Redrock Canyon Grill

My husband and his brother made the big mistake of tricking my sister-in-law and me into going through a concealed carry class so as payback we had them take us out for a nice dinner at Redrock Canyon Grill on Riverside Drive. (Concealed carry class will NOT be making the "recommend" list.)

Redrock is a great Southwest/American restaurant with terrific service. It is apparent they spend a lot of time training their waitstaff to be very engaging and Nathan was a great example of that. He was great with recommendations and working to make sure we had everything we wanted and more! His wine recommendations were spot on, they have a great list to choose from. And the restaurant is really beautiful with big booths, dark woods, stained concrete floors and excellent views of the river, especially at sunset. They also have an excellent patio that is a fantastic spot when the weather is nice.

OK, I am not usually one to rave about salads but I am telling you, this is my absolute favorite salad in town. Whatever you do, make sure you order the "Nice Little House Salad". It is an extra add-on but trust me, this is one you want. This is a mix of salad greens and has a fantastic creamy southwest ranch-type dressing with bleu cheese, and cornbread croutons. It is seriously lick the plate good. And the entrees are really great too. I love the rotisserie chicken, it is so moist and has great flavor from the crispy skin and the rosemary they use to season. The entrees are huge portions so be sure you get a to go box to enjoy it again the next day. You can have just the chicken or add fork tender beef tenderloin or ribs to get a taste of their other great grilled meats. These come with creamy skin-on mashed potatoes and glazed carrots that are sweet and perfectly cooked, not mushy. The enchiladas are also really good. Try the Steak and Enchilada entree to get a great combo of tastes. They also have other great entrees like meatloaf, pork chops and salmon. Everything here is so good you won't go wrong with whatever you choose.

Try to save a little room for dessert. The Key Lime Pie is super tangy and has a crumbly graham cracker and walnut crust. The Chocolate Something is big layers of chocolate cake with a thick cream middle layer and drizzled with chocolate sauce in a pool of caramel. Yeah, it's good. So, even if your husband isn't trying to get back into your good graces, Redrock is a great place to enjoy a fantastic, casual dinner. I recommend you go on an empty stomach and plan to take home lots of leftovers. Check this out, you will really enjoy these delicious meals.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Tulsa restaurant recommendations, Rainey Talbot

Arris Pizza

It has been nice to have lunch with Jerri Ann on a regular basis and we both like to try different places so it has become a little adventure. Arris Pizza in Owasso in Tyan Plaza has been open for over a year but neither of us had been there for lunch. They have a buffet and we decided this would be a great chance to give them a try and to get a wide variety of tasting done. Arris' is a Greek take on pizza and pasta and is a nice place to try things a bit different than the Italian versions.

We were the first to arrive but we were warmly greeted and the place filled up pretty quickly. Our waitress even asked us if we had a preference for which pizzas we would like to see on the buffet since they were still loading it up. The salad bar part of the buffet is a little lean, with just iceberg lettuce, cheese, veggies, pasta salad and dressings. But they do also include their tortilla soup, chili, spaghetti, marinara, and apple cobbler as well. We tried a little of everything before we got to the pizza and found most everything to be very good. The pasta salad was a bit different and not a big hit with us but the tortilla soup more than made up for it. It has a nice chicken broth and tomato base with corn, onions and beans. It was even better when we crumbled in a few tortilla chips. Very good! The chili was a sweet version and the marinara was a good tomatoey version with just a little bit of herbs. All in all, lots of good choices from here.

After that, we were on to the pizzas! There looked to be about 8-10 choices available the whole time including many of their specialty pizzas, like the Arris' with Greek sausage, peppers and onions, the Apollo with Canadian bacon, pineapples and jalapenos, and the Adonis with Alfredo sauce, chicken and spinach. Plus some single toppings like sausage and pepperoni. We both really enjoyed each of these. They all had very distinct and some unexpected flavors like the jalapenos with pineapples and were very good. One of the things we really liked was that these were cut in fairly thin slices which helped us try a wider range of pizzas without being wasteful. A real treat. The crust is thin and crispy and there is a lot of cheese. The other plus from my point of view was that they did a nice light amount of sauce. I hate it when it is poured on too thickly and all you can taste is sauce. They do a nice job with this and it allows the other ingredients to shine through.

Along with the buffet they do also offer a nice menu of salads, gyros and baked subs along with their pies. They also have a nice variety of appetizers that you really won't find anywhere else including battered and fried broccoli with cheese or cauliflower, portabella slices with Gorgonzola and my favorite, their unique version of bruschetta. We call this the "blooming bruschetta" because it is a round sourdough loaf that has been split like a flower and drizzled with olive oil, spices and garlic and then topped with diced tomato and feta cheese. It comes with balsamic vinegar to dip in and it is fantastic! But be careful, this is a lot of bread and before you know it you are so full on this you can't enjoy your meal, so share this with a friend or two!

