This past Thursday, I hurried to McNellies because I was running a tad late. I parted through the crowd around the cask and yelled for a firkin. Thankfully, there was some left! Tulsa’s very own Marshall Brewing Company was being featured this time with their “Big Jamoke” porter, with a twist! “Big Jamoke” is already an admirable robust porter with a smooth, silky, full body with notes of roasted coffee, toffee, caramel, with hints of some nice bittering hops and bittersweet chocolates. A seasonal beer that is truly gratifying. But how can they top that already great beer and make it even better?

Belgian yeasts were added to the “Big Jamoke” firkin to give it some spicier notes. Oak spirals soaked with Buffalo Trace bourbon were added as well. And last, but not least, just a couple vanilla beans were added. Add all this and you get a marvelously complex beer.

The bartender graciously poured my friends and I three pints of black, velvety brew. I could smell the brew from the other side of the bar. Light chocolate malt, toffee, roasted coffee, vanilla, and an ever faintest hint of bourbon wafting through the air before she even set our glasses on the bar. My lips are parched! Upon sipping, the Belgian yeasts were subtle, the chocolate malts seemed elevated and lovely, and the vanilla was exploding with sticky sweetness! There was a nice hint of the bourbon in the background as the beer warmed too. This beer was another delectation from Eric Marshall and his crew.

The only thing to make this better was pairing with the white chocolate chip brownie a la mode. The chocolate and vanilla notes of the porter accentuated the warm chocolate brownie. The roasted, hoppy, bitterness played an oustanding contrast to the vanilla bean ice cream. And carbonation scrubbed the palate clean leaving every bite fresh and new. The power of beer. A perfect balance and combination with food that wine wishes it could do. I floated out of McNellies.

McNellies
409 East 1st Street
Tulsa, OK 74120
(918) 382-7468

Jeremiah Ramey: Author – www.aleskitchen.com

I’m a home cook with a little professional dabbling experience. A lover of craft beer! And if you don’t know about craft beer, then you will. Effervescent, vivacious, flavorful, and extremely wonderful. Happiness in a bottle….or can. Craft beer is an amazingly diverse and complex drink. Around one hundred different styles of beer in the world and thousands of breweries. A booming industry right now in America! And still, craft beer is deserving of MUCH greater culinary respect than it has been receiving.

I believe there is a beer for everyone and a beer for every delectable dish out there. I believe it stands up to wine just as well and even better in the culinary world. Cooking, pairing, drinking, and education. I hope to bring some useful knowledge into the foodie world concerning great beer with great food. Not everything is about beer, but it sure does make it better. Cheers!

Casanova’s Restaurant
10915 E. 31st Street Suite B15,
Tulsa, OK 74146
918.622.1350

http://www.casanovasrestaurant.com/

http://www.facebook.com/casanovasrestaurant

https://twitter.com/#!/casrestaurant

Chef Amanda Jane Simcoe:

Amanda Simcoe is a chef and food connoisseur. She absolutely loves good food and appreciates the art of cooking and trying new things. Also known as “The Cheese Wench,” she knows most everything there is to know about cheese. She loves using fresh ingredients and has a huge garden where she grows much of her own produce. Amanda also enjoys making beer at home and cooking elaborate meals.

Hebert’s Specialty Meats serves the best of Cajun cuisine. Providing cooked to order meals and quality food prepared to take home and cook, you won’t realize you are eating dinner in town. Their Gumbo, Étouffée, and Red Beans are just a few choices that will keep you warm and full during the winter months. Although some of their seafood offerings are seasonal, you can purchase quality meats like Alligator, Andouille Sausage, Stuffed Pork, and USDA quality beef year round.

Sharing space with the specialty meat counter is Cajun Ed’s. A Cajun culinary jewel, Cajun Ed’s gives Tulsans the chance to eat great Cajun cooking on site. Prepared by native Louisiana cooks, the food is a trip to the Bayou without leaving your chair. Starting off with Cajun Boudin Balls or Raw Oysters on the Half Shell, you will experience the authenticity Cajun Ed’s brings to T-town. Next try the Turducken Poboy layered with dirty rice & brown gravy on the original New Orleans Leidenheimer bread. For dessert try the homemade Praline Pie and Ice Cream and your journey is just starting. Once the food coma starts to set in, realize you have all year to celebrate the joy that is Hebert’s Speciality Meats and Cajun Ed’s. As they say “Laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll)”. Happy Mardi Gras Yall!

2101 East 71st Street
Tulsa, OK 74136
(918) 298-8400

John Bobb-Semple:

Having grown up a southern Louisiana boy, John got his love of food from his Momma.

“I learned my first important cooking lesson while assisting her with gumbo. She stressed the importance of the roux and how it required plenty of time and attention. She was cooking ‘Sunday gumbo’ for 30 plus people, and her dish was the main dish. She went to take a phone call and asked that I stir nonstop, otherwise the roux would burn. I did great until I started watching tv and forgot to continue stirring. Within thirty seconds I had burned the roux. At that moment, the dinner plan changed, and I forever learned the value of good cooking.”

The New Orleans native eventually moved to Oklahoma to attend Tulsa Community College and the University of Central Oklahoma, but he never forgot the lessons from his Momma about how food was as much about sharing as it is about eating. While he never made cooking his profession, John developed his passion for dining well while working in kitchens like the Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills and home-style cooking at the now closed Kate’s on 41st. In Edmond, he worked with restaurateurs at Café 501 and Interurban.

It’s easy to have a good night at R bar. It’s always a good sign when the owners are always around and even better when they’re not afraid to get their hands dirty. That guy behind the bar? As likely as not it’s Josh Royal. He used to manage White Owl back when Curt Herrman’s cooking made it the best restaurant in town. He once told a magazine that if he were an animal he’d want to be a lion because lions always protect their family. Here at R, you’re his family and he’ll make sure you’re treated right. That guy in the cap carrying a huge load of dirty dishes? That’s Bill Grant. He’s an owner too. Former owner of one of the region’s biggest insurance brokers, still on the board of directors of a lot of downtown companies, he wanted to try something new. Then there’s Trevor Tack. He’s a very important member of the team. He’s the chef.

You don’t expect a trendy bar to have incredible food, but R Bar does. Trevor was executive chef at SoChey and at the well-reviewed Main Street Tavern. You’ll never see him on Saturday night because he is busy in the kitchen but if you go around 5 or 6 on a weekday evening he might come by your table to say hello and make sure the food is fine.  Early on a weekday evening is a good time to stop by for dinner. It’s not packed wall to wall and there are even empty tables but there are enough people so you’re not alone.

Chicken with waffles, that’s one of my favorite dishes, said Trevor. And the pork chop is great too. He’s proud of his food and he has reason to be. Which to get? In the end, we got both, and the meatloaf too. Here they are. Look how happy we are!

And with good reason. Let’s take a closer look. Here’s the chicken.

Chicken & Waffles ($13). Buttermilk fried boneless breast; oh how I wish it had been bone-on thighs and drumsticks but a good frying job nonetheless. Great waffles, rosemary-infused maple syrup, a nice slice of bacon. A fine dish, but next time I’ll order this.

Pork Chop ($16) with cherry bordelaise. Betty got that and she couldn’t stop raving about it. Great flavor, great beans, she said and I envied her. I did manage to snag a bite and it was incredibly tender. Cathe got the meatloaf ($14).

