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.

For some people, and especially those new to the Oklahoma City area, I’m sure City Bites is a little mundane. It’s a pretty large local chain with over 15 Oklahoma City locations. It’s lived past its days of being exciting and new and is now just a common part of the Oklahoma City life.

But I grew up just a couple of blocks from the original City Bites location and I was there when it first opened in 1986. For about four years, this tiny little shop in a strip mall on NW 23rd Street just east of Council Road was the only City Bites location, and man was it something. It overwhelmed you with zany interiors including mismatched paint and clever props like road signs that said “Keep Right” but had an arrow pointing left. And it satisfied you with a style of sandwich that was completely unique.

City Bites was quite possibly my first introduction into the value of a quality, local, neighborhood restaurant. At age eleven, I was pretty struck by the hard work of the owners who, legend has it, painted in mismatched colors because they were stretching their dollars by using whatever paint they could find laying around. And I was pretty smitten with the BBQ beef sandwich (grilled sirloin steak with grilled onions, green peppers, BBQ sauce and provolone) which they still serve today. I hadn’t had anything like that before.

Through my high school days at Putnam City West just down the road, City Bites was a staple of our “open campus” life. I also had several friends who worked there. It was just all an all around great place.

So, of course, City Bites has a lot of great memories for me, but the question now is, how has their growth impacted what they offer? Their 17 locations are, all but one, still in the Oklahoma City area, so they are very much still a “local” restaurant, though they are a chain and opening up to franchising. So, do they still offer something unique to our city?

I think they do. I still visit City Bites semi-regularly. The quality of their food remains high, in my opinion. Their pricing has gone up, naturally, and now you don’t get as much value as you used to in the early days, but they still serve a great, unique sandwich in their signature zany style.

I still love signature sandwiches like the Philly Cheesesteak with grilled sirloin, grilled onions and green peppers, crushed cherry peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo. I know it’s not not an “authentic” version, but I don’t mind so much when it is so good. Another, healthier option is the California Club with fresh alfalfa sprouts, bacon, turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and sliced avocado. They’ve kept items like these consistently good from the beginning, while adding and inventing new sandwiches and new items like loaded salads and potatoes over the years.

And of course, every sandwich comes on that amazing bread. I remember first trying the City Bites bread and realizing I’d never had anything like it. Fresh baked, sub-shaped, but flatter and easier to get your mouth around. Their bread just seems perfectly engineered to hold a ton of sandwich contents. They’ve added some neat bread options over the years, like sun-dried tomato (my favorite), and jalepeno … etc. But all of them relate to the classic City Bites style. The bread alone is worth the visit.

They’ve also got giant cookies and brownies you can’t find anywhere else. And, they’ve recently equipped all of their restaurants with reliable, free wifi. This last point has driven me back to City Bites more than anything as I know I can get good food, some good iced tea, and free wifi whenever I have the need for a working lunch or dinner.

Though my personal feelings for City Bites are influenced heavily by my long history with them, I still feel they continue deliver a quality, unique Oklahoma City dining experience almost 25 years later. I’m sure many of you have tried City Bites at one time or another. Tell us what you think 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.

Since our goal is to highlight restaurants that bring something truly unique to the Oklahoma City landscape, 105degrees is a natural fit for EatAroundOKC. That’s because you cannot find another restaurant in Oklahoma City currently that offers anything remotely close to what 105degrees is offering. It’s worth your attention if for nothing more than giving homage to the bold effort its ownership has made in bringing this concept to our city.

But, of course, “uniqueness” can only get you so far. To endure, a restaurant has to offer enough to build up a clientèle and keep them coming back time and time again. Does 105degrees have the staying power? Well, answering that might be a little beyond our expertise, but we attempted to at least find out how they’re doing by taking our whole core writing team for a lunchtime visit.

