This is going to be a restaurant that I dream about at night! I am in love with “South of Nick’s” in San Clemente. There was not one flaw in any part of our experience there. The decor, the ambiance, the service and the food are all to die for! Here are some pics to give you a sense of the ambiance and decor:
It has a wonderful feeling inside the restaurant and the rooms are decorated incredibly well. It is neither cramped nor cavernous. The service is terrific and the menu sublime. Now about the food…
The chips were thin, crisp and yummy. The salsa was flavorful and nicely spiced with a perfect texture. The Guacamole was made with avocado, roma tomatoes, fresh lime, jalapeño, cilantro, red onion and cracked pepper. Nothing unusual here, so why did it taste so good? I’ve been making guacamole since I was a teenager and I have to brag that several recipes I make are really great. This guacamole was right up there with the best!
The Seafood Chile Relleno was filled with large chunks of lobster, crab, Mexican prawns & jack cheese served with white rice, refried beans and ranchero sauce. To describe the rice as white rice does not express that it was made with tender aromatic grains mixed with a subtle mixture of corn and peppers. The refried beans were house made and creamy with a topping of melted cheese. The ranchero sauce was delicate and flavorful; a perfect finish to the dish. The entire dish was light and fresh tasting, not the rich, heavy, sauce laden seafood relleno that you might be familiar with.
Our other entree was the Chipotle Dusted Sea Bass. Complete perfection! The fish was pan seared topped with sautéed Verdolagas on a poblano cream sauce served with a side of the same rice side as the other dish. No complaints here! I also love trying new ingredients and had not heard of Verdolagas before. It is also known as purslane, considered a weed in the United States but eaten as a vegetable. I loved it!
They had a beautiful tequila display on one of the walls with a vast selection of interesting bottles to view. I would love to try everything on their menu as it all looked interesting to me. Well I’ll have to save that for another day. I would be willing to ride the train down to San Clemente for another visit to South of Nick’s any time! (BTW, they have two Nick’s restaurants in San Clemente, one in Laguna, one in Long Beach and one in Manhattan Beach – more for me to explore:-)
2 opinions on “5 Stars for “South of Nick’s” in San Clemente!”
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The South of Nick’s looks amazing both from the outside and the inside. Do they also serve lamb chops there? kindly tell me about that as I would love to visit them.
Hi Norah, Thank you for your comments. No I do not believe they serve lamb as it is not common for their style of fare. However, they have many other great items to select that I am sure you will love! I’d love to hear about your experience after you go there.