So, if you are in the Owasso area and looking for a new twist on pizza I recommend you give Arris a try. Even if you can't hit the buffet you'll find lots of great items to choose from and have a great taste of Greece.

Keywords: Owasso restaurant reviews, Tulsa restaurant recommendations, Rainey Talbot

la Villa Restaurant

As part of the Festival of Trees event at the Philbrook Museum of Art, The Tulsa Oratorio Chorus performed. My friend James is a member and they did an outstanding job. After the performance our group of friends enjoyed lunch at la Villa Restaurant on the lower level of The Philbrook. The Philbrook has a large collection of art and does host many traveling collections as well. The grounds and gardens are just as beautiful as the art held within the walls. This is a great place to visit and to bring out of town guests. I find there is always a sense of amazement that this type of art and culture has made its way to Tulsa so it is always nice to surprise some folks.

la Villa is a fantastic restaurant for lunch or brunch. The brunch is truly amazing with so many wonderful choices and classics like eggs Benedict that will absolutely blow you away. We enjoyed a fantastic lunch where all but one of us opted for the pasta special of the day, a spicy southwest cream sauce over large breaded and fried shrimp with penne pasta and peppers. This was packed full of flavor and was a really beautifully presented and tasty dish. Judy opted for the quiche of the day which was a huge piece of Florentine with a delicate and flaky crust and perfectly cooked eggs with cheese and spinach. It was very good and served with a lovely garden salad. The menu is not large but there are plenty of creative and inventive sandwich and salad choices that it made it a little difficult to chose. But our waitress did such a great job describing the pasta dish we were all hooked. The service here is impeccable and the setting faces out to the gardens with tall open windows. They have a patio that is wonderful in the spring and fall.

I recommend that you stop by for a tour of the museum and grounds and make time for lunch or brunch soon. It's always nice to feed your soul with beauty as well as your stomach.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews,Tulsa restaurant recommendations, Tulsa museums, Rainey Talbot

Tin Star

I had gone to Glenpool with Jerri Ann and talked her into trying Tin Star on Riverside Drive. I have been eating over here for a while but this was a new spot for her and she loves Mexican so it was a good choice. They have a lot of variety to their menu with soups, salads and fajitas as well as some unusual choices like Chicken Chipotle Scallopini, Chicken Fried Steak, and Fire-Grilled Salmon. My favorite is the Taco Plate where you can choose from a variety of beef, pork, chicken and fish tacos to go with rice and beans. We both opted for the Executive, grilled steak fajita meat with crispy onion strings and big bleu cheese crumbles. This was a big hit!!! There is so much meat and cheese on the tacos it is hard to eat this with your hands so a fork does nicely and that way you don't drop a single delicious bite. The flour tortillas as nice and soft and have a good dough flavor and do are thick enough to hold this together without being chewy, very good.

We did the Two Taco Plates and Jerri Ann chose a Fish Taco with breaded and fried white fish as her other choice. Tempura battered shrimp is the other option and has nice big shrimp that are well seasoned and well-cooked, not chewy. These come topped with chipotle sauce that is smoky with just a little spice, and cole slaw. Jerri Ann thought the white fish was OK but she thought they would be grilled not battered, she just didn't read the menu closely and thought she might try something different the next time. I like the shrimp version and usually have that as my second choice but decided to do something different and had the Crispy Buffalo Chicken version that comes with a tangy hot sauce, avocado, and bleu cheese crumbles (clearly I am in a very "bleu cheese" place right now!). I am not an avocado fan so I left that off. This was really tasty and had great buffalo chicken flavor. I really liked it and will definitely have it again. The rice was a little dry but did have a nice lime flavor to it. Jerri Ann really raved about the black beans and said they were some of the best she'd had.

The nice thing about Tin Star is your direct access to the chips and salsa bar. We can put away the chips pretty quickly so it is cool to be able to refill when you want. They have a nice variety of salsas and in the name of "research" we tried them all. The fire-roasted version was definitely our favorite and we went back for a couple of refills. The salsa verde was just a little too "green" for us. That's a weird description but I'm not sure how else to describe it. It was fresh but maybe just a little too much tomatilla, it was very acidic and just wasn't our thing. The big surprise was the corn relish, we loved it! It had nice fresh corn with a bit of onion and tomato and was really delicious. Considering it was November it had a great summery taste and went really well with the thin and crispy chips. You really want to give this a taste, it will have you hooked!

Jerri Ann and I both recommend you give Tin Star a try. They are a great place for lunch and we ate our weight in chips in salsa! Never underestimate the importance of "research", we do this for you! Enjoy!

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Tulsa restaurant recommendations, Rainey Talbot

No More Turkey!!

If you are already tired of all the turkey and leftovers, here is a re-cap of the restaurants I have reviewed and recommend you give a try to break away from the turkey blues!

