Having a ballroom

Greer Wylder

The Balboa Pavilion is Newport’s center for coastal recreation. The

historic, Victorian-style building accommodates services for harbor

cruises, fishing and the Catalina ferry service. It’s also adjacent

to the 1930s-era Fun Zone, a nostalgic waterfront amusement park with

arcades, a Ferris wheel and merry-go-round.

Now the Pavilion also has a major dining destination with the

rebirth of its restaurant, the contemporary Harborside and

beautifully renovated Grand Ballroom for weddings and parties.

Built in 1905, the Pavilion is on the National Register of

Historical Places. The Pavilion once housed a terminal for the

Pacific Electric Red Car Line, which in its heyday was part of the

world’s largest trolley system.

During the ‘30s and ‘40s, the Pavilion was the first stop for

teenagers traveling to Balboa’s main attraction, the Rendezvous

Ballroom, Southern California’s in spot during the swing era. Big

bands performed at the Rendezvous until 1966, when it was destroyed

by fire. The Pavilion also housed a bowling alley, a dance hall and

even public baths.

In recent years, it’s been a waterfront dining and banquet

facility for Christmas boat-parade spectators, wedding attendees,

locals and out-of-town guests.

Last year, brothers and co-owners David and Doug Salisbury

replaced the Pavilion’s aging 32-year-old Tale of The Whale

restaurant and banquet room with the Harborside, which serves

breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers live entertainment. They also

renovated the upstairs Grand Ballroom, which encompasses two rooms --

each large enough for 250 guests -- that can be transformed into one

giant room for 500.

The ballroom best suits large parties. Plans for a semi-private

dining room for groups of 25 to 30 are underway.

Three-quarters of the rooms have wood floors for dancing. Each

room has a private entrance that can accommodate live entertainment,

and has spectacular harbor views.

During the renovation, the Salisburys respected the integrity of

the building.

“Our goal was to maintain the history here,” David Salisbury said.

“We installed the same woods, perforated tin ceilings and wainscot

that the rooms once had.”

Photos of a bygone era decorate the walls, including bathing

beauties from the ‘20s and historic pictures of the Balboa Island

Ferry and Balboa Beach.

Since 1987, the Salisburys have owned the nearby waterfront

Newport Landing Restaurant. David Salisbury runs the day-to-day

restaurant business, whereas Doug is “the administrator and legal

mind.”

And they’re careful to individualize each restaurant.

“This is not a repeat of Newport Landing,” David Salisbury said.

“We’re expected to have fresh seafood, but we also include prime

meats and American fare.”

David Salisbury attributes much of Harborside’s success to chef

Luis Martinez.

“He’s only 23 years old, a self-taught chef, who is such a

pleasure to work with,” David Salisbury said. “I can’t speak highly

enough of him. We both put the menu together.”

The menu offers appetizers, from chicken spring rolls with hoisin

ginger sauce ($5.95) to lobster skewers with sweet chili sauce

($12.95). Soups and salads range from chicken tortilla soup ($2.75)

to shrimp and king crab Louie salad ($16.95).

There are also large entree salads, sandwiches and burgers, fresh

seafood, pastas, classic favorites and prime steaks. The

Asian-inspired dishes include a crispy coconut shrimp appetizer with

Thai chili sauce ($10.95); or a Hawaiian ahi wrapped in rice paper

and wasabi beurre blanc ($10.95), and the popular island nut

opakapaka (pink snapper), a sweet delicate white fish with a

macadamia nut crust and fresh fruit cream sauce ($23.95).

The Salisbury brothers formerly owned the Yankee Tavern in

Newport, so they brought popular favorites from that menu, including

the baby back pork ribs ($19.95); the Yankee pot roast with gravy and

creamed corn ($15.95), and the liver and onions, served with crisp

bacon, scallop potatoes and sauteed onions ($14.95).

On Sunday mornings, Harborside offers an off-the-menu breakfast

that differs from Newport Landing’s buffet. Breakfast includes a

series of Benedicts ($13.95 to $17.95); omelets with hash browns and

toast ($11.95 to $16.95), French toast and eggs ($10.95); prime top

sirloin steak with eggs ($19.95), and huevos rancheros ($10.95).

For private parties and events, the Grand Ballroom offers banquet

packages that include buffet menus, theme packages, sit-down service,

food stations, hors d’oeuvres and bar menus. The average price is $60

to $75 per person, below market for waterfront locations. Since the

remodeling, the room’s popularity has taken off.

“We’re 85% booked through the year,” David Salisbury said.

Banquet chef Fred Edinger, a 15-year Pavilion veteran, has vast

fine dining experience. Edinger can prepare 40 hot and cold hors

d’oeuvres, including blackened ahi over sweet cucumber topped with

jalapeno jelly; artichoke bottoms with salmon mousse; Spanish

meatballs, and red corn taquitos filled with spicy chicken and salsa

verde. And he can prepare buffet and sit-down dinners with cuisine

themes.

Despite the perception that Balboa doesn’t have parking,

Harborside offers a valet parking service for events. Other parking

options include a nearby city parking lot that accommodates 500 cars

and a parking structure at Adams Street. For boats, Harborside takes

reservations for its 70 feet of dock space.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

[email protected]; at 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626;

or by fax at (714) 966-4679.