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Newport Eatery Brings Varied Cultures to Oregon Coast

(Newport, Oregon) – Ian Clayman and Sarah Turnquist aren’t content with just one major project in their lives. Clayman, with his family, runs a construction company in Newport called Coastal Development, which is building two new housing developments in the Nye Beach area. Turnquist was a part time substitute teacher from Eugene. But together, the two have taken on their own restaurant on Newport’s Bayfront district, A Taste of Newport.

Clayman’s company owns the building, where a restaurant recently vacated in late May. Almost on a whim, the couple abruptly decided to take advantage of the empty space and pop in with their own vision of an eatery.

“We had talked about this for a while,” Turnquist said. “Ian’s a good cook.”

Clayman says he was slightly inspired by chef shows on cable TV. “We owned the property, and it was the right opportunity at the time of year, with the tourist season just starting up.”

The result is a cozy little eatery in the bustling bay front area, with soothing blues and a mix of yellow/orange, boasting an extensive seafood menu with some innovative ideas. It specializes in what they call “northwest seafood cuisine,” but there are numerous novel items that draw their inspirations from various cultures. Among the more cutting edge items – for the Oregon coast, anyway – are tapas dishes. Many selections have a Japanese influence, and it’s mostly former ocean dwellers caught locally.

The tapas can be ordered as appetizers as well, featuring things like prawns in coconut tempura batter, crab served inside an avocado that comes with a tangy vinaigrette, steamed Manila clams, smoked salmon pate, and mushrooms stuffed with crab. They come in and around $10 or $11.

Larger entrees and specialties are between $10 and $20, including cod fish and chips, Dungeness crab, pan-seared salmon or halibut, smoked salmon Alfredo, Yaquina Bay oysters that are pan fried, or crab cakes.

They have a stunning crab puff sort of creation that's somewhere between that, pot stickers and jalapeno sticks. These Thai-influenced wonders feature a chipotle cream cheese along with the crab with quite the bite, but not too strong on the sharpness or the seafood taste. It's a must-try.

The halibut comes with a vegetable medley with a delicious garlic butter. The halibut itself is cooked to that perfect state of light, flakiness, sprinkled with paprika and other light seasonings. This dish, like many others on the menu, comes with their homemade chowder, which is well worth trying on its own. Bold, flavorful and with fish done perfectly as well, it is a hearty satisfier.

“It’s all fresh product, ordered fresh daily,” Turnquist said. “We work with what’s in season throughout the year.”

Then there’s this puzzling note on the menu that reads, “Don’t see want you’re looking for? Just ask and we will see what we can do.” Turnquist explains this means they are sometimes able to accommodate distinct wishes or cravings not on the menu.

“You can ask about something different, and if we have the elements in stock, we will make it for you,” Turnquist said.

They also offer all-you-can-eat on most items for $2 extra.

As for the tapas, Clayman gives some nod of inspiration to nearby Blu Cork Wine Bar, which introduced tapas-style dining to Newport a year ago. But mostly, this is something he craves. “I love that style of eating,” Clayman said. “You do things in smaller portions. You can taste everything, and eat an entire meal of tapas or whatever.”

The recipes come from Clayman’s experiences over the years, recent experimentations, and some referencing the Internet and cookbooks.

Yet Clayman comes from a line of chefs in the area: the family owned another restaurant called “A Taste of Newport” in the 90’s until it they sold it. “I worked with about seven or eight chefs in that time,” Clayman said. “It’s sort of a rebirth of the old restaurant – or a new manifestation.”

A Taste of Newport has a small sandwich menu that includes hamburgers, as well as a kid’s menu.

The couple says the menu will eventually transition to more of a world-influenced selection sometime down the road.

A Taste of Newport usually opens around noon or 11 a.m. and is open most days of the week. Hours and days of operation are still being finalized. 855 SW Bay Blvd., Newport. (541) 574-1619.

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