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| - **1/2 stars
Diana's Seafood is located on Lawrence Avenue between Birchmount and Warden. With a restaurant and storefront, you cannot miss the blue canopy that hovers over their patio.
The interiors remind you of a shoddy imitation of Harbour Sixty with portholes and swinging doors. Unfortunately attention to detail is lacking as black and white photographs were hung without the use of a leveler (maybe we're on a sinking ship, in which case I may have just lost my appetite), coffees came without spoons or stirring utensils, and a pen not provided for us to sign our receipt.
While I appreciate that the owners at Diana's Seafood have taken a risk and tried to bring higher end dining to suburbia - there is much to be learned at prep school before they reach that level of sophistication.
You walk in to the bar and oyster station as the restaurant opens up towards the rear to a small sitting area. I can't help but think of poor restaurant design as the layout made for a lot of wasted space. There is a covered patio, but I wouldn't want to be stuck out there in the dead of winter.
The menu is a single, double-sided laminated page with food on the front and beverages on the back. A specials page is also provided.
I opted for a glass of Riesling (6 oz - $8) while my dining companion opted for a Heineken (. My word to the wise - skip the wine here. The Riesling was undrinkable, and after a few initial sips I abandoned ship.
To start we ordered the Sea Urchin ($14) which is served atop taro crisps and a slice of cucumber. Sea urchin is one of those things that fall into the "acquired taste" category. It is extremely creamy and rich in texture, with a slight bitter after taste to it which may turn some people off. I thought the taro crisps were a great textural contrast.
We also ordered a mélange of oysters: Fanny Bay, Kumamoto, and Kusshi. This was served with your choice of 3 sauces: vinaigrette, spicy cocktail sauce and Scotch Bonnet.
Diana's Fresh New England Style Clam Chowder ($8) underwhelmed. It was creamy, but lacked any real clam flavour and had a few scant vegetables in it.
The Seafood Mixed Grill ($31) consisted of scallops, Black Tiger shrimp and grilled Atlantic salmon. The scallops were lacking a seared crust, though cooked to the right consistency. The Black Tiger shrimp were naturally sweet and the star of the three. The salmon was flaky, though the outsides were a bit dry - I personally like my fish with skin-on to get that nice crust on the outside. This was served with panko-crusted Pear William Potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The potatoes were fluffy and creamy, and definitely more interesting than your usual mash.
To end off the evening we opted for the Apple & Pear Crumble ($8) which was also nothing to rave about. The crumble topping was bland and the clumps were too big, but the filling with aromatic cinnamon was quite yummy.
V E R D I C T
All in all, I would have to say I was disappointed with my experience at Diana's Oyster Bar & Grill. The service could've been forgivable if the food made up for it, but both were mediocre. The meal rang in at $111, which at that price, I could think of dozens of more memorable dining experiences than tonight's.
I left with the thought that I would come back for the oysters, but seeing as oysters require no cooking - that's not saying much.
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