Usually small towns have to wait to get the attractions that large towns offer but in this case, it’s the other way around. Anyone from the Purcell area knows about Jo’s Famous Pizza, but those of us in Oklahoma City have only recently been able to experience it. They opened a location in Edmond a while back, but it wasn’t until their newest location opened near Hefner and Rockwell in northwest Oklahoma City that I discovered Jo’s. The northwest location is a bit hidden and you can’t see it clearly from the street, but now that you know it’s there, seek it out. I highly recommend that you try it.

The “Jo” of Jo’s Famous Pizza managed the Purcell location until the end of 2011. Now that location is run by Jo’s sister and her nephew, Justin Price, runs the OKC location (Justin’s father runs the Edmond store, which I haven’t ever personally visited). Justin has done a great job in training his employees to be very friendly and most helpful. Our waitress was able to meet all of our requests with a “can do” attitude that made us feel like nothing was a problem. For instance, my husband likes BBQ chicken pizza and I don’t. A lot of places won’t make a half and half pizza of this combination because of the different sauces. No problem here, though. In fact, they will even make thirds and fourths if that’s what you want. Wow! Here’s a place where a family or group of four people can each get exactly what they want on their portion of the pie.

There’s quite a large selection of interesting pizza combinations on Jo’s menu including The Sooner (bacon, chicken, sausage, hamburger, pepperoni, hot links – see a pic), The Cowboy (BBQ sauce, cheddar, hamburger, onions, bacon) and The Thunder (buffalo chicken and bleu cheese). You can also choose your own toppings from any of the twenty-seven salad and pizza toppings on the menu.

Jo’s offers four sizes of pizzas. The cheapest is the 10 inch cheese at $8.99 and then sizes and toppings go up all the way to the 16 inch “Famous Specials” at $27.99.  If the prices seem a little high, you must take into consideration the extreme amount of toppings Jo’s applies to each pie. I’ve never seen toppings piled on this thick. Even if you just get a single topping, the pie will be completely covered. I can’t stress enough how filling these pizzas are, so keep that in mind when choosing your size.

On our first visit, my husband and I shared a medium and we were full after two pieces. He had the BBQ chicken, and I had the BLT (see a pic). The BLT comes with thickly-sliced tomatoes. Next time I may order the chopped tomatoes to make it a little easier to eat.

We also ordered the Rollers appetizer ($5 – see a pic) which includes their fresh dough filled with cheese and chopped Canadian bacon. Then they roll it up, brush on garlic sauce and bake it. It was delicious, and we could have made a meal just out of this.

The salads at Jo’s are impressive as well. This is far from your standard iceberg mix. All of Jo’s salads contain the same ingredients (except for the Wedge) so you just choose a size based on how many people want to share it. The salads consist of mixed greens, fresh mozzarella, chopped Canadian bacon, diced tomatoes, black olives and cheese toast. They have a great selection of housemade dressings. I chose Holli’s House, which had an oil and vinegar base, and it was a little on the sweet side. Tim has said that the Pa’s Garlic dressing is excellent.

Homemade quality is the name of the game at Jo’s. They obviously spend a good deal of time on their fresh ingredients. The meats they use are all a cut above. The pizza sauce and garlic sauce are house made and I was glad to see they use Head Country BBQ sauce, which is made in Ponca City.

Their homemade crust might just be the star of the show, though. It’s light and flaky while still substantial enough to hold up to the loads of toppings they are piling on. There are three crust options. We had the medium crust which is standard unless otherwise requested. I think next time we may try the ultra-thin as we are avid thin-crust fans. Tim says he’s sticking with the standard as he thinks it’s just about perfect for the way they construct their pizzas.

At lunch, Jo’s offers a great value in their lunch special, which gets you a six inch pizza (any combination or number of toppings – see pics) or sandwich with a small salad and drink for $9.99. They also offer a kid’s menu option any time of day which includes a cheese ($4) or pepperoni ($5) mini-pizza and a drink. And if you grab a take-out menu on your way out, there are some special coupons inside to help you save in other ways.

Speaking of kids — Tim, who has three young boys, says he considers this one of the most family-friendly restaurants around. According to him, the staff is always extremely accommodating to children. They will even bring the kids little balls of dough to play with while they wait.

Overall, I think Jo’s pizza delivers a great experience. The pricing per pizza is on the higher-end, but once you figure out just how filling these pies are, you’ll discover you can order small and eat here for a reasonable cost. Or, order big and take it home to make two or three meals out of it. I’m so glad to see a “famous” small-town, mom and pop pizza place move into the city. The fact that the Northwest OKC location is so close to my house is a nice bonus for me.

Have you tried Jo’s Famous Pizza? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Get more information and see more photos on our restaurant listings for Jo’s Famous Pizza in Edmond and Jo’s Famous Pizza in OKC.

Since I work in the Bethany area, I am thrilled to see Birrieria Diaz bringing something quite unique to the downtown Bethany area. The brightly-colored exterior of the building is enough to get your attention and the claim of “Homemade Corn Tortillas” painted on the window solidified the deal for me. I knew I had to check them out as soon as they opened. Since that time, I’ve been back often. Birrieria Diaz has become a part of my regular rotation.

First off, let’s clarify one thing — Birrieria Diaz is not Tex-Mex or Okla-Mex. What I mean by that is they don’t serve rice and beans and flour tortillas with everything. It’s important to set that expectation up front because I know this can be quite a surprise when comparing places like this to most other Mexican food restaurants in town. So, set those expectations aside and prepare for something different when you visit the Birrieria.

On my first visit, I was immediately won over by the fantastic salsa. It’s complimentary and served with a fresh basket of chips the moment you sit down. I would describe it as a red/green mix and I would go so far as to claim it’s some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Now, on my second return, it was a little watery, but on every visit since then it has been back to its original deliciousness.

When you’re deciding what to order it really comes down to this — you can go with the specialty of the house (the Birria) or you can get something else. Now, most everything I’ve tried here has been good, but when your whole restaurant is named for one particular dish and that dish is printed by itself on the front page of the menu, I’d say that’s a strong hint that the Birria is the best place to start.

Ask Tim about the Birria and he’ll tell you it “makes me glad I started a website like EatAroundOKC so I can tell people about things like this.” It really is something everyone should try. When I asked Juan, our server and the son of the owner, what I should order, I’m glad he pretty much insisted I try the Birria.

So, what is it? Well, it’s slow-cooked meat covered in a delicious, thick and spicy tomato broth, served with homemade corn tortillas and a whole bunch of other condiments — all for $5! You can get it made with either sheep or beef (this may be the only place I’ve ever seen “sheep” listed on a menu). Now, if you ask the Diaz family, they’ll tell you the only reason they offer it with beef is for those who might object to the sheep. The first time I went I chose the beef, but tried the sheep shortly thereafter and, I must say — I’m a believer. I’ll be sticking with the sheep from now on. If your first inclination is to shy away from sheep meat, I encourage you to give it a try here. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Once you order the Birria, the condiments I mentioned above arrive first. There are six or seven of them in small serving dishes including fresh-cut cilantro, limes, roasted and salted hot peppers, white onion, purple onion with chopped habanero bits, and radishes (see a pic). The homemade corn tortillas are served in a basket with some of them heavily charred and crispy and others warm and soft (see a pic). This is a great touch to give some tortilla options, I think.

I chose to fill my first tortilla with meat, onions and the roasted peppers. I should have tested the heat of the peppers before I took a big bite because the heat rose from my stomach to the top of my head in about five seconds. After two glasses of iced tea, I was able to commence eating the rest of the Birria. It is important to note that most things at Birrieria Diaz have a bit of heat to them.

All of this — the chips, salsa, Birria, tortillas and condiments — can be yours for just $5.00, making this a pretty amazing value. The Birria actually comes in three sizes — small ($5.00 – see a pic), medium ($7.00), and large ($9.00). The small is plenty for an individual. I’ve even met some who split the small size.

Once you’ve tried the Birria, I think it’s fair to move on and explore the rest of their menu. We’ve ordered or been with people who have ordered the chicken enchiladas with green sauce ($6.99), the chicken burrito (4.50), the tamales ($6.99 – see a pic) and more. We even met up with former EatAroundOKC contributors Greg and Sam for lunch once. Sam had a selection of five tacos ($1.60 each – see a pic), which he didn’t think were as good as some of the other Taquerias in town, but I’ve personally enjoyed everything I’ve had. They also have a breakfast menu and they are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.

The Diaz family moved here not long ago from California and their family recipes make Birrieria a very nice find in downtown Bethany. Juan, the oldest son, has a nice command of the dining area, while making sure each guest gets a special touch. He has most often been my server and my point man for information.

Bethany residents should rejoice to have this local treasure so close to home, and all OKC residents should consider giving Birrieria Diaz a try. It’s definitely worth your attention.

Have you been to Birrieria Diaz? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Get more information and see more photos on the EatAroundOKC Restaurant Listing for Birrieria Diaz.

If you love greasy, double-meat burgers dripping with cheese or over-sized breadsticks soaked in garlic butter then read no further. Green and Grilled is not the place for you. If, however, you are are constantly looking for someplace healthy to eat, this is your place and you may commence rejoicing.

