For seafood lovers, King’s Fish House is a must! With nine locations (seven in California), each location has custom menus. Taste of Wine enjoyed dining at the Carlsbad location under the leadership of Sean Renard, general manager of King’s Fish House, exploring a menu that created as much excitement as it stirred contemplation.
I think for most, you will be wondering, OK if I get the macadamia nut-crusted wild Alaskan halibut this time, when am I coming back for the New England lobster roll or the wild Pacific yellowfin tuna or wild Ross Sea Chilean sea bass or oysters or… well, you get the gist.
Frank and I were no different. The choices cover all depths, coasts and oceans around the world. At this time of the year, King’s offers wild California spiny lobsters now through March. While neither of us opted for spiny lobster, our server said that this was a favorite among customers — next time lobster!
As extensive as the menu was, the seating options were also plentiful. Guests can pony up to the Raw Bar at select locations, including Carlsbad, to take in raw oysters while having a draft beer, with many local tap options, wine by the glass, or specialty cocktails while catching a game on the big screen.
Comfortable indoor options are perfect for families, date nights and special celebrations such as birthday or anniversary dinners. There is also pet-friendly outdoor dining with heaters so you can bring your furry friend to dine with you.
I started off with a bowl of heavenly New England clam chowder with chunks of clam and potato along with King’s fresh bread paired with a Jordan Russian River Chardonnay. King’s had a larger white vs. red selection of by the glass and bottle options based on the extensive seafood menu. Frank started off with the grilled jumbo artichoke and selected the Jordan Chardonnay.
Next up was the main entrée and as noted above, this was a tough decision. I had a handful of ideas that our server Quentin helped me navigate through and decided on the popular macadamia nut-crusted wild Alaskan halibut with grilled asparagus and garlic mashed potato sides.
Although, I was tempted by the spiny lobster and wild Dungeness crab options. The halibut was flaky and cooked to perfection and was worthy of a 2nd glass of the Jordan Chardonnay. Frank chose a grilled wild Chilean sea bass from the Ross Sea off the coast of Antarctica. There were several other options for the sea bass on the menu as well.
The vast menu had many options including steak and surf & turf choices as well as several sandwiches such as New England lobster roll, tuna melt and cheeseburger. Guests could also embark on sushi and large dinner salads. Bottom line, this menu had something for everyone and many great choices for follow-on visits.
Make sure to save room for dessert as well. Before we had a chance to think about a scrumptious sweet option, Quentin was kind enough to bring us King’s legendary Jack Daniel’s bread pudding. This is not your grandma’s bread pudding.
King’s version has three slices of warm bread with a creamy bourbon sauce topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Thank you Andrea (Manager) and Quentin (Server) for a wonderful King’s experience! See kingsfishhouse.com.
If after reading this story you are thinking, “I need to go to King’s,” may I recommend their Valentine’s Day weekend three-course menu. Reserve via OpenTable.com for your local King’s Fish House.
Wine Bytes
— Join one of San Diego’s newest hit restaurants in Cardiff by the Sea. The Waverly is hosting a five-course menu on Sunday, Feb. 13 (Valentine’s Day eve) from award-winning Chef Brian Redzikowski and optional wine pairings from Beverage Director Eric Johnson. The dinner features grilled Australian lamb chop, Weiser Farm potato, cilantro and short rib “tagine,” ras al hanout, couscous. The cost is $95 per person plus tax and gratuity with a $50 wine pairing option. The Waverly also has a few special Valentine’s Day cocktails as well. Book online at TheWaverly.com.
— La Costa Wine Co. is hosting a Flying Goat 5-Course Pig + Pinot Winemaker Dinner on Sat, February 12, 2022 (6:30 PM – 9:00 PM). This dinner will take place on the front patio of La Costa Wine Co. The patio has multiple heaters and is sheltered from western breezes. Winemaker Norm Yost will share current releases and the history behind his small production wines with a focus on Pinot and Sparkling from Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley. Each selection will be paired with its own wine-inspired dinner course prepared by Chef Erin Sealy. The cost is $90 plus tax and an 18% gratuity. Details at winepairsevents.com.
— Oceanside’s Blade 1936 is hosting a four-course Grgich Hills Estate Winery Dinner at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. The main course is a Stinco D’Agnello, lamb shank with homemade gnocchi and sage paired with 2017 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon. The cost is $85 per person plus tax and gratuity. RSVP at 619.212.5148.
