RESTAURANTS / Max Jacobson : Don’t Make Waves About a Seaboard Dinner in Newport Harbor

When my wife suggested that we take a romantic dinner cruise in Newport Harbor, I felt a little like a drowning man. That’s because, long ago, I waited tables on a first-class passenger ship.

Most passengers adhered to a grueling schedule that started with breakfast at 7:30 and ran through to the midnight snack in the Skylight Lounge. Sharks at a feeding frenzy eat less than most of these people did.

“How about a nice picnic in a hot-air balloon?” I countered.

“Oh, come on.” she said. “It’s only for a few hours.” So was the midnight snack in the Skylight Lounge.

I needn’t have been so pessimistic. Thanks to a thoughtful staff, an excellent dinner and a calm sea, I actually found myself having a good time. I didn’t even have to bus my own table.

When you approach the gangplank of the Hornblower yacht for boarding, you’ll be struck by the varied attire of the guests: Some come in suits and evening wear, others sport Lacoste shirts and billowy blouses. On this vessel, anything goes.

The captain gives you a friendly greeting as you scramble aboard. The hostess gives you a smile as you are led to your table. This might be on the lower deck, in a dining area situated between a dance floor and a full-service bar. Or your table might be on the quiet upper deck, which features a prominent view of the harbor and barely audible music piped in from hidden speakers.

Service begins as soon as you set sail. Good San Francisco-style sourdough is brought to the table, followed by a savory appetizer. Our dinner began with brie baked into a delicate puff pastry with walnuts and apricots, but the salad course was the evening’s real surprise: oak leaf lettuce and chicory in a fine vinaigrette, with a bonus of teardrop-shaped plum tomatoes. There was much more to come.

Because the galley on the Pacific Hornblower (one of two boats in Hornblower’s local fleet) is tiny, the menu is very small. There are only three entree choices on a menu that changes every two months. I tasted the three dishes featured on the May-June menu and liked every one. Todd Mosher, a young Bay Area chef, is the executive chef and deserves most of the credit.

Mosher’s Pacific salmon with baby clams is perfectly poached and wonderfully moistened by a smooth beurre blanc . His simple but near-perfect char-grilled breast of chicken is blanketed by a cream sauce with morels. A soft, pink tenderloin of beef is served in a pastry crust, with a spiked Bearnaise featuring the inspired addition of fresh rosemary.

Dinner is so good that you may be disappointed by dessert; ours turned out to be cheesecake with an undercooked crust and strawberry sauce. I can say that the coffee was hot.

After your meal, there are three options. You can enjoy the dance band, which specializes in samba, mambo and pop tunes. You can stroll the deck in the company of starry-eyed couples. Or there is always the pilot house, where you can watch the captain navigate the narrow canal from the Point to Lido Marina. The three hours pass quickly.

Hornblower’s Sunday brunch cruise lasts just two hours. A buffet with croissants, fresh fruit, artichokes remoulade , mushrooms a la Grecque , teriyaki chicken-stuffed avocado, omelets, carved sirloin and many other dishes are featured. You don’t get the romantic lights or the live music, but you do get sailboats drifting past and a bright, invigorating sun. It’s a seductive way to pass a Sunday morning.

The dinner cruise, available Friday and Saturday evenings, is $50.60 per person on Fridays and $55.50 on Saturdays. The price includes tax but not gratuities. There is a special celebration package available at an additional $50 per couple that insures a window table and includes a bottle of champagne, gift flutes and chocolate truffles. The Sunday brunch cruise is $30.15 per person, also including tax (not gratuities). The boats are also available for private charter with variable rates.

HORNBLOWER YACHT CRUISES

P.O. Box 1779, Newport Beach

Call (714) 548-8700 for individual and small group reservations, (714) 549-8866 for group cruises.

Full bar, and all major credit cards are accepted.