Located at the Pala Mesa Resort, 2001 Old Highway 395 in Fallbrook

 

 

I had a Groupon for $50 for Aqua Terra, so my Sweetie and I headed there last Friday’s date night. Aqua Terra often has live music. During the summer months they have a live band outside on the patio, which overlooks the golf course. Last Friday they had a single musician who played guitar and sang. He was in the bar area, but even so, we could enjoy him sitting in the regular seating. 

 

We were seated by the window with a very nice view. Service was wonderful. The staff was very friendly and obliging. We were served our beverages shortly after we sat down. The waitress brought us some warm homemade rolls and butter when she came back to take our order. 

 

Aqua Terra has an expansive menu—so I’d suggest that you have a sense of adventure when dining there. We had two appetizers: Crispy Tempera Asparagus with a Chipotle Ranch Sauce. The tempera asparagus was delicious on it’s own. It was cooked perfectly, not underdone, or overdone. The sauce did not accent the tempera perhaps as much as a teriyaki sauce would have. It was still delicious all the same. 

 

Our second appetizer was their House Smoked Crispy Pork Belly with a Maple-Bourbon Glaze. This had been marinated and cooked to absolute perfection! My Sweetie took the first bite and proclaimed it to be one of best things he’d ever eaten. My first bite just melted into creamy deliciousness in my mouth—even the sensation of the fat layer was delectable. This just brings me to the point that I think sometimes it would just be nice to eat appetizers at Aqua Terra, but onto dinner!

 

My partner ordered the Fish & Chips—an ale battered Alaskan Cod with house made tartar sauce and fries. His main complaint was the taste of olive oil, which distracted him from fully enjoying the fish. His fries were seasoned, but nothing exceptional. 

 

I ordered the Garlic Herb Chicken, which was served on a bed of creamy polenta and with grilled Brussels sprouts. My chicken breast was cooked perfect—not underdone at all, but still juicy when cut. The flavor was pleasant. The polenta added a nice touch. The Brussels sprouts were a bit charred, but I enjoy them that way.

 

We felt the highlight of the meal was definitely the House Smoked Pork Belly and the low point was the Fish. My partner wished he would have tried the Cherry Crusted Salmon, which sounds much more fun on the palate. Service was wonderful. The staff closely attended us. Once again, we enjoyed a unique dining experience at Aqua Terra.