So anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge (and I do mean HUGE) lover of food and going out to eat. I especially love to fine dine. This past Sunday, my colleague and I decided to check out some of the many options we have here in the city of El Paso and this is what we discovered.
We chose a nice, cozy little spot in the Sunland Park area called Pelican’s Seafood and Steakhouse. Upon entering, we were greeted by a friendly staff and shown to our booth, where we awaited our service. There was pleasant low-lighting that lent to a very laid-back, almost romantic ambience. Perfect for an evening dinner without all the fluff and frill. The wait was not a long one and our order was taken by a very cheerful and enthusiastic waitress. Her demeanor almost immediately put a smile on my face, as I love being served by a polite and knowledgeable waitstaff. After telling us the meal of the day, she took our drink orders and then left us to ponder over the menu a bit longer.
We eventually settled on Oysters Rockefeller and Sizzling Mussels in White Wine Sauce as our appetizers as well as a Conundrum Red by Caymus (California) and a Drumheller Merlot, Columbia Valley (Washington) as our wine choices.
The Oysters Rockefeller was very good! It paired wonderfully with lemon and I loved the spinach and cheese. The Sizzling Mussels had nice flavor but the mussels themselves were a bit overcooked. A little more on the chewy, grainy side.
I definitely enjoyed the bread and butter, as well as the garlic pieces submerged in olive oil. I stay away from bread most of the time, so this was a nice change-up.
Initially, I only took a few sample sips of both my wine and that of my colleague. The Conundrum Red was flavorful albiet a little on the sweet side for me. Generally speaking, I am not a huge fan of fruity mixed with chocolate. On the other hand, the Drumheller was right up my palate’s alley. It was not as sweet and I really liked the taste. If you are on a budget and looking for a decent Merlot, I would definitely recommend it!
The timing of service was spot on. Never once were we left waiting or wondering about our order and management checked to see if we were taken care of often. For our entrees, we ordered the Choice Rib-Eye with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and Caesar salad, and the Charred Rib-Eye with sauteed mushrooms, green onions, and clam chowder. Let me tell you! Both meals were divine!
Both were made to perfection and extremely delicious! The meat was very tender and had the right kind of “bite” to it. Eaten with the sides (and dipped inside of the mushroom sauce) it seemed to melt in my mouth! They paired well with our choices of wine and left us feeling gluttonous at the very last bite! Several thumbs up from this journalist!
I would definitely recommend Pelican’s to anyone looking to have a relaxed, decently priced night out and I myself will be heading back for another go round! Cheers!
Location: Turtle Cove Shopping Center, 130 Shadow Mountain Dr, El Paso, TX. 79912
Prices: $$$
Details: Dine-in, Curbside Pickup, Delivery, Takeout, Full bar
Reservations required
Recommended Dishes: Charred Ribeye and Choice Ribeye Steak, Oyster Rockefeller
