Ocean Grill

Catering to the locals, as well as tourists

The menu will incorporate traditional Caribbean ingredients like taro root, papayas and mangos, but will also extend globally to draw in international flavors. “I specialized in Asian cuisine at the California Culinary Institute,” Christian says. “It has a flare to it. On the plate, it’s food as art. I love using ingredients like chilis and Thai basil for the complex flavors.” I ask if the food will fall into the popular ‘Asian-fusion’ category, and all three shake their heads vigorously. “Definitely not,” Christian says. “Some of the food will have an Asian influence, but it won’t fall under the category of ‘Asian-fusion.’” It is clear from talking with Christian that he is passionate about finding top-quality ingredients and using them in creative ways. Yet as he puts it, “none of it will be overbearing or scary. I like everything to have its own taste, but combine in the dish to have flavors that work together.” Apart from the items on the menu, Ocean Grill differentiates itself from many of the other higher-end restaurants in Cruz Bay by opening for lunch. “There is a great market for it,” Jim explains. “We want to cater to everyone, from local business workers to tourists heading to the beach.” “It won’t be too heavy, either,” Christian ads. “A lot of time your only choice is a big, greasy burger. We don’t want you to walk away in pain. We want you to be full, yet refreshed.” Prospective menu items like fish and lobster tacos, tuna tartar, carpaccio and various salad selections promise to do just that. Unique concepts are not limited to lunch, but spread into the evening as well. One that particularly struck me was a build-your-own salad option. “It’s not a buffet,” Christian explains. “Diners will have a menu with a selection of lettuces –romaine, spring greens – and about twenty different toppings.” Besides the more standard salad ingredients will be items like hearts of palm, bean sprouts and pepperoncinis. “The good kind,” Christian assures me, referring to the often too-pickled tasting peppers found on Greek salads. “It’s a great way to get the customers involved in the food.” The way that the restaurant is set-up every patron will be able to get involved in the food, whether they are seated in the outdoor patio, covered upstairs dining room or bar. “We’re going to offer a full menu at the bar,” John says. “We really want to cater to the locals, as well as tourists, who just want to come in and have a glass of wine and an appetizer after work or during lunch.” In addition to wine, the bar will serve martinis, traditional island drinks and possibly mojitos. “We were thinking of naming the restaurant Mojitos, but we didn’t want to do that to the bartender (who is also Christian’s girlfriend, Stacy),” Jim jokes, referring to the extended mint-muddling process involved. Instead they decided on Ocean Grill because it’s straightforward, and conveys the tropical, chic atmosphere they’re going for. “It’ll have a California flare,” Jim tells me, which makes perfect sense. The brothers grew up and worked in the restaurant businesses in California for over ten years, John bartending and waiting tables in Orange County and Jim in San Francisco. Yet while much of their background is on the West Coast, they aren’t newcomers to St. John. Their mother, Patty Tacquard, owns the Fabric Mill in Mongoose Junction a few steps from the restaurant, and Jim managed Garden by the Sea bed and breakfast for eight years while working at the Lime Inn. “We’re fond of the island,” Jim says, looking at the beautiful surroundings. “Opening a restaurant here is a challenge that my brother and I wanted to take on.” Christian also found himself in California for his culinary training, attending the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in San Francisco and afterwards, acting as a sous-chef at Jrdn Restaurant at the Tower 23 Hotel, where he met Jim. Inadvertently adding to his executive chef’s training was a sixteen-month stint as an Ammunition Specialist in the Middle East, which he claims has a lot of similarities with his current job. “There is a lot of camaraderie in both areas. When you’re a sergeant and an Executive Chef you’re the judge, jury, executioner, counselor, friend, everything.” While the two jobs share some qualities, Christian clearly prefers the pressure in the kitchen over that in the field. “I kept telling myself, if I make it out of this, I’m going to go home and do something I love,” Christian says. “It was between being a chef and a welder.” Luckily for the Ocean Grill crew, Christian’s mother influenced him to become a chef after years of cooking with her only son as a bonding activity. Change is exciting on a small island like St. John, and particularly so when it is the kind of change that will bring about a new space for people to come together. We are all looking forward to the opening of Ocean Grill, where we will be able to join in Jim, John and Christian’s vision of what is promising to be a great addition to St. John’s culinary scene. Ocean Grill is located in Mongoose Junction next to the Deli Grotto, and will be opening the end of July. Lunch and dinner will be served Mon-Sat, 11:00 am-2:30 pm and 5:00-10:30 pm. Afternoon brunch will be served on Sundays. Parking is available.

Contact Information

• Ocean Grill, 503 Mongoose Junction, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00830
• Local phone: 340-693-3304