Photos courtesy of

Nicole McDaniel

As the first fast-casual dining experience from the popular and well-respected A Good Egg Dining Group (the people behind Cheever’s Cafe, Iron Starr Urban BBQ, Red Primesteak and RePUBlic Gastropub), Tucker’s has understandably garnered a lot of attention. Much has been written about Tucker’s already, but I still wanted to offer my thoughts on this new staple of Oklahoma City dining.

Tucker’s menu pays homage to the kind of simplicity that made In-N-Out Burger famous. Tucker’s offers a single onion burger (4.99, $5.49 w/cheese), a double onion burger ($6.99, $7.99 w/cheese), a triple onion burger (the “Mother Tucker” – $8.99, $9.99 w/cheese), a turkey burger ($4.99, $5.49 w/cheese) and a salad (“The One Salad” – $4.99). They also have shakes made with Blue Bell ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry – $3.99).

Personally, I like the simple menu approach. It makes them efficient and allows them to stay focused on quality. Plus, I just happen to like their burgers. A lot.

These are onion burgers, of which I am a big fan (see a pic). Now, whenever one talks about onion burgers around these parts, one will inevitably compare them to El Reno onion burgers. Believe me, I get it. I grew up eating at the El Reno onion burger places. I love them, and I can tell you that Tucker’s Onion Burgers are not El Reno style onion burgers. But to be honest, I really don’t care. Who says an onion burger has to be made a certain way to be tasty? Tucker’s may not be making El Reno style onion burgers, but they are making tasty onion burgers that are located a lot closer to my house, and that gets my attention.

Tucker’s burgers are bigger than El Reno burgers and the patties don’t get smashed razor-thin like we’re used to in El Reno. That’s ok with me because while I might need to eat two (or sometimes, yes, even three) El Reno burgers to get full, a single burger and fries at Tucker’s gets me to a good level. I try to stick with the single burger at Tucker’s because I know it’s better on my pocketbook and my health, but the double burger is oh so good. I’ve never had the Mother Tucker, but I’d imagine it’s oh oh so so good. Maybe one day I’ll try it but for me the single is a great size with the double being there for an extra level of indulgence.

The quality of ingredients are a cut above here. First, they’re using fresh, locally-sourced, high quality beef that’s hand-formed into patties. The onions are cut thin and cooked on the meat to a good level. The buns are exceptional, sourced from the Prairie Thunder Baking Company and baked fresh especially for Tucker’s. I’ve heard some say the buns are a little too heavy or “roll-like” for them. I can understand that point of view as they are pretty substantial. This is another reason why I think the double burger beats the single by just an edge. On the single, you feel like there is just a little too much bread for the meat. But with the double, the balance is perfect.

The substantial bun also allows it to hold a whole lot of toppings without falling apart. Your choice of toppings is included with every burger (cheese is extra). My personal combination is always grilled onions (of course), mustard, extra pickles, and fresh grilled jalepenos. To me, the shredded lettuce and tomatoes just get in the way. But the pickles are a treat. These are thick-cut, high quality pickle slices. You can ask for “extra pickles” and I highly recommend that you do.

Tucker’s fries deserve some love as well ($2.59 - see a pic). The first time we visited, my wife said they were the best fries she’s had. I’ve experienced some slight inconsistency in the fries from visit to visit. Sometimes they’ve been a little overdone, but never enough to really bother me. And when they are on they are spot on — fresh-cut, fairly thin, cooked in peanut oil and sprinkled with a little sea salt. The amazing thing is you can get these to go and they will still be crispy when you get where you are going.

I haven’t had “The One Salad,” or the turkey burger so I can’t speak to those. I have had one of their shakes (see a pic). I’m no shake connoisseur, so to me it was just a shake. And at $3.99 it adds quite a bit to the price of a meal (not to mention the addition of calories) so I usually pass. I prefer my calories in burger form.

Speaking of price, I think Tucker’s is priced well for the most part. The fact that it’s served in a paper sack gives the feel of a fast-food restaurant and so, one might feel Tucker’s is pricey in comparison to other fast food options. But the size and quality of the meal here justifies the higher price tag. My standard single onion burger with cheese, plus fries and a drink comes in at just under $11 with tax (and there’s no tipping here). A little high, but there are a couple of tricks you can employ to lower your tab. Bring your cup back with you and you’ll save $1 on the drink. Use a KeepItLocalOK card and you’ll save another 10%.  Put that all together and my meal usually comes in at under $9 all-inclusive.

As with most every restaurant Good Egg operates, the building tells a good part of the story. Before Tucker’s ever opened, Good Egg invested a great deal in the restoration of the historical building it now occupies (see pics here and here). As a resident of this area, that makes a big impression on me. The vibe inside the restaurant is lively and it can be pretty loud when it’s full. I prefer sitting outside on their wonderful patio where things are a lot quieter.

My only real complaint at Tucker’s is the lack of options for kids. There is no kids menu and the burgers are so big that, unless you cut them into pieces to share among several little ones, there’s going to be a lot of waste. I don’t fault them for it as I’m sure they would add a kids menu if they thought they needed it to bring in business. As it is, I won’t be taking my family to Tucker’s, but that won’t keep me from frequenting by myself, with my wife, and with friends.

Overall, Tucker’s is a hit and a place that I hope will be a part of OKC’s dining scene for a long time. Have you been to Tucker’s yet? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

You can get more information and see additional photos courtesy of Nicole McDaniel Photography and others on our restaurant listing for Tucker’s Onion Burgers.

Each year, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma partners with chefs and restaurants around the metro to stage an amazing fundraiser full of culinary innovation and dedicated to the cause of feeding hungry children in our community. This year, EatAroundOKC is pleased to sponsor the Food Bank’s annual Chefs’ Feast and we want to encourage you to consider attending and supporting this great event as well.

The 2012 event takes place on March 29th from 7pm to 10pm at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. The event gives you the opportunity to taste culinary creations from many of the best chefs in the Oklahoma City area, including chefs from the following restaurants:

• Big Truck Tacos
• Cafe 7
• The Coach House
• Gopuram Taste of India
• Iguana Mexican Grill
• The Mantel
• Matthew Kenney OKC
• Metro Wine Bar and Bistro
• Mutt’s Amazing Hot Dogs
• Nonna’s Euro-American Ristorante
• Pachinko Parlor
• The Ranch Steakhouse
• Red Prime Steak
• RePUBlic Gastropub
• Rococo
• Sara Sara Cupcakes
• Trattoria Il Centro
• West Restaurant
• Plus many more …

This is a very unique opportunity to get to meet the people behind many of  your favorite Oklahoma City restaurants and to experience their unique dining creations. Not only that, but you will know that your support of this event makes a direct impact in the fight against hunger in our community. We’re very excited to be a part this year and we hope you’ll consider joining us at this event.

Individual tickets are $120 per person and may be purchased online.  All proceeds from this event go to support the Regional Food Bank’s Food for Kids programs. I have heard that these events have sold out in the past so be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible.

We hope to see you there!

It’s that time of year again. Time to reflect on all that’s happened in the previous twelve months and take a look at what’s coming up in the new year. As I look back at EatAroundOKC in 2011, there’s one thing that stands out to me above everything else and that is our partnership with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

Thanks to overwhelming support from our followers and from local Oklahoma City restaurants, we were able to raise over $8,200 for the Food Bank this past year.

Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible without your support. I want to say thank you again to all of you who follow and support us. We love being a part of the discussion with you and we appreciate every comment you leave, every email you write, every tweet you send, and every deal you purchase.

I also want to say thanks to all of the restaurants who have worked with us to make special offers through our EatAroundOKC Deals program. It is their offers and your purchases that generate the revenue we donate to the Food Bank each month. So naturally, without restaurants to make offers and an audience to purchase them, none of this would be possible.

I want to specifically recognize J. Mays and Chris Kana at Cafe 7, who not only made an offer through our program, but then matched our own donation to the Food Bank with one of their own. Because of their generosity, our Cafe 7 deal alone raised over $2,400 for the Regional Food Bank. Thank you, J. and Chris, for going above and beyond for the fight against hunger in Oklahoma.

Onward to 2012: Try More Local Restaurants, OKC!

With a great year behind us, we’re now looking forward to 2012. Our partnership with the Food Bank continues, our team of volunteer writers and photographers is larger than ever, and our excitement about the local restaurant scene in the Oklahoma City metro has never been greater.

