Company description
Fine Dining Restaurant with outdoor seating; Zagat rated; "quality and casually elegant" says the Cape Cod Times; serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch; available for functions.
More details
- Editorial Text 1
- Classic cuisine at Academy Ocean Grille A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN CONTINENTAL AND COMFORTABLE By Terry Ward Libby Cape Cod Times October 02, 2008 Academy Ocean Grille in Orleans garnered lots of attention when the James Beard Foundation recognized its former chef-owner, Christian Schultz, a few years ago. Schultz has since departed, and the executive chef who worked alongside him, Todd Davis, has taken charge of the kitchen this year. Though I never dined at Academy Ocean Grille during Schultz's tenure, I'm told by some regulars that the quality has remained consistent and, some say, Davis' new, original touches have been well received. The restaurant is owned by Chuck and Emily Goldberg and their daughter, Erica, who serves as both company president and general manager of operations. Since opening nine years ago, they have developed a loyal following of seasonal residents and year-round regulars. "In general," Chuck Goldberg says, "our customers are people who are well traveled and have high expectations in terms of both quality and value." Overall, Academy Ocean Grille delivers on both counts. The restaurant's nicely composed wine list, for example, offers a full spectrum of styles and flavors, while keeping price markups at reasonable levels. Wines-by-the-glass selections are a particularly good value. Hefty 6-ounce pours are served in the restaurant's handsome, signature stemware, all priced at $10 and under. An appetizer of escargot ($13) was served with artichoke hearts, tossed in a potent butter and garlic sauce, tempered with a splash of marinara. It was a top-notch presentation. One of the more adventurous-sounding appetizers is tempura-fried mussels ($12), dipped in wasabi-seasoned batter. The wasabi must have been used sparingly, because I couldn't detect it, and the batter coating was thick, not the light, melt-your-mouth crust you're looking for in a tempura. A dinner entr?e of raspberry-glazed roast duckling ($25) was outstanding. The duck was boned, which made it all the more easy to love. This restaurant has always been known for its classic sole Francaise. A perfectly fresh fillet of sole ($26) was dipped in beaten egg batter and fried in butter. It was turned out to perfection, sweet, juicy and thoroughly satisfying. If haddock fillet saut?ed with a crust of coconut and crushed macadamia nuts sounds appealing to you, I would call Chef Davis' version a must-try, a true destination dish. I marvel at his ability to turn out a piece of fish that is still completely moist on the inside, while the exterior coating is cooked to a crusty, golden brown. No small culinary feat. While the main dishes on every plate I sampled were first-rate, the accompaniments disappointed. Two different versions of rice pilaf were unoriginal, as were sides of steamed green beans, a bit of cooked red cabbage, and saut?ed sweet corn. All of these were competently done, but they seemed like standard-issue side dishes, offering no flavor surprises or added pizzazz. Emily Goldberg, says Chuck, makes the restaurant's renowned "sticky toffee pudding," using a recipe borrowed from London's famous restaurant, The Ivy. The secret ingredient is ground dates, but I wouldn't have guessed it. The Brits call all desserts "puddings," so don't expect anything akin to Jell-O brand here. This is a super moist cube of cake infused with toffee syrup, and laden with a spoonful of hot, liquid toffee. I am not particularly big on desserts, but it is worth a trip to Orleans just to eat a steaming hot plateful of this stuff straight out of the kitchen. The restaurant was totally renovated this past winter, and the new interior is bright, casually elegant and relaxed. A stylish cocktail bar was added, a nice spot to unwind while you wait to be seated. His regular customers, says Goldberg, seem happy with the changes. Keeping the surroundings and the menu within their comfort zone is a formula that works well here. If you are drawn to cuisine that ventures into exotic territory, the Academy Ocean Grille's menu is probably not for you. The food here is, instead, wholesome and fresh, not heavily spiced or sauced, nor fussy or pretentious in any way. The menu offers classic dishes, some with "continental" pedigrees, prepared in simple, hearty fashion, and much of it is very, very good.
- Payment Accepted
- American Express, Cash, MasterCard, Visa, Cash, MasterCard, Visa
- Specialities
- Sunday Brunch, New Bar With Seating, Lunch, Dinner, Award Winning Cuisine
- Restaurant Features
- Booster Seats / High Chairs, Online Menu, Patio, Working Fireplace
- Features
- Award Winning, Bar, Daily Specials, Outdoor Dining, Reservations
- Amenities
- Award Winning, Bed and Breakfast, Daily Specials, Reservations
- Cuisine
- Eclectic / Int'l, Seafood, Specialties
- Rating
- 85% of 28 people liked it on Urbanspoon
- Cross Streets
- bet. Main St. & Orleans-Chatham Rd.
- Credit Cards Accepted
- American Express, Visa, MasterCard
- Meals Served
- Dinner, Lunch, Sunday
- Email
- [email protected]
- Reservations Policy
- Suggested (Highly)
- Ambiance
- Casual, Elegant
- Service Policy
- Not included
- Reservations
- Accepted
- Neighborhood
- Orleans
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Year Opened
- 1999
- Cover Charge
- None
- Web Site
- http://www.academyoceangrille.com/
