Your idea of a special night could be almost anything — a movie with your sweetheart, an evening of dancing, or just a couple of hours without the kids screaming in your ears. Usually, though, special nights include dinner and there aren’t many places better suited for it in Oklahoma City than the Boulevard Steakhouse.

Reservations aren’t required to get a table at Boulevard, but it’s kind of fun to make them anyway. For those of us on a limited budget, a trip to this restaurant isn’t a last-minute, spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. Truthfully, there aren’t many places in Oklahoma City that accept reservations, so it’s nice to know that by calling ahead a few days or maybe even a few hours, you can walk into the restaurant with no waiting.

I don’t know if the décor is elegant, but it’s certainly rich. Nothing inside looks cheap or slap-dash. The Boulevard Steakhouse is dimly lit. The white tablecloths are topped with lights for just your small table. The waiters and waitresses are also dressed up (though you don’t have to be) and they will give you the kind of personal attention you haven’t had since your mother — and maybe not even then.

The ambiance is great, no doubt about it, but when the food arrives, you won’t even care. It’s simply that good.

While the main event here is steak, if you’ve got the cash, give the appetizers a try. The crab cakes are substantial and packed, not with filler, but with sweet, lump crab. The shrimp cocktail, too, is a delight with giant shrimp and a spicy, tangy cocktail sauce.

But when my wife and I visit, there’s no point in avoiding the inevitable — the Portobello mushroom soup. Never before or since have I had a soup like this with a creamy texture and that rich, full flavor of roasted mushrooms in every bite. My wife has threatened to skip the steak altogether in favor of three bowls of this soup — which wouldn’t be all bad considering the prices.

As with any fine dining option, the downside is always the price. In typical steakhouse style, Boulevard does not include sides with their main dishes, so when you order a filet mignon, that’s what you’ll get. It will be prime beef and expertly cooked, but that’s all you’ll get. With prices ranging from the $20 range for seafood and chicken to upwards of $50 for a steak or a nightly special, the pricing can be a bit tough for value-conscious diners to swallow. On the other hand, this isn’t an everyday place to eat (at least not for me). The experience is a big part of the price and, for special occasions, I personally think it’s worth it.

The filet is an obvious choice, but I also recommend the Steak Diablo — a spicy, pepper-encrusted tenderloin — and the filet tips and mushrooms. Usually, steak tips are a budget choice but here you get amazingly tender bites of beef, mushrooms swelling with flavor, and a sauce that ties it all together.

If you do crave vegetables, or if you’re searching for vegetarian options, Boulevard has a number of tasty salads and sides. The sweet onions and vine-ripened tomatoes are excellent, as is the mozzarella and tomato salad. While those are for the individual, other sides are served family-style, with enough potatoes au gratin, button mushrooms, asparagus and hollandaise, and steamed broccoli to share.

If by some miracle you still have room for dessert, they have an ice cream and puffed pastry dish that is somehow tender and satisfying.

Boulevard is a hit to the wallet, but one worthy of a birthday, an engagement, an anniversary or any other big event worth celebrating. Most of us can’t afford to eat at Boulevard Steakhouse every day, but hey, it’s not everyday food that they’re serving.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Mom has been trying to get me to go to Neighbors Cafe for about five years now, and I’ve refused on the grounds that I’m not old enough yet. I mean come on, it’s where she and my granddad went for lunch every Friday. So, with the recent passing of my granddad, she wanted to go “for old time’s sake,” and since my brother conveniently lives in Dallas, I was the only person handy enough to take her (sigh). So off we went.

First of all, if Mom didn’t have that handicapped sticker, we wouldn’t have found a parking place. Of course, skeptic that I am, I wrote the crowded parking lot off to the fact that it’s in a strip mall and all of the other cars were obviously there for the other businesses. But I was proven wrong as we walked in and grabbed the only booth left by a window. By the time our menus were dropped off, I noticed all of the tables in the dining room were taken. I was beginning to think that perhaps I judged this place too quickly. After all, they were doing some serious business.

But it’s tough to let go of your preconceptions, so I began perusing my menu options with the blase’ attitude still firmly intact. Given my experience with most corner cafes, I figured that even the carpet in this place was likely loaded with grease. So, I was very pleasantly surprised that the first items on the menu were fresh-squeezed juices and handmade fruit smoothies ($2.99), followed by specialty coffees ($1.99) — not your typical greasy-spoon menu items. Still needing something reasonably low-fat but more substantial than fruit juice, I proceeded on down the menu and hit the salad section. Naturally I doubted how good a diner salad could be, but that’s what sounded good and some of the my mom’s “senior” friends who we ran into out in the parking lot were raving about the salads. So, I ordered the Santa Fe salad with grilled chicken ($5.99). Mom chose the veggie omelet with home fries ($4.59). I told her the fries cancel out the veggies. She ignored me and added three packets of sugar to her decaf.

A group of younger guys occupied the table next to us. They ordered the Friday special — fried catfish. I stole two or three looks at their plates and it looked pretty good. As I was eating my huge salad with the homemade chipotle dressing (very tasty and spicy), I continued down the menu looking for additional reasonably healthy choices. The omelets can also be ordered with egg whites or egg substitute — that’s good. And the other breakfast entrees come with a choice of a side of fresh fruit. That’s good too. There’s also a nice variety of burgers, which looked really good on the little man’s plate behind mom.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with my “senior” dining experience here. Neighbors Cafe serves quite a bit of quality food at great prices. I think you’ll definitely be surprised as I was if you go in expecting your typical greasy spoon experience. The owners were on vacation the day we went in, so I didn’t get to do my usual interview, but that will give me a reason to go back next Friday and try the burgers.

So, if you take your parents out and they want to go here, bring them. Now, I can’t say I would bring my hip, big-city brother here, but for a handy little place with a homey atmosphere and pretty good food, it’s nice. By the time we left, there was a line of people clear out the door waiting for tables. I suppose I should learn not to pre-judge a place before I see how crowded it is.

As a rule, choosing the Shady Restaurant of the Month is far from easy. Perhaps what once stood out as an abnormality in my pre-conditioned culinary mind has simply become the norm. You see, I eat at shady dives and taco stands nearly every day now, so having one stand out as particularly more shady than the others is becoming more of a challenge. This time, though, the decision came fast and clear. The moment I heard myself actually say out loud, “wow, I’m eating goat meat in a gas station … and it’s delicious!” — that was the moment I knew I had a winner.

JRS Travel Center sits on the corner of Reno and Martin Luther King Avenue. Many a trucker stops here for a fill up and an energy drink, but it’s what is going on in the attached restaurant that will keep me coming back. When we first walked in, there was a sign for Corky’s Grill and a big picture of a nauseating star-shaped burger patty. Everyone has unfortunately experienced one of these unnaturally misshapen mystery meat patties at one time or another. I think the last one I had was at the hospital after my last kid was born. These can be tricky because everyone else is eating them and it makes you want to believe that they aren’t rancid, but it’s never the case. Thankfully, Corky’s has been bought out by an enterprising group of Indian chefs who have turned it into a tandoor grill.

The interior is awesome! The entire menu from Corky’s remains above the counter as well as all of the old signs advertising it’s American truck stop fare. You’ll need to ignore the Corky’s menu. Sorry for the inconvenience to all of you looking for a frozen chicken fried steak with fake gravy. They have draped some bright-colored cloths on the walls to give that distinct Indian feel, but then you sit down in booths that make you feel like you’re eating at Carl’s Jr. OK, maybe Carl’s Jr. in New Delhi.

Of course, a mismatched interior is what shady dining is all about. We’re looking for the place that can surprise us by delivering taste far beyond the expectations set up by appearances. And in the taste department, Tandoor is getting it right.

Tandoor Restaurant delivers the culture, spice, and flavor of Indian cuisine to all those daring enough to try something new. They will gladly show you a beat-up, laminated menu of what they really serve. I didn’t need a menu. When we walked in there was a dry-erase board with a big, bold proclamation:

“Now serving Halal goat!”