First off, in case you are not familiar, let me offer a little overview. 105degrees is a cafe and an academy focused on “living cuisine,” a term they define as “foods that contain all of their natural beauty and nutrition.” They don’t cook anything over 105 degrees, ensuring that all of the foods’ natural nutrition and flavor stays intact. They also only use fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. There are no meats, no dairy products, not even legumes. So, this restaurant is an exceptional place if you’re a vegan as everything served here will fit your diet.

The atmosphere at 105degrees is outstanding. It’s one of the first businesses to open up in the new Classen Curve development, a very modern structure with full glass front walls for every outlet. The towering glass and very open dining area (which includes the kitchen) gives a nice, airy feel. Its all appointed with simple but tasteful decor and furniture, all created with a focus on sustainable materials. Bravo for a job well done on creating a unique environment to accompany the unique cuisine.

One small note — if you go when it’s very cold outside, the glass front wall can make for a fairly chilly dining area, at least on the day we visited.

Now on to the food. This is higher-end fare where everything is ala carte with main courses at lunch in the $11-$13 range. At dinner, the main courses are $16-$18. Of course, there are appetizers, side items and desserts as well, all sold separately. For me, this puts it in the range of an “occasional special treat” restaurant, but that’s just me. By the way, you can view all of their current menus and prices here on their website.

There is value to what you’re buying here, though. Everything is extremely creative and artfully presented. 105degrees creates an experience. An adventure in discovering new ways to think about food. I was extremely impressed with the staff. Our server was obviously passionate about what she does and was able to answer every question we had about everything on the menu in detail. She could list every ingredient in every dish and even tell us a bit about how they put it together. I enjoyed my visit as a learning experience as much as for dining.

But I also enjoyed the dining. I’ll discuss a few of the items we tried here, but keep in mind that 105degrees changes its menu regularly, so the items discussed here may not be available when you visit. In fact, our server told us they were very close to changing their menu completely. As in, nothing from the current menu will exist soon. But that’s alright, just new things to try.

We started by sharing the Spicy Vegetable Summer Rolls ($6). They were served with a mango tamarind chutney and toasted salty coconut. These were perhaps the best thing I had. Sarah described them as “a riot of flavors and spices — sweet, spicy, tangy and fresh.” I agree. It was like a flavor explosion in every bite, and surprisingly filling, considering they are all vegetables.

Our main dishes were the OM Gardens Mushroom Pizza ($12), the Blue Corn Tostada ($12) and the Heirloom Tomato Lasagna ($13). Each one of these was a beautiful creation with very unique ingredients. For example, the “cheese” used in the tostada and the lasagna is actually made from nuts. On my lasagna, it literally had the same consistency of ricotta cheese, and even tasted a little cheese-like, but no dairy, remember, just nuts. Interesting. The lasagna also used thinly-sliced cucumber as the “noodles,” in case you were wondering.

I think Sam enjoyed his main course, the pizza, the least of all of us. He says, “the title of this dish is mushroom pizza, and mushroom-laden it was indeed. I thought it was way too salty and that saltiness really overcame all the rest of the flavors.” I tried a bit of the pizza as well and I have to agree. The flavors were overpowering. I can imagine that after eating the whole thing even the biggest mushroom fan would be weary of the flavor.

And if there’s one complaint we would issue about our experience as a whole, it would be this issue of overpowering flavors. Every single dish we had (except the dessert, see below) was like an overwhelming combination of so many different flavors. Perhaps this approach is used to offset the lack of more savory elements like meat and dairy, but I must say, over the course of the meal, one’s palate begins to grow weary of the intensity.

But then we got to dessert, and it was a welcome relief. On the recommendation of our server, we shared the Sicilian Pistachio Nougatine with orange marmalade and dark chocolate. Now this is a dish I really enjoyed. First off, I’m not a fan of heavy desserts, so eating one of the three small but dense pieces in this presentation was perfect for me. And, no more flavor explosion. Just a simple, tasteful, well-balanced flavor wrapped up in another stellar presentation. I have to say, 105degrees would be a great place to come for just dessert and coffee, if that’s your thing.

