Seven Ocean, Oak Park [closed]

Just saw that this "Asian fusion" place is now open. It looks like it offers only a $55 prix fixe. I made a note of the debut menu, which is:

CURRY FISH TIMBALE Coconut Cream, Red Curry

LOBSTER STUFFED GYOZA Japanese Panzu Sauce, Cilantro Shoots

BRAISED PORK BELLY Tangerine, Caramelized sauce

GRILLED PRAWN SHITAKE MUSHROOM Spicy Sour, Herb Infused Broth

STEAMED ATLANTIC COD, Thai herb, Coconut Cream

STEW BEEF TENDERLOIN, Russet Potato, Massaman Curry Sauce

Trip Mango and Sticky Rice

As goes the refrain, I hope this pans out for Oak Park.

Seven Ocean
122 N Marion
(between North Blvd & Lake St)
Oak Park, IL 60301
(708) 524-7979

I feel like this place has been "Coming Soon" since I moved to OP a year and a half ago. Glad to see something finally opened and looking forward to hearing about people's experience.

We went to Seven Ocean tonight. The meal was very enjoyable. I don't think I have eaten a better meal in Oak Park. Maybe equal at times at Marion Street, Cucina or Maya but not better. The service was good but a bit awkward. That can happen in a new place with only two tables occupied. The room is probably the nicest in the area.

Interesting concept. There is a $55 prix fixe menu. No other choices. Having recently read Barry Schwartz's book "The Paradox of Choice-Why More is Less," not having to worry that I ordered the wrong entree was a plus and probably contributed to my enjoyment. There were 4 appetizers and 2 entrees plus dessert. Each was well prepared, unique and tasty. I left comfortable not over stuffed after dinner which is a good thing during the holiday season where every week my scale frowns at me. I was told that every four to six weeks the chef will change up the menu. The place is new, only opened about a week. I was impressed and will go back.

Nice Room

Seven Ocean by dradeli, on Flickr

Tilapia appetizer very tasty probably could have been served a little cooler.

Seven Ocean by dradeli, on Flickr

Lobster stuffed Gyoza. Very good, started eating before I snapped the photo, sorry.

Seven Ocean by dradeli, on Flickr

Braised Pork Belly. Interesting flavors, tasty.

Seven Ocean by dradeli, on Flickr

Grilled prawn shitake mushroom lemon grass infused broth. Nice!

Seven Ocean by dradeli, on Flickr

Steamed Atlantic Cod. Enjoyable but could use more flavor.

Seven Ocean by dradeli, on Flickr

Stewed Beef Tenderloin in a curry sauce with pearl potatoes and rice. Probably could have done without the rice. Amazing flavors, delicious.

Seven Ocean by dradeli, on Flickr

Mango dessert trio. My queen loved it...she is a Mango lover.

dradeli wrote: I left comfortable not over stuffed after dinner which is a good thing during the holiday season where every week my scale frowns at me.

Turn the scale over and then it will be smiling at you..

Many of us would like Oak Park to have another fine dining destination, and Seven Ocean is aiming to be that. The dining room is unlike any other in the village: elegant, well-appointed, and understated. The key differentiator, however, between this restaurant and any other in Oak park are the prix fix menus ($35 for four courses, $55 for seven courses).

Prix fix menus are uncommon in Oak Park and the western suburbs. Because of that, it’d be excellent if Seven Ocean could put up a website that explains the two menus, includes some photos of the food and maybe romances the experience a little. A prix fix menu may be slightly outside the comfort zone for some Oak Parkers (simply because it’s an anomaly in this village), so providing a little more background might help avoid surprises and drive traffic.

We were tickled by the whitefish timbale, the first course in the $55 tasting menu (as well as the $35 tasting menu, which is basically an abbreviated version of the bigger menu). Similar to the “fish custard” found on some Thai menus, this creamy mound was tanged up with some curry sauce, a very good opener, soft, subtle, a little surprising.



Little cubes along or around the central ingredient seems to be a theme here; though visually not a bad approach, these pepper cubes were nearly impossible to spear and eat.

We decided to have the wine pairing ($30 additional), and enjoyed the range and selection of sips.

