condensed versions of summer-inspired blog posts this month.