Diners: Western Country Diner, Blue Dome Diner, The Savoy, Cafe 51, New Atlas Grill

Bar Food: Oscar's Gastropub, The White Lion, Louie's Grill & Bar, Kilkenny's Irish Pub

Italian: Villa Ravenna, Hideaway Pizza, Andolini's, Carrabba's

Mexican: Abuelo's, Chimi's, El Gaupo's, Compadres Mexican Grill & Cantina

Homecooking: Caz's Chowhouse, Harden's Hamburgers, Hammet House, The Pink House, Copan Family Restaurant, Charlie's Chicken, The Crusty Croissant, Ron's Hamburgers & Chili

Fine Dining: D'Novo Lean Gourmet, Copeland's, Oliver's Twist, Local Table, SoChey, Charleston's, The Wild Fork, Sonoma Bistro & Wine Bar, The Daily Grill, Bodean Seafood Restaurant

Just Dessert: Kupcakz

Whatever you try, you'll find all of these to be winners. Enjoy!

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Owasso restaurant recommendations, Rainey Talbot

Au Gratin Potatoes

Another recipe from Cooking School that may help you with the holidays, homemade Au Gratin Potatoes. These are easy to make and have great cheesy flavor. The trick is getting the potatoes sliced as thin as possible, a mandolin makes this easy. You want them thin enough that when you hold them up by the end that they bend over. And for best results cook these in bakeware or pottery type dish. The amount of ingredients vary based on the size of your baking dish so you'll need to experiment a bit until you know what works best for you.

Here are the basic steps:
- Pre-heat oven to 350.
- Grate fontina, Gruyere or other good melting cheese and set aside. Also have heavy whipping cream and salt and pepper on hand to top each potato layer.
- Spray the bottom of your baking dish with PAM. Clean the outside of the potatoes, you do not need to peel them. Thinly slice russet or Yukon gold potatoes. You'll need to work quickly once you start slicing the potatoes as they will start to turn brown. Do not wash the potato slices as that will rinse off the starch that helps this stick together. Lay down two or three thin layers of overlapping potato slices.
- Sprinkle the layer of potatoes with salt and pepper, a layer of grated cheese and then cover with the cream. Be sure to press down any potatoes that may be on the edge of the baking dish so that everything is covered.
- Do another layer of potatoes, season, cheese, and cream. Press down to make sure everything is tight and covered.
- Repeat layers until near the top. Press down again, a lot of the cream will come to the top but add more if needed to cover. Top with more cheese to give a nice cheesy crust on top.
- Place baking dish on a cookie sheet and place in oven (in case this runs over the sides a bit). Cook in oven until good and bubbly all the way through and then move to top shelf to get top nice and golden brown. This should take about 45 minutes, again depending on size of your dish.
- Remove from oven when brown and let sit 10-15 minutes to let this firm up a bit before serving. It will still be piping hot so don't worry about it getting cold.

Essentially, this is boiling potatoes in cream, so be generous with the cream. I would warn that when I tried this with a cheddar cheese it got a bit oily but it still had great flavor. You may want to experiment a bit to see what cheese you like best. Right now our favorite is the fontina.

This is a a little time consuming to assemble but once that is done it is pretty much done. I recommend that you give this delicious recipe a try. It has been a hit every time I have made it for company and is a great comfort food dish. And once you know how to adjust the ingredients for your baking dish it can easily be adjusted for larger or smaller dishes. Try it!

Keywords: Savory Chef Cooking School, Recipe, Rainey Talbot

Bodean Seafood Restaurant

My friend Cathy was in town for business and I like taking her to new places around town and this time we tried Bodean and it was a huge hit. Bodean's has been in their new building on 51st Street for a year now and it is a beautiful space. Take a minute to check out the glass "waves" in the entry, they are gorgeous. There is a nice bar area behind the aquarium or enjoy your dinner near one of the two fireplaces in the dining room. And the service here is first rate. Attentive and informative without being intrusive. Our waitress did an impressive job describing the menu items and how they were cooked and took great care of us throughout the evening.

Bodean's is known for their extremely fresh seafood and their chef does a great job maximizing the flavors. They change the menu frequently so there aren't any daily specials but these frequent changes means they can best take advantage of the latest catch! And along with the seafood they offer a couple of nice steaks as well as a seared breast of duck. Seafood entree's included lobster tail and crab legs as well as a sea bass, tuna, trout, and salmon.

The list of appetizers and salads were so tempting that we decided to split a couple of the these and have a cup of their fantastic shrimp and lobster bisque. This is a thicky and creamy choice with nice little chunks of shrimp and lobster meat. There is just a bit of spice to this and has a great mellow flavor. Delicious! I picked the Seared Medallions of Lobster with Andouille on Smoked Cheddar Grits with Chipotle BBQ Sauce. YUM!!! The lobster was perfectly cooked and sweet. The andouille gave a little spiciness and meatiness that matched well with the grits and BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce was more sweet than spicy but was a great sauce for really bringing all of these ingredients together. Cheesy grits are always a good thing and these did not disappoint. The smoked cheddar gave an extra depth of flavor that was really enjoyable.

