Sealegs Wine Bar @ Huntington Beach – Spring Menu Media Tasting

I love Huntington Beach for many reasons; the sandy beach, the ocean waves (Hello, Surf City USA!) and the cool vibe. But most of all, I love all the new restaurants that are making a splash. I have adored Sealegs Wine Bar after I was first introduced to it last year. Since it’s grand opening 2 years ago, Sealegs has become one of the fastest growing wine bars in Southern California. In the 2 years since its grand opening, it has earned many accolades such as OC Weekly- Best Wine Bar 2013, Golden Food Award – Best California Cuisine 2013 and Gaylot – Top 10 Restaurants in OC.

If you have wined and dined here, you wouldn’t be surprised at its success. Lisa and Alicia combined their passion for life, food and wine with their professional experiences in creating SeaLegs Wine Bar where, once “you step inside, you’ll leave all your worries at the door”.

(Photos by Allen Taylor Photography)

Using fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients are a big part of SeaLegs’ culture. As Spring/Summer roll in, Chef Alexander Dale created some remarkable new menu items, some of which Allen and I got to sample recently. (Please note that since we were there for media tasting, we asked that the serving size be reduced whenever possible, allowing us to sample more dishes.)

Grilled Turkey Meatballs (Grilled spiced turkey meatballs served with harissa and tzatziki). These meatballs were light and packed with flavor. The accompanying sauces were outstanding!

Duck Confit Flatbread (Duck confit, goat cheese, mozzarella, parsnips, carrots, beets, kale, and micro bulls blood with balsamic reduction) was amazing! The duck was so tender and flavorful, together with all the fresh ingredients, it was one of the best flatbread we’ve had. Seared Albacore Salad (Seared Pacific albacore with pea shoots, bean spouts, carrot ribbons, daikon ribbons, pickled
onion, micro cilantro, sesame ponzu). I am normally not a fan of seared fish. I either like it cooked or raw but Chef Alexander Dale cooked it perfectly that I really enjoyed it. This was such a beautiful dish, light and refreshing, perfect for spring/summer. The menu lists the dishes under ‘White’ or ‘Red’ to help you pair your food with wine. Here we had a white wine and rose. Allen likes drier wine where as I like it a little sweet.
Chicken Parmesan Sliders (Hand-breaded chicken with melted Parmesan and mozzarella, smothered in a San Marzano tomato sauce topped with micro basil on a brioche bun). These were cheesy and delicious. Mussels and Clams (P.E.I. mussels, littleneck clams, applewood smoked bacon, sautéed garlic, shallots, leeks and herbs in a white wine broth served with toast points). This dish was highly recommended by Alicia and it did not disappoint. The mussels and clams were so plump and juicy and the broth was unbelievably delicious. We soaked it up with the toast and savored every bite. Quinoa Crab Fried Rice (Blue crab, quinoa, carrots, spring onion, bean sprouts, celery stir fried and topped with a sunny-side-up egg). What a clever dish! The use of quinoa makes this a healthier and lighter alternative to traditional fried rice.
Bleu Sliders (Angus beef with bleu cheese, bacon, fried shallots, and red wine demi-glaze). We asked for just 1 to sample as we were getting really full. But one bite of it, we wished we had asked for more because it was amazing! You know your stomach will make room for great food, right? Definitely order this when you visit. Cab-Braised Lamb Shank (Cabernet Sauvignon braised 16-oz. lamb shank with herb roasted fingerling potatoes, mint pea purée and reduction sauce). Doesn’t it just look majestic? Lamb lovers will not want to miss this. I know we look like pigs by now. LOL! We didn’t eat all the food, we mostly sampled and packed the left over to go. We had to leave room for desserts. We loved the Banana Foster so much previously we had to order it again. Our server also highly recommended the Espresso Brownies and it was also very good.

When was the last time you visited SeaLegs Wine Bar? If you haven’t or it’s been awhile, go check the new menu. Also in celebration of it’s 2-year anniversary, Sealegs is offering its first annual LOBSTERFEST SUMMER KICK OFF WEEKEND all Memorial weekend. Don’t miss this awesome event!

SeaLegs Wine Bar
21022 Beach Blvd. #105
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 536-5700

Hours

Monday-Friday: 4:00pm – 11:30pm
Saturday: 5:00pm – 11:30pm
Happy Hour: Monday-Friday from 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 9:30pm; Bottomless Sunday Champagne Brunch from 11:00am – 3:00pm