Green and Grilled opened very recently in a shopping center on North Rockwell. It is an interesting and polished concept, but it is one-of-a-kind and locally owned. We typically wait a bit before publishing reviews of new restaurants, but I was so excited about my first visit, I just had to spread the word about this new place.

I visited Green and Grilled with a group from work I like to call my “new restaurant tasting crew” so we were able to try lots of different things.  While the name “Green and Grilled” on its own was enough to make me want to try it, the meat-eaters in our car were skeptical.  I have to admit, I was worried for their sake that there might be no meat entrees so when we entered, I was relieved to be greeted by the words “Grilled Meats” on the menu.

Most of us ordered from this grilled meats section of the menu. There are about five of meat choices and they each come with half of any salad plus one side item. James, the only man in the group (brave, brave James), chose the grilled steak ($7.99 – see a pic) with brown rice and the seasonal fruit with yogurt dip. The steak was a 6 oz. top sirloin marinated overnight in green onion and spiced adobo sauce. He gave it “two thumbs up.”

Ali and I went with the grilled chicken ($7.65 – see a pic) with the bacon spinach salad (see a pic). She chose the steamed potato, and I chose the spinach rice. Both dishes were tasty and served steaming hot on large oval platters.

To me, the food here epitomizes healthy eating. For example, the salads were served with just a small side of honey-mustard. I have to admit, the small container of salad dressing freaked me out at first, but I was able to calm down after I saw that it was plenty. I’m the type that likes a little salad with her dressing, thereby making most salads unhealthy and full of extra fat. Green and Grilled is serving their salads with an adequate but small amount of dressing, helping people like me to actually experience a healthy salad. As another example, Ali’s potato was sprinkled with a very small amount of cheese and salt. Period. No globs of butter, bacon and sour cream to be found here, and no unlimited bread baskets either.

Mom and Susan went with the full Bacon Spinach Salad ($5.49 – see a pic) and the Grilled Tofu ($7.65 – see a pic), respectively. All of the entree-sized salads are the same price, and the tofu dish is listed among the grilled meats (I guess they should call it “grilled proteins”) and also came with half a salad and one side. It was marinated in the same sauce as the steak.

When it cools off, I plan to try all of the soups ($4.39) – portobello mushroom, butter squash, cauliflower, broccoli cheese, vegetable, creamy spinach, carrot, pureed lentil and sweet corn. Sounds yummo!

They also have a kid’s menu ($3.99) which includes a meat, two sides and a drink.

The decor here has a very clean feel with white and lime green accents (see a pic). It is a very polished look which could almost make one thing it’s a part of a chain. But it’s not. It’s a locally owned treasure and I’m happy that the only location (for now) is located so close to my house!

The owner of Green and Grilled, Juan Suarez, joined us at our table upon completion of our meal to get our feedback. He’s originally from Columbia and has over 20 years experience working with chain restaurants, the most recent being Chipotle. He and his wife have always wanted to open their own place offering healthy, well-balanced meals at a reasonable cost. I think they have done just that. Juan says some of their items are organic, and the plan is to become fully organic as they are able. I also enjoyed the fact that they run an open kitchen where you can see everything being prepared.

So, try it and let me know what you think. I’m thrilled to have such a place in my corner of town!

See more photos from Green and Grilled in our Facebook photo album.

• Part one covering Passionberri
• Part two covering Pink Swirls
• Part three covering Orange Tree (Orange Tree has since closed and has been replaced by Peachwave, the subject of this review)
• Part four covering Lushberries
• Part five covering Fruiti Yogurt

This is my first contribution to the smackdown, and I would like to weigh in and recommend my most-frequented fro-yo spot, Peachwave. Though I have not tried all of the frozen yogurt stores in town, Peachwave’s flavors, options and fresh fruit toppings have won me over as a regular customer.

Though Peachwave is a chain (currently with 30 locations across the country), they are headquartered here in Oklahoma City, so I feel they are still deserving of some attention on EatAroundOKC.  They operate in what seems to have become the “typical” fro-yo model, self-serve yogurt and toppings charged by the ounce. If you’re unfamiliar with the fro-yo concept in general, you can read the previous fro-yo posts linked above to get up to speed.

At any given time, A Peachwave  store offers 18 flavors out of their available 30.  They also offer 40 toppings, which seem to be divided into healthy options and items that are less healthy.  The healthy side contains a myriad of fresh fruits, while the little less side contains candy bars, cookies and a variety of syrups.

My favorite flavor is Green Apple, with the Pineapple as a close second.  My standard fruit toppings on the Green Apple are fresh raspberries, blackberries and two marachino cherries.  I go with straight fresh pineapple on the pineapple yogurt.  Be sure and stir the fruit into the yogurt to get a nice, crunchy cold shell on the fruit — delicious, especially in the hot summertime.

Hubs, of course, being the dessert man he is, always goes for the Red Velvet Cake or Cupcake flavors. And he ALWAYS tops his with crushed Oreo cookies, though he typically stands at the less-healthy side of the toppings bar debating himself for 20 minutes before making his standard choice.

Nowadays there are quite a few fro-yo places in OKC, all with the standard self-service approach and bright, colorful atmosphere. We’ve covered many of them in our smackdown posts. So, what makes Peachwave stand out?

I posed that question to Tim, and here’s what he had to say:

“I’ve typically favored LushBerries and Pink Swirls, but recently, Peachwave has been edging up in my rotation. To me, it’s the creaminess of their product verses the others, which can be a bit more icy in texture. Also, I think Peachwave has greatly improved it’s fruit topping offerings over time. The fruits are always fresh, colorful and very tasty. My typical order at any fro-yo place is Original Tart with strawberries and blueberries, and Peachwave’s version is becoming one of my favorites if not my favorite in town. Pink Swirls still draws me in for the smoothie option, and I still enjoy LushBerries if I’m in Edmond, but for straight-out yogurt available in multiple locations, Peachwave’s product is hard to beat.”

I also appreciate that Peachwave provides a nutritional information piece in their stores, which is posted in the area from which you choose your bowl. The in-store version is somewhat limited, but complete nutritional information is available on their website.

I appreciate Peach Wave and all of our OKC fro-yo places offering low-fat and non-fat yogurt with fresh fruit topping options. It’s one of my favorite treats, and it makes dessert “legal” for people with special dietary needs.

Please let us know what you think about Peachwave in the comments below. What’s your favorite fro-yo configuration? And how does Peachwave compare to other fro-yo places in your opinion? We look forward to hearing from you!

So I continue my search to find places to eat out with healthy food.  I’m always hearing about how the Mediterranean diet is supposed to be healthy, so I’m taking the advice and trying to include Nunu’s in my regular restaurant rotation.  The location is extremely convenient if you live in the Northwest part of OKC.  It’s just about a half-mile west from Quail Springs Mall right on Memorial.

I already have my regular Greek restaurant that I enjoy, so it has taken me a while to try another. The selection at Nunu’s is pretty well-rounded.  There are many salads, sandwiches, soups and specialty plates from which to choose.

The first time I went, I was struck dumb with my age 40-plus condition of not being able to make a decision.  So I played it safe and went with the Fatoosh, a Labanese toasted bread salad ($6.75, $10.75 with chicken – see a pic). I thought it was delicious with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green onion, parsley and toasted pita chips.  It was sprinkled with Zahtar (a mixture of thyme, sumac and sesame seeds), mint, lemon juice and olive oil.  It was very “herby,” light and tangy, which I loved.  It leaned just a touch on the dry side with all of the herbs and pita. I kept thinking I needed to go ask for a little more dressing, but didn’t.

Ever on the lookout for a palatable vegetarian dish, Mom went with the Veggie Sampler Plate ($9.95 – see a pic).  This was a lot of food, and she took more than half home for the next day.  It came with lentil soup, lentil and rice pilaf, a veggie cabbage roll, tabouli, hummus dip and pita bread.  The soup was steaming hot and tasty, and she said the hummus was the best she’s had in a long time.

The prices may seem a little high, especially for lunch, but you’re really getting two meals, in my opinion, because there is a lot of food.  One of their specialties is the Beef Tenderloin Kabob ($15.95), which they say is the best in the metro area.  Next time I go I will take my carnivore husband and see what he thinks.

The times I have been in, the small dining area has eventually filled up for lunch.  The owner and employees seem to enjoy talking to the customers about their experiences to see enjoying the food.  Nunu’s also caters, and from the conversation I overheard, it seems like they are most willing to work within whatever kind of price range you set for your event.  All of Nunu’s recipes have been handed down to her from her family.

There is a small Mediterranean market in the back of the dining area.   It is fun to look at the spices and candies they sell. Though it’s not as big as the market at Mediterranean Deli, it’s good to have another option in case I ever venture into this kind of cooking.

If you enjoy Mediterranean food, Nunu’s is definitely worth a try. Pricing may be a little higher than some but the portion sizes and delightful atmosphere are worth in, in my opinion. There is a lot to explore on the menu here. Leave us a comment and let us know what you’ve tried and what you think.

Occasionally, the writers of EatAroundOKC have a meal together to both enjoy each other’s company and offer a combined opinion on a restaurant for a review.  When Tim said he was treating this time, Jennifer and I promptly said “name the place!”