In short, 105degrees is worth your attention. I think everyone ought to check it out if for no other reason but to explore a new way of experiencing food. Whether or not it keeps you coming back will be up to you, but at least consider giving them a try. Oh, and keep in mind that this restaurant isn’t designed to be super filling. I was surprised at how filling the dishes actually were, considering they are entirely made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, but if you’re the type expects to leave feeling really full, you might be disappointed. But hey, you can eat a snack later if you want, right? Just come with the right expectations and see for yourself what “living cuisine” is all about.

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.

Welcome to the Oklahoma City fro-yo smackdown where I review some of the upcoming frozen yogurt establishments in Oklahoma City. In this post, we’ll take a look at Lushberries, which opened up in Edmond July 17th and in Yukon in September.  Click here for part one in the series, covering Passionberri. Click here for part two in the series, covering Pink Swirls. Click here for part three in the series, covering Orange Tree.

Wow, since the last time I reviewed a frozen yogurt establishment I think the number of open stores in the city have now almost tripled!  Many of them are in Northwest OKC and Edmond, which is good news for the residents there.

Lushberries opened in Edmond in July and it was quite the hangout on the Sunday evening when I visited.  In fact, the owner was so busy that I didn’t really get a chance to ask him anything about the business. This, even while they were fully staffed with five other busy bees.  I guess this goes to show that the market for fro-yo is still healthy, plus I think that these guys definitely have one of the more convenient locations as they are right on Broadway in Edmond.

So, what sets this store apart from all the others you ask?  From a fro-yo perspective, they’re the only ones to offer Acai Berry and Taro.  I’m sure you’ve all seen commercials about the health benefits of Acai (honestly, I think it’s all hype and marketing).  It had a subtle berry flavor and I think it adds something unique to their lineup of flavors.

As I was enjoying my fro-yo, I think I heard over ten people asking themselves, “What the heck is taro?” Well folks, it’s actually a root, popular in Asia, that tastes a bit like cookies ‘n creme.  I sampled it and it had a nice bit of tang compared to the more sweeter concoctions of taro I’ve had.

The mango flavor here was also quite tasty and I have to admit — I think they’ve got the best mango flavor of all the places I’ve visited.

They also offer two sorbet flavors — green tea and pink grapefruit. These are non-dairy and non-fat.  The flavor of the green tea was pretty strong and I wasn’t quite sure how well it would jive with any of the toppings.  Honestly, I think the sorbet flavors are best by themselves.

The ten flavors offered on the day I went were: original, acai, mango, vanilla, strawberry, taro, lemon-raspberry, chocolate, green tea and pink grapefruit.  As is typically of fro-yo stores, Lushberries changes their selections on a somewhat regular basis.

The most unique items Lushberries has to offer are their crepes. They’ve got five crepe varieties to choose from, including Nutella (peanut butter, jelly and caramel).  I didn’t get a chance to try them this time around, but if they are anything like the crepes I’ve had in San Francisco or NYC, then I’ll be all over them!

Like Pink Swirls and Orange Tree, Lushberries operates on the pay-per-ounce system.  They charge $0.38 per oz. which is two cents more than Orange Tree and three cents more than what Pink Swirls charges (I heard that Pink Swirls recently lowered their pricing to $0.35 per oz. — competition is a good thing).

Lushberries’s variety of toppings (24 fresh fruit and 18 dry topppings) was better than what I’ve seen at other stores, which gives them another leg up.  Two unique fruit toppings they offer are lychee and jackfruit.  Lychee is a common tropical fruit in Asia that tastes delicious.  If you can overcome the odd look and smell of jackfruit (it’s the size of a basketball with hundreds of spikes — people in Vietnam call it the “lonely fruit” for its … um, unique … odor, but delectable flavor) it actually makes for a good fruit topping.  Fortunately, the consumer will never have to have an Andrew Zimmern (host of Bizarre Foods) experience with the exterior of a jackfruit since everything is nicely prepared for you in Lushberries’s various fruit topping tubs.