I hope that you’ll come along with us and make a commitment to try even more locally-owned Oklahoma City restaurants this year. You can always find great places to try by checking out our reviews and our Top 100. Plus, if you subscribe to our deals program you’ll find great offers to try new local places at big discounts. Oh, and if you have a question or something to share, leave us a comment, send us a tweet, post something on Facebook, or just contact us through good old-fashioned email.

We look forward to hearing more from you in 2012!

Has it really been four years since we published our review of Red Prime Steak? Why yes, it looks like it has. Must be time to take another look at this now-well-established steakhouse in downtown Oklahoma City.

Since I wrote the original review (still listed in full below), I thought providing a second perspective would be good. So, my wife and I joined up with EatAroundOKC writer Sarah Sutton and her husband for a delightful evening out at Red Prime Steak. This was their first trip to Red Prime and here’s a bit of what Sarah had to say:

“This would be our first visit, so I wanted to peruse the menu beforehand to see what was going on. If I have one complaint, it’s that the online menu is practically hidden. I had to poke around and never did find it. Finally, Tim had to send me a link.

“But, once you find the menu, it’s pure delight just to read it. I knew my over-40 brain was going to have trouble narrowing down a selection, as it all sounded fabulous.

“Of course, carnivore husband knew immediately what he was going for — the 7 oz prime filet ($31) with a brown sugar and sea salt crust. He said it was cooked absolutely perfectly. I had almost settled on the same cut of meat with the bleu cheese crust until I heard about the seafood special of the evening — grilled sea bass over an onion risotto, grilled asparagus, bacon-wrapped scallops and a bacon relish drizzled on the plate ($36 – see a pic). They had me right there and it was perfectly delicious.

“We all split a few side dishes and I got to try the green chile mac, the sweet potato-bacon hash and the fresh seared green beans (see a pic). All had a unique flavor and was something to savor with each bite.

“As an onion lover, one of the things I appreciated about the evening was the variety of ways Red Prime used onions. First, in our appetizer of fried green tomatoes (see a pic), they adorned the tops with sweet, caramelized onion. Then, on top of my salad (see a pic), they sprinkled a type of french-fried onion with a bit of a kick. And finally, the onion risotto was mild and very tasty.

“The atmosphere at this restaurant is about as cool as it gets. It’s in an old building on Automobile Alley which has, of course, been refurbished and updated. But I love how the character of the original structure still shines through.

“Every employee we interacted with was extremely knowledgeable and professional, knowing right when to be at our table without being overly helpful. It was a delightful experience all around. We can’t wait to take the steak-lovers in the family back to visit.”

As you can see, Sarah had a very positive experience at Red Prime. I, too, must admit that the experience for me was even better than my original trip so many years ago. My filet, encrusted with guajillo chile ($31 - see a pic), was just about as good as it gets and I enjoyed trying some of the very creative side dishes and appetizers I hadn’t had before.

Something Red Prime has added since our original review is their Prix Fixe menu. For just under $40, one gets to choose an appetizer, entree, side and dessert from a pretty decent set of options. Given that steaks by themselves range from $30-$45 on the regular menu, the Prix Fixe option is certainly attractive. Of course, even at $40 per person, Red Prime is still, for me, very much a special occasion restaurant. But it’s a good one, and one to which I hope to return soon.

Have you been to Red Prime Steak? Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

Get more information and see more pictures from Red Prime Steak, including photos from our most recent visit (courtesy of David Sutton Pictures), on the Red Prime Steak restaurant listing.

Original review from October of 2007:

I recently got to check out one of Oklahoma City’s newest restaurants. Red Prime Steak is a new upscale steakhouse brought to you by the folks behind Cheever’s and Iron Starr. I love their first two restaurants so expectations for this new place were high.

One thing I love about Red Prime Steak is the location. It’s downtown, but not in Bricktown. It’s in the old Buick building at 4th street and Broadway. I love to see new places opening up in this area. Let’s hope they can sustain and continue to encourage more growth and revitalization downtown.

The restaurant brings a couple of things that are extremely unique.

First, the interior renovations really stand out. They are the reason for my inclusion of the word “ultra-hip” in the title of my post. It’s not that I’m 100% sure you would really categorize it has ultra-hip if your job were classifying interiors, but when you compare it to the landscape of restaurant interiors we currently have in Oklahoma City, Red Prime’s look definitely sets itself apart in the ultra-hip direction.

Concrete flooring, exposed 18 foot ceilings, and a smattering of very thin, brilliant, red lighting instruments set the stage. An enormous floor to ceiling wire mesh serves as a wine rack and requires the wait staff to utilize a home-depot-like aisle ladder to retrieve certain vintages. Also intriguing is the use of enclosed, circular leather booths which provide a few “private” dining areas amidst the rest of the “open” seating. So, if you are looking for a lively atmosphere, stick with the open tables, but if you want something a little more private (and quiet) ask for one of the booths.

The second unique treatment Red Prime brings is their use of crusts and sauces. With each steak, you can choose up to two crusts or sauces (more are available for an extra charge). Now, I’m not much for putting sauces on really good steaks. I mean, what’s the point in paying for a quality steak and then drowning out the flavor with a pungent sauce? The crusts, however, are very intriguing and tasty.

You can choose from a list of crust options — everything from black pepper to unique chile peppers — to be encrusted onto your meat as it is cooked. I chose the guajillo chile crust and I highly recommend it for a little kick that doesn’t overpower the flavor of the meat.

Now for my complaint — I have just one. There’s no brewed iced tea. If you ask for iced tea, they bring you a bottle of something. Now look, I’m all for trying to be fancy, but I’ve been to some really nice restaurants in a lot of really large cities and most everywhere I’ve been, even the highest of the highest end, has served fresh brewed iced tea. Not only that, but even my favorite restaurant of all time, the Gotham Bar and Grill in Manhattan, provides iced tea with free refills, and it doesn’t get really any more upscale than the Gotham.

So, I would recommend that Red Prime make fresh brewed iced tea with refills an option. I mean really, it’s just about as common as water. Sure, you won’t make as much money on it as the bottled stuff, but really, is that a reason to withhold something so basic?

Speaking of money, you will spend a good bit visiting the Red Prime. I was fortunate enough to be treated by my parents on my visit (thanks mom and dad), and I would have to reserve any future trip for a pretty special occasion as the price is a bit prohibitive for me to make it a regular stop. But if you are looking for a high-end experience in OKC, I definitely think Red Prime offers a unique and modern flair that you won’t find at any other “steakhouse” in this city.

Photos courtesy of

Nicole McDaniel

There’s a new food truck in town. Well, it’s more like a food trailer. And in case you’re wondering how to find it — just look for the bright orange.

Patty Wagon opened up a few months ago to some pretty rave reviews. Naturally, when I hear that kind of buzz about a new restaurant, I can’t wait to try it. I found them first at their original location in a parking lot on North May near Britton Road. They have since moved a little farther north, to where they are just south of Hefner Road.

Please note: as with any food truck or trailer, Patty Wagon’s location is subject to change. I advise checking their Twitter or Facebook pages to verify their location before heading out.

But whenever you find them, you’re in for a tasty burger. Patty Wagon keeps it simple on their menu. They have burgers and fries. That’s about it (I think they occasionally may offer a dessert). You can take your burger to go or eat it on one of their picnic tables if the weather is nice. Weather is the trick for any food truck. With Oklahoma’s extreme highs and lows it can be challenging to find a good time of year to “dine-in” with Patty Wagon. But, you can always get it to go, rain or shine.

The burgers I’ve had at Patty Wagon have been excellent. The 1/4 lb. patties are griddle-cooked with a nice, crusty exterior and a juicy interior. They splash them with a little barbeque sauce at the end of cooking, I think, which gives them an extra kick of flavor. Patty Wagon is using locally sourced, all-natural, grass-fed beef that’s 90/10 lean. This is high-quality meat and you can taste it. I was pretty amazed that the burger was still juicy with lean beef like that.

Patty Wagon also has two homemade sauces you can choose for your burger. They conveniently label them “PW Sauce 1: For Mayo Lovers!” and “PW Sauce 2: For Mustard Lovers!” I always go for sauce 2 which adds a nice, peppery flavor to the mix. You can get all the standard vegetables and a selection of cheeses added to your burger if you like. The veggies are crisp and fresh.

One of the things I like best about Patty Wagon is how they put the burger together. Each one I’ve had seemed like it was meticulously assembled with everything in it’s place. And it holds together very well for a large burger.

Part of the reason it holds together so well is the bun they are using. It’s a sweet, sourdough roll that can hold a lot of toppings without falling apart — and it’s quite tasty. The bun is great and really helps their burger stand apart from the crowd.