He chose Cafe 501. For convenience, we met at the new location at Classen Curve, but the original Cafe 501 can be found in Edmond. Incidently, the original location is connected to Boulevard Steakhouse as it is owned and operated by the same group.

The Classen Curve location sits separately a little south of the main buildings in this development, across from Balliets.  The fact that the parking lot here doesn’t connect to the lots of the rest of the buildings can be a little confusing if you have never been. Additionally, Tim commented that because of the nature of Classen Curve and its uniformity across all it’s shops and restaurants, the location here doesn’t have nearly the character of the original, which feels more like a small cafe as compared to the vast, open feel of this location. Still, the convenience for those of us in Oklahoma City makes the Curve location a likely choice.

The reason I titled this post “The Restaurant Transformer” is because Cafe 501 pulls a unique change-up between their lunch and dinner offerings. At lunch, they offer counter service where the menu is listed on a massive board of soups, sandwiches, pizzas, salads and wraps. At dinner, the Cafe changes completely to a full-service restaurant with table service and a different menu. Plus, on the weekends, they offer breakfast and brunch. We only tried it for lunch, so there’s a lot we didn’t get to see, but you can check out all of their menu options on the Cafe 501 website.

Before I talk about the food, I first want to mention the pricing. I was a little shocked to see our order ring up at over $50 for the three of us for lunch. Granted, we were making an effort to try quite a few different things, but still, you need to be aware that Cafe 501 isn’t cheap eats, even at lunch time. If you work at it, you might get out of there for $10/person plus tax, but it’s more likely to be closer to $15, and the portions aren’t all that big. Again, we’re talking about lunch only. Everything’s different (and even more expensive) at dinner.

So, onto the food. I chose the Greek pizza ($10.99 – see a photo), which sported pepperoni, tomatoes, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, feta cheese, parsley, red onion and house-made pomodoro.  It was delicious, but rather salty, probably because of the olives and cheese.  I had paired it with the 501 salad ($8.99 – see a photo) which was a mix of greens, pumpkin seeds, bleu cheese crumbles, granny smith apples and lemon vinaigrette.  Again, the salt almost overwhelmed me.  I ran through three glasses of iced tea during my meal. However, the presentation on everything was very nice and appealing.

Tim had the Crab Cake Wrap lunch special ($9.99 – see a photo).  The jalapeno cheddar tortilla was filled with crab, romaine, cabbage, tomato caper relish, sprouts and lemon vinaigrette.  It was served with a side of pasta salad, as are all of the wraps. Tim said the wrap was good, with fresh ingredients and interesting flavors. The included remoulade was tangy and tasty. The portion was adequate and probably closer to the portion size we all should actually be eating, but if you’re a big eater, it might leave you wanting a bit more. Overall, he enjoyed it but thought it was overpriced by $1 or $2, even when “on special.”

Jennifer settled on the Southwest Chicken Wrap ($9.99 – see a photo), which contained chicken, jasmine rice, black beans, avocado, tomato, green chiles, poblano pepper, sour cream and cilantro.  The wrap had some nice heat, but to her it wasn’t anything that special for $10. She thought the best thing about the lunch was the little cup of pasta salad that came with it. It was a good amount and a little better than just your run-of-the-mill pasta salad.

For dessert, we all split a Boston Cream Pie cupcake ($2.99 – see a photo) and agreed it was pretty darn good.  Turns out all of their baked goods are prepared in-house and baked onsite. And, unlike many of the other menu items, this was a pretty good value at $2.99 for a delicious, fresh dessert made in-house.

I think I would go back to Cafe 501 when in the area, though the steep pricing might keep me from making it a regular visit. The lighter fare here probably fits my tastes more than Tim’s, and for a quiet lunch spot with healthy, tasty food, I think it delivers. I would also be interested in trying their full-service experience at dinner.  If you’ve been to Cafe 501, please let us know what you think in the comments below.

See more photos from Cafe 501 in our Facebook photo album.

My cousin and I think we could eat pizza for every single meal, so I’m always excited to hear of a new pizza experience on the horizon in Oklahoma City. Based upon the recommendation of a friend, Mom and I ventured out to Classen Curve to see what Upper Crust Pizza had to offer. I was hoping to find something that might be different than other places in town. Upper Crust definitely delivered some unique offerings worth your attention, though the experience overall wasn’t as great as I had hoped it would be.

We went pretty late for lunch on a weekday to avoid the crowds.  We hit the end of the lunch rush and were seated immediately not far from the Dough Room, which is actually the business office. I had a view of the beautiful wine area and could see the kitchen and ovens beyond that.  I loved the rustic, yet classy, setting with lots of glass, stone and metal.  It was contemporary with a little bit of a cabin feel.

Our wait person was very knowledgeable about the menu but always seemed to be in quite a hurry. We were able to ask some initial questions and place our order, but after that point, it seemed as though we were almost invisible, though the lunch rush was pretty much over. I’m typically pretty forgiving of service issues as anyone can have a bad day, but I’ve heard similar reports from several others regarding Upper Crust so I thought it was worth a mention here. We’d love to hear your experiences as well in the comments below.

There are a lot of fresh and interesting things here. For instance, the Farmer’s Market Salad (big $6, little $4) varies its ingredients by season so you have to ask to discover what’s in it. We found out it contained fresh greens, bits of gorgonzola and candied nuts that day, so Mom ordered it and loved it. I, on the other hand, chose the Syrian salad (big $6, little $4), which was iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes and a lemon-mint viniagrette.  The appearance of this salad was disappointing and not too appetizing, but the zippy dressing kept me pecking away at it until our pizza arrived.

One thing I really appreciate about the salad selections at Upper Crust is the choice of “big” or “little.”  In my opinion, a salad must always precede a pizza, but I don’t want a huge, entre-sized salad that I only eat a little of and then throw out the rest.  We chose the “little” salads, and they were just right.

Now, on to the pizzas. All Upper Crust pizzas are 12 inches and just right for two people to split, in my opinion (of course some of the hungrier members of the EatAroundOKC team may disagree with me). All are baked in a wood-fired oven which adds a nice, smokey flavor. The New York style crust is just a bit more substantial than your normal brick oven crust, which I appreciate, and the list of ingredients is diverse and unique.  At $10-$12 each, I think Upper Crust is offering a pretty decent value for gourmet, specialty pizzas for two people to share. The pricing was actually better than I expected given their location and decor. Now, if you’re the type that would eat a whole 12″ pizza by yourself, that could get expensive.

We chose half LK (veggie) and half Porkey Pie.  The veggie was topped with sauce, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, goat cheese, eggplant, artichoke hearts, red pepper, red onion and fresh parmesan.  The Porkey Pie had roasted garlic, caramelized onions, bacon, panna, arugula and parsley. With the absence of a traditional tomato sauce and cheese, I found myself enjoying a different flavor with each bite of the Porkey Pig.  The caramelized onions were very sweet.  In the next bite, the bacon added a zing of salt, then the spice of the arugula was a nice way to top it off.  In comparison, the LK tasted of fresh veggies, bordering a little on the sweet side.

You may also construct your own pizza with a variety of unique toppings that include four varieties of sauce, eight varieties of cheese (including Texas goat), eight varieties of meat and 15 other specialties.  That list includes fennel, capers, truffle oil and eggplant. Base price for cheese and sauce is $9 and toppings are $1.50 each.

With all of this said, the pizza overall did not knock my socks off. Perhaps my expectations were too high given the decor of the place and how classy it is. It was good, but maybe not “OKC Best Pizza” as their website URL and Twitter name would suggest.

The menu is not large and contains a few appetizers and sandwiches, which I will probably return to try. I was curious about the Sonnyboy sandwich and its “bricked” chicken, but, as mentioned before, I didn’t have the chance to ask about what “bricked” meant. Perhaps I’ll look into it another time.

The menu also contains two dessert options — Tiramisu and Cookie Pie. I’m not sure about the Cookie Pie, but I can tell you that fellow EatAroundOKC writer, Jennifer, says that the Tiramisu is unbelievably good. We’ve actually heard that from a few other sources as well, so there must be something to it. I haven’t tried it personally but, evidently, it’s worth the trip by itself if you’re a Tiramisu fan.

If I lived or worked in the area of Classen Curve, I would probably visit Upper Crust more. And, if you’re in the area, I’d say it’s worth your time and money to give them a try and see what you think. But since I don’t live or work near here, I doubt I will make a special trip to return too often.

Have you tried Upper Crust pizza? Let me know what you think in the comments below.  I’m curious…

One of the best things about touring the southern part of Louisiana is the food.  I could literally map out a vacation down there around restaurants, stretching from Lafayette to New Orleans. And although it’s been several years since I was last there, my brunch at Cajun King brought back plenty of memories.  And the reason is because one of the owners, Simeon Adda (Ken Mills is the other owner), lived in New Orleans and learned to cook there.

Cajun King is buffet-only — all you can eat and one-price-fits-all.  The buffet is $8.99 and provides a little taste of everything, with around 20 items.  The brunch buffet, which adds standard breakfast fare in addition to all of the regular items, is $9.99 and available on the weekends.  Kids 5 and under are free while kids 6-12 are $5.99. This isn’t necessarily my favorite restaurant model since it means you’re likely going to eat too much and also have to spend at least $12 per person after tax and tip, but the upside is that you get to try everything any time you go.