If you thought the cup sizes at Pink Swirls were large, come to Lushberries and you’ll find they’re even larger.  At least they offer the convenience of sample cups.  For the sake of the environment, it would be nice to offer smaller cup sizes. Sure, I understand that the larger cups coax consumers into buying more yogurt, but let’s be reasonable here.

Overall, I think Lushberries might just have the best fro-yo in town, but Pink Swirls is still very close behind. And, the lower pricing at Pink Swirls gives them a definite edge. Beyond that, it comes down to the extra features. As a sushi lover, I would likely choose Pink Swirls over Lushberries for their sushi menu. However, if you love crepes, Lushberries would definitely be your winner. Bottom line, the two are very close in the fro-yo department so it comes down to personal preference.

Of course, with all the new fro-yo shops opening up, there will likely be more contenders on the scene in the future.  If you have an opinion about Lushberries or your fro-yo preferences, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Isn’t it weird how sometimes you overlook places to visit that are the closest to you?  Having lived in the Deep Deuce for a few years, I’ve only visited the Deep Deuce Bar and Grill just twice, which seems odd. Not only that, but Sage has been open for a few months now and I haven’t been able to push myself to eat there until just recently.   I don’t know if it’s the fact that dining in Bricktown typically costs an arm and a leg or if the view of the wall full of alcohol through the windows made Sage seem more like a bar than a restaurant, but something has kept me away … until now.

The fact that Sage is also a ”market” did peek my interest since OKC has a dearth of healthy, organic markets (Whole Foods are you reading this?!).  I put market in quotes because the market section at Sage probably isn’t much bigger than my kitchen.  In spite of its size, they do offer a selection of goods that can’t be found at your normal supermarket or Wal-Mart.  They feature locally grown organic foods, a nice selection of cheeses, gourmet dressings, organic coffee, oils, and even beer.  Speaking with the sous chef, I found out that the owner has plans to expand the market in the future once the other tennant in the building ends their lease, but that’s still a few years in the works (unfortunately).

So, how’s the food?  Well, Greg visited on a separate occasion and had this to say:

“I had the 3-cheese mac and cheese ($9 for lunch and $11 for dinner) and thought it was wonderful. The gorgonzola gave the whole dish a great tang that really differentiated it from “normal” mac and cheese. The dish was very heavy, though, so I could hardly imagine it as an entree. I really thought it worked best when shared. It might be too rich for me to eat all alone.

I also tried the roasted seasonal vegetables ($7.50), which were pretty good. I was less impressed by the eggplant, but the green tomatoes were a revelation. Sweet and tart, warm and crisp. I would get this dish again in a heartbeat. Also great was that it came with a small side of hummus, which was thicker and tastier than some I’ve found locally.

Wrapping up my appetizer meal were the Greek turkey meatballs with tzatziki sauce ($7.50). They were dense, but flavorful, and the sauce really added a nice, fresh burst. The best part was, by sharing with friends, my bill was only $9 — pretty good for a fancy lunch.

Looking around, I saw some giant sandwiches that I am eager to go back and try. The roast beef was piled high and the portobello sandwich was really calling to me as well. Almost any sandwich topping is also available on a salad and the Ahi tuna salad looked pretty appetizing, but I’ll have to go back for a taste before I can pass judgment.”

I have to agree with Greg about the mac and cheese dishes, they’re pretty good.  I had the Grilled Shrimp Pesto version ($10.50 for lunch and $13 for dinner) and was definitely satisfied with the taste.  The accompanying waldorf salad (celery, apples, walnuts, grapes in a light mayo sauce) matched well with the mac and cheese and kind of helped to break up the heavy creamy flavor. I just wish it came with a bit more salad.  If you’ve ever read the menu and wondered why their mac and cheese is called “The Original” it’s apparently because (they believe) Sage is one of the original and only restaurants in OKC to offer gourmet mac and cheese.  I’m interested to see if there are any other readers or restaurants out there who might debunk this claim.

Talking about original offerings, Sage also has a salt bar where you choose from three of their eleven premium salts from around the world for $2.  I honestly don’t know what these different salts will do to change the flavor of my food, but it’s definitely something I’d like to try out another time.