Patty Wagon’s handcut fries are equally well-crafted. They are fairly thick-cut, crispy on the outside, tender inside and heavily peppered, which I like. Unlike a lot of hand-cut fries, they hold up well even over time which is good if you get them to go.

Quality ingredients come at a price and Patty Wagon is certainly more expensive than some. But a single burger combo with cheese including fries and a drink can be had for $7.75. Honestly, I think that’s a good value for what you’re getting here. A double burger combo is $9.25. I tried the double once but decided that I prefer the single. The balance of ingredients seems better on the single and those patties are pretty thick by themselves.

Patty Wagon is doing it up right. The only downside is the convenience factor, especially on bad weather days. But it’s worth braving the elements to give this one a try. And when you do, let us know what you think of Patty Wagon in the comments below.

Get more information and see some fantastic photos courtesy of Nicole McDaniel on Patty Wagon’s restaurant listing.

This is part two in my series exploring some of the best places to eat in what I consider to be one of greater OKC’s most awesome shopping and dining districts — Campus Corner in Norman (see part one covering Victoria’s Pasta Shop here). Today we take a look at Pepe Delgados, a place I’ve been wanting to try for a very long time.

First off, let’s clear up one important thing — Pepe Delgados is not Okla-Mex. “What is Okla-Mex?” you ask. Well, as defined in our review of Casa Perico, it’s the type of place where you get chips, salsa, cheese sauce and sopapillas free with every meal. We’re so accustomed to this in Oklahoma that I fear sometimes we may be disappointed when we visit a place that doesn’t conform to this model. I’m not opposed to Okla-Mex. On the contrary, I enjoy many Okla-Mex places, but I also appreciate the opportunity to explore things that are unique and Pepe Delgados offers a different take on Mexican food that I have really enjoyed on my visits.

Let’s just start with that Mexican food staple — the chips and salsa (see a pic). Pepe’s chips and salsa aren’t free, but here’s the thing — they are homemade. That’s right, they make their own chips and they make four different, fresh salsas (two red and two green) and you can try it all for $2.75. Now, there are very few places in town that make their own tortilla chips. Some of the taquerias we’ve reviewed do (such as Taqueria La Original), and I’ve always enjoyed trying them. I’m not aware of any place that makes their own chips and gives them away for free.

While I’m probably the cheapest … I mean, most thrify person I know, I think $2.75 is a great price for Pepe’s chips and salsa offering. The chips are thick and with a hearty corn flavor. They’re not salted much, if at all, and they don’t need to be because the natural flavor is enough. The salsas were all very fresh and flavorful with a range of heat levels to suit anyone’s palette.

Fresh and flavorful is really the name of the game at Pepe’s. They don’t use anything out of a can, not even tomatoes. On my first visit, I spoke with a few regulars standing next to me in line about what to order and they all said “pick one of the daily specials. You can’t go wrong.” So, I looked over at the specials on the board and went for the Puerco en Salsa Verde (see a pic). When it came to my table I knew I had made the right choice. There were chunks of pork nearly the size of my fist, slow-cooked in a smooth, green sauce. The pork was so tender it easily came apart with a nudge from my fork. I wished the sauce would have had a little more heat, but the textures, the flavors … they had me at first bite. It came with Pepe’s standard rice and refried black beans, which are very good for rice and beans. It also came with tortillas which were great for building my own tacos out of this amazing meat. As you can tell, I really enjoyed the whole dish.

Side note, I don’t think that Pepe’s makes their own tortillas. I failed to ask about that. I could be wrong, but both the flour and corn varieties struck me as pretty standard. They do, however, serve them nicely warmed and wrapped in foil.

On my second visit, I found yet another winner in the Rajitas en Salsa Chipotle ($7.75 lunch, $8.75 dinner – see a pic). This is a standard menu item and offers a choice of chicken or steak. I chose the steak and it was, you guessed it, very good. The sauce on this dish was a smooth, spicy red sauce made from fresh Chipotle peppers. The strips of meat were flavorful and tender. Again, it came with tortillas, cilantro, rice, beans and a bit of spicy salsa allowing me to assemble some of the best-tasting tacos I’ve had. Win #2 for Pepe’s.

One of the highlights of dining at Pepe Delgados is getting to talk with Emilio, who has owned and operated the restaurant since he opened it in 1992. He’s almost always walking about the restaurant talking with his guests. This is how I know so many details about the food. He’s very passionate about his food and very proud of the fact that they made everything with fresh ingredients. He really seems to enjoy his work. It was a lot of fun talking with him.

Pepe’s is a counter-service restaurant so the service is limited. After you order, they bring your food to you, but that’s about it. You get your own utensils, drinks, to-go containers for leftoevers … etc. This is another difference between the standard Okla-Mex places which tend to be full service. Still, I found the staff I did encounter to be very friendly and efficient.

They also have a great covered patio out back. I love dining outside so that’s another plus for Pepe’s. And, they have a whole section of their menu dedicated to vegetarians, which is not something you see too often at Mexican food places.

I guess the only thing I don’t like about Pepe Delgados is that it’s located so far from my house. Of course, that makes it something that will remain for me an occasional special treat. And that’s the bottom line for me with Pepe Delgados — it’s a special place. It stands out from the crowd of Mexican places with its very fresh, unique and affordable approach to Mexican food.

Have you been to Pepe Delgados? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Get more information and photos in EatAroundOKC’s restaurant listing for Pepe Delgados.

As the newest concept from The Deep Fork Group, Home Run Sliders garnered a lot of attention when it opened in the summer of 2011. I was, of course, very interested to try it as well. But, I have to say, I’ve never been a huge fan of the “slider” concept. To me, it’s always just seemed like a clever way for a restaurant to maximize revenue by charging a premium for a very small burger. So, I approached Home Run Sliders with a bit of skepticism.

Fortunately, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by every visit to Home Run Sliders. They’ve provided some pricing options that still allow a person to get a good value. And, most importantly, the taste of everything I’ve had makes it hard to deny Home Run Sliders its due accolades.

Though they may be small, these burgers are some of the tastiest I’ve had. Each comes with about 3oz of fresh, never-frozen beef. It’s good-quality meat, well-seasoned, juicy and cooked just right every time I’ve been. The meat has some thickness to it so you don’t feel like you’re just getting a tiny little portion. I also really love the bun. It’s a split-top roll and it’s just the right size for the amount of meat. The whole thing is very well balanced and it holds up very well.

Because of the quality of the meat and bun, I’ve never felt like I had to dress the burger up with crazy amounts of toppings to enjoy it. Home Run Sliders does offer some “premium” toppings and combinations, but I have almost always preferred just to get the “build it yourself” variety. This option allows you to choose from a wide selection of cheeses and dress it up with any of the standard toppings for $3.25. That’s a pretty good value, but even better is the “Grand Slammer” which gets you four of these sliders for $9.75. If you’ve got enough people, this is a great way to enjoy their burgers at a very good value.

Of course, Home Run Sliders does have some additional premium toppings like Bacon, guacamole, jicama slaw, tabasco rings and the like which you can try out for just a bit more. They also offer some “non-burger” sliders that feature chicken, meatballs, a veggie option and, my favorite, the “Walk Off” which has thin slices of Prime Rib with swiss cheese and a horseradish sauce. I do recommend trying this one if you’re in the mood for something different.

Another great value at Home Run Sliders is the fact that you can add a side order and a drink to any slider for $2.50. If you order the Grand Slam, you can add up to four sides and drinks for $2.50 each. The sides at Home Run Sliders are very good as well, including regular fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots, kettle chips, onion petals, and some super creamy mac and cheese. Sides purchased by themselves range from $1.50 to $2 and most of the sides are sized to share.

So, as an example, I took my wife and oldest son and we split the Grand Slam with four sliders, three sides and three drinks. It was a ton of good food for right around $17. That’s a value I can get behind, especially given the quality of the food.

I also consider this restaurant very kid-friendly. Though they don’t have a dedicated kid’s menu, every burger is really kid-sized already. It’s also hard to go wrong for kids with the sides and they even offer soft-serve ice cream in a miniature baseball helmet cup.

Though the baseball theme is a bit heavy-handed for me, the atmosphere at Home Run Sliders is very clean and comfortable. There’s free wifi and lots of TVs for watching games. It’s a fun place. Oh, and I also should mention the ketchup bar. They provide about twenty different flavors of ketchup — everything from Dr. Pepper ketchup to Ancho Chile ketchup and the list goes on and on. Though I probably would just as soon have regular ketchup, it is fun to try the different varieties and it’s fun for the kids as well.

