Late last year, the announcement came through that Oceano Kitchen was closing. I almost wept. But then it was followed by the revelation that it was just moving. What a sigh of relief. Chefs and owners Jeremy and Cindy Bearman bought a former co-working and events property just a few minutes up the road in Lake Worth Beach. The Bearmans’ talent for crafting simple dishes that explode with flavors garnered them a distinguished James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for “Best Chef” in the South last year. So I knew their creativity would transfer to the new, more expansive space, but would its charm? I made the trek north to see.
The quirks that loyal patrons remember—cash only, daily menu, no reservations—are still there, but it’s the people who make this a special place. From the moment we stepped inside, we were warmly greeted by a passing server and then by longtime GM Sue Brown, who offered us a glass of wine while we waited for a table. The usual wines are available, but there are also unique finds like Sancerre, Albariño, rioja and Amarone. For someone who always looks for the “off the beaten path” varietals, I was thrilled. We settled into a cozy nook in the back until two seats at the chef’s table/bar opened up.
I couldn’t believe my luck; I had a front-row seat to the kitchen magic. Jeremy, in relaxed jeans and a hoodie, directed the culinary symphony with grace and calm, calling for service in almost a whisper and always punctuating his requests with “please” and “thank you.”
Since the menu constantly changes, I won’t go into much detail about our meal. Still, I will dish about the house-made mozzarella ($21)—warm, gooey and sharing a soft slice of bread slathered in garlicy pesto with the most delicious baby tomatoes I’ve ever savored. The sea bream ceviche ($24) was superb, an edible piece of colorful modern art with pieces of ripe orange, juicy grapefruit and tender avocado balanced with crunchy red onion and cancha corn.
Halfway through the mains, I noticed the timing of the evening. At times, when I order sharable dishes, they tend to all arrive at the same time, overflowing onto our table and pushing me to rush through them before they lose their heat. At Oceano, each dish was delivered with the perfect duration between courses. I also appreciated that our plates were changed before each course, and each dish arrived with serving spoons. It’s all about those details.
The rigatoni with lamb ragout ($39) and New Bedford scallops ($41) rounded out the dinner. The al dente pasta, with its melt-in-your-mouth meat and crunchy breadcrumbs, was equally as savory as the perfectly prepared scallops.
Sitting at the bar enabled us to interact with most of the small staff. Servers chatted with us as they poured their guests’ wine, each one friendlier than the next. And it made me jealous of those who live closer to Oceano, because if it were in my backyard, I would happily dine here every week.
IF YOU GO
512 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth Beach; 561/400-7418
PARKING: Street parking
HOURS: Tues. – Sat. from 5:30 p.m.
PRICES: $5.50 – $42
WEBSITE: oceanokitchen.com
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