Oceano Bistro Is Quite The Fish Story

Franki and I like to travel. A lot. We also love to eat seafood when we travel. A lot. Maybe that's because we're in the Midwest, where fish isn't exactly native to the local palate, but there;s something to eating on the coasts, in view of the ocean, that makes fish and sushi taste better.

That isn't speculation. We live in St Louis, and when we return from someplace like Vancouver or San Diego, we inevitably head out to get some salmon or tuna or sashimi from a local joint, and are always disappointed.

Yes - even at Bristol's. And regular readers know that we had a sweet spot for Aqua Vin until they changed their menu and went from sweet spot to sour note.

But now, now we have a favorite. There is a place in St Louis that you can eat fish without fear. Where you can order salmon and calamari (pan seared, not fried) and clam chowder, and sea bass, and anything your little saltwater creature loving heart could desire.

Welcome to St Louis, Oceano Bistro. First off - the place looks great. It's situated where the old Tejas restaurant was, which was previously Jalapeno's in Clayton on the corner of Maryland and Brentwood (it's across the street from Cardwell's). The restaurant has been totally revamped (you wouldn't recognize it), and if you choose, you can sit next to giant bay windows that swing open and let you it outside, while still inside.

The food is fantastic. With each dish, our expectations rose, from teh crab cakes and the calamari to the excellent salad and the clam chowder, to the sea bass and salmon. The food was awesome, the service, by our waiter Tony B, was impeccable, and we can't stop recommending it to our friends and family.

Yes, yes - this post sounds like a fake Amazon review, but that's because we're amazed, and shocked to find fish in St Louis that is fresh (flown in every 24 hours) and prepared with a delicate touch. And our bill was less than $70.

We've found a fish place in St Louis. Thank you Oceano Bistro. Now don't screw it up!