Chris.Derecola

A few months ago, we went up to Baltimore to get away from the hustle and bustle of work, school and everything else that was going on. I’ve never really spent time in the city without my college buddies, so I wanted to take the opportunity to explore some of the things I’d never seen before. In an homage to my heritage, part of the visit included a walk through Little Italy. I hadn’t really intended to write anything about it, but my dad recently told me he was visiting for the first time so I thought it worthwhile to talk briefly about Vaccaro’s.

I’m always skeptical about Italian places and this place was no exceptions despite the ridiculous number of rave reviews online. My skepticism was unfounded; walking into this place actually reminded me of being at my grandmother’s house. The furniture and decor was aged, in only a way your grandparent’s can be, but for whatever reason it was comforting. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs so we made a go of a sampler platter of cookies and cakes as well as a few scoops of gelatto. Everything was pretty much on par with what I remember from my childhood. The pignoli and almond cookies were good and the cannoli were as good as any homemade ones I’ve had. I guess it’s really not that hard to do this stuff well, but I’ve eaten my share of crap over the years… so maybe it’s not that easy.

If you’re in Baltimore, be sure to check it out. Evidently they have two locations in DC, but I’ve never been to either. I’m interested in hearing the responses of anyone who has.

This review has been awhile in the making, but I just haven’t wanted to sit down and really give it the time it deserves. About a month ago we did a quick 24 hours in Baltimore to get away from the hustle that is every day life. I looked around online for places to eat a nice meal and settled on Oceannaire [website has obnoxious music] because it got relatively decent reviews and was within walking distance of the hotel.

The decor of the restaurant was pretty nice; I’d best describe it as Morton’s with a distinct art deco flair. We were dressed in business casual but there were also folks in jeans as well as jacket and tie so it was somewhat impossible to feel out of place. The service was exceptional, with the white jacketed waiters striking that perfect balance between being helpful with recommendations and leaving us alone. Our wine glasses were never empty and up-sale was not a part of their vocab, even when we declined dessert (more on that in another post).

I’m always somewhat hesitant to try out chains because a lot of them end up with the same “American” menu and very rarely do they differentiate themselves. Surprised I’d never heard of this chain, especially since there’s one in NW DC, I figured it was worth a shot. Generally speaking, the food surpassed my expectations and I think I’m comfortable tagging it as outstanding. Not everything was completely memorable so I’ll hit some highlights.

• They brought out of pickled veggies and ceviche to start. This was pretty good but considering the amount of food we’d ordered, we didn’t eat it all before it was whisked away.
• We started with a cold mountain of shellfish; you can find a pic on my Facebook page if you really care. It was pretty good, but I’ve had better at Capital Grille. A few things, like the snow crab, didn’t have much flavor. Considering the price, I wouldn’t order it again.
• Melissa had grilled sea scallops and reported they were very fresh and prepared nicely. I didn’t try them so I can’t really comment.
• My main was seared yellowfin tuna which I ordered against the waiter’s recommendations of having it sashimi style. I love me some raw fish but I also like the sesame seed crust on the outside. As you can see in the pic above, it was mostly raw anyway… in other words, cooked perfectly. This dish also marked the first time I’d had real wasabi. No, not the dried powder crap you get with sushi but grated wasabi root. Holy crap was it awesome.
• I also splurged and ordered a side dish of foie gras. It was something like $17 for 5 thick slices, which is an incredible value, so I couldn’t pass it up. It was creamy and tasted a bit of egg yolk but lacked that gamey taste that the poor quality stuff sometimes boasts. Pan fried in butter and served with toast points, it’s some of the best I’ve had.
• Three words: Lobster Mac & Cheese

The actual name of the restaurant is Izakaya BlueOcean, as shown on their website, but the physical sign out front and most of the mapping sites know it simply as Blue Ocean. I’ve seen the names used interchangeably, so be aware of that.

Ever since we returned from Japan early last year, we’ve had an increasing desire to experience the high end of Japanese food again. Known as kaiseki, it consists of numerous small dishes that are beautifully prepared and even more delicious to eat. Unaware of any “real” Japanese restuarants in the area, I contacted someone I went to high school with who is of Japanese decent and asked if she knew of anywhere. She hadn’t had kaiseki in the area but gave me a list of her three favorite sushi resutarants, with a confession of being a sushi snob, and suggested I check them out. Her #1 recommendation had kaiseki on the menu so I made a reservation the requisite week+ in advance.

The bad news is there was a mix up with our reservation. As I mentioned, you have to reserve a week in advance, presumably so they can make sure all the necessary supplies are on hand. Even though I called ~10 days ahead of time, they seemed confused when we showed up and told them we’d reserved kaiseki. The owner, or at least the old Japanese guy that spoke broken English and seemed to run the place, came out and told us they didn’t have the reservation but would make something “very close.”

Before I discuss the food, I should take a moment to describe the restaurant itself. You’d be best served by leaving all your expectations at home. It’s in a strip mall in Fair Oaks, the decor is very worn and the decorations are… let’s just say they’re exactly what you expect from a tiny, family run business. I’m a firm believer that, aside from high-end fancy places, the “hole in the wall” establishments have the best food. IBO is no exception.

About the food, I’m not really sure where to start. I started to keep track of everything in my head but with ~8 courses and anywhere from 1 to 5 things in each course, I quickly lost track. Not everything was a complete hit, but the quality of everything was top notch. We had a mix of hot, sashimi, cold, soup, pork, fried, vegetables, grilled and pretty much everything in between. I’ll touch on the major points, to give you an idea of what to expect.

• Raw Fish – Simply the best sushi/sashimi I’ve found in the area. I’m pretty picky when it comes to my sushi and this place is simply the best. It wasn’t Japan good, but it was pretty darn good. Bonito, salmon, tuna, squid… it was all tasty. My favorite was the fatty tuna, hands down. The stuff was so marbled it looked like Kobe beef (tasted like it too) and could barely hold itself together. Evidently, it was this and not what is typically served.
• Cooked Fish – I’m actually not a fan of cooked fish. I love sushi but something just seems to go wrong when heat is applied. I don’t know how they do it, but the cooked fish at IBO is almost as good as the raw stuff. It’s tender, flaky and buttery delicious regardless of prep method.
• Pork – We had this barbecue pork dish that was great. I really don’t know how they managed since they didn’t know we were coming but it was tender and savory. Served with Chinese mustard, it was the best hot dish.
• Veggies – Besides the plethora of leafs and green things I had never eaten before, there was this mushroom dish that instantly took me back to Japan. It had several different types of ‘shrooms, drizzled with a hot broth, and you dipped it in this astringent, vinegary sauce. I don’t know what it’s called but I remember commenting “this is Japan in a bowl.”
• Prep Level – Everything was we expected it. It was all well prepared, with meticulous attention to detail, and a lot of it could pass for artwork. I wanted to take pictures a few things but didn’t want to be “that guy” like I was in Japan. I almost felt bad eating them, but that didn’t last long after the first bite.

So I guess that’s it. I know I raved about it, but I don’t think I really did it justice. Part of it is because I’m sentimental about the food in Japan, however it really was a solid meal. It’s the closest thing I’ve had since being there and despite not experiencing their full menu, I think anyone would be happy with ordering from it. I’d be interested in going back and trying kaiseki when they’re expecting us, but given the price it’s not gonna happen any time soon. If you try it, be sure to report back.