Oak to Ember — Restaurant in Gloucester

fantastic! we were looking for a place to eat early afternoon before taking a walk around town and heading to a show. we settled on oak to ember because its fare was a little more appealing than other menus we'd looked at. it was seafood focused which we wanted, but still culinary forward unlike some of the other spots that listed very basic and boring options.

I got the monkfish burnt ends (honestly a big reason I weighed this spot more favorably) and we also had the mussels to start. let me just say the monkfish was one of the BEST things I've ever eaten. I don't love monkfish at home - it's gross looking when preparing, difficult to cook (for the average skilled cook), and doesn't always taste great. not only was this monkfish the best monkfish I've ever eaten, but seriously one of the most flavorful and fun dishes I've ordered anywhere. the meat was juicy and tender inside, but the outer bark (yes, BARK!) was crispy and crunchy and smokey. the flavor was deep and the pairings it came with (can't recall entirely what the slaw was, but there was chili crisp as well) were not only refreshing, but matched perfectly. the shishito peppers were tasty, too. I would come back to this restaurant just for the monkfish.

the rest of the food was great. the fish (I believe it was cod or haddock, as expected) in the fish and chips was unbelievably light and airy, crisp and flaky, and seasoned to perfection. the fries were also some of the best fries I've had. since I didn't order the fish and chips, I actually ordered a side of fries of my own after trying the fries when the entres came. that's how tasty the fries were!

the mushrooms with grits were good. there wasn't much egg on top which was a bit disappointing. but the mushrooms were crunchy, but not dry. and the grits were creamy and flavorful.

I loved everything about my scallop risotto EXCEPT for the brisket. I think they were trying to get some sort of smoked element into every dish as their smoker is basically their whole thing here. but it just did not work for me. it seemed really out of place in an otherwise light and well balanced dish. the risotto, the tomatoes, the asparagus, the scallops - all wonderful together. then there's a random bite of heavy, in both texture and flavor, meat that is so soft it doesn't really present as meat. I know it was listed in the risotto as brisket jam, but I guess I didn't really understand what that meant. I'd say jam is a pretty accurate description because it really was sort of a jammy, almost paste like consistency. would it be incredible in another dish? absolutely. just didn't work, for me, in the risotto. I left the bits of mushy brisket for the most part and focused on the brighter elements of the spring risotto. the asparagus had a perfect bite to it, the tomatoes still bursting with flavor, the arborio cooked exactly as it should. the scallops fully melted in my mouth. they were soft and buttery, as scallops should be, and not overshadowed by any part of the dish. I love scallops and a perfectly cooked scallop is really incomparable to a lot in life - these were perfectly cooked scallops!

we sat out back on their deck looking over the harbor. we had it to ourselves for almost the entire time since we went around 4pm. even when a couple families showed up with (very) noisy kids, it wasn't unpleasant. when we left, all the tables were full so if you want to eat outside you should consider what time you go. I wouldn't eat inside when the outside seating looks like it does. fresh air and an ocean breeze makes the...

Overall: 4/5 Stars Food: 1/2 Stars Atmosphere: 2/2 Stars Staff: 1/1 Stars

SUMMARY: My wife and I decided to give this restaurant a try while we stayed the night in Gloucester for the Twin Lights race. Overall the experience was quite enjoyable. We both loved the modern/rustic atmosphere. The food was enjoyable but I do have some feedback on a couple of the dishes. The staff was kind overall.

FOOD: We decided to split 4 appetizers and 1 main course. We got the “Fried Camembert, hot honey”, “Steak Tartare, bone marrow aioli”, “Foie Gras & Chicken Liver Mousse”, “Whipped Ricotta” as the appetizers and the “Flat Iron Steak Fites” for the entree.

All the dishes were plated beautifully. I love the attention to detail in keeping the plates looking clean and utilizing the space appropriately.

Appetizer review: The Fried Camembert, hot honey was phenomenal! Breaking open the fried balls and seeing the cheese ooze out was so aesthetically pleasing and the taste, along with the petite salad, was very delicious. The steak tartare itself was very tasteful and I love the demonstration of technique with the egg. I’d recommend using thicker slices of chips (or bread) as the thin ones kept breaking when loaded with the tartare. The Foie Gras was very flavorful. I really appreciated the sweetness with the raisins/maple. The bacon crumble seemed a bit absent and the bread, although delicious and airy, was cold and a bit stale. The bread was also similarly stale with the Whipped Ricotta. The whip itself was delicious. I would have much more preferred warm/fresh bread served with the last 2 aforementioned dishes.

Entree review: The Steak Frites was quite delicious and the fries were also really good. The steak itself was cooked to a perfect medium on one side but fairly well on the other. It was all very juicy but I would’ve loved to see a consistent cook throughout the cut.

ATMOSPHERE: Absolutely beautiful inside and out! My wife and I both loved the whole vibe! The exterior was clean, sleek and rustic with the wood and large windows. The interior was gorgeous with the accent walls, large hanging lights, dark green paint in front and whites towards the back. They chose a beautiful color of wood for the tables and the cherry on top was the seating table that directly overlooked the open kitchen where patrons can watch the chefs at work! Major kudos to the decorator.

STAFF: The staff did their jobs well. Nothing outstanding. Honestly, there could have been a bit of improvement on attention but overall no complaints. I was very grateful for the fact that we were fortunate enough to get the last 2-seat table available without a reservation.

Thank you Oak to Ember for allowing us to dine in at your...

I've been trying to determine the best way to leave this review, because this experience was a first in my hundreds of times dining out, and unfortunately will likely be my last time dining at this restaurant.

Let me start by saying the food was good, if not a little over-priced for the portions/quality, but that's where things end.

We were seated outside for our 8pm reservation, it was my partner's birthday. The patio was nice and our waitress was okay--kind of over-the-top with exaggerated enthusiasm, but that was fine.

As we were sitting there sipping drinks, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Something brown and scurrying. Then I saw the tail. It was a rat. Throughout our entire meal, we watched rats running from the rocks and across the patio. I was horrified. The worst was when I looked down and one had gone under my partner's chair, likely looking for scraps. It was insane, in all my years dining outside across this great land, I have NEVER encountered rats at a restaurant.

We called our waitress' attention to the matter and she said "Oh, are they back?!" Ummm, yes ma'am, you have rats running across your patio and coming up to us. She went into speak with her manager, who never came out to see us, mind you, but did comp us a dessert. The waitress also said that another restaurant next door "has them worse". Okay, that's not exactly comforting, Tess, but thanks for the free spice cake.

I understand that dining outside can come with some environmental hazards, but again, I've dined outside literally all over this country, from NYC to Newport to Myrtle Beach and Charleston, to San Francisco and everywhere in between and I have NEVER encountered rats before. So if you go here, be aware that if you choose to dine outside, you will likely have nasty little friends...