Once Upon a Run: Clermont Blogger Dinner- Red Lobster

So last night I headed to the Red Lobster in Clermont for a blogger dinner.

I knew this was a smaller setting and I wouldn't know anyone so I was a little nervous. I was glad that I was able to bring my husband--I'm pretty shy. But I shouldn't have been! I left the dinner thinking about how it was so much fun and I loved that it was a smaller setting!

I saw a couple of the girls from the Yelp event the night before. Summer, Heidi, and Vanessa remembered me and said hello. They were the gals in charge of the event. We also met the general manager of the store, Kellie.

When we sat down, we were able to order whatever drink we wanted. I decided to try the Berry Mango Daiquiri. It was so pretty when it came out and tasted delicious!

Kory had a beer (I think it was the seasonal Sam Adams)

And I dug into the biscuits right away.

Some Seaside Starters (appetizers) came out-- the Southwest Chicken Pizza, Spicy Buffalo Chicken Bites, Lobster-Crab-and-Seafood-Stuffed Mushrooms, Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp, and Sweet Chili Shrimp.

I helped myself to all of them except the buffalo bites (oops--already ate some before I took the pic). Kory kept trying to get me to try a little of the buffalo bites but I'm a wimp. I did steal a piece of the blue cheese though.

My favorite is still the mushrooms. So yummy! When we were full, the wonderful wait staff (Drew and Kim) boxed up the appetizers and put them in the beginning of our to-go bags!

And we got to learn some interesting things about Red Lobster that I didn't know.

The restaurant we were in was the prototype and the restaurant is modeled after Bar Harbor, Maine.
The East Colonial Drive and Sanford restaurants are trying out a new service called Seaside Express Lunch. You order and pay when you arrive, grab a number and a seat and lunch is served very quickly and should be under $10. These are the only 2 locations in the country to be trying this.
They started a new menu last Fall with "Maine stays". These are food options that will stay on the menu and not vary.
There is a Happy Hour from 3-6pm with drink specials and $5 appetizers.
There are also special menus available--a Lighthouse menu with lighter options and an allergy menu.

For dinner, I had a half dozen steamed oysters and snow crab legs. I chose a Caesar salad to start. The oysters were yummy. Sometimes they can be too chewy or sandy and gritty, but these were just right. And the crab legs--delish!! I sure made quite a mess but it was worth it!

Kory had the Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp and for dessert we split the Warm Chocolate Chip Lava Cookie. Kory really enjoyed the peach-bourbon BBQ glaze on the shrimp. And the cookie--it was heavenly! A warm chocolate chip cookie with melty chocolate in the middle topped with ice cream?? It can't get better than that!

And the conversation was so much fun! Jen had new Google Glasses she was trying out so she was passing them around (Kory tried them). And Bess, Joe, Vanessa and I talked about our time in Gainesville and the Gators. The conversation just flowed. There was no awkwardness and it was just plain fun!