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Oasis Mediterranean Bistro
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
2 reviews for Oasis Mediterranean Bistro
Sometimes the earliest discoveries turn out to be the best.
Oasis was one of the first restaurants I sampled in Rochester. I was in town to check out the U of R and asked an interesting grad student for Mediterranean eatery recommendations. He fixed me with a serious look and asked, "Are you more interested in the view from your table, or the food?" I immediately thought, "Hey! What do you take me for?!" but responded,"The Food!" and he drew me a map to Oasis.
Oasis currently has a good location on Monroe Ave., but then the place was on Park Ave. and nothing more than a hole in the wall with a couple tables outside and a couple inside. No view, natch, but what great food! We ate outside and tried to stay out of the way of the constant flow of people getting takeout. About the same time I moved to Rochester, Oasis closed while relocating to the Monroe Ave. location. Very disappointing to be without, but I used the time to check out the competition. I concluded that there are places with better views, places with more extensive menus, and places that are surrounded by more buzz, but....Oasis' food is better. And now, with more inside seating, people don't have to get takeout unless they want to.
We favor the vegetarian options on the menu and usually order too much food because we can't decide which items we want more. The combination vegetarian appetizer platter is a must: hummus, baba ganoosh, tabouli, dolma, falafel and a vegan(!) dipping sauce. The soups of the day, especially the lentil and gazpacho, are well worth finding room for on the table. Favorite entrees? ... too many ... the eggplant and olive tower, the lentils, the portobello mushroom, the stuffed pitas, the salads ... it all tastes so good ... and that's not even considering the pasta and non-vegetarian options.
I'm a huge fan of their hummus. Hummus drives me crazy, because it looks like a simple food - like anyone should be able to make it - but it doesn't work that way. Balancing all of the ingredients depends on some kind of a black art or inherent skill, and it's clear that not everyone is equally gifted. Oasis' hummus is perfect. Sometimes we'll order some at the end of the meal for takeout.
The restaurant is a converted house - cozy and surprisingly adaptable. We've eaten there dressed in casual clothes and semi-formal clothes. We've gone for a romantic dinner as a couple and for a good time with a group. Never once did we feel out of place or like the venue was wrong for the occasion. There is outside seating, but we never use it. The inside is pleasantly fun - with great music supplied by the owner's son playing over the sound system and a 2nd story view of Monroe Ave. When we eat outside, Monroe Ave. seems too close and we tire of talking over the road noise. The owner, friendly and unassuming, greets diners and catches up on the news in between preparing the food. It's always amusing to listen when a diner tries to extract the secret to his hummus - the owner doesn't understand the fuss and will simply list the ingredients, completely unaware that he possesses a magic touch, which minorly frustrates his questioner. Someday scientists will find the 'hummus' gene....
Elegant, intimate bistro with fantastic Mediterranean fare. The owner and chef has a great repertoire of dishes and can use subtle spices to bring out incredible flavor.
The vegetarian appetitizer, with hummous, babaganoush, falafel, and dolmates is a starter that can't be missed, and the pita is always fresh, light, and warm... ah! I love this place.
A single party five or six can transform the ambience of the place and make it lively, but the experience is always fabulous. The owner and occasional chef (who shares the duties with his son) will quietly visit each table during a typical meal to ensure everything is perfect... though he never hears anything but enthusiastic affirmation, he always seems so content and pleased to hear it.
The steps up to it seem so few, but it's so very far from the bustling street outside. It's one of the few places in Rochester where the food and the ambience are a wonderful consistent. It's truly an oasis.
