The Exquisitely Delightful Cannery Restaurant in Newport Beach

Situated in the picturesque harbor of Newport Beach, The Cannery Restaurant is the delightful coalescence of ambiance and flavor. The Experience Magazine enjoyed an outdoor table with views of the sail boats and motor boats returning from their adventures out in the Pacific Ocean. Our waiter, Ryan, was helpful and charming, and he assisted us in creating a mouthwatering, memorable meal.

 

Perfectly Grilled Octopus with pickled cucumbers and avocado kosho puree
Perfectly Grilled Octopus with pickled cucumbers and avocado kosho puree
Photo courtesy of Judy Hansen Pullos
Seafood Cocktail with lobster, shrimp, scallops, crab and avocado
Seafood Cocktail with lobster, shrimp, scallops, crab and avocado
Photo courtesy of Judy Hansen Pullos

Of course, with its seaside location and 90 years of American history, The Cannery Restaurant is an iconic spot praised for its fresh, wild, line-caught fish. Executive Chef Nicolas Weber has created exciting, lively dishes using only the best Pacific Ocean seafood. Our meal began with two incredible appetizers, both deliciously seasoned with surprising spices and a little heat to entice the palette and excite the senses. The Grilled Octopus was perfectly cooked, tender, and a tiny bit spicy. A perfect balance of freshness and flavor. The seafood cocktail was a generous combination of lobster, crap, scallops, and shrimp sliced into bite sized morals and expertly covered in a fabulous cocktail sauce with just the right amount of burn.

 

As our meal continued the sea breeze intensified and Ryan activated our ceiling heater. The warmth from the heater and the cool ocean air created a storybook ambiance for our main course. The Chilean Sea Bass was so flaky and fresh it blew my mind. The red Thai curry sauce was a fun surprise that was so good you could literally eat it with a spoon. The lobster pasta was light and delicious with one of the most generous portions of lobster pieces I’ve ever seen in a lobster dish. And again, Executive Chef Weber tickled our taste buds with spices and seasonings combined with incredibly fresh fish.

 

Chilean Sea Bass with grilled rapini in a red Thai curry sauce
Chilean Sea Bass with grilled rapini in a red Thai curry sauce
Photo courtesy of Judy Hansen Pullos

With very little room left, we still decided to taste a few of the desserts. Annie’s Sundae was a towering  helping of Pistachio gelato, Ovaltine fudge, Griottine cherry sauce and salty pistachio crunch. However, the star of the evening was the salted caramel pudding. It was so good it should be illegal! The unification of B’s Toffee crumbles, bourbon caramel sauce and brown butter chantilly has left a permanent impression on my taste buds.

 

Dangerously Delicious Salted Caramel Pudding
Dangerously Delicious Salted Caramel Pudding
Photo courtesy of Judy Hansen Pullos

The Cannery Restaurant is an absolute delight from the location, the fun, nautical-themed decor to the amazingly fresh, enthusiastic flavors from the sea. It is evident why this restaurant has been included in the “top” lists of water front dining and best places to eat in Orange County for many years and will continue to be a focal point of interest and dining revelation in the Newport Beach community.

Annie's Sundae in a beautiful seaside setting
Annie’s Sundae in a beautiful seaside setting
Photo courtesy of Judy Hansen Pullos

About Judy Hansen Pullos

Judy is a contributing writer for THE EXPERIENCE MAGAZINE and photographer in Los Angeles, California

View all posts by Judy Hansen Pullos →

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.