I do have one complaint about Home Run Sliders. I’m not a fan of the containers in which they serve their sides and drinks. The baskets with the burgers are sturdy enough but the sides are served heaped up high in very flimsy cardboard and the drink cups are about as thin as can be. I suppose this may also be due to the baseball theme — serving things like they would be served at a ballpark. But given the “premium” quality of the food and the nice environment, I would expect something a little more substantial. It makes the sides especially hard to eat as pulling one fry out of the pile without spilling can be a challenge. It’s a small thing, but something I hope they’ll consider changing.

UPDATE (10/8/2011) — Since publishing this review, I’ve returned to Home Run Sliders and have noticed they have improved their serving containers. Burgers and most sides are served together in the baskets now and they now have reusable drink cups you can take home with you. Much improved!

But even if they don’t change anything, I’ll still return to Home Run Sliders. This is quality food served at reasonable prices in a nice, fun environment. Have you been? If so, let us know what you think in the comments below.

But we kept on publishing and over the years we’ve been blessed with what I consider to be the most fantastic group of readers and followers around. We’ve been honored to have a group of writers who have voluntarily contributed reviews to our site. What started as a small hobby has now turned into a large and time-consuming hobby. It’s a hobby that I dearly love because of the great people I have met and the great conversations we have had about local Oklahoma City restaurants.

If you’ll be so kind as to indulge me a trip down memory lane, I’d like to lay out a brief outline of some of the significant milestones and statistics related to EatAroundOKC and its first five years.

Milestones:

• September 7, 2006 – site launched and first post published for Thai Kitchen
• September 30, 2007 – published first “Shady Restaurant of the Month” feature for Sydney’s Restaurant.
• November 10, 2007 – added restaurant rating capabilities allowing readers to cast their own ratings.
• March 16, 2008 – launched new design (v2) on EatAroundOKC.com
• May 3, 2008 – launched EatAroundOKC on Twitter
• June 10, 2010 – launched EatAroundOKC on Facebook
• August 9-14, 2010 – created inaugural “Local Restaurant Appreciation Week” encouraging everyone to show their appreciation to local restaurants in Oklahoma City.
• November 8, 2010 – launched current design (v3) on EatAroundOKC.com
• December 2, 2010 – launched EatAroundOKC Deals with offer for The Cow Calf-Hay.
• May 24, 2011 – began EatAroundOKC’s partnership with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
• August 18, 2011 – launched restaurant listings database to allow restaurants the opportunity to list themselves on EatAroundOKC for free.

Stats:

• 1.5 Million Pageviews
• 350,000 Unique Visitors
• $6,000 Raised for Regional Food Bank
• 4,508 Reader Comments
• 4,270 Tweets
• 3,661 Twitter Followers
• 3,204 Facebook Fans
• 191 Restaurant Reviews
• 35 Deals Offered

If you would have told me five years ago that a simple, hyper-local, niche website about places I like to eat in Oklahoma City could turn into this, I would have never believed it. I am truly grateful for all of your support and participation. Thank you all so much. I look forward to the next five years and beyond!

Cafe Kacao opened up earlier this year in a small building along Classen Boulevard that was formerly occupied by a tire shop. I watched with interest as this building was converted and became especially intrigued when their sign went up, billing themselves as a “Guatamalan Breakfast House.” Now, Guatamalan food is one of my favorite cuisines and breakfast is one of my three favorite meals of the day, so I was intrigued early on and was eager to try them out once they opened their doors.

Though the building isn’t much to look at on the outside, they’ve done a decent job polishing it up, and the interiors are very comfortable and clean. There are several tables and even a couch and some chairs for a coffee shop feel in part of the space. They’re obviously working to create a place that welcomes you to sit back and stay awhile. The atrium-style glass front brings a lot of sunlight into the dining area which is nice at breakfast time and, at least the times I’ve been, their air conditioning units have, quite remarkably, been able to keep the temperatures comfortable in spite of all the sun.

I’ve been to Cafe Kacao a couple of times at lunch and once for Saturday breakfast / brunch and every experience has been enjoyable. The food is fresh, colorfully presented and very tasty. It has a feel of Guatemalan home cooking kicked up just a notch in creativity. Though they offer lunch and dinner fare, I have always made my selections from the extensive breakfast menu.

On my first visit, I had the Tikal Breakfast ($9.99 – see a pic), recommended by my server as an opportunity to try lots of things. It comes with scrambled eggs, thin sliced grilled flank steak, Longaniza (a Guatemalan sausage), refried black beans and fried plantains. It’s also served with what is perhaps my favorite food item in all of the world – thick, homemade corn tortillas (see a pic). If you haven’t had Guatamalan-style corn tortillas, you must try them sometime. I’ve mentioned the tortillas at Cocina Guatelinda many times before and these are similar. Cafe Kacao also makes a “red tortilla” which has some Guajillo Chili mixed into the batter. You can ask if they have them available.

The Tikal was great. I cut up my steak and loaded it, along with some eggs, beans, and a bit of their spicy green sauce, into the warm tortillas, making some wonderful breakfast tacos. The sausage was also very unique and enjoyable. Obviously, this was enough food for two people to share or to at least take home some leftovers, but as I am prone to do, I ate most all of it myself.

On my second visit, I found a dish that’s going to be hard for me to get away from – the Huevos Rancheros ($7.50 – see a pic). Beautiful and colorful, this dish combines whole black beans, sunny-side-up eggs, those amazing corn tortillas (lightly fried), sour cream, ranchero sauce, pico and avocado slices. The textures, flavors and colors of this dish just make me happy. It’s sort of a good thing that Cafe Kacao isn’t open early enough for me to stop by each morning, or I would likely be consuming way too many of these.

On my third visit, I brought my wife for Saturday breakfast. I had the Huevos Rancheros again and she had an omelette, which she said was one of the best she’s had. But the real treat was discovering the available-only-on-Saturdays french toast ($6.99 – see a pic). I am not a big french toast fan but this won me over. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, it’s topped with whipped cream cheese, strawberries, apples, bananas and powdered sugar. The whole thing is served in a beautiful, tall presentation. I loved it. I just loved it.

So, I’m really sold on Cafe Kacao as you can tell, but another one of our writers, Sarah, also tried it with her husband and I wanted to share some of her perspective as well. Sarah says:

“Hubs ordered the Breakfast Sandwich ($6.99 – see a pic) for his entree, which was served with grilled sourdough bread stuffed with a mountain of scrambled eggs, bacon and cheddar cheese. They were happy to substitute their fresh, white cheese instead of the cheddar for him. It also came with a cup of mosh (Guatemalan oatmeal) and fresh fruit topped with their passion fruit and raspberry sauce. He had never had mosh and he liked the sweet taste but wished the consistency had been a little thicker.

“I chose the Migallas ($7.25 – see a pic), which include scrambled eggs mixed with tortilla chips, onion, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeno. It came with a side of refried black beans and fresh fruit. The Migallas were good, but heavy on the tortilla chips, which I found somewhat greasy. I could have used about half the chips and a lot more eggs and veggies. The green salsa served on the side was was delicious poured over the eggs.”

There’s more than just breakfast at Cafe Kacao. You can see their full and extensive menu on their website. I’m just not sure that I’ll ever get past the breakfast items because they are just so tasty. With friendly service, a comfortable atmosphere and tasty Guatemalan dishes creatively prepared and presented, Cafe Kacao is a great addition to the Oklahoma City restaurant landscape and a must try for weekend brunch, in my opinion.

Have you been to Cafe Kacao? Have you tried anything other than breakfast? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

See more photos from Cafe Kacao in our Facebook photo album.

Chances are you’ve heard of Mutt’s Amazing Hot Dogs. If you haven’t heard of Mutt’s, you’ve likely heard of Mutt’s sister restaurant, Big Truck Tacos. If you haven’t heard of Big Truck Tacos … well, you’ve likely been living underground for awhile. For if restaurant popularity were gauged solely by number of Facebook fans, Big Truck Tacos, with nearly 19,000 presently, would likely be the most popular local restaurant in Oklahoma City.

And with this overwhelming wind of support at their backs, the folks at Big Truck Tacos have launched a new restaurant which, in my opinion, is one of the most unique restaurants in our fair city.

I’ve been to Mutt’s Amazing Hot Dogs about five times now in the past few weeks. This is pretty unusual for me. As a person who makes an ongoing effort to try new places, it’s rare for me invest so many meals at a single place in such a short amount of time. But Mutt’s keeps drawing me back. There’s so much on the menu I want to try. It’s the type of place you can keep visiting over and over and always try something new.

