Rarely do I walk into a restaurant and my jaw drops. That’s what happened last night at Oshun. The owners of Shango Bistro have opened a new seafood restaurant that capitalizes on the history of the city, and raises the raw bar in Buffalo (see history).
When I first pulled up to Oshun I didn’t even want to walk in. I just wanted to stand outside and be a voyeur. It was like watching a scene from a movie – it didn’t seem real. When I eventually found myself inside, it was like being a kid in a candy store. There was so much to look at.
Everything was “new” and different – the terrazzo floors, the oversized glazed ceramic tiles, the dropped deco lighting elements, and the reimagined wall frescos were breathtaking. The lighting was spot on, and the flow of everything was superbly thought out. Along with my guests, the most difficult choice to make was “where to sit?”
I wanted to sit at the bar. No. I wanted to sit at the raw bar. Actually I wanted to sit next to the oversized windows looking onto the Electric Tower. Eventually my choice was made for me by my friends who pulled me into a booth. The booth was great, but I kept popping my head up to see what was going on on the other side. Then I would get up and walk around to see who was there and what they were doing. I stared at the colors, I ogled the lighting, I listened to the music in the background that sounded a bit like tech married with funk, mixed with the chatter of diners… I couldn’t take it all in fast enough. The funny thing is, that this feeling of awe never wore off. From start to finish I found myself smitten with Oshun.
I always pictured this building being a diner. I often thought, “If it’s not a diner, I’m going to be disappointed.” I never imagined that the place would become a classy seafood emporium. I love fish, and dining in a restaurant that looks like something out of Atlantis… well, I guess I was immediately hooked.
As much as I want to talk about the bounty of food that we shared (clams, scallops, oysters, calamari, shrimp, salmon), I’m going to leave that to a foodie friend (coming soon). What I can say is that Oshun features categories that range from chilled-raw mollusks to meats to veggies and grains. The dishes are for sharing, and trust me you are going to want to share because the food will rock your world (it did mine). Not since the days of the Parklane have I been so happy with a raw bar in Buffalo. Now I can’t stop thinking about our evening at Oshun, and all of the incredible delights that were presented to us.
I can’t wait to head back and try more offerings from this new restaurant in downtown Buffalo. Or just sit at the bar and stare at the frescos. And then slide over to the raw bar for a spell. Whatever the night entails, all I can say is “well done my friends”. Well done.
Oshun | 5 E Huron St | Buffalo, New York | (716) 848-4500 | Facebook | Architects: BHNT Architects, P.C.