I knew what I was getting. No, it’s not because I’m a practicing Muslim needing to follow Halal standards, but rather because I’m a sucker for goat meat. The choices ranged from curries, to masalas, to biryani dishes. For those of you who have never experienced a biryani dish (and that used to include me), imagine an Indian version of fried rice. Indian food purists will surely mock my description. Speaking of Indian food purists … since visiting Tandoor, I have mentioned this place to various India natives and those friends of mine who have traveled extensively in India, and they all say this is one of their favorite places in town. Apparently, I’ve been out of the loop. The buffets in town surely don’t do Indian food this type of justice.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the flavor of the goat biryani. It really heated up as I went though. I found myself wishing I had ordered a Dr. Pepper with my meal this time. Talk about a hidden spiciness, this dish really creeps up on you. The only drawback of this particular selection was picking all of the goat bones out of my mouth. They are basically stewing the goat meat in a pressure cooker so that you get that marrowy, gelatin goodness in the stock. This makes it very tasty, but also means bones are going to break down and sometimes be small enough to hide under piles of rice. That, as well as the whole cloves, made it a little tedious to chew. I’m sure you can safely chew up and swallow these items, but I wasn’t in the mood for how this could have affected my digestive tract over the following few hours so I chose to discard these pieces as politely as I could.

My shady companions got a range of other biryani dishes and curries. We were not prepared for the level of spice. These dishes get warm quickly. However, fantastic flavors accompany that heat and they make the temporary palate-pain well worth it. I, for one, love the explosion of flavor that comes with saffron, clove, and other Indian spice staples.

Perhaps the highlight of the food was the naan. Naan is an unleavened bread found all across the Middle East and into India. It resembles pita bread, but it is much softer and infused with more flavors. They served a garlic naan which had cloves of garlic woven artfully through the dough. It was out of this world. The smell of roasted garlic enveloped our table and made our mouths water. We also ordered plain naan and onion naan. They were both very good. It was like naan other naan I have ever had. Ha!

You do need to be aware of the pricing and the size of the dishes here. The prices were quite high, ranging from $7 to $12, depending on the dish. My goat dish was $11 after tax and I declined the beverage. The good news is that these dishes could feed two or three people comfortably. I think the best course of action is to take six to eight people and order four or five dishes, in essence making your own buffet. I can promise it will be much more tasty than any buffet you have ever had, and less likely to spread disease (depending on who you invite to eat with you, of course).

The shady experience at Tandoor Restaurant will provide you with good food, good fun, and the ability to pick up a pack of cigarettes, an energy drink, and one of those cool, mesh-backed trucker caps with the clever sayings on your way out. Bring an appetite, be prepared for a little spice, and get ready for what is perhaps the best Indian food in the city. But don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself. Let us know what you think in the comments.

It wasn’t long ago that I noticed Gaijin Sushi’s bright awnings going up on a storefront at the Park Harvey building downtown. Naturally, this caught my attention every time I visited the downtown library. I was very excited to see this new eatery opening in the downtown space. As soon as it was open, I wanted to try it, but since I am personally a bit of a sushi novice, I invited Andrew and Greg along to provide their more experienced sushi insights. This article includes thoughts from all three of us.

We are all unanimously in favor of the atmosphere and the location. We got to sit right by the window, looking out at all the people shuffling around downtown at lunch time. The corner storefront space offers a great view. The interior decor is very hip yet soothing. Nothing wild or harsh but just great lighting, good colors and modern accents. Congrats to the owners for creating a brilliant, urban experience that truly adds to the downtown landscape.

Another unanimous winner was the crab cake appetizer we shared. Andrew claims that “they were possibly the best crab cakes I’ve had in OKC. The crab mousse really gave them a light and fluffy texture.” Greg adds, “The presentation was beautiful, and I was especially enamored with the stripes of sauces on the plates, which provided a delicious flourish on the already tasty dish.” I have to agree. They were very good and quite possibly worth the trip just by themselves.

Now, onto the sushi. Even though I am a sushi novice, I was able to pick up on the fact that this isn’t a very “traditional” sushi place. I think the name Gaijin (which, from what I can tell, is a slightly derogatory Japanese term meaning “outsider” or “non-Japanese person”) is an odd choice, but it did seem fairly appropriate as we noted that the people around us, including those who were preparing the dishes, were predominantly non-Asians. It seems that Gaijin aims to provide a more “American” spin on sushi or at least a non-traditional spin. This results in the creation of some very unusual rolls.

The rolls are very special, indeed. The Devil’s Advocate is the top-seller according to general manager, Cristian Clay, and it’s easy to see why. At $9.50 for 8 pieces, it packs a good punch with salmon, cucumber, avocado, masago, cream cheese, spicy pistachios and a spicy aioli drizzled on top. Also interesting was the upscale Geisha roll at $12.95 with lobster salad, avocado and cucumber inside and lobster claw, caviar and miso on top. Both of these were very complex rolls and like nothing we’d tasted before.

We were all less impressed with the Spider roll ($8.75) which was a bit fishy. It did have bits of kaiware, which is a radish sprout, to give it some spice. Usually, kaiware is more of a garnish so we thought putting it in the sushi was a cool use of the ingredient.

The favorite roll for all of us was the Rock and Roll ($8.25). At Gaijin, the rock and roll is an eel roll. The eel is laid across the top with a sweet sauce and toasted sesame seeds while cucumber and avocado are wrapped up inside. This was really tasty and we highly recommend it.

We also sampled some Nigiri sushi — rice balls topped with fresh fish — and we found them less appealing than the rolls. As Greg puts it, “I don’t know if the Nigiri lacked flavor or if the rolls were just so full of flavor that the fish paled in comparison. Regardless, I’d opt for the rolls.” I have to agree and I think that’s par for the course at this non-traditional sushi place. Their creativity and presentation serves them well. When you come here, look to try those unique items that really set them apart.

The pricing at Gaijin is on the higher end of Oklahoma City’s sushi offerings, though perhaps not quite as high as Sushi Neko or Kang’s. Given the location, the atmosphere and the experience, we all felt the prices were reasonable and as expected.

Overall, our experience was really positive and both Greg and Andrew claim they will be going back. Andrew says, “I’m particularly excited about the coming lunch additions such as duck breast. Can’t wait to try those. I also look forward to taking my wife there, without kids, and gorging on those delicious crab cakes.”

Greg adds, “I will likely go back for a Rock and Roll and maybe a chance to try their Veggie or Gringo rolls. But I would also like the chance to try the full flight of sake that Cristian recommended. I did have a few sips of the fruity Gekkeikan plum sake and sweet, milky Momokawa pearl sake.”

Will I go back, you ask? I would love to, but I’d have to find the right occasion and really do some convincing to my wife, who is not a sushi lover at all. Perhaps I can coax her with some crab cakes.

Gaijin Sushi is new to downtown, so give them a try if you’re in the area, and let us know what you think in the comments. Also, if you’ve been to the Norman location, we’d love to hear your thoughts on it as well.

“This ain’t Subway.”

That is what I heard George Hobson, owner of Hobby’s Hoagies, tell a customer more than a decade ago. There’s no production line at Hobby’s. You can ask for something to be left off, but if you don’t say anything, they’ll make it the same way they always do — delicious.

I’ve had the pizza at Hobby’s. I’ve had the spaghetti. But if you’re going to Hobby’s Hoagies, do yourself a favor and get a sandwich, because it’s one of the best you’ll ever have.

Most sandwiches come in two sizes at Hobby’s — 7-inch or footlong — and they all come with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, oils, spices and Hobby’s special hoagie peppers on a homemade Italian roll.

That pillowy bread is a big part of the appeal. Unlike some of the stale rolls you’ll get at other sandwich shops, Hobby’s rolls are soft and satisfying, soaking up the oils and flavors of the sandwiches.

Don’t wait too long to eat the Special Italian ($6.59 for a 12-inch), or the ends will get wet with juice — not that that’s ever stopped me before. The Special Italian has capicola, ham, salami and provolone, but the ingredients I love most are those special peppers. They make every sandwich spicy and sweet with just enough heat to keep things interesting.

These days, I usually opt for the Philly Cheesesteak ($7.59 for a footlong) with its tender steak which is cooked on the flat grill with peppers and onions. Every bite is good, but every few bites you get that perfect blend of onion, steak and cheese that makes you stop and close your eyes. It keeps me coming back every time.

