Formerly the Laotian-owned Deckhand Oyster Bar & Seafood, Ocean Blue is now run by “five Vietnamese dudes” who changed the name, but kept it the same. It’s a wondrous, thunderous mix of Thai restaurant, sports bar, and Long John Silver’s – and the menu goes long and hard, with everything from po’boys to Swamp Curry. The superstar of the menu remains the Salt & Pepper Special: your choice of protein (chicken wings, frog legs, shrimp, calamari, or – the only real choice – soft-shell crab) tempura battered, and served with onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño over cabbage. Coupled with their nam jim and a cold beer, it’s pure bliss.