Now, I’m not going to get into an essay on the differences between Soul food, Creole food and Cajun food. It seems to me that Cajun King is serving up a very unique mix of all of the three that I haven’t found elsewhere in the city, and let me just say that it works. The food is delicious and the service is outstanding.

As soon as you sit down, piping hot catfish fillets and fresh beignets are placed before you. Now, let’s just talk about this catfish for a minute. It’s called catfish almondine and if it were the only thing this place served I would still recommend you try it. I’m not even a catfish fan, but I couldn’t get enough the day we went.  The thin strips of fish are very lightly battered and fried and served with some sort of sweet, creamy dijon sauce (tiger sauce) that is fabulous.  Every comment I’ve ever heard about Cajun King raves about the catfish. I am raving about the catfish. Let’s just sum up this review right now — you need to go try this catfish.

Honestly, by the time I stuffed myself with catfish, I only had room for a few bites from the buffet, but I persevered. The crawfish etoufee was tasty and rather spicy, which I liked, with a thick gravy flavored with green onions.  It’s typically served over rice, which is also available on the buffet.  I had a couple of bites of the blackened pork chop, which was okay, but nothing really outstanding.  It was a little overdone that day, which is maybe why I wasn’t crazy for it.  The red beans and rice did not disappoint, as they are slowly cooked with ham hocks.

Other buffet items include gumbo, white beans, jambalaya, fried chicken (which I’ve heard from other friends is fabulous), blackened chicken pasta, potatoes au gratin and collard greens. I’m sorry to say I couldn’t get through the other twelve buffet items, so here’s your warning — go through the buffet before you taste the catfish, or you’re doomed.

My husband did manage a bowl of the homemade bread pudding, and my bite expertly topped off the meal with its wonderful, buttery sweet sauce on top.

Word is slowly spreading out about Cajun King, and I’m glad. We don’t have nearly enough cajun restaurants in this town, and Cajun King is bringing something completely unique in their approach to it. Decor is a little lacking inside and it’s not very polished, but as any regular reader of EatAroundOKC knows, that’s really more of a badge of honor than a complaint!

Despite its buffet-only model, I think Cajun King definitely deserves your attention. So give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments below. I’m anxious to see what you think.

Abel’s is one of those places I have driven past for awhile, but I have never bothered to stop.  So, one weekend with family in town, we decided on a whim to try it because it was one of a few places open on a holiday.  When I called to ask how late they were open, they said – oh, maybe 7, maybe 8, it just depends.  I knew already I would like the place.

Upon entering the orange building, we were seated next to a wall painted with beautiful panoramas, and were immediately provided chips, salsa and queso.  I’ve had better queso (it is, as Andrew used to say, your typical “cheese jelly”), but the chips were warm and the salsa was fresh. They even have a couple of other salsa options if you ask for them. The green salsa is smoky and delicious.

My Mom and cousin ordered their chicken taco salad and veggie taco salad ($7.29 each), and they looked like your pretty standard Okla-Mex taco salad dishes. Other members of the family chose from the lunch menu ($1 extra in the evenings), going with the Enchiladas ($7.29), Fajitas ($8.99 – see a picture) and Quesadilla ($7.99).  All reported in with good things to say. I think I hit the jackpot, however, with the Tacos Calvillo ($9.99 – see a picture).  This is a dish of five steak tacos topped with cilantro, onion, lettuce and special salsa.  It was delicious and kept the taste buds tingling. And it was more than enough for me to let everyone have a taste.

So, you’ve got basic Okla-Mex fare mixed in with amazing dishes like the Tacos Cavillo. This is why Abel’s is such an interesting place. They offer a lot of the things we’ve all come to expect from our standard Okla-mex restaurants — free chips, salsa, and queso along with the standard dishes — but then they also offer the options you’ll typically find only at Mexican taquerias or more authentic Mexican restaurants, which are most often found in south OKC and are harder to find in Warr Acres.

The Tacos Calvillo are essentially street tacos, and very good ones at that. Abel says the tortillas used are made especially for him with his own recipe and they are, indeed, thicker and softer than what you typically get. This, plus the meat is just about the best taqueria steak ever. That said, at $10 for five (or $2 each) they are a bit more than most taquerias (for example, Chalos Tacos sells similar-sized tacos for $1.35 each just down the street), but at Abels you are getting the whole Okla-Mex set up to go along with them.

Abel’s also offers taqueria-style street tacos of many types, sold individually. They’re not on the menu, but are instead written on a big sign on the wall, and I had to ask about the pricing. They cost $1.25 each if you get them to go and $1.75 each if you dine in (since you get all the chips and everything when dining in). They have all the meats you would expect from a taqueria including marinated pork, steak, barbacoa, tripe, tongue … etc. So, as you can see, Abel’s truly is a full-on taqueria.

Abel’s also has an extensive seafood menu with a lot of dishes you won’t find at most Okla-Mex restaurants like the Caldo De Pescado (fish soup – $11.99) and 7 Mares (just about every kind of seafood mixed into a soup – $13.59). I haven’t tried these, but have heard from several people that they are very good. I look forward to exploring more of these options in the future.

And to top it all off, they offer aguas frescas including pineapple, canteloupe, horchata (rice milk), tamarind, strawberry and more at $2.50 for a 32oz glass. Now, this is something that is rare to find this far north in our city and if you haven’t given aguas frescas a try, I highly recommend stopping by for one. At Abel’s, they are all made onsite using real fruit juices.

The service at Abel’s was outstanding, and except for a few determined flies, we had a great time. Plus, you’re likely to get to meet Abel, who comes out from the kitchen every so often to talk with the guests. Tim even got a picture with him when he went (see the picture). It’s worth the trip just to get to talk to Abel. He’s super friendly, very passionate about his restaurant, and more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

So, next time you’re in the area, stop in and give Abel’s a try. If you’ve been, let us know what you tried and what you thought by leaving a comment below.

Mission statement of Coolgreens: Through our vision of fresh, healthy, custom made food, Coolgreens is focused on becoming the most convenient choice for healthy and fresh meals and snacks served quickly in a cool, clean and environmentally sustainable setting for lunch, dinner and snacks in between.

I would say they are well on their way to accomplishing their goals, and I love it that owners Allan McMurrain, Dr. Stephen Lee, Tom Wolfe and Marc Silver have even taken the time to create a mission statement. The original idea for this restaurant came from one of the owners’ daughters who is in school in Washington D.C. She talked her dad into coming out to see a DC restaurant she really liked, and he asked the owner there if he would be interested in opening a chain in Oklahoma City. The owner said no, but that he wouldn’t mind if he wanted to open his own restaurant using his concepts. And that’s how Coolgreens was born. FYI, one of the owners is also a partner with the very popular Big Truck Tacos, as well OKC staples like The Metro and the Coach House.

Upon entering, one must order at the counter, and one might be a little intimidated at the sheer number of selections available. This is a build-your-own salads and wraps place so the decisions can be a little overwhelming. I think I estimated about 64 choices of ingredients for salad alone. This is why I grabbed the nearest menu to select a combination that was already pre-determined. The owners said that’s exactly why they created a menu — for first-timers or for people who have trouble making decisions.

I took several friends to Coolgreens on my visit to celebrate Mom’s birthday, and so we got to sample a good variety of entrees. From the seasonal menu, I chose the Greens Margarita flatbread pizza ($7 just for pizza or $11 with a side salad), which was topped with grape tomatoes, fresh garlic, mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil. I chose the Greek salad as my side. Both the salad and pizza were more than I could eat and very fresh and tasty. The flatbread is not your standard pizza crust, but is probably way more healthy.

My friend Ali chose the Southwest Spicy Chicken Wrap ($9) which contained greens, roasted chicken, avocado, poblano, corn, cumin, black beans, red onion, blue corn tortilla chips and queso fresco cheese. It was as good as it sounds and more than she could eat.

Sue Ellen chose the Ahi Tuna Nicoise salad ($11). It was a beautiful looking mixture of greens, arugula, grilled ahi tuna, fingerling potatoes, pickled onion, grape tomatoes, snap peas, kalamata olives, capers and boiled egg with raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Susan tried the Plaza Skinny salad ($9) containing arugula, roasted chicken, sliced avocado, bean sprouts, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, hearts of palm and toasted sunflower seeds.

A side note to all of you soda drinkers — they don’t serve it here. But there is a wide variety of teas and homemade smoothies.

A lot of Coolgreens’ produce is organic. The produce that is not organic is locally grown. They have a goal to go completely organic, but say there is a little ways to go before it can happen.

One of their mottos is “Your body, our world.” This comes into play not only with healthy choices for food, but also in how they constructed the actual restaurant. The plasticware is made from compostable potato skins. The floor is made of cork. They have used LED lights to complement the natural lighting. Kudos to the owners for being green all the way around, even down to using ionized water to clean the tables, as opposed to bleach and other chemicals.

So, if you’re a man and reading this review, you may question whether a green, organic, salad place heralded by four ladies is right for you. I can only tell you that one of the biggest surprises the owners say they have seen is the number of men who frequent the place. Though they originally thought their target market would be young to median-aged women, it turns out most everyone is looking for healthy alternatives to dining out these days.

