current crave: crab cakes

 d i n i n g   o u t

Oceanaire in downtown sd immediately gives you the feeling of being on a cruise ship. as you enter you come up a winding staircase that leads you onto the "main deck." the decor is atlantic ocean meets royal caribbean. they offer a new menu daily with fresh seafood selections.  

(( pictures were taken on a camera phone, so I apologize for the quality ))

I'll have a ketel martini straight up, extra dirty with blue cheese stuffed olives!

perfectly paired with...anything for that matter

CHESAPEAKE BAY STYLE CRAB CAKES - w/ creamy mustard mayonnaise.

no imitation meat here, this little cake is 100% packed with fresh meaty pieces of crab that melt in your mouth with every bite.  definitely a staple to order. this was an appetizer, but they also serve it as an entree and include 2. the chunks of crab are hearty and 2 will serve you well as an entree.

 

KID DYNAMITE‛ BLUE CRAB CRUSTED NEW ZEALAND BLUENOSE w/ Sake and Soy Poached Bok Choy & Screaming Rooster Sauce (aka siracha for all those who know wassup).

 the waiter described this dish's spice factor as an 8/10. but I gaged it at about a 2.5. the fish was dense and filling, the sauce paired well. to me the best part was topped crusted crab meat topping.
 

I don't know if its the asian in me that got me to try both this and the dish below, but both feature familiar ingredients, not to mention that the fish below was completely fried, head and all! 

FLASH FRIED WHOLE NEW ZEALAND PINK SNAPPER‚ "ANGRY‛

w/ Trio of Chili Peppers, Garlic, Basil and Orange Zest.

and yes he really was "angry" you should have seen his teeth and the look it was giving! personally i think this dish was a gamble for the chef. although I am use to seeing this sort of presentation, I don't think many diners want to see the head and teeth of what they eat. the dish could feed 2 but was definitely 3x as much as getting it from your local asian market. which actually inspires me to do a remake of this recipe...

d e s s e r t

my taste buds were ready to try oceanaire's signature dessert the "baked alaska" but to my dismay the waiter unexpectedly informed me they were OUT! how could this be?! definitely not a highlight of the night. but i still had to get my sweet fix so we headed over to extraordinary desserts - who never disappoints! from the fresh edible flowers and fruit, the presentation and the taste, each dish there comes with sensory overload.

raspberry coffee cake.

dulce de leche cheesecake.

ahh-mazing! heaven in a bite. creamy, sweet-but not too sweet,

equipped with surprising crunchy bites of toffee

*what to order: Chesapeake Bay Style Crab Cakes with creamy mustard mayonnaise

*deliciousness: 5/5

this has to be the epitome of a crab cake. i would order nothing but this the next time I went. well...that and a martini.
*price: 4/5
fresh seafood, and fine dining - 'nuff said
*service: 5/5
waiters were very attentive and friendly. service was timely; never had to wait for anything. in fact, it seemed like right after you took a sip of water someone was standing right there to refill it. I also liked how they offered fresh olives, pickles, & radishes on an iced tray, along with a bread basket upon your arrival. a nice little detail.
*atmosphere: 3/5
the design concept was clever. overall it was a nice place but very compact.