A Bubbly Experience...
Written: Jan 03 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great food, fantastic ambience
Cons: A little unhealthy
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| Andrew_Lim's Full Review: Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant and Market |
During December last year, my enterprising father decided to make a special trip down to the United States of America for a one-of-a-kind holiday, probably never to be experienced again. In the beginning, I was wondering why my parents decided to travel so far for a vacation. Having been in Australia for nearly 5 months and just dying for a taste of Singapore food, I had only a week to stuff myself [Read: eat till I drop] back to tip-top condition before taking a daunting 20-hour flight to New York. Seriously, despite how lucky I felt, I wasn’t keen to go. But I refrained from any questions as usual and simply tagged along.
Surprisingly, I realized that there was even more stuffing to be done during our 3 week trip. Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, our final destination in the US, definitely left me with an unforgettable memory of great food served by people of various cultures and races. As the name suggests, Fisherman’s Wharf is a hub for fishermen…uh…or a place to eat seafood! It is here where epic proportions of clam chowder and Dungeoness crab are served to thousands of tourists a day. Despite the appalling conditions there, customers eat courageously without fear of falling sick.
Right in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf is Pier 39, a place where much of the activity resides. A famous attraction, this place seems almost like an island by itself, a haven where the sea lions revel in the sunshine at the bay, from which the world famous Alcatraz can also be seen. Loving the sights and sounds, and the smell of the sea, I began dreaming about wooden houses on stilts…in the middle of the ocean…
Amongst the fine dining areas there, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Market and Restaurant is one of the most popular. Despite being located on the second level in a somewhat secluded corner of Pier 39, this restaurant is still seated to full capacity almost every night. The receptionist at the entrance advised us to wait for half an hour before we were seated, but she left us standing outside for almost an hour. Nevertheless, we were prepared for the wait, but we weren’t quite ready for the unique experience this cheery restaurant had in store for us.
The Bubba Gump restaurant had an interesting theme, or so we realized, as soon as we were seated. Not very far from the glass panels, our seats offered us a magnificent view of Alcatraz, seated perfectly in the rippling sea, it’s lights twinkling in a very haunting but equally enchanting manner. Based on the popular, award-winning show, Forrest Gump, this eating-place was littered with memorabilia to create an all-new experience for any first-timer.
Physically, the eating area somewhat resembles a fishing trawler. Eye-catching items were placed on the wall and on the ceiling in an almost haphazard manner but never getting in the way of all the action. Bubba Gump souvenirs were situated strategically for promotional reasons, but there were other interesting items such as empty spice bottles on shelves by the wall, old number plates and even a framed up football suit. (probably a replica of one used in the movie)
Fishing nets hanging loosely from the ceiling and even a couple of plush teddy bears further remind diners of Forrest’s soft side, and a fishing trawler he affectionately named “Jenny”. Some of the show’s most famous quotes can be seen in the menu, the wooden eating tables, others even in the restrooms, where the doors to the ordinary and handicapped cubicles are humorously labeled “Private” and “Sergeant” respectively. Rock music from the 70s and 80s and just a hint of some oldies contributed to the dining experience as well, but was way too loud for my taste. If they thought blaring music would make me eat faster, they were wrong! =)
Seemingly messy décor definitely belies the order that has been achieved in Bubba Gump, however. The service is smooth, with little or no breaks in communication, thanks to the walkie-talkies carried by those at work. Successful communication works in tandem with touch-screen computers, leaving little room for errors. Another unique system of “flagging” down an attendant exists in the form of two plates attached to a stand at every table. A blue plate says “Run Forrest, Run!” which conveys the message “Everything is fine, don’t bug me.” The other red plate, more important than the first, is used to get a worker’s attention. It screams “Stop Forrest, Stop!” This must be the most efficient system I have seen so far. It does take time for someone to notice you, but it’s more effective than raising a hand for help.
Before taking your order, you will be presented a small quiz on the movie itself, comprised of about 5 questions. Some of the answers can be harnessed from the quotes in the menu, but others require a well-informed response. Sadly, we got 2 out of the 5 questions wrong. :( I suspected they would give us a bonus for getting all of them right, but now I’ll never know. Despite having a theme that only adults will enjoy and appreciate, Bubba Gump is a kid-friendly restaurant. Activity sheets as well as crayons are provided upon request, taken from steel buckets reminiscent of those from “Jenny”.
Bubba Gump restaurant has an impressively expansive menu that should please most seafood lovers. Though they seem to have devoted much of it to shrimp dishes, there is a little bit for chicken and steak fans. We chose to go with the flow and ordered only seafood dishes. Due to the smooth and effective service system as mentioned above, food is always served piping hot. In my opinion, the homemade chips were really the best part of any dish. Crispy outside, but fluffy and soft on the inside, it would be a sacrilege not to eat them first! :)
For newcomers, I would recommend the “After the Storm Bucket ‘o Trash”. It is served in a steel bucket with a fictitious newspaper article beneath, a huge amount of chips as well as calamari, fish, crayfish tails and shrimp. The chips at the bottom do get soggy quite easily though, so it’s a good idea to spread everything out on a separate plate. Another dish might be the “Mahi Mahi” which is essentially a chunk of fish served with fried onions, mashed potatoes and a healthy (uh…I take that back) serving of rich cream…guaranteed to fill you up without fail. Desert led us to try the mud pie, which was really a slab of layered vanilla and chocolate ice cream with Mars bar bits, blissfully soaking in chocolate syrup. The large serving was more than enough for four of us.
As you may have noticed, the food at Bubba Gump is not particularly healthy. In fact, it is more for indulgent food fanatics. I suggest that you avoid this restaurant if you are on a diet, otherwise, be prepared for a trip to the gym the next day, provided you can even get on your feet! At any rate, I would recommend this outlet to visitors of Fisherman’s Wharf since it is a ready source of good cheer, courtesy and great food. Do not dismiss the roadside vendors however. While not very pleasing to the eye, these skilled people can crack the shell of a crab faster than you can say “presto”! Take a bite out of that freshly boiled crab and you’ll be impressed with its flavour, yet marvel at its simplicity.
By: Andrew Lim
Revised 3-1-01
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Andrew_Lim
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Member: Andrew Lim
Location: Singapore
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 81 members
About Me:
Veterinarian working at RSPCA (Burwood), Australia
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