Oxalis Restaurant — Restaurant in Dartmouth

A trip to Oxalis is a can't miss occasion if you find yourself in Downtown Dartmouth. Located just off the downtown branch of Portland Street, the restaurant is at 22 Wentworth, in a quaint, black building which is quite a contrast to it's surroundings. Unassuming at first, but you'll be in for quite the surprise.

Inside, the main floor is intimate, laid out with three tables neighboring an open kitchen, simple but clean decor and a modern touch. Continuing beyond that takes you to the patio, an open, relatively large space, encapsulated by modern, wooden slat fencing. With enough seating to fit the entire restaurant outdoor, it's a wonderful complement, with plush cushions covering bench seating along the left hand wall, and tables filling the rest of the space. Fairy lights dance overhead, creating a cozy, private space, perfect for a summer night, or a picturesque autumn evening.

You may be thinking, three tables inside, why so many out, but that's where Oxalis again shines with it's second floor. A bar welcomes you at the top of the stairs, opening into a rather large level, home to nearly triple the capacity of the main floor. Again, the interior is modern, simple, but clean, a touch of class that is echoed throughout this wonderful establishment.

Enough about the space however, as this is a restaurant after all, and a fine restaurant it is indeed. A simple menu, the options can vary slightly, as everything is local and based around what seasonal offerings are available. That's not to say they don't push the envelope when it comes to quality, though, with everything served with top quality ingredients, fresh; the best of the best. Serving a menu that combines German and Austrian cuisine with an east coast flavor, you're in for a treat no matter what you request. Even simple bread and butter appetizers are made with flair, from the presentation to the sheer quality, and that very much extends to the service. When there, we were treated, and that may be an understatement, by wonderful service, waited by a man named Guillaume, who (and I may seem like a broken record by this point), could sell a book to an illiterate. Charming, knowledgeable, classy, he personifies everything this downtown Dartmouth fixture is.

Everything about Oxalis was a complete joy. From the first second to the last, you will fall in love with it, a place and name that will end up at the top of your list of must-visit spots and a restaurant that really makes...

I had been surprised when dining here, I’ve heard good things. My husband and I were brought to the patio seating, it was beautiful and I love the aesthetic outside, very Dartmouth. Nicely secluded (and I believe dogs are welcome). However, do not wear heels. As a heels wearer, I’m used to the hills and potholes, but I was not expecting to walk on gravel and also be seated on it. I would guess no one was, it had looked like even the servers didn’t have the best footing in it. The chairs are comfortable though and they offer blankets to keep warm if there’s a chill. We both decided to get the four course meal and started with the picnic. As a starter, it was delicious. It looked a little different than I had seen afterwards and had been curious about some of the cured meats and where it came from (Sobeys multipack?). I loved the four course dinner, it’s a taster of everything else on their menu. At 106$, it was a great amount of food for me! I was full. The only things I didn’t care for was the cucumber soup, as a chilled soup, it was great, but I was already a little cold and it was a little too salty. The presentation was great for all the dishes! We loved the salmon pops, those were fun. The past was divine, if you love a mushroom pasta, that’s one to try (It’s no mushroom ravioli! 🐀✨) it had chanterelles and so buttery. Perfect. I did find the beef a bit salty, but that may be preference or just how it turned out that day. The dessert was extra sweet and delicious, the syrup poured over it was a nice touch but a little overboard and over powering near the end of it. It kind of made everything turn into slop and a wet mess. Not a bad thing, maybe I didn’t eat it fast enough. Overall it was a great unique experience and delicious. Our server was great, he was super sweet, accommodating and made us feel well kept! He had dropped good knowledge on the yummy food and made sure we knew what was what. 5/5 ⭐️! They recommend you have 2.5 hours for the course and also offer wine pairings, which maybe I’ll save for another time. I’d love to go back and see what changes they have for the fall. It’s a unique place and they have some seating inside and upstairs in the building, the front bathroom did feel a little messy, the water kind of sits on...

Overall we thought it was just fair. Some of it may be due to variability in seating and server.

We thought the food was pretty good and presented well, perhaps bordering on pretentious. The atmosphere was ok, but felt much more casual than expected for an expensive place. We were at at small table upstairs, very nestled in with another large group of people that were quite noisy. The table barely had enough room to fit our plates. Our server was prompt but not overly friendly and seemed confused/annoyed when we asked what we thought were a few simple questions about the menu.

Our glasses of wine had a bunch of sediment in it and we sent it back. 20 minutes later someone at another table sent back the same wine for the same reason. I’m not sure if they poured from the same bottle or what.

Some of the experience reminded me of the movie “The Menu” IIRC. So much focus on making the food fancy, but you end up wanting to get a burger on the way home. Also seen another table get what looked like a DIY s’mores dessert, they were roasting a single marshmallow over a candle. I thought that was a bit funny. I think they had a s’mores gag in “The Menu” movie as well.

Overall we felt like the whole experience was overpriced for what we got, and I’ve been in nicer places with better service that cost...