Celebration Dinner at McCormick & Schmick’s

Written by on in Breakfast, Dinner

On Saturday night, Bobby and I took a break from our heavy workloads to celebrate his new job. We decided to go to a fantastic seafood restaurant called McCormick & Schmick’s.

This place boasts an ever-changing menu since it brings in fresh fish daily. It also has a few staple seafood items, as well as the usual soup, salad, sandwich and dessert options. To start, we were given a huge chunk of soft and fluffy sourdough bread with whipped butter.

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We eagerly tore into it because we were v. hangry 🙂 We decided to order everything we wanted and share as much as possible. Bobby started out by ordering a bowl of the Maryland Clam Chowder. It was so good! Full of veggies with a tomato base, and topped with fresh crab meat. It even had a little spice to it! I had a few spoonfuls and dunked a piece of bread in, too.

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I started out with the Bacon & Blue salad, which is by far my favorite salad on the menu. It comes with what you’d expect, bacon and blue cheese, but there are also green olives, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, fresh parmesan and a really good vinaigrette dressing. I’ll have to remember to ask what’s in the dressing next time.

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Then it was time for the main courses. We were both super impressed and split each plate so that we could both enjoy them! Bobby ordered the sea scallops, which basically melted in my mouth. They were served on a bed of the most amazing risotto I have ever tasted (by far) and spinach. Isn’t the presentation gorgeous?

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As for me, I chose the Cashew Crusted Tilapia in Jamaican Rum Butter Sauce. Quite the mouthful, but I assure you that it was worth it! I love nut-crusted anything and have determined that cashews may just make the best crust yet. The tilapia, a pretty bland fish, was intensely flavorful and I loved every bite! It was topped with the rum butter sauce and a fruity salsa. dscn1574

On the side was some wild rice, steamed carrots and asparagus. Another beautiful presentation. I love eating something delicious when it’s beautifully plated. It’s twice as nice!

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By the time our plates were cleared, we did not have an inch to spare in our stomachs for dessert. I know, call us crazy, but we both literally hobbled out of there so I think it was for the best! I couldn’t have asked for a better dinner on a Saturday night, and I think Bobby enjoyed his little celebration. We came home and watched Lost while eating some Nerds. I guess that counts as our dessert 😉 Candy always makes a pleasant end to an evening.

I certainly did not want yesterday to end. I spent all day today working on projects for school and am somewhat dreading the start of a new week. Oh Sunday, why must you be so bittersweet? I hope that you all had fantastic weekends! I’ve been catching up on your blogs and it looks like many of you had a lot of fun. What’s one thing you’re looking forward to this week?

Answer: Bobby and I are signed up to take a couples dance class with my former roommate and her boyfriend. We (as in me and my friend) are so excited! Let’s hope the boys are secretly just as pumped 😉 I’ve never truly learned ballroom/waltz/etc. dancing, so it should be fun.

66 Comments

  1. Tomato-based clam chowder is my favourite! I always thought that was the “normal” way of making it when I was a kid. Boy was I surprised when I ordered clam chowder in a restaurant and it was creamy! Love the scallops & risotto as well. Yum!

  2. Everything looks so good! I love scallops. That dance class sounds fun! What a great, positive question for a Sunday night! I’m most looking forward to Friday night – I have a fun new recipe I’m trying out, and the husband and I make a different cocktail every week and catch up on TV shows we don’t have time to watch during the week.

  4. Aw what a fun celebratory night out! Love me some seafood 🙂

    Good luck with your upcoming week, I’m looking forward to actually getting a permanent schedule for my semester in place, hopefully starting tomorrow!

    Ooo couples dancing, so funn! Tell us all about it Jenn!

  7. Hey Jenn,
    Your seafood dinner looked so good! I love any kind of nut crusted fish as well. Plus, cashews make anything betta.

    I’m glad you got a lot done this weekend…you even got in some Lost. 🙂

    I hope you have a good week – can’t wait to hear about the dance class. I’m trying to think about something I’m looking forward to this week…I’m going to try out some new yoga classes at my gym. That’s always exciting. Oh, I want to try and see the movie, Milk, and I can’t wait for Lost on Wednesday night. I guess I do have some fun things planned. Have a good night!

  8. What state are you in? McCormick’s started here in Oregon eons ago, and I can’t believe they are all over the country now. Chris and I are going to McCormick’s & Schmick’s Grill or McCormick’s tomorrow night for dinner. We signed up for their club and I still need to use the welcome gift certificate and my birthday dinner certificate. My b-day was in October…

  9. We have McCormick’s here too! I’ve only had their salmon and oooh man! Plus they have a great happy hour menu and prices 😀 A ton of my friends took a thursday night ballroom dance class Senior year, haha..had a glass of wine before and biked over in their formal outfits, they loooved it!

