Easy access to plentiful, local seafood and magnificent scenery blend in these two seafood recipes from Roy’s at Pebble Beach in California. Visiting should be part of every Big Sur road trip, as detailed in this article by Carole Jacobs, our Health, Fitness & Spa Editor at Real Food Traveler. We’re fortunate that Roy’s shares two recipes with our readers: Dynamite Crab Crusted Day Boat Scallop with Black Bean Blanc Sauce and Hibachi Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze. Enjoy them at home until you can visit the restaurant to enjoy stunning views and cuisine. 

Beautiful ocean views accompany a meal at Roy’s at Pebble Beach. Photo courtesy of Roy’s at Pebble Beach.

Seafood Recipes from Roy’s at Pebble Beach:

Recipes courtesy Chef de Cuisine Pablo Mellin, Roy’s at Pebble Beach, California

Roy Yamaguchi, celebrity chef, James Beard Award winner, and the father of Hawaiian-fusion cuisine, poured all his innovative talents into Roy’s at Pebble Beach, opened in 1966 as his first mainland location at The Inn of Spanish Bay.

Today, the breathtaking views of the Pacific out your window, especially at sunset when the resort’s iconic bagpiper serenades the blazing sea and sky, would be reason enough to dine here if the food weren’t so scrumptious—and legendary.

Yamaguchi was born in Tokyo, but it was while visiting his grandparents on Maui that he had his first taste of seafood bought fresh at seaside piers—fond memories that would shape his future career. At 19, after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park as a master chef, he moved to Los Angeles and served as executive chef at La Serene. After gaining invaluable experience, he decided to move closer to his roots in Hawaii and opened the first Roy’s in 1988. Today, Roy’s 30 restaurants span the globe—including Roy’s at Pebble Beach.

“I’ve always been inspired by the bold and distinct flavors of the Pacific Rim and that’s why I’ve dedicated my life to exploring and sharing their unique beauty,” he says. “My talented chef partners, including Pablo Mellin, named Chef de Cuisine at Roy’s at Pebble Beach 31 years ago, bring these flavors to life every day so our guests can share my inspiration.”

Mellin, who appreciates the bold flavors inspired by Polynesian culture, “is drawn to creating meals with ingredients like lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce and spicy flavors inspired by the Pacific Rim” which fuel his creativity and passion for culinary experimentation.

Named Chef of the Year by the Monterey County Chef Association, Mellin has also earned “Best Dish” awards at many food festivals, where his yen for culinary experimentation shines through: At one cooking demonstration, he made roasted crickets and served them to the audience. To their surprise and delight, they loved them.

At Roy’s, Mellin has placed fresh seafood front and center for his creation of strikingly inventive dishes like Dynamite Crab Crusted Scallops, and Hibachi Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze. He shares his recipes for both below.

Roy Yamaguchi and his Chef de Cuisine Pablo Mellin at Roy’s at Pebble Beach. Photo courtesy of Roy’s at Pebble Beach.

Hungry for more? Get this 4-day Itinerary for a Big Sur California Road Trip.

Hibachi Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze

Ingredients:
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBS ginger
1 TBS green onion, chopped
2 oz. salmon filet

 Directions:
Combine ingredients and coat salmon with mixture. Grill for 3 minutes on each side. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables of your choice.

“Dynamite” Crab Crusted Day Boat Scallop with Black Bean Blanc Sauce

Ingredients:
16 pieces dayboat scallop or dry u-10 sea scallop

For the dynamite crab crust –
4 oz. Dungeness crab meat
4 oz. mayonnaise
4 oz. sauteed sliced onion, shiitake mushroom and spinach
Salad oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. fish sauce
Pinch chili pepper

For the black bean sauce –
2 oz. black bean paste
2 oz. sake
2 oz. mirin
Pinch Sambal Chili Paste (available on Amazon, at Walmart and at Target. If unavailable, consider these substitutions.

For the beurre blanc (butter sauce) –
2 oz. white wine
2 oz. white wine vinegar
2 oz. sliced shallots
4 oz. heavy cream
8 oz. unsalted butter, cut and diced (keep refrigerated until use)

Directions:
Sauté scallops with salad oil until cooked. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

To make the black sauce, in a heavy skillet, combine black bean paste, sake, and Mirin and heat until the mixture catches on fire. After the flames go out, reduce the mixture by three quarters.

To make the beurre blanc, in a skillet combine white wine, white wine vinegar, and shallots and cook until reduced by half. Add heavy cream and reduce until thick. Add cold butter slowly over low heat until melted.

Sauté 1 TBS olive oil in a pan on high heat. Add scallops and sauté for 1 minute on each side until browned. Coat scallops in the crab crust, transfer to a baking pan and bake at 400F oven until the crab crust is browned.

To serve, top scallops with black bean sauce and guerre and enjoy with white rice, mashed potatoes, or vegetables.

Learn more at Roy’s at Pebble Beach on their website.

-Story by Carole Jacobs, Real Food Traveler’s Health, Fitness & Spa Editor

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