Eating Out: Ocean Front Oceana

There is a mysterious problem with Boston 's Waterfront area; it's dull. With such a view from the city, Bostonist would assume that more restaurants would use this location to their advantage, but Bostonist thinks that the options are pretty limited. With Tia's on the Waterfront being the biggest hotspot in the area, Bostonist decided to try out another restaurant on the water, Oceana.

Located in the Long Wharf Marriott, Oceana's entrance is through the hotel lobby on the second floor. The first room of the restaurant is a voluminous, long bar area which was vacant during our lunch hour visit. The more stylish dining area was off the bar in an observation-like deck which offered an excellent view of the normally hidden Boston Harbor. The ambience was simple and elegant but the clientele seemed a little on the stuffy side.

We started off our lunch with two appetizers: a calamari dish and a "tomato tower." The calamari was lightly fried in a very non-greasy but tasty batter, which complimented the black olives and jalapenos. It was served with an olive paste sauce, which gave the entire dish a spicy-sour taste, which was very pleasing. The tomato tower was presented perfectly with red and yellow tomatoes separated by layers of mozzarella. While these were good, the chef added far too much basil to our liking, leaving an overpowering aftertaste.

For the main course, we ordered small sea scallops that were baked in a mushroom sauce, served with jasmine rice and a steamed vegetable medley. The scallops themselves were very good, but the steamed vegetable and rice were very basic sides. The Crabcake Sandwich was very scrumptious with excellent crab and plenty of perfect homemade stuffing. French fries accompanied the sandwich and had that seafood taste that you only get from seafood restaurants.

For dessert, Bostonist decided on the chocolate tort and a rich strawberry cheesecake. The tort was covered in a fantastic whipped cream with a garnish of a brittle dark chocolate fan. The cheesecake was definitely fresh, served not as a slice, but an individual circular potion covered with fresh blueberries and strawberries, which made it almost seem healthy. Overall, the desserts were the highlights of the meal.

With a pretty good meal in its stomach, Bostonist questions why Oceana doesn't capitalize on its romantic environment and instead succumbs to mostly blue-hair regulars and hotel guests. While the chef excelled at making common food very well, we expected a little more experimentation for the price of the lunch. Yet, Oceana would be a lovely spot for a quiet first date, and an even better brunch spot for early birds to watch the sun come up over the water.

Bostonist gives Oceana 3.5 out of 5