Oceanaire

Oceanaire
7th & Olive
Seattle WA

Tracy's brother suggested a joint called Oceanaire, which I mistook to be inside the W hotel, replete with silly portholes and other hokey details. Then, on Monday afternoon, at the least opportune moment, there it was. Street corner, sea foam neon lights and rotating brass beckoning.

We'd been circling the block for a Torrefazione retail store (which did not exist.) It was time for a drink.

I didn't know what to expect. The hostess gave us a bit of grief about not having a reservation. It was 5 o'clock and enormous people in lime green colored polo shirts were seated at the bar, eating platters of ....

Seafood.

It's all about seafood. We were just going to stop in for a drink and one (read: 1) snack. Kick off with a glass of Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose, and some delicate, cucumbery and buttery Pacific NW oysters which *nearly made me cry. Kai felt compelled to order the Kona Kampachi with hijiki, gorgeous feathery textures which also almost *made me cry. (For a guy who grew up hating fish and loving his sausages and kraut, he devoured every sliver of fish and sea-ness on the plate.)

Somewhere in between I ordered a gigantic plate of salt and vinegar fries and a side of rainbow chard (sauteed with bacon and garlic). Then I decided that I needed a bowl of moules to go with the frites (reverse order noted,) which also *made me want to cry. By this time, I was on my very healthy pour of the Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir.

We would have kept going - Kai had his eye on the Kurobuta Pork Chop, me on halibut or salmon - but we had to move on.

Next time, we make a reservation, bring friends, order everything on the menu, and have a Bakes Alaska for dessert. I don't care if it's a chain or franchise or whatever it is, it was some of the most gorgeous fish we'd experienced in the Pacific NW.

http://www.theoceanaire.com/#Seattle