It seems like only yesterday when we were visiting the Holiday Gingerbread Display at the Island Hotel.

Now the nights are warm, the winds gently blow at the Island, and Tacos & Tequila beckon us to go.

The Island Hotel was formerly called the Four Season. The new name it took several years ago certainly resonates with those who love images of sitting under a shade umbrella sipping fine tequila at some exotic beach. I'd be lying if I told you that's what you'll see when you head over to Fashion Island for a power happy hour at Island Hotel.

It's a nice place with a drive up valet where the fountain flows. Set amongst tall buildings that are offices, this unlikely partner (a four diamond hotel) seems oddly positioned atop the hill. But it's not alone. From The Island you can see another hotel, the Marriott.

So when I heard about the taco and tequila specials, I had to check them out. A happy hour at The Island isn't cheap. But it's a lot more affordable than you'd normally pay to sample award-winning cuisine from acclaimed Chef Bill Bracken. Listen to the taco options: Traditional Fish Taco with Shredded Cabbage and Sour Cream Sauce is fine, but why pass up some of the chef's best? Smoked Duck Taco with Bbq Tomato Salsa and Queso Fresco or a Maine Lobster Taco with Pickled Cabbage and Shiso are tasty and unique. Chopped Beef Tenderloin Taco with Little Tomatoes and Cheddar Cheese Sauce or Ahi Tuna Taco in a Taro Shell with Wasabi Tobiko Aioli round off the menu. Our recommendation: Take four people and each order a different item. Or go back a few times on Thursday afternoons to get these $4 samples, priced right, as long as you order a cocktail with Tequila.

Here's where you'll spend the money: The Partida – Partida Tequila, Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice, Partida Agave Nectar $12. The cocktail, tacos, tips and valet will add up to around $20 -30. Other cocktails include:

La Isla Bonita – Patron Silver, Chambord, Triple Sec, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Pineapple Juice $9
Catalina – Reposado 1800, Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Sweet n Sour, Fresh Orange Juice $7
Balboa – Don Julio Blanco, Midori, Triple Sec, Sweet n Sour $11
Flight of Patron – Patron Silver, Patron Añejo, Patron Reposado $16
Herradura Silver $13
Tres Generaciones Añejo $10

Palm Terrace features a new outdoor patio dining area and a menu showcasing acclaimed Executive Chef Bill Bracken signature American-style cuisine. In addition to a full menu, small plates and small bites,  allow guests to customize their own tasting menus. Having been lured away from the  The Peninsula Beverly Hills, as the executive chef for more than 10 years, The Belvedere restaurant in upscale BH garnered numerous top awards.  AAA's Five Diamond award for eight consecutive years and selected as the top-ranked hotel restaurant by the Los Angeles Zagat Restaurant Survey for four consecutive years, Chef Bracken is an attraction, and compelling reason to gravitate to toward the Island.

Chef Bracken was a member of the culinary team at the hotel from 1987 to 1994 when he held the position of executive sous chef. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

Tacos & Tequila Thursdays in the Palm Terrace Lounge
Host:
Palm Terrace Lounge, Island Hotel
Location:
(Newport Beach) Google Map
Palm Terrace Restaurant, Island Hotel
690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Contact:
The Island Hotel Phone:
9