L'étoile de L'Océan

This elegant Portuguese restaurant was the destination for our group of 4. There are two levels of seating, and we were on the upper floor. During our meal, there were three live musicians travelling around the floor. (If they get right beside your table, it can be pretty loud — and mind the guitar neck!) Our pleasant waiter was also one of the owners. He thoughtfully provided empty dishes for the seafood shells.

The menu is heavy on the seafood and it was really tough to make a selection. One whole page is devoted to various paella. And portions are BIG so if you are not a big eater you may want a doggie bag. My tablemates also offered me tastes of their dishes: crispy grilled sardines and salted cod, both were very good. We also shared a bottle of pinot grigio which was very light on its own but the food brought out the flavor in the wine.

Overall an excellent choice for a chilly late summer night. If you go near closing time, don’t hurry away too quickly or you will miss your free shot glass of port as a digestif.