Sea Grill Hopes to Reel People Back to the Former Epicentre
The seafood restaurant aims to anchor the newly branded Queen City Quarter—and appeal to every guest
Sea Grill has an important job. As one of three restaurants to open this summer in the Queen City Quarter (formerly the Epicentre), it’s tasked with bringing people back to the uptown complex that went dark during the pandemic. In many ways, this upscale seafood restaurant understood the assignment.
It’s street-facing, for one. The main entrance is around the corner, tucked inside the courtyard, but the prominent signage will help with foot traffic. It’s also beautiful. The 9,300-square-foot restaurant, which opened in the former Blackfinn space in August, is nautical but not kitschy, with ornate crystal-and-brass chandeliers, plush velvet seating, and a private dining room on both floors. Servers wear rhinestone-studded starfish and seahorse broaches, and place settings have gold starfish napkin rings. Bathrooms have fish-scale tile backsplashes and gold vessel sinks. Attention to detail is evident here.
The 9,300-square-foot restaurant has dining rooms on both floors.
Walk through the first-floor dining room, and you’ll see seafood towers; tableside flambé presentations; gold tins of caviar; and colorful cocktails garnished with lavender, mint leaves, and rose petals. Presentation is important here, too.
But when a restaurant promises to “cater to every guest’s palate,” it’s often an indication that it hasn’t established an identity. In addition to seafood, the four-page menu, which “combines Asian, European, and American influences,” has Greek Salad, Peking-Style Chicken, Aglio e Olio Pasta, Beef Wellington, and 15 sushi rolls. It’s a lot to navigate—and a sign there might be too many cooks in the kitchen.
Sea Grill gets it right with the cocktails, though. Start with an Ocean Elixir ($19), a gin-based cocktail with crisp white wine, lavender and rose syrups, and lavender garnish. The Queen of Everything ($19), with hibiscus tequila, prosecco, elderflower, grapefruit, and lemon, arrives in a navy tumbler topped with a removable gold crown that holds edible flowers. They look stunning on the ’gram and taste sublime, too.
The Millionaire’s Oysters are topped with black caviar and served with a side of wine sauce.
The 13 raw-bar starters might give you decision fatigue, so don’t be afraid to ask your server for guidance. You can also opt for a half dozen ($20) or a dozen ($40) oysters from Eastern Canada or the Mid-Atlantic, or the Millionaire’s Oysters ($30) topped with black caviar.
Page two features 10 varieties of sashimi and nigiri that you can order a la carte, as well as a Chef’s Sashimi Set ($95) and a Sea Grill Signature Set ($185) brimming with fresh tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and more. Sushi highlights include the Mango Sunrise Roll ($20), with shrimp tempura, avocado, lobster, and mango; and the Seafood Symphony Roll ($19), with spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, and red caviar.
Starter include mainstays like Fried Calamari ($17), Baked Oysters ($18), and Mussels ($17). The Fried Avocado with Shrimp ($19) is exactly what it sounds like, and the Crab Croquettes ($21) come with five bite-sized balls of lump crab and a side of wasabi aioli for dipping. They’ve got four soups and four salads as well.
Of the 17 entrées, the Scallops and Risotto ($41) is a top seller. The asparagus risotto is rich and velvety, and the scallops are briny and buttery. Duck Breast ($36) might seem like a wild card at a seafood-forward restaurant, but this one’s worth a try. The sliced duck sits atop a bed of mango purée, and the poached pear, simmered in spiced red wine, tastes like Christmas.
If you came for dinner and a show, the Salt-Baked Branzino ($94) is the move. It’s portioned for two and includes a tableside flambé presentation. The 3-pound fish arrives covered in salt to trap in flavor. Watch as your server sets it aflame, then hammers off the salt crust and de-bones the fish before serving.
The Salt-Baked Branzino ($94) is meant to share and comes with a tableside flambé presentation.
There’s no doubt the presentation here is impressive. It might even upstage the food. But Sea Grill seems unsure about its target audience. The location and price points will appeal to bankers with expense accounts, and the restaurant is set up to host professional development luncheons and awards banquets. The white tablecloths and ocean-inspired decor say, “swanky beach vacation,” but the pulsating dance music screams, “Miami nightclub.”
The menu is expansive and has a lot of pretty good choices. If the chefs were to focus on a tighter lineup, though, they could master some really memorable dishes. Instead of attempting to please everyone, Sea Grill might be better off positioning itself as a special-occasion spot that serves the best seafood in the city.