That cheesesteak is so good, in fact, that I order a cheesesteak whenever I see one on any menu. I am routinely disappointed. Nobody in the area seems to be able to capture the same juicy, flavorful quality you get at Hobby’s.

My wife loves the deli menu, often ordering a grilled cheese ($3.69) which comes on crisp, thick-cut toast. It’s not a complex dish, but Hobby’s does it well. I’m also partial to the reuben on rye ($6.29) and for vegetarians, there’s the veggie ($4.19) with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, sprouts, pickles, peppers, oil and spices.

This is no knock on the pizza or the pasta — Hobby’s does a good job at both — but I don’t know if I’ll ever get past those sandwiches. Who cares about gas prices? Hobby’s Hoagies is worth the trip.

I’ve been wanting to try Cafe Nova for some time now, but a few things have kept me away. First, it isn’t a kid friendly place, and I have a ton of kids. Second, they have a lunch menu, but I don’t have time very often for long, relaxed lunches. So, I’ve been waiting for a good opportunity to get out and try it. Well, I finally had another anniversary, and therefore a reason to dump the kids with someone else while my wife and I enjoyed a nice, relaxing dinner. So, we tried Cafe Nova and … well … I really want to like it, but it just falls short.

The problem is they are billing themselves as a premier dining location in Oklahoma City (with prices to match) and that’s going to bring them a higher level of scrutiny. To support this image, they’ve got to be hitting on all cylinders and for me, while there are a lot of things I like about the place, there is still a lot left to be desired. For my money, I’ll be looking elsewhere for a premium experience.

Among the things I do like is the atmosphere. Cafe Nova is a lot like the other eclectic eateries along the artsy stretch on north Western Avenue. Lots of stainless steel, black tablecloths, big, artsy glass panels, and local artists’ paintings on display. It appears that their logo is an Elk. Not sure why. They have an Elk skull (at least I think it’s an Elk, I’m not an expert on big game skulls) hanging behind the chic bar area. They also have a couple of large flat-panels displaying images of clouds and sky. Seems like a waste of money to spend thousands on flat-panels just to put pictures of clouds on them, but hey, it’s not my money (well, I guess it is when I get the bill).

Anyway, we got there around 5:45-ish, hoping to beat the dinner rush. Boy did we! There was only one other party in there besides us. I asked the server where everyone was and he said that the dinner crowd would kick in later. Not sure where they were because they never showed up, even when we were leaving close to 7. The food was pretty good, not fantastic, but pretty good. The service was great (then again, it’s not hard to give one table good service) and the atmosphere was nice. So where was everyone? Is the economy making a play on the small dinner crowds? I’m not convinced of that because, from my dinner table, I could watch throngs of people outside parking and walking down the street to a bustling Sushi Neko. At any rate, we were able to get personal consultation from our waiter and make our selections in peace and quiet, that’s for sure.

The waiter emphatically recommended two dishes, the tilapia and the Tournedos Oscar. I was leaning towards the Tournedos Oscar in the first place. One thing I love about filet medallions is that they are usually fork tender and, since they are nearly bite-sized, you get a larger proportion of tasty sear per bite than you do on a normal steak.

While we waited for our main courses we decided to try the lump crab quesadilla. Far and away, this was the best choice of the night. The quesadilla consisted of lump crab with fresh baby spinach leaves and goat cheese in a very tender, pan-fried flour tortilla. It was fantastic. It was paired with a mayonnaise-based dipping sauce that had bits of roasted pepper, garlic, and a tart and peppery finish that paired well with the sweet crab. Fresh bread was brought out as well with an oil and balsamic vinegar dipping sauce, although unfortunately they overdid the balsamic vinegar portion of the suspension. No Mise en Bouche here like you get at Tom and Jerry’s or Deep Fork. Too bad. I think the Mise en Bouche gives a chef the opportunity to really showcase his or her skill.

The main courses had great presentations. The pecan-crusted tilapia was served atop a bed of spinach risotto and decorated with a tomato vinaigrette. My wife said it was “pretty good.” She wished she had gotten the seared ahi tuna instead. To the chef’s credit though, it’s much harder to make a tilapia dance on your tongue than it is a sushi-grade chunk of ahi tuna. God made ahi tuna taste good sliced right off the fish. You have to really work at messing it up.

The Tournedos Oscar featured chunks of filet and lump crab presented atop a bed of mashed potatoes and decorated with fried spinach leaves. The description said that it would also have a Bearnaise sauce, but I could not detect the Bearnaise. Instead, it seemed more like a cheesy cream sauce (and a soft, nutty cheese at that, perhaps with some brie in it).

I was disappointed with the filet medallions on a couple fronts. First, there was no sear. They almost appeared braised in sauce rather than pan-seared. Second, they were extremely fatty. So fatty in places, in fact, that I looked around in a panic a couple times for a place to dispose of the hunks of connective tissue I was unable to masticate. I tried “Fletcherizing” my food by chewing 32 times … but still no progress. I finally had to swallow them like pills. This happened more than once. Sure, there were some tender medallions too, but the tough ones made me a little apprehensive to go after many more.

The fried spinach leaves were interesting. They were crisp and they had a kind of nutty flavor. I didn’t really like the sauce. It had a flavor in the background that I wasn’t very fond of. It wasn’t bad, it was just a flavor that I didn’t like. I had my wife try to figure it out, too. That’s when I began wishing I had tried the Berkshire pork chops or the shrimp scampi.

I really wanted to like everything about this place. Like I said, good atmosphere, and they deliver a contemporary American cuisine in the “cool” part of town. I’m just not sold on Cafe Nova being one of the premier spots in Oklahoma City. When you’re a higher-end restaurant charging a premium for every plate, you’ve got to stand up to a much greater degree of scrutiny, and I think Cafe Nova just falls a little short. On the other hand, I will be back though for those crab quesadillas. Pair one of those up with a bowl of soup or a salad and you could get in and out with a reasonable bill and a very tasty experience.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

Well, mark it down on the calendar — I have broken the lunchtime gender barrier at work and actually got invited out with the “boys club” to eat barbeque! It was a genuine high point in my career. They told Beth and I that if we went, we were going to a guys’ place and not some frilly, horrible tea room (which was fine by me since I hate tea rooms more than they do). They announced the place — JT’s Bar-B-Que — and on the way out the door, they added “Oh yeah, and there’s no ladies restroom either!”

“I think they’re taunting us,” I said to Beth. “They must die.”

Then I yelled back at them as we all loaded up in the Suburban, “Hey, it doesn’t bother me one bit to use the men’s room. And don’t think I’ve never done that before!” I did decide to spare them my rant on standing in mile-long lines to use the ladies’ room.

Anyway, we finally set off from Bethany to Del City for what these men claimed were “the best pork ribs in town!” Must be so, I thought, to drive that far with gas prices a mile high. I told them that since I was going to review the place for this site, they each needed to order a different entree so I could report on it. My suggestion was met with stone-cold silence and Chuck Norris stares from behind mean-looking sunglasses. “Or maybe I’ll just have something else and you guys can stick with the ribs,” I said. The mood instantly lightened. I was relieved, as I wanted to keep my options open for future lunch invites with the boys club (hi Kyle, Clint, Rex, Todd and Jerry).

We arrived to find a standing-room-only dining room and instantly went into surveillance mode, searching for someone who might be almost finished so that we could steal their table. We sent two spies ahead of the line and it worked, though we did have to split up our group of seven to sit at two tables. Lesson learned — get there early for lunch.

The line moves quickly with soup-Nazi-like efficiency. Another lesson — grab your napkins, silverware, lemons, sugar, Tabasco, and whatever else you think you might need before sitting down. The place is extremely crowded and it can be difficult to move around. However, if you do forget something, fast and friendly waiters are continually circulating to meet your every need. Nice!

