Ocean Star Restaurant

“Anything That Comes From The Ocean”

No lover of Portuguese seafood and Cape Verdean cuisine could resist the watchwords of Ocean Star Restaurant: “The secret of knowing how to cook anything that comes from the ocean.”

Anything? That includes salmon, lobster, shrimp, tuna, and monkfish, of course. The prodigious kitchen in this New Bedford hidden gem also turns out grilled squid, stewed octopus, fried smelts, Brazilian fish stew, and codfish cakes.

Seafood And More

Yes, seafood stars at Ocean Star. That is because Portuguese cuisine is so rich with it. The sign on the outside of this charming, family-run cafe describes it as Casa Portuguesa. The repertoire of dishes extends well beyond what makes a seafood lover happy.

Here you can have a lovely plate of pasta, spicy steak Micaelence, salted pork salad, lamb chops, stewed peas, and chicken (and/or shrimp) Mozambique. On occasional weekends the kitchen offers roast pig. Cachupa is a Cape Verdean stew of hominy, beans, potatoes, and whatever meats are on hand. It’s often an evening special.

If you see Cozido a Portuguesa on the daily-written menu, check it out. It is the Portuguese version of a boiled dinner. It includes a variety of vegetables along with meats and sausage. Ocean Star’s version packs enough spice and herbs to create a cloud of enticing perfume all around your table.

For dessert, spoon into such beguiling specialties as grilled pineapple with port wine, drunken pears, or grilled bananas with hot chocolate.

Honest Fine Dining

Yes, Ocean Star is a hole-in-the-wall. But for all its modesty, you feel a refined luster in the dining experience. Service isn’t the least bit pretentious. It’s casual and friendly, but in a way I want to call suave.

With reasonable prices and a humble attitude, Ocean Star offers expertly prepared versions of authentic Portuguese seafood.