Spring 2023 | Chef's Table

Surf and Turf

Reno’s Land Ocean is lucky No. 7 for Tahoe restaurateurs.

Sexy. Warm. Modern.

That’s how Karoline Platt describes Land Ocean, the mini chain of steakhouse restaurants she and husband Mark own. It’s a concept meant to bring a simple menu of hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, and simple-but-delicious sandwiches and salads to residents and visitors.

Opened in 2019 in The Summit shopping center in South Reno, this Land Ocean’s location appealed to the couple, who had been looking for an outpost in the city for a long time, for several reasons. Mostly, it fit their business model of finding shuttered restaurant spaces and renovating them, which was a more cost-effective way to approach the project than building from the ground up. And it’s worked for all seven of their properties so far.

“We really liked the mall and saw the potential it would have when the area became popular,” Karoline says. “We did bid on the space next door (now Skipolini’s), but the owner of the building did not think we would be successful [there].”

Bold and Satisfying
The menu at Land Ocean is a perfect marriage of Karoline and Mark’s individual tastes.

“I love fresh fish and Mark loves his steak,” Karoline says. “The theme of Land Ocean is to take the best from the land and the ocean.”

It also comes from Mark’s extensive experience in management and operations for many successful restaurants around the country, focusing on quality steaks and seafood and working to supply residents with high-end fare outside of a casino setting.

Favorites, however, often are found in the smattering of fun menu items that allow for creativity and whimsy — think a slightly spicy four-cheese macaroni served with fresh jalapeños and crispy grilled artichokes dunked into a ramekin of creamy, citrusy lemon-basil remoulade.

Craft cocktails, both traditional and inventive, and an extensive wine list round out the menu. On weekends, a decadent brunch is served. Alongside bottomless mimosas, indulgent dishes take center stage, such as a sultry and sweet crème brûlée French toast with brioche bread and caramelized batter, and a crab cake Benedict doused with mango hollandaise and topped with sweet pepper relish.

“We keep close tabs on what is selling well and what is not, and that varies by location,” Karoline adds. “We also allow our chef team to use their creativity to add specialty items.”

She then points to the restaurant’s fitness special as a huge seller. A diet-friendly offering that rotates weekly and takes seasonality and location into account, it promises to come in at 450 calories or less but fill you up.

Perfect Pairing
While Land Ocean at The Summit is the couple’s only Reno restaurant for now, the dynamic duo was no stranger to the Reno-Tahoe area. Mark began his culinary career in New York and spent more than a decade manning multiple Chart House locations in California, Colorado, Virginia, and Florida, a career that brought him (and Karoline) to Northern California, where they raised two children in Folsom and opened their first restaurant, Sienna, in El Dorado Hills. They have since moved to Truckee to alleviate Karoline’s homesickness, since the mountain town feels more akin to her hometown of Aspen, while still keeping them close to their businesses.

While the couple works tirelessly to run their restaurants as a team — four Land Oceans, two Sienna restaurants, and a new concept coming to El Dorado Hills in August — it’s not the first time they’ve worked together. The two met at a job interview in 1985 when Karoline applied for a front desk position at an upscale health club in Aspen, and Mark ended up hiring her for the position. Her management expertise and eye for design complement his restaurant management skills. The rest, as they say, is history.

After a whirlwind 12 years of opening restaurants and dreaming up dining concepts, the couple is ready to sit back and relax. After their new restaurant opens later this year and one of their California eateries gets an upgraded location, they plan to take a break and focus on ensuring the restaurants they have continue to thrive.

Nora Heston Tarte is a longtime Reno resident. You can follow her local exploits and travel adventures on Instagram @Wanderlust_n_wine.

Land Ocean
13967 S. Virginia Street, Ste. 914, Reno · 775-993-2499 · Landoceanrestaurants.com
Open 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Mon. – Thurs., 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Sat., and 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Sun. Happy hour 3 – 6 p.m. Mon. – Thurs. Weekend brunch 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sat. – Sun.

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TRUE NORTH

Servings: 1 serving

Author: Karoline and Mark Pratt, co-owners, Land Ocean in Reno

Ingredients

• 2 ounces cucumber-infused vodka can be found at many liquor stores, or make it using the recipe that follows
• ½ ounce lemon juice
• ½ ounce lavender simple syrup recipe to follow
• 1 ounce pineapple juice
• Sprig about 5 leaves of mint
• Cucumber slice and mint sprig for garnish

For lavender simple syrup

• 1 bunch local lavender
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

For cucumber-infused vodka

• 1 whole cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 bottle vodka

Instructions

• Add all ingredients but the garnish to shaker with some ice and shake vigorously until pineapple juice becomes frothy. Add some ice to a lowball glass and strain cocktail into it. Garnish with cucumber slice and mint sprig.

For lavender simple syrup

• In a medium pan, stir sugar into water and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium and add lavender bunch to pan, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Strain lavender from liquid and allow to cool before using.

For cucumber-infused vodka

• Add cucumber to vodka and let it infuse for 48 hours. Strain before using.