I'm sure some of you are wondering why I would be excited to go to a chain restaurant since I'm such a vocal advocate of shopping local and supporting our local food scene. Some chains are worth visiting once in awhile - especially when they offer something unique. There's something about the faux tropical vibe at Bahama Breeze that is just FUN - plus they have killer cocktails that are perfect for a Happy Hour or after dinner drink.
I was really hoping that the event would be worthwhile since I had invited a bunch of friends to join me. If it was a dud, I would have felt bad for people that drove from all over town. But as soon as it started, I knew my fears were in vain. They knocked our socks off ~ the hospitality was amazing!!!
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| 1st cocktail: Barbados Rum Punch Yummy punch with a twist ~ fresh nutmeg grated on top! |
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| Chips and REALLY good salsa |
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| White Bean Hummus |
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| Corn Cakes |
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| Cocktail 2 - Pain Killer Super tasty combo of rum, creme of coconut, pineapple and OJ Also topped with fresh nutmeg |
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| The much loved Coconut Shrimp I think we ate our body weight in these! |
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| Truffled Yuca Tots 1st time trying them - sort of like potatoes - yum! |
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| Mojo Marinated Pulled Pork Best part - it was served on top of grilled plantains - taste sensation! |
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| Cocktail #3 - the Goombay Smash Captain Morgans, Meyer's Original Rum, OJ and pineapple juice |
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| Conch Fritters - another first for me! |
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| Chicken Empanadas These were a huge hit at the table. Loved that they charred the corn in the salsa. |
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| Cheesy Sliders Not really tropical, right? But they were good! Perfect for any picky eaters in your group. |
We were having such a blast! The food and drinks kept coming and we were tempted to start dancing to the steel drum beats.
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| Mark got the Almond Joy The coconut cream was so good we didn't need the choc cake |
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| My choice was even better! Fresh fruit with lemon cream |
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| Tony and Tim Everyone found room for these sweet treats |
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| Happy Bloggers! Julie from Wearing Mascara, me, @ClevelandChick from Happiness is a Hot Pierogi and Sarah from Cooker Girl Sara from Sara Finding the Time and Amie from My Retro Kitchen left before we could snag a pic of them too |
There were tropical birds....and love birds!
And they even sent us home with their homemade Key Lime Pie with a cute drawing on the box.
I have to say, Bahama Breeze really impressed me with the quality and taste of the food and their incredible service. I will definitely be getting food next time I go there instead of just drinks for sure. They made that easy for us by giving everyone a $10 gift card (and a super cute palm tree bottle opener key chain.) Kate was the winner of a $25 gift certificate for Tweeting even though she didn't Tweet. We think they did a random drawing instead?
There are 5 more Legendary Island Cocktails on the menu that I can't wait to try.
And until August 15th, they are offering a special deal: $10 for a burger and Aruba Red Beer. Click here for details and to print out your coupon. And Happy Hour is from 4-6pm.
A big THANK YOU to Bahama Breeze for treating us to a ridiculously fun Happy Hour! We left stuffed and looking forward to our next visits.
If you are looking for a fun place to grab some drinks after work or a tropical dinner, check them out. I also think it's a great place to escape the blustery days so keep it in mind when you need a quick winter escape. Now if they only could bottle and serve up the sunshine...
**Disclosure: Besides all the great food and drinks Bahama Breeze provided for this event, I also received a gift card. This in no way influenced my post. As always, my thoughts are my own. **