Cathy opted for the Salad of Dungeness Crab. This was also a real hit. Fresh lump crab meat topped a bed of peppery arugula, Roquefort cheese crumbles, poached pear slices, candied pecans and drizzled with a pear and thyme vinaigrette. There was a huge portion of the sweet crab meat. The vinaigrette also had a nice sweetness but was mellowed by the thyme that gave it a little bite. The combination of the Roquefort with the candied pecans was really wonderful and bumped this up several notches in taste.

The appetizer portions were big enough to share and there were many others to choose from including fried calamari, crab cakes and lots of mussel and oyster options. The dessert menu is also very good with good standbys like creme brulee. We split the chocolate dome which was so rich and delicious that we just couldn't finish it. A beautiful chocolate mousse served on an Oreo crust covered with a layer of rich ganache with fresh whipped cream on the side had us drooling when they brought it out. Our only complaint was it was drizzled with a raspberry sauce that wasn't mentioned on the menu, but we were able to work around it. This was an excellent meal on all counts and one that we are likely to repeat. I recommend that you give Bodean's a try. This was a great meal with a friend but would also be great for a special occasion or date night. A little pricey but well worth it when you are looking for an above average meal especially with such fresh seafood.

The Bodean Seafood Market is also next door and makes it easy to prepare your own fresh seafood meal at home. They also offer a variety of bakery breads and pre-made seafood salads.

Keywords: Tulsa Restaurant Reviews, Tulsa Restaurant Recommendations, Bodean Seafood Restaurant, Bodean Seafood Market, Rainey Talbot

Beet Salad & Corn Relish Recipes

Well, I finished Pro Chef 1 with flying colors and hoping to do Pro Chef 2 in January. Here are a couple of easy recipes from class that you might find helpful for your Thanksgiving celebrations.

Beet & Fennel Salad:
- 1 bunch of fresh beets, cleaned and pulled from the stems. Placing on a baking sheet and roast whole at 350 degrees for one hour. Allow to cool, peel, cut in half and slice thin wedges.
- While beets are roasting, make creamy chive dressing. Use a 50/50 ratio of mayo to milk (ie. 1/2
mayo plus 1/2 cup milk = 1 cup of dressing). Add minced chives and a bit of ground black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- 1 head of fennel with greens tops removed. Slice very thin (shave on mandolin if you have one). Lay on bottom of salad plate and top with beet wedges. Drizzle dressing over the top.
- Sprinkle generously with crumbled goat cheese and Craisins and garnish with more minced chives.

Plate each serving individually, it is a really beautiful presentation and great "Christmas colors" to get you in the spirit. The sweetness of the beets match nicely with the mild licorice taste of the fennel. And goat cheese makes anything even more tasty! This is easy to put together but looks really impressive on the plate.

Roasted Corn Relish:
- Pre-heat oven to 350. Do a small dice on a whole red onion, toss in olive oil and spread on a lined baking sheet. Place in oven to roast, about 45 minutes. You want to get good color on the onion with some all the way to black. Once done set aside and let cool.
- While onion is roasting, bring 3/4 stick of unsalted butter to room temperature. Combine with a tsp each of cumin, coriander, paprika, and chili powder, and 1/2 tsp of cayenne. Pre-heat your grill to high heat. Take about 3/4 of the butter (set aside the remainder you will use it later!) and rub it onto two ears of fresh corn (husk and silk removed). Slather the compound butter on pretty thick, it is easiest to use your hands for this. Grill the corn until you get good grill marks all the way around. Be careful! The butter will cause this to flare up so watch it and turn often.
- De-seed and do a small dice on one large Roma tomato, set aside with onion.
- Once corn has cooled enough to handle, stand upright on a flat serving bowl or cutting board and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels. Once the kernels have all been removed run the back of the knife done the corn cob again to release the sweet corn juice.
- In serving bowl combine onion and tomato with the corn and juice. Add the remaining compound butter, a Tbsp of sherry or white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

This is a great side dish or works well on a crostini as an appetizer, too. You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate but you will need to let it come back to room temperature and stir well since the butter will set again. Taste again to see if more vinegar or seasoning is needed. Another easy recipe that looks and tastes very impressive!

So, if you need some new ideas for the holiday table I recommend you give these recipes a try! Let me know if you do and what you think. Enjoy!

Keywords: Savory Chef Pro Chef Class, Recipes, Rainey Talbot

Ron's Hamburgers & Chili

Mike and I decided to hit one of our regular spots this last weekend, Ron's Hamburgers and Chili. We stayed in Owasso but they have several locations across northeast Oklahoma in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso and more. If you are looking for a great burger or a big delicious bowl of homemade chili, Ron's is your place. Although be prepared, Ron's is always busy and you can have a little bit of a wait to be seated, but you certainly won't regret it.

