Flight Bistro and Social Lounge

New Chef Means New Food at Flight Bistro

If you haven't been to Flight Bistro & Social Lounge lately, you are due to give them another visit. Flight has brought in a new chef and new menu. New executive chef, Derrick Hamilton, brings a knowledge of both American and International cuisine to the restaurant. There are new dishes with a wide variety of flavors, as well incorporating market-fresh ingredients to the dishes.

The new thing I found exciting at Flight is the introduction of a Global Tapas Menu - small plates ranging from $4 to $12, allowing the diner to experience a variety of flavors. I have now sampled close to half of the choices offered and can easily say I have been very pleased with the variety of selection and the flavors of these dishes. Shall I give you a quick run down of what I've tried? I think I shall. It is sure to leave your mouth watering.

§ Flight Fried Chicken - this is served with garlic mashed potatoes and was not your usual fried chicken. The breading on the chicken with a light panko which made the dish not like the heavy fried you might be used to. Plus the BBQ sauce to accompany it was great. A comfort food with it's own unique twist.

§ Truffled Mac N Cheese - Okay you might be thinking “mac n cheese,,,,come on”… well let me tell you my dining partner thought it was the best he's ever had. I loved it, but if you worry about your arteries, you might pass on this one: very rich!
§ Frittata - made with a sweet Italian sausage & wild mushroom. The dish had a very good flavor, but I found it could have used more sauce.
§ Wild Mushroom Crostini - very different, very yummy. The dish was pared with goat cheese which went perfectly together. Lots of great mushroom flavor. A real winner.
§ Short Rib & Sweet Potato Mash - the meat on these ribs literally fell off the bone, just the way a good short rib should be. The sauce with the ribs was delicious and using sweet potato as an alternative to a regular mashed was a smart move, making this a unique dish.
§ Surf and Turf - the Chimmichurri shrimp were cooked perfectly!! Absolutely succulent. The pomegranate soy beef, I found, was a bit over cooked, however, I am more of a fan of rare, more tender meat.
§ Tuna Tartar Tacos - I am always a fan of these little creations (wonton shell, avocado, sesame piquant red wine), however of all my selections so far, this was my least favorite. It was missing something and needed more 'zip' to it. Maybe a bit more kick in the spice on the tuna. Folks who prefer no spicy would probably enjoy.

Overall, I have to say I was very pleased with all I've tried so far. Don't forget, that is only 7 of the 19 choices they have on the tapas menu! And to give the rest of the menu a fair shake, you will find many changes from the previous menu. There is a very nice variety which should satisfy all the taste buds out there. Starter plates include some standards like Tiger Shrimp Cocktail & Bruschetta, but you will also find Napoleon Portobello & Kobe Style Beef Picks - YUM! Plus many others. There is a nice selection of salads & flat breads. The flatbreads of course have toppings making them, in essence, great pizzas. There are paninis and burgers for the sandwich lovers and a few full entrees, including chicken, seafood and steak choices.

Now, to figure out the best time to visit Flight, because you know you will. They offer daily “Frugal Hours” where all the items on the Tapas Menu are half price from 5-8 pm. And yes, that is daily! With the daily food discounts you can also take advantage of 3-2-1 drink specials from 5-10pm nightly: $3 off well drinks, $2 off glasses of wine and $1 off beers. On Tuesdays you can enjoy half price bottles of wine and 25% off their cheese & meat plates. Thursdays is half off specialty cocktails. All these discounts can be found at www.flightoc.com/befurgal.html .

Being that this has been all about their new food, don't forget all the rest Flight has to offer including nights with live jazz, dancing & live DJ's. They have beautiful space (private or not) for corporate events or parties and of course they offer catering. Flight Bistro has such a different feel to it than so many other HB like establishments, it is beautifully decorated and suited for both a special occasion dinner out or just a casual happy hour. If you've never been there, you don't know what you've been missing. If you've been there, but it's been a while, get back there and check out the new menu!

Flight is located at 8082 Adams Ave, just east of Beach, and can be reached at 714-374-8300. Of course you can check them out and make reservations on their site: www.FlightOC.com .

To get the scoop on other restaurants in Huntington Beach, make sure to check out www.TheLocalHB.com - your website for everything Huntington Beach!