Wow. These people know how to do seafood. The scallops and the tuna were seared to rare perfection - easy in theory but rarely accomplished my most restaurant chefs. The squid appetizer was delicious, if not a little heavy on the breading. The mains are where Oceanaire really shines.
There are two kickers to this affair, however, one being the outrageously priced menu. Have you ever in your life paid $7 for a plate of fries? Everything on the menu is priced at a premium above market rate.
The second kicker which, for me, makes the first kicker pretty intolerable, is that the Oceanaire atmosphere is completely manufactured. It has "Trademark" written all over it, a chain of many chains engineered to hit the right buttons of consumer emotion, with kitchy and clever phrases stenciled on the wall, cherry wood veneer booths, and 1950's looking chairs. I think across the board they were trying to evoke the "classy joint" look of yesteryear, yet the cheeseball stock acoustic tiling on the ceiling went untouched. At the prices they demand, the interior should be lavish! I think there are better values around town that will offer a vastly more authentic experience. I would certainly consider going back, but only if somebody else was paying for it.
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