Surf and Salty Air Garnish Seafood Fare

The old wooden pier in San Clemente may have seen better days, but at its base is one of Southern California’s best out-of-the way spots for a leisurely coastal brunch.

Fisherman’s doesn’t just feature the de rigueur panoramic ocean view, it sits atop the surf. The rumbling you hear beneath as you lightly munch on a Seafood Boat (a popular brunch item) is the pleasant sound of crashing waves. That, along with the fresh smell of the salty spume and the scenic span of the palm-tree-lined sand, certainly makes Fisherman’s worth the visit, even if the brunch offerings are somewhat less inspirational than the setting.

The eatery is one of these crusty old seafarer restaurants that dot the Orange County coast, bedecked with aged-wood floors and walls and festooned with the detritus of the fishing life--worn nets, anchors, petrified fish, stuff like that. The restaurant side of Fisherman’s sits on the southern side of the pier; its oyster bar is adjacent on the northern side. Both feature extensive patio seating for sipping champagne or watching Boogie boarders crash in the surf.

Because the restaurant takes no brunch reservations, many who wait for a table sate themselves at the oyster bar with fresh shellfish and a Bloody Mary. All in all, not a bad way to start. While the full lunch menu is available, a limited brunch menu is offered, featuring such thematic dishes as the Seafood Boat of assorted fish topped with melted cheese and served in a pastry shell, a seafood omelet, seafood Benedict and Pacific salmon served with eggs.

Inlander offerings include steak and eggs, a regular eggs Benedict, a massive waffle and a spate of omelet and other egg dishes. It’s not the most inspired collection of brunch fare, but it won’t leave you grumbling, either.

Brunch starts with a basket of warm mini-muffins of flavors varying from banana to blueberry and cranberry. Combined with a cup of coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice, these savory muffin bits slathered with butter make a good beginning.

For those who like to eat in pairs, there are three “breakfeasts” to choose from. Each is formed from regular brunch items, but also includes orange juice, fruit and additional bacon and sausage. It’s prepared for two or more (with an $11.95 per-person price), but my brunch mates preferred going solo.

I opted for the Pacific Northwest salmon with eggs on the side--a very nice dish. The salmon is lightly grilled and shares a fork well with fluffy scrambled eggs. The fried potatoes on the side are a nice touch, but I was somewhat dismayed that I couldn’t get a side of toast. I asked my server, and she said toast isn’t served Sundays. Strange. But she offered me more muffins.

The omelets aren’t prepared in the proper fill-and-fold manner. Rather, the ingredients are cooked into the eggs in an almost frittata-like manner, meaning the cooks are lazy or learned the chef biz in Naples. Still, these omelets aren’t standard fare--the seafood one is packed with chunky fish and melted cheese, and the North Beach and California omelets feature a kitchen sink’s worth of items. The latter melds spinach, avocado, mushrooms, tomato and feta cheese, with the cheese providing a snappy taste.

The seafood Benedict provides a nice change from the standard model. The fish chunks are fine, but it’s the tasty, perfectly prepared hollandaise sauce that makes this dish. The one non-egg dish, the Frisbee-sized golden waffle, comes topped with strawberries and a mound of whipped cream. It looks and tastes like dessert.

There’s no free-flowing champagne for this brunch. But Fisherman’s does offer one of the most intriguing sparkling-wine choices I’ve seen. Now, most of us have never heard of Rocar Extra Dry, “method sparkling wine” (so says the label), somewhere in Central California, but I dare anyone to find a better $4.25 bottle of champagne in a restaurant. The stuff’s not exactly Moet et Chandon, but it’s serviceable. And given the San Clemente sun and surf, that’s all you need.

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Fisherman’s, 611 Avenida Victoria, San Clemente. (949) 498-6390. Sunday brunch is served 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Brunch selections run $7.95 to $11.95.