By CATHERINE DONNELLY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
Locals and visitors have been dismayed that one of Port Isabel’s favorite locally-owned restaurants, Into the Blue, was no longer in its location just off the Lighthouse Square. Shortly afterwards it popped up in Los Fresnos, on State Highway 100.
The family greets their old guests warmly, happy to see familiar faces. Chef Hector De La Cruz smiled widely and said, “What took you so long?!”
Our review will be based on the existing menu which is on the verge of changing a bit. There are so many great things to choose, from pasta to parilladas, but I’m here for my love of seafood.
First, my guest and I shared two dishes, the seafood enchiladas (four) and the grilled red snapper plate. We chose mixed veggies (grilled broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) and the hand-made fresh creamy coleslaw. I unapologetically judge a restaurant by their slaw and this one is definitely a winner.
The seafood enchilada plate gives you the choice of grilled or blackened and I chose grilled. We also had a choice of fish or shrimp. Since we were also getting a fish plate, we went with fresh caught Gulf shrimp which were tender and delicious. The hand-made creamy Alfredo sauce did not disappoint.
The red snapper choice is under “grilled seafood,” and I chose it grilled with garlic, but the other choices are fried, plain grilled, blackened or chipotle. The other seafood choices would have been Mahi Mahi or salmon. I decided on red snapper only because I hadn’t had it in a while. It was a good-sized filet and cooked well, with each morsel being flavorful. It also hit the mark for eating healthy.
We also tried the Coconut Shrimp plate and this was so good it was almost like having dessert! Imagine large butterflied tender fresh Gulf shrimp in a house-made batter cooked to perfection with a handmade yogurt-based pina colada dipping sauce. I asked the chef what inspired that particular dipping sauce.
“You need a little sweet or sour or hotness to push against the flavor of your dish and we went from there,” said De La Cruz.
Into the Blue still has all of their delicious sides to choose from like fries, hush puppies, salad, rice or refried beans. A little something for the array of dishes and variety of preferences.
The restaurant is closed on Mondays, and are open Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sunday 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Their services include: Dine-in, takeout, and pickup at 32412 State Highway 100, Ste E., Los Fresnos, Texas. For more information: (956) 233-2334 or info@intotheblue1.com.