I will also say that our site owner, Tim, told me that a bunch of guys he works with considered Coolgreens to be a little pricey and the portion sizes small. I’m not sure how it’s possible to consider these portions small, but perhaps if you’ve got a huge appetite, that might be a factor. As far as the price, I consider it a good value for what you get.

Regardless, I think Coolgreens is at least worth your attention for the unique approach they’ve brought to Oklahoma City. Try it out for yourself, and let us know what kind of salad combination you came up with!

You can view additional photos from Coolgreens in our Facebook photo album.

I’m glad to see more of the Latin influence invading the seemingly overrun and tired Tex-Mex landscape in the OKC metro area.  I mean, honestly, after you’ve had cheese enchiladas, refried beans, chips and queso at one place, you’ve pretty much experienced it at all of them. So why not step out to experience more variety in your Latin fare?

Peruvian native Jorge Zarate began cooking for his family at the age of four when his mother became ill and had to leave most of the kitchen responsibilities to him.  She taught him everything he knows, and he has loved cooking for others his entire life.  He cooked at his restaurant the first 1 1/2 years they were open so he could train his cooks in the methods his mother taught him.  When he first opened Zarates three years ago, he initially served the standard Tex-Mex fare, but quickly added many Central and South American dishes.  He says South American cuisine has a Chinese influence as far as spices are concerned.  He imports his spices from South America to keep the taste authentic. He also brings in around 15 different soft drinks from each country.  He said kids love to come and try a different soda each time their families dine.

Jorge said the main difference in Tex-Mex and Central and South American food is that Tex-Mex is based a lot on tortillas and fried beans, and the other is based on meat, veggies and sometimes pasta.  I ordered the Lomito Saltado ($7.99), which is described as “an authentic dish with beef or chicken cut strips, sliced tomatoes, onions, potatoes, cilantro and spices sautéed to Peruvian perfection over an open flame.”  It was served with rice, yuca fries and plantains.  It was deliciously bold with spices, just the way I like.  And although I don’t know for sure, I like to think this was a little healthier than enchiladas smothered in cheese or sour cream sitting next to fried beans.

Mom quickly zeroed in on the vegetarian portion of the menu and went with the Spinach Enchiladas ($8.99).  They contained fresh, sauteed spinach and what looked like a variety of tiny, diced onions and possibly some corn.  They were the best spinach enchiladas I have tasted.  There are five vegetarian entrees, as well as soups and salads.  The menu is extensive and worth a review on their website before you visit for the first time.  Entrees include many varieties of fish, chicken, shrimp, pork and beef, as well as Honduran Banana-leaf tamales ($8.99) which are described as  ”one large, homemade tamal – Honduran style -with  shredded beef, potatoes, cilantro, diced tomatoes and rice, inside mesa corn, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed to perfection.”  Next time I go, I’m ordering this.

The lunch menu included entrees priced from $6.59 to $8.99, and dinners run from $8.99 to $13.99.  Jorge says he is coming out with a new menu soon. Everything is made to order from scratch.  He knew many of the customers by name as we sat talking with him, and he said sometimes they will come in and ask him to create something special just for them.  He is always thrilled to oblige.  When we arrived for lunch at 11am, we were the only ones there, but by 11:30, the place was full, including about a dozen Edmond police officers, one of whom is a regular.  Another large group arrived, and their entrees came out almost immediately.  We asked Jorge about this, and he said the group calls in their order a day before, then drives from downtown for lunch.  He said he likes to provide call-ahead seating, take out and catering.

Our server was from Venezuela and was excellent.  In fact, everything about the restaurant was clean and run extremely efficiently.  Mom was particularly impressed to see them cleaning and disinfecting the menus after use.

For dessert, we tried the Churros ($1.99), which looked like a miniature chocolate eclair.  It was a pastry-type shell filled with creme, and then drizzled with caramel and chocolate.  It was just enough for a couple of bites – something sweet – after the spicy meal.  The desserts are made fresh and are in limited supply each day.

I think Central and South American food is going to become my new Tex-Mex.  It’s a lot more tasty, and it’s always fascinating to talk to the owners.  If you’ve been to Zarate’s, give me your opinion in the comments below.

When reviewing a restaurant, I always try to go either really early for lunch or rather late in the hopes of being able to have a conversation with the owner when things aren’t quite as busy.  When Mom and I walked into Prairie Thunder, the owner John McBryde walked right out from the kitchen and asked what he could do for us.  What luck, I thought, as I began my interrogation.

First things first, of course. I must eat lunch and sample food before really getting down to business.  John’s friendly employees made some suggestions from the mostly soup, salad and sandwich menu. After standing over the bakery display for longer than needed, I finally went with the tomato-based chicken tortilla soup and veggie sandwich lunch combo ($8.25) which consisted of greens, red onions, ricotta cheese, roasted peppers, capers and homemade balsamic vinaigrette, served on their fabulous homemade bread.  Mom went with the special lunch quiche of the day ($5.75) which included a side salad.  The main thing she said made it so good was the ultra-thin, homemade crust, obviously not something frozen from a restaurant supply.  Each of our entrees also included a homemade roll.  John said they pride themselves in everything being homemade, from the salad dressing on up.  The bakery case was full of beautiful and delicious looking pastries and treats, many of them decorated and packaged for a quick gift for Valentine’s Day.

As soon as we were finished with our lunch, John said he would love to take us on a tour of the bakery behind the scenes.  We took him up on the offer and ended up spending over two hours learning the fascinating art of making and baking artisan bread.  The kitchen is divided into two large areas, one for bakery items and the other for bread.  Much of his equipment comes from Europe. The standing oven is so big, he can roll entire racks of bakery items into it.  After spending almost 30 years in the oil and gas business, John spent a year researching equipment and methods for bread baking.  According to him, if he was going to do this, he was going to do it right, and that drive is evident in the equipment he has in place.

Prairie Thunder has been open two years now, and business is great.  They do much of the bread baking and delivery to lots of locally-owned restaurants in the metro area.  There were several huge bread racks in the middle of the kitchen, and each shelf was labeled with the name of the restaurant they service.

It was quite warm in back, and soon I discovered why.  In the middle of the kitchen stands the Frigand bread oven, which hails from France.  There are only 150 of them in the U.S., and, of course, only one in Oklahoma.  It weighs 18,000 lbs, and is stacked with three decks and nine doors.  There is 150 square feet of baking space.  It arrived in a 53 foot semi truck and took three weeks of 12-hour days to assemble, with the help of a man from Austria.  It’s quite a site to behold, and even though it had been turned off for several hours, the heat still radiating from it made it feel like a summer day.  John said they recently celebrated the oven’s birthday by serving free mini-baguettes and cream puffs to customers.

The other side of the kitchen is where the bread is made, and it was stacked with huge sacks of King Arthur flour and crowded with enormous mixers from Germany.  Some of the breads take anywhere from 24-48 hours to make, so there are two overnight bakers who arrive at 10pm before John comes in at 5am.  Several other fancy machines that control temperature and humidity line the walls.  John’s tour was a fascinating education for me and certainly gave me a new appreciation for each delicious bite of bread I sampled that day.  It also said a lot for the cleanliness and neatness of the kitchen, as John had no idea I was coming when he invited me back for the tour.

John also designed the front part of the restaurant and did all of the woodwork himself.  He thought the name Prairie Thunder was quite appropriate for a restaurant with Oklahoma roots, and his dining room centers around a sign that reads, “Man, for all his progresses, posturings, and high-minded opinions of himself, owes his existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains.”  He said the flour he uses comes from both Oklahoma and Montana.  I just can’t say enough how delicious the bread is.

I think this a great little place for breakfast, lunch, or just for bread. It’s in a wonderful, historical building in the mid-town area.  I hope Prairie Thunder sticks around the OKC landscape for a long time.  It’s a great addition to our town and definitely unique.

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

I knew pretty much right away I was going to like The Shartel Cafe as I approached the beautiful, dessert-laden counter to place my order.  But with my New Year’s willpower still i tact, I bypassed those desserts, placed my order, filled my cup with tropical herbal iced tea and made it to the table.  I was safe.  I had no idea this place was a bakery, too.  Why didn’t someone warn me?

My attention was soon drawn from the dessert display to the displays of fresh flowers sitting around the counter tops.  My trusty sidekick, Mom, began her visual appraisal and critique of the dining area while we waited on lunch, and the flowers were the first things she praised.  I agreed — fresh flowers add class and beauty to any place. In fact, I’ve been known to purchase a bouquet — to me, from me — on occasion, for my stuffy office.

Soon, the owner served us our entrees, and it was great to have a discussion with her between bites.  Mom’s Greek Veggie Salad ($7.25) arrived first, all fresh, crunchy and appetizing.  It consisted of fresh greens, roma tomatoes, Greek olives, red peppers, pepperoncini, cucumbers, red onions, artichokes and feta cheese, accompanied by a nice, thick, Greek dressing.  The lady next to us said she eats this salad here every day.  My Island Jerk chicken wrap ($7.25) arrived a few minutes later.  It consisted of jerk-marinated chicken, pineapple cream cheese, onion and lettuce on a whole wheat honey wrap.  Although it was good, I think I might have added a little something else for moistness and extra flavor, say like sliced tomatoes or a warm, pineapple compote.