Brisket and sirloin blend, says the menu, and it yielded an unusually rich fine flavor. The demi-glace was fine too and frizzled leeks were a nice accompaniment.

On an earlier visit — yes, I’ve been to R quite a few times, mainly on Saturday — I had the ale-braised short ribs ($15). Big hunks of meat, impossibly tender, and topped with onion jam and a demi-glace. That’s a fine choice too. And so I’ve had just about all the main dishes on the menu, though Trevor says he hopes to expand the selection and offer daily special entrees, as elaborate as he can get away with. Most of the menu caters to drinkers, offering an extensive selection of appetizers, pizzas, salads, sandwiches, burgers and more. But if you go without ordering some of the entrees, you’re missing something fine. And don’t forget dessert! You can get these addictive maple-soaked Donut Holes ($6)

and sometimes these luscious strawberries.

R Bar & Grill
3421 S Peoria
918-724-5555
Open daily from 11 AM until 2 AM
I believe that people under 21 are allowed provided they don’t sit at the bar.

Menu: http://www.facebook.com/RBarandGrillTulsa?sk=app_117784394919914

Beer selection: http://www.facebook.com/RBarandGrillTulsa?sk=app_166855516707273

Brian Schwartz: Author

Born in NYC, age 0, on my birthday. College in Oxford at age 16. Law School in New Haven, Conn. 6 years travel in Africa and Asia. Haven’t done much lately. Still, I’m the only Tulsa member of the little-known Omega Society.  www.theomegasociety.com

I speak enough Chinese to order food not on any English menu. Spanish French Italian too (not fluently but food-ently) My favorite restaurant is Jean-Georges in New York. But those NYC chefs would sell their soul to get the produce available from the farms around Inola.

“A writer writes alone. His words tumble forth from a magical inner void that is mysterious even to himself, and that no one else can enter.” And yet, the most important thing to me the writer is YOU. Without you to hear them, my words are worth less than silence.

For me, Joe Momma’s is a fantastic option any time, but it’s a different crowd at 11:15pm on a Saturday night, one that I might prefer to the usual crush of hipsters and families with small (and sometimes loud) children. The dining room was mostly full, they’re still showing sports on all the big screens, but the usual frenetic energy was replaced by a quiet calm.

Behind the glass at Joe Momma’s After Dark

It’s basically self-serve at this point in the night: we walked in and were directed to a cash register just inside the door, where we could place our order. At night it’s pizza only, either whole or by the slice, as well as the full bar menu. For less than $10, we each got a slice of cheese pizza and a beer and grabbed one of the handful of unoccupied tables. The bar was full, though with only about 6-8 seats, that’s not uncommon. As we devoured our pizza, I spotted (and smelled) something that I couldn’t live without at the next table. I went back to the register and conferred with the guy taking orders, turns out it was their Pesto Bread and it could be mine for the price of $6.95, plus 7-10 minutes. Sold!

The leftover pesto bread… I was too intent on eating it to remember to snap a pic when it was fresh!

We nursed our drinks for a few, then they called my name and waiting for me in the window was the most perfect specimen of soft dough, gooey cheese and delicious, herby pesto I’ve ever laid tongue on. It was a huge order, which left us fat and happy on the cold walk to the car, with plenty left over for Saturday breakfast.

There’s no wrong time to go to Joe’s, but they get it especially right after dark.

Joe Momma’s
112 S Elgin Ave
Tulsa, OK 74120-1817
(918) 794-6563

Aubrae Filipiak: Author

I have always loved restaurants.

As a kid, I would beg to go out to eat almost every night. It was something about the spectacle of it all that got me hooked – the sequence of service unfolding like a plot, four meals hitting the table simultaneously, the servers moving lithely among tables packed with chattering guests. The food was almost an afterthought.

My first job was as a waitress in a small Mexican restaurant at age 16. I’d been bitten by the bug and I’ve never looked back. Fast forward more years than I’d like to admit and I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and have made a career out of working in restaurants around the country. The food’s much more important to me now, but the spectacle still has the power to captivate me.

Now, let’s eat!

Stashed away is small little place in a strip on the northwest side of 31st and Garnett. Its next to a gym and behind a Rib Crib. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” comes to most peoples minds simply because of location. I say nonsense. Walking in, a nice low murmur of people talking and eating their lunch happily and the smell of spices in the air. I’m used to this smell as I’ve been coming here for a few years now and still I salivate every time. My hunger immediately skyrockets.

First order of business. Boba tea! Also known as bubble tea. A variety of fruity flavors like watermelon, strawberry, pineapple, etc. And you can get it in slushy, hot, or cold form. What makes boba unique is the tapioca pearls in the bottom of the glass. Accompanied with a wide enough straw for your drink and the pearls, its a fruity and texturally different experience. I suggest slushy. Makes a great companion for spicy food.

Filled with shrimp, rice noodles, veggies, etc and wrapped in rice paper, these spring rolls were about as fresh as I’ve ever had them. And the sauce was quite nice as well. Priced at just $3.

The star of the show was the pho. For those that don’t know, pho is a Vietnamese dish consisting of rice noodles and beef with a very rich, beefy broth consisting of allspice, star anise, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. The great thing about pho is making the dish to your taste, which they always provide a plate of bean sprouts, limes, cilantro, basil, peppers, and mint. The noodles go in the bowl, the thin delicate strips of raw beef on top, and the hot broth. The broth is so hot, in fact, it cooks the beef from the kitchen to the table. Add in the extras that you want. Add sriracha and hoisin sauce if you like too. Spicy heaven in a bowl.

They also offer seafood and chicken variations of pho as well. A medium bowl, which is HUGE to most, is reasonably priced at just 7$.

Hmong Cafe
11197 East 31st Street
Tulsa, OK 74146

Jeremiah Ramey – www.aleskitchen.com

I’m a home cook with a little professional dabbling experience. A lover of craft beer! And if you don’t know about craft beer, then you will. Effervescent, vivacious, flavorful, and extremely wonderful. Happiness in a bottle….or can. Craft beer is an amazingly diverse and complex drink. Around one hundred different styles of beer in the world and thousands of breweries. A booming industry right now in America! And still, craft beer is deserving of MUCH greater culinary respect than it has been receiving.

I believe there is a beer for everyone and a beer for every delectable dish out there. I believe it stands up to wine just as well and even better in the culinary world. Cooking, pairing, drinking, and education. I hope to bring some useful knowledge into the foodie world concerning great beer with great food. Not everything is about beer, but it sure does make it better. Cheers!

She says yes, now what? Well you’re in luck. You happen to be taking your lovely lady out in a city of passion and romance. With Tulsa Food Blog as your guide, you will be more than prepared for a night of fun, adventure and endless memories. This year’s top 5 Valentine’s date itineraries are ideas to help you pre-plan this special day to insure the perfect rhythm for an experience she won’t soon forget.

The goal of Valentine’s Day is not to act like your last name is Suave, Casanova, or McConaughey; unnecessarily spending too much, trying too hard and forgetting it’s all about your date. If you can manage to skip these pitfalls, you will be ready to pick one of these great itineraries.

