NYC diners know Restaurant Week is a bit of a crapshoot. Participants either take the promotion
as an opportunity to introduce themselves to new diners - Danny Meyer's
restaurants do this very well, so do restaurants such as Tocqueville
and Cafe Boulud - or they do it for the volume or because they think
they have to.
We had hoped that Oceana's pedigree would put it firmly in the former category and their offer of 30% off the entire winelist during Restaurant Week was sufficient to lure us back, in spite of the mediocre food and wine service we had experienced there a few years ago. The chef had since changed, the Times' critic loved it (reaffirming its three stars just last July) and it seemed like a good opportunity to give it abother try.
However, on our visit, it seemed like the kitchen wasn't even trying, just cranking out those menus and praying RW would soon be over soon. There was little imagination at work on the plates presented. Bland, boring, monotone presentation and flavors seemingly customized to a shabby room.
We had hoped that Oceana's pedigree would put it firmly in the former category and their offer of 30% off the entire winelist during Restaurant Week was sufficient to lure us back, in spite of the mediocre food and wine service we had experienced there a few years ago. The chef had since changed, the Times' critic loved it (reaffirming its three stars just last July) and it seemed like a good opportunity to give it abother try.
However, on our visit, it seemed like the kitchen wasn't even trying, just cranking out those menus and praying RW would soon be over soon. There was little imagination at work on the plates presented. Bland, boring, monotone presentation and flavors seemingly customized to a shabby room.
The wine deal was pushed hard - two servers mentioned it within a
minute of sitting down. We settled on a riesling, which worked well
with the food (as rieslings usually do) but certainly wasn't worth the
three figure list price - or even the discounted one. Even with the mark-down, this is one seriously pricey list.
Bland celery root soup (at least there was a nice little scallop at the bottom of the bowl) started off the meal in uninspiring fashion. Mushy steamed fish alongside tasteless cabbage puree came next. Even though bacon was advertised in the description, the smoky bacon goodness (as well as salt) was sorely missing. None of the vibrant flavors mentioned in Frank Bruni's July review were on display. The swordfish with oyster mushrooms and miso was the most succesful; unfortunately, the miniscule portion left us hungry. Given the ridiculously small portions, we had to fill up on bread - they only offered one kind, a decent sourdough - though it is odd for a three-star restaurant to only offer one type of bread. At least, they brought the bread by more than once and we noticed other tables loading up on those slices as well. The desserts, which also got high notes in the review, were not memorable in any way.
Sadly, last week's experience was on par with our previous experience - uninteresting food and who cares service. Even worse, the room, soon to be abandoned for Sixth Avenue, is now shabby and dreary, the basement bathrooms barely passable in a casual joint.
Note - they have extended restaurant week through Spring, including the 30% discount on bottled wine. And RW diners receive a coupon for 10% off food and beverage when they move to their new location this summer. Too bad they won't be seeing us there.
Oceana
55 E. 54th Street, 212-759-5941
Bland celery root soup (at least there was a nice little scallop at the bottom of the bowl) started off the meal in uninspiring fashion. Mushy steamed fish alongside tasteless cabbage puree came next. Even though bacon was advertised in the description, the smoky bacon goodness (as well as salt) was sorely missing. None of the vibrant flavors mentioned in Frank Bruni's July review were on display. The swordfish with oyster mushrooms and miso was the most succesful; unfortunately, the miniscule portion left us hungry. Given the ridiculously small portions, we had to fill up on bread - they only offered one kind, a decent sourdough - though it is odd for a three-star restaurant to only offer one type of bread. At least, they brought the bread by more than once and we noticed other tables loading up on those slices as well. The desserts, which also got high notes in the review, were not memorable in any way.
Sadly, last week's experience was on par with our previous experience - uninteresting food and who cares service. Even worse, the room, soon to be abandoned for Sixth Avenue, is now shabby and dreary, the basement bathrooms barely passable in a casual joint.
Note - they have extended restaurant week through Spring, including the 30% discount on bottled wine. And RW diners receive a coupon for 10% off food and beverage when they move to their new location this summer. Too bad they won't be seeing us there.
Oceana
55 E. 54th Street, 212-759-5941
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