Review: Blue Ocean Sushi in St. Louis

In December, I read that actor Jeremy Piven abruptly quit the lead role in a Broadway play because of a high mercury count ostensibly stemming from his prodigious daily consumption of sushi. In January, I ate at the new Blue Ocean Sushi restaurant in The Loop, whose entire business plan is all-you-can-eat sushi. “All you dare to eat” was the joke of the night.

Since visiting Blue Ocean Sushi, where I did indeed eat all I could, I have experienced neither fatigue nor neuromuscular dysfunction. (It should be noted that later reports called Piven’s story fishy because while mercury toxicity is a real condition, it is rare.) I did, however, experience competently made, very fresh-tasting sushi; extensively researched crab Rangoon; and a creative twist on the American cheeseburger.

But Blue Ocean is not a buffet, a misconception manager A.K. Ploentham spends a lot of time explaining to curious callers. If you think the AYCE concept is disgusting, fat with images of the overfed American stereotype, consider this: The hallmark of good sushi is extreme freshness, and quick rotation of product guarantees a steady supply of fresh product. All nigiri I sampled – salmon, sea urchin, eel, squid, fish roe and snapper – were sublime and supremely clean-tasting. One dining companion, who spent many years in Asia, said the sea urchin, with its pale yellow, mousse-like creaminess and bracing taste of the sea, was nearly as good as the uni he ate fresh off the beaches of the Marshall Islands.

There are three AYCE levels, each one inclusive of the previous one (an à la carte menu is also available). Level one consists of 14 common rolls and nigiri. Ignore the crabstick nigiri (aka fake crab) roll, but do try the crab Rangoon. According to the Web site, Blue Ocean bases its recipe on 30 years of research and development, something Ploentham verified. While I’m not sure I could actually taste the results of such a long research project, there is something distinctively flavorful about these house-made, deep-fried dumplings.

At level two, there’s all of level one plus six more items, including a broader selection of nigiri along with tempura and more choices of rolls, including the surprisingly tasty cheeseburger roll. The unusual roll is the invention of head sushi chef Jeff Tabtiang, a longtime local chef from Thailand with a penchant for artistic creations. I guess if you need a gimmick to distinguish yourself from the umpteen sushi joints in St. Louis (assuming AYCE isn’t enough), rolling up bits of beef patty and bacon, American cheese, lettuce, mustard and ketchup into a long roll is about as gimmicky as it gets. Gimmicky and delicious. Really. That is, once you get past the fact you’re essentially eating a cheeseburger wrapped in rice.

Level three is where the experienced sushi eater will settle: 26 items encompassing more exotic choices, with the more expensive items like sea urchin, salmon roe and jumbo scallop nigiri tagged with a modest upcharge.

Blue Ocean’s quirky rules – like reserving the right to refuse additional orders – may feel more like a contractual agreement than dinner out, but remember, this ain’t no Olive Garden never-ending pasta bowl. The rules are also a good way to control waste of expensive product. Besides, we’re talking whole servings here, not just a couple of slices of a California or salmon roll. At level two, I found myself struggling to finish my second order (note to self: next time, more nigiri, fewer rolls).

Some quibbles include overworked rice that needed more salt and vinegar and, if ordered à la carte, expensive green tea; $2.99 for a bag of green tea and hot water is steep. Oddly, at dinner, whole-leaf green tea was served in a nice French press; at lunch, it was a cheap tea bag. During both visits, there was only one server. Given the intensive preparation of sushi, this can lead to long waits between orders (we waited 20 minutes between our first and second orders on level two).

Here’s how I break it down: Level one is for sushi novices and the unadventurous; level two is for the sushi glutton or the cost-conscious lunch patron wanting a good selection; and sushi-lovers more interested in variety than quantity will go for level three. By its very nature, Blue Ocean doesn’t pretend to aspire to the upper echelons of sushidom; you won’t find just-flown-in toro here. What you will find is a friendly spot serving high-quality sushi at very good prices. So feel free to fill up at Blue Ocean, but if you need an excuse for getting out of your next obligation, blame the flu.