OCI is located in the Poblado area in Parque Lleras in Medellin, Colombia. This area of town caters to foreigners and tourists so you will often find restaurants of all types here. OCI MDE has been serving patrons for about 6 years, offering a variety of dishes and flavors. The menu is based on the concept of meal sharing, with dishes placed in the center of the table, allowing the guests to try different plates. The menu itself changes about every five months, allowing guests to continuously try new dishes.
The head chef, Laura, have a vast knowledge of European, Australian and Asian food from her years of work in Europe and Australia. Their main purpose, however, is to combine that vast knowledge and “create food with Colombian flavors.”
The Vibe
The restaurant is nestled behind, what looks like, a wall of palm trees. It’s almost like it’s a secretive, hidden oasis. OCI offers a contemporary atmosphere, with low lighting coupled with a moderate level of music that allows you to chat comfortably with whomever you’re dining with. There are two floors to dine, as well as, a bar area to be seated. It’s an ideal place for couples, families or groups who want a great meal and delicious drinks.
Food
OCI offers a wide variety of food including vegetarian options as well. They start you off with a complimentary portion of chips and sauce made with mayonnaise, paprika and cilantro. They were both very tasty and I found myself soon in need of a second helping!
For our appetizer, we began with a shared plate of eat glazed prawns in tomato confit with rocotto served over crispy quinoa and basil. I’ve had plenty of quinoa dishes but never crispy and the texture definitely added to the dish. The dish itself was very tasty and also looked beautiful on the plate.
For the a main course we decided on two fish dishes. The days catch was Mahi Mahi which is brought in daily from Cartagena, a city on the coast. The first dish was served with beans and and sat on a bed of fresh veggies. The second fish was served with a coconut, garlic and ginger sauce alongside a fresh coconut and cilantro salad. Both dishes were very flavorful and the fish was cooked to perfection.
Sweets are by far my guilty pleasure so I was very excited to try out their desserts, as they have a variety of dishes to choose from. First up was the cookie taco filled with chocolate ice cream, hazelnut sponge, red fruits, meringue and dipped in arequipe. Second was the cookie sandwich dipped in caramel with cashew ice cream topped with whip cream. This was favorite dessert as it was packed with flavor.
Drinks
OCI has a full bar and offers a variety of liquors, including gins and whiskeys. There are also many interesting delicious house cocktails to try out as well. OCI alsO has an extensive wine list from a variety of South American countries, most available by the bottle. I find it difficult to find good wines in Colombia so this was a welcomed treat.
Service
Service is a big part of any dining experience. I found the staff to be attentive and very knowledgable about the menu and the wines as well. Foreigners will be happy to hear that many of their staff speak both English and Spanish so you will have no problem ordering or asking questions.
Final Thoughts
All in all, this a great spot to eat, drink, and enjoy the ambiance. The food and drinks are good, the service excellent, and everything is reasonably priced. If you’re in Medellin, I would definitely recommend stopping by.
Hours
Tuesday to Thursday: 12:00- 2:30pm and 6:30 – 10:30pm
Friday and Saturday: 12:00- 3:00pm and 6:30 – 11:00pm
Address: Carrera 33 No. 7-21 Medellin, Colombia
Website: http://ocimde.com/
Instagram: @oci.mde
Geron is an avid traveler, entreprenuer and mens style aficionado. He love’s mac and cheese, getting discounts, his momma, and a good whiskey, not particularly in that order. It’s alleged he lives in Miami, but no one really knows anymore.
Follow him on instagram at @geronp
