Ocean Prime is in its Prime

There are only a handful of restaurants in Denver where service is impeccable, a perfect blend of formality, ceremony but also warmth. Ocean Prime is one of those places.  Every time I’ve gone, whether for a full meal or just a pre-theater cocktail, one thing is for certain – I’ll feel pampered while still feeling a connection with my server. That’s more unusual than you would think! And then there’s the food…

It’s great! Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to drop a bombshell. I’ve had one of the best steaks of my life at Ocean Prime and certainly, one of the most impressive displays of fresh seafood, ever (more on that below). On a recent visit, for a long-awaited, long-deserved date night with my sweetie, we enjoyed an almost perfect meal.

When the bread basket is a treat, you know you’re probably in for a special dinner. And Ocean Prime’s was, with a soft and salty pretzel and a mini loaf of bread with flavorful butter, we were tempted to gobble it up but knew we needed to save room. 

“House Salad” in most places means greens, slices of cucumber, tomato and usually too many rings of red onion. The “Ocean Prime House Salad,” however, had greens, Granny Smith apples, mild goat cheese, walnuts and a sherry mustard vinaigrette ($13). Fresh tasting, crisp,  and creamy.

When we visited, they had just changed around how they made their Crab Cakes. The primary ingredients were the same but instead of using breadcrumbs as part of the mixture that, with egg, gets formed into a patty, this version used panko breadcrumbs on the outside to create more of a crust. While the flavor was just what you’d expect from crab cakes, the exterior breadcrumb treatment and resulting molded patty seemed a bit too perfect. While some people would absolutely love that, we like a little unkempt, lumpiness to remind us that we are eating crab and not something too pulverized. The treatment of Brussels Sprouts, corn and tomatoes tumbling over the top along with mustard cream ($39) was a colorful addition that lent flavor and texture.

The Surf & Turf ($60) was also a newer item, a twist on a traditional. Instead of being de-constructed, I’d describe it as a super-constructed offering of lobster, steak, potato and sauce. This was to its advantage and disadvantage. The dish was beautiful, stacked and impressive. The only negative was that it was hard to separate out any individual elements to be able to revel in them alone. And each element was so good! The butter-poached lobster, the 8 oz beef filet, the gouda potato cake, Cabernet truffle reduction and béarnaise sauce…  But in that format, with the reduction at the base of the dish, it was very hard to get a bite of one thing without involving everything else. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those people whose foods must not touch on their plate. I’d just like to have the option of getting a bite of this, a bite of that, and a combination of this with that. 

Dessert? I didn’t even entertain the other options which included Warm Butter Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, among other things, delicious though they sounded. Without hesitation, I ordered the Mile High Carrot Cake ($14), remembering from my last visit how amazing it had been.  We asked our server what the process must be like to make all those many, thin, moist layers of cake and she said it involved many pans. Even sharing it, we still had to get a to-go box and we may or may not have had the leftovers for breakfast the next day. After all, vegetables, eggs and fruit were involved, much like a good breakfast would have.

 One thing we didn’t have this visit was seafood. We regretted that decision when, mid-way through our meal, the table next to us ordered the “Smoking” (dry ice) Shellfish Tower (market price). We’d enjoyed that before (see it pictured below from a previous visit), a triumphant celebration of crustaceans and mollusks! Raw Bar items are one of Ocean Prime’s specialties.  Next time, we’ll come in for a couple of cocktails, a salad and just go to town on that Tower!

 I really appreciate that Ocean Prime lists their prices on their menu online. Especially with prices one needs to be at least mentally prepared for.  Nothing puts a damper on what is supposed to be a romantic date or birthday dinner for Mom than a gasp when the menu comes. We’ve literally seen people sit down in a restaurant, take a look at the menu and have to sheepishly walk out because the prices were beyond what they were prepared to pay.

Going to Ocean Prime is a treat, not only because of how special the menu and the decor is (jewel-like with a golden glow), but also because of the fantastic service from the host to bus person to your server who guides you through your meal. It’s a place to go to feel special and valued, which is just so nice.

  EXTRAS from OCEAN PRIME

Sunday, August 5 is National Oyster Day. When we, at InGoodTasteDenver.com think of oysters, our thoughts dreamily turn to Ocean Prime where we’ve had delicious ones on more than one occasion. They’ll be celebrating with “Half Off the Half Shell” half-priced oysters for the entire evening.  Ocean Prime offers oysters two ways: West Coast (sweeter) and East Coast (saltier). 

New additions to the menu:  Columbia River Salmon summer feature: the first catch of the season of wild salmon from the Columbia River paired with two distinct expressions of rustic, medium-bodied Pinot Noir. It’s line-caught and sent to the restaurant the next day. It’s presented with an Oregon forest mushroom ragout, roasted tomatoes, fennel, and toasted garlic reduction,  finished with Dungeness crab salad, shaved fennel, and balsamic tomato vinaigrette. Yum! 
 
In addition to beer,  and a wide range of cocktails, Ocean Prime also has an extensive wine list. Our server made absolutely perfect recommendations on wine to go with what we ordered for dinner. Ocean Prime just received the coveted Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 11th year in a row. We’re not surprised. 

We visited the Larimer Square location of Ocean Prime where it sits right on the corner with fantastic views of all of the charm and activity of the historic block. They also have a location in the Denver Tech Center.