Patrick and Deneen Nault opened Shartel Cafe three years ago and haven’t had time to look back (one can see Patrick serving as chef back in the kitchen).  Deneen says the brisk business stems from surrounding areas such as the OU Medical School and area high schools during the week.  Then, families from surrounding neighborhoods meet there on weekends.  It’s gotten to be a rather homey place for many of their customers, including Betsy, who has created her own special of a hamburger steak with mushroom gravy and the veggie of the day.  Although it’s not located anywhere on the menu, anyone is welcome to ask for it.  The Naults are also happy to cater to any special dietary needs that they can.  Some of their customers come for breakfast, get a to-go order for lunch to take to work, then call in dinner to pick up on the way home.  This is exactly the type of place I wish would open somewhere in far Northwest Oklahoma City.

Deneen saw that Mom and I hadn’t ordered dessert and insisted that we try something. So, of course, I immediately agreed, happily waving goodbye to any non-dessert resolutions I had earlier possessed. In fact, I watched them fly right out the big windows that line the front of the store.  I sent Mom to the counter and she returned with a slice of lemon creme cake ($2.95), a monster cinnamon roll ($1.95), and a white chocolate, cranberry walnut cookie ($1.50).  All delicious.

Deneen went on to say that lots of people come just for the Shartel Mac and Cheese ($7.95), the Oh, My Reuben ($7.25) and any of the burgers, which all looked great.  The Mac and Cheese is tossed with sweet peas and ham, and the Reuben is served on their homemade swirled rye bread.  The breakfast menu is loaded with options — everything from oatmeal, yogurt and granola to pancakes, breakfast quesadillas and quiche.  Pretty much anything is available for a wide variety of tastes.

They also serve several flavors of Java Dave’s coffee, hot and iced teas, smoothies and cappuccino.  And they provide catering.

I found Shartel Cafe to be a great neighborhood restaurant. They have something for all tastes and something for just about any time of the day. Have you tried it? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Several of our readers have clamored for a review of Cafe Antigua recently, so happily I set out to accommodate. It can be a little tricky to spot at first. I drove by it three times before I even saw it.  It’s hiding in an old strip of shops right on 19th and Classen, and it’s well worth the search.  Look for the name of the restaurant painted on the windows, as that’s the only sign.

Once again, my faithful sidekick and Mom tagged along for another new restaurant experience.  Upon entering, she was immediately thrilled to see the employees cleaning the tables with a real bottle of spray cleaner and a clean cloth, as opposed to a wet dish towel “has laid around on the floor for who knows how long”  (her words).  Score one for the restaurant.

Cafe Antigua serves both breakfast and lunch the entire time it’s open, so that’s nice.  I know I like breakfast food better at other times of the day than breakfast time.  So for lunch, I ordered the “signature breakfast” entree of Motulena Eggs ($5.75), which consisted of two corn tortillas and black beans topped with two eggs smothered in chirmol (charred tomato and mint sauce) and sliced avacado, queso fresco (fresh cheese), queso seco (a dry Nicaraguan cheese), parsley and chips.  It was delicious, and the portion was just right.  Most of the portions here are not huge, which I appreciate.  Most of the entrees are also served with their homemade jalapeno sauce on the side, which is hot, but yummy.

Mom chose the Enchilades Guatemaltecas ($5.25).  This consisted of a tostada with lettuce, picadillo (chopped beef), topped with viniagrette, cabbage and beets, salsa roja, slice of hard egg, parsley and queso seco.  She’s usually not a meat-eater, but she loved this dish for two reasons. First, she could taste the tangy veggies, and second,  it matched her outfit that day (does anyone else have a cute little mother who loves to wear purple and chartreuse green together?).  She also got to know a couple of the other patrons while we waited on our food.  I think most everyone in there was either a lawyer who had a business on Classen or a sweet, little retired couple who lived nearby in one of those big houses just east of there.  At any rate, everyone Mom talked to was a regular customer.  The Valdez family of five has owned this place the last two years.

I wanted a return engagement before I wrote this review, so last week my trusty sidekick and I kidnapped two co-workers and told them where we were headed.  They were game.  This time I tried the special of the day, which was the Mayan Rice ($8.49).  It consisted of rice, black beans, onion, tomato, cilantro, parsley and chicken or beef (I chose the chicken).  I loved it and wish somebody would fix this for me every night at home.  This is one of their larger entrees, and I could have split it with someone had I known.

Mom chose the Omelette Chapin ($7.49) which was mixed with tomato, bell pepper, chives, onions, chirmol and cheddar, accompanied with a side of sour cream and plantains (or “plantations” as she called them).  This is a great dish for vegetarians.

My friend Beth chose the Chili Rellenos ($7.75), which was two small, poblano peppers with beef and veggies, rice and a house salad.  The peppers were very tender, not with a deep-fried crunchy coating like a lot of Tex-Mex places serve, and she described the meat as having a good, earthy taste.  But I’m not sure she was really sold on this dish.  It might warrant another review and opinion.

My friend Susan tried the Carne Asada ($9.99), which was grilled beefsteak, two green onions, rice, black beans, house salad and avacado.  It looked really good, and she said it was, eating every bite.

Cafe Antigua serves a variety of Guatemalan coffees and fruit drinks.  When asked what we wanted to drink, Mom asked if they had Guatemalan tea, which puzzled our waiter for a moment, as he proceeded to explain the different kinds of coffee.  She then asked for an explanation of the fruit drinks, which he pleasantly and patiently provided. Then, of course, she ordered water.  It was like being in a Seinfeld episode with Kramer and George ordering at the cafe.  Our waiter just smiled like he was used to this with all the other sweet, little old customers.  The episode continued after lunch, at which point Mom wanted to try the “Plantations in Glory”  (sigh).  I ordered her the Plantains in Glory ($3.25) and just smiled at the waiter.  These were cooked in brown sugar, cinnamon and kahlua, topped with sour cream, and they were fantastic, especially after the spicy entree I just had.

So if you want a little something different in a colorful, but discreet, setting, try Cafe Antigua.  I know I’ll be back, even though it’s not anywhere close to where I live or work. It’s definitely worth the trip.  Let us know what you think in the comments!

This is part three of the Oklahoma City Cupcake Smackdown, which was started by Greg sometime last year. Here, Sarah continues the series with this look at Green Goodies by Tiffany. If you’d like to review previous posts in this series, you can read our reviews of Sara Sara Cupcakes and Cuppies and Joe.

When Tim asked if I would take over the cupcake smackdown series and review the latest addition to OKC’s cupcake landscape, I didn’t have to think too long about it.  Cupcakes are all the rage right now, so I’m happy to throw in my humble opinion on the small, personal-sized cakes.  Of course, when Mom found out where I was headed, she got into my car uninvited, but that’s OK.  Two opinions are always better than one.

I knew beforehand that Green Goodies is a specialty cupcake shop. They promote themselves as Oklahoma City’s first “peanut free” bakery and they make a big deal about being “organic” and meeting special dietary needs. You have a choice between organic, vegan/allergy friendly (no egg, no dairy) and gluten-free (available two days per week for walk-ins or by special order).  Soy-free and sugar free cupcakes are also available by special order. As you can see, they are going after a very specialized niche in the cupcake world.

That said, I hope you’re not thinking you don’t need to try this shop just because something might be organic or vegan.  I’m here to tell you, everything we tried was delicious.  If you didn’t know their products were organic or vegan, you wouldn’t be able to tell by the taste.

I’m really glad a shop like this has opened in our market, with so many people these days having food allergies or special dietary needs.  “Cupcakes for everyone!” is what owner Tiffany Magness told us the day of our visit.  She and manager Hallie Fitzgerald also told us that if you must be really careful about food allergies, you should see their website for a detailed Q&A section on their organic and vegan selections.  A visit or call to Tiffany would also be very valuable.

Alright, so on to the tasting. I started with the pumpkin because I am an anything-pumpkin lover, and mom started with the Green Hostess. Both of these were from the organic selection.  The Green Hostess looks like the chocolate Hostess cupcake we all grew up on, except much more delicious.  It is described as chocolate-chip chocolate cake, filled with madagascar bourbon vanilla buttercream and topped with chocolate ganache.  If Mom didn’t have anything else to eat the rest of her life, she would be happy to live on this from now on.  Yep, it was that good.  The pumpkin cupcake I had was very moist and flavorful, and I enjoyed it very much along with a frosty mug of sugar-free, organic, Hansen’s root beer ($1.50).  You do know that dessert calories are always canceled out with a diet soda pop on the side, right?  They also serve regular Hansen’s root beer, coffee and organic milk in frosty mugs.

The cupcakes we tried were so rich that we took our other samples to go.  My husband is a red velvet critic, so he tried this organic sample later that day and pronounced it blue-ribbon quality.  I tried the strawberry cake the next day and found it to still be very moist, and I enjoyed the strawberry frosting and fresh strawberry slice on top.  Dave also tried the black and white (chocolate cake with white icing).  He said it was “really chocolately and it seemed like there were little chunks of chocolate in the cake.”  He loved it.

