As I walked into Oceans 234 for our dinner I was instantly taken back at how much more open it felt since last time was I was there. Oceans 234 closed for a few months last year to do a revamp of the interior design of the restaurant but also to make room for their new Executive Chef, Brian Cantrell and a new beverage director, Drew Shane and to launch their new menu. Oceans 234 now has a new lunch and dinner menu and cocktail selection that is everything you’d want in an Oceanside restaurant.

We of course started the night off with cocktails. The Tropical Mule, made with Deep Eddy peach vodka, pineapple juice and ginger beer was served up in this adorable vintage tin that instantly made you feel like you were sitting under a palm tree.

Looking at the new starter menu they have classic items you’d expect like smoked fish dip, calamari and fish tacos but also have some more unique, very tasty items as well which we got to sample.

We started with BBQ chicken tacos which I loved because they had all the fixings you’d want including rice, beans, peppers, greens, and a dollop of sour cream.

Next we had the grilled octopus with chorizo which was amazing! Grilled octopus is hard to do well and Chef Brian did not disappoint.  It was served with tomatoes and fingerling potatoes with black garlic vinaigrette that was just perfect.

I was super excited for their spin on potato skins and oh man were they delicious. The “tater” skins come baked in a cast iron pan covered in smoked short rib with aged white cheddar cheese, scallions, sour cream and truffle.  Yup, you heard that right…truffle on potato skins! As soon as they hit the table you could smell the truffle so you knew it was going to be good.

My favorite thing off the First Things First menu though was definitely the tuna poke. I’ve had sushi at Ocean’s 234 before so I knew the tuna itself would be good but the dish as a whole was even more amazing. First off,  the presentation for the tuna poke is to die for!  It’s served in a coconut shell with a side of thin crispy plantain chips to make for an absolutely beautiful tropical presentation you’d expect from a restaurant on the beach. The flavor was just as amazing. It was the perfect combination of fresh ahi tuna, mango, cucumber, and macadamia nuts.

Since they have a brand new cocktail menu and the Tropical Mule was so good I just had to try another one of the new libations. The Strawberry Basil martini was delicious! It was a great balance of strawberry basil vodka and real strawberry puree.

Next we got to try some of their entrees. We started off with the Diver Scallops which were incredible. The scallops were very large and perfectly cooked. They were uniquely paired with a butternut squash purée, curried cauliflower, and a Moroccan tapenade for something a little different which I really enjoyed. The Moroccan flavors were a great match for the fresh scallops.

The churrasco skirt steak was probably one of my favorite dishes of the night, served with roasted corn and crispy yucca and topped with pickled onions and chimichurri for just the right amount of flavor.

If you really want to indulge and get your seafood fix, I highly recommend the lobster mac-n-cheese. This was the dish that everyone at the table couldn’t stop talking about. Not only was the mac-n-cheese delectable but it comes topped with a ½ pound lobster tail, no searching for you lobster bites in this dish.

If you are looking for something a little more traditional for a typical Florida seafood restaurant fear not they have a Macadamia encrusted mahi mahi served on top of coconut basmati rice with crispy garlic green beans and a mango papaya salsa that is sure to make you feel like you are in the tropics.

If you want a good old fashioned cheeseburger, well they even do that up really well too with a build your own prime angus burger, cooked to your taste on a brioche bun.

And lastly, what’s a great dinner without a great dessert to follow.  For the chocolate lover, the Chocolate Trilogy which has been a staple at Oceans 234 is pretty much heaven on earth. It is oreos baked between chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownie topped with a chocolate ganache and served with a blackberry cabernet sorbet.

If chocolate isn’t your thing, the salted caramel cheesecake hit the spot and is beautifully plated with a piece of caramel glass and fresh berries.

My favorite was the cappuccino crème brulee. As someone who enjoys coffee or an after dinner drink after a meal this was everything I wanted in a dessert.

Not only is the new menu delicious at Ocean’s 234 but the design revamp made the restaurant even more beautiful than it was before. The bar is much more open as well as the outside setting is free of the large columns that use to block the ocean view.  The interior has a classic oceanside restaurant feel perfectly balanced with modern sophistication and a stunning wine rack!

Ocean’s 234 is located directly on Deerfield Beach, just north of Deerfield Beach pier. They are open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week and offer brunch on Sundays.

Oceans 234 on social media:

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceans_234/
Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oceans234
Tweet on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Oceans234

Megan is a contributor for The South Florida Sage. She is a trained chef, registered dietitian and food photographer. She has a total love affair with food. You can find her on instagram @foodinfocusphoto and online at foodinfocus.photography. All images appearing in this post photographed by Megan Huard

The South Florida Sage Follow on Instagram | Like on Facebook | Tweet on Twitter