There is a real variety of ways to have your burger with sausage, cheese, ham, bacon, chili, grilled onions and more or just go plain and you'll find a thin, fresh pressed patty topped with a good greasy bun. Same goes for the chili lots of choices on your standard toppings or enjoy it with fritos or go Polish with spaghetti and sausage. Yummy hamburger steaks and sandwiches are also on the menu along with excellent sides like cole slaw, cheese fries or tots, onion rings or Spanish fries with cheese and jalapenos. Be sure to ask for ranch dressing with the cheese fries! One of my favorites here is the boneless fried chicken chunks. I know, always with the fried chicken! They are nice bite-sized chunks that are freshly fried and have a nice crust. I usually add a little salt and pepper to bump up the flavor a bit but they are very good without it.

The service is always hopping at Ron's and you receive your food as soon as it is ready so it may come a little at a time but never very far in between. Unfortunately you smell like a hamburger the rest of the day but it is certainly worth it. I recommend you check out Ron's and enjoy a nice greasy burger and soak up a little atmosphere while you are at it!!

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Owasso restaurant reviews, Rainey Talbot

Compadres Mexican Grill & Cantina

Since I'm taking a little time off from the working world I'm getting to catch up with lots of friends over lunch. Jerri Ann and I decided to hit one of her Owasso faves, Compadres on 86th Street North beside the movie theatre. Jerri Ann is a regular here and their friendly wait staff pretty much knows what she will be having, which was a ground beef burrito with rice. This was off the lunch menu but was still a big portion that she demolished. She also recommended the tacos or the chimichanga, which I decided to try. The chimichanga was loaded with spicy ground beef and had a nice crunch. It came with rice or beans and my choice of white or yellow queso. The white queso on the rice is a really great combo and punched up the flavor of the rice, it was little dry without it. This was also good when drizzled over the chimi and when I added some of the salsa it was excellent. I really love their chips and salsa. The chips are thin and crisp and fresh made each day. The salsa is also good and fresh and with a little bit of chunkiness to it. Lots of tomato, onion and cilantro with a good bit of spice from jalapenos. It had a lot of sauciness and was excellent for dipping the chips.

They have a very big menu with lots of the Mexican standards. But I also think they have a good variety of seafood dishes to choose from like fish tacos and shrimp quesadillas. Their fajitas are big portions and great for sharing. They also offer fried boneless chicken bites with french fries that is really good. A little unusual for a Mexican restaurant but not too uncommon in Oklahoma and this variety had lots of flavor and is well seasoned.

If you need a great lunch or dinner spot while you are in Owasso I recommend you stop by Compadres. It's clean and casual space is a great place to catch up with family and friends.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Owasso restaurant reviews, Rainey Talbot

The Wild Fork

For Jeanie's birthday we went back to The Wild Fork for lunch in Utica Square. We had tried to call ahead for reservations but they wouldn't take them. And when I arrived at 11:45 and asked for a table for 6 they advised it would be an hour wait or they could seat on the patio immediately. Fortunately it was a beautiful day and the patio warmed up the longer we sat out there, so it all worked out OK. The service was very attentive and helpful.

The girls were split on ordering the Roasted Chicken Salad and the Mediterranean Burger. Victoria added a cup of the soup of the day, Mushroom. She shared a bit and it was wonderful. A nice creamy base with lots of slices of mushrooms. The flavor was very rich and I described as "Thanksgiving". It must have had some sage and chicken broth to it because it was a great meld of all those warm flavors that go with the holiday. Very good!

I switched it up and tried the Red Cornmeal Crusted Chicken with mashed potatoes. It was really good. This comes with a black bean puree that asked them to hold, but also came with a chunky pico de gallo that gave a nice color to the plate and a kick of flavor. The chicken was crisp on the outside with good seasoning and was moist on the inside. I would definitely have it again. And I would recommend that you give The Wild Fork a try soon. Get the Mushroom Soup if it is on special, it is wonderful.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Tulsa restaurant recommendations, Rainey Talbot

The Daily Grill

My friends from our ad agency in Tampa were in town recently staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel downtown and we met for dinner at the newly opened Daily Grill. I hadn't been in the restaurant here since it had been Bravo, so it was nice to see it with it's open design and lots of dark tall booths and great views out the windows. We had an excellent waiter that was super friendly and did a great job answering our questions. We hadn't finished our salads before our entrees came out but that was the only glitch in our overall excellent service.

It was our first real taste of fall and the temperature had taken a plunge so we all enjoyed their soup special, creamy tomato. It was homey and warm and really delicious. Nothing fancy but it certainly hit the spot with us. Lisa and I also enjoyed the Spicy Pecan, Gorgonzola, Endive and Romaine salad. It was a delicious salad with lots of flavors and a bit of spice tossed in a walnut vinaigrette.

