Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar — Restaurant in Kitty Hawk

Was disappointed in the fare and service.

Let’s start with the fare first: it is advertised as a martini bar, so I asked for a classic dry vodka martini with olives. It was so-so, but I drank it with my “appetizer” of stuffed olives. When I finished I asked for a second - more dry - than the first. A few minutes later, the service person comes to ask me “by dry, do you mean MORE vermouth or swirl in the glass and dump out?” Of course, dump out! It shocked me that I was even asked.

Moving on… I ordered the (half) roasted chicken - simple plate - with mash, mixed greens and nestled in broth. The chicken was overcooked, the mash was runny and the greens were already cold when the dish hit the table. I probably could have overlooked that IF everything was seasoned properly. I had to ask for the salt and pepper shakers. I also had to ask for a decent slicing knife to cut the chicken. The butter knife would not slice through it.

After trying to get through the first three bites, I resigned myself, returned the dish and asked to have something completely different. I thought I would try the tuna sashimi. When it was brought to the table, the plating was standard- however, TRUE sashimi is always supposed to be paper thin. These slices were pepper-coated on the edges and definitely NOT thinly sliced. Additionally the soba noodles were more saturated with sesame oil than anything and they basically drowned out the subtle flavors of the tuna.

Needless to say, I did not finish it and pushed it aside. I didn’t even bother to try and send it back and ask for a third chance for something. I ended up eating the last of the bread and butter to “wash” the flavors of sesame oil and bitter ginger out or my mouth.

My husband did not finish his plate either (also the roasted chicken - he got the full entree which consisted of pasta and the greens) and had the same comments regarding the chicken and said the pasta was overcooked- not al dente.

Finally, not once did the sous chef, the head chef OR the maitre’d ever make their way to our table.

I could go on with a few more comments but I think I’ve made it clear that we were not impressed and will not be visiting on our next visit to Kitty Hawk.

It is sad because we were excited to have the chance to have a “finer” dining experience our final night in town and this place actually came recommended to us.

After spending over $120 for a half-eaten meal, all I can say is...

On our final food adventure in the Outer Banks, Fat Man Reviews went to Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar in Kitty Hawk, NC. Ocean Boulevard offers intimate dining while featuring surf, turf and local ingredients.

The Fat Man tried the OB Sazerac, made with Wild Turkey Rye, bitters, simple syrup, served in an absinthe washed glass. The absinthe smell comes through immediately and the licorice taste is present throughout. The bourbon, syrup and bitters are all present with a sweet finish.

For our starter we had the Roasted Wild Boar Meatloaf. This came with roasted potato and chili hash with a green tomato ketchup. The has been cooked well with a hint of heat, the meatloaf was juicy and seasoned correctly. The ketchup was amazing. It was sweet, thick and reminded us of apple butter in consistency. Everything together made for a wonderful bite.

For my entrée I tried the Pecorino-Bread Crumb Encrusted Black Drum, this also came with goat cheese polenta and basil and EVOO ratatouille. The polenta was spectacular. It was creamy, seasoned well almost like a mashed potato with a pepper finish. The ratatouille was well-balanced, the vegetables were cooked spot on with a great tomato flavor and nice spice level. The black drum was flaky and had a great crust on it, but could have maybe used a touch of salt.

My fiancé had the Chef's Fish Selection, Canadian Walleye. This came with shrimp, portabellos, stewed cannellini beans, artichoke hearts, red peppers, greens and tarragon ricotta. The walleye was flaky and cooked well with good flavor. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and flavorful. The ricotta was creamy and tasty, the peppers and greens were tender. The one miss was the beans were a little under cooked, plus the stewing liquid was watery and made the dish messy to eat.

Ocean Boulevard offers a decent sized menu, and it changes per the season. They have a large wine list and a great martini and full bar. The servers are excellent and helpful. The Fat Man says that Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar is Fat Man Approved...

We placed reservations ahead of time, expecting a wonderful experience. First off, I'd like to say that I only publish constructive reviews. We went in and were sat down. The greeting gentlemen and hostess were super nice and professional. A women came over, never introduced her self, and asked what we'd like to drink. We didn't know who she was, but the 3 of us ordered drinks. I then asked if we could have the other menu, from the bar. She paused, didn't look real happy, and said that those menus are for people that sit at the bar. She then said, I'll let you order off the bar menu this time, but please sit at the bar next time, if you wanna order off that menu... I was a lil saddened, as I knew that Ocean Blvd's web site says that their "Casual Menu"(bar menu) is available in the dining room(it's October, not even summer time)... So, at this point we were not feeling very welcomed. Two of us ordered expensive beef tenderloin entrées at $44 each, and my 84 yr mom ordered shrimp & grits from the "Casual Menu", as she doesn't eat a lot. That is why I asked for that menu, for my mom. Anyway,... as we waited for our food, I couldn't help but notice one chef in the left side of the kitchen constantly rubbing his nose over & over, and in more ways than you want to know. After seeing that for over 7 minutes,... that was enough for me. We got up and I explained to the professional man up-front why we were leaving. He seemed genuinely concerned and did apologize for our experience. Big kudos to him! He was really concerned and I was so glad to feel that he cared. This caring gentleman will be the reason that I will go back and try them again at...