The Resort at Pelican Hill has become a top-tier destination for golfers in Southern California, with spectacular views, 36 holes of Tom Fazio-designed golf and a number of eateries worth visiting before and after your round. But none of them may be better suited for a post-round meal than Pelican Grill, located right at Pelican Hill Golf Club and featuring suburb California dining with the same Pacific Ocean views the adjacent golf courses are noted for.
If the weather is nice (and when isn’t it in Newport Beach), request seating on the outside patio,whichfeatures comfortable seating and tables with a view of the Ocean and even nearby Catalina Island on clear days. But don’t snooze on the inside of the multi-room restaurant either, where you have your choice of taking in a game in the high-class sports bar room or watching the chefs do their work in the main dining area that features an open-concept display kitchen. You can’t go wrong wherever you are seated.
And now for the food. Your server will start you off with a basket containing a variety of breads, and you’ll want to give the house-made pretzel bread a try first. But hint: Try not to fill up on basket items before ordering.
For the starters, we recommend sharing with your playing partners in order to experience more of the pretty robust menu. While the menu does shift seasonally, the Trio Of Bruschetta and Dungeness Crab Cakes seem to be appetizers staples on our list of recommendations. The Bruschetta is unlike any you’ve had before, and can feature toppings like pesto & burrata, candied fennel and gouda cheese and even artichoke pesto and smoked salmon. The crab cakes are cooked to perfection, and boast a mild under-the-sea taste that even non-seafood lovers will enjoy.
The only problem with choosing your main course will be deciding what you’re in the mood for. Staring out at the ocean may put you in the mood for seafood, where you can’t go wrong with Pelican’s Grill’s selection of fresh fish. A Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass highlighted the menu on a recent visit, made with an orange-coconut milk and served with black rice, pickled red onions, orange and toasted almonds.
But the “By Land” options are hard to resist, as the menu typically offers eight different meat entrees, including an often found Port And Rosemary Braised Short Rib, which was highlighted by an exceptionally good sweet potato puree. And don’t sleep on the pizza and pasta options, as a hand-made pappardelle pasta is almost always found on the menu. Just take a read on this recent dish: Mushroom pappardelle with beef cheeks, Oregon mushrooms, pearl onions and baby spinach. Yum! But if pasta isn’t the way you order, consider sharing a side order of Mac N’ Cheese for the table. The serving is plentiful, and the hand-made pasta shines.
Need an excuse to stay longer and catch the sunset? A rotating soufflé is served daily for dessert and the extensive cocktail menu is above average.
Pelican Grill serves lunch daily from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Dinner is served daily from 5 – 10 p.m. For reservations, call 855-315-8214.
