Dining Diva's "Spotlight On San Diego"
This week's "Spotlight On San Diego" is focused on The C-level Lounge.
Located on the North side of San Diego Bay on Harbor Island.
Like most days here in San Diego, it was a beautiful, sunny, warm day and both Dennis and I were hungry. So naturally, the big question was what were we hungry for. No doubt it had to involve a great restaurant with a "to die for" view.
It was too late for lunch, yet not late enough for Happy Hour. We were in the mood for seafood and ready to enjoy the beautiful coastline, which lead us to one of our local faves, the C-level Lounge on Harbor Island.
Upon first entering the restaurant you'll notice the entire Dining Room and Bar area have a unobstructed view of the entire Bay. Breathtaking to say the least. We grabbed a seat at the Bar and fortunately for us our Bartender, Tasha, who has been a staple at C-level for years, was at the helm. She always greets us with a warm & friendly smile, making us feel like we're part of the family.
Starting off (as usual) with a crisp adult libation, simply to "chill" for a few minutes, I began with a glass of Prosecco. Mildly sweet, lots of bubbles and cold. Yummm. Dennis went for his favorite "style" of beer from a local brewery in Temecula, The Garage Brewing Co., deciding to go with their Mango Hefeweizen. Denny really enjoyed the beer and I, while not the biggest beer fan, decided to try a sip and to be honest it had to be one of my all time favorite beers. Having a true Mango fruit taste, wasn't too heavy, very refreshing.
Moving on, it was time to start exploring the menu! We began with the Appetizers, both of us agreeing on the infamous Chef Deborah's Pepita and Sesame Crusted Brie. If you like creamy Brie cheese, nuts, slices of apple and warm pita bread, you'll love this dish. Talk about the perfedt "starter", you're bound to love it.
The Mussels were next on our list. Arriving to our table in a "personal" size serving pan, and were cooked traditional style, with white wine, fresh garlic and a smooth and tangy lemon broth. The Accompanying our Mussels dish was a side of freshly grilled Ciabatta Bread. This dish was both tender and favorable.
Next choice of ours was the scrumptious Sherried Lobster Bisque. Our Bisque was served nice and hot, loaded with chunks of lobster and there was no denying the obvious hint of Sherry. Croutons were optional, we gladly added them. They were seasoned nicely and we sprinkled them with freshly ground black pepper. This Lobster Bisque at C-level is one of San Diego's best!
Wanting just "one more" seafood dish, we settled on the Ahi, Crab & Avocado Stack. Starting at the bottom of the stack, working our way up, drizzled on the plate is the sweet chili sauce, with thinly sliced cucumbers sitting on top. Followed by a generous avocado/tomato mixture.
Next level was the delicious, freshly cut Ahi Tuna. The "topper" of this fish-sensation is the crab portion of the stack. The final touch is the Papaya-Mango Salsa on top. This delectable creation is served with Taro crisps which allow the freshness of the seafood to sparkle through
And of course now we come to my favorite part of any meal... that being DESSERT! I love all desserts but this Amaretto Cheesecake was exceptional. YUM! The Chef started with a rich, flavorful Vanilla Cheesecake, topped with Brûléed Bananas (where the bananas are sprinkled with sugar and placed under a broiler to caramelize) and an Almond Brittle on top.
Our friendly Bartender suggested (and might I add it was an awesome suggestion) a shot of Amaretto on the side. Allow me to add that one serving of these cheesecakes is enough for two to share.
While enjoying our afternoon food extravaganza, right there in front of us, impossible to miss, out on the Bay were the Tall Ships who performed a festive interactive show to make this restaurant experience one to remember.
*As a side note, I'd like to let you, my Dining Diva friends, know that the C-level Lounge is SUPER close to the San Diego International Airport, less than 5 minutes away. Keep in mind, it's a great option for those who have a "few extra hours" while on a stop-over flight or for those wanting a delicious meal after a long flight.