Plus, there’s good value to be found here. Sure, there are some specialty hot dogs with exotic meats and toppings (see below) that cost close to $10 each, but there’s also the “Best in Show,” where you have your choice of a beef, chicken, or falafel dog (that’s right, falafel!) on a very tasty, grilled artisan bun dressed up how you like it for $3 (see a pic). In my opinion, this is one of the best values in town. One hot dog each plus a generous side of fries for $2.50, and you’ve got dinner for two for less than $9.

Of course, if you’re up for spending a little more, the options are, quite literally, limitless. There are over ten “standard dogs” which all start with a beef frank dressed up in an incredible variety of ways. There are “stretch dogs” which use a longer, 10″ beef frank. And then there are nearly 15 “specialty dogs,” which are built on franks made from chicken, andouille sausage, wild boar sausage, spam, rabbit sausage, kobe beef, lamb sausage, bison, falafel, italian sausage, duck sausage … etc. At Mutt’s, dogs are prepared in just about every way imaginable from bacon-wrapped to chicken-fried, and they’re topped with some of the most creative concoctions you’ll find anywhere.

No, this is not your standard hot dog place. There’s nothing like it in Oklahoma City.

Now, since I’d never had a Kobe Beef dog before, and since it was one of the most expensive on the menu, I gave the Ardee Dog a try just to see how a $9 hot dog tastes. The Ardee is topped with truffle aioli, potato salad, blue cheese, and fried onions. It is truly something to behold (see a pic) and definitely a knife and fork type of hot dog.

The Ardee was good with a truly unique flavor combination and I really enjoyed it. But, to be honest, I don’t think I’d spend $9 on it again when there are so many other great options available for less. On the other hand, I highly recommend the Slum Dog for $5.50 (see a pic). The chicken dog used is quite spicy and filling and the curried cabbage with apple-sriracha aioli brings a flavor I truly enjoyed.

On the “standard dog” side of the menu, I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve tried. The S’noran ($6 – see a pic) offers a bacon-wrapped beef frank with cheddar-jack cheese, pico de gallo, mayo, chipotle ketchup, pinto beans, sliced avocado, and mustard. Great flavors and beautifully presented. The Windy City ($4.50 – see a pic) is an excellent Chicago-style classic, and The Pitbull ($4.50 – see a pic) is definitely the hottest hot dog I’ve ever eaten with serrano, habanero, jalepeno and poblano peppers, onion, cilantro-lime aioli, and pepper jack cheese. Yes, it is very, very hot. Consider yourself warned.

When I first heard about Mutt’s opening, I read an article indicating they would be serving some house-made franks. But in talking with one of the owners on opening night, I found this is not true. At least for now, the franks are being sourced. Honestly, when I first saw their menu, I couldn’t imagine how they could possibly make all of those franks in-house, so this makes much more sense. However, I was told they do have the equipment needed to make their own and there may be some house-made specials in their future. I look forward to seeing if that comes to pass as it could become a pretty exceptional treat.

In addition to the vast selection of hot dogs, Mutt’s offers a good line up of side orders as well. I was really excited to try their Duck Fat Fries ($5 – see a pic) to see how they compared to regular fries. My opinion — I prefer the regular fries, especially since they cost half as much. At $2.50 and sized to share, Mutt’s regular fries are excellent (especially enjoyed the bit of sea salt sprinkled on) and I appreciate that they truly are sized for two people. Again, a great value. The duck fat version was fine, but I didn’t feel it warranted the extra $2.50.

I really enjoyed the fried pickles ($4 – see a pic), which in Mutt’s case are pickle spears, not slices. They come six to an order which is enough to share with two or three. Other sides include Deviled Eggs, Red Skinned Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, Chili, and Veggie Chili.

When a place has such an extensive menu, it’s hard to do it justice in a short review, but suffice it to say I have been really impressed with Mutt’s. I always enjoy something unique and Mutt’s has that nailed. But beyond that, I feel they’ve done a great job creating a balanced menu which offers some great value options as well as some opportunities to splurge. This makes it a very easy place to visit again and again, knowing that you don’t have to break the bank to try something truly unique to Oklahoma City.

Have you been to Mutt’s? Please tell us what you’ve tried and what you think in the comments below.

See more pictures from Mutt’s Amazing Hot Dogs in our Facebook photo album.

Our first stop on the Campus Corner Round-Up is Victoria’s, The Pasta Shop. This place has been on my radar for a long time, but I had never visited until recently. I’m really glad I finally got to try it. Victoria’s offers some excellent, no-frills pasta dishes at great prices in a quintessential college-town environment.

My visit was in the summer, so I imagine the vibe is a little different than when school is in full swing. Still, things were hopping on a Friday night. The house was full. We found a seat right away at just after 6pm, but shortly thereafter, people were having to wait for tables.

The building is old and it has a lot of character and charm, with aged hardwood floors and high ceilings. These features also make for a pretty loud room when full. I don’t mind the lively atmosphere, but it is something to keep in mind. My wife and I had a bit of trouble hearing each other throughout our meal.

The more distracting thing about the environment, though, was the heat. Again, we went on a hot summer evening and Victoria’s offered little relief from the high temperatures outside. I thought maybe they were having a/c trouble, so I asked around and found that this is typical on warm nights. It’s definitely not the end of the world, but it was uncomfortable enough for me to mention so that you can be aware. UPDATE (7/7/2011) – Victoria’s has informed us that they’ve installed a new a/c unit to resolve the heat issue. So, this may be a non-issue now.

But even with the noise and the heat, I have no trouble recommending that you give Victoria’s a try. There’s so much to enjoy here, it’s worth enduring a few minor inconveniences.

For starters, it’s one of the only places in OKC serving fresh pasta. Their noodles are prepared by a mom and pop operation in Oklahoma City and delivered fresh to their store several times a week. The difference between fresh and dried pasta is huge. I love the texture you get in every dish here.

I also like the “no-frills” approach. The dishes here are simple combinations of a few pastas, sauces and toppings. Presentations are nothing special — just mounds of pasta loaded on plates. I might not be a fan of this approach if they were charging hefty prices for it. But I tried a bit of the basic spaghetti with classic marinara, and I’ve got to say, I’d take this simple combination of fresh spaghetti with tangy marinara served in a decent portion for $5.79 any time.

Of course, you can get a little fancier at Victoria’s if you want. You can build your own pasta with a choice of noodle, two toppings and a sauce for $7.99. Or start with a basic combination and add any number of toppings ala carte. Plus, Victoria’s has a few specialties like Tortellini, Cheese Lasagna, Shrimp Scampi, and the one that made me very happy — the Black Pepper Linguini.

Victoria’s Black Pepper Linguini ($8.69 – see a pic) is one of those dishes that’s so simple you wonder why everyone isn’t serving it. It’s just a pasta (black pepper linguini) with two toppings (snow crab and spinach), and a lemon-garlic butter sauce. The textures were perfect. Again, there’s no substitute for fresh pasta and they dice the crab into small chunks that blend in so well. The flavors are subtle and fresh and again, so simple, but I really enjoyed everything about this dish. If I lived closer and if I didn’t have to visit all the other local, campus corner restaurants for the series, I would definitely be braving the heat to have this again soon.

My wife tried what our server told us they are known for — the Lasagna Rolls. These have shrimp, spinach and cheese rolled up in fresh lasagna strips and served with marinara and alfredo sauces. You get two of them for $8.69 or get two of them and a pasta for $10.99 (see a pic). The rolls were great. Again, just a very simple dish in a simple presentation, but good quality for a good price.

I think you get the picture about my take on Victoria’s. It’s not fancy, and it may be a little hot in the summer, but it’s very good and very affordable. Enjoy a fresh take on classics or try some of their specialties. I know that I’ll be back to explore more of the menu.

Service was also great on our visit. Our waiter was very friendly and always there when we needed him. He even split our Caesar Salad into two portions for us to share ($3.99 - see a pic), which I appreciated.

Have you been to Victoria’s? Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

See more pictures from Victoria’s The Pasta Shop in our Facebook photo album.

We’re excited to announce that in our first month of partnering with Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma (RFBO), we’ve raised over $3,100 to aid the fight against hunger in our state. These funds have been raised through our EatAroundOKC Deals program which is donating $1 for every voucher sold in the past month.

Since beginning this promotion, we’ve run six deals and have sold approximately 3,180 vouchers altogether. Though that number is not final, it is a very close estimate and means we will be making a donation of approximately $3,180 to RFBO for the first month of our partnership.

