Minneapolis: Oceanaire Seafood Room

I have heard much about Oceanaire and when I was in Minneapolis wanted to give it a try; and I'm sorry that I did. With so many other interesting choices in that city I ended up with a loser. The restaurant tries hard for a 40's cool vibe, which seemed pretty sterile to me and uninviting. When I arrived there were two young ladies at the hostess stand chatting and it took them about 5 minutes to acknowledge that I was there [along with several others who had walked in before me]. I sat at the bar and was basically ignored until I asked for a menu and from then on the service was perfunctory at best. After reading the menu, which I found unimaginative and overpriced, I ordered the scampi. What arrived were 5 medium shrimp, overcooked with the texture of erasers, in a bland sauce [how can something with garlic be bland?]. Nothing else. Not even bread. If they have desserts I wouldn't know as none were offered.

This was one of the worst dining experiences in an "upscale" restaurant that I can remember. The place is all hype and no follow through. When you're in one of the cities where this chain has a location, look for an interesting local establishment to try out rather than one of these. You'll be better off.

EatHereOrNot? NOT

Portland: Jake's Famous Crawfish

Well, to start things off in Portland one has to talk about Jake's. Its the quintessential seafood house in the old-school style. The food is classic seafood with some new twists, always fresh and well prepared. No surprises here, just good food. The service is excellent [ask for Carla or Tony in the dining room] and the place works like a well oiled machine most of the time. The grilled steel head is amazing and there is always a good selection of oysters. On a cold night the etouffee is perfect. The bar is just what you'd expect: loud, good drinks and usually very active with the full menu from the dining room or bar food available. Bobby and Bert and two of the best bartenders in Portland [or anywhere] and are quick to make you feel welcome and at home. The is the place to send visitors to the city for a real "Portland experience". I highly recommend it!

Jake's is the mothership of the McCormick and Schmick's chain around the country, trying to clone the success and ambiance of the original Jake's. I've eaten at several of these clones with varying success, mostly the food is only adequate and the service fair. Seems like the corporate mentality got in the way during the cloning process; too bad, it was a good idea.

EatHereOrNot? EAT HERE

Almost 2008

Welcome to Eat Here. Or Not. Its almost 2008 and I've been thinking about blogging for some time, particularly about travel and food. I travel a bunch for my work and eat out often, sometimes with good results and other times less so. I've decided to chronicle my eating adventures here, both at home and as I travel, maybe to turn you on to a new place to try out or to warn you about a place to avoid. Either way, you can Eat Here. Or Not.