Ocio / Oci.mde — Restaurant in Medellín

8/15/23-

So I wasn't going to review this place since it's sooo highly thought of, but when Google asked me to, I couldn't say no.

First, super crowded. Practically every ex-pat in Medellin is there. Without a reservation, you can sit at the bar, but there's only about 15 seats between the bar and the patio. The stools and chairs are not padded. If you want to sit in the main part of the restaurant, you better figure out how to get a reservation like 10 years in advance. They aren't open on Sundays.

I sat at the bar. Very friendly and courteous staff (5 levels higher than the typical Colombian customer service). The music is a little too loud, but refreshing to hear 80s American music instead of constant reggaeton blasting 24/8 through Medellin.

I ordered the pork shank. The mash potatoes that came with it were a little cold. The small garnish salad was actually good. I thought the pork was good, lean, and had good flavor, but I wasn't jumping up and down about it. It makes for great photos, though, and that's what you'll see. I think the fish dishes are probably the real specialty here, but I don't eat fish. They being said, half the menu comes from the ocean.

I had the tres leches desert and was disappointed. They basically took vanilla ice cream and poured a bunch of things on top of it, not to mention it's pretty small.

Will I go back? Maybe, but I'll bring a pillow for the stools and some ear plugs.

*The menu changes every month, so don't...

What was billed as a fantastic place to eat was very underwhelming. We had a table booked for 18:00 however on arrival were made to wait outside until 18:15 whilst staff members concluded their team meeting.

We proceeded to order from our waiter who was really attentive and friendly. I ordered the beef tenderloin and my partner the crispy chicken. When my partner cut into the chicken, she noticed it was still raw inside. The waiter apologised and returned the meal to the kitchen immediately. When the dish was brought back out, we were shocked to find the kitchen had re-fried the same pieces of chicken instead of cooking a fresh dish. The chicken was no longer raw but now it was extremely dry. This was very disappointing and dangerous give the risk of salmonella!

The waiter was very understanding and allowed my partner to order the beef tenderloin instead as she no longer trusted the kitchen to cook the chicken well. She then had to wait 20 minutes for her dinner to be brought out, all while I had long finished eating my meal. When the waiter brought out the bill, there was no good will gesture from the restaurant. As a minimum we were expecting the drinks to be removed.

Overall thoughts: We have been left with a sour taste in our mouths from this restaurant experience and would suggest people explore better options in the area, such as La Matriacha and Alambique, both of which...

One of the best restaurants I've been to, period. It starts with the atmosphere. What Santiago, a famous architect in Colombia, has done with the space is absolutely phenomenal. He takes the old brick building and turns it into a small paradise, that when you enter greets you with beautiful detail but even more importantly a sense of warmth. He leverages the warm Medellín climate perfectly, providing high ceilings and open spaces that makes it for a perfect setting.

And then the real treat begins. I've been to Oci three times now, and bucking the typical A-class restaurant trend, it keeps getting better and better. Head chef Lali somehow continues to blend the native flavors of her country with the exotic spices of others. Last night we decided to just have some drinks and appetizers. We started with some bloody Mary's, which were the perfect mixture of spice and freshness. We then started with the areapas (corn Patty's) with oxtail, then the pork belly skewers, we then received a dish that was so incredible (recommended by the chef) that I don't know even know the name, and finally an ahu tuna tartar.

Every dish was different, and a wonderful experience for the taste buds.

Hands down, Oci is one of the finest dining experiences in Medellín, and I can't imagine anyone not loving...