Itinerary #1: Relaxation, Wine and Flavor

Want to feel like you are on vacation abroad, far away from busyness and distractions? Show your date that you love them by taking him/her away from reality and into a lavish spa experience at Spa Lux. There is no better way to start a date. We recommend the Spa Lux side-by-side couples massage or even the instructional add-on. You can also view Spa Lux Valentine’s Day Specials and if you would rather just send your significant other to the spa, do it with a Spa gift certificate. Buy one online Here.

Now that you are feeling relaxed from your massage, head a few doors down for an appetizer and glass of wine at Cork Wine Bar. With a low-light setting, comfortable seating and a large pergola-like structure in the center of the dining room, Cork gives the feel and appearance that you are relaxing on a beautiful outdoor patio at night. Order wine or get your favorite local brew from Marshall’s Brewing Company.

Our first recommendation for your muti-destination date night dinner is a place that we like to call the Home of the Foodie. It’s a restaurant that transforms from daytime deli to romantic night time destination. The Boston Deli, recently featured on OKfoodie, is a restaurant that puts love and thought into every dish. They have special menu for Valentine’s Day that showcases a taste of what Boston Deli is all about. We recommend the crispy skin Blackened Chicken with fontina ravioli topped with basil crème, pine nuts and red bell pureè. True to form, they suggest pairing this dish with a glass of Kendall Jackson Chardonnay.

If you want to go for the more exotic dinner option, we recommend Sushi Hana – the new trendy sushi spot that sports a hip atmosphere and features some of my favorite combinations of sweet and hot, try the jalapeno Poppers stuffed with cream-cheese and six kinds of fish dipped in a tempura batter and deep fried, or the Black Samurai Roll, which showcases a slice of seared peppercorn tuna on top of a crunchy black masago and spicy yellowtail. They really have great choices for lovers that love sushi.

Spa Lux
8922 South Memorial Drive
Tulsa, OK 74133
(918) 615-3339

Cork Wine Cafe
8922 S Memorial Dr
Tulsa, OK 74133
(918) 615-3383
tulsawinebar.com

The Boston Deli Grill and Market
6231 East 61st Street South
Tulsa, OK 74145
(918) 492-4745

SushiHana Japanese Fusion
9904 Riverside Pkwy
Tulsa, OK 74137
(918) 528-6688

Itinerary #2: A Romantic Riverwalk Adventure

New York City has the Hudson, Cologne has the Rhine and Tulsa has her Arkansas. Now before you laugh, the romantic hot spots of the Riverwalk are secrets that lovers the world over have yet to discover. For a low key hand holding evening try this option on for size.

Imagine a night with an intimate meal, an unexpected romantic stroll, and sensory overloading chocolate. Sound like you? That’s what you will get if you pick the Riverwalk as your setting for romance. A stone’s throw from stop two on your adventure, the Waterfront Grill is a great choice for those looking for an excellent meal in a special setting.

**Click HERE to read about this new addition to Riverwalk food scene from a TulsaFood post this past March.

From premium sushi to first class steak, the Waterfront delivers quality choices for a tasty meal. Grab a low lit booth and order the spinach and artichoke dip appetizer. With plenty to share, it will jump start this evening of memory making. The Seared Ahi Tuna Salad is an exceptional lighter option that will leave plenty of room for dessert. For a more hearty choice, we suggest trying the hand cut hickory smoked Prime Rib eye with the cheddar, bacon and jalapeno mashed potatoes. Regardless, if you finish it or not, it will be worth every morsel.

Before you head off for dessert, surprise your date after dinner with a stop at Oklahoma Aquarium. Off the beaten path of Valentine’s Day Destinations, this is prime time for hand holding and talking in Oklahoma’s only Aquarium. We have a few very important recommendations: 1) Lucky for you, they only stay open late on Tuesday night, but get tickets ahead of time; the last tickets are sold at 8 p.m. 2) Take your time. Don’t try to see everything. This is an after dinner stroll; not an 8th grade field trip. 3) You do need to make your way over the Oceans Room: You will thank us later.

After your Aquarium stroll, drive over the Riverwalk Crossings for some end of the evening desserts. With just a few days left, pick up the phone and call the Melting Pot now to set up your dessert reservations. Their number is (918) 299-8000. If you are really feeling it, go all out. Ask them to have roses waiting for your date night; it’s well worth the extra expense. By this point your date should be impressed with your date planning skills.

Waterfront Grill
120 S Aquarium Dr
Jenks, Oklahoma
www.waterfrontgrilljenks.com/

Oklahoma Aquarium
300 Aquarium Drive
Jenks, OK 74037
http://www.okaquarium.org/
Tickets: (918) 296-FISH (3474

The Melting Pot
300 RIverwalk Terrace Suite 190
Reservations: (918) 299-8000

Itinerary #3: Get Crafty on Brookside

For those looking for special night not too dressed up, this is the itinerary for you. A quaint café, a crafty studio and a hip night cap are the highlights of this low key but special night out.

Tonight we suggest dinner at the Blue Moon Café. Though they are known for breakfast and lunch, this Brookside favorite has some tasty dishes for the dinner crowd. For those vegetarian lovers, we have to highlight their Ultimate Veggie Burger with “supersecretconfidentialsauce”. Another great option is the Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing. Nat King Cole would describe this salad as, “Unforgettable”. Our final recommendation would be for the OWE SO TASTY Chargrilled Porkchop with caramelized apples and roasted veggies. Dinner is only served from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, so plan accordingly. Check out this review from Brain Schwartz for more on Blue Moon Cafe.

The next stop on this flirtatious Brookside jaunt is a real winner if your date isn’t look for the stereotypical dinner and a movie. There is nothing like a hands-on date night; getting the chance to show off those arts and craft skills you’ve picked up over the years. This is an opportunity to get crafty and display some creativity for the person you will be winking at all night. You are headed to Purple Glaze Studio on Brookside. It is a locally owned and operated “you-paint” ceramic studio offering a variety of ceramic pieces to paint and exercise your creativity. You and your date will create something that is one-of-a-kind. A forever lasting clay creation that will, at best, make a keepsake and, at the least, a great memory. For those “creatively challenged” they will hold your hand every step of the way. We suggest that you call ahead: 918.592.6900.

If you stay on Brookside after dinner, consider dessert and a nightcap Martini at Cosmos. With a variety of creative drink options and stacks of board games in a cool, trendy environment, this hot spot is a great place to land to finish off the night, and they are open late every day.

If you are looking to change up the neighborhood, head to Cherry Street. We recommend finishing off your night with a flaming French Martini from Liz Taylor at Lucky’s restaurant. The small, stylish bar has a warm romantic feel, perfect for getting close to your date.

Blue Moon Café
2012 Blue Moon Café | Center 1, Brookside
Tulsa, OK 74105-3128
www.bluemoonbakerycafe.com/menus/dinner

Purple Glaze Studio
3303 South Peoria Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74105-2028
(918) 592-6900
www.purpleglazestudio.com

Cosmo Cafe
3334 Peoria Ave
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105
(918) 933-4848
www.cosmo-cafe.com

Lucky’s Restaurant
1536 East 15th Street
Tulsa, OK 74120-6041
(918) 592-5825
www.luckysrestauranttulsa.com/

Itinerary #4: Valentine’s Day with OKfoodie – Be in the radio audience!

Are you looking for an entertaining Valentine’s Day date none of your friends will be having? Consider this gem of an evening.

