Culinary Adventure: The Oceanaire Seafood Room

Like most things in life, you have to be in the right frame of mind to try a new food.  If you are in a bad mood, you probably aren't going to give a new taste or texture a fair shot.  But if you are in a good mood you might try anything.  Sometimes it just hits you, while walking into a restaurant - I don't feel like ordering my usual steak and potatoes; I want to see what all the fuss is over oysters.  Take advantage of that feeling whenever it occurs.  It is when you will make your greatest food discoveries.  This was the means by which I discovered my love for little neck clams and mussels.  That and who can turn down fresh shellfish steamed by a friend on an open campfire while vacationing on the coast of New England?  Not I.  Mood is especially important for those with a selective palate.  If you are in the wrong frame of food mind, it becomes way too easy to say, I don't like fish, and move right along to the safer, land dwelling animal section of the menu.  I cannot tell you how often I have outright refused to try something new, just because I didn't feel like it.  Do not let your mood limit your palate's potential.  How many opportunities did I have to try mushrooms or zucchini before I finally gave in. And what did I find out?  I love these things.  All the time and energy spent digging around these wonderful food items could have been spent enjoying them instead.  In a bad mood?  Try something totally off the wall (for you), such as Escargots Burguignon.  Even if you don't end liking them, at least you tried something new and you can enjoy the shocked reactions of the other people at your table as you order and eat snails. Because, after all, you are a picky eater, no one would EVER expect you to order and consume escargot.  And after that you will have to be in a better mood and ready to do battle with your next food challenge, whatever that may be.

The Oceanaire Seafood Room is located in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego.  Sitting in the shadows of PetCo park it is slightly off the main path of 5th Avenue.  In fact, if you were  not looking for it, you might miss it.  Its art deco style sign lets you know that you are not about to enter a typical seafood restaurant with nets and anchors plastered on the walls; there are however fish.  Mahi Mahi, Sail fish and a Mako shark greet you as you enter the restaurant and ascend the stairs to the main dining area.  Reservations are definitely recommended, as the place was packed even on the Wednesday evening when we went.  As with many fine dining restaurants, service is paramount and this place was no exception.  We were immediately greeted and taken to a secluded table or as secluded as a table can get in a packed restaurant.  A waiter appeared almost immediately offering water and a loaf of sourdough bread.  Putting aside the fact that I was starving and that I have a love for all things carbs, I could have eaten an entire loaf of this bread.  Which would have ruined me for the delicious meal we were about to have and not to mention, been very impolite to my dinner partner for the evening.  And so, we broke bread and ordered our drinks and appetizers.

I should, perhaps, mention now, that I had experienced one of those moments mentioned above, this very evening.  I wanted to try something new.  Perhaps spurred on by my new food related hobby or maybe it was the festiveness of the evening, we were, after all, celebrating a birthday.  Whatever the case, I knew I wanted something different.

Oceanaire Martini

Our drinks arrived shortly after we placed our order - for me the 14 Hands Reisling and for my date, the Oceanaire Martini.  My wine was sweet and slighty fruity.  The Oceanaire Martini was a combination of vodka and blue curacao and was served with a curled lemon rind.  What was delicious to my fellow eater was a bit bitter to me - the drink was good, just not to my taste.  We decided to split the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and order 5 oysters.  Being from the east coast I like to think that I have consumed my fair share of above average crab cakes.  The Jumbo Crab Cake at the Oceanaire will erase all memory of any former crab cake eating.  The only proper way to describe the crab is succulent.  If ever there was a dish to savor, this is it.  They went light on the breading so the real crab flavor and texture stands out.  And somewhere in the mix, a dash of spice was added, not overpowering by any means, but every once and a while you catch a hint of it and it leaves you mouth feeling pleasantly warm.  Needless to say, the meal was off to an excellent start.

Oysters

The oysters actually arrived alongside the crab cake, but after that first taste, neither one of us could pull away until the last delicious crab cake morsel had been gobbled up.  Having cleared that plate in under a minute (and believe me we tried to take our time, but sometimes the food is just that good), we moved onto the oysters.  I am still a newbie at the whole oyster game and therefore I stuck to the smaller, more manageable sized ones.  I feel that there are two steps to learning how to eat and enjoy oysters.  The first step is to conquer the texture.  Yes, it is slimy, yes it is cold, and yes it is chewy.  Getting past step one is a mind over matter situation.  You really have to want to do it.  Oysters are a highly popular acquired taste and totally worth it if you can get past step one.  Put them on a cracker and add some hot sauce - for many this helps the process along.  Once you have successfully  completed step one you are already half way through step two which is to get over the taste.  If the texture doesn't make you squeamish chances are the taste probably will.  While it is not knock you on your butt overpowering, it is unique and even describing it in the best of all possible scenarios will leave most with the feeling of, you ate that voluntarily?  Our oysters arrived arranged on a bed of ice with cocktail sauce in the center, and two tiny little forks on either side.  Some people do their oysters plain, others like to smoother them in the cocktail sauce.  I come out somewhere in the middle, dipping mine in the sauce before popping it into my mouth.  These oysters tasted like the ocean, in the best possible way.  Slightly briny, they were so fresh tasting, it was like being transported to some beautiful oceanic cove that has been untouched by man.  A good oyster is an experience and these were definitely an experience.  After my second one I was completely satisfied.  For me, I would rather enjoy quality rather then quantity and these oysters definitely fit that bill.

Crispy Nori Wrapped Hawaiian Tumbo Tuna

After a short break, that allowed us to ruminate over the great food we had just devoured, the main dish arrived - Crispy Nori Wrapped Hawaiian Tumbo Tuna.  I told you I was in the mood for something new.  This was the first time I have ever ordered a tuna steak.  Sure, I have had tuna sushi rolls, but never a tuna steak, cooked to order.  In fact when the waiter asked how I wanted it cooked I had no idea how to respond.  Not wanting to look like a novice, deferred to the chef's expertise.  In actuality you can have a tuna steak prepared in the same way you would have a beef steak cooked: rare, medium rare, etc. but in the case of tuna, medium raw is recommended.  In the photo you can see how just the very outside edges are cooked while the interior remains raw.  Why I waited so long to try this wonderful fish I have no idea.  This particular tuna steak was served on a bed of Forbidden Black Bean Rice, Coconut Cream Sauce and Passion Fruit Reduction with Banana Salad.  Drooling yet?  If not, you should be.  The tuna was cooked to perfection.  It had a buttery taste and a velvety texture, the outer crust adding just the right amount of crunch.  It is served at room temperature which accentuates its smoothness.  The black bean rice combined nicely with the coconut cream sauce giving just the right amount of sweetness to play against the light tuna taste.  The entire dish was nothing short of fabulous.  As a side dish we ordered Zucchini and Squash served A La Provencal which, it turns out, means grilled and heavily seasoned.  The spice they used was a particularly strong one that was not completely to my liking.  I would have preferred something more herby.  From beginning to end the entire meal was amazing.  My only regret is that we did not get to experience their dessert menu; shouldn't have had that last slice of bread. 

When you go out to a meal at a fancy restaurant you have certain expectations - attentive waitstaff, expertly made cocktails, dishes that live up to their menu descriptions.  The Oceanaire Seafood Room was all of these things and more.  It some how manages to pull off being a fine dining establishment without making you feel uncomfortable that you did not arrive in a limo with an entourage.  I thoroughly enjoyed my evening at the Oceanaire and would definitely return, if only to check out their enormous u-shaped oyster bar and have one more of those delicious crab cakes.  Yum!

Proud member of the clean plate club