We Ate Through Everything on Red Lobster’s Endless Shrimp Menu, Twice
FOODBEAST got word that Red Lobster’s Endless Shrimp event is back with some notable new additions, like Nashville Hot Shrimp and Mediterranean Shrimp, guest-favorites like Hand-Crafted Garlic Shrimp Scampi, and even a secret menu for those in-the-know.
I’m kind of obsessed with shrimp and was super excited about this lineup that’s full of flavorful variety, so naturally, I decided a FOODBEAST group lunch would be the perfect opportunity to grab some photos and go on a shrimp flavor adventure.
For those who don’t already know, Endless Shrimp is a legendary event at Red Lobster that seafood-lovers like myself look forward to all year long. The lineup of menu items always features a perfect blend of amped up classics and innovative, never-before-seen shrimp preparations – and this year is no different.
First thing’s first – beverages. My coworkers and I made it a point to indulge in some of the new drinks on the Endless Shrimp menu, which are served in a fun collectible Coastal Shrimp glass. I ordered the Berry Mo-Tito, a cocktail made with Tito’s vodka, blackberries and berry puree for fruitiness, some lime and mint for flavor, and topped off with some club soda to give it that super refreshing taste.
Some of my coworkers ordered the Peach Long Island, which was way better than any Long Island I’ve had in my day. Red Lobster’s version starts with peach puree and a mixture of vodka, rum, gin, and peach schnapps, and is then topped off with some Coca-Cola.
While we enjoyed our drinks and salads (they come with every meal – bonus!), and waited for our main dishes to arrive, we shamelessly stuffed our faces with Red Lobster’s famously delicious Cheddar Bay Biscuits. We were in heaven!
After a short while, our food began to arrive. Since I had found out Nashville Hot Shrimp was on the Endless Shrimp lineup, I grew more and more curious. Being a writer at FOODBEAST, we hear a lot about the on-trend Nashville Hot flavor. I have tried tons of variations of Nashville Hot on chicken, but I’d never heard of it being offered on shrimp. I had to try it. After taking just one bite, it exceeded all my expectations.
Red Lobster achieves that sweet and spicy Nashville Hot flavor by crusting the shrimp in Panko bread crumbs, frying until golden, and then tossing them in a mixture of brown sugar, cayenne, paprika, and black pepper. To balance the spice, the shrimp are treated to a drizzle of honey, which rounds out the flavors nicely.
Next up was the Mediterranean Shrimp. This dish was layered with flavor and texture, including white wine, garlic and lemon butter sauce, fresh grape tomatoes and green onions. The grape tomatoes provided a nice pop of acidity in comparison to the luscious, buttery shrimp, and the green onions sealed the deal.
The menu features another shrimp dish cooked with white wine, Hand-Crafted Garlic Shrimp Scampi. I don’t know about you, but Shrimp Scampi is one of my favorite dishes of all time. I was really looking forward to Red Lobster’s take on the classic, and it lived up to the hype.
The shrimp were big and juicy, and the garlic butter sauce was to die for. They provided an ample amount of sauce for the dish, which I loved, because after I ate all the shrimp, I dipped my Cheddar Bay Biscuits in there to soak up all of that goodness. Man, this was a religious experience.
We also had to have the Hand-Breaded Shrimp. This item is a veteran of the Endless Shrimp menu, and the crew and I were pumped to try it. Each bite is fried to a golden brown, and served with Red Lobster’s signature cocktail sauce. Simple yet bursting with flavor – the most ideal shrimp dish in existence.
Last but not least, we all went bonkers for the Shrimp Linguini Alfredo, which we learned is freshly sautéed to give it that smooth, creamy texture. This dish proved to be a table favorite, for both photos and taste. The garlic Parmesan sauce became a haven for Instagram-worthy noodle pulls and became a quick re-order for everyone at the table.
There were some other notable guests at the table, in the form of Red Lobster’s Endless Shrimp “secret menu” items that included Coconut Shrimp Bites, my personal favorite Popcorn Shrimp, and Garlic-Grilled Shrimp Skewers. I have so much to say and so little time here!
Let me start with the Popcorn Shrimp. Each and every bite was perfectly crispy and juicy. This was definitely a popular item amongst the crew. We scarfed this order down so fast our server was impressed at the rate in which we ordered a refill.
The Coconut Shrimp Bites were also delicious. The shredded coconut gave each shrimp a crispy breading, but also provided a little sweetness, which was a nice contrast after the Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Popcorn Shrimp.
The Garlic-Grilled Shrimp Skewers were not only visually appealing, but also extremely tasty. The garlic really enhanced the flavor of the fresh, grilled shrimp.
As our FOODBEAST lunch came to an end, I sat in a glazed bliss looking over our tabletop kingdom of empty dishes, shrimp shells, and happy, satisfied faces. I know the shrimp are endless, Red Lobster, but I’ll be back soon to put that to the test.
FOODBEAST Fam, take note: Tune in to the FOODBEAST and Red Lobster Facebook pages TOMORROW, November 1st and keep those notifications live, because we’ll be eating through and tasting the entire Endless Shrimp menu via livestream!
Created in partnership with Red Lobster
