I had been holding off writing my review until I was able to come here a second time. Our first visit was at the start of February and our dinner was so excellent that before we even left, we had made a reservation for our five-year wedding anniversary for the end of the month. We were super excited to come back after such a great first impression.
We found Ostra due to its proximity to the playhouse where we were going to be seeing the blue man group. We were able to make a reservation for just before our show and it was about a block and a half away from that evenings festivities which made it very appealing in the brisk early February cold.
We were served by Trevor, who was friendly and professional and took our order for a bottle of Pellegrino sparkling water ($11) while we looked over the menu. We decided to start with some drinks, hubby ordered the coco non-alcoholic mocktail ($9) and I ordered the Charles on high ($17) which looked to me like a modern take on a Sazerac. Hubby thought his mocktail was delicious and it was beautifully presented, and my drink was so exquisite I barely finished the first one before I was flagging down our waiter for a second.
For our starters, hubby ordered the saffron fish stew ($19) and I ordered the lobster and truffle gnochetti ($25). They brought out a gorgeous loaf of bread topped with shaved garlic, alongside a bowl of mascarpone butter in a pool of exquisite olive oil and topped with an herb leaf. We both thought that the fish stew was good but not great, a little on the heavy side. My lobster however was perfectly cooked and they did not scrimp on the shavings of truffles.
The entrees were delicious. He ordered the sea bream ($43) which was softly poached in a leaf and topped with mixed chopped herbs and had a tantalizing smell that I could barely handle from across the table. I opted for the sea bass ($$37) from the simply grilled menu and it was topped with a lemon vinaigrette and oil with some veggies on the side. We both agreed that the sea bream was superior to the sea bass, however they were both delicious.
For dessert, we ordered the snow egg ($16) which was a delightfully unique lemon dessert and was both light, airy, and flavorful, a perfect end to a very delicious dinner. Our service with Trevor was prompt, attentive, and very friendly, and I had absolutely zero complaints on that part of our evening.
On our return trip, we started with a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water ($11) and I knew that I was going to order a Charles on high ($17) after how delicious they were on our past visit. The starter bread with the butter and olive oil was as good as it was the previous time, and we reserved a table in the lounge which gave us a wonderful quiet solitude during dinner.
For our starters, we chose the piquillo pepper seasonal starter ($17) and the iberico ham ($29). The peppers were soft and flavorful and stuffed with goat cheese, and the ham was served alongside manchego, quince jelly, and figs. We both agreed that the seasonal peppers were the best, however the ham was also very good.
We decided to try something different for our entrees and I ordered the grilled branzino ($41) with a side of truffle fries ($13), and he ordered the peppercorn salmon ($40). My dish was from the simply grilled menu, and was flavorful but heavy. The truffle fries however were perfectly cooked and well flavored, topped generously with parmesan. Hubby's salmon was softly cooked and served alongside purple mashed potato puree and veggies.
For dessert, we ordered the chocolate torte ($16), which they brought to us decorated for our anniversary which I thought was a nice touch. Our waitress apologized profusely for how long it took for the dessert to come out and told us that it was on the house. We were sitting in the lounge listening to live piano and celebrating our anniversary so we honestly didn't even notice that it took longer than usual for the dessert to come out.
Overall Ostra is an exceptionally well-tuned instrument, with well trained staff, impeccably detailed chefs and provides a delicious marine based product in a upscale and modern atmosphere. Prices are absolutely on point for the quality and attention to detail of their dishes, location is convenient, and there is plenty of nearby parking garages for those taking their own car. Reservations are definitely needed because this place is popular for a reason. The fact that we made a reservation before we even left our first dining experience here tells you just how good this place really is, and we can't wait to return. read more