16 • Aug. 28 - Sept. 10, 2015 • The Log
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Catalina
Popular boater destination offers plenty of options for foodies, outdoorsy types.
By Parimal M. Rohit
AVALON — It is not uncommon for some boaters to traverse a few miles across the Pacific Ocean, arrive at an Avalon Harbor mooring, attach their vessel to a can and remain there for a few days. Catalina Island certainly offers Southern California boaters the romanticism of spending some time at sea. Spending time on solid ground at Avalon, Two Harbors, Catalina’s interi- or or any of the island’s semi-secluded beaches can make any visit to the island an enriched experience. Most activities on the island are
well-known to boaters who frequent Catalina, such as the semi-submersible submarine tour aboard Nautilus or the Jeep-themed tours through the interi- or, but there are a few gems still wait- ing to be discovered by the boating masses, including on-the-water room service provided almost daily by a boat selling morning meals to any and every vessel in the harbor. The Log’s reporter spent a couple
days in Avalon and on the island sam- pling food, exploring the interior and meeting with locals.
A Few Good Meals Avalon is a small town, so most of
the restaurants are well-known. Many regular visitors probably have favorite restaurant to visit, table to sit at or
meal to order. A grand total of zero chain restaurants exist on Catalina Island, meaning each restaurant has its unique appeal, taste and clientele. The Log’s reporter visited seven restaurants within a 36-hour span, sampling many dishes with a pair of locals. Steve’s Steakhouse on Crescent
Avenue is located on the second floor of a three-story building. Most of the tables have views of Avalon Harbor and the Pacific Ocean. The restaurant is owned by the members of the Bray family, who have a long history on the island, and offers standard American fare. Highlights include a coconut shrimp appetizer as well as tender skirt steak and Fillet Mignon dishes. Owner Steve Bray also owns Lucy’s Blue Rose, a Mexican restaurant directly below the steakhouse. A short, five-minute walk from
Steve’s Steakhouse is the only Chinese restaurant in town: Mr. Ning’s Chinese Garden on Sumner Avenue. The restaurant’s owner, Leonard Ning, arrived on the island in the 1970s. He finally opened the Chinese eatery in 1988. Popular meals include cheese and crab wontons served with sweet and sour sauce as well as green beans cooked in garlic sauce and served with white rice. Lunch dishes are quite affordable.
One of a handful of Mexican restau-
rants on the island is Coyote Joe’s, which originally opened as a taco stand before expanding into a full-ser- vice eatery with a patio ideal for peo- ple-watching. The restaurant offers a unique pairing of a potato taco with a drink called the John Daly. A combina-
A unique world awaits just beyond your boat
tion of vodka, lemon- ade and iced tea, the John Daly is the restaurant’s answer to the Arnold Palmer. Coyote Joe’s is located across the street from Marlin Club.
The closest thing to a chain restaurant on Catalina Island is Bluewater Café, which has locations in Southern California and Central Arizona to complement the beachfront branch in Avalon. Bluewater Café is a great destina- tion for seafood lovers. The restaurant serves fresh seafood, which Bluewater advertises as “sustainably caught.” Boaters should try the crab cake with aioli pesto and fresh flowers or clam chowder. The restaurant’s large serving of artichoke is tasty and rather filling. Farther down the Crescent Avenue
boardwalk is C.C. Gallagher, a former bank converted into a café-like restau- rant with a vault turned into a wine cellar. Anyone with a sweet tooth will enjoy the ginger beer float with caramel-salted chocolate gelato. This float is best enjoyed with Bundaberg ginger beer. Sweet tooth lovers would also enjoy
Catalina Coffee and Cookie, which offers a delicious sweet and spicy cin- namon tea and a smorgasbord of tasty desserts and pastries. Chef Greg Sims personally prepares the food each
Chef Greg Sims recently launched a breakfast delivery by boat service. Boaters can order breakfast via radio and have a warm meal or hot coffee delivered to them without leaving their vessel. The service is currently sea- sonal.
evening. Coincidentally, Sims also operates a
breakfast boat, which offers food deliv- ery each morning for boaters.
Start Your Day with Breakfast Delivery Sims launched his breakfast boat
service in May and will continue to have his vessel, loaded with several food and beverages, weaving around moorings until October. Boaters can pre-order a turkey sausage or bacon breakfast burrito the night before or contact the boat directly between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on VHF Ch. 6. The breakfast burritos are prepared
during the wee hours of morning and ready in time to be on the water just ahead of 7 a.m. each day during the week. Also on the menu are cinnamon
Photo by Parimal M. Rohit
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