VanFoodies.com

Ever saw a commercial of which you found the product very appealing but you couldn’t buy it? I felt this way when I saw the juicy, succulent shrimps and lobsters in the Red Lobster commercial on Food Network. Bad news – there’s no Red Lobster in Vancouver! Well, I must be blessed with all the luck. While enroute from Oregon back to Vancouver, we drove by a number of Red Lobster signs along I5. Exit 109, please.

Food

What do you see in a Red Lobster commercial? Correct, shrimps and lobsters. And that’s exactly what we ordered. While I was tempted to order the Ultimate Feast with lobster tail, snow crab legs and shrimps, the price tag wasn’t so appealing and I was afraid that it was way too much food for lunch. So I “Create Your Own Lunch” for $9.75, chose garlic shrimp scampi and deep fried bay scallops, and added a Maine Lobster Tail for $14.50.  Mr., on the other hand, had the appetite for something bigger and opted for the Endless Shrimp. In the end, he ordered a total of 4 types of shrimps: Hand-Breaded Shrimp, Cajun, Coconut and Teriyaki Grilled. Both meals were of decent value as each of them came with a salad as a side and some fresh Cheese Scones. Overall the food quality was pretty good. Each shrimp flavour was unique and it definitely makes something ordinary interesting. Of all flavours, I especially liked the coconut one because I enjoyed the pina colada-like dipping sauce that came with it. I found the garlic shrimp scampi a bit bland. While the flavour was there, I was slightly disappointed by the size of the lobster tail. It looked nothing like the meaty lobster tail you see in the commercials as well as on the menu. And I wish the bay scallops could be slightly bigger (I know, that’s their normal size) to give more of a bite to it. Highly recommend not to ignore the cheese scones – they’re fresh and moist, and they’re still warm when served!

Service

I was quite impressed with the service. When the waitress brought me the wrong order, she immediately looked into it and replaced the order right away. Her recommendation of the Coconut shrimps was also good – it’s my favourite of the four – although it wasn’t sweet like a dessert as what she described. With the Endless Shrimp, you can continue to order but only to order one type at a time. The waitress actually took the initiative to ask Mr. if he wanted another refill before he finished what he had on the plate.

Ambiance

The restaurant reminds me of the Boathouse chain, noticing all the fishing-themed decorations throughout the premise. It caters to families and allows you to have lunch as late as 3pm. Very lay back.

Final Thoughts

With what we paid, I think Red Lobster is priced and positioned quite appropriately. It’s too bad that they don’t have a restaurant in Vancouver. I’d definitely pay them a few visits if they have a location nearby.

Red Lobster, Olympia
4505 Martin Way East, Olympia, Washington U.S.
360-493-0393
www.redlobster.com (Canada: www.redlobster.ca)