On a subsequent visit during happy hour (everyday from 2-6pm) I was happy to find the $3.50 margaritas and mojitos.  I think everyone needs to try out the mojitos because they come in an awesome mason jar!  Honestly, it’s a nice touch.  I also made a meal of the $3.50 appetizer selections.  The grilled chili lime chicken wings and greek turkey meatballs are definitely enough to share with several people.  If you want to enjoy this happy hour deal, make sure you place all your food orders before the cutoff because the computer will automatically adjust prices at 6pm sharp.

Now, for the bad news. If you’re looking to visit Sage with a large group, be advised — I had a birthday party with a group of 13 and I must say the service was less than stellar.  I reserved our spot a good week ahead of time so I feel the staff had plenty of time to prepare for our party.  To start, those ordering mac and cheese dishes were told that they were out of the accompanying waldorf salad (disappointing news), but then one of my friends got some other person’s dinner and it came with the waldorf salad (aggravating news). In addition, I think our server took everyone’s orders about 3 or 4 times and blamed the ticketing system that was acting funny (this is the second visit on which I’ve encountered issues with the computer system). As a result, we all sat around waiting much longer than we really wanted.

I know big groups are always a challenge, but at a higher-end establishment like Sage, you expect them to be a bit more prepared, especially with advanced notice. My friends were pretty disappointed with the service, but I still think the quality of the food might bring some of them back again.

Overall, Sage offers unique dining, a convenient gourmet market and mini-deli, a pretty nice bar and some pretty good desserts choices. Aside from sub-par service with a large group, I can’t offer much complaint.  I will continue to anticipate the expansion of their market or just hope for a Trader Joes or a Whole Foods to open up.  If you’ve had a good (or bad) experience at Sage, we would like to know your thoughts.  Please leave us a comment below.

This is part three of the Oklahoma City fro-yo smackdown where I review some of the upcoming frozen yogurt establishments in Oklahoma City. In this post, we’ll take a look at Orange Tree, which opened up in Edmond last April.  Click here for part one in the series, covering Passionberri. Click here for part two in the series, covering Pink Swirls.

So in my quest to hunt down the fro-yo places in OKC, I drove all the way up to Edmond twice in search of Orange Tree.  My first attempt failed because I decided to do some other errands and forgot to get directions. Instead, I decided to drive all the way up and down Broadway thinking it was sure to be on that street. Nope. Eventually, I found my way into the Spring Creek shopping plaza.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the store was the wall full of fro-yo dispensers; 14 in all!  Could life get any better?  Flavors include: Chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, cheesecake, original tart, coffee, cherry, mango tango, blueberry, strawberry, lemon, banana, orange and finally peach.  I couldn’t possibly sample them all so I just stuck with the original tart, mango and strawberry.  There’s space for 15 different fruit/wet toppings and another 15 spaces for dry/candy toppings.  However, I was quite disappointed that they didn’t have any mochi. Despite the lack of one of my favorite toppings, the topping spread was sufficiently stocked and kid-friendly.

Like Pink Swirls, Orange Tree operates on the pay-per-ounce system.  They charge $0.36 per oz which is three cents less than what Pink Swirls charges.

If you come to Orange Tree expecting anything else besides fro-yo, I’d suggest you go to the Starbucks next door because unlike the other fro-yo places we’ve reviewed, they only offer fro-yo and nothing else.  No teas and no shaved ice. For a Hawaii-based chain (that’s right, Orange Tree is a franchised chain), I’d expect them to offer shaved ice, but they don’t. They also have no wi-fi (you can get the Starbuck’s wifi signal from next door) and, of course, no sushi (Pink Swirls is the only fro-yo / sushi combo in town and likely the only one we’ll ever see).

So, how’s the fro-yo taste you ask?  I thought that the original tart was perfectly yogurty and tart.  The strawberry tasted a bit too sweet, but maybe it’s because I added strawberries and kiwi to the mix.  The mango tasted similar to the one at Pink Swirls, and was the best of the three in my opinion.

