Family Owned Sushi House On AMI
Anna Maria, Florida, USA
Cuisine Style: Japanese
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 1/5
Dined in: April 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Island Ocean Star rating on Zomato:
Island Ocean Star Sushi Chef:
Chef Xiong
The Island Ocean Star restaurant is located next to an inlet on the Northern end of Anna Maria Island attached to a marina looking out onto Bimini Bay. They are known for their modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using high-quality fresh ingredients.
Island Ocean Star Menu:
- Hot Appetizers
- Dumplings
- Salads
- Soups
- Sushi Dinner Specialties
- Donburi
- Seafood Entrees
- Curry Entrees
- Yaki Soba Entrees
- Tempura Entrees
- Katsu
- Teriyaki
- Steak
- Signature Rolls
- Tempura Rolls
- Makimono
- Veggie Rolls
- Nigiri and Sashimi
- Desserts
This was my wife and I’s second visit to Anna Maria Island enjoying a few hours after our first 3-day stay the year prior. We had seen Island Ocean Star while driving around, and they were closed, so we made it a point to visit. My wife started with a glass of Quai de la Lune Rosé from Bordeaux with a blend of grapes that include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc. According to the winemakers' notes, it is a beautiful pale and radiant pink colored wine with cherry red highlights. The bouquet reveals an aromatic nose with intense raspberry notes. The round and fresh red fruit in the palate are enhanced by a pleasant clean finish. Meanwhile, I had Kirin Ichiban beer, a premium, Japanese 100% malt beer which opened in 1888 and is brewed with the first-press method, offering smooth and rich flavor. This first press method ensures purity and smoothness. The result is a Premium Reserve Beer.
The service was not the best as we sat, waiting for drinks and later food orders. The restaurant was empty minus one other table when we visited, yet the locals we spoke two on the previous and current visit gave great accolades to the place. We hadn’t tried any food yet, but so far the service was setting a downward turn. We began with some freshly boiled soy edamame under the salad menu followed by the tempura shrimp appetizer. There were three to the order; crispy, lightly coated and deep fried, served with dashi sauce and grated radish. It had a sweet flavor and was very refreshing. The food was off to a good start.
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| Island Ocean Star / Tempura Shrimp |
For entrees, they had several sections to choose from starting with the Sushi Dinner Specialties, Donburi which was the Chef's selection of fish over seasoned sushi rice served with miso soup and salad. This was followed by Seafood Entrees and Curry Entrees which was a first to see out of the many Japanese restaurants I had been to before. The Japanese classic curry is simmered, served with a side of Japanese pickles. Curry is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. It is commonly served in three main forms: curry rice, curry udon, and curry bread. Curry rice is most commonly referred to simply as “curry.” There are many variations that include Karē raisu, karē udon, and karē-pan with beef, pork, or chicken as main meats. We went with the tempura entree of tuna, cream cheese, and scallion with eel sauce on top. This was one of eighteen separate rolls, all of which looked good. This dish was very refreshing and the sauce ratio was perfect with very fresh tuna and vegetables.
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| Island Ocean Star / Tuna Sushi Roll |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
European Union:
France:
Other noteworthy Japanese and sushi articles or restaurants similar to Island Ocean Star:
5A5 Steak Lounge Modern Japanese steakhouse with chic design in San Francisco, California
Ambrosia Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi in Key West, Florida
Basil Asian Bistro Pan-Asian favorites from China to Vietnam with sushi specials in Canton, Ohio
Blue Fugu Japanese Steakhouse Table-side Hibachi with a sushi bar in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Junsui An eclectic taste of Asia with buffets at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Kuneho (Formally Qui Restaurant) Eclectic global plates and sushi in Austin, Texas
Morimoto Asia Japanese and upscale pan-Asian fare with sushi at Disney Springs Orlando, Florida
Osaka Sushi & Thai Restaurant Thai and Japanese fare including sushi in Seminole, Florida
Sushi Sleek Japanese eatery with sushi/sashimi at The Grand Hyatt Dubai, UAE
The Lemon Grass Casual fusion of Thai and Japanese with tapas portions in St Petersburg, Florida
Zuma Contemporary Japanese restaurant, sushi, & cocktail mixology in Dubai, UAE
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Anna Maria Island restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Exploring the restaurant scene on this 7-mile long Gulf barrier island
Anna Maria Island Florida, USA
|
A Chef driven Beach-style Bistro
Holmes Beach, Florida, USA
|
Gourmet organic Taqueria street food
City of Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
|
Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
|
Florida style waterfront dining with Gulf-to-Table concepts
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
|
Global seafood with a comfort feel
City of Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Casual Floribbean and American pub chain
Brandon, Florida USA
|
Vibrant spot for classic Spanish dishes & tapas
Carrollwood, Florida USA
|
Music, food, and wine near pier 60
Clearwater / Beach, Florida USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Island Ocean Star a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were an average dining experience like most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Island Ocean Star
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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11
|
10
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0
|
Food quality
|
11
|
7
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4
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Plate presentation
|
10
|
9
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1
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Customer service
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10
|
5
|
5
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Alcohol and other beverages
|
9
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5
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4
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Total regular points awarded
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51
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36
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14
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.705882352941177
| ||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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0
|
0
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Total bonus percentage
|
0
| ||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.705882352941177
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
|
1
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
1 of 5 Stars:
71% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
An Average Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
|
This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Island Ocean Star Cuisine Style:
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Japanese, Seafood, Sushi
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s flip-flops!
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Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Contemporary, Scenic views, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Private lot
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Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Island Ocean Star is a non-smoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
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Alcohol prices:
$ USD
Island Ocean Star:
902 South Bay Blvd
Anna Maria, Florida
34216
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 (941) 251-6940
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Email contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Dinner: Mon-Sun
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
and
Accolades for
Island Ocean Star:
| |
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Impeccably prepared French fine dining
Dublin, Ireland
|
Countryside French Bistro
Cheverny, France
|
New American dining on a restored ship
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
|
Other Island Ocean Star Pictures:
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| Island Ocean Star / Marina |
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| Island Ocean Star / Edamame |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