Bob enjoyed the Original Beef Dip sandwich but was a bit disappointed that it was not served on sourdough bread as promised but he said the beef and au jus were delicious. I ordered the Trout Amandine and it was very good. It was covered with a lemony cream sauce and toasted almond slices. It was very fresh and had nice flavor even without the sauce. It came with large slices of boiled new potatoes that needed a bit of salt and pepper but were very good and also benefited from the cream sauce. This dish also came with a ridiculously large bunch of broccoli, it was a brilliant green and well cooked, but I'm just not a fan of the broccoli.

They have a very large menu and it was hard to make a choice as there were so many items that looked good. I recommend that if you need a great place for a business dinner or for a special date night give The Daily Grill a try.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Tulsa restaurant recommendations, Rainey Talbot

The New Atlas Grill

Brad has a new job downtown so Judy and I went to lunch with him at the New Atlas Grill in the Atlas Life Building on south Boston. This area and building are full of Tulsa history and a great place to explore. The art deco work is just incredible. The exterior is beautiful but you'll be blown away when you walk into the lobby of the Atlas. Be sure you take a few minutes to wander around while you are here, it's truly amazing art and will take you by surprise if you aren't familiar with the downtown area. And lunch at the Grill was also truly surprising and delicious!

Located in the original Atlas coffee shop and across the hall from the Tulsa Press Club you'll find this little gem. Clearly catering to the downtown workers they are open for lunch Monday-Friday and breakfast on Fridays. They have a couple of small dining areas but lots of the traffic is taking their lunch to go. They have a really nice menu of salads, hearty sandwiches, unique daily specials and desserts.

I chose one of the daily specials, grilled sliced chicken wrapped in a tortilla with lettuce, red onion, tomato, a light vinaigrette dressing and chunks of goat cheese. This was really tasty and filling. The tangy creaminess of the goat cheese was a perfect compliment to the grilled chicken and the vinaigrette gave it a nice sweetness that went well with the veggies. A really well balanced combination of flavors that took a simple chicken wrap up many notches. It came with crisp tortilla chips and a spicy pickle spear. A great lunch. Judy enjoyed The Press Club sandwich, an unstacked version of the traditional club with thick slices of turkey on hearty pieces of grilled buttermilk bread. Brad had the big 1/3 pound Atlas Burger that was meaty and juicy. I noticed after we ordered that they have sweet potato fries so I am anxious to give them a try next time. I also spied a big piece of chocolate pie go by that made my mouth water.

This was a great lunch and we'll now have a good excuse to pop downtown to check it out again. I recommend you also find a reason to make the trip to south Boston Avenue and give the Atlas Grill a try. You'll enjoy the meal and see some beautiful art while you are there.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Rainey Talbot

Sonoma Bistro & Wine Bar

I had dinner last night with Linda, Michelle and Victoria at Sonoma on Brookside. I've been here for happy hour a couple of times with friends because they have such a great wine list. But the menu has plenty of reasons to try them out for dinner as well.

The hands down favorite for our group was the Iceberg Wedge with a fresh creamy buttermilk dressing, lots of big chunks of bleu cheese crumbles, chopped tomato, and with a lit twist that matches well with the wine themes, finely chopped walnuts and sliced red grapes. The grapes really steal the show on this one. It is so unexpected with the dressing and the lettuce but it is a sweet and juicy addition that matches perfectly. I swear I think we all licked our plates when we were done! (OK, maybe that was just me!!)

Linda and Michelle also had the soup of the day which was a black bean and roasted tomato mix with crispy tortilla strips on top. I opted for a small entree portion of the Citrus & Garlic Chicken with roasted new potatoes and spinach. It was really delicious. A small breast portion with a wing drumette attached, it had a nice crispy skin and was moist and meaty. It had a great aroma with a mellow garlic flavor and a hint of acidity from the citrus. The quartered new potatoes were nicely roasted with good seasoning and tossed with a bit of sauteed spinach. It was a perfect portion size to match the richness of the Wedge Salad.

On previous visits I've enjoyed several of the appetizers including the Crispy Fried Calamari, BBQ Shrimp, Buttermilk Fried Onion Rings and the Cheese Plate. All were fresh and delicious and hearty enough to be a dinner in itself or to share with friends. There are a variety of salads and sandwiches to choose from as well as several pizzas and flatbreads. The entrees are a wide range of choices including a Pesto Crusted Tilapia, Grilled Skirt Steak with Gorgonzola, Veal Picatta and BBQ Salmon Tamale. I've had bites of many of these and were really good. The BBQ Chicken Pizza and BBQ Salmon both had a sweet smoky sauce with a bit of a tang that really gave great flavor to the dish.