The lobster-stuffed gyoza in ponzu and cilantro were exquisite, delicate; the Chamisal 2010 Stainless Chardonnay was perky, full of life, and got us excited about the king crab, edamame cream soup and striped bass.



The king crab was a sliver about the size of my little finger, perhaps smaller (maybe .5 oz), and though the taste was good, I felt I had such a small amount of time to get to know it before it was gone. The Wife and I actually debated whether this was a one-bite or two-bite scenario.

The edamame cream soup was a lot like a very delicate split pea, with some fish roe added for texture and dimension. The soup was dotted with truffle oil, and although this fungal essence might be the most over-used ingredient in current American cuisine, it provided a depth to what was a very laid-back bowl of soup.



The striped bass was a beautiful piece of fish, with slivers of green apple and red onion, a good balance of sweet and sour. We could have eaten more, and I would say that most servings here tended to the small side. At approximately $100 per person, you don’t want guests leaving hungry, and I humbly suggest that Seven Ocean would do well to bump up serving size just a little. I understand restaurant costs are high, but it would seem possible to add another gyoza or another half-cup of soup to the openers without busting the budget. This isn't Golden Corral, and no diner who goes to a place like this will expect to leave "stuffed," but you want guests to walk out satisfied, and the diminutive serving size challenges that goal.



The duck was accompanied by an excellent Argentine cabernet, and one of the several wines we found quite exceptional and worth the price for wine pairing.

This is a difficult time of year for most restaurants, and Seven Ocean was not crowded the night we were there. Whether they can make this concept work with pre fixe menus remains to be seen, but we wish them luck and although they’re still working out some kinks, one must applaud their ambition for this kind of restaurant in Oak Park.

Huh, for some reason a post of mine popped up in Other Culinary Chat instead. My bad. Anyway, for a place of such proposed prestige, not many data points on Seven Ocean. Has anyone else been? Does anyone, ever, eat here?

They've gone to a la carte for some items, which is probably a good move. Not sure the place can be saved. A prix fix menu in Oak Park seems a little, shall we say, ahead of its time?

Why "ahead of it's time" in Oak Park? Gaetano's pulls it off quite well and it is popular, in Forest Park. Oak Parkers are not sophisticated enough?

kitty wrote:Why "ahead of it's time" in Oak Park? Gaetano's pulls it off quite well and it is popular, in Forest Park. Oak Parkers are not sophisticated enough?

I was being slightly tongue in cheek. I'll be more blunt: the place is doomed.

kitty wrote:Why "ahead of it's time" in Oak Park? Gaetano's pulls it off quite well and it is popular, in Forest Park. Oak Parkers are not sophisticated enough?

Broad lawns, narrow minds, and why-the-frak-can't-we-keep-anything-good-or-with-late-hours-or-interesting-ingredients-or-actually-engaged-servers-open palates.

kitty wrote:Why "ahead of it's time" in Oak Park? Gaetano's pulls it off quite well and it is popular, in Forest Park. Oak Parkers are not sophisticated enough?

Gaetano's has a full ala carte menu. Would he be doing as well there if that wasn't an option? Hard to say, but my guess is that it would put a damper on things.

Intriguingly, a local ad notes Seven Ocean is now doing carry out and delivery, is open for lunch Tuesday-Friday and identifies firmly as "Fine Thai Cuisine."

Vitesse98 wrote:Intriguingly, a local ad notes Seven Ocean is now doing carry out and delivery, is open for lunch Tuesday-Friday and identifies firmly as "Fine Thai Cuisine."

I glanced at the outside menu while walking by today, and there are many a la carte items for under $10. I saw no evidence of a tasting menu, though that still may be offered. They're evidently taking it down a notch.

David Hammond wrote:

kitty wrote:Why "ahead of it's time" in Oak Park? Gaetano's pulls it off quite well and it is popular, in Forest Park. Oak Parkers are not sophisticated enough?

I was being slightly tongue in cheek. I'll be more blunt: the place is doomed.

Doom arrived sometime before May 1st - it's gone. The site is still up, but I'll save you the slow-loading .PNG farewell.