As we sat down, I took an eyeball survey of the room and found that there were no other women. “Gosh,” I thought, “were they kidding or not about no ladies’ room? Would the health department allow that?” A couple of minutes later, I was greatly relieved to see about five other ladies walk in the front door. Nevertheless, I noted that we were definitely in “guy territory,” though the decor of the place belied this fact. I felt like I had been transported back to 1983 in the small town where I grew up. I was surrounded by the cutesie-country look of wooden, painted, cut-out pigs and little country-kitchen curtains. The feminine touch was nice, though about 25 years behind. It all added to the charm of the place, as did the temporary dimming of the lights every time the air conditioner compressor kicked on.

A few minutes later, our food arrived. And wouldn’t you know? Everyone except me, including Beth, had ordered the pork ribs. I had the basket of a smoked half chicken, Texas toast, and potato salad, all for $6.25. The half rib basket also runs $6.25 and the whole rib basket costs $7.95. The smoked chicken fully met my approval because it was actually cooked. Every other time I’ve eaten smoked chicken, it has looked half raw and bleeding. I know the smoking process turns it pink, which makes it look uncooked, but for those us (like Tim’s wife and me) who run screaming down the street at the sight of raw meat, this was pure heaven. I could eat and not worry about getting salmonella poisoning.

Everyone else in my party offered me a rib, but I only took one, thinking I didn’t need to eat much fatty meat. To my pleasant surprise, this was just about the leanest rib I’ve ever had. In fact, it was all meat, no fat, and extremely tasty with a dollop of the hot or mild sauce sitting on the table.

So, as the men suggested, the ribs are fabulous. I’ll give them that. On the other hand, the sides aren’t really anything to write home about. The potato salad was your average BBQ place potato salad. Too bad we can’t couple those amazing ribs up with some fantastic sides as well. That would be killer. But alas, for me at least, it seems that each barbeque place has that “one thing” they do really well, with everything else being kind of average. JTs can’t be beat for the pork ribs. Earl’s has my favorite potato salad, and I like the smoked turkey and garlic vinegar cole slaw at Oklahoma Station. Now, I know I’m opening a can of worms here by taking sides on barbeque in Oklahoma City, but hey, these are my opinions. Y’all are welcome to comment below about your favorites.

Anyway, back to JT’s, it is definitely worth a try and even a drive sometime if, like me, you’re on the opposite side of town. In addition to the baskets mentioned above which include one side, they have dinner plates which include one meat, two sides and toast, and run anywhere from $7.75 to $10.50. They also offer sandwiches, other sides, chili (in season), family paks and a carry-out menu. One of my guys also said the blackberry cobbler is delicious.

JT’s isn’t open on the weekends because they are so busy catering. If you’re interested in catering or anything else about JT’s, you can email the owners, JT and Susan Moon. They have been in business for 27 years.

What do you think about JT’s? Let us know in the comments.

I’ve been itching to post this review of Meiki’s Italian American for quite some time now, but I have struggled with how to describe the place even though I’m in there about every other week or so. The best categorization I can come up with is “diner-style Italian.” Diner-style describes the atmosphere more than the food, and here’s what I mean by it.

Every other Italian restaurant I’ve been in is decorated like the stereotypical American view of what we think a restaurant in Italy would look like. I hope to find out for myself one day if this is correct, as my next travel goal is to take an eating tour of Italy. Italian restaurants here always seem to have the perfunctory bright and annoying accordion music, bottles of olive oil sitting around, cans of fancy tomatoes, Italian words painted on the wall, some sort of bread served with balsamic vinegar … you get the picture.

Well, not so at Meiki’s. Mr. Meiki has dispensed with all of the aforementioned paraphernalia and has gone bare-bones with his decorating. No fancy anything here to distract you from the food. Tan-colored booths line the walls, and basic “diner-style” tables and chairs fill the center. The plain, undecorated atmosphere used to bother me, but not anymore. In fact, I’ve really grown to like it and I hope they never change things. Just because it’s plain doesn’t mean the food isn’t good. I will happily frequent a reasonable, un-fancy place with good food any time!

Though the environment may be bland, the food is really quite good. The owner, Kamal Meiki, says everything is homemade from scratch. He also flags his prices as “the best in town” (although he said he is having to raise them here shortly because of grocery costs). Between his stints in the kitchen, he can usually be found standing in his apron in front of the TV in the dining area checking the latest scores to whatever sport happens to be airing at the time. So, it’s easy to flag him over to your table and start a delightful conversation. Last week, I noted his accent and asked him where he was from. I loved his response! He said, “I am a Christian from Galilee!” Most of the time when I ask restaurant owners from other countries where they are from, they are almost hesitant to reply. So, I loved Kamal’s enthusiasm about his origins. He emigrated to the U.S. when he was 19 years old.

Anyway, back to the food.

I’ve tried a variety of things on the menu. The pizza is really good and you can get a two-piece special with salad and drink at lunchtime. They usually also run a spaghetti and meatball special at lunch. These lunch specials run between $6-$7 which is not bad for the complete meal. I’ve never seen any dinner specials. Last week I had the Rigatoni off the dinner menu for $9.99. It was a mixture of green peppers, onion, mushrooms, sausage and pepperoni baked in marinara with pasta tubes. The whole dish was topped with mozzarella. I split this with my friend, Beth, from work, which made it very affordable and the portion was more than enough for the two of us.

I’ve also had the spaghetti, which is good. I always ask for my bread with no butter, but sometimes Mr. Meiki has already buttered all of the bread for the day, so all you get is buttered bread. Mom had the veggie calzone last week and said it was good, but keep in mind she can’t taste (she lost her sense of smell years ago). So, I don’t ever really weigh her opinion heavily when I do food reviews. She mainly judges on texture and presentation of the food and the friendliness of the owner (she LOVED Mr. Meiki).

By the way, for the vegetarians out there, Mr. Meiki told me that every dish on the menu can be made “veggie-style.”

If there’s one thing I’m not particularly impressed with at Meiki’s, it’s the salads. When Beth and I went, she had a side Caesar and I had the side dinner salad. Beth said the Caesar dressing was fantastic and I trust her because she’s kind of a Caesar dressing connoisseur. However, the side dinner salad consisted of just lettuce, croutons and a pepper … pretty plain. I would like to see some other veggies added to this. I’ve also had the chicken club salad as a main course. There’s a lot more to it including bacon bits, black olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons, hard boiled egg, and chicken. It was ok, but I don’t know … maybe if the greens were a little better, it would help.

One thing I had never noticed until recently is that they serve hamburgers. Last week, we noticed that everyone was ordering the hamburger and fries, and boy did it look mighty tasty. Mr. Meiki says they hand peel and cut the potatoes for their fries. Next time I go in, I’m having the burger and fries.

Bottom line, Meiki’s is a simple place — more like a diner than a restaurant. The atmosphere isn’t anything special, but it is a nice, quiet, very informal place with some good food. I recommend it. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

If there is one thing I love yet often have trouble finding in Oklahoma City, it’s good old fashioned soul food. Soul food is a Southern-style (not Oklahoma / Texas southwestern southern, but deep-south southern) of cooking that typically marries wonderful ingredients such as lard, butter, and gravy to create tasty dishes that many people refer to as “comfort food.” Brown Suga Cafe is located on the North side of town off 122nd and May hoping to, as they put it, “put a little class in your soul.”

Brown Suga Cafe was actually recommended to me by one of our loyal readers. I had already written about one of my favorite restaurants in town, Mama E’s, when it was suggested that I give Brown Suga a try. When I pulled up, I saw a clean building, a bright and well presented sign, bistro-type outside seating, and inside a nice-looking counter to which you walk up and order. The menu was about what you would expect: chicken, pork chops, roast beef … etc. Unfortunately, the Saturday special of chicken and waffles had a big black line through it. That was disappointing.

Side items were typical as well including green beans, macaroni and cheese, greens, candied yams, and so on. Desserts were cobbler, banana pudding, and German chocolate cake. According to a sign I saw, I had just missed the Brown Suga sponsored event, “Hair Explosion 2008.” I’m always just a bit too late to these advertised events. I was a week late to the “Booty Shakin’ Contest” at Max Burger, I was a day behind the news when Starbucks was giving out free cups of its tasty new Pike’s Peak roast, and now I missed Hair Explosion 2008 by just a couple of days. What luck.