The atmosphere here is casual with great service. There is a nice patio out back and it's a good spot for happy hour. I recommend that you give Sonoma try for a great dinner or just for drinks. The wine list is comprehensive and highly affordable and the environment is laid back and fun. You'll enjoy any meal here.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Tulsa bars, Rainey Talbot

The Crusty Croissant

I've been wanting to try The Crusty Croissant for several weeks and we finally made it in. Located on Brookside they offer a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches and pastries. For those of you that are fans of La Madeleine, you'll be happy to find this a great equivalent. With Tomato Basil soup, crusty quiches, and a good variety of baked sweets you'll find lots to also love here.

I tried the Roasted Chicken Quiche a beautiful delicate and flaky crust. The chicken really gave this a lot of flavor as did the tomato slice on top. The egg was a bit undercooked on mine but didn't stop me from eating the whole thing. It came with a choice of a mixed green or Caesar salad or a cup of soup. The salads looked very good but I love Tomato Basil soup and was dying to try theirs. It did not disappoint!! Not quite as creamy as the La Madeline version but very strong tomato and basil flavors and made to perfection. It was really excellent. I also tried the vegetable soup which was a good hearty broth soup with lots of veggie chunks, good flavor. And the chicken salad on a croissant got a big thumbs up from our group. I also tried a chocolate eclair from the bakery case. The pastry was bit overdry and didn't have much flavor but the pastry creme and chocolate ganache worked hard to make up for that.

They offer a variety of sandwich options for you to combine as you please and a list of others like BLT and Reuben and usually have two other daily soups along with the Tomato Basil. Fruit and pasta salad were also nice options for side dishes and the bakery case had lots of cookies, tarts, and other tasty treats.

I will certainly be back to Crusty Croissant and recommend that you give them a try. A great place to have a nice bowl of soup on these fall days will be just the thing to keep you warm!

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, The Crusty Croissant, Rainey Talbot

El Gaupo's

Met Judy downtown last week while she was preparing for the annual fund-raising event for the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and we had El Gaupo's for lunch. El Gaupo's is on 1st street just across from McNellie's and in a three story building with an open rooftop patio that is great for happy hour. The colorful interior is decorated with pinatas and lots of "day of the dead" style paintings. Very eclectic and fun atmosphere with great Mexican food to match.

My favorite here is one of their appetizers, Ceviche de Camaron. Beautifully served in a tall glass filled with a rich and spicy tomato sauce chock full of large shrimp. There is a lot of flavor in this that comes from the onions, tomatoes, cilantro and lime in the sauce. It's topped off with big slices of avocado and crisp flour tortilla wedges. Comes in large or small and I can barely finish off the small by myself. Other great appetizers include nachos, guacamole and salsa verde and a really thick and creamy white queso.

Judy had the Smoked Steak and Chicken Flautas this time that she really enjoyed but she usually goes for one of their famous "Wet Burritos". Huge flour tortillas stuffed with a wide variety of ingredients including beans, beef, chicken, cheese and more covered with queso, guacamole and sour cream. Only the biggest appetites can eat this thing whole! They have lots of other great dishes including their Grilled Red Snapper Fish Tacos with a spicy red pepper aioli or the juicy Carne Asada topped with caramelized onions and all the traditional favorites like enchiladas and tacos. The food is always very flavorful with great sauces and cheeses and fresh vegetables.

And they have fantastic margaritas! This is a great place for happy hour and watch the sunset from the roof looking out over downtown. I recommend that you give El Gaupo's a try the next time you are downtown.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, El Gaupo's, Rainey Talbot

Charlie's Chicken

If you've read many of my posts you know I'm a HUGE fried chicken fan and Charlie's Chicken is my very favorite. My dad used to take us to the one in Wagoner when we were kids and I have been tracking it down across northeast Oklahoma every chance I get. Fortunately we have a couple of restaurants in Tulsa now so I get to have it for lunch on occasion or pick it up on the way home for dinner.

Consistently crisp and flavorful fried chicken is the theme here. Whether you have it on the bone or in chunks you find a great mix of spices and a tasty golden crust. The meat is always moist and served hot. They have special heated holding bins that they keep their chicken in, not under heat lamps, so it doesn't get greasy or dried out.

And the goodness doesn't stop with the chicken. They offer several other entrees like meatloaf, catfish, chicken and dressing and chicken and dumplings as part of their daily specials and rotisserie chicken and chicken fried steak every day. And you get lots of great choices for their side dishes including mashed potatoes and gravy of the very creamy variety, a great array of veggies including fried okra, and cold salads like macaroni, pasta and potato. All are fresh made and you can usually pick two to go with your meal. They also have really good and fresh yeast rolls that are a golden brown and have just a bit of sweetness to their flavor. Excellent with butter or honey. And if you have room for dessert they have a variety of pies including chocolate and lemon meringue as well as cobbler and cookies.

