Ocenaire

[crosparantoux]

On a quick biz trip in Seattle, I had dinner at Oceanaire. Maybe you locals stay away from a place like this, but hey, it was raining: I was hungry, I could walk from my hotel, and I wanted white wine with fish. What I found was an incredible surprise.

Wine: 2002 V.Giaradin Corton-Charlemagne. Wow! Not as rich and overripe as a Latour version, but still, the kind of wine that makes you swear off boutique California chard forever (maybe). What gets me is that Oceanaire, a mass market restaurant, had two Corton-Cs on the list. It was clear from the diningroom and the more crowded bar that none of the typical customers here would appreciate the choice.

App: Oysters Rockefeller. Nice, oceanic tasting, small oysters under a well balanced spinach puree with a hint of cayenne. Good presentation on hot rock salt kept this classic at the perfect temp throughout the eating.

Main: There’s lots of good fish to choose, but the preps were kind of boring. Sand dabs with a white wine, truffle pan sauce sounded interesting, but as the waitress pointed out, who wants to wrestle with bones when you’re drinking grand cru burgundy? So she offered me Alaskan line caught ling cod served the same way. A thick fish in place a delicate little one? What the heck… I went for it. What was delivered was easily one of the top five truffle dishes I have had in my life. The fat filets of cod were crisped all around just perfectly, with the flesh flaking apart all juicy. The fish sat in a puddle of the kind of white wine, butter, parsley pan sauce you could make at home, except that, shaved all over the dish—over the fish, over the sauce—was a ton of incredibly fragrant fresh truffle. At a place like this, I would expect canned or maybe that fake truffle oil. Uh uh. Not last night. Who ever cooked my dish went all out. What’s even more surprising is that this ping pong ball-sized fresh truffle came from Oregon! I’ve never encountered an Oregon truffle with any flavor or fragrance before. The taste was more perfumey than classic fresh Perigords or white Albas—touching you in back of your nostrils, not grabbing the back of your throat They didn’t have the earthy depth of a woman’s privates that you taste in the best Italian or French truffles, but these Oregons stood up and duked it out with the Corton-C. The fat cod, all golden crispy was right there too, threatening to bring the folding metal chair down on one of them. As the truffles curled up and melted in the heat from the sauce and fish, the aroma and flavour just kept on blossoming. How in the world could I find such a wonderful dish in some empty, mass market Seattle restaurant?

Go immediately to Oceanaire. You have to eat the truffled cod before the chef gets fired for being too generous. The other stuff at Oceanaire was only standard.

(I had a way better dessert at Brasa the night before: spectacular hot Spanish donuts all dusty with cinnamon sugar.)

[vengroff]

I was pleasantly surprised the one time I ate at Oceanaire. At first I didn't understand the place, and then I realized that they are trying to cater to two different audiences, and are rare in the sense that I think they do a good job of serving both.

On the one hand, there is the crowd that expects to be very well fed at this price point. I mean big guys still take a doggie bag home kind of well fed. Their apps, some of the mains, and certainly all the sides I saw were huge--towers of shellfish on ice, big hunks of simply grilled halibut and swordfish, mountains of fries, and platters of asparagus with hollandaise. It's like a solid midwestern-style steakhouse, just nix the steak and add fish instead.

On the other hand, there are a handful of more carefully crafted dishes, and certainly some wines, that appeal to those looking for something a little more interesting, a little less straightforward, in their dining experience. The truffled cod crosparantoux described sounds like one of them. The Portugese seafood stew is another. When someone at my table ordered it, the waiter explained the dish to make sure we understood it was tomato based, because a lot of people in Seattle aren't interested in that. Having had similar dishes elsewhere, we explained that we understood and wanted to try it. The seafood in the stew was all perfectly cooked, which isn't the easiest thing to do given the different cooking times required of different components, and the sauce had a nice spicy zing. It was well executed, and certainly satisfying.

I would certainly go again, perhaps saving it specifically for a group of mixed tastes and appetites. If half your crowd would be uncomfortable at Lark or Union and the other half would be aghast at Ruth's Chris, head for Oceanaire. I'm not sure where else in Seattle would do a better job in such circumstances.