  10. McCormich and Schmick’s can always be counted on for fresh and healthful eats! I remember going there for my dad’s birthday, where they made him a personalized menu that read “Happy Birthday, Stephen!” Ever since, that restaurant has earned super cool standing in my opinion:)
    Have fun in your dance lessons!

  11. Look at the huge chunks of crab meat! It looks SO good. I don’t know what I’d do w/o Supertarget! But you guys have a dunkin donuts and we do not:P Almost a toss up? haha

  12. everything looks so good…but the Jamacian Rum Butter Sauce really stands out!

    I am really looking forward to going to Penn State on Tuesday & Wednesday with my boyfriend for his interview!

  15. Oh man, I am a TOTAL sucker for seafood. I bet I would have gotten those scallops if I were there too. Nothing is better than melt-in-your-mouth scallops. heheh and WISE decision passing on dessert. I remember being there two years ago and not remember dessert at all after eating it. (bottom line – not worth the money or the calories)

    Congratulations Bobby on his job! What are your plans for next year?
    And this week, I’m looking forward to seeing my brother in Evanston tomorrow night to celebrate Chinese New Year!!! 🙂
    P.s. Glad you like dimsum!!! That’s always so nice to hear. hehe

  16. Our McCormicks does NOT look like that, nor do I imagine it tastes as good as yours. We did sit next to a Portland Trailblazer (Joel Pryzbilla) last time we went, though. Personally, I’d rather have sat next to your delish looking salad!

    I’m so jealous you’ve watched LOST now…I guess that is what I’m looking forward to doing this week (hopefully)!

    Taking dance classes? Reading Twilight? Are you sure you aren’t just making up this Bobby person???

    Have a good day at school!

  17. Your dinner looks amazing!! Yum yum! 🙂

    Dance lessons sound FUN, my husband would never do that! LOL! I am looking forward to taking down my Christmas decor… ok not looking forward to the chore but happy to get it all down! 🙂

  19. Dance class sounds fun! My bf would never in a million years do something like that, you’re lucky!

    All the eats look so good! Esp the scallops! I’m going to have to try the nut crusted tilapia too I don’t think I’ve ever tried anything like that!

  20. Yayyy! Glad you guys made it to dinner this weekend. That is a great restaurant! Red crab soup is my favorite. I love when they load it with hot suace. Yayy for Lost too. I am excited for this weeks episode. We are also launching the new Body Step this week (tonight at one gym, Saturday at the other), so I am excited for that.

  22. PERFECT celebration meal!! My parents love that restaurant, by the way 😀

    Enjoy the dance class, girl!! You guys will move beautifully together.

    Hooray for LOST!!

  24. What a great congratulatory dinner! sounds like you had a great time!

    and i’m excited to hear how the dance class goes! my brother did a salsa and mixed dancing class when he was a sophomore with a lady-friend of his and loved every minute of it! i hope your boys are open minded about it!

  26. I’m looking forward to Gossip Girl this week and my next assessment. Then the weekend haha!

    Have fun at dance lessons! Sounds like so much fun =)

  27. Those scallops look to die for. Yum.
    Thats so cool about the dance class!
    It’s Monday morning and I’m excited because it’s snowing. I think snow is about the only redeeming factor of winter. It’s so pretty and even though it’s cold here, we never seem to get much of it! So this is quite a treat.

  28. A couple’s dance class sounds like so much fun. Although, I can guarantee the boys aren’t as excited as you are, haha.

    I’m looking forward to seeing a play this week. I’ve already seen it, but it was so good I wanted to see it again.

  29. dinner looks so good! I’ve never been to McCormick & Schmick’s but my parents have and they loved it. I’m going to have to try it sometime for sure!

    This week=recruitment craziness.

    That dance class sounds like so much fun—my dad and I took a few ballroom dance classes before my Bat Mitzvah and we had so much fun!

  30. the dance classes sound incredible! i think the boys will secretly like i 😀 i used to do ballroom for a while, back in the day, and it made me feel so glamorous haha
    what an amazing dinner celebration! you’re right, food is so much more enjoyable when it’s delicious and beautifully plated
    congrats again to bobby on his new job! i’m SO GLAD you’re making him read twilight. as soon as the pilot gets back, i intend on begging him to read it during his vacation so he can understand my obsession
    have a wonderful day!

  32. what are GREAT dinner! the crab meat on top of the soup looks awesome. and the scallops…my all-time favorite seafood!McCormick & Schmicks near me has some great happy hour deals on food.

  35. Oh my Gosh, dancing classes?! ADORABLE. Let us know how good you guys are =]

    I LOVE LOST and look forward to THAT this week for sure. I also look forward to Wednesday, when I have my amazing Organizing: People, Power and Change seminar! YESSS (hahah I’m such a dork)

    Hope your Monday goes well!