They serve from a buffet line so you can see what you have to pick from and it is served hot and fresh. They also have drive-thrus if you want to take it on the go. Always a great choice for picnics or company functions. So, if you are looking for great fried chicken I recommend you give Charlie's a try. You won't be disappointed!

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Charlie's Chicken, Rainey Talbot

Kilkenny's Irish Pub

My friend Brad's birthday was this past week and his favorite spot is Kilkenny's on Cherry Street. We had a big crowd and they are always good to accommodate us in the back room and give us great service. Kilkenny's is everything you expect of an Irish Pub: dark interiors, great selection of beers, excellent pub grub and lots of Irish music playing in the background. This is a great place to get authentic Irish food and hospitality and a great place to bring out of town guests. For some reason they don't expect this of Tulsa and it is a great example of the diversity we have here.

I seem to always go for the fish and chips, they are my favorite in Tulsa. The lunch portion comes with one big piece of cod dipped in a tempura batter and fried to a dark brown. It has great flavor and the fish is always nice and fresh. I love their tartar sauce! It is a good thick variety with creamy mayo and good pickle relish. The wedge shaped, skin on chips are crisp and plentiful.

The fish and chips are so good it is hard for me to ever switch to something else, but there is plenty more here that is worth trying. To get things started check out the Shamrock Spuds, Reuben Rolls, Scotch Eggs or my favorite the Baked Brie. All are excellent for sharing and great before a meal or just with drinks. If you are looking for something really tasty to warm you up try the Lobster Corn Chowder. BIG chunks of lobster with potatoes, carrots and corn in a nice broth. Wonderful! And lots to pick from for entrees from pork chops, lamb chops and steaks to Cottage Pie, Bangers and Mash, Corned Beef and Cabbage to Traditional Boxtys, you'll find lots of delicious choices. The Boxtys are really something to try. My favorite is the Craigue with lots of crab, shrimp and lobster wrapped in a potato pancake and covered with a lovely and creamy Alfredo sauce. The Chatsworth, chicken with veggies and wine sauce, is also a yummy choice. The Cornyeal is also a popular choice with corned beef. And save room for dessert! The bitter sweet Guiness Chocolate Cake is a house specialty and big enough to take some home. The Irish Balloons are a good take on traditional profiteroles with a rich rum butter sauce instead of chocolate. You'll love it!

I think you'll find that Kilkenny's is a great place for a meal or a pint and I recommend that you give them a try for all occasions. You'll find lots of good food choices and enjoy some great beers while you are at it. Slainte'!

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Tulsa Irish pubs, Kilkenny's Irish Pub, Rainey Talbot

MIA & Happy Birthday!

Hey guys! Sorry to have been out of touch last week. Those of you that know me know last week was a pretty tough week for me personally and professionally, but I am resolved to take control of that and will get back on track with the Recommendations as well.

I was in Dallas all weekend so there will be lots of good stuff to blog from there as well as some good Tulsa hot spots (Kilkenny's, Charlie's Chicken, and El Guapo) to catch up on as well. So, don't give up on me, the hiatus is over!!

And big shout out to my first Follower on her 20th birthday!!!! Happy Birthday Cara!!! Love you bunches. Aunt Rainey

The Wild Fork

Judy and I met Victoria for lunch at The Wild Fork in Utica Square this week. The weather has been so nice we had hoped to sit outside on the patio but apparently we weren't the only ones with that idea! But sitting inside is always nice to be able to check out their latest local art collection and because the tables are so close you can easily check out what your neighbors have ordered too. The service here is always very good and our waiter was no exception. The menu here is a range of salads, sandwiches and entrees in unusual flavor pairings and interesting sides.

Judy and I both had the Roasted Chicken Salad that comes on a bed of fresh spinach and is generously sprinkled with walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles. (I am definitely getting my "bleu cheese" fix this week, check out the Louie's blog, too.) The chicken salad is shredded white and dark meat mixed with a light mayo with celery, peppers and capers. This has a nice roasted taste with a bit of pepper to it that blends really well with the bleu cheese, which I think is a little unexpected. Victoria had the mahi mahi special with roasted vegetables that looked very good as well.

I often have the Mediterranean Burger, Greek seasoned hamburger served on flatbread with feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and a creamy vinaigrette. This has a ton of flavor and really highlights the saltiness of the feta with the flatbread and the beef. This comes with their warm German potato salad or their spicy jalapeno coleslaw. I also really enjoy their Onion Strings served in a full or half order, the half order is usually more than enough to share with a table of four! These are very thinly sliced onions lightly battered and fried and served warm. I prefer them with ranch dressing. They are super crisp but keep a lot of their good onion flavor.

If you are looking for an unusual twist to some classics I recommend you give The Wild Fork a try. I think there are lots of choices here for any palate and hopefully you can enjoy the patio and soak in the air at Utica Square.

Keywords: Tulsa restaurant reviews, Utica Square, The Wild Fork, Rainey Talbot