Oceanaire

If you are looking for an excellent high quality fish & seafood restaurant, it is hard to beat Bostons new Oceanaire at 40, Court Street. It is in easy walking distance of Quincys Market & Faneuil Hall in the central financial district. We were in town to visit our son and had heard of this fast expanding national chain with a reputation for high quality seafood. We arrived around 8pm Monday night without reservation & were met by the very helpful maitre d' and quickly found a table. The building is a converted bank with a high ceiling and tall pillars It has been tastefully converted to its new use.Our waiter had undergone detailed orientation & was very knowledgeable about the extensive menu. We ordered one sashimi style tuna appetizer, which was delicious & plenty for three to share. A half loaf of crusty fresh bread was brought free, together with a small sushi taster & plenty of ice water. We had one haddock in golden breadcrumbs, one striped bass, and one grouper. None of these appeared in the online menu listings, but all were delicious and substantial. Our waiter warned us that the side orders are huge, so we had only one portion of mashed creamed potato. He was right, and we noted other diners having to take home large doggy bags of food for the next day. We finished with one baked alaska between three. It was flamed in 151 proof rum at the table & again was too much for us to finish. After the meal, Andrew gave us a guided tour of the private rooms, with seating for several hundred away from the main dining room. We also saw the kitchens & storage areas which still have giant bank vault doors with time locks. The bill came to £196 including one bottle of Chardonnay & 19[%] tip. Although not cheap, we left feeling that we had good value for money & a great dining experience.