One of the most exciting aspects about heading to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach was the thought of sampling some of the finest seafood given it’s location along the Gulf of Mexico. I will say that this stretch of coastlines spoils visitors for choice in terms of variety and the number of seafood restaurants available. However, our experience at Cobalt Restaurant in Orange Beach really makes me believe you would have to go a long way to find something better or more inviting than the experience we encountered here.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Cobalt is truly a timeless treasure.
Before heading to Cobalt, I checked out their website to take a look at the menu and I was immediately struck by the above quote but of course didn’t think much about it until after our experience. We spent over 2 hours at this restaurant and the time just flew by confirming that this truly is a ‘timeless treasure.’
Cobalt Restaurant Location
Located under the Perdido Bay Bridge in Orange Beach, Alabama, the first thing you notice as you approach Cobalt Restaurant is the location and the gorgeous views you likely can appreciate during your visit. Of course, our visit to Cobalt was in the evening so we were not able to see very much but by all accounts the views overlooking the bay are stunning.
Every table inside Cobalt provides views across the bay, so I would highly recommend checking this spot out during the day to really make the most of the scenery.
Restaurant Experience
We had a reservation for 6:30PM on a Saturday evening and we were immediately taken to our seats by the large windows overlooking the bay. The overall ambience and atmosphere in the restaurant was really relaxing and romantic, providing a perfect setting to enjoy our luxury seafood experience.
Our waiter arrived shortly after we were seated and we immediately knew that the service was going to be great. He took our drink orders and proceeded to provide a few recommendations and seasonal dishes that were on offer at Cobalt.
Before detailing our full dining experience in terms of each course we sampled, I will say that Heather and I are usually ‘one course’ type diners so to experience a location where we were able to experience a full 5-course meal was way above and beyond our expectations but this is exactly what we encountered at Cobalt. Technically our dining experience probably wasn’t an official 5 course meal but given that we encountered 5 unique dishes throughout the night, this is the best way to breakdown our dining here.
Perusing the menu for the first time may seem a little daunting simply because there is so much to choose from and so many of the items look appealing. Given that our experience of all our options was amazing, I would recommend trying all these but based on everything we have heard regarding Cobalt, they are well recognized and renowed for many of their menu options.
Meal 1 – The Appetizer
After ordering our drinks, we immediately decided to order the Cobalt Crab and Shrimp Dip which was a really appealing appetizer to both of us. We both generally like dips and given our fondness for seafood, it was natural we wanted to sample this. The dip is a mixture of blue crab and bay shrimp caught directly from the nearby Gulf, combined with roasted red peppers, parmesan and Swiss cheese. Served with warm French bread, the appearance is just as delightful as it sounds on the menu.
However, the real winner is when you begin to taste this dip. I may not be qualified as a huge food critic or even a ‘foodie’ in today’s modern age, but I will say that this provides a perfect blend to start your seafood experience at Cobalt.
My one word of caution here is to be careful how much you eat because the serving portion is probably too much for two people, especially if you want to enjoy the rest of your experience here.
Meal 2 – The Oysters
Just like many other restaurants in this part of USA, Cobalt is famous for their high quality, award winning oysters so it was natural that we had to try them for ourselves. However, this was unlike any other sampling as this was the first time that Heather or I had tried oysters. Yes, that’s right, neither of us had sampled this delicacy prior to visiting Cobalt so we were both a little nervous and excited at the same time.
Our waiter suggested that we sample a variety of the Cobalt Oysters available. We followed his lead and opted for a half dozen raw, traditional oysters and another half dozen of the baked variety which came with three different ingredients – Garlic Parmesan, Crab and Shrimp Au Gratin and Rockefeller.
Have you sampled oysters before? Regardless of your answer, I will say the first thing that you notice is the texture and honestly this may be something that puts me off eating them again in the future. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with my overall experience with oysters but I put that down to being a picky eater. The raw oysters in my opinion were better than the baked, though Heather felt the opposite as she preferred the mixture with other ingredients, rather than just having to deal with the slimy texture.
Meal 3 – The Salad
By now I was already feeling pretty full after the oysters and crab dip. However, the food kept coming and our entrées were both accompanied with salads. I opted for the simple Caesar Salad while Heather went for the Cobalt Market Salad.
I only had a few bites out of my salad because I wanted to enjoy my entree but Heather really enjoyed her market salad which included three purple, sweet potato fritters that looked like meatballs.
Meal 4 – The Entrées
So much choice, so many options…where do you even begin to choose an entrée at Cobalt Restaurant? Well, you may think that we naturally both went for seafood options but instead I went against the norm and ordered the Peppercorn Encrusted Filet. Heather ensured that we were able to sample a seafood entrée by opting for the Panéed Gulf Grouper.
Let’s start with my steak. One word – AMAZING! I am not a huge steak lover which is unlike most folks that live in Arkansas. But after sampling this steak, I could definitely see myself becoming an aficionado of steaks just because of how good this was. I am not sure if it was the peppercorn that surrounded the steak or simply the quality of cut provided, but either way this was one steak I can highly recommend anyone trying. Complimented with mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and Cobalt steak butter this was a really tasty dish.
The grouper that Heather went for is highly touted as one of the best options on Cobalt’s menu. I am not a fan of rice so when I heard this was accompanied with a risotto, I was glad this was Heather’s choice and not mine. However, I tried some of the grouper and I can certainly see how this is is an award winning dish. Perfectly cooked and seasoned adequately to provide a lasting taste alongside the risotto and topped with a sweet pepper remoulade.
Meal 5 – The Desserts
Have you ever had that feeling where you are completely stuffed after eating an amazing meal but the sound and sight of dessert just keeps you going a little bit longer? Well, when you see the selection of desserts at Cobalt Restaurant, you will understand exactly what I am talking about. Plus it never helps when you waiter convinces you to try them given that they are absolutely amazing – we just had to find this out for ourselves.
The Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée was calling my name and Heather went for the waiter’s recommendation – Banana Pudding. Delectable, delicious, demolished – that’s pretty much the three words that sums up the appearance, taste and end result of our desserts at Cobalt.
Summary
What an amazing experience we had at Cobalt Restaurant. All of our meals were awesome, the service from our waiter was top-notch and the atmosphere was perfect for our evening meal. If you plan on visiting Gulf Shores or Orange Beach in the near future and you need a recommendation for a high quality seafood experience, you would be well-advised to check out Cobalt by Perdido Bay Bridge.
Disclaimer – We would like to thank Cobalt Restaurant and Gulf Shores and Orange Beach for hosting us on this trip. These are solely our personal opinions/experiences and we were not financially compensated for this post.
