Let me set the scene for you. It’s late afternoon, I’m on crowded streets full of joyful travelers and natives. I’ve passed three different places that sell Hurricanes. Where am I? None other than New Orleans! The city where food, drinks and partying are on the itinerary all day and night. One of my favorite spots to indulge at is Oceana Grill.
Located in the busy streets of the French Quarter stands a three story restaurant usually with a long line wrapped around it. Luckily, I made reservations and by the looks received by people in line, I’d say they’ll be making a reservation next time. There are balconies lined with tables so you can still experience the street life while dining. They also have a courtyard for dining as well with alligator and crab decor. Inside there are tables all over, which is needed with how much business Oceana gets. Exposed brick with lots of slogan art and boat decor. Oceana features a full bar (of course) of classic and new age drinks. This is the place to go for traditional New Orleans cuisine.
With all the character Oceana has the food had to follow up with greatness. It did. For starters, I had the seafood gumbo. What better place is there to get gumbo if not Louisiana? Every spoonful was filled with flavor from the seafood provided. If you’ve never had gumbo this is definitely the place to try it. You can get it in a cup or bowl, I recommend the bowl.
Next up was the fried catfish platter. The catfish was seasoned and fried perfectly. The platter came with french fries, cole slaw and jalapeño hushpuppies. You can also get the catfish blackened instead of fried. In addition to the fried catfish, I also had the gator tail bites. The bites were very good and fried superbly.
The last thing I tried was the cajun jambalaya pasta. I should’ve been done right? Wrong. This menu has too many good things on it for me to stop at the fried food and gumbo. This pasta dish gave everything it needed to. It consisted of shrimp, alligator sausage, onions and bell peppers. Toss that in Creole sauce with some fettuccine noodles and it’s a a wrap. Yes, to go boxes were involved.
Oceana didn’t disappoint in the slightest and I will definitely return. The staff is very friendly and make sure to tell you the spicy items on the menu if you’re into some heat. There’s no question as to why Oceana is a staple restaurant in New Orleans. Keep in mind this is a VERY busy place so don’t come with expectations of eating 20 minutes after you order. I promise it’s worth the wait though and you’ll actually forget the wait with the drinks available. With so many different places to choose from in the French Quarter, Oceana needs to be on your list.
The Hedonist's Chronicles 