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Oceano ‘pushing the envelope’ of gastronomic entertainment

Published:Thursday | July 28, 2022 | 12:09 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
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You can dive into Oceano’s menu with friends or family. There is something to satisfy every appetite.
Contributed
You can dive into Oceano’s menu with friends or family. There is something to satisfy every appetite.
This sushito, made of steak and veggies rolled with Japanese rice and seaweed, and filled with guacamole, lime and Oceano-made sushito sauce, is a bestseller on the lunch menu.
Contributed
This sushito, made of steak and veggies rolled with Japanese rice and seaweed, and filled with guacamole, lime and Oceano-made sushito sauce, is a bestseller on the lunch menu.
The sauteed shrimp stir-fry bowl with noodles, Japanese guacamole, garlic aioli and vegetables has a mixture of savoury flavours that seafood lovers will delight in.
Stephanie Lyew
The sauteed shrimp stir-fry bowl with noodles, Japanese guacamole, garlic aioli and vegetables has a mixture of savoury flavours that seafood lovers will delight in.
Dubbed ‘The Oath’, this cocktail is equally intriguing as it is exquisitely flavoured with lime and Angostura bitters.
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Dubbed ‘The Oath’, this cocktail is equally intriguing as it is exquisitely flavoured with lime and Angostura bitters.
For a multisensory experience, the spicy beef tenderloin in sesame and red chilli butter, which is torched tableside, is at the top of the list.
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For a multisensory experience, the spicy beef tenderloin in sesame and red chilli butter, which is torched tableside, is at the top of the list.
Thinking of a cocktail that’s a little sour, with a touch of sweet and a whole lot of spicy? Try the spicy karai.
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Thinking of a cocktail that’s a little sour, with a touch of sweet and a whole lot of spicy? Try the spicy karai.
Social media influencers Britney Gooden (left) and Quite Perry having a conversation over poke bowls and cocktails.
Contributed
Social media influencers Britney Gooden (left) and Quite Perry having a conversation over poke bowls and cocktails.
Chey Swaby, Oceano's brand marketing manager, sees eye-to-eye the Oceano sushi. 'SEES EYE....' What does that mean?
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Chey Swaby, Oceano's brand marketing manager, sees eye-to-eye the Oceano sushi. 'SEES EYE....' What does that mean?
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Minutes after ordering a cocktail on a Wednesday night at Oceano, it is delivered to the table. It’s the first thing the waitstaff will recommend, and it will leave you adoring the stylish Japanese-influenced restaurant.

The one-year-old establishment has taken its cocktail lifestyle up a notch to create a multi-sensory dining experience by blending culinary arts. In February, Oceano, located at Market Place, 67 Constant Spring Road, set out to curate a different setting, along with a new beverage menu, by introducing its ‘Weekend Cocktail’ series on a Saturday. Within four months, it has introduced entertainment and theatrical presentations to the dining room.

Taking place each weekend, customers can enjoy teppanyaki live cooking, provided by skilled chefs, as well as international fire dancers, belly dancers, and other theatrical acts putting on a show throughout the restaurant.

“We are pushing the envelope with Oceano. Through dedicated research, we draw inspiration from what is working around the world, but we are keen to do so in a way that maintains the quality of service and thus encourages loyalty from our customers,” said Chad Williams, director of Gastronomic Concepts, the operators of Oceano, in a recent interview with Food.

The operators would have launched its lunch menu around six weeks ago, introducing its soups, stir-fry and poke bowls and sushito, which is a combination of Japanese and Mexican flavours, such as seaweed and guacamole combined with steak, fried tuna, and crispy chicken.

Williams asserted, “It’s not that the Jamaican food culture is shifting into another or newer direction. We are aggressively trying to expand food culture and offerings in Jamaica, and, by large the Caribbean, to accommodate different interests and experiences.”

BEAUTIFUL AESTHETICS

Throughout the week, customers can come out as early as noon for lunch and relish the beautiful aesthetics as they await their meal. From the stunning indoor waterfall to other architectural elements adding to the sleek décor, including mood lighting and intimate seating for couples and larger groups that may come in to dine, Oceano is working diligently to be the face of gastronomic entertainment in Jamaica. On top of the cocktails and newly curated lunch menu, there are innovative dinner and teppanyaki options, with standout appetizers like crispy rice dynamite; fire-roasted corncobs in cilantro mayo; signature rolls such as the republic roll, which is a combination of tempura shrimp, ripe banana and smoked salmon; the peppa shrimp roll; and the guac roll.

“We will be rolling out the other offerings in the next two months. We are giving our customers Japanese dim sum yamucha on Sundays. Monday will be ‘Dinner and a Party’ and the golden hour, which is our happy-hour special,” Williams shared.

“Oceano continues to take calculated risks as we seek to innovate and change the face of gastronomy and hospitality in Jamaica. Whether you want an exciting dining experience with live entertainment or you’d rather opt for a quiet but relaxing set-up with your loved ones, Oceano has something for your tastes every day of the week,” he continued.

Stephanie.lyew@gleanerjm.com