Springtime brings changes to Red Lobster's menu

Red Lobster, the world’s largest casual dining seafood company, will entice guests at its 670 restaurants in North America with a collection of 13 new dishes that capture the best of both land and sea. The Red Lobster menu will now include new cuts of hand-selected, top-choice steaks, as well as additional entrée salads and appetizers.

"The combination of steak and seafood is an American classic," said Keith Keogh, executive chef for Red Lobster. "Its appeal comes from the indulgence of having two of the most desirable dishes together on the same plate. The robust flavors of the perfectly grilled steak balanced with the delicate flavors of the seafood are sure to make these some of our most popular dishes."

Highlighting the new menu will be a wonderful selection of steak and seafood combinations, including:

· Mixed Grill - This entrée features a flame-grilled filet mignon paired with a Lobster Chop skewer (grilled split Maine lobster tails and sea scallops) and a skewer of grilled jumbo shrimp, red peppers and red onion. This dish comes with grilled vegetables and a baked potato.

· Strip/Rib Eye Steak & Rock Lobster - A broiled Rock Lobster tail is paired with a grilled, center-cut New York Strip (Rib Eye) steak and a baked potato.

· Filet & Jumbo Shrimp - A flame-grilled filet mignon is paired with jumbo crunch-fried shrimp and served with a baked potato.

· Sirloin & Salmon - A delicious combination of a center-cut Sirloin and grilled fresh salmon is served with a baked potato.

· Sirloin & Shrimp - A grilled center-cut Sirloin is paired with freshly breaded fried shrimp or shrimp scampi and served with a baked potato.

In addition to the steak and seafood combinations, Red Lobster’s culinary center also has created eight new appetizers, salads, lunch items and dinner entrées. They include:

· Grilled Salmon Salad - Chipotle-seasoned salmon is placed on top of romaine and radicchio lettuce, crisp tortilla strips and pico de gallo, and served with a creamy dill-caper dressing.

· Sam Adams Beer Battered Fish & Chips - This new entrée features fish that is batter-fried in Sam Adams beer batter, and served with shoestring fries and malt vinegar.

· Lobster & Shrimp, Blackened Chicken or Shrimp Nachos - A plateful of nachos are topped with aged cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, jalapenos, salsa and sour cream, as well as a choice of lobster and shrimp, blackened chicken or petite shrimp.

· Lobster Pizza - This pizza appetizer, which debuted during this year’s Lobsterfest, features a crisp, delicate California-style thin crust topped with lobster meat, cheese, fresh tomatoes and sweet basil.

· Apple Walnut Chicken Salad - A marinated chicken breast is added to romaine and radicchio lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes, blue cheese, apples and walnuts, and tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette.

· Grilled Honey-Mustard Chicken Sandwich - This new lunch sandwich is served on a toasted roll with lettuce, tomato, red onion and served with honey-mustard sauce.

· Half-Pound Angus Burger - Sure to be a guest favorite, this lunch burger is served on a toasted roll with lettuce, tomato, red onion and sliced dill pickle.

As part of the new menu, Red Lobster is also introducing new, slim-cut French Fries, as well as a new accompaniment to its sandwiches - a Tomato-Cucumber Salad dressed in balsamic vinaigrette.

"Our new salads are ideal to enjoy at lunch or for a light meal in the evening," said Keogh. "If you are looking for best-tasting, highest quality seafood, Red Lobster offers a great selection for any point in the day."

Also see: Appetizers

Author Notes:

James Sparks contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.1st-in-steaks.com. Great tips on buying top quality meats, steaks and seafood from the finest ranchers and butchers.