Iconic Hotel Del Coronado’s highly-anticipated seafood restaurant made its debut this month, and boy, did it make a splash. It is rare to find a restaurant where you won’t have to sacrifice seafood quality for a stunning view, and Serēa has figured out the formula. If you like jaw-dropping sunsets, fresh seafood, and white cabana-like atmosphere, you’ve found your little pearl of heaven.
This chic, seafood restaurant offers stunning oceanfront views with an interior design that makes you feel like you are visiting a dear friend’s seaside cottage. Sit back in their low-slung, butter-soft chairs while you enjoy an icy cocktail that melts away the summer heat from your lips. The white-washed tables and blue cushioned booths offer the perfect setting to enjoy sunset over the Pacific. Make sure you stay until dusk, when the space becomes lit with a lovely, dim light as though you are eating under the glow of a fisherman’s lantern.
Serēa’s menu is an ode to the Pacific coast, and they take great measures to source locally and sustainably, all in the theme of a Mediterranean preparation (olive oil, lemon and herbs abound). To be honest, I was too busy enjoying the views and the cocktails to eat much from the main menu, but I did try as much of the raw seafood as I could. The raw bar category offers oysters, running $4 each, shucked grit-free and with admirable liquor retention. The local halibut cevice ($19) with citrus, cucumber and conjures the kind of raw fish you might eat to finish a day of surfing Waikiki. Serea serves the kind of seafood that you can tell is fresh from your first bite.
The bar menu is vast, with an impressive variety of hard-to-find sake, 4 pages of wine selections (by the glass or bottle), and scrumptious cocktails that were nothing short of delightful. I had to order three of the Breakwaters, mixed with Jalapeno Infused Citrus Vodka, Roasted Pineapple Juice, Vanilla Orgeat, Lime Ju, but really wanted to try them all.
The star here is the location, with a lovely view of the Coronado beach, framed with palm trees as you overlook the Hotel Del’s world-renowned beach. There’s nothing like a divinely mixed cocktail while watching the waves crash on sand to prove that sometimes a really spectacular view can be just as memorable as great food. Serēa is now open at the Hotel Del Coronado. Check it out; sit indoors, where you can enjoy the view and sea breezes, or outdoors, where you can people watch to your heart’s content. And after dinner, kick off your shoes and enjoy a walk Hotel Del Coronado’s romantic beach, with a belly full of seafood and wine.
