Review: The Ocean Club, There's a lot in a name.

I've heard good things about The Ocean Club, but never had the chance to try it until I attended a birthday party last week.

The restaurant accomodated our party of more than 20 quite nicely, and although not everyone showed up for dinner, everyone had at least a couple drinks or so.

A glance at their website shows a menu that looks inspired, however after ordering, all I can say is that although the food looked pretty, it didn't do much for the tastebuds.

We started out with the chicken drummettes, which, a couple days later after watching a KFC commercial, M remarked that KFC probably did those chicken wings better. I had to agree!



For entree, I had a seafood quinoa, after being told that the restaurant had run out of ahi tuna, sablefish, and swordfish. boo. The boy ordered mac n' cheese, which was served with braised short ribs. The entrees were just ok. The prawns and scallops were nicely done, but the salmon was dry and overdone. The quinoa was boring and just there. Those two things just put a big "minus" on the entire dish.

I do have to say that the veggies in the seafood quinoa were very tasty. There was an assortment of baby heirloom beets, baby carrots, and steamed gai lan and they were done to perfection.



The mac n' cheese was extremely rich. The braised short ribs were slathered with a syrupy glaze, and while tasting good, paired with the mac and cheese was just too heavy. The boy who never wastes a morsel of food (he's been known to finish off dining companions food for them), left almost half of his pasta in its ramekin.

Service was fantastic. The waitress was friendly and informative, and the waitstaff (although improvised - was that a bouncer who brought us our meals?) were helpful. The bartenders were really good - one of them remembered our drink orders hours later, and made it a priority to serve us at the bar.

The place turns into a club later in the night and it got quite packed, with a line-up outside. It was pretty loud in certain places, and quieter at different parts in the room.

So. Food was hit and miss and service was great. There's a lot in a name, I guess. Visit The Ocean Club *after* dinner, instead of before, and you won't be disappointed.

The Ocean Club

100 Park Royal #105 (East of Park Royal on Taylor Way)

West Vancouver

Tel: (604) 926-2326

Fax: (604) 926-2386