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Thursday, July 10, 2008

Roy's - Newport Beach


453 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach CA 92660

(949) 640-7697

http://www.roysrestaurant.com


I recently attended a dinner party at Roy’s restaurant in Newport Beach. This was the second time I had eaten there, and oddly, both times were dinner parties. Therefore, I do not really know how the prices are at Roy's. I’m sure it’s not cheap though!

Our meal here started off with some edamame topped off with a little spicy salt. My wife liked these so much that I didn’t really get to try them.

Next we were served an appetizer platter that contained Lobster Potstickers, Tempura Crusted Ahi Tuna Rolls, and Seared Shrimp Sticks. The menu said we were also going to get Szechuan Calamari, but we got some sort of pork ribs instead. I tried one of each appetizer and they were all very good.

Next up, they brought us a small dinner salad with a creamy herb vinaigrette. It also was very good. The portion was a little small, but I think that is because this was a dinner party. I’m sure the regular portion off the menu is much bigger.

For dinner we were given the choice of Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi, Fire Grilled Filet and Shrimp, Slow Roasted Half Chicken, Rustic Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish or Slow Braised Charbroiled Short Ribs. I had a really hard time deciding, but finally decided on the Fire Grilled Filet and Shrimp. I was also able to snap pictures of other people’s Butterfish, Short Ribs and Mahi Mahi.

Fire Grilled Filet and Shrimp
Red Wine Soy Natural & Lobster Essence


Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish
Sizzling Soy Tri Pepper Vinaigrette


Slow Braised Charbroiled Short Ribs of Beef
Roy's "Super" Power Natural Sauce


Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi
Maine Cream Lobster Sauce


After dinner we were presented with Roy’s combination dessert platter that included a mini chocolate soufflé, a coconut crème fraiche tartlet and lilikoi pound cake with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream. They were all very good, but my favorite was the lilikoi pound cake.

All of the food that I tried here was very good. I remember it being very good last time as well. I also didn’t hear anyone voice a single complaint about the food all night. This is a very good restaurant to go to, if you’re in the mood for a nice meal with an island flair.

Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine on Urbanspoon

8 comments:

Diamond Dog said...

You will get a good meal at Roy's, but the whole Asian Fusion thing is so overdone these days. I'll take straight up Asian food any day over Asian fusion.

The food at Roys will taste decent, but for the prices (expensive), I find it terribly over rated. The menu items really are not that creative or different than what you see thousands of restaurants doing on some level. Fried Potstickers? Come on.

For that kind of money you could do sooooo much better. (ie Charlie Palmer's).

The only Asian Fusion restaurant that I feel is really good and deserves to stand on its own is Blue Ginger in Connecticut. Plus Ming Tsai is a cool guy while Roy Yamaguchi is a dick (ask people that have had to deal with him in business)

-Diamond Dog- The World's First Food Blog Commentator

Griffin said...

DiamondDog-I met Roy Yamaguchi once and he seemed to be a nice guy. Of course I was dealing with him on a personal level, not a business level.

I like your new title!

ChristianZ said...

This is one of those places I keep meaning to get to. I have a gift card for them that I should use soon. I agree with Diamond Dog's assessment on Asian Fusion being way overdone but I don't know that Roy's is exactly Asian fusion. I think they are more like Hawaiian with Asian influences added in. Okay, so that might not be much of a distinction and I've never eaten there but that's my understanding of the matter.

Griffin said...

You're correct Christian. I would definitely classify Roy's as Hawaiian Fusion before I would classify it as Asian Fusion

Diamond Dog said...

Hawaii in general is the epitome of Asian Fusion! Nothing says Asian Fusion more than everything about Hawaii.

Griffin, Congrats you have now be selected as a "bookmark" in my web browser. I hate having lots of bookmarked sites so I am very selective. I only have 2 Bookmarked food blogs on my browser now!

-Diamond Dog- The World's First Food Blog Commentator

Griffin said...

Thanks Diamond Dog! I feel honored. I'll try not to let you down. :)

ChristianZ said...

Hawaii definitely has Asian Fusion going on but there's also the Polynesian aspect to Hawaiian food that is a completely separate facet from anything distinctly Asian.

Noodlegirl said...

Griffin,

It's Kat from Gluttonista. Sorry I didn't get to doing the blog roundup this week! I was in a bit of deep-fried food coma all day Friday. I'll double up for this Friday for a really big roundup, k?