The strawberry toppings tasted like they had some additional sweetener added to them, making them a bit too sweet for me.  I’m not sure if any of the other fruit toppings were also this way, but if so, it’s a bit disappointing since one of the draws of a fro-yo establishment is the healthy and fresh aspect of what’s being served. Adding sugar to fruit that is already naturally sweet seems counter-productive to me.

The bottom line? Well, I already declared the smackdown winner in my review of Pink Swirls, and that decision still stands for me. Of course, mine is just one opinion and the smackdown is open for all of your to weigh in with your own opinions in the comments. But here’s the argument I’ll make.

Although they have six more flavors of fro-yo and charge less per ounce than Pink Swirls, I think the greater variety of toppings and other menu items (including sushi!) still puts Pink Swirls on top. This, plus lets not forget that Orange Tree is a chain. Now, we’re not completely anti-chain around here. We don’t oppose them at all costs. But, if it comes down to choosing between a locally-owned place and a large, national chain, we’re going to pull for the local guys.

That said, until Pink Swirls expands north (which I hear may be soon), Orange Tree is the only place to get your fro-yo fix in Edmond and it does a pretty decent job filling that need as long as fro-yo is all you’re craving.

Share your thoughts about Orange Tree in the comments below. And, if you spot any other fro-yo places that need to be included in the smackdown, be sure to let us know.

This is part two of the Oklahoma City fro-yo smackdown where I review some of the upcoming frozen yogurt (fro-yo for all you cool people) establishments in Oklahoma City. In this post, we’ll take a look at Pink Swirls, which has recently opened up in Midwest City with plans to expand to other points in the metro.  Click here for part one in the series, covering Passionberri.

I think I’m going to start off by immediately declaring the smackdown winner.  *Drumroll please* … and the winner is … Pink Swirls! Now hurry up, pack up your significant other and/or your kids and go make a trip right now!

Alright, that may be a little premature. After all, we haven’t quite finished our fro-yo tour (many have been telling us that Orange Tree in Edmond is a definite contender), but I can at least say that, in my opinion, Pink Swirls beats Passionberri, which was featured in part one of this series.

My rationale for choosing Pink Swirls over Passionberri is simple — eight organic, healthy, nonfat, live culture fro-yo choices (such as chocolate, mixed fruit, banana berry, pomegranate, mango, passionfruit, regular and more), numerous choices of fruit, candy, and nut toppings, all available for self-service and in whatever mixture and combination your heart desires for just $0.39 per ounce (that means a very generous cup weighing a pound will cost you just over $6).  Plus, unlike some other fro-yo places, Pink Swirls uses real fruit puree to flavor their products (with the exception of the chocolate).

If you can’t decide which flavor to dump into your cup, grab a spoon and put a little taste of fro-yo into your cup to sample. They’ll even provide you with small sampling cups if you wish.  Just make sure you’re not pouring fro-yo straight into your mouth like a kid or sampling more than you really should. Obviously, it would really get costly for the owners if everyone did that. But otherwise, reasonable sampling is allowed and even encouraged.

My personal favorite flavor has to be the mango yogurt. I like it topped with mochi, kiwi and strawberries.  I’m not too sure if they’re going to be rotating other flavors into the mix, but a flavor I’d like to see is Taro (a root that actually tastes kind of like cookies n’ cream and is popular in many asian smoothie and boba shops).  Pink Swirls also offers shaved ice in three different sizes with up to five toppings.  A winning combination for this treat is mochi, strawberries, kiwi, frosted flakes, red bean (if they have it, but I didn’t see any when I visited), and a healthy squirt of condensed milk.  They also offer smoothies, waffles and hot/cold teas.

