Oceana Restaurant

The much acclaimed Oceana Restaurant has moved to its new location at 1221 Sixth Ave., just west of the Rockefeller Center. To compare the old Oceana with this newer version would be like comparing a vintage ship to a top of the line, state of the art modern cruise vessel. Each is appealing in its own way and each has its own undeniable charm.

The current location of Oceana pits it against veteran and seasoned business-lunch joints like “Del Frisco’s” and “City Lobster.” However, Oceana has seen the competition, acknowledged it and met it head on. The frequent crowd thronging the doors of this restaurant clearly indicates that Oceana is a clear favorite with seafood lovers.

The décor of the restaurant is very chic and upper class. Flat-screen televisions vie for your attention, while the massive dining rooms have been decorated up in extravagant neo-Nordic style. The banquettes have pretty blue and white pillows and there is a row of huge white lampshades in the dining room. In addition to the main dining room, there are private dining rooms done in very interesting settings. In this location, Oceana will also be able to provide its patrons with the outdoor dining experience, if the weather is favorable.

An interesting thing about Oceana is the Chef’s Table in the kitchen where you get an up close and personal view of Executive Chef Ben Pollinger cooking up tempting dishes. Chef Pollinger, thanks to his innovative style of cooking, has got three stars from The New York Times, and one Michelin Star. He is assisted by Pastry Chef, Jansen Chan who dreams up of droolable delights for desserts.

Oceana offers a Prix Fixe classical tasting menu, priced at $110 per person. If you’d like wine with it, the price goes up to $195. There are several dishes here that are worth a try. Ben Pollinger has come with quite a few fashionable dishes, such as the blue marlin, the Asian fusion–style fluke tartare that is mingled with mangoes and soft slivers of young coconut, and the freshly sliced sea scallop sprinkled with the equivalent of Japanese allspice and served, in their little pink shells, on crushed ice. Also worth a try is the gravlax, house-cured, rolled around salmon tartare, and the branzino stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, and Mediterranean black olives. They also have an excellent wine list and the servers will be more than happy to help you in the selection of wine and pair it appropriately with the food you’ve ordered.

Oceana is an expensive restaurant and the steep prices can be a deterrent to frequent meals at this place. It’s best saved up for a special occasion when you won’t mind burning a hole in your pocket.

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One Response to “Oceana Restaurant”

1. Tweets that mention Oceana Restaurant | Manhattan Style -- Topsy.com says:

   March 28, 2010 at 7:30 am

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