Anyhow, let me tell you about the food. I had to try the namesake, brown suga chicken. It was really good with a sweet brown sugar crust, savory spices, fine seasoning, and it was perfectly cooked. Now, I will tell you I had a friend go at night once and say that the brown suga chicken was a little dried out, as if it had been in a warmer all day. However, that was definitely not the case with my experience. It was tasty, tender, juicy, and fresh. That same friend also said that the collard greens were the best he had ever had. He went on and on about them. Since I hate collard greens I am taking his word for it. I know, lots of people love greens … sorry, I don’t. I hate black eyed peas too, in case you want to start making a list.

For my sides, I tried the macaroni and cheese and green beans. I liked the green beans. They were cooked with bacon and onions and were not cooked to death (although I do like green beans cooked to death too). The macaroni and cheese was not bad, but not my favorite. It appeared to be a stove-top-style mac and cheese rather than a baked mac and cheese. I like it best baked. My favorite place to get baked mac and cheese is in Nashville at Dan’s Grill. In fact, I always made such a big deal about the dish that Mama Dan would invite me back to the kitchen so I could watch them make it. It involved a lot of lard and cheese and it brought tears to my eyes every time. Lard, by the way, gets a bad name. Did you know it has less saturated fat than butter? With all the stink regarding trans-fatty acids, maybe we will see a rebirth of lard. We can always hope.

Wow, that was a bit off-topic. Anyway, last but not least, the meal came with Brown Suga cornbread. I’m not sure if that means it has brown sugar in it or not, but if it did I couldn’t tell. It just tasted like corn bread to me.

So, the food is pretty good, but I also have a few concerns right out of the gate. First, it is hard to get out of there for less than $10 per person. Now, I understand economics. Heck, I have a degree in economics, and I know that NW 122nd and May is not exactly SW 29th and May from a rent perspective. I know they have to pay for their location and cover their skyrocketing food costs. Still, $10 a plate could be tough to overcome, especially when I was the only person there at noon on a Saturday.

Which brings me to my second concern, there was nobody else there. Maybe they have a dynamic business going during the week which would help to ease my concern, but this lack of patronage definitely stood out to me.

Finally, their to-go meal did not come with forks, napkins, or anything. No big deal for me since I needed to stop at 7-11 for a cold can of Dr. Pepper anyway so I just picked it all up there. But this is something to check on if you need utensils. My guess is they have them if you ask.

Despite these concerns, Brown Suga has a lot to offer — pretty good food (from the limited sample I tried and counting on some reports from others), a really good location, and a cuisine that appeals to a broad demographic. Are they the best soul food in town? No. That crown, in my humble opinion, goes to Mama E’s. On the other hand, their mantra of “put a little class in your soul” seems to hold true. These dishes are presented a little more upscale than what I am used to with soul food. A clean, safe, and well-lit dining area is also a bonus (and quite a departure from my normal dining excursions).

So, if you are located on the northwest side of town (or just less inclined to shadiness) and looking for some soul cuisine, Brown Suga might be just what you’re after. Give it a try and please let us know what you think in the comments.

When Tim asked if I would write a dinner review of a bed and breakfast on the south side of Norman, I had to stop and think. “Do bed and breakfast places serve dinner?” I wondered. He assured me this one did and, since I’ll try anything once, I agreed. It was a wise choice because hidden in this unlikely hideaway, I found a delightful dinner experience — one that offers great food in a beautifully relaxing environment.

The restaurant’s location made for about a 50 minute drive from our northwest Oklahoma City home. Sure, it’s a bit out of the way, but actually it was nice to relax in the car and gather some thoughts following an extremely busy week at work. Although the place is hidden from the highway, we found the entrance with no problem, and the tree-lined driveway was really quite lovely. Being a gardener myself, I appreciated the attention the owners have given to the beautiful landscaping. The hydrangeas were in full bloom and they were gorgeous.

The restaurant entry is very welcoming with its wrap-around porch. We stepped inside and were immediately seated at a table for two overlooking the porch and out through a sea of oak trees. As I sank into the oversized chair and gazed out at the view, I also took in the white tablecloth, the softly flickering candlelight and what appeared to be an old set of fancy, yet understated, flatware on the table. I felt my body relax yet one more notch. “This is nice,” I thought to myself. Really nice.

Rany, the owner (and our waiter), appeared quietly at our side with a wine list and a refreshing glass of iced, lemon water. In a minute, menus appeared and he politely explained the evening’s special dishes. Most everything on the menu is served with a French flair, which delighted us as we had just returned from a week in Paris. Dave chose one of the specials — a bone-in veal steak with a blueberry glaze. I opted for the potato-encrusted salmon. We also decided to try the corn-crab bisque and a spring mixed salad (I had overheard one of the other diners in the full dining room saying how much she was enjoying the soup).

Now, one thing I would have liked to have seen is a pasta or vegetable option on the menu for those of us not really into meat. Maybe they occasionally offer something like this as a special, but all of the entrees I saw were meat dishes. Anyway, back to our food …

The house salad was better than most with its fresh spring leaves, bite-sized tenderized vegetables and drizzled champagne vinaigrette. I wish more local restaurants offered a champagne vinaigrette. It’s nice because it’s not as pungent as the balsamic vinaigrettes, and it’s not as full of fat like the creamy dressings. Dave also loved his corn-crab bisque. It was very mild and not too heavy for a hot and humid summer evening. The accompanying hot rolls were delicious enough that they tasted homemade. Even if they weren’t, they were wonderful with a dab of the fancy, herbal, sweet-cream butter served on the side.

As we waited on our main course, I looked around and decided I was glad I had noticed the business casual dress code on the website. Nobody was in jeans. Nobody was in a tie either, but we would have felt a little under-done in jeans.

The main course arrived in a beautiful, French presentation. The whole week I was in Paris I didn’t want to eat my food because it was too pretty. Our plates at Whispering Pines reminded me of those dinners in Paris. The meat was accompanied by two different styles of potato. One was a rosette design which was baked crisp and sported a fresh sprig of rosemary. The other was a new potato, cut in half with a fancy dollop of a twice-baked-potato-like mixture. Additionally, a nice assortment of vegetables, including asparagus cooked perfectly crispy and in a cream sauce, accompanied the meat. The presentations and flavors blended perfectly for a rich, winning taste.

After the main course, we were presented with three dessert options: a flourless chocolate cake, creme brulee and, as Rany stated, “good ol’ Oklahoma bread pudding.” We kept with our French flair for the evening and chose the creme brulee. Good choice. I like my creme brulee with a thick, carmelized, flavorful topping, and this was great. The custard was nice and thick also.

I was disappointed that there was no fruit dessert option. In the summertime, I like to see something like a sherbet with a fresh fruit topping. Something cold and tart is always good when it’s so hot outside. But I also know that places like Whispering Pines are going to have more abbreviated menus simply because of the nature of their businesses.

To me, service is as important as the taste of the food, and Rany could not have been more gracious. He was never intrusive, yet stayed at least two steps ahead of our needs. Perfect. Rany’s son, David, also helps to run Whispering Pines and they were the only two waiters on the night we visited.

At the end of our meal, Rany even offered to take us on a tour of the whole grounds, which we gladly accepted. We saw an additional dining area that’s great for large meetings or receptions. Plus, out in the back, there is a gazebo and a large pond that opens out onto the grounds where one can see rows and rows of grapes in the vineyard they keep. The whole complex is set on rolling hills and is very lovely. Rany said that from April to October they host a wedding just about every Saturday.

Rany has a fascinating life story to tell. He and his wife escaped the killing fields in Cambodia and eventually found a sponsor in Oklahoma, making it possible for them to immigrate in 1981. He started work as a dishwasher at The Oaks Country Club and proceeded from there to work in other fine restaurants such as The Coach House, where he picked up his culinary skills. He eventually opened his own restaurant, Lindochine, which was located around NW Expressway and I-44, before moving his family to Norman and purchasing Whispering Pines. He is a very humble man, an extremely hard worker, and he has the life experience to be able to say, “If you were born in the United States, then do not ask God for another blessing because He has already given you the biggest blessing of your life!” This was a profound and steadfast reminder to me. I appreciated his boldness in proclaiming that to us.

