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Still Got It: Ocean Grill
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jun 16, 2013
Modified Jun 16, 2013
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jun 16, 2013
Modified Jun 16, 2013
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In this city, restaurants come and go faster than you can say "sustainable locavore burger." And even though there are great new additions to the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals and drinks long after the buzz has faded—or if the lingering hype is still justified.
This fancy Upper West Side spot has been serving up oysters, scallops and the like across the street from the American Museum of Natural History for years, catering to a slightly older, well-heeled crowd. But don't let that turn you off—Ocean Grill's exquisite fresh seafood dishes are worth every penny and overheard complaint from your neighbor that the print on the menu's too small.
Ocean Grill's got two large dining rooms, one candlelit with a candelabra and decked out in framed photographs on the walls, the other featuring stylish nautical portholes. Be sure to sample the bread, since the salted white rolls are so tasty and buttery you may find yourself willing to forgo dinner for them. But don't do that, and load up on appetizers instead. The dishes are best at their simplest; the chopped salad ($12) is a low-key combination of chickpeas, feta, olives, onions, tomatoes, romaine, capers, cucumbers, red peppers, celery and croutons, but it might be singlehandedly the best item on the menu. The oysters are also worth a try, and the restaurant's got a solid selection of East and West Coast ones priced at $3.50-$4 each. And real crustacean lovers should check out the massive shellfish towers ($48 for two guests, $82 for 2-4 guests, $128 for 4-6). They come packed with all the fixings on ice, like maine lobster, red king crab, jumbo shrimp, littleneck clams, ceviche, marinated prince edward island mussels, east and west coast oysters.
For main courses, Ocean Grill offers more elaborate dishes like the miso-glazed chilean sea bass ($38) and scottish salmon served with snow pea and fava bean risotto ($26). But if you're not into all that sauce and pizzaz, stick with their simply-grilled options: the atlantic swordfish ($26) is fresh and tender, and the big eye tuna ($32), sprinkled with squeezed lemon and extra-virgin olive oil, is a rare fish-lover's best friend.
They've also got a sushi bar that whips up nigri, sashimi and maki rolls, and they serve chicken, steak and burgers for people who prefer their meals to have once walked on land. But, hey, this is a seafood place, so unless you're getting dragged there by someone else and just can't stand the taste of fish, order a lobster or something, already. And for dessert, you can close out your dinner with a rich molten chocolate tart ($8) or a sweet salted caramel cake ($9), or you can save room for the free muffins they hand out at the end of the meal. Though, sadly, those muffins were omitted at this writer's last visit. Tell them that next time you're there.
Ocean Grill is located at 384 Columbus Avenue between 77th and 78th Street on the Upper West Side (212-579-2300, oceangrill.com). Follow them on Facebook.
Tagged
ocean grill
seafood
still got it
Upper West Side
original
Rebecca Fishbein
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