As you know, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is an outstanding organization with very low administrative costs of less than 4%. Because of their efficient operations, they are able to provide seven meals to those in need for every $1 they receive in donations. So, we’re thrilled to know that our first month’s donation could provide over 22,000 meals to hungry Oklahomans.

Of course, this would not have been possible without participation from the six restaurants who offered deals through our program in this first month of our partnership with RFBO. I would like to offer a special thanks to Caffe Pranzo, 4U Cafe, Cafe 501, Humble Pie Pizzeria, Irma’s Burger Shack and Home Run Sliders for their participation in our program this month.

I’d also like to thank each of you who supported our program by purchasing vouchers. By choosing to purchase from EatAroundOKC Deals you’ve not only supported local restaurants and our local restaurant website, but you’ve also contributed to Oklahoma’s fight against hunger. We really appreciate all of the support you have shown us and our program.

The Partnership Continues

We’re pleased to tell you that our partnership with the Regional Food Bank will continue next month, and we’re improving the calculation used to determine our financial contributions. Beginning July 1st, our commitment will be to donate 20% of net proceeds from every deal we run to RFBO. We will define net proceeds as the amount of revenue retained by EatAroundOKC after distributing revenue to other parties involved in the transaction, including the restaurant, our operational partners, and any affiliates or sales channels.

We’re excited to continue this partnership and we want to thank you again for your support of EatAroundOKC and the EatAroundOKC Deals program. We appreciate your desire to join us in supporting local Oklahoma City restaurants.

Revisit note: this review was originally published in July of 2009, but has been revisited and updated.

In our original review of Rococo (see below), we highlighted the fact that Bruce Rinehart and his team bring something very unique to Oklahoma City. It’s an experience we described as “East Coast Style,” and it’s something you don’t find much around this area of the country. Since the time our review was first published, Rococo has expanded their operation to a second, larger location at Northpark Mall. They continue to deliver a unique and quality dining experience now in two locations, so we thought it was worth revisiting and republishing our review of Rococo.

One of our writers, Jennifer, recently celebrated her birthday with a dinner at Rococo. She was kind enough to submit her thoughts on that experience and on Rococo in general, so that we could add another perspective to this review. Here’s what Jennifer had to say about Rococo:

“There are certain restaurants I frequent because they have a certain item on the menu that pulls me back every time. And then there is Rococo. I go back there as often as I can just to try something new because I have such confidence in their chefs’ abilities to create amazing food. Sure, I love their crab cake, their blue cheese cookies and their wild mushroom risotto side dish. But every time I go I am always drawn to a new dish or special they created that day. There is something incredibly comforting (especially for a non-picky foodie like me) to just trust a good chef to make you a great plate of food.

“On my most recent trip, there were 26 of us celebrating the 2nd anniversary of my 29th birthday. Rococo is a nice place, fancy even. Often, these places do not look kindly on huge groups of loud parties. Not Rococo. They had everything set up right on time, had two waiters dedicated almost solely to us, got the food out all right and in a timely manner, and the chef even came out several times to make sure we were enjoying our food and having a good time. I could not have picked a better place to celebrate being another year older. I didn’t hear a single complaint about the food or service, a miracle for such a large party. Another huge benefit was that they were open on Sunday night. I was surprised to find out once I started planning this party that not many restaurants are.

“I’ve also been to Rococo’s new location at Northpark. I love that there are multiple seating options here. You can sit at the bar, around the fireplace in comfy chairs or more formally at a table for a full meal. I went on a Thursday night for happy hour. We sat around the fireplace and the ambiance was great. They had a free appetizer bar that had some pretty regular fare but it was warm and a nice little treat. If you live in Northwest Oklahoma City, this is definitely a place you should check out.”

So, what do you think about Rococo? We’d love to hear your thoughts. You can add them to our comments at the bottom of this review. And, be sure to check out the content of our original review below.

Original review from July of 2009:

If you’ve read many of our reviews, you know that we’re always searching for the unique things restaurants offer to the Oklahoma City landscape. So, when Andrew and I visited Rococo’s, there was one thing that stood out to us above everything else — east coast style.

You feel it from the moment you walk in. The rich, dark, almost swanky decor is absent the southwest influence that we’re accustomed to around these parts. The seafood-rich menu and extensive wine list add to the vibe. But you really find out what this place is about when owner/chef Bruce Rinehart stops by your table, which he is almost certain to do. Spend just a moment conversing with Bruce and you’ll understand what is unique about Rococo.

Bruce spent a lot of time opening and running restaurants on the east coast, so you can understand where the style comes from. If you are from that region, I’d imagine Rococo would feel a lot like home. If you’re not, Rococo is still worth your attention for its other great strength — fresh seafood.

We actually get a lot of questions about where to get good seafood in Oklahoma City. Now that I’ve been to Rococo, I can say I think it’s a worthy seafood contender. There aren’t a great many places I know of that offer simple, fresh seafood presentations. Most of the time around here, seafood is fried or blackened or spiced up in some other southwestern or cajun-influenced way. But at Rococo, we had a beautiful presentation of their Petrale Sole filet ($18.75), lightly dusted with flour, sauteed in butter and served with capers, lemon pulp and tiny, delicate croutons. It’s rare to get to taste the actual fish as much as you could in this presentation, and the fish tasted great.

We also had the crabcake (market price) that Rococo is happy to claim as the best in the city. That might seem haughty to you, but I’d have to say that I agree with the claim. This is not a mixture of crab and other fillers pressed into a patty. This is a heaping mound of huge chunks of crab meat topped with a few types of breadcrumbs and baked. You order crab and you taste crab — and again, the crab tastes great.

In addition to the on-menu seafood items, Rococo offers off-menu specials that vary daily as they overnight fresh seafood from the coast as available. That’s right, here is a place where you can literally taste fresh seafood from the east coast. If you want to stay up on what’s fresh, subscribe to their email newsletter on their home page, or follow them on Twitter. We’re seeing a lot of restaurants really utilize Twitter lately and Rococo is one that does a great job communicating that way.

Alright, so I’ve given you a glowing picture of what I think Rococo does best — seafood with an east coast flair. But their menu doesn’t stop there. In fact, their menu is widely varied with steaks, chops, pastas, and even some sandwiches at lunch. It might even be a bit too varied in my opinion. Personally, I’d like to see them expand their seafood options and limit the other things, but that’s just me.

I mean, I haven’t tried all that many things, but I had a bit of the Penne Bolognese ($15.75 at dinner) and, while it was fresh and perfectly fine, it was lighter on flavor than I would typically expect from the rich Italian dish. There are other places I would put above Rococo for Italian food, at least based on what I experienced.

Andrew had the filet ($25.25 and $34.75), which was very well-cooked and flavorful with a really nice sauce that didn’t overpower. I had a bite of it and thought it was good as well. Nothing wrong with it and it’s a decent price, I’m just thinking there are lots of other places you can get steaks done at least as well.

One thing to keep in mind is that Rococo offers a pretty reasonable lunch menu. Sandwiches and smaller entrees are offered anywhere from $7-$15 making a good value when you’re looking for lunch.

So, my bottom line on Rococo is that they offer a lot of options and they do it all pretty well, but if you want to try the thing they do exceptionally well and that’s unique here in our fair city, go for the seafood, especially the crab cake and whatever seafood specials Bruce is flying in on the day you visit. This is where Rococo shines and can provide you with something you’re not likely to experience anywhere else in town.

What are your thoughts on Rococo? Let us know in the comments.

I was initially drawn to Kamp’s 1910 Cafe because it fits into a very small group of restaurants that is really close to my heart. That is, local restaurants in Oklahoma City open at 6am with free wifi, power outlets and good iced tea. Kamp’s meets the criteria of this exclusive list beautifully, which is reason enough for me to take notice.

But as I’ve visited Kamp’s a few times now, I’ve discovered that they also have some good food, giving you a reason to take notice even if you don’t happen to enjoy visiting restaurants at 6am. In fact, the food at Kamp’s Cafe has surprised me in how much I’ve enjoyed it.

Kamp’s 1910 Cafe is housed in a beautiful, historic structure on NW 10th street just to the east of Broadway. It’s situated right in between the railroad tracks and I-235. It’s so close to the railroad tracks, in fact, that you can vividly experience the frequent passing of trains while you dine.

This building used to house Java Dave’s, which is now located in a smaller building to the south. This is a pretty large facility for a restaurant, and the dining area is quite open and spacious. The interior is really quite beautiful with rich wood floors and gleaming table tops. A giant wall of windows lines the north end, offering a dynamic view of the … well, the electrical power grid across the street. Ok, so it’s not the most scenic view but the natural light is very much appreciated.

