It’s possible to enjoy a filling meal without even progressing to the entrees when you’re at EMC Seafood & Raw Bar, newly settled at The Collection in Oxnard. Raw Bar items and starters take up two-thirds of the large menu page, offering an abundance of tempting fare.

The last third makes up the principal offerings, which range in price from a dish of Dirty Fried Rice ($16), a mix of shrimp, calamari, salmon, egg, lobster meat, rice and Cajun sauce, to the $89 All-In Special, which an obliging server showed us as he passed our booth on his way to its recipients. Teaming Cajun garlic sauce with Maine lobster, whole crab, shrimp, Manila clams, black mussels, corn and potato, it did look as if it were enough for several hungry diners and might be a good choice for those with the restraint to pass on multiple starters.

We, of course, plunged into the starter options with abandon, encouraged by the fact that we had accidentally arrived during happy hour, 3 to 6 p.m. Starting with truffle salmon carpaccio ($10 HH, $12 later) and continuing with fries seasoned with truffle mushroom aioli ($4/$6.50), Crispy Calamari ($6/$11.50) and two oysters ($2 HH), we shared according to our individual preferences.

The salmon carpaccio pleased all three of us with its lightly seared texture and bold flavor enhanced by truffle oil, ponzu sauce and a sprinkling of pickled cucumber. Fried calamari that boldly ticked up its flavor with jalapeño, green onion and garlic accents was another table favorite. The only disappointment were the oysters that were presented on their small shells, with one of the little fellows distinctly smaller than the other. They obviously were not — and weren’t expected to be considering the price — one of the more distinctive group of oysters available, including Sol Azul from Baja; Fanny Bay from British Columbia; Fat Bastard from Seattle; Kusshi from Vancouver Island; and Kumamoto from Humboldt Bay.

Arriving on a metal tray, the lonely-looking, excellently grilled slice of sea bass ($34) was applauded for its quality, but it seemed as if some small side or even two would have been appropriate for that price. Sides available are white rice ($2), potato, grilled corn or cucumber salad ($5) and Chinese broccoli ($9). We belatedly ordered the last and it was very good, but I still can’t get that lonely piece of sea bass out of my mind.

Uni pasta ($24), one of the modestly priced main dishes, also was a winner with its subtle flavor and creamy special sauce, dried seaweed and fish roe. Our other main dish, actually chosen from the small plates portion of the menu, was a lobster roll ($19.50). Small but mighty enough in flavor, the tender lobster, tarragon butter and crisply grilled base worked well together.

We shared a slice of key lime pie ($7) as our dessert and it was fine, though had we left ourselves hungrier we might have opted for the chocolate bread pudding.

Some of the other dining options at EMC (the initials are for the first names of the owners of the group of restaurants — Ellis, Michael and Charles) are sushi rolls, chowder, crispy Brussels sprouts, crispy smelt, truffle sliders featuring Angus beef, charred branzino, rack of lamb, steamed shrimp, clams, mussels and lobster.

And lest we forget, there is a seafood tower featuring whole Maine lobster, uni, mussels, Little Neck clams, shrimp cocktail, oysters and scallops. At $125 it is bound to be enough for a small table of shellfish fanciers.

— Rita Moran visits restaurants unannounced and pays for her food. If you know of a new, unusual or just plain good restaurant, please contact her at rita.j.moran@gmail.com.

2 for dinner 

Starters: Salmon carpaccio (Happy Hour price $10) + fries with truffle aioli (HH price $4) + fried calamari (HH price $6) + 2 oysters (HH price $2)

Entrées: Sea bass ($34) with side of Chinese broccoli ($9) + lobster roll ($19.50) + uni pasta ($24)

Dessert: Key lime pie ($7)

Tab for two: $32-$120

EMC Seafood & Raw Bar

Location: 511 Town Center Drive #30, at The Collection, Oxnard. 278-4997

Hours: 11:30 a.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday; 11:30 a.m. Monday to 10:30 p.m. Thursday

Impressions: Spacious interior room with giant crab mural covering one wall; energetic and friendly staff; lots of seafood with emphasis on “raw bar” shellfish among many other options.

What’s hot: Salmon carpaccio, fried calamari, uni

source: Ventury County Star