Q & A Restaurant And Oyster Bar Opens In Downtown Oceanside

OCEANSIDE, CA — Not many dining venues can claim to remake history when they open, but when the Q&A Restaurant & Oyster Bar opened last month inside The Brick Hotel it did just that.

Visitors to downtown Oceanside in the last several years have watched as the 1888 historic building was completely renovated including restoring every brick by hand. The hotel opened earlier this year, followed by the Cococabana Rooftop Bar earlier in August, which brings us to the historic opening of Q&A, which completes the transformation of The Brick Hotel interior.

The Patch was on hand to celebrate the opening week of the Q&A Restaurant & Oyster Bar, named after executive chef Quinnton Austin, who is bringing a bit of New Orleans for Oceansider's to sample.

Located on the ground floor of the Brick Hotel, Chef Austin has delivered a menu loaded with originality. His take on food comes from actually growing up in New Orleans. Everything on the menu is a testament to the culture he grew up with.

Don't let the name fool you. To accompany the oysters is a delectable menu of inspired NOLA eats. From the Crawfish Etouffée to the Frenchmen Strip there is something for everyone to enjoy.

A cozy atmosphere awaits as you walk in to find comfy booths and bar seating available for guests. Everyone was in a festive mood as the friendly staff greeted us on opening night.

Our server Richard was engaging and offered his expertise on the menu options including appetizers, main courses, side dishes and dessert.

We started with the Buffalo Oysters (6pc out of the shell oysters, deep fried, buffalo sauce, melted blue cheese), a creative twist on traditional buffalo wings, but bursting with oyster-flavored gooeyness.

Next, we could not resist the Uptown Gumbo, which is also known as the kitchen sink, loaded with crawfish, crab, chicken, andouille sausage and creole rice swimming in a savory broth that was cooked to perfection.

For the main course, we indulged in the Seafood Crepe, a french classic with a garlic crab cream crepe enveloping a seafood blend with potatoes and broccoli. What really put this dish over the top was the Monica Sauce, a rich cream sauce with a hint of seafood. It is so good that I’d drink it for breakfast!

Even the side dishes are rockin’ at Q&A. Our favorite was the Smoked Gouda Mac which elevates mac & cheese to another universe. Traditional New Orleans fare completes the sides menu with Collard Greens, Jambalaya and Broccoli Rob.

For the truly adventurous oyster eaters, Q&A offers a veritable plethora of options.

You can choose the region: Gulf coast, East coast or West coast. The style: Raw, Poppa Legba (grilled with sriracha lime butter sauce, ghost jerk spice, cilantro and lime), Charbroiled (grilled with cajun spice, garlic lemon butter and parmesan cheese), Rockefeller (grilled with spinach, herb sauce and cheese), or 3 different types of shooters.

Have we mentioned the Spirits yet?

Rob, the master mixologist, has a keen sense for the art of cocktail making. From a twist on the classic Hurricane to the Voodoo Carre (which is table-side smoked), his flavor creations are surprising and refreshing.

Q&A manages to deliver a New Orleans-style fine dining experience in an intimate space that feels friendly and homey. We applaud this welcome addition to downtown Oceanside.

LOCATION

408 Pier View Way
Oceanside, CA 92054

HOURS
Mon & Tues: Closed
Weds – Sun: 3P – 10P

Reservations are highly recommended.
For more info visit: https://shuckwitus.com/

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