Schedule your date at a live taping of OKfoodie; the only radio show for foodies in Oklahoma. Be a part of the live audience experience. Most shows include 3-4 courses, wine pairing included, for just $50. Valentine’s show appropriately titled, Dip Me in Chocolate.

The first course will be Ahi Tuna Tartar with White Chocolate followed by a Mixed Salad with Cocoa Nibs and Raspberry-Chocolate Vinaigrette. The main course will be Cocoa-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with a Chocolate and Wine Reduction Sauce and…for dessert….Ancho and Coffee Pot au Creme.

OKfoodie audience members are served at least three courses, with wine pairings, prepared by celebrity guest chefs. Taping of this show will begin promptly at 6:30pm on Valentine’s Day. Doors will open at 6:20. For tickets go to http://www.okfoodie.com/calendars/dip-me-in-chocolate.

The Culinary Institute of Platt College
OKfoodie Radio Show
3801 South Sheridan Road
Tulsa, OK 74145-1111
www.okfoodie.com

Itinerary #5: Downtown Lovers Excursion

Our friends at the McNellie’s Group are offering a tasty, fun and trendy downtown Valentine’s Day experience. In addition to their regular menus, the chefs at Yokozuna and the Tavern on Brady came up with the following specials for Valentine’s Day:

Yokozuna
Porkbelly-wrapped tenderloin filet brushed with miso butter accompanied by a 5-ounce lobster tail. Dessert is a chocolate spring roll with a salted caramel sauce. Visit www.yokozunatulsa.com to make your reservation.

The New Yokozuna – Highly Addictive by Brian Schwartz

The Tavern on Brady
A 24-ounce porterhouse for two people with shallot butter, grilled shrimp, whipped potato and creamed spinach. Dessert is a bleeding chocolate heart. Emaillindsey@bradytavern.com, or call 918-949-9801, to reserve a table.

New Brady Tavern Downtown Tulsa is Fit for an East Coast Transplant by Brian Schwartz

After you wine and dine with one of these downtown jewels, show off for your date at downtowns favorite bowling alley.

Dust Bowl

If you and your significant other prefer to do something a little different on Valentine’s Day you can head to the Dust Bowl and take advantage of the 2 for $14 on 2/14 special. It includes two free shoe rentals, two burgers, two orders of tots, two Miller High Lifes and a box of candy hearts for $14 (lane rental and gratuity not included). Nothing says I love you like bowling, burgers, tots and High Life.

Yokozuna
309 East 2nd Street
Tulsa, OK 74120
(918) 508-7676
http://www.yokozunatulsa.com/

The Tavern on Brady
201 North Main Street
Tulsa, OK
(918) 949-9801
http://www.bradytavern.com/

Dust Bowl
211 South Elgin Avenue
Tulsa, OK
(918) 430-3901
http://www.dustbowltulsa.com/

Writers: John Bobb-Semple & Brian McCullough
Copy Editor: Aubrey Weatherford

Suddenly the walls rang with booming boisterous laughter. I followed the raucous sounds around the corner and entered Edward Delk’s. It’s a new place, named after that architect of Protean talent who designed not only the Gothic and Deco style Philtower but also the Palladian style Philbrook and many other fine buildings besides. The bar area was packed with happy professionals who’d just got off work (which is why they were happy) and wanted to kick back with a brew or two.

At the back you can see the bottom of a mysterious mural found during the restaurant’s construction. It’s of a Crusader castle in Syria, Castle Margat. A strange, graceful mural with dancing figures. Is it by Oklahoma’s mysterious and forgotten painter, Olinka Hrdy? Maybe it is. The owners told me that Margat was the first castle to be captured by Crusaders and the last to be relinquished. Not quite true, but the owners are very conscious of history. They’ve blended the old and new in building Edward Delk’s.

An antique staircase, original to the space, a classic chandelier, and huge enlargements of Delk’s original architectural drawings ornament one wall. Opposite that is the bar.

It’s a nice bar to hang out, and indeed Delk’s is a nice place for young professionals to hang out. If you’re working downtown, it’s about the only place you can go without taking a car. That’s what the owners designed it for. But there’s also great food.

Tuck Curren, who designed the menu, calls it bar food. But if you’re Tuck Curren, 20 year veteran of top kitchens, owner of Biga and Local Table, your idea of bar food is a bit different from most people. In fact, it’s most people’s idea of haute cuisine. Take the lovely, highly addictive Brie & Wild Mushroom Fondue ($8)

It’s a classic French Bechamel, with dried porcini added as the roux is made. Brie and portabellos go on top and then it’s baked in a pizza oven. It’s awesome. I’m sure the tuna tartare, the chili-rubbed shrimp with avocado and corn and all the other appetizers are too. Did I say pizza oven? Yes, they have great pizzas. Here’s a classic Margherita ($8).

It’s awesome. The owners favor the Beef Short Rib. That’s a lot less traditional; it has barbecue sauce, cheddar, caramelized onions and cilantro. And they also have sandwiches.

I didn’t choose this one ($8); it has chicken breast, which I loathe. But a hefty helping of roasted peppers made it quite a treat. There’s also short rib and pastrami.

There are no entrees. The owners are considering buying more space next door and then they might expand the menu. Let’s hope they do!

Edward Delk’s
Philtower Building
427 S Boston Av
770-4388
Open Monday through Friday 11 AM and Saturday 4 PM. They close around 2 AM on weekends and 11PM on weekdays, possibly earlier if it’s empty.

Article on painter Olinka Hrdy http://thislandpress.com/09/20/2011/lost-olinka

Brian Schwartz:

Born in NYC, age 0, on my birthday. College in Oxford at age 16. Law School in New Haven, Conn. 6 years travel in Africa and Asia. Haven’t done much lately. Still, I’m the only Tulsa member of the little-known Omega Society.  www.theomegasociety.com

I speak enough Chinese to order food not on any English menu. Spanish French Italian too (not fluently but food-ently) My favorite restaurant is Jean-Georges in New York. But those NYC chefs would sell their soul to get the produce available from the farms around Inola.

“A writer writes alone. His words tumble forth from a magical inner void that is mysterious even to himself, and that no one else can enter.” And yet, the most important thing to me the writer is YOU. Without you to hear them, my words are worth less than silence.

Perhaps you plan to host your friends for the day. If this is the case, we have an amazing recipe from our good friend Jeremiah Ramey for Big Jamoke Chicken Wings. Make these wings in large batches and have plenty of craft beer on hand. Feel free to substitute other delicious craft beers in the recipe, but as Big Jamoke is only available through the end of February and brings a boldness to the recipe, it is our first choice.

Big Jamoke Chicken Wings

5 lbs. chicken wings

Brine Ingredients
4 bottles 12 oz. of Big Jamoke Porter
2 cups of water
1/4 cup of kosher salt
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup sriracha
1-2 tsp of wasabi paste

Basting and dipping sauce
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Big Jamoke
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sriracha
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup minced ginger
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp of guajillo powder (or regular chili powder)
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt

For the brine, mix everything together in a large bowl or bag. Seal and refrigerate no longer than 4 hours.

