PHLReview
Back in 2013 when selfies had just become a thing and Candy Crush ruined everyone’s productivity, Ocean Prime opened. And we know that at the time, this was a major steakhouse in the city. Well, the years have gone by, people are now taking pictures with shark filters, and–excluding a few dishes–places like Barclay Prime, Butcher and Singer, and Alpen Rose have outshone this Center City relic.
The food options are pretty similar to most steakhouses, and to order any of them, you’ll have to sift through a menu as wide as a fifth grader’s wingspan. There are surprisingly solid raw bar and sushi options, like the ahi tuna tartare with gingery ponzu sauce and the ocean maki sushi roll that’s coated with a chili garlic oil. If you stick around long enough, the only other dish worth ordering is the ten-layer carrot cake. The best time to come here is for Happy Hour, when you can enjoy the $5 off sushi before heading elsewhere for dinner.
Food Rundown
Ocean Roll
This roll is packed with salmon and topped with slices of tuna. What sets it apart is the chili garlic oil that’s speckled across the top. It’s not extremely spicy–the avocado in the roll helps to balance the pepperiness–but the oil gives it enough heat that you won’t need any wasabi.
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Lump Jumbo Crab Cake
The most redeeming element of the crab cake is that the lemon flavor comes through in each bite. But for the most part, it falls flat–and reminds us of a high school cafeteria-style fish stick. You can skip it.
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Steaks
The steaks here run from the 8-ounce filet mignon to 16-ounce ribeye. All of the steaks are nicely cooked, but seem only to be seasoned by a couple of flakes of salt—add a buttery bérnaise sauce or peppery au poivre to amp them up.
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Sides
Outside of the filets, sides are usually the best part of the steakhouse experience–especially when it comes to a creamy bowl of truffle mac and cheese. Here the sides are as memorable as Speed 2, with a mac and cheese that’s more thin than gooey, and mashed potatoes that are over-whipped.
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Ten Layer Carrot Cake
This cake is stacked as high as a Jenga set. It’s cinnamony, moist, and pleasantly thick, and is layered with sweet cream cheese frosting. It tastes especially good when they mistakenly give it to you for a birthday that doesn’t exist.