Before I had visited Green Goodies in-store, a friend of mine from work had special-ordered some of their sugar-free chocolate cupcakes with white icing for me.  He said the day he picked them up, they were like molten chocolate lava. However, when I tried them the next day, they were a little crunchy around the outside, but they were still moist inside. All-in-all, I was pretty impressed with their sugar-free offering. Just remember that since all of their cakes are made with no preservatives or trans-fats, I would suggest enjoying them the same day you purchase them and no later than the day after.

Comparing Green Goodies to the other shops in our series is difficult since they have such a specialized niche offering. But, I will offer a little comparison on price. The cupcakes here are about the same size as Cuppies and Joes, on the small end of the cupcake scale, as opposed to the larger cakes at Sara Sara. And yet, Green Goodies’ organic cakes are priced at $3 each, with the vegan/allergy-friendly and gluten-free cakes priced at $3.25 each. So, they are quite a bit more expensive when you look at price and size together.

In my opinion, the price is worth it for the specialization they offer. If you have shopped in the organic section of the grocery store lately, you know that organic ingredients are expensive. And, if you have special dietary needs, Green Goodies offers you something you truly can’t find anywhere else.

I’m glad to see a cupcake shop open in another part of town, since Cuppies and Joe and Sara Sara are closer to the downtown area and the Paseo district.  Green Goodies does provide a comfortable atmosphere, along the lines of Cuppies, but not to the level of “stop here and read a book” that Cuppies achieves. One difference in ambiance is that some of the shabby-chic items around Green Goodies’ store front are for sale.  Items such as old aprons and mis-matched sets of old flatware.

Though the pricing is higher, I can tell you that everything we tried was yummy! I think Green Goodies is at least worth your attention, especially if you love cupcakes but have special dietary needs.  Of course, as always, we want to hear what you think about Green Goodies, so please leave us your thoughts in the comments.

Even if not everyone in your family is into Italian, I would be willing to bet all tastes can be satisfied at Primo’s.  They have all sorts of seafood, steaks, pastas and pizzas; they also serve a great brunch on Sundays; and they even have a good selection of vegetarian items. They have also recently started a lunch-time buffet for $7.95/person, which is a delicous value. It includes two varieties of soup, several different kinds of salads, and about five entrees.

I made sure I tried this place several different times so I could sample lots of different things and share my thoughts with you.

On my first visit, we had a couple of problems, but nothing terrible. Mom had the 8″ Margherita Pizza ($9.99).  She requested a different sauce, which didn’t happen, but she still enjoyed it.  I ordered the special of the night, which was Pavarotti Shrimp:  tortellini, Gulf shrimp, shiitake and portobello mushrooms, fresh tomato, onion, garlic, olive oil and cilantro ($12.99). Now, the last time I checked, tortellini was a circular-shaped, cheese-stuffed pasta.  And instead of the tortellini, mine was served with linguini, which I usually don’t care for.  To use the words of QE2 (Queen Elizabeth II), “I don’t care for the long, stringy noodles.”  The dish could have used a little something more as far as flavor and spices go. I found it lacking in taste, though the presentation was nice.  My husband’s parmesan-crusted halibut was very nice ($14.25).  He had no complaints.

The next time we went was for brunch, which is served 10am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. My husband’s parents tried the Strawberry Crespelle ($4.99), which are thin, Italian pancakes layered with vanilla custard then folded and covered with fresh strawberries.  They are still raving about it, and, as a matter of fact, we have been back three times with them for this dish.  My husband always gets the stromboli benedict ($5.99) for brunch, which is stromboli stuffed with portobello mushrooms, Canadian bacon, poached eggs, asiago cheese, and a dollop of Hollandaise.  He loves it.  I tried the southwest breakfast pizza ($5.59), which I found to be a little dry.

On our next visit, Mom and I split a New York style veggie pizza, which was pretty darn good.  Not as good as Papa Angelo’s, but a close second.  If you go with the 8″ specialty pizza ($9.99), I would definitely recommend each person get their own house or Caesar salad.  These side salads are small, and I find the Caesar to be a little better.  Now, if you’re a salad-only type person, the chopped salad ($9.49) is very tasty and more than you can eat in one sitting.  It contains chopped Romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, crumbled gorgonzola, green onion, sundried tomatoes, all tossed in a house dressing.  It can be found under the vegetarian section of the menu, along with a lot of other entree-sized salads and dishes.

Our next visit was with friends and I tried the Baked Roman Pasta ($12.79) which is a blend of Italian sausage, grilled chicken, bell peppers and onions tossed with penne pasta in meat sauce, then topped with mozzarella cheese.  This was as good as it sounds, and it was served in a bowl the size of a basketball, leaving me lots to take-home.  My friend tried the Signature Peach Bellini, which pretty much tasted like a peach icee, but was made with Peach Schnapps, champagne, peach royale, vodka, and fresh peaches served frozen ($4.99).  My other friend always gets the ribeye steak ($15.99), which looks delicious from across the table.  Like I said, there’s something for everyone.

So, the last time I went was with eight other friends, and I split the Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken Breast ($11.79) which was covered with honey balsamic glaze and served with asparagus and broccoli. Kudos to Primo’s for serving an entree with less than six fat grams and 500 calories!  It was very tasty and the portion is perfect.  It’s rare these days to find something like that, especially in an Italian restaurant.

I think Primo’s offers a great value at lunch with two specials offered every day. First, there’s the “Endless Pastabilities” which gives you any pasta, with any homemade sauce, as much as you want, served with their fresh-baked bread for $6.99. They also offer bottomless soup, salad and bread for $4.99.

Also adding value is the fact that as you exit the restaurant, there is a basket of their homemade, day-old bread, free for the taking as long as it lasts.

The service has almost been too good when I’ve been with a small party.  I believe there is such a thing, although rare, as too much attention from your server, and this has happened to me at Primo’s more than once.  On the other hand, with large parties, the service starts out great, but by the end of the meal it is severely lagging.  Surely there is a place to find a happy medium here. That said, these minor inefficiencies will definitely not keep me from returning.

At each visit, I seem to find something new on the extensive menu that I had not found before, and only one time have I been even slightly disappointed. Another good thing is that they take reservations, which is especially nice for your larger parties and out-of-town guests, as they get quite busy at dinner time on the weekends.

I think Primo’s is a great, local find in the metro, and I urge you to explore their menu as I have to see what surprises you discover.  Let me know if you find something I haven’t found. Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Thai Sweet Basil Express is the newest in a string of restaurants to occupy its location.  Frankly, I don’t understand why any of them cannot seem to make a go of it.  They have all served delicious food, and the owners couldn’t be more accommodating or friendly.  Nevertheless, here goes the latest…

I took four friends and family members to lunch with me so I could get a variety of opinions and tastes.  We arrived kind of early for lunch, so we were the first ones there and got to spend some time with the new owner and chef, Chonlada Robertson, and her assistant, Pat.  They are friends of the previous tenant, who owned the Elephant Cafe, and who has moved to Boston.

We started with a couple of appetizers — the Edamame ($3.95) and the Potstickers ($3.95).  The Edamade is great for vegetarians and a rather fun thing to do while you wait for your entree — just sitting and pulling soybeans out of the skin with your teeth!  And it’s a great source of protein without filling you up.  The pork and veggie Pot Stickers were nice and crunchy and served with a soy-ginger dipping sauce which was very good.

My friend, Ali, went with the Yellow Curry Chicken ($5.95) and went spicy with it.  About two bites later, she began blowing her nose. This continued throughout the meal due to the heat.  I had a bite, and it was delicious, and yes — it packed a delightful punch to the nose.  If you like yellow curry, you have to try this dish.

My husband went with the Hawaiian Fried Rice with chicken ($6.95), which included eggs, raisins, pineapple chunks, cashews, tomatoes, carrots, onions and green peas.  It was more on the sweet side of things, which makes sense if he ordered it.  Most of the entrees he chooses could also qualify as dessert.

I had the Garlic Lover with chicken ($6.95), which included mushrooms, garlic, black pepper and fresh garlic sauce on a bed of steamed broccoli and cabbage.  This was yummy and yes, my breath stunk up the entire car on the way back to work, but it was worth every bite.

Mom went with the “I Love Veggie” ($6.95) and (gasp) added no meat, but tofu instead.  One of the great things about Thai Sweet Basil is that almost any of their entrees can be prepared for vegetarians. 

Cousin Carol had the Spicy Basil ($6.95) with pork. Her dish included fresh chili and garlic, bell peppers, onion and mushroom, green onion and sweet basil leaves.  This was yet again a completely different and really nice taste.  We all really enjoyed sampling each other’s dishes and the variety of tastes and seasonings.  All of our dishes were accompanied with a generous portion of white rice.

We thought the prices across the board here were very reasonable for the amount of food we received. Protein options for most entrees are chicken, pork, beef or tofu for $6.95 and shrimp for $7.95. The servings are very generous and piled high on your plate, such that we all took home half of our entrees for dinner the next night.

Chanlada and Pat have many years of cooking experience in Thailand and most recently, in Oregon.  They say they are always very interested to see how people all over the U.S. like their food prepared.  Toward the end of our meal, they insisted we try the appetizer entitled, “Oh My God!”  ($4.95). This was a fried tortilla roll with crab meat, cream cheese and basil leaves, accompanied by a fantastic spicy plum dipping sauce.  It was great as a dessert, as the sauce was also sweet. This was probably the best thing we tried.

