Review by SanDiegoRestaurants.com
To caviar lovers,
hearing words like Beluga, Sevruga and Osetra can be cause for joyous salivation. These are, of course, the names of some of the world´s most highly prized caviars. And just as the delicate fruits of Caspian Sea sturgeon delight the gourmet palate, so do the impressive seafood creations of one of downtown San Diego´s newest and most sensational restaurants, Osetra - the Fishhouse.
Located
at the intersection of 5th and E St., this magnificent example of contemporary urban architecture has engendered a most welcome, upscale aura to this particular section of the Gaslamp District. The spacious, split-level design allows for both a festive lounge atmosphere on the ground floor and top flight, eclectic dining upstairs. As guests enter Osetra, they find themselves dazzled by an amazing Oyster Bar, which features an ever changing array of delicacies such as Maine lobster, fresh crab, and clams along with a wide variety of oysters and rare, imported caviars. Vodka connoisseurs will be entranced by their famous "Ice Bar´ that offers up some of the most frigidly refined libations on the planet.
The prime showpiece,
however, is a multi-level wine tower featuring one of the most varied and complete inventories of popular vintages in the entire city. It is attended by a young, female "Wine Angel" who, by way of a cable hoist, "flies" up the tower to retrieve the specific bottle that has been selected by the diner. This amenity provides an interesting and entertaining diversion within the lounge and dining areas. With a total seating capacity of 250, including private dining areas, Osetra is a perfect selection for those planning banquets and other special events.
Observant diners
will also note the well thought out, interactive design in the upstairs dining area that tastefully compliments itself, while subtly enhancing the quality of the fine dining experience. While Osetra´s well choreographed team of servers gave my guest and I the impression that the restaurant had been open for years, on the evening of our visit we learned that they had only been serving patrons for barely a month. For a newly opened dining establishment, this is a truly remarkable achievement.
Our server,
Stefano, is a former resident of Rome, Italy, and was the consummate tableside attendant. He always managed to expertly show up at exactly the right moment with a well-timed delivery of our courses, while adeptly attending to several other tables simultaneously. Osetra´s talented Sommelier, Roger Browning, possesses a great understanding of the magical gastronomic experiences that can take place when good food is paired with a great wine. His suggestions proved to be superbly matched to the menu items selected.
Veteran Chef,
Larry Vigil, is a master of contemporary culinary styles, and kept our taste buds in a state of virtual ecstasy throughout the entire visit. He started us out with the Asian Shrimp appetizer, which featured a plump, saltwater shrimp that was deftly wrapped in a nest of lumpia noodles, topped with mango salsa and served in a tempting, hondashi miso broth. The rich, comforting flavor captured the essence of the alluring flavors that characterize Pacific Rim cuisine.
Next,
we were served a sampling of hot appetizers that each consisted of two, huge U-6 prawns in a devilishly flavorful sauce that infused Chinese 5-spice seasonings to add just the right touch. They were accompanied by lobster sushi roll slices, which were fresh and light, yet wonderfully rich with the taste of the popular Crustacean. We also received a Hand Roll Ménage; delicately shaped trumpets of nori (Japanese sushi seaweed), each stuffed respectively with Maine lobster, crabmeat and spicy ahi tuna. Served with freshly made wasabi and shoyu, this appetizer achieved a level of elegance and creativity rarely matched in most restaurants.
Prior to the arrival
of our entrees, Stefano delivered Osetra´s premier Poached D´Anjou Pear salad. In a tasty variation of this French classic, it features fresh Boston lettuce with chiffonade Belgian endive, watercress, Gorgonzola cheese and candied walnuts, and is crowned by a fresh pear that has been gently poached in Merlot. The cumulative flavors were light and unpretentious, yet complex and refined. It was indeed a masterful mix.
The moment
that the salad plates were whisked away, Stefano presented our main course. My dining partner´s grilled 14oz. Kobe New York steak was fork tender, and served with special cottage fries, grilled white asparagus and a Madeira sauce. This entrée was rich, toothsome and literally fit for royalty.
My Chilean
Sea Bass was a generous, thick, alabaster slice of boneless filet covered with an outstanding papaya glaze. It was served on a bed of scrumptious Persian couscous and fresh watercress. The sea bass was perfectly cooked, flaked easily, and the combination of the delicate fish, papaya glaze and luscious, Australian Riesling selected by the sommelier was absolutely sublime.
Stefano suggested
that we try their dessert sampler and, though we tried valiantly to resist, we eventually gave in. The platter came with a petite lemon tart the exploded with citrus flavor, a small slice of one of the best chocolate-peanut butter ice cream pies that I have ever tasted, along with an impressive vanilla bean gelato that was refreshingly elegant.
As we sat
reflecting on the exceptional meal that we had just enjoyed, I noticed the Wine Angel gracefully returning to the ground floor with another bottle of fine wine and suddenly realized that we had just visited another kind of heaven. Without a doubt, Osetra has the stuff that legendary restaurants are made of.
