During a recent weekend, our family met at Bahama Breeze to celebrate a birthday. Kristin, my daughter-in-law, chose this island-themed grill as the site for her celebration. It was a new venture for most of our family, so we didnât have any expectations or pre-conceived notions about this place. At the entrance, island music and dĂ©cor set an appealing, feel-good atmosphere. (We had a short wait for a table large enough to accommodate our party.) Once seated and asked for beverage orders, I had to try their house beer called Aruba red, very light and served in a 20-oz glass for less than $5.
The menu is interesting and extensive with a variety of different appetizers, many inspired by the island grill motif. I ordered a delicious chicken tortilla soup with some mysterious spices. When I asked our server about the ingredients, he had someone from the kitchen come to our table and describe how it was made. What distinguished this soup was the addition of pieces of avocado and the flavor of island spices. It was served in a large bowl for under $5. My wife Judy sampled it and found it appealing also, especially because it wasnât too spicy in a pepper sense for her taste buds.
Here are some of the entrees we enjoyed. (It would be a good idea to go to their website to view the entire menu.)
Fresh pan-seared salmon pasta in a cream sauce with fresh spinach, basil, tomatoes, and mushrooms on bow-tie pasta. Judy ordered this in the âliteâ version for $12.99.
Coconut shrimp (house specialty) â large crispy shrimp with yellow rice served with fresh broccoli. This was a big hit with those that ordered this dish, priced at about $17.
A healthy entrée that was enjoyed was the seafood salad, priced at about $13
I had to try another house specialty, the seafood paella. This dish was served in an extra large bowl and contained sautéed scallops, shrimp, fish, mussels, chicken, and sausage with yellow rice. There was no way I could finish it, so I enjoyed the rest on another day. It was priced at $16.99 and well worth it.
Service was excellent except for a few minor glitches. Our experience was a fun one filled with a different menu and an opportunity to try unusual dishes. Our overall rating for food, service, ambience, and value was easily 4 stars out of 5. A great place, especially for a special occasion.
Bahama Breeze â 406 E. Golf Rd. Schaumburg, IL 60173. 847-884-7060. www.bahamabreeze.com