The only downside to the facility is that it can be quite loud at peak times. The open space and hard surfaces serve as an effective sounding board when a lot of people fill the room, making it tough to have a conversation.

It should be noted that Kamp’s actually operates two separate concepts from within this same facility. Kamp’s 1910 Cafe is the focus of this review and is open from 6am to 5pm every day but Sunday. But they also have The Vineyard, a wine and tapas bar, which opens 4pm to 8pm on those same days.

With regards to the type of food and drink they serve at Kamp’s, I usually tell people it’s like a local version of Panera. They are baking breads, bagels, muffins and other goodies in house and serving them alongside a menu of sandwiches, salads and soups. They’ve also got a full coffee shop built right in.

For breakfast, they have baked goods like muffins and bagels and also a small selection of breakfast sandwiches and entrees. I had the breakfast burrito once (see a pic), which was pretty filling for $4.75. It was more like a panini-grilled wrap, with a thick tortilla stuffed with potatos, egg, sausage, and cheese and served with some very good salsa.

For lunch, I’ve tried a couple of selections. I had the “Wrong Side of the Tracks” Reuben ($7.99 with one side – see a pic). Honestly, I was expecting a pretty good reuben, but what I found was a great reuben. I loved the spicy dressing and the quality of the meat was excellent. The thick rye bread was great too and it was served panini-grilled with great texture.

For my side, I tried the fruit salad, which was good, but very unique with a light, herby dressing covering the fruit. I enjoyed it, but I’m not sure it would be for everyone. It’s definitely not the typical fresh fruit salad you might expect.

On another occasion, I tried the “Speakeasy Club” salad ($8.49 – see a pic) at the recommendation of the person taking my order. This is one of those salads that doesn’t really seem like a salad because it’s none too healthy. The romain lettuce was fresh and green and piled high with all kinds of meats and cheeses and avocado. I had it with their homemade ranch dressing which was excellent.

I also tried a homemade carrot cake cupcake (see a pic). It was delicious. The cake was extremely moist and flavorful and the icing was great as well, though there was a ton of icing, perhaps too much for me. This was a large and filling cupcake, easily enough to share. At $2.49, I thought this was one of the best values at Kamp’s and, in comparison to other specialty cupcake shops, a great cupcake value all around.

I was drawn to Kamp’s by its unique location, convenient morning hours, and wifi, but the quality of its menu items have continued to bring me back. I think Kamp’s is definitely worth your attention. Give them a try and let us know what you think of Kamp’s in the comments below.

See more pictures from Kamp’s 1910 Cafe in our Facebook photo album.

Please indulge us while we take a break from our regular flow of restaurant reviews to share some exciting news about what’s happening here at EatAroundOKC. We’re very pleased to announce that we’re beginning what we hope will be a long-term partnership with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. This outstanding organization battles on the front lines of the fight against hunger in our state and by supporting their efforts, we hope to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need.

For full details about the commitments we’ve made to Regional Food Bank, you can check out the Our Cause page here on our website.

$1 Donated for Every Voucher Sold

The most tangible aspect of our partnership is that, beginning with this week’s deal, we’ll be donating $1 for every voucher sold through the EatAroundOKC Deals program to the Regional Food Bank.

I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the Regional Food Bank operates so efficiently and with such buying power that they are able to make seven meals out of every dollar donated. So, when you buy a voucher through EatAroundOKC Deals from this point forward, you’re not only getting a great meal for yourself at a great discount, you’re also supplying seven meals to those in need.

Sharing Through Our Communications Channels

We also plan to support the Food Bank by utilizing our communications channels, as appropriate, to spread the word about their activities and ways in which we all can support their efforts. As you read updates from the Regional Food Bank in our Twitter feed or on our Facebook page, we hope you’ll stay open to their message and consider lending your support as well.

Why Regional Food Bank?

Naturally, we spend a lot of time thinking about and talking about food. As with anything in life, without balance, it’s easy to get wrapped up in our own world where dining options are limitless and where it’s easy to forget that for many people, food is purely a means of survival. We hope that by channeling some of our efforts towards the cause of fighting hunger in our state, we can provide that balance and can be a part of the solution in our own small way.

Thanks for Your Support!

We are grateful for your support of EatAroundOKC and we hope you’ll also consider supporting the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma with your time and your donations. Thank you for being a part of the discussion and a part of the solution.

With three small boys at home and limited budgets, my wife and I don’t get out for fancy dining too often. On the rare occasions we have a special night out, there’s always a bit of a debate about where to go. She likes to stick with places she knows and I like to try new things. Fortunately, I was able to convince her to try the Signature Grill a while back. After dining here, we both agreed we had found a new favorite.

The outside of Signature Grill is misleading. You see, it sits in a strip mall. It’s a very nice strip mall on the far north side of Edmond, but still, the exterior gives you no hint of the treasure that lies inside.

Walk into the restaurant, however, and you enter a whole new world. The small, cozy dining area is decorated in deep, rich, modern colors. A wall of windows on the far end lets you glance into the gleaming kitchen. I absolutely love the interior of Signature Grill. For me, it walks a perfect balance. It’s upscale without being overtly ornate; intimate yet still vibrant.

From the moment we entered, service was impeccable. Given the rather small dining area, I was surprised at the number of staff I saw actively working to provide dedicated attention to each table. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu and made excellent recommendations. Everyone we encountered throughout the evening was extremely friendly.

Needless to say, the food was very impressive as well. My wife declared it the best meal she’s had in Oklahoma City. To really appreciate this statement you have to understand that my wife doesn’t really like to eat out much and rarely finds a place to which she would return. But this one was special. Everything we had was exceptionally flavorful, beautifully presented, and served at exactly the right temperature.

All entrees at Signature Grill come with two side items. You can even choose their side salad or Caesar salad as one of your side items if you wish. For my meal, I had the 8oz Beef Tenderloin (Filet) with Smoked Blue Cheese and Cabernet Sauvignon wine reduction. For sides, I chose the Caesar Salad and the Bacon and Crimini Mushroom Risotto. All of this for $32. Now, $32 is not cheap, but compare this to a higher-end steakhouse where the filet by itself would likely cost closer to $40. I found the value at Signature Grill to be outstanding.

The filet was a very thick, hand-cut steak expertly cooked. The smoky flavor of the blue cheese made for a luxurious flavor with the wine reduction. It was strong, but not too much in my opinion. Next time, I might like to try the green peppercorn brandy sauce which is typically served on their Beef Tenderloin Medallions but which our server told me could be used on the filet as well.

The risotto I chose was plated beside the filet. Let me just say, this side item is a must try. In fact, my fellow writer, Sarah, and her husband dined at Signature Grill shortly after I did on my recommendation, and they both agreed that “when you go, you HAVE to get the risotto!” It is creamy, delicious and very rich. Sarah said she was almost full after the two bites she stole from her husband’s plate. I, of course, ate the whole thing.

My Caesar salad was perhaps the best I’ve ever had. I don’t often get too excited about a salad, but this one hit me with the bold flavors of its traditional anchovy dressing. The Caesar dressing was just the right amount and evenly distributed over every bit of lettuce as if someone had meticulously painted it on. It’s the attention to details like this that impressed me throughout my meal at Signature Grill.

My wife chose the Pan Seared Chicken which had a wine and herb flavor. It was very simple, but cooked just right. She loved it and, again, she is not easily impressed. Her favorite side item were the scalloped potatoes, which she said were the best she’s ever had. She also had a side of the asparagus and tomatoes.

Sarah’s husband had the crab bisque as one of his sides, which he said he could eat every night of the week. Sarah had a side of stuffed tomatoes with goat cheese and spinach which she said were among the best things she’s ever eaten in her life. Their entrees were the Alaskan Halibut topped with lump crab meat and toasted panko ($32) and the Beef Tenderloin Medallions ($28). Oh, and we also had desserts. We had the Creme Brulee and Sarah had the Coconut Cream Cake which she described as “so pretty I could have taken a nap in it.”

As you can see, our two couples tried a lot of different things on two separate occasions and, in all cases, Signature Grill delivered amazing food wrapped up in delightful experiences. It’s not often I get so excited about a new local find, but as I said before, this one is special. I can’t wait to go back, and I highly recommend you give them a try when you’re looking for a special night out.

Have you been to Signature Grill? Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

Though Oklahoma City has a wealth of Thai restaurants to choose from, Thai Stop has a unique place in our landscape as a limited-service Thai option. Located on May Avenue, north of Memorial, in an area that seems to be the capital of new, quality, local, limited-service concepts (such as Nhinja, Coolgreens, and Cafe 7), Thai Stop adds another nice option to the growing mix of restaurants within walking distance in that location.