So, here is my advice to all of us busy people — make a dinner reservation at Whispering Pines, or better yet, a Friday night getaway and Saturday breakfast. Sometimes we must be intentional about slowing down and relaxing, and this is a perfect place to do so. You’ll not only discover some great food, but you’ll also feel the worries melt away as soon as you pull into Rany’s driveway!

Ever looked down a stretch of road and seen nothing but the same old, same old? Burger joints, taco parlors, pizzerias — all featuring familiar names and mediocre flavors. At some point, you have to try something new and I’ve got just the place. It’s one of the very best in my opinion. It’s called Thai Palace.

It doesn’t look like much from the outside – just another strip mall restaurant with its name spelled out in boring, green block-letters. The inside doesn’t inspire much either. White cloth on the tables, pictures that fade into the walls as decorations, and what appears to be just a single employee. That’s Nick.

Nick is going to blow your mind.

Formerly the owner of Sala Thai (down in the Asian District), Nick started Thai Palace a few years ago and brought all his recipes with him. I mean ALL of them. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the menu. It puts the Cheesecake Factory to shame with its size and variety. The only difference is, Nick cooks food you want to eat.

Between 11am and 1pm, Thai Palace features a buffet of rotating entrees, rice and soup for $6. It’s not all-you-can-eat. In fact, you can’t even try everything on the buffet on one dish. But don’t worry, it’s still a heck of a deal. You’ll get plenty of food and these are authentic Thai dishes prepared by a master of his craft.

If you don’t want the buffet or if you come for dinner, there’s that massive menu to satiate your appetite. The green curry vegetables are amazing, with veggies still crisp and fresh and a sauce that is as complex as it is delicious. If you want it hot (and Nick will ask how hot you like it), it can sear your mouth shut. I’ve eaten with some friends who dial it up so high they are blowing their noses after every bite. Despite all the pain, though, nobody ever leaves food on their plate.

Personally, I tend toward a less-scalding experience, especially with some classic dishes like Pad Thai. I’ve had Pad Thai from lots of places and it’s not always good. Some Pad Thai is so sweet you might as well be eating candy. Other places it’s so bland it tastes like it was born in a cardboard box. Not at Thai Palace. They hit it right on the mark, blending sweet and savory. If you don’t like the Pad Thai here, you just don’t like Pad Thai.

There are a couple of drawbacks to Thai Palace. One is the overly vast menu with too many choices. The other is an impatient chef. Nick is in the business of getting you your food fast, so if you don’t order when he comes to you, it might take a while for him to return.

But if you can put up with the idiosyncrasies of a one man show, you will be rewarded with a great treat. Thai cuisine is definitely a step outside the ordinary. And for the real Thai experience — the soups, the curries, the stir-fry, the noodles and the deep, hot spices — there’s no place in Oklahoma City that compares to Thai Palace.

You can’t deny the appeal of sushi, even if it doesn’t appeal to you. Recently, I’ve noticed that Oklahoma City has embraced sushi with both arms. If things go much further, we might even catch this city trying to grab sushi’s butt.

The proliferation of sushi restaurants means good things for those of us with a taste for the stuff. Suddenly you’re not stuck eating the same California roll or wondering if the fish is any fresher on the other side of the street. Maybe even more important is the ability to find more affordable food. With belts tightening across the country, it’s always nice to find good, quality food at prices that won’t break the bank. And for affordable, delicious sushi, it’s hard to beat Tokyo Japanese Restaurant.

The building doesn’t look like much from the outside. In fact, there’s a somewhat fishy smell that lingers in the too-small parking lot. If it’s any comfort, that smell doesn’t follow you indoors where a bevy of fine food awaits. If you’re alone, don’t be afraid to take a seat at the sushi bar where you can watch the chefs preparing maki (sushi rolls), nigiri (balled rice with fish on top) or sashimi (sliced, raw fish).

For appetizers, I’m a big fan of the gyoza – a pork dumpling which you can order fried or steamed. Also good is the shumai, a similar dumpling with a seafood filling. The ubiquitous edamame are just boiled and salted soybeans served in the shell. For dieters, they are a good low-calorie snack.

For the main course, I tend to choose sashimi, either picking individual fish from the menu or getting the sashimi lunch. The lunch costs a good bit more ($18.95), but gives you a ton of variety for the money. However, it also includes a few varieties of seafood that I’m not as wild about, like octopus. The pick-and-choose option usually runs between $7.50 and $11 for 5-6 pieces of fish, and it gives you more control over your selections. I like that.

Nigiri sushi comes in smaller portions, 2 pieces per order, and can range from $2.50 to $7.50 depending on what you choose. I’ve always loved the mackerel, either in nigiri or sashimi, because it’s a firmer, saltier white fish, but many people prefer the tuna or salmon.

Not everyone can get past the “yuck” factor of eating raw fish, but don’t worry. Tokyo offers plenty of cooked sushi options and other fare. I don’t recommend the California roll. Sure, it’s a sushi standard for beginners but Tokyo’s is fairly bland, even if you upgrade from “crabstick” – a processed fish product – to real crab.

Instead, give the Philadelphia roll a try. Smoked salmon, cream cheese, asparagus and avocado make this a tasty treat. Also, take a look at the vegetable roll which eschews fish entirely and consists of avocado, lettuce, Japanese carrots, cucumber, asparagus and kampyo (Japanese gourd). The pricing on rolls varies with single-ingredient items going for $3-5 and more complex rolls in the $7-12 range. That said, a $12 pressed sushi roll is much more filling than a $3 cucumber roll – though both are delicious.

My experience with the rest of Tokyo’s menu hasn’t been as great, since it seems like they focus more on sushi than on other items. I will say that the chicken katsu (a breaded chicken cutlet) is delicious and the cold soba noodles are filling, but the chicken teriyaki seemed fatty and over-sauced.

If you want to get an inexpensive sampling of all the restaurant offers, the Tokyo Lunch Box includes a pick-your-own combination of sushi and a cooked entrée, along with a small appetizer for $8.50.

Tokyo Japanese Restaurant may not be as fancy as nearby Sushi Neko, but it offers all the flavor and a bigger selection in a more relaxed and much more affordable package. It’s my pick for sushi in Oklahoma City. What’s yours?

To the drive-by reader, the title “Shady Restaurant of the Month” may appear insulting, but shady-lovers everywhere know the truth. It is a distinguished honor and a true privilege to earn this title. To receive the “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award, an establishment must not only provide tasty fare, but also it must be bold, daring, adventuresome, and willing to flex its culinary muscles in a less than desirable location, under less than desirable conditions. Plus, it must remain steadfast in its calling as the higher-end restaurant snobs turn their nose up and speed by on their way to whatever “safe” food they can find served in a polished interior. Anyway, today we bestow this high honor on Taqueria Sanchez.

Taqueria Sanchez is located 5000-ish NW 23rd in Oklahoma City. I say “ish” because they move around a bit. On the weekends, they are usually in the parking lot of the auto repair shop on the corner, but during the week, they seem to move to whatever parking lot lets them sit there the longest. Speaking of mobile taco stands, I read that Los Angeles is about to pass a law keeping these mobile trucks of goodness from sitting in one spot for more than an hour at a time. This will ruin their businesses. Apparently, local brick and mortar restaurants put pressure on governments to pass such laws because these mobile delights, with no rent and little overhead, have an advantage over the traditional sit down establishment. Let’s hope that the entrepreneurial masa artists in Oklahoma City are not similarly restricted.

I usually eat at taco stands a couple of times each week. They are cheap, convenient, and they offer a level of taco, burrito, and gordita goodness that most restaurants in town only dream of. I like Taqueria Sanchez in particular because they have a really flavorful chicken taco. The al pastor isn’t bad either, but it’s nothing like Max Burger. You can also get carne asada, lengua, barbacoa (occasionally), and you get to choose whether you want them in the form of tacos, burritos, mulitas (best described as corn tortilla quesadillas), quesadillas, or tortas (Mexican sandwiches).

The prices are great. You can have tacos for $1, burritos for $4, or mulitas for $2. Whatever you choose, it’s a great value, but you really get the best bang for your buck with the burrito. It’s $4, but keep in mind this includes tax, and it is big enough to be a meal in itself. Stuffed with rice, beans, meat, cilantro, and hot sauce, you won’t need more than one.