Pat also insisted we come back to try his “subagetti” (spaghetti).  He said he used to work in an Italian restaurant and invented this Thai/Italian fusion dish.  There are four varieties available:  peanut sauce, red curry, green curry and yellow curry.  It’s the chef’s special available for $6.95 also. 

Pat and Chonlada are anxious for their business to begin.  We told them things should pick up after SNU classes begin again.  They said they ran more of a fast-food express type place in Oregon, so they are prepared for larger crowds. 

Here’s calling all Bethany-area residents.  This is another delightful place for new tastes.  Let’s get out and support them!  After you’ve tried it, let me know what you think.

Memorial Day for me means the annual drive in the covered wagon to El Reno with Mom and my husband to tour the cemetery and look at all of the dead relatives (sigh).  Mom has to check the fake flowers on top of all the headstones that she places when she drives out by herself, and to see, if by chance, the ugly ones that somebody else placed are gone. “I can’t believe this desolate place is where I’m going to end up someday,” I think to myself.  But at least I’m getting a good onion burger out of the trip.

Yes, this trip to El Reno also means touring my second onion burger joint in the hometown of the original onion burger.  Robert’s Grill is small — there are 14 stools at the bar and that’s it.  If you can fit, you stand right behind the people who are sitting and breathe down their necks in hopes they’ll finish really soon.  The place is a little warm, temperature-wise, and very crowded, probably due to the fact they’ve been in business since 1926.

Edward Graham, the current owner, says they serve about 300 burgers a day.  He’s developed a scientific technique to squashing the handmade balls of hamburger into patties, globbing on the onions, then flipping everything at the right moment.  The burgers arrive in front of your face might tasty and piping hot.  Mom was glad the fries came out first and pretended she was eating some sort of elaborate appetizer as she mixed the mustard and ketchup on top. She also held court and got to know the life story of everyone within shouting distance.  She knows this drives me crazy and therefore, continues to do it at every restaurant we patronize.

Anyway, Robert’s pricing is easy to remember — $2.45 for a burger, a coney or an order of fries (which was easily shared by two people).  The burgers are a nice size — not really small like some onion burger places, but not huge and unmanageable.  The chili coneys also looked really good. I got a glimpse as the man next to me was feasting on them.

The pricing on burgers is a little cheaper than at Johnnie’s Grill, which is just down at the next corner. This, plus the fact that Robert’s burgers are a little bigger makes a pretty compelling case for Robert’s. On the flip side, Johnnie’s has more space in their dining room so it’s a good option if you’re claustrophobic or looking to breathe a little easier in your space.

Robert’s Grill is definitely a contender for your onion burger patronage. They’ve got plenty of that old Route 66 atmosphere and all the home-grown people who go along with it. Next time you’re in El Reno, I recommend you check it out and compare it with your other favorites. When you do, leave us a comment and let us know what you think. And also be sure to let me know if I haven’t hit on your favorite onion burger spot yet.

PLEASE NOTE: we’re sad to say the Turquoise American Bistro is now closed and it appears it is not returning.

I always enjoy a good field trip to Norman because I think college towns excel in great little hideaway restaurants.  So recently, when my husband needed transcripts from OU, I tagged along in hopes of finding the perfect place for lunch.  The registrar made an excellent suggestion to try the Turquoise American Bistro right down the street from Campus Corner.

Chef Giovanni has loaded the menu with tasty-sounding items, and I had trouble deciding what to try.  It finally came down to either the Siracha Chicken Tacos ($9) or the Sunburned Trout ($12), and I went with the tacos.  The menu description says, “Spicy chicken grilled with onions and bell peppers, served on fire-roasted tortillas with pineapple jasmine rice, pico de gallo and adobe creme fraiche.”  It was as good as it sounds.  In my opinion, if one is going to serve rice on the side, please do something with it.  And they did.  The pineapple and jasmine were great additions to plain old rice.  The two tacos were very large, making this dish easy to split with someone, especially with a salad or appetizer.

My husband had the Green Chili Chicken Club sandwich ($7.50) accompanied with organic, homemade, blue corn chips.  The sandwich included  roasted chicken, fired green chilis, smoked bacon and jack cheese.  Of course, my “plain” husband had to hold the chilis and cheese, but he said it was still delicious.

Other “yummies” on the lunch menu include Sesame-Wasabi Pea-Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna ($10) (sushi-grade Ahi tuna crusted in a sesame seed and wasabi pea puree) and the Duck Quesadilla ($11) (paper-thin slices of medium-rare duck breast served between grilled flour tortillas with onion, fire-roasted chilis, jack cheese, fresh pico and sesame barbecue sauce).  Yumm-o!

The dinner menu is separate and entrees include a pair of Bacon-wrapped Farm Raised Quail ($16) and Crab Alfredo with Roasted Garlic and White Wine Cream ($12).  I wish I had room to list every item on the menu, as everything sounds delicious.  Brunch is available on the weekends.  One of the more unusual items is the Turquoise Breakfast Chowder for $7.50 (asparagus, baby spinach, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms and Yukon gold potatoes in thyme-infused miso broth and Southwest 5 spice.)  This is topped with a choice of poached egg or grilled tofu.

Something else that really appealed to me is their selection of hot teas ($3).  Flavors include Sweet Chamomile Citrus and Fragrant Oolong.  Iced teas include Fiesta Fria and Blackberry Jasmine ($1.75).

Owner Emilio Salinas has done a great job in not only providing some delicious and unusual entree selections, but also with the simple and tasteful decor.  Turquoise-colored Venetian glass lamps hang over most of the dining tables, and the walls are decorated with art which is for sale.  The restaurant opened in 2006.

I wondered about their close proximity to the campus and whether they have many college students who can afford their offerings, which are just a little more pricey than your average restaurant.  We were there for a late lunch, and there were at least two tables of college students in our vicinity.  Yet, when we went into a t-shirt shop on the way back to the car, the student working there said she had never been and was wondering about the menu and prices.  Personally, I think the prices are reasonable for such unique and tasty fare, but I am also way past my college days.

This is exactly the type of restaurant I wish someone would open on the west end of NW Expressway in OKC.  I get glazed over and numb thinking about the string of chain restaurants that litter the landscape along that stretch.  The residents in Norman are lucky to have such a great place.  If you have eaten at Turqoise, please let me know your thoughts in the comments.

After eating lunch here last weekend, I had to take two showers, wash all of my clothes, and put a deodorizer in my car. Yep, all that just to erase the onion power clinging to me and everything I owned. Moral of the story — don’t eat lunch here if you have a blind date for dinner that night.  However, if you’re a regular Okie lookin’ for a great onion burger on a Saturday afternoon, this is your place.

I’ve never had an onion burger piled this high with onions. It was simply delicious. In contrast to most other onion burger places, Bunny’s doesn’t smash the onions into the meat. They’re grilled first, then piled high on top.  Mom and I had a discussion today as to whether adding cheese helps keep the onions in place.  She thought cheese made the onions more slippery, and she had trouble keeping her onions on her burger.  I actually thought the cheese acted as a coagulant to help keep the onions in place.  You, too, can have a fascinating discussion like this as you dine in onion heaven.  As usual, my husband — the plain man — had meat and bread only. No onions.  It just kills me.

Anyway, as if we didn’t have enough onions on our burgers, Mom and I also ordered onion rings. They had to be the softest onion rings I’ve ever had, and they were great piled high with ketchup. The husband had the “peels on” fries, which were also tasty.

Burgers here are priced according to how many toppings you order. A basic onion and pickle burger is $3.75, with a basket at $6. Burgers are also available with double meat, but take note — the onion burgers here are larger than the ones at the Yukon and El Reno places. My husband, the carnivore, ordered double meat and even he said it was too much. He even de-meated part of his burger (a first).  Now, that being said, these burgers are not as big as the ones at Nic’s Grill. And rightly so as, in my opinion, onion burgers are supposed to be smaller, yet packed with more taste.

It doesn’t seem that new owners Bobby Hawkins and Bill Burnett have changed the place much since they purchased it on September 20, 2008. And that’s good. Previous owner Bunny Biggers had a good thing going since she took the place over in 1990 (for a complete history on the building and location, see their website).  Bobby did tell me they are planning to become a chain by opening another location at NW 23 and Hudson in about two months.  This new store will operate the same hours as the current location.

We happened to be in the restaurant eating lunch on the day of the big Bedlam football game, and Bobby said they can gauge business on game days according to who’s playing, if it’s a home game, and whether or not it’s on TV.  He said in about ten minutes, they would have another rush right before closing, and sure enough, the place filled up as we were leaving.

It had been several years since I had been to Bunny’s, and I was glad to see several chicken dishes on the menu (around $7), along with a dinner salad ($2.75).  Hot dogs ($2) and conies ($2.25) are also an option, as is homemade chili ($3.25).  A kid’s menu is listed for $3.75.

I’m glad to see that Bunny’s will continue as a part of the OKC onion burger landscape under the new management.  They’ve got a good thing going, so try ‘em out and let me know what ya think in the comments!