Take the wings out of brine and discard. Mix everything for the basting and dipping sauce. Reserve some sauce for basting. Grill on med-high for 15-20, basting in the final minutes. Toss wings in some sesame seeds and chopped green onions and serve with remaining dipping sauce.
Recipe courtesy of Jeremiah Ramey

Wes Alexander:

My name is Wes Alexander and I am the Director of Sales and Marketing for Marshall Brewing Co. I share my passion for craft beer with food. In fact, food was my first passion. Growing up in Oklahoma my grandmother took special care in preparing southern classic meals for our family. At her apron springs I learned from a very early age to respect ingredients and take the time to properly prepare meals. These lessons have served a springboard for learning, and a passion for pairing food and beer. Did you know? The oldest written recipe is for beer.

OKFoodie audience members are served at least three courses prepared by our celebrity guest chefs with wine pairings.

Taping of this show will show begin promptly at 6:30. Doors will open at 6:20. Tuesday February 14th, 6:30pm

This show will take place at The Culinary Institute of Platt College (38th and Sheridan, Tulsa).

Tickets are $50 plus a $2 processing fee.

GET TICKETS NOW!

Course 1:
Ahi Tuna Tartare
Avacado, Angostura soy cream, Sriracha, & white chocolate shavings

Course 2:
Salad of mixed baby greens
Cacao nibs, candied almonds, strawberries & chocolate-raspberry vinaigrette.

Course 3:
Beef Tenderloin
Cocoa rubbed roast Tenderloin of Beef with Red wine and Chocolate glaze

Course 4:
Chocolate Pots de Creme with Ancho & Coffee

Ken and his staff reintroduce you to comfort food favorites by pairing food according to their flavor profile while staying true to the soul of the original dish. One great example is their Fire Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf. With a balsamic glaze and red onion marmalade, this is not momma’s meatloaf. They also serve some of the most thoughtful sides around. I suggest you try the sweet potato au gratin with caramelized onion and chipotle cream and the creamy spinach with melted Gouda.

Committed to bringing the sexy back to meal time, they have also crafted a specials menu that you can count on and be blown away by. One favorite of mine is their Hot Coffee Spice rubbed Beef Steak Tenderloin. Served on a fresh baguette with big eye swiss, horseradish mayo, sautéed onions and mushrooms, this dish will leave you longing for hump day as if it were the weekend. Artistic, but accurate, Boston Deli accomplishes their goal of getting their guests to truly relish the meal. FOODIES beware… you might fall in love and call this place home.

The Boston Deli Grill and Market
6231 East 61st Street South
Tulsa, OK 74145
(918) 492-4745

John Bobb-Semple:

Having grown up a southern Louisiana boy, John got his love of food from his Momma.

“I learned my first important cooking lesson while assisting her with gumbo. She stressed the importance of the roux and how it required plenty of time and attention. She was cooking ‘Sunday gumbo’ for 30 plus people, and her dish was the main dish. She went to take a phone call and asked that I stir nonstop, otherwise the roux would burn. I did great until I started watching tv and forgot to continue stirring. Within thirty seconds I had burned the roux. At that moment, the dinner plan changed, and I forever learned the value of good cooking.”

Not your ordinary salad, the Bacon and Egg salad is full of goodies like Frisee lettuce, Goat Cheese, Candied Walnuts, Apple Cider Bacon Vinaigrette, an egg, Sous Vide and …………. two peaces of THICK Grilled Bacon. This flavorful salad accompanied by the Bacon Jam Bruschetta and you’ve got yourself a bacon lovers meal.

SMOKE. on Cherry St.
1542 E. 15th St.
Tulsa, OK 74120

(918) 949-4440

http://www.smoketulsa.com

Hours of Operation
Monday – Saturday: 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Sunday: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Starting at JUST $25  you could learn to grill like a pro by signing up for a Hasty-Bake cooking class. Even if you don’t own a Hasty-Bake you will still be able to take the techniques and apply them to any type of grill. Check out the list of classes below for detail and mark your claendar.

Hasty-Bake 101 Cooking Class (Charcoal Grill)

We will instruct the class on grill care, starting a charcoal fire, food preparation, grill preparation, direct heat grilling, and indirect heat grilling. This class is designed for new Hasty-Bake owners and anyone who wishes to brush up on their outdoor grilling techniques. Basic grill care will be emphasized, as well as the trend away from petroleum products and popular grilling myths. Be prepared to eat what is cooked!

Thursday, March 22nd, 6:00-7:00pm
Tuesday, April 3rd, 6:00-7:00pm
Cost: $25 per person

BBQ 101 – Basic Smoke

We will instruct a class on preparation, seasoning preferences, timelines for smoking different cuts of meat, temperature control over your smoker, and key internal temperatures. Be prepared to eat what is cooked!

Thursday, March 29th, 6:00-8:00pm
Tuesday, May 8th, 6:00-8:00pm
Cost: $40 per person

BBQ 102 – Advanced Smoking Techniques

We will instruct a class over smoking vegetables, bread, nuts, and using injection and brines to improve the flavor of the food. Be prepared to eat what is cooked!

Thursday, April 12th, 6:00-8:00pm
Cost: $40 per person

From Sea, To Sear!

Learn the delicate tricks to cooking fabulous seafood (lobster, scallops, shrimp, and salmon). Be prepared to eat what is cooked!

Tuesday, April 24th, 6:00-8:00pm
Thursday, May 17th, 6:00-8:00pm
Cost: $60 per person

Want to grab a meal at Lucky’s Restaurant? Check out this wonderful review by Brian Schwartz titled My First Memory of Lucky’s

Below Liz Pounds French Martini

Heres a French Martini video from Joe Price

Ingredients:

4 Count of vodka
Finished off with some lillet French Vamoose
1 twist lemon peel

Read more: French Martini recipe http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink1504.html#ixzz1jpJsnPPQ

Lucky’s Restaurant
(918) 592-5825

http://www.luckysrestauranttulsa.com
Cherry Street
1536 E 15th St
Tulsa, OK 74120

After staking his claim as one of Tulsa’s top chefs in the kitchens of Caio, The Brasserie, Sonoma and Duke’s, Chef Justin Thompson finally has his own place, Juniper. It’s easily the most-talked-about restaurant opening in Tulsa in the past year. This week on OKfoodie, Chef Justin shares his culinary creativity with listeners, preparing a Blueberry-MintVinaigrette to top a salad of Baby Greens, Candied Pecans and Shaved Parmesan.

To read this full post or purchase tickets visit OKfoodie.com

Pretty basic, but lots of Mexican families and a welcoming waitress made it a pleasant place to be. The menu is pretty simple. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas and tortas. They also have flautas, roast chicken and burgers. On weekends, menudo and goat stew (birria de chivo). I ordered a beef cheek burrito ($5.50). Out it came.

I immediately transformed it into a wet burrito by pouring two containers of sauce on top.

Cut inside, and man it was good! Succulent, juicy. It rivals the famous wet burritos at Rio Verde. I never thought I’d taste an authentic Mexican burrito. Though there were probably things like burritos in Mexico’s far north 100 years ago — big tacos, basically — the burrito as we know it developed in the U.S.A., mainly in San Diego and San Francisco. But now Mexicans have redone it Mexican style and reclaimed it as their own.

Tacos ($1.25 each) are equally authentic.

Yes, they are as good as they look. And then there’s the torta ($5) … basically a big Subway sandwich.

It’s a blob of bread bigger than your stomach. It’s pretty dry. Betty didn’t like it. Better to stick with the burritos. But everyone loved the flan ($2.65).

Served ice-cold, and full of flavor. And before you go why not get a Mexican popsicle?

