Bayview Restaurant has a lovely setting. It is on the water in the new Esplanade which contains condos, shops, a marina and restaurants. There’s a tiki bar and outdoor as well as indoor dining. We went there for a Mother’s Day dinner. Our reservations were for 7 PM. We were seated at a table next to the window and heard about the specials. We ordered a lovely bottle of 2003 Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay. We also started by sharing an order of fried calamari. We have a quest going on with fried calamari to find a restaurant that prepares it as well as Starz in Oakville, CA did before it went out of business. I have to say that this calamari was almost it! It was perfectly cooked and served with a mango chutney and a chipotle aioli. It was just a tiny bit more breaded than perfect but, oh yes, I would definitely order it again. Definitely an “A” for calamari.
As has happened in the past when you eat in Marco, the special I ordered which was dry-pack day boat scallops with a vanilla sauce and plantains had run out. ( see Kretch’s) So I changed my order to seafood cakes which came with plantains and mixed vegetables and a mango sauce. They were very good. Lots of seafood and crispy on the outside while soft inside. John ordered ahi tuna which he asked for just seared and basically raw inside. Although his tuna was very good, it was a thinish piece, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and was pink in the middle rather than purple. Perhaps east coast ahi tuna is different from west coast? He had rice and veggies with it.
Overall I good restaurant. Big plusses for the setting and the calamari. A very nice touch by giving moms a rose at the end of dinner. Small minuses for not having the special, rolls that were a little stale and overcooking the tuna a bit.
John’s grade – B+
Mary’s grade – B+