Ocean Sky

It's the best Chinese... in Eugene, for what that's worth

It says something about the state of Chinese restaurants in Eugene that Ocean Sky is consistently listed as one of the top three restaurants in the Chinese food category of Eugene Weekly's annual "Best of Eugene" dining guide. But what it says isn't exactly clear until you have a basis for comparison. The sad truth is, there really isn't much top-notch Chinese food to be had in this area. With that said, if you're just looking for standard fare with a few standout dishes, Ocean Sky isn't a bad place to get your fix.

Ocean Sky is located in an oddly-shaped '70s-era building beside Amazon Creek, near the intersection of Chambers and 18th; one gets the vague sense from its brick arches and elongated windows that it might once have housed a dentist's office or a bank. In any case, it doesn't feel like a restaurant. A note at the entrance indicated that Ocean Sky would be closed for remodeling in the coming week, so perhaps the odd doctor's-park vibe will be ameliorated soon. Inside, however, the standard booths proclaim this place a restaurant. The managers at Ocean Sky have also managed to pay attention to details often lacking in a restaurant with modest prices; all dinner tables have fresh white linen tablecloths and fabric napkins, and the service is extremely attentive, prompt and friendly.

We began the meal with a cup of hot and sour soup, a staple dish of nearly every Chinese restaurant and one which I've found is often a good indicator of the meal to follow. If the chef is conscientious enough to make even the ubiquitous hot and sour soup excellent, it's likely the entrees will be equally delicious. Since the solid ingredients—tofu, wood ear mushrooms, julienned bamboo shoots—don't add much flavor to the soup, the key to a good hot and sour is getting the broth just right. Ocean Sky's hot and sour was very pedestrian; the broth was vegetable- rather than chicken-based, so it lacked the deep savory note that can make hot and sour soup so comforting. The flavors were also unbalanced; the soup had plenty of sourness, but little by way of heat.

My companion ordered ginger beef, and I opted for the chicken with double mushrooms. Of the two entrees, the chicken dish—thin-sliced chicken stir-fried with button and shiitake mushrooms and chunks of bamboo shoots in a flavorful, meaty sauce—was the biggest hit; the smoky shiitakes and chicken were a perfect match. The ginger beef, although it looked beautiful with its abundant scallions, was surprisingly scant on the taste of fresh ginger; judging from the insipid taste, it could have used half again as much julienned ginger as was visible in the dish. Our waitress also brought us both fried and steamed rice, although we should have stuck to the latter; the fried rice was dressed only with soy sauce and a bit of scrambled egg.

Prices at Ocean Sky are very reasonable, especially for dinner, and the portion sizes are such that unless you're a starving teenage boy, you'll probably bring home leftovers. We will definitely visit Ocean Sky again, as the service is impeccable. It also does offer the best Chinese food we've yet found in Eugene.

Just keep in mind that isn't saying very much.

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