They’re only $1.10, and made with tropical fruit (I got mamey, a fruit unique to southern Mexico) and cream.

Los Primos
1028 N. Sheridan Rd (corner of King, halfway between Admiral and Pine)
918-836-1121
Open daily from 10 AM to 10 PM

If you want to read more about burritos as served in far northern Mexico, http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2011/01/villa-ahumadachihuahuaa-quesadilla-and.html

Brian Schwartz:

Born in NYC, age 0, on my birthday. College in Oxford at age 16. Law School in New Haven, Conn. 6 years travel in Africa and Asia. Haven’t done much lately. Still, I’m the only Tulsa member of the little-known Omega Society.  www.theomegasociety.com

I speak enough Chinese to order food not on any English menu. Spanish French Italian too (not fluently but food-ently) My favorite restaurant is Jean-Georges in New York. But those NYC chefs would sell their soul to get the produce available from the farms around Inola.

“A writer writes alone. His words tumble forth from a magical inner void that is mysterious even to himself, and that no one else can enter.” And yet, the most important thing to me the writer is YOU. Without you to hear them, my words are worth less than silence.

Behold the cross section of my carne asada burrito from Freebirds World Burrito.

Freebirds World Burrito
Tulsa Hills Shopping Center
W 71st St & Olympia
Tulsa, OK 74132
Phone: 918.445.4113
Fax: 918.445.3774

Hours
Monday–Wednesday 11:00 AM–10:00 PM
Thursday–Saturday 11:00 AM–10:30 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM–9:30 PM

Whether you call them resolutions or not, many people do try to change their eating habits after the holidays are over. This week, Dan and Amanda have an hour’s worth of ideas to give foodies a fresh start in 2012. OKfoodie will be live in the KRMG studios with special guest Jona Eastman. Jona’s a health counselor and organic cook ready to answer your questions about everything from whole body cleansing and fasting to how even small changes in diet can profoundly affect your well-being. Plus, we resolve to eat better by eating more fish! And where better to get started than Bodean Restaurant and  Seafood Market. We’ll take a tour of the nation’s largest, independent local fishmonger with Bodean Operations Director Gene Pounds. And, we’ll resolve to help feed the hungry with a visit to the amazing Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.

Get tickets to the next OKfoodie tapping by visiting OKfoodie.com

Listen to OKfoodie with Dan Potter at it’s NEW time Saturday, 2:00pm, & rebroadcast Sunday at noon on Tulsa’s number one choice for News, Weather, Traffic & FOODIES! AM 740 & FM 102.3 NewsTalk KRMG

Checkout all the great Tulsa restaurants participating…

Saturday January 28th, 2012 6:30 p.m.
Tulsa Convention Center – Grand Ballroom
(Houston and Third St.)
Presented by McElroy Manufacturing

More Info: atasteoftulsa.org

1998 – A 20 year old Oklahoma State College student and his pals pull into a parking spot along “The Strip” in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on a Thursday afternoon. Eager to get in line and order the Thursday special… 2-for-1 Pulled Pork sandwiches and 75 cent Budweiser bottles. For $6.00, you got 2 mouth-watering sandwiches and 2 ice cold beers that were so cold (the beer, not the sandwiches) the ice would be stuck to the bottle. But this day was different. This day, the beer was not ice cold. The smell of smoked meats was mysteriously absent. There were no longer Oklahoma Joe smokers lined up along the windows. The long hardwood tables and benches where we had shared so many Thursday specials, slabs of ribs and ice cold brews were no more. The building was a ghost… a good friend who just disappeared without warning. A memory that would only live on as an anecdote in our personal accounts of our youth.

So it is understandable that when I read the Tweet from @tdmarkit8dude that the old Runt’s BBQ building in Broken Arrow (and also formerly Gameday Tailgate Bar & Grill) stating that the building’s marquee read “Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ Coming This Fall”, my excitement over this new addition to the Tulsa BBQ scene rose to epic levels. And my excitement has held no boundaries. I, along with many other Tulsa and Broken Arrow natives, have taken many side-trips over the last 3 months to follow the progress of legendary pit master Joe Don Davidson’s latest venture. From the addition of signs to the building, to new construction going on in the back of the building (which turned out to be Joe’s smokehouse, equipped with the same models of smokers that have made him an icon in the competition BBQ circuit), to a personal tour of the restaurant’s progress with Joe himself… all this anticipation spread out over 3 months came down to this one epic Manly Food moment… The moment I sat down at Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ, picked up the bottle of BBQ sauce as I do at every BBQ joint I visit, and squeezed out that drop sublime nectar onto my finger and stuck it in my mouth.

You see, my love affair with this development wasn’t tied to the fact that Joe Davidson has won over 300 barbeque championships. It wasn’t tied into the fact that he was the co-founder of one of Kansas City’s finest and most successful BBQ restaurants… the restaurant that Anthony Bourdain labeled as one of 13 Places to Eat Before You Die. It wasn’t even tied into Joe’s countless television and media appearances. This infatuation stems from memories of my youth. Memories that molded me into the Manly Food connoisseur I am today. Memories I can taste.

This moment. This single, solitary point in time when Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ sauce hit the tip of my tongue tonight for the first time since 1998 was, perhaps, my single greatest moment as a foodie so far. It was a moment that reminds me why I take pictures of the food I eat. Why I tweet those pictures out for anyone who cares to see them. That moment is why I do what I do.

But enough of all this sappy memory crap. Let’s get to the food!

The wait wasn’t bad. When we arrived, the line was backed up through the restaurant to the front door. This meant about 20-30 minutes from the time we got in line to the time we got our food. This is what the line looks like, but don’t let the people in front of you scare you away… it’s worth the wait!

“Oklahoma” Joe Davidson can be found mingling with customers. Either at their table, or in the line. Chatting with a BBQ legend like Joe is a good way to pass the time while waiting to place your order, although I found it to be a distraction from coming to a decision on what to order! I had a chance tonight to ask Joe a question that I hadn’t asked before, and has come up in several recent discussions with friends and readers… Why did they close the Stillwater location? His answer was that when he sold the smoker business and moved to Texas, neither he nor Jeff Stehney (the acting owner of the KC Oklahoma Joe’s restaurants and Joe’s BBQ partner at the time) would have been able to be present during enough of the restaurant’s daily operations. In other words, they are hands on owners who didn’t want to risk serving a product that didn’t live up to their standards because they wouldn’t be around for quality control. A noble excuse, and one I will accept and forgive them for… now that we’ve got our own Oklahoma Joe’s.

