CityLife

Oca

Oca
Sale
September 2010

Overall: 4/5
Decor: 4/5, Service: 4/5, Food: 4/5

The late summer sun warmed the piazza as families took an early evening stroll. The relaxed, al fresco diners sipped  aperitifs while perusing the  menu – and the Metrolink rattled by on its journey towards Altrincham.

For a moment we had drifted to the Mediterranean but this was Sale, not Sicily. We were six miles from Manchester and sitting close enough to the Bridgewater Canal to enjoy the unhurried narrowboat traffic.

The pedestrianised Waterside area of the town is where you will find Oca, one of the most accessible restaurants in the area and where, when the weather is good, you can enjoy their pavement cafe experience.

Inside, Oca is modern and sleek, friendly and relaxed. It is a restaurant with a smile on its face.

Unusually, we only needed a table-a-deux and as keen people watchers, we chose one with a good view of the whole room.

The walls are adorned with bold, playful portraits of a range of  well-known faces from Jimi Hendrix to Statler and Waldorf. The lighting is subtle, matches the mood of the moment and is accompanied by classic songs, played at just the right volume.

One of Oca’s great strengths is the quality of its staff. Led by boss Juan Eslava and his managers Jo and Lucie, every young waiter and waitress is pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful. The chefs bring a collective wealth of experience to the party and the meals are delivered to the table by food runners of the highest calibre.

While deciding what to eat, we shared a bowl of olives which teased us with its tasty multi herb marinade (£2.60). If you choose the mixed option, black and green olives nestle in the same bowl, the black adding a little sharpness to the subtle appetizer. 

Bruschetta topped with fresh tomatoes, red onion and garlic helped us mop up the last of the oil (£3.90) and we washed that down with a couple of flutes of the crisp house sparkling wine  (£3.95 per glass). In anticipation of quaffing more, we pushed the boat out and ordered a full bottle at £18.50.

Our starters came from the sea. My Scottish smoked salmon (£5.25) was served with caper berries and dill mayonnaise and while the portion  looked modest, with the freshly toasted bread on the side, it was more than enough to satisfy. The tender flesh of the fish was enhanced by the subtle lemon juice in the mayonnaise which cut through the dill’s hint of vinegar.

The use of caper berries, as opposed to capers themselves, tones down the acidic content of any dish and a small sprinkling as decoration is a perfect topping for fish.

Across the table, the Thai-style prawns had been marinated in ginger, garlic, red chilli and butter and were served with lemon and spring onion. This is a recent addition to Oca’s menu and is a more adventurous replacement for their famed prawns pil-pil. 

Cooked to succulent, juicy perfection the sizzling prawns were not overpowered by the spices and held their own in a dish full of aromatic explosions.

The sparkling wine had seen us nicely through the starters  and, without waiting for the next course, we ordered a Panilonco Chilean sauvignon blanc (£16.95). This new world wine has a gentle citrus note  which  which we hoped would suit whatever main course we were to choose.

Oca’s menu allows you to canter through familiar Italian favourites while distracting you with quirky pizzas, imaginative oven-baked pastas and sophisticated specials.

I am intrigued by sea bass. I am sure we used to simply call it bass. There are no freshwater bass so the word ‘sea’ seems to have sneaked onto menus in recent years to add a little intrigue. Nevertheless, it can be irresistible, as it was on this occasion.

Bass is the fish equivalent of chicken,  it has a mild flavour and is low in fat. This fillet was cooked beautifully with a slightly crispy skin protecting opaque, flaky flesh.  The subdued seasoning added to the delicacy and the accompanying couscous and peppers provided  both texture and colour. It was priced at £9.95 as a special of the day.

After much deliberation and indecision, during which I was even getting on my own nerves,  I  went for the roast vegetable penne pasta (£7.95).

Oven-roasted aubergines and red peppers played the main part and the supporting cast comprised caramelised red onions, gorgonzola and garlic, all baked in a spicy tomato sauce. I was slightly worried about the Milanese blue cheese but the onions balanced its ripeness and allowed the pulpy peppers to fight for prominence alongside the aubergines. An authentic taste of Italy.  

On another day, with a substantial pasta dish,  I might have been tempted towards an Australian shiraz but I am happy to say the sauvignon blanc gamble paid off and the Lontue ‘lion king’ held its own very nicely alongside both main courses.

In Italian-style restaurants, I generally find the desserts a little unimaginative so was delighted to spot a home made apple and raisin crumble, flavoured with cinnamon and served with custard.

At £4.15, it came in a ramekin sized dish rather than the kind of bowl your mother would use and although officially we were sharing one portion, I had the bigger spoon and won that sweet battle.

This is a family friendly restaurant  which offers a selection of children’s meals for under £4. There is no need to book unless you are in a a party of seven or more.

Juan, Jo, Lucie and the team have got it just right. The location is one of the best in Sale, the service is top class and the food impressive.

From the very first benvenuto to the final arrividerci, the Oca experience is fulfilling and satisfying.  

Oca, 2 Waterside Plaza, Sale M33 7BS (0161 962 6666, www.oca-restaurants.com).

Tweet