You can find all of the F&W menu boards as well as links to the ones I’ve reviewed so far right HERE.
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Coastal Eats is one of the three Next Eats food booths in the courtyard outside what was once Innoventions West. These booths always have wonderful options and this year is no exception.
The Coastal Eats kitchen has 3 food items this year – all savory – and a handful of drink options.
- Lump Crab Cake with Napa Cabbage Slaw and Avocado-Lemongrass Cream (DDP snack credit eligible) ($5.50)
This is fine enough. I’m originally a Maryland girl so I’m really, really picky about my crabcakes and this is more shredded meat with what tastes like a bit of filler than the chunks of backfin meat that I like. Still, the flavor is good and the slaw is a nice touch. That said – we scraped off most of the avocado-lemongrass cream, as at least for us it sounded much better than it actually tasted.
- Baked Shrimp and Scallop Scampi Dip served with a sourdough baguette (DDP snack credit eligible) ($6.00)
If you’re getting any one thing at this booth, make it this. It’s SO good that it’s worth the 10 packs of gum that you’ll need afterwards to kill the garlic aftermath. The scallops and shrimp are done beautifully and the dip is creamy and packs a great punch. I also loved that it was served with sourdough instead of plain French bread.
- Pacifico True Striped Bass Tostada served with Slaw and Fire-roasted Tomatillo Sauce (DDP snack credit eligible) ($6.00)
I thought I would love this – the presentation is beautiful – but the fish was just a bit blander than I expected and the pop of sauce and slaw didn’t really do enough to combat that. If you’re dieting and just want a pretty clean piece of fish, this will fit the bill – but otherwise I’d stick with the great scampi dish.
- Short’s Brewing Co. Mule Beer, Elk Rapids, Michigan ($4.50)
This was interesting. Much sweeter than you’d expect a beer to be – it’s got a nice pop of ginger and citrus and I liked it much more when I thought of it as a ginger beer. I actually googled it before writing this and saw that it actually is an ale brewed with ginger and lime, so I guess we were very much on point with what we were tasting.
I might be back again for the scampi…but until then?
Coastal Eats? Check!