The ordering process was a stressful one. It was like I was a born again BBQ virgin and I wanted to make sure this first time was perfect. Up until the moment I HAD to order, I didn’t know what was going to come out of my mouth, but I ultimately went back to my Oklahoma Joe’s roots and got the Pulled Pork sandwich. Though this time I added brisket as well (a mere $.49 addition), and I also added a side of Joe’s world-famous BBQ beans. Words cannot describe how happy I was when I took my first bite…

The wife got an Oklahoma Joe’s classic, the Z-Man, though she was torn between it and “Joe’s Dipped Brisket with Au Jus” (especially after Joe told us the Dipped Brisket is his favorite sandwich). The Z-man is a brisket sandwich topped with smoked provolone and fried onion rings. I have read on the internets that the chicken Z-man is also very popular. It’s not actually on the menu, but I did hear it called out several times from the kitchen. I had a couple of bites and loved it… and I’m not normally a fan of sandwiches with onion rings on them (I know… weird, huh?)…

Finally, my boy’s bologna sandwich. He’d be very disappointed if his sandwich didn’t make it in this post, so here it is. The boy is addicted to bologna, but I think even he was surprised he ate it all. When I noticed he still had a little left and seemed to be done with his meal, I asked if I could have it. Turns out, it’s a good thing I asked because I’m pretty sure we would’ve had a meltdown on our hands had I just reached over and stuffed it in my mouth! The last little bit of bologna didn’t last long after that… not sure if that was because of the bologna love, or fear that Daddy was gonna eat his bologna…

So at the end of the meal, I can’t say I was disappointed in anything. Well, that’s a lie. I was disappointed in one thing. The bathrooms have those automatic faucets. I hate those things.

As we got up to leave, I looked around to see if I could find Joe and thank him one more time for bringing his talents to Green Country. I didn’t see him, and decided that was a good thing because I may have ended up kissing him on the lips… and I’m pretty sure that would have been an awkward situation.

As we drove away from the restaurant, a small tear of joy in my eye, my son (in his sweet 4-year-old voice) said, “Thank you Daddy for that place.” I replied, “Son, don’t thank me… Thank Oklahoma Joe.”

Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ

(918) 355-0000
333 W Albany St
Broken Arrow, OK 74012

http://www.okjoes.com/

About Tulsa Food Guy – http://www.tulsafoodguy.com

TulsaFoodguy.com was originally a concept to provide a resource for people who wanted to find something to eat that wasn’t your plain old restaurant chain. When you’re looking for something that won’t just satisfy your natural desire to fill your belly, but will be a truly AWESOME experience. We here at tulsafoodguy.com cannot guarantee that every experience at every restaurant we give “TFG’s Seal of Awesomeness” will be AWESOME for you, but we can guarantee that your odds are much better that you’ll find great, not just good, food at the establishments we recommend. What you will get here is an honest, “manly” account of our experiences and recommendations of all things food in Tulsa, the rest of Oklahoma, and anywhere else TFG and/or his trusted companions travel in search of the most AWESOME food in search of the greatest dining experiences in the universe!

Joe Price of JoesBurgerSearch.com says that, “Brownie’s is as pure of a burger joint as there ever has been.”

Checkout this blog + audio about how Brownie’s is, … “one of the city’s best examples of longevity and authenticity” from goodbyetulsa.com

LIKE facebook.com/Brownies-Hamburgers

Brownie’s Hamburger Stand
(918) 744-0320
2130 S Harvard Ave Map
Tulsa, OK 74114

1. Chef Marcus Vause. Lobster with caviar and foie gras.

It doesn’t take a genius chef to throw the three most expensive foods together. But it DOES take a genius chef to make it work. The Brasserie’s New Year’s Eve menu offered this, a whole (and very small) lobster tail topped with a dollop of caviar and lounging on a pillowy raviolo stuffed with rich foie gras. Surrounding it, and binding all the flavors together, was a lake of a rich cream sauce made with sea urchins. You won’t find this on the regular menu, but go on any night and you’ll find dishes worthy of this list.

The Brasserie Restaurant & Bar
3509 S Peoria Ave # 161
Tulsa, OK 74105-2517
(918) 779-7070

2. Chef Michelle Donaldson. Pork cheeks.

Michelle Donaldson cooked up a storm at Polo Grill. Now, she’s working with Erik Reynolds at Smoke. Just before 2011 ended, she served Berkshire pork cheeks, grilled and then braised for 13 hours in red wine and mirepoix, with a spicy apple slaw and a polenta cake accented with maple syrup.

Polo Grill
2038 Utica Square
Tulsa, OK 74114-1635
(918) 744-4280

3. Chef Ian van Anglen. Quail Baklava.

Gemma’s Woodfire Kitchen has a worthy menu but it’s in the daily specials that Ian van Anglen’s talents really shine. This is one example… roast quail, pounded thin and wrapped in phyllo dough, topped with crunchy fennel and surrounded by two kinds of olive puree.

Gemma’s Woodfire Kitchen
3410 S Peoria Ave
Tulsa, OK 74105
(918) 289-0800

4. Chef Erik Reynolds. Fish Special.

It’s rare to find a steakhouse where the best thing by far is the fish. But Smoke is that steakhouse. Erik Reynolds has a secret source somewhere in or near Florida that ships him fish, so what you eat was swimming in the Atlantic the day before. This is one example. Grilled grouper with kale, cherry tomatoes, and rich, sauteed morels in a wonderful smoke-infused broth made by smoking garlic for 4 hours and then braising it in wine. I never knew why people like grouper until I ate this dish last April. I’d never had it perfectly cooked before. And the morels were fabulous beyond description. (As I recall, Jeremy New designed this sauce, but the fish special is almost always created by Erik.)

Smoke on Cherry Street
1542 E. 15 St.
Tulsa, OK
(918) 949-4440

5. Chef Justin Thompson. Duck Two Ways.

Juniper is amazing. The menu changes every week, depending on what local produce is available, and Justin Thompson is at the peak of his game. I chose this dish, which is available every week, as just one example of his protean talent. That’s a duck breast over butternut squash puree. There’s a bit of a sweet sauce, and there are some unexpected spices in the puree, but the meat is the star of the show. It had a rich, meaty, pleasantly gamy flavor and was perhaps the best duck I’ve ever tasted. On the left, duck confit is paired with a tart apple salad. (Please remember that I’m listing the 10 best in no particular order, Justin’s one of the best chefs in town.)

Juniper Restaurant & Martini Lounge
Downtown
324 E 3rd St
Tulsa, OK 74120
(918) 794-1090

6. Chef James Shrader. Bento.

All of James Shrader’s dishes are crafted with gem-like perfection. So I’ve picked those tiny $3 miniature dishes which showcase this talent on a miniature scale. Here, two exquisite jewel-like bentos share a bowl. A mini filet mignon garnished with caramelized onions sauteed in bourbon and a lamb sausage topped with onions marinated in a blend of citrus juices.

Palace Cafe
1301 East 15th Street
Tulsa, OK 74120-5803
(918) 582-4321

7. Chef Paul Wilson. Cajun dishes.

Paul Wilson is now working at Juniper and Lunabread is now closed. So if you want dishes like the fabulous Cajun feasts that appeared at Lunabread last spring, you’ll have to go to Louisiana, rent a motorboat, cruise up some bayous, stop when you see a country shack with smoke up the chimney. Rural Cajun just doesn’t travel, and with Lunabread gone you missed your one chance to try it without having to fight off alligators.

8. Mi Tierra Ceviche.

You can’t find Peruvian food as good as this in New York or anywhere else outside Peru. Dishes invented by the Incas, dishes brought by French chefs fleeing to Peru in 1790, dishes brought by Chinese immigrants to Peru, dishes cooked by Indians in the Amazon jungle. Mi Tierra has fine renditions of the entire panoply of Peruvian cuisine. And none is finer than their take on Peru’s most famous dish, ceviche. Made from raw fish macerated in citrus juice, it’s very simple, but it has to be done exactly right.

