Bahama Breeze Island Grille Introduces 'Small Plates' Menu and New 'Skinny' Cocktails

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Bahama Breeze Island Grille — the island-inspired casual dining restaurant that gives guests the feeling of a Caribbean escape — is adding its own island twist to two hot culinary trends.  The brand has introduced a "small plates" menu with outstanding variety and value, as well as a selection of lower-calorie "skinny" cocktails.

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"The plates may be small, but the tastes and value are definitely big," said Peter Olsacher, Executive Chef and Director of Culinary and Beverage Development for Bahama Breeze.  "We've created a 'small plates' menu that offers our guests a delicious variety of flavors starting at just $2.99, with no item over $7.00. So it's easy to mix and match and try any combination of great tastes with your friends."

Available at both lunch and dinner, the Bahama Breeze "small plates" menu includes:

• White Bean Hummus — A creamy, mild white-bean hummus with a hint of roasted red pepper, served with baked flatbread crackers and freshly cut vegetables.
• Steamed Edamame — Lightly sweet, served with ginger-infused sea salt.
• Vine-ripened Tomato Salsa and Chips — Fresh vine-ripened tomato salsa with a splash of lime juice and fresh cilantro, served with crispy corn tortilla chips and salted plantain chips.
• Truffled Yuca Fries — Crunchy yucca fries lightly drizzled with truffle oil.
• Sweet Peruvian Corn Cakes — Freshly baked corn cakes served with roasted pineapple salsa and butter.
• Ham 'n Cheese Croquettes — Crunchy on the outside with melted cheese, ham and potatoes inside; served with a mustard aioli dipping sauce and black bean, roasted corn and fresh tomato salsa on the side.
• Chicken Empanadas — Classic fried pastries filled with adobe-seasoned chicken, mushrooms, sweet peppers and onion; served with seasoned sour cream and black bean, roasted corn and fresh tomato salsa on the side.
• Mojo-marinated Pork and Sweet Plantains — Shreds of tender, slow-roasted pork over sweet plantains, served with slightly smoky guava barbecue sauce and black bean, roasted corn and fresh tomato salsa.

Known for its trend-setting, hand-crafted tropical drinks, Bahama Breeze has also added four new cocktails to its extensive bar menu, all of which are refreshing examples of the huge "skinny" cocktail trend and pair perfectly with the bold flavors on the "small plates" menu.  

"We're proud to be recognized as one of the restaurants that introduced the Cuban Mojito and Brazilian Caipirinha cocktails to mainstream America," Olsacher said.  "We see these new 'skinny' cocktails as right in line with that legacy.  It was really important to us, though, to make sure that guests looking for a lighter, lower-calorie adult drink could still enjoy all the refreshing tropical flavor we're known for.  We've accomplished that with these new drinks."

The four new "skinny" cocktails, with as few as 103 calories, are:

• Skinny Mojito — A lighter version of the classic Cuban cocktail made with Bacardi Superior Rum, crushed spearmint and fresh limes.
• Skinny Five-citrus Margarita — Premium Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila with freshly squeezed five-citrus mix, Cointreau and fresh lime juice.
• Skinny Paloma — A refreshing blend of Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila, SKYY Infusions all-natural passion fruit vodka and grapefruit juice, topped with Fresca.
• Skinny Citrus Cooler — SKYY Infusions all-natural citrus vodka and freshly squeezed five-citrus mix, topped with Fresca.

"Two of the things Bahama Breeze is best known for are our unique selection of delicious, shareable appetizers and our hand-crafted tropical drinks," said Laurie Burns, President of Bahama Breeze. "The new 'small plates' menu and 'skinny' cocktails add a whole new dimension to that. They also add a new dimension to our Caribbean escape experience. There's nothing better than connecting with friends and unwinding to the sounds of live Caribbean music on our outdoor deck, and now you can do that while trying and sharing all the great tastes on the 'small plates' menu and enjoying lighter versions of our refreshing tropical drinks."

The "small plates" menu and new "skinny" cocktails are available at all 26 Bahama Breeze locations throughout the United States.

About Bahama Breeze

With 26 locations nationwide, Bahama Breeze is the restaurant that brings you the feeling of a Caribbean escape and invites you to Feed Your Island Spirit® with the food, drink and vibrant atmosphere you'd find in the Caribbean. The restaurant is known for fresh, delicious seafood, distinctive chicken dishes and flame-grilled steaks, accompanied by refreshing, hand-crafted tropical drinks.  Popular menu items include Breeze Wood Grilled Chicken Breast, Coconut Shrimp, Lobster and Shrimp Pasta and a daily fresh fish sheet offering guests a choice of several fresh fish species, preparations and side items.  All Bahama Breeze locations are open for lunch and dinner daily, from 11 a.m. until late, and offer call-ahead seating.  For more information, visit www.bahamabreeze.com, and visit us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bahamabreeze.

SOURCE Bahama Breeze Island Grille