SeaLegs Wine Bar & a giveaway

My experiences at SeaLegs Wine Bar in the last few months have been very positive. They won a Golden Foodie Award last year and are nominated again this year. When I first came here, I was surprised to see that it was located in this complex because I’d been here before but never noticed SeaLegs there.

The restaurant has that east coast seaport feel about it. Decor is cute and very inviting. The pseudo outside patio is quaint and cozy and I can see why people are flocking here to take in the ambiance.

On our first visit, we started with Heirloom Caprese ($11) some beautiful heirloom tomatoes topped with a nice salty grilled ricotta Solata, spinach, pickled onions and radish salad with balsamic vinaigrette. The menu says ricotta solata, but it is in fact, ricotta salata, an Italian cheese similar to feta.  

Lump Crab Cake ($16) were delightful. Light and texturally pleasing, they didn’t have many fillers so the nuances of the crab came through well. The lemon tarragon aioli added a welcoming hint of citrus.

OC Baking bread is utilized for the Bruchetta ($10) but was sliced too thickly for the dish. The inch-thick char-grilled slice was hard to bite into, but the toppings of prosciutto, melted mozzarella, marinated tomato, basil oil and paprika oil came together well. Flavors synched to create a harmonious mouthful and it would’ve been perfect had the baguette been half an inch thick.

Charred Filet Medallions ($15) were charbroiled to medium rare but slightly underseasoned. While the pickled onions added a touch of tartness which I loved, I wanted more of the accompanying red wine demi glace.

One of my favorites of the evening was the Broccoli Rabe side dish. The soft poached egg on top made a stunning sauce when cut open to reveal the oozing egg yolk.

My son loved the Stinky Fries ($9). Fresh cut fries with parmesan and garlic served alongside a three cheese fondue with truffle oil is a kid’s dream.

My least favorite dish of the night was the Monte Cristo ($12). While I enjoyed the salty sweet flavors of the North country ham, melted brie and mustard aioli combo, I wasn’t keen on the mealy, doughy housemade brioche. The berry coulis was absolutely amazing and I would have liked this drizzled over vanilla ice cream if I could!

We sampled several desserts but my favorite was surprisingly, SeaLegs Tiramisu ($12). I am ordinarily not a fan of tiramisu, but the one here was so light it was like eating air. Whipped mascarpone layered in a wine glass with rum soaked lady finger and topped with a chocolate anchor medallion might just change my mind about tiramisu altogether! It was THAT good!

I came back again when the restaurant featured the Villa Nova Wine Dinner, a menu consisting of old favorites from the Villa Nova restaurant once owned by SeaLegs’ Chef Alex Dale’s grandfather.

The array of dishes we tried ranged from the incredible Osso Bucco, a braised veal shank served with mushroom risotto, or the decadent Lobster Parmaigiana baked with white wine and cheese supreme sauce on a bed of spaghetti.

The Medaglione Romano offers tender medallions with tagliatelle Villa Nova sauteed in a red wine mushroom sauce with tomatoes. Scallopini Salto In Bocca are veal medallions wrapped in prosciutto with spaghetti and house made marinara sauce.

Although the dinner was only available for one night only, Chef Alex is thinking of bringing the dishes back as specials to the restaurant in the future. Keep your eyes open for these by following the restaurant’s Facebook page.

This week I have a $50 giftcard to SeaLegs for one lucky winner to win. Just leave me a comment and tell me why you should be the one to win this. Make sure you use your FULL name or your entry will not be eligible. Entries close on Sunday, August 25th. Winner will be announced on Monday.

SeaLegs Wine Bar
21022 Beach Blvd
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Tel: 714-536-5700