The Wind & Sea Restaurant and the Dana Point Boat Parade = a Winning Combination

A few days before Dec. 9, I realized I had not received an email confirming the online reservation I had made for the Wind & Sea Restaurant weeks before. 

The more I thought about it, I wondered if I had really hit the final submit button to complete the reservation, or had I been interrupted and never finished it?  When I called the restaurant, they did not have my name and were completely booked.  I was not surprised, because, of course, Dec. 9 was the first night of the Dana Point Boat Parade and the Wind & Sea Restaurant in the Dana Point Harbor is a prime viewing location.  

The girl on the phone explained they were booked for all four nights of the parade. Hearing the slight whine in my voice, I think she felt sorry for me and she suggested that we could come to the restaurant at about 6 p.m. and try for seating on the patio or in the bar. She finished by saying that she thought it was better to view the parade from the patio, any way. I was not convinced, but was willing to give it a try. 

At 6 p.m. on Dec. 9, I left my husband in the car to find parking in the extremely crowded harbor parking lot to go see about finding a patio table. Unbelievably, within 15 minutes, I was given a fantastic table closest to the water and a few minutes later my husband arrived, having successfully parked the car! We were set and were going to be able to see the parade. For me, the evening was already a success. 

The patio is cozy with lots of heaters and outside lighting. It has a casual, cheerful, nautical ambiance with Hawaiian print vinyl tablecloths, bright blue umbrellas and plastic chairs. The patio is very close to the water and just across a walkway, there are boats docked, some decorated with lights. Our friendly waitress took our drink orders and seemed just as excited about the boat parade as we were. We ordered an appetizer to share. My husband chose the bacon wrapped jalapeno shrimp appetizer. This is something I would never have chosen, mostly because it is food wrapped in bacon, but it came beautifully presented on a banana leaf with an orchid blossom and was served with a lemony, slightly sweet sauce for dipping. The jalapeno kicked in after a bite or two, and the whole thing was really delicious.

The menu is fairly large and includes a number of seafood options, chicken and steaks, and burgers and sandwiches. There is even a list of specialty martinis such as the Bikini Tini, the Creamsicle and the Key Lime Pie. I chose the Seafood Cobb salad and Jim selected the swordfish. By now, a lot of the boats in the parade were starting to take their positions and we could easily see them as they slid by quietly through the water. Our entrees were both lovely. My salad was a clever take on a traditional Cobb and had generous portions of calamari, shrimp, fresh tomato, and avocado served over crisp, fresh greens. It was delicate and tasty. The swordfish came beautifully grilled and was served with rice pilaf and a mix of green beans and julienned carrots. The fish was cooked perfectly, and not a bit dry. My husband actually said, “That is the best swordfish I have ever had.”

We both really enjoyed our meals, but while we were eating, the parade officially began at 7:30 p.m., right on time. What a fun dinner show. We had an excellent view. Some of the boats played Christmas music. Some honked horns and the patio diners cheered and waved at them or took photos. Some boats had dancers on board, and, of course, there were Santas and snowmen, candy canes and reindeer, just as I had hoped.

Dinner at the Wind & Sea with the boat parade is a wonderful holiday experience. It is a perfect family event and a lovely tradition.

I give the Wind & Sea Restaurant 4 Patches.