[Foodie-Girl]

They didn’t have the earthy depth of a woman’s privates that you taste in the best Italian or French truffles, but these Oregons stood up and duked it out with the Corton-C.

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***Great review and certainly a turn-of-phrase I've never heard before....

[little ms foodie]

I personally didn't like Oceanaire the one time I went last fall and don't plan on being back but I loved your review.

Someone (Reese I think?) pointed out to me that they are a midwest chain?? Michigan, Minnesota or something?

It's funny they have sand dabs on the menu though! I only see those in CA usually.

[ScorchedPalate]

We ate there more than a year ago, and liked it a lot. But for the almost-$200 we spent, I could have a much nicer dinner at, say, Union.

I think Vengroff hit it on the head: It really is a steakhouse that happens to specialize in seafood.

~A

Edited March 2, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[Blue Heron]

Thank you for the review crosparantoux. Especially the good news about your cod and truffle dish. That sounds so good.

My only experience there was for a 3 course lunch last Nov. during the 25 for $25 promo (lunch $12.50). This was my write up in Nov:

... I left with mixed feelings (good fresh seafood, but not outstanding preparations, overall). My first course was Fried Catfish w/ hot-sweet honey mustard vinaigrette. This was excellent. Several perfect crispy pieces of catfish were served over a vinaigrette that I liked more than I thought I would, (it was more like a sauce), and topped with the most delicious thin crispy fried onion rings.

My entree was blackened coho salmon w/ blue cheese butter, served over onion confit and topped with... more of those crispy fried onion rings. I was a bit onion ringed out by the time the salmon dish arrived, (however redundent, but I did eat them!). I thought there were too many competing flavors in this dish that didn't really come together well for me, and my husband agreed. The salmon was a bit overcooked, and the seasoning they used for blackening was not among the better ones I've tasted. They use Old Bay seasoning, which was predominate in both the blackened salmon and the fish n fin soup that my husband ordered. In fact the restaurant likes Old Bay seasoning so much they also have it as a condiment at the table (edit to add: ).

Dessert for 2 was Baked Alaska, and flamed with alcohol tableside. It was a huge portion, and could have fed 4 easily. It tasted pretty good, a chocolate cake bottom, blue huckleberry ice cream interior, and then toasted & alcohol laced meringue. We were so full by the time we finished that we skipped dinner that night. Service was good, too.

Also, from 3-6pm, Oceannaire's happy hour includes 1/2 price oysters on the half shell. I'm not sure if that's every day, or M-F.

Edited March 7, 2005 by Blue Heron (log)

[aaustin]

We'll be dining here with a group in the coming weeks (we're guests)...has anyone been recently? Is the quality good?

[Foodie-Girl]

We'll be dining here with a group in the coming weeks (we're guests)...has anyone been recently? Is the quality good?

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I've been there 3 times...most recently a few months ago and I really enjoy it.

I would stick to straight-forward preparations...I think that's where they do best.

For me it's a fun place, consistent food and good service. No, not 'cutting edge' but for what it is I think they do a good job.

[little ms foodie]

I actually have eaten there again due to a function I attended there. I had a chance to meet the chef- he is from NOLA and is very passionate. the oysters rockfellor are my favorite!

[tighe]

I had a chance to meet the chef- he is from NOLA and is very passionate. the oysters rockfellor are my favorite!

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A few months back, I attended the dinner he did for Boomtown Cafe and came away with the impression that he has serious skills and creativity but is stifled by the Oceanaire formula. At Boomtown he served an outstanding Peruvian style ceviche for the app and sous-vide pork cheeks for the main. Dessert was also great, though I can remember exactly what it was. I hope he dumps Oceanaire and opens his own place sometime.

[GourmetLight$]

I actually have eaten there again due to a function I attended there. I had a chance to meet the chef- he is from NOLA and is very passionate. the oysters rockfellor are my favorite!

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The caviar pie appetizer is scrumptious!

[tsquare]

  I hope he dumps Oceanaire and opens his own place sometime.

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Done.