The interior of Thai stop is spacious and modern with stained concrete floors, rich colors and nice fixtures. In fact, the look of the place coupled with their slick marketing posters caused me to wonder at first if it was a chain. But it is not. It is a single, locally-owned entity. The owners used to own both Thai Stop and Bankok Thai (near NW Expressway and MacArthur) but sold Bankok a while back in order to focus their efforts here.

On my first visit, I had the Pad Thai, of course. You can get chicken Pad Thai for $6.49 at lunch and $7.49 at dinner. Pretty good pricing, I think, and the portion is decent, though it left me wanting just a bit more. The flavor was pretty much right for me. I don’t like it when Pad Thai is too sweet and Thai Stop’s version suited my tastes well.

On my next visit, I tried the Crispy Chicken with Tamarind Sauce ($6.75 at lunch, $8.99 at dinner). The chicken was very good. Mine was the lunch version and was still a fairly large portion of tender, all white meat chicken with a very light, crispy exterior. Rather than small chunks of chicken battered and fried all the way around, this was a single piece of white meat that was battered, fried and then cut into strips. This made for a great presentation and also made it quite easy to eat. The tamarind sauce was great as well — sweet, tangy and with peanuts mixed in.

While it was well-prepared, I probably wouldn’t opt for the Chicken with Tamarind Sauce again. I guess personally I prefer stir-fry dishes that include vegetables and a little more sauce to tie everything together and mix in with the rice. The sauce in this dish was really just enough to compliment the chicken, leaving the mound of steamed white rice to be pretty much eaten on its own. Perhaps if I’d have gotten fried rice (which is also an option) I would have enjoyed it a bit more. Still, the quality of the ingredients motivates me to visit Thai Stop again and try one of their other menu offerings.

Thai stop offers 6-7 lunch specials which each come with steamed or fried rice and a sweet biscuit for under $7. They also have a different curry dish each day on their lunch menu. I saw someone nearby enjoying the curry of the day and it looked really good. Dinner pricing is between $8-$10 per entrée. Since they don’t have a website or an online menu, I’ve posted the pics I took of their menu in a pdf file here.

One minor thing I really enjoyed about Thai Stop is the fact that they only charge $1.00 for iced tea (with free refills). Other soft drinks are $1.49. It has always seemed to me that tea shouldn’t be as expensive as soft drinks, but most restaurants charge the same amount for all of them. Kudos to Thai Stop for offering a break to us tea-lovers.

With good prices, good portions, quality ingredients, and a limited-service concept, I think Thai Stop is definitely worth a visit. The food tastes quite fresh and they claim on their menu that they add no MSG. I’d love to hear what you think about Thai Stop. Leave us your thoughts in the comments below.

We always enjoy highlighting places that are somewhat hidden or off the beaten path. Recently, our review of 4U Cafe introduced a pretty awesome grill serving great onion burgers and more from its hidden location inside a gun shop. And, of course, there’s the shady restaurant series which has brought attention to many tasty treasures in unlikely spots.

Today, we’re bringing you a tasty, hidden lunch spot. It’s not shady, but it is a bit difficult to find (unless you happen to work in the same building). But make the effort to discover Urban Bistro and you’ll be rewarded with some fresh, quality food in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere. Plus, you’ll be able to impress your friends with your knowledge of a place they never knew existed.

First, you have to find it. Most likely, you’re familiar with what I call the “IBC Bank building” on NW Highway, near Portland (I believe the official name of the building is the Caliber Center). You need to park on the north side of this building and enter through a door on the exterior of the northwest side. From a distance, the door looks unmarked, but as you get closer, you will be reassured by the Urban Bistro logo that becomes visible.

One of the things I like best about Urban Bistro is the atmosphere. It’s quite surprising. Once you walk through the door, you enter a very simple, yet nicely-designed and comfortable dining area. The first time I ate at Urban Bistro it was a very hot summer day, yet inside it was nice and cool which impressed me given the fully glass exterior walls. It’s also very quiet and calm, which makes it great for lunch meetings.

The food is surprising as well. In the building where I work, we’ve had a few dining establishments come and go, and most of them offered standard and very uninspired burgers, tacos and such. But Urban Bistro is not your typical office-building food. The menu isn’t large, but it offers a host of fresh and unique soups, salads, sandwiches and other specialties.

I chose the Crab Cake Sandwich ($8) on my first visit. It’s served on focaccia with roasted tomatoes, spinach and chipotle aioli and it comes with your choice of house-made potato chips or sweet potato fries. I chose the potato chips and I really enjoyed this meal. The crab cake wasn’t spectacular. It was fine, but what really made the sandwich was that focaccia bread and the combination of toppings. Great flavor and great texture. The house-made chips were good as well.

I also had a cup of the Cream of Mushroom soup ($3), the soup of that day, and it was very good. I thought it was on par with some of the higher-end varieties around town, such as the one at Paseo Grill.

My dining partners that day both had the Magnolia BLT ($6), served on focaccia with avocadoes and jalepeno relish. They had both eaten here before and raved about this sandwich. I’ll have to try it another time. Did you see that price? $6 including choice of chips or fries. A pretty good value, IMO. Of course, the BLT is one of the least expensive items on the menu.

Now, my second visit to Urban Bistro was not as stellar. I had the Upscale Burger ($7), which is served on that terrific focaccia bread with greens, roasted tomatoes and balsamic onions. Again, the bread and the toppings were the star here. Good flavor, but the meat was pretty dry and the whole thing was tough to eat.

My wife had the quiche of the day ($8) which she thought was fair. It was pretty dry as well. However, the mixed greens and fresh fruit served with it were good and very pretty on the plate.

My biggest disappointment at Urban Bistro was with the sweet potato fries. I love sweet potato fries so I opted to try them on my second visit. These had a very tough and wax-like exterior, making them very difficult to eat and not very tasty. This was unfortunate, but luckily you have the option of the house-made potato chips, which are very good, so I recommend sticking with them.

There are still quite a few things on the menu at Urban Bistro that intrigue me, so I will be back to try more options. Despite a few items that I wish had been better, there is enough good stuff happening here that I think it is worth your attention. For a fresh, healthy lunch alternative in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere, I think Urban Bistro delivers. So, now that you know about it, give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below.

See more photos from Urban Bistro in our Facebook Photo album.

Here are today’s winners. Please note that winners will receive an email with instructions on how to claim their prizes.

• Jerry and Lesa win $25 gift cards to Rococo’s Restaurant (review).
• Sharon and Alexis win $15 gift cards to The Wedge Pizzeria (review), also good at any Deep Fork Group restaurant.
• Lynn wins a $25 gift card to Iguana Mexican Grill (review).
• J and Michele win $10 gift certificates to Bunny’s Onion Burgers (review).
• Benjamin wins a $20 gift certificate to Prairie Thunder Baking Company (review).
• KC and Jeff win $10 gift cards to any A Good Egg Dining Group restaurant, including Cheever’s Cafe (review) and Iron Starr BBQ (review).
• Jerrald wins a free KeepItLocalOK card.

Remember, the giveaway continues for the next two months and the entries start over. Every comment left on any article on this website during the months of March and April will count as an entry. We’ve got a lot of prizes left to give away so be sure to leave those comments. For full details, see our giveaway page.

Congrats to all of today’s winners and good luck to everyone in the next two months. Thanks for all the great comments!

I must apologize for the length of time that has passed since the last time we gave away some gift cards in the fall. It’s been a busy few months around EatAroundOKC. We launched a completely new brand and website design as well as the EatAroundOKC Deals program. With all of this activity, the gift card giveaways were put on hold for a few months.

But no worries, because we’ll be counting all comments left on our site from November 2010 through February 2011 as entries for this next round of gift card giveaways. Every comment is an entry, so the more comments you leave, the better your chances of winning. You’ve got two more weeks to get those comments in so take a look around the site, find a restaurant  you’ve visited but never commented on, and let us know what you think. Your comments are the most valuable part of this site, and they may even win you some free food!

Please remember that comments left on Facebook don’t count as entries. We love having discussions on our Facebook page, but we also need your comments on our website. Facebook discussions are temporary and eventually drop off the page as time moves on, but comments left on our articles will endure. So, be sure to leave your thoughts on this website as well as joining the discussion on Facebook.

Thanks again for all of your support of local Oklahoma City restaurants and EatAroundOKC. We enjoy being a part of the discussion with you!