Dining Out Review: Water Grill restaurant

"We're The Hard Shell of Carytown," our server said within the first few moments of "What can I getcha?" talk.

Water Grill may be Carytown's newest dining destination, but it's also the latest addition to the Richmond Restaurant Group's lineup, which includes hotspots deLux, Europa and you got it -- The Hard Shell.

A cursory glance at Water Grill's menu quickly brought to mind Shockoe's Slip's well-known seafood restaurant. Unfortunately, after my recent Thursday dinner, Water Grill also brought to mind the hit-and-miss meals I've come to associate with The Hard Shell.

At Water Grill, our meal started off with soaring highs, but it slowly descended into disheartening lows.

To its credit, Water Grill has a lot going for it. Taking over the former Karsen's locale, it boasts one of the best patios in Carytown, a comfortably chic interior with exposed brick, a striking loft and a stylish bar pleasantly free from flat-screen distractions.

On looks alone, I wanted this place to blow me away. I wanted to run out the doors in a fit of excitement, overjoyed that Carytown finally had a bona fide seafood restaurant.

Water Grill has seafood. It lacks consistency.

But let's start with the highlights: li-bations, appetizers and service. I've always liked deLux's easygoing approach to its wine, beer and cocktail list. It encompasses just enough uniqueness but doesn't try to get (nor want) Wine Spectator magazine's attention.

Water Grill follows suit with alcohol. Wines ($28-$85) are divided by varietals, easy to peruse and explore. Cocktails dance into the cucumber vodka range, but you can still grab a good old domestic beer, if you choose.

Appetizers range from edamame hummus ($8) and fries with ancho-Ranch dressing ($4) to fancier selections, such as tuna tartare with wakame (edible seaweed) salad ($9) to crab cocktail served in a salt-rimmed glass ($10). In hindsight, I think I would have enjoyed a dinner of small plates better than the traditional appetizer-entrée course we took.

We started with Virginia "Buffalo" oysters ($9) and steamed mussels ($6) after our server, a transplant from The Hard Shell, boasted they were the best things on the menu. She was right, for better and worse.

Five delicately fried oysters were served in a pool of Chesapeake remoulade, a Buffalo sauce-meets-blue-cheese-dressing dream. On top were pungent Maytag blue cheese crumbles and drizzles of cayenne vinaigrette. Pickled celery, a creative take on the usual celery-stick accompaniment, added just enough vinegary punch to bring all the flavors together. I loved it.

While sizeable, the mussels were on the chewy side, but the broth, a lemongrass-ginger-coconut-curry concoction, was amazing. We blew through the breadbasket, sopping up each drop.

Besides recommending great starters, our server was personable and knowledgeable, checking in when appropriate with a laid-back confidence yet never coming across as annoying. She was a highlight of our experience.

Water Grill's entrées range from a soy sauce-and-stout beer-marinated rib-eye ($24) to butter-poached lobster tails ($20-$38) with celery root purée. Sticking with our seafood theme, we ordered pan-fried grouper ($23) and seared scallops ($20).

Seasoned with a heavy dose of salt and pepper, the grouper was properly cooked but lacked the wow factor. Advertised pesto butter was barely apparent, and the accompanying lobster risotto could have used more shellfish punch.

Crusted in the same heavy seasoning blend as the grouper, the first of four large scallops was delicately sweet as expected. However, the second was noticeably chewier and shockingly off-tasting. Thank goodness no one was looking when I spit it out.

Accompanying risotto "verde" didn't taste much different than the grouper's lobster version, except the addition of peas overwhelmed all else. The menu mentioned prosciutto-fennel-sweet pea ragout with mint oil, but all I tasted among the mountain of peas was the strong licorice flavor of fennel. The flavors simply didn't marry.

We skipped dessert despite the tempting options: lemongrass-ginger creme brulee, strawberry rhubarb shortcake and banana-walnut bread pudding, to name a few.

Minus the bad scallop, our meal was simply average. I'd rush back to nibble on appetizers at the bar, but overall, I was disappointed at the potential Water Grill seems to be wasting with its prime location and seasoned owners.

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 .