Farm
Fresh Pacific Rim Fare at Bali Hai Restaurant - San Diego
San
Diego boasts a litany of fine restaurants, but only
one offers gourmet Pacific Rim cuisine amid an exceptional panoramic
view of the bay and downtown skyline: Bali Hai Restaurant. While
this esteemed waterfront eatery has a rich local history, having
delighted patrons for 55 years with its Tiki thematics, Bali
Hai is undergoing a renaissance. Most notably, newly-named executive
chef Ben Lieberman is infusing the menu with nouveau ideas and
approaches to impress a new generation of fun-loving foodies.
Lieberman
recently took the helm of this iconic Shelter Island-based restaurant
where he spearheads a 30-member culinary team hell bent on delivering
a distinctive dining experience. And that they do, which is
no surprise given Lieberman's lofty credentials. He was most
recently the chef de cuisine of Searsucker in downtown San Diego
and also oversaw the menu design of Burlap-the newest venture
from Brian Malarkey of BRAVO TV Top Chef fame. Lieberman, who
graduated from Johnson & Wales University's prestigious
College of Culinary Arts, also worked in Las Vegas at the Eiffel
Tower Restaurant and at Spago at Caesar's Palace as well as
in Los Angeles where he served as executive sous chef for the
celebrated Katsuya Japanese restaurant. From these experiences,
Lieberman has honed a multicultural culinary approach that leverages
the freshest regional ingredients.
In
his short time at Bali Hai, Lieberman and has already flexed
his creative muscle by introducing an array of seasonal menu
items that are attracting local leisure diners, tourists, and
large parties, alike. On a recent "girl's night out,"
I had the pleasure of sampling multiple dishes from the current
iteration of the Bali Hai menu, which duly showcases this chef's
artistic vision and versatility.
From
the starters menu, we opted for the Szechuan Venison Carpaccio
($12) with parmesan, fried capers, hard boiled egg and truffle-soy
aioli; Southeast Asian Style Cured Salmon ($11) served with
horseradish whipped cream, tomato-ginger jam, and arugula; and
the Coconut Shrimp ($14) accompanied by ginger lime dipping
sauce and a papaya salad. For the salad course, we shared the
sweet and savory Caramelized Watermelon Salad ($7)-balsamic
rum-topped watermelon cubes accompanied by pistachio powder,
feta, watercress and marinated tomato.
For
our entrees, "Kai" seafood reigned supreme. We indulged
in the Tempura Salmon Roll ($20) with asparagus, salmon roe,
wasabi aioli, pea shoots and citrus mustard; the Wok Fried Bass
($29)-14 full ounces of Corvina sea bass served with Ponzu and
Szechuan style vegetables; and the Seared Diver Scallops ($27)
accompanied by a glazed, perfectly rendered pork belly, sesame
spinach, and ginger-soy butter. From the land "Aina"
options, our choice was the 5 Spiced Duck Breast ($25)-moist
and flavor-permeated duck confit with a plum-orange glace served
with fresh cauliflower and snap peas. On the side, we shared
the Thai Brussels Sprouts ($6), roasted and tossed with sliced
Chinese sausage in a tantalizingly tart dressing.
Dessert
rounded out the experience with a light traditional Vanilla
Bean Crème Brûlée ($7) with fresh seasonal
berries as well as a very beautifully plated Cheesecake ($7)
adorned with Amarena cherries and drizzled with a savory balsamic
syrup.
Of
course, not everything has changed as the restaurant's "world
famous" Mai Tai's are still a crowd pleaser. In fact, Bali
Hai proved to be a brilliant location for a lighthearted outing
with gal pals as we sipped on various island classic and specialty
cocktails, including the Goof Punch ($6.75)-a concoction of
three different light and dark rums mixed with passion fruit
syrup and a blend of fruit juices.
All
of Bali Hai's fine food and luscious libations are served up
in a warm and exotic atmosphere sure to put you in a vacation
state of mind...if you're not already. With multiple banquet
rooms overlooking unsurpassed bay and city views, the restaurant
can also accommodate large groups for parties and events, including
birthday parties, business meetings, and even weddings and receptions.
Boaters can even reach the restaurant through its own private
dock.
Whether
you're looking for a romantic dinner, a fun outing with friends,
or a distinctive location for an important event, Bali Hai restaurant's
forward-thinking, farm fresh Pacific Rim fare will keep you
coming back for more.
Bali
Hai Restaurant
2230 Shelter Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 222 - 1181
Fax: (619) 222-4081
http://www.balihairestaurant.com/
By Merilee Kern, 'The Luxe List' Executive Editor
"The
Luxe List" Executive Editor Merilee Kern scours the luxury
marketplace for exemplary travel experiences, extraordinary
events, and notable products and services. Submissions are accepted
at www.LuxeListReviews.com.
Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/LuxeListEditor
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***Some
or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or
service(s) detailed above were provided at no cost to accommodate
this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of
Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***