I also encourage you to move beyond chicken or beef. Try the lengua. Sure, it’s tongue, but you can’t say you don’t like it until you try it. It has a real beefy flavor, like roast beef. It’s very tender. Plus, it’s fun to see little taste buds on the chunks of meat. A friend of mine refuses to eat it saying he won’t eat food that can taste him. He’s a wimp. Also, the tripas (Mexican chitterlings) aren’t bad, although I prefer them in soupy dishes rather than tacos.

If you need an icy-cold beverage and can’t wait to get a can of Dr. Pepper when you get back home, try the flavor of Jarritos. It’s the first national soft drink brand of Mexico. It features lots of fruity flavors if that’s your cup of tea. I’d stick with Dr. Pepper, but Sanchez doesn’t sell it.

In a way, the goal of this review is to encourage you to eat at any taco stand you can find. There are hundreds throughout the Oklahoma City metro, each with a unique flavor and offering. Plus, their shadiness cannot be questioned. Sure, there have been accusations of these stands having sub-par health ratings, as was reported in Nashville, but I don’t believe it. I think these stands offer great food at great prices. If you turn your noses up at them, you are passing up the opportunity to introduce your palate to so many fresh and unique flavors.

Oklahoma City, it’s time to celebrate the shadiness of ordering food while standing on a street corner. Give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments.

For some reason, I have yet to write about Cafe Do Brasil, which is odd because it is one of my favorites. I know that many of you love this place as well, because I have received a lot of recommendations for it from you guys. So, today we will make this right and take a look at what I consider to be a must-try in midtown, Cafe Do Brasil.

This place is no stranger to those tied into the OKC restaurant scene. It has been written up in most of our major local publications, so I’m guessing that most of you are already aware of it. If you have been here before, please leave your thoughts in the comments below. If you haven’t, I highly recommend you give it a try as it is one of the most affordable and unique places that OKC has to offer.

The location is fantastic. It’s right at the heart of the midtown renaissance and right across the street from the revitalized Plaza Court building. The white, spanish-style building (formerly a funeral home) is very close to my home. I only wish I worked closer to midtown so I could more often take advantage of their fantastic lunch specials.

The interior decor perplexes me a bit. On one hand, the dark-wood tables and chairs give it a sophisticated feel, yet the bright (and I do mean bright) yellow and green color scheme on the walls is quite a contrast. So, you have this sort of tension going on in the interior, but that’s ok.

The interior is spacious. It’s pretty much just one big room, two-stories high (remember it’s in a funeral home’s chapel) and it can be pretty noisy when the lunch crowd is at its peak and the cacophony of voices is bouncing around all of the hard surfaces. On the weekends, they offer a brunch which is really fantastic. They even feature live, one-man-band jazz music during this time which adds to the atmosphere. I can say that every time I’ve been, the vibe is really lively. I have never been for dinner, however, so I can’t speak to that, but I believe they have a pretty nice evening scene complete with their upstairs rooftop bar.

Speaking of the brunch, I really enjoyed it. It features lots of options including spanish-influenced dishes like migallas, brazilian scramble, vegetarian scramble, and ovos rancheros, as well as more international offerings like eggs benedict and a tropical delight of fresh fruit over french toast. Plus, they have a “bionic drink” which is a non-alcoholic fruit and vitamin-boosted smoothie. Everything is fresh and the building just lights up with the morning sun pouring in through the large east-side windows.

Lunch is my favorite. They post three lunch specials on a blackboard out front. Each one includes iced tea (fruity or regular) for about $6.50. This is a great deal, in my opinion. My favorite lunch special is the Prato Sao Paulo. It has been the #2 special every time I have been there so I think it’s pretty much a standard. It features strips of chicken atop of plate of rice, beans, diced onions, and tomatoes served with a tasty and spicy green salsa you can pour over top. I love the simplicity of this dish. It comes out beautifully presented every time. I also love that it’s extremely healthy, a perfect portion, and very tasty.

They offer several other Brazilian specialties. Sometimes these are served as a lunch special and other times they are not, but you can always order them off the menu. They include a Feijoada plate (which they say is the Brazilian national dish) and Xin-Xin, a very interesting shrimp dish including palm oil, coconut milk, peanut paste, cashews and dry shrimp. I tried Xin-Xin once and really enjoyed it. Problem is, I like the Sao Paulo better so I keep going back to it every time. They also offer a selection of sandwiches, salads, quiches, brasilian pies, and some vegetarian specialties like Prato De Minas which is sort of like my favorite chicken dish but minus the chicken and with some other vegetables added.

They even offer a kids’ menu featuring several selections for brunch, lunch and dinner for kids under 12. This is a welcome treat. The atmosphere is good for kids, too, given its lively nature so you don’t feel out of place when the little ones are making a bit of noise.

Cafe Do Brasil has several bakery items that they sell at their up-front counter, or you can order them to your table. I’ve tried the cheese biscuit on the recommendation of a friend. I thought it was ok, but not really worth the cost (it was close to $2, if I remember right). That’s the only baked good I have tried, but many have told me they have some other great offerings. If you’ve tried something, please share your impressions in the comments.

The bottom line is that Cafe do Brasil is a must-try. I have no reservations about recommending it. I know that not everyone will like it as much as I do, but its uniqueness as a thriving South American restaurant in our city and its location in the rapidly-developing midtown area at least warrant a visit. I also think it’s a great place to bring out-of-town guests to or to recommend to out-of-towners when they visit the city. I would throw it in there with Pho Hoa as a place that really showcases our city’s cultural diversity and effectively represents our potential.

Please give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments.

Anytime I am asked about my favorite restaurants in Oklahoma City, I am stumped. I have several “favorites.” I usually have the person clarify the question to narrow down the results. If the inquisitor is in search of finer dining options, I will tell them that Tom and Jerry’s Steak and Fish Grille is near the top of my list. It is fine dining, but not too expensive or snooty. They have diverse menu options, and they can customize their service to adapt to your schedule if needed.

I like to eat well at a finer establishment on occasion. Sure, I have been known to brave the not-so-well -known places throughout the city, but I can also go for an upscale meal — something without blaring music or flat panel TVs where there is not a ketchup bottle or one of those insulting steak sauce bottles anywhere in the building. Tom and Jerry’s is just the place. It is not a kid-friendly place. So, if you are like me (and the old woman who lives in a shoe) you’d better call the babysitter before you set out for Tom and Jerry’s.

Fresh flowers and candles adorn every table. The sound of the resident jazz sax player fills the air (at a soothing level), and the artwork of Thomas Batista (one of the owners) decorates the walls and invites patrons to purchase their favorites and take them home for themselves (I’ve noticed a lot of restaurants in the area do this from Cheever’s to Classen Grill, but do the artists ever sell anything? Just wondering). The atmosphere is one of elegance and sophistication. They also have a nice patio area with a small water garden. It’s great for those warm spring evenings.

The waitstaff here really caters to your needs, but in a way that isn’t abrasive or pushy. I had a reservation the other night, and I had to keep calling and pushing it back and finally Scott, the maitre d’, told me to quit worrying about it and just get there when I could and he would make sure he had a table ready. This was on a Friday night too, not a dead Tuesday evening. I found this level of accommodation refreshing.

Once you order and you’re waiting on your main course, Tom and Jerry’s likes to present you with a “Mise en Bouche,” French for “to put in your mouth.” It’s a small little tease, normally with a concentration of flavor, to spark the appetite and prepare the palate for the main event (Deep Fork also always seems to do this well). This time we were presented with a roasted pepper and radicchio something or other on a small sliver of roasted potato. I could have eaten a tray of these but my wife didn’t like it at all. She doesn’t like roasted pepper, though.

