When The District at Tustin Legacy was built over part of the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station, the transformation was notable not only for its grandiosity, but also for its vast diversion from what it was: essentially, one of Orange County’s few remaining historic sites. Once, massive, abandoned airplane hangars dotted the property at a highly trafficked intersection on the border between Irvine and Tustin – a strange, if not interesting, landscape in the middle of what were otherwise newly constructed apartment buildings and thriving businesses. But in a place where semi-unused land space equals untapped dollars, the old air station wouldn’t last long.

On top of the rubble, the massive complex known as The District at Tustin Legacy was built, a virtual city of shopping, dining and entertainment spread over one million square feet. Open nearly two years now, the center has attracted a vast variety of large retailers (Costco, Whole Foods Market, Target) as well as smaller, local businesses like Bluewater Grill, a successful fish house with locations in Newport Beach and Redondo Beach. Yet, for companies like Bluewater Grill, the modern vibe and sheer size of the The District is a departure from their usual digs, situated on bays and harbors with boat slips out front and sunburned regulars who drop in for Happy Hour after a day out on the water. The restaurant that has billed itself as the “classic” fish house has ditched some of its maritime charm at The District – here it’s less New England-style fish house and more upscale, modern restaurant – but the menu, primarily dedicated to fresh seafood under the direction of Executive Chef Brian Hirsty, is largely unchanged from its predecessors, with the exception of some specialty Pan Asian-influenced dishes. We would have been hung up about the fact that there’s not much ocean-y about Bluewater Grill’s new Tustin location (unless you count the faux ship’s truss on the ceiling and a blown-up photograph of an upclose view of a South Pacific oyster that hangs at the back of the restaurant) if the food weren’t so tasty.

We began with one of Chef Hirsty’s latest experiments, an oyster shot shucked to order and served in a martini glass with Absolut Peppar vodka. The taste was spicy and aromatic, like an oyster-infused Bloody Mary, and if we didn’t already have cocktails, it’s likely we would have ordered several more. Continuing in the oyster vein, but ratcheted up several degrees of richness, were oysters Rockefeller, served on the half shell with creamed spinach, bacon and Romano cheese. They came out bubbling hot and covered in melted cheese – delicious, if not a bit on the heavy side; here, less is more. In both cases, the oysters stood out for their freshness and flavor, a result of Bluewater Grill’s dedication to the highest quality seafood. The oysters in particular are chosen carefully and grown in Washington State specifically for the restaurant.

As a remedy to the rich Rockefeller, we sampled the ponzu sashimi sea scallops in the shell with wasabi aioli, seaweed salad and masago (Japanese capelin roe), which were refreshing and tender, offset beautifully by the slight saltiness of the seaweed and roe. Calamari fritti followed, but with a little less fanfare than the previous dish, lacking somewhat in crunch and texture.

For entrées, we tried two of Chef Hirsty’s seasonal specialties: charbroiled barramundi and surf and turf consisting of a 14-ounce ribeye and Australian lobster tail. The former was a fantastic combination of textures and flavors, consisting of mildly flavored, flaky barramundi perfectly cooked and topped with citrus-herb beurre blanc sauce and baby tomatoes. Served over creamy mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, it was a dish we’d go back for. Rib-eye steak, while not Bluewater Grill’s specialty, was tasty nonetheless, as was the accompanying tender lobster tail with plenty of melted butter for dipping. A bananas Foster tower was for dessert – an edible, vertical feat of vanilla wafer-crusted bananas over vanilla ice cream and a slice of banana chocolate chip bread. The tower was topped with a cinnamon banana liqueur and caramel sauce flambéed with rum and whipped cream, which fixed the dessert as one to remember and to come back for, right after the barramundi.

Despite Bluewater Grill’s new ocean-less digs, the same fresh seafood, happily, has not suffered. And even if you can’t pull up to the dock at The District location, there is still the pull of a fabulous Happy Hour (Monday through Friday) with bargain-priced cocktails and starters, including oyster shooters. And that’s always something to celebrate.