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Jim Wasko initially thought the reconstruction of the Crab Cooker would have taken a year, or maybe as long as 18 months, back when he shut down the iconic Newport Beach seafood restaurant in 2018 and it went under the wrecking ball.
Instead, it’s taken nearly three years, Wasko said in an interview Friday, to give the venerable restaurant its sea legs once again. Plumbing issues caused an eight-month delay that involved an intensive re-engineering of the restaurant’s foundation in 2019. Then Wasko had to deal with the arrival of the pandemic shortly afterward.
“We couldn’t have more than 10 people on a job [at one time],” Wasko said of the construction work last year. “Everything had to be spaced out. You could have guys on the roof, but you couldn’t have people in the same vicinity [because of social distancing]. With a year of that . and we’re still being affected of it to some extent, some of it’s loosened up, but it was kind of a double whammy.”
Photograph by Emily J. Davis
Shorebird’s Balboa Peninsula arrival in June was so stealthy, it was almost a surprise. Hiding within the new marina enclave of Vue Newport, the dazzling split-level venue merges outdoors and indoors for a massive living picture of pricey boats in their sparkling slips.
Brought to life by Wild Thyme Restaurant Group, Shorebird hums with cheer, even partially full. Its broad menu of modern American fare, solidly implemented by executive chef Jay Bogsinske’s scratch kitchen, ensures instant chemistry with locals. For dinner, impeccably shucked oysters open for a massive pork chop grilled over almond wood or the elegant pan-roasted black cod. Weekend brunch boasts sweet or savory recipes not served after dark say, pulled rotisserie chicken chilaquiles or trendy soufflé pancakes.
Exceptional Fare Meets a Waterfront Setting at Shorebird in Newport Beach
Tin’s Dressed Oysters; Photograph by Emily J. Davis
To say the arrival of Shorebird is long overdue is a profound understatement. This quayside stretch of Newport Boulevard hadn’t seen a new restaurant in decades.
Shorebird’s June debut was understandably muted because of the pandemic. Add a location with zero street presence, and it’s no mystery as to why so many are surprised this waterfront beauty exists.
Hidden within the new marina enclave of Vue Newport, it’s invisible until you actually enter the 6,000-square-foot, split-level venue. Once inside, the massive waterfront view hijacks all the attention. Outdoors and indoors merge here. Pricey boats reflect the sparkling water of their slips for a classic Newport Beach visual. You can’t help but downshift to mellow mode as drinks arrive, taking in the view while exploring the gently priced menu. The single page is packed with contemporary Am