Dinner for two served by Land Ocean New American Grill
Update: LandOcean is now open for dine-in service following social distancing guidelines, and they have also continued their takeout service. The two-fer meal deal described here is no longer active, but the regular rotisserie chicken is still on the menu. Visit online at https://landoceanrestaurants.com/reno/ for a full menu.
At the Summit Mall, Land Ocean’s third location offers upscale sea and land cuisine inside modern digs. While we can’t enjoy the ambiance of this South Reno gem just yet, we can still dive into plates of rotisserie chicken, juicy burgers and perfectly-cooked steaks using curbside takeout options. Plus—everyone’s new favorite obsession—to-go cocktails.
We ordered the Land Ocean date night special, a rotisserie chicken dinner for two. The $29 meal costs less than ordering in restaurant, but the quality is the same. The biggest difference? The portions are HUGE, surely enough for two people to share, even if they have hearty appetites.
The process was easy. We called ahead and placed an order for the special, which comes with the signature chicken, two sides and a salad. We opted for mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and upgraded the salad to a grilled artichoke (for an additional charge). Other side options available include cilantro rice and sautéed garlic mushrooms. The typical meal, without an upgrade, comes with either a Caesar salad or the Land Ocean house salad.
When it was time for pick-up, we walked into the side door on the left side of the building—not in the main front entrance on the same side of the street as the movie theatre—and picked up our meal. They will also bring it out to your car if you call. The to-go packaging is appreciated with food housed in aluminum containers instead of plastic or Styrofoam. This helped keep the food warm as we drove it home and prepped our table.
The grilled artichoke is browned on the edges and the lemon-basil remoulade is very flavorful, an ideal dipping sauce. I don’t know about you, but when I make artichokes at home, it seems I only get a little bit of the edible part just right at the bottom. On Land Ocean’s rendition, I could eat almost the entire leaf of the inner pieces. And yes, the artichoke heart is there, too. Another perk to this appetizer when ordering for two is it already comes split into equal halves.
Because I have ordered the rotisserie chicken in restaurant before, I can attest to the fact that the to-go option honestly tastes the same and nothing is lost in quality. The chicken is bone-in, which is often something I shy away from, but it does peel off of the bone rather easily. You will get a mix of pieces when you order, so it isn’t all breasts.
Just like in restaurant, the mashed potatoes served underneath the chicken offer more than a standard side, literally heaped on the bottom of the to-go container. They are creamy but that doesn’t mean you should forego the provided gravy (this is the only place we saw Styrofoam in our to-go containers). The asparagus serving is adequate.
One upside to this crazy pandemic is that Land Ocean started serving signature bottled cocktails dubbed On the Rocks. Instead of a bartender-mixed beverage with a piece of tape over the hole of the plastic to-go cup, these libations come in glass bottles. Flavors include cosmopolitan, jalapeño pineapple margarita and aviation (a gin-based drink). Sip it straight out of the bottle or serve it over the rocks. Each one yields 1-2 glasses depending on size, and they are strong compared to most bottled alcoholic beverages at 20 percent ABV, or 40 proof.
Overall, the experience was great. The food lost zero quality during transportation and the lineup of cocktail options made it feel like we were dining in. The biggest perk is the dinner-for-two special price, making this an affordable meal for a night “out.”
Order In:
Curbside takeout available from 11:30 AM-7:30 PM
Call or email orders: (775) 993-2499 or [email protected]
Delivery also available through DoorDash