Restaurant Mi Tierra
6703 E 81 St
Tulsa (just east of Sheridan)
918-477-7155

9. Chef Joe Davidson. Ribs.

Anthony Bourdain called the Kansas City branch of Oklahoma Joe’s the best barbecue in the world. And now Joe has come home to Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ
333 W Albany St
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
(918) 355-0000

10. Chef Doug Atkinson. Red Deer Chop with Mole Coloradito.

A Red Deer Chop served with an Oaxacan Mole Coloradito and sweet cornmeal pancakes ($28). Red deer, a close cousin of elk, isn’t native to America. The meat, lean but with a rich, buttery flavor, was flown in from Australia. But the sauce was the star of the show. Moles, complex sauces that take hours, even days, to prepare, are the apex of Mexican cuisine. And the peak of that peak are the seven classic moles from Oaxaca, impossible to find even in New York, and, unless you are invited to private houses, difficult even in Oaxaca. But there it was on my west Tulsa plate, tingling my tongue with hints of exotic spice. Doug Atkinson no longer cooks at Go West, and he is much missed.

Go West Restaurant and Saloon
6205 New Sapulpa Rd
Tulsa, OK 74131-2436
(918) 446-7546

Brian Schwartz:

Born in NYC, age 0, on my birthday. College in Oxford at age 16. Law School in New Haven, Conn. 6 years travel in Africa and Asia. Haven’t done much lately. Still, I’m the only Tulsa member of the little-known Omega Society.  www.theomegasociety.com

I speak enough Chinese to order food not on any English menu. Spanish French Italian too (not fluently but food-ently) My favorite restaurant is Jean-Georges in New York. But those NYC chefs would sell their soul to get the produce available from the farms around Inola.

“A writer writes alone. His words tumble forth from a magical inner void that is mysterious even to himself, and that no one else can enter.” And yet, the most important thing to me the writer is YOU. Without you to hear them, my words are worth less than silence.

Judging from the great breakfast we got at Ardmore (on our way from Dallas back home), those are wise diners. I got an omelette and loved it.

That’s the Paradise Omelette, with bacon, ham, tomato, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese. Okay, it’s not quite made as a classic French chef would have done it, the eggs are whipped by machine, which is definitely not recommended by the 600 year old French cookbook “Le Menagier de Paris”, which has the first recorded French omelette recipe, a recipe which is almost exactly like the ones French chefs follow today. (Except that whoever wrote that cookbook in 1393 didn’t know to flip the omelette, so the melted cheese was put on top.) But it tasted just fine, and even if it didn’t I wouldn’t have cried, because included in the $6.29 price are grits, which went down just fine with butter and sugar, and also this.

Yes, a lovely plate of little pancakes. These are the sweet potato pancakes. I got the regular kind, poured on lots of syrup, and they were delicious. (If you don’t like grits, you can substitute hash browns or cottage cheese or fruit, and if, sadly for you, you aren’t a fan of pancakes, you can get bread, toast or biscuits and gravy.)

Don’t want an omelette? Get two eggs, sausage patty and home fries for $6. Or, if you don’t like home fries, substitute a bowl of fruit.

These are eggs over easy, and even that 1393 writer would approve. Who wouldn’t?

Jimmy’s Egg
2521 Veteran’s Blvd, Ardmore (right near I-35)
3948 S. Peoria, Tulsa
www.jimmysegg.com
open daily 6 AM to 2 PM

Brian Schwartz

Born in NYC, age 0, on my birthday. College in Oxford at age 16. Law School in New Haven, Conn. 6 years travel in Africa and Asia. Haven’t done much lately. Still, I’m the only Tulsa member of the little-known Omega Society.  www.theomegasociety.com

I speak enough Chinese to order food not on any English menu. Spanish French Italian too (not fluently but food-ently) My favorite restaurant is Jean-Georges in New York. But those NYC chefs would sell their soul to get the produce available from the farms around Inola.

“A writer writes alone. His words tumble forth from a magical inner void that is mysterious even to himself, and that no one else can enter.” And yet, the most important thing to me the writer is YOU. Without you to hear them, my words are worth less than silence.

Hebert’s Specialty Meats
2101 East 71st Street
Tulsa, OK 74136-5425
(918) 298-8400

John Bobb-Semple

Having grown up a southern Louisiana boy, John got his love of food from his Momma.

“I learned my first important cooking lesson while assisting her with gumbo. She stressed the importance of the roux and how it required plenty of time and attention. She was cooking ‘Sunday gumbo’ for 30 plus people, and her dish was the main dish. She went to take a phone call and asked that I stir nonstop, otherwise the roux would burn. I did great until I started watching tv and forgot to continue stirring. Within thirty seconds I had burned the roux. At that moment, the dinner plan changed, and I forever learned the value of good cooking.”

True to his roots, John is always looking for the next great food experience, without prejudice. He often quotes world-renowned Cajun Chef Paul Prudhomme’s classic words: “You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.”?

Let’s start with a deal that’s so good that a poor musician would have gone for the price even back in 1966 (which is when the Mamas & the Papas recorded “Monday Monday”). THIS… for a dollar.

Pulled BBQ pork on a huge homemade bun, and you can get it at Back Alley Blues & BBQ every Monday starting at 5 PM. Back Alley makes incredibly good sides, so when I took some friends, I filled out our sandwich order with four orders of sides. The sides are regular price, but that’s only $2.50 each.

That’s fried okra, fried onions, mac & cheese, all great, and the extraordinary baked beans, so good we got another bowl.

Hey big spender, if you have FIVE dollars, you can get a burger at Smoke. Monday evenings only. Come on another day, and entrees start around $20 (and they’re worth it). The burgers are some of the finest around. Here’s mine (which I convinced them to make a bit larger for a small surcharge).

Nothing but the finest for these burgers. Beef raised in a little ranch in western Oklahoma.  Buns fresh from Farrell Family Bread, and if you haven’t heard of them you should. They’re one of the finest artisan bakers around. Lettuce and tomato from the Farmer’s Market. Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and pickles made in the restaurant. Sometimes they give you homemade potato chips. For $2 extra, you get their awesome fries. Another $2 brings their memorable house-made bacon.

If these meals don’t thrill you (and how can this be?), head downtown to Fassler Hall, where on Monday evening their amazing sausages are half-price. And I’m not talking ordinary hot dogs. I’m talking this…

On the left, Jagerwurst topped with peppers and onions ($3.25 on Mondays). On the right, a lamb sausage with onions, peppers, and a cucumber mint yogurt sauce ($3.50). The amazing duck fat fries are regular price, only $4.

Try any of these specials and you’ll never feel the same way about Monday again.

http://www.backalleytulsa.com

http://www.smoketulsa.com

http://www.fasslerhall.com

Brian Schwartz:

Born in NYC, age 0, on my birthday. College in Oxford at age 16. Law School in New Haven, Conn. 6 years travel in Africa and Asia. Haven’t done much lately. Still, I’m the only Tulsa member of the little-known Omega Society.  www.theomegasociety.com

I speak enough Chinese to order food not on any English menu. Spanish French Italian too (not fluently but food-ently) My favorite restaurant is Jean-Georges in New York. But those NYC chefs would sell their soul to get the produce available from the farms around Inola.

“A writer writes alone. His words tumble forth from a magical inner void that is mysterious even to himself, and that no one else can enter.” And yet, the most important thing to me the writer is YOU. Without you to hear them, my words are worth less than silence.