  36. What amazing looking food! WOW!

    That’s great that you’re trying ballroom dancing! I’ve been trying to get my hubby to do something like that but he refuses. Humpf! Have fun with it!! 🙂

  37. Looks like a wonderful way to celebrate! It all looks amazing.

    Honestly, I’m looking forward to finally starting school this week, it’ll be nice to get the anticipation over with!

  38. Sourdough…yummmmmmm! I would have tore into that sucker hangry or not! Everything looks so beautiful! Glad to hear you guys had a fabulous celebration!

    Hahah – Nerds and Lost! What a fab combo 🙂

    Girl, before long we will have converted everyone to WCMN Clifs 😀

    This week: I’m excited to NOT go to Bio!! Enjoy dancing – we had to do that as part of our training and it was so much fun. The tango and I got along wonderfully 😉

  39. I’m so jealous that you’re taking dance lessons! I’m trying to convince my fiance that it would be a great idea to take some lessons before the wedding so we can do something more then sway back and forth during our first dance. I think he’s actually warming up to the idea though so we’ll see. I hope you have fun!!

  40. OMG, I’m drooling over those scallops… yum. One of my classmates is a sous chef at McCormick and Schmick’s so I’ve been wanting to eat there lately.

    Dance lessons!! How fun!

    This week I’m looking forward to making creme brulee in class today 🙂 And our superbowl party on Sunday. Even though I could care less about the game.

  42. That all looks soooo good! Congrats again to Bobby on his new job.

    What am I looking forward to most about this week? Friday.

  43. oooh i’m still stuck on that sourdough. best bread ever. and awww a couples dance class … that sounds so fun!

    this week, i’m excited for my half day on thursday — i finish with class at 1pm, yay!

  44. awww i love mccormicks. makes me think of my fam!!!

    hurrah for dancing…..and for NERDS!!!!!!! one of my all time most fav. candies!!!

    have a happy week Jenn!!!!!!!

  45. You are soo lucky you have access to fresh and yummy seafood. Unfortunately, living in Minnesota, ecspecially the northern part leaves little fresh seafood. =( But when I do make it to the coasts, I totally pig out =)

  47. love all the food, first thought you were coming over to our house (the McCormicks:)) and dance classes how fun! I am looking foward to our Super Bowl Party On sunday!

  48. I love sourdough bread, I need to get my hands on some soon.
    I’m not looking forward to anything in paricular, but the weekend can’t come soon enough. I know it’s only Monday but I can tell it’s going to be a long week.

  49. sounds like an amazing dinner! Good luck with the start of your week. I am most looking forward to…FRIDAY!!!

  50. What a fabulous celebration dinner! Congrats once more to Bobby! Good luck this week! Hang in there!!

  51. THAT IS SO FUN that ya’ll are gonna take dance classes together! I’ve always wanted to do that! I hope we get a video! That’s so romantic and sweet. 🙂 It’s great to have an excuse to get out and do something.
    We have that restaurant in Portland too and I went there for homecoming when I was 14. LOL! It’s so fancy! Congrats to mah diesel!

  52. Every time you go to this restaurant my mouth waters over your photos! I bet that risotto was amazing.
    You should definitely come visit London! It’s a fun city and I think you’d enjoy the food, too 😀
    P.S. Your crusted fish looks much more sophsticated than mine was!

  53. Just wanted to drop a note to let you know how much I enjoy your blog! You’ve given me a lot of new ideas for meals and have really inspired me to incorporate some oatmeal into my diet! I’ll let you know how it goes!

  55. Bender – Congrats to Bobby from Zesty! The dinner looks amazing… sounds like you had a great time. Sorry for the comment delay….

  56. This looks SO fun! Congratulations Bobby!! And dance classes? That will be fabulous.

    And I second the fact that FRIDAY is what I am looking forward to. Only four more days 😉

  57. I love McCormick’s & Schmick’s! I ate there for my first anniversary dinner–in addition to serving us the usual great fish, they printed personalized menus and gave us a complimentary flourless chocolate cake for dessert. We were happy customers. 🙂

    That cashew crusted tilapia looks amazing…I really need to get back there soon!

  60. HEY BENDA!!!! looks like such a yummy dinner. dance classes should be fun, especially when its not someone random and its somebody you really care about and can have fun with!! oh cant wait to hear alll about it!

    I posted about the V-Day Blog Exchange today if you’re interested, hope you sign up because we’d love to have you participate!! xoxoox

  63. i love McCormicks!!! so yummy there! my sister dated a guy over the summer and he took us there for dinner once. ah yes, i was the third wheel.. hahaha

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