Dining Out Review: Ocean Breeze Bar & Grill

It's not often that the name of a restaurant sends me screeching to a halt on the side of the road, narrowly avoiding a pileup, just to see what it's all about. But that's what happened a few months ago as I was driving down Hull Street Road near Brandermill.

"Ocean Breeze Bar & Grill," the sign read.

"OCEAN?! As in seafood?!" I yelled to my shellfish-addicted self as I steered toward the parking lot, eager to investigate.

Yes, indeed, Richmond. It seems we have another seafood restaurant in our mix.

If you've read this column before, you know that my hunt for consistently reliable seafood frequently goes unsated. Needless to say, when I approached Ocean Breeze's koi pond-bedecked entryway on a recent Friday, my hopes were high.

"From the first moment you step out of your car . . . you realize that this is not your normal seafood restaurant," reads the restaurant's Web site. After my visit, I agree with this statement . . . to a degree.

The open dining room, awash in bright green and yellow and punctuated with weathered-wood accents, feels like the type of cheerful family restaurant you'd find somewhere in the Outer Banks, not like some hokey seafood chains so easy to find around town.

A cordial host showed us to a booth lining one wall of windows. Two large aquariums glowed from each corner of the room. Older couples and families with crayon-wielding children were digging into entrées, such as saffron-braised flounder ($15.99), chipotle-honey-glazed pork chops ($13.59) and lobster fettuccini ($16.99).

After scanning the room, I was eager to start sampling -- that is, until our server arrived with the enthusiasm level of a grumpy teenager.

You can't fault a restaurant for one bad server, but the obvious lack of skill exhibited by this particular waitress not only detracted from our meal but also made me wonder whether other staff skipped Service 101.

After I ordered a Pinot Grigio off Ocean Breeze's small wine list ($20-$28 a bottle), our server returned with a Pinot Noir and no recollection of the evening's one special.

Determined not to let poor service mar our meal, we hurriedly ordered the Bam Bam Bites ($8.59) starter along with the Cabo Mahi Mahi ($15.99) and the rigatoni with scallops ($13.59).

Described as lightly breaded lobster bites tossed in ginger garlic sauce on a bed of white rice, the Bam Bam Bites reminded me of Chinese takeout. While the breading and quietly spicy sauce were nice, the lobster might as well have been chicken, it was so tasteless. The rice added nothing.

On the other hand, the mahi was a treat. A grilled fillet was served over a mountain of perfectly sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes laced with grain mustard. Pineapple jalapeño sauce was a nice touch, although the jalapeño's heat was overwhelmed by butter.

Coated in a tangy marinara sauce accented with capers, fresh basil and arugula, the rigatoni was cooked to a perfect al dente. Too bad the scallops were overly chewy.

The few times our server checked in on us she did so from the service station, leaning over the back of the booth and half-heartedly calling out to see what we needed.

When we flagged her down to ask about dessert, she struggled to rattle off Ocean Breeze's list of basic sweets. We ended with a warm brownie topped with chocolate sauce and strawberries. It was simple and satisfying yet nothing unique.

Overall, I was disappointed by Ocean Breeze because I think it can deliver a better experience than the one we had. Not only is it a shame to see the hard work of the kitchen lost on poor service, but Richmond and its surrounding localities need more seafood options.

Freelance writer and graphic designer Dana Craig considers dessert the most important food group. The Times-Dispatch pays for the meals on her unannounced visits to restaurants. Contact her at .