When you look over the dinner menu, you don’t get four pages of options but rather a single page consisting of 8 to 10 main dishes, a handful of appetizers, and a tapas menu. I like this. This allows the chef to concentrate on making a few dishes very well, which can really translate to higher quality. The menu rotates, but typically features a couple steak options (normally a filet dish and a strip, T-bone, or Ribeye), a fish dish or two, duck breast, and a couple comfort-food-type choices like a fried chicken with truffle sauce, or a gourmet meatloaf. Tapas and Paella are also served for those wanting a Spanish experience. I’m not aware of another restaurant in town offering tapas or paella. Tapas are the new rage, especially among the urban youngsters hopping from restaurant to restaurant for cocktails and these small, Spanish-influenced appetizers. I’m not sure if it is catching on in Oklahoma City yet (there’s not a lot of restaurant hopping involved here), but if it ever does, Tom and Jerry’s is ready to lead the charge.

On my most recent visit, I chose the green peppercorn New York Strip with a cognac glaze, and my wife had the seared Ahi Tuna. Both were fantastic. The strip was perfectly cooked medium-rare and decorated with garlic and green peppercorns. Green peppercorns can really be a nice accent to a steak. They are very aromatic and they have a completely different, and brighter, flavor than their fermented brothers, black peppercorns. The cognac sauce was sweet and flavorful. You could smell the cognac reduction and it was particularly good on the sauteed potatoes that were served al dente along with some roasted asparagus.

My wife’s tuna was served on a bed of thin rice noodles. I have had their pasta before as well, and these guys can make a great cream sauce. I’m a big fan of sauces and Tom and Jerry’s goes the distance with some interesting sauces and reductions often featuring exotic Spanish and even South American influenced flavors. This is definitely not your average steakhouse.

I think Tom and Jerry’s fills a role in Oklahoma City as a comfortable yet fine dining experience. It has a smaller, more independent feel than some of the larger restaurant groups. So, next time you are looking for that nice yet comfortable evening out with a local flair, give Tom and Jerry’s a try. It won’t break the bank or insult the taste buds. Let me know what you think.

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Mexican restaurant that offers fresh fruit as an alternative to rice and beans. I have to say, I like it. When I saw it on the menu, I knew that Chica’s was unique.

This small restaurant in Nichols Hills Plaza is pretty far off the beaten path. It’s about as far from the main road (Western Ave) as you can get in this little outdoor strip mall. The location was formerly occupied by a sandwich shop called Scotty’s (which, by the way, I loved). Once it changed to Chica’s, I took notice, but never went, until recently.

Cinco de Mayo came along and I naturally wanted to try some Mexican food. One of our readers had recently written to me about Chica’s and I thought, “hey, let’s give it a try.” This reader’s opinion was that Chica’s has done for Mexican food what Iron Starr did for BBQ. I can see that. I might also compare it to Saturn Grill (which, incidentally, is located at the other end of the same shopping center). It’s got that sort of trendy, shabby chic approach that attracts the local urbanites. Chica’s is definitely not trying to be the most “authentic” of Mexican places. Rather, it attempts to bring a creative and eclectic spin on Mexican food in a hip environment.

I chose the “ocean tacos.” My waitress told me they were by far the most popular dish. I chose grilled over fried (it’s great to have a choice as most fish tacos I’ve found around here are fried only). The tacos come with tilapia, a homemade slaw and an avocado green sauce, all wrapped in two soft corn tortillas. They came out piled high. Plenty of food, but light and fresh all the same. The tilapia didn’t have any “fishy” smell to it, which I appreciated. The slaw was fresh and had a great texture. The avocado sauce was smooth and creamy. All in all, they were good, I just wish that they had a bit more zip to them. I would have liked for some spice or flavor to really reach and out grab me. Instead, the flavors were a bit understated. Maybe they were trying not to overpower the fish. I don’t know, but they did leave me hanging a little bit. Still, I ate every last bite on my plate.

You get to choose two side dishes with most of the house specialties and, as I mentioned above, they have some unique options. They have regular or refried black beans, borracho beans, Mexican potatoes, cole slaw and fresh fruit. I chose regular black beans and fresh fruit. The beans were ok, nothing really special, but the fruit was fabulous. A large ramican overflowing with fresh pineapple, canteloupe and grapes. I think fruit and Mexican food really go well together. I wish more places would offer this option.

The rest of the menu at Chica’s looks fairly intriguing as well. Keep in mind, I didn’t try any of these other things, but I’ll give you an idea of what’s available. It’s mostly standard Mexican dishes, but they each seem to have a little something unique. They have breakfast offerings that are served all day including migas, huevos ranchero, and even a fruit plate with honey yogurt. Their house specialties include other interesting options like Chica’s Chicken (fajita chicken sauteed with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted poblanos and jack cheese), and shrimp and poblano enchiladas. They have a few different salads and their own tortilla soup. For dessert, you can choose from tres leches or key lime pie.

Chica’s does serve chips with salsa and cheese sauce to every table. I liked the salsa. It wasn’t my absolute favorite, but I thought it had a good amount of heat without being overpowering. The cheese sauce is better than average, smooth and creamy with a deep flavor instead of watered-down and tasteless (Andrew would approve, I think).

Most meals are in the $8 - $12 range, making it perhaps slightly more expensive than your standard Okla-mex fare. But I don’t know, last time I went to Ted’s I noticed their lunch specials were at $8.95! Casa Perico also charges $7-10 for a lunch item now. I think Chica’s is priced pretty much in line with the major Okla-mex places and, given the quality and uniqueness of their offerings, I think it is worth a try.

Oh, one more thing. Even on a very busy day like Cinco de Mayo, the service was extremely fast. I was quite impressed with the attentiveness of the staff. So, Chica’s has a lot to offer, I think. Let me know what you think about it in the comments.

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One of my favorite things in life is a really good burger. One of my other favorite things in life is lunch. Every now and then I get real crazy and think, “I wonder what would happen if I had a really good burger at lunch?” That’s when I head to Johnny’s.

Johnny’s is the perfect place to marry these two great loves. It’s not shady (but there are several questionable stores in this same shopping strip), like a lot of the lunch spots I frequent, but they do make a good burger.

Johnny’s sits in a shopping strip on south Meridian, in between the interstate and SW 15th. Johnny’s has been around for quite some time, and it has recently changed ownership … for the better. The previous owner made a decent burger, but more of the thin, onion-fried sort. The previous owner was also a quirky, not-so-friendly guy, who swore he made the best gyros on the face of the Earth. In fact, he said he served them at some local Greek festival and won prizes. Who knows, it might be true. I just know he didn’t like jokes.

The new owners, however, can handle a few jokes in the line and will fire right back at you. In fact, we were making fun of a friend of mine for looking particularly rough one day, and the lady taking our order started joining in and asking him if he had even gone to bed the night before. I like a hostess that can have a good time in line.

The restaurant interior has changed as well. The walls are brighter, and I believe the service is faster. The best change, though, is that the burgers are bigger and better.

The menu here is pretty typical for an Oklahoma burger joint. Burgers of different sizes and varieties abound. You can find burgers showcasing cheese, jalapeños, bacon, onions, chili, and of course, there is a “theta” burger. I had never heard of a theta burger until I moved to Oklahoma City. In fact, no one can tell me where it comes from, what it means, or anything. If you know the origins of this burger, please let me know. I think it is an Oklahoma City thing. Maybe it originated as the 8th item on a menu, and the inventors named it “theta” after the 8th letter in the Greek alphabet. The theta symbol is also a symbol of death, and theta.com is a link to the Church of Scientology. I’m reaching here, I know, but there has to be a meaning somewhere.

Anyway, they also serve hot dogs with various toppings, a few salad offerings, sandwiches with various fillings (fried and un-fried), and now they even have a few BBQ offerings, introduced by the change in ownership. I still refuse to review BBQ, as I stated in my Pappy’s review, in an effort to ward off the BBQ Nazi’s. However, I will say that friends of mine who have ordered the BBQ offerings here haven’t been impressed. They say, “stick with the burgers.”

The burgers here are really good. They feature hand-formed fresh beef, very similar to what you would find at Jamie’s Grill. These are pretty large and thick patties as well. I went the other day with a Johnny’s first-timer and warned him that a single would be enough. He wouldn’t listen. I’m sure visions of paper-thin onion burgers were dancing in his head as his soul weighed my sage advice against the hunger pangs he felt deep in his gut. Sure enough, he ordered a double with a s