Plus, if that’s not enough to whet your appetite, just work your way down to the end of the counter to their sushi bar. Wait a second … did I just say sushi? At a fro-yo place? That’s right, Pink Swirls serves sushi, compliments of their joint venture with Mr. Sushi.  They have a total of 19 rolls with prices starting at $4.95 for the California Roll on up to $10.95 for the Oceanic Roll (spicy scallops and asparagus topped with salmon and scallions).  Though they don’t offer any fried food/tempura selections due to its incompatibility with a fro-yo environment, they do also offer nigiri.

The store itself has a very white and clean decor with bright colors typical of many fro-yo establishments.  It seems like there is a lot of under-utilized space and that’s because they’re currently awaiting word from the Fire Marshall to determine total allowed seating capacity, but once they get that number they will be able to legally accomodate more seating.

For the Tinker folks, they offer a 10% military discount.  For everyone else, make sure to ask for the frequent buyer’s card — eight stamps and you get a free cup.  I spoke with the owner (who also happens to own Asian Market and Golden Phoenix restaurant on Classen) and he plans on opening a few more stores in Edmond and OKC in the next few months so his fro-yo can be more conveniently enjoyed by the rest of the OKC community.  Until then, it’s worth it to make your way down to Midwest City to experience the goodness of Pink Swirl’s pay-by-the-ounce fro-yo.

My only real gripe about this place is the fact that I’m going to be coming here every other day and spending all my hard-earned money on fro-yo and sushi since it’s right next to my work.  Wait, I have one more complaint and it’s about the size of the sushi bar section.  The bar can only accommodate four people so the lunch crowd wanting to eat at the sushi bar will have a difficult time getting front row seating.  Smart people who read and heed the words of this review will call in an order 30 minutes ahead of time and then grab an open table once they arrive. By the way, images of the sushi menu can be found here on urbanspoon.

Our editor, Tim, tried Pink Swirls as well and loved it. For him and his kids, this is the place. He loves the pay-by-the-ounce model because he can get smaller quantities (closer to 4-6 oz.), and he loves the kid-friendly flavors and toppings as well. On the other hand, his one complaint is that they don’t have any small yogurt cups. Even the small size is pretty big. It’s good for business because it sort of tricks you into adding more yogurt to your cup, but it’s kind of annoying that you have to put your reasonable portion of yogurt into a giant, cavernous dish. If you want to get a small portion for you or your kids, you’ve got to force yourself to shut off that spout when it looks like there’s hardly anything in your huge cup. Buyer beware.

Pink Swirls offers greater selection, better freedom of choice and cheaper pricing than Passionberri, making them a strong competitor, especially if they ever expand down to Norman. They offer free wifi and, once they’re able to get more seating, they will provide a great option for your summer hang out.  Pink Swirls has a knockout business model and I’m just happy to have such convenient access to their delicious fro-yo!

Share your thoughts about Pink Swirls in the comments below. And, if you spot any other fro-yo places that need to be included in the smackdown, be sure to let us know.

So, there’s been a few Southern California-style fro-yo places popping up in the metro recently. This, plus the fact that we’re heading into summer and in need of cool treats, inspired me to create a little series where we review and compare the fro-yo options. Since Passionberri was the first one I heard about, they will get the first review. But stay tuned as there will be more fro-yo smackdown published in the days ahead.

I heard about Passionberri through the grapevine and decided to give it a try when I was down at OU for the weekend for grad school.  I’ve been surprised that fro-yo places haven’t hit OKC until just recently.  I’ve been to one in Tulsa called FreshBerry that was pretty decent, but I’m not gonna drive all the way up there to get my fro-yo fix.

On my several trips back to L.A., I’ve been to Pinkberry, Red Mango, Yogurtland and a few other wannabe Pinkberrys. I guess you could say that I’m a fro-yo afficionado.  So, in true afficionado style, let me offer a little history. 

Pinkberry, aka “Crackberry,” actually started the fro-yo craze in the U.S. back in 2005, and it is one of the fastest developed franchises I’ve ever seen.  Red Mango was already a well established franchise in South Korea and I’m pretty sure the owners of Pinkberry (also started by two Koreans) thought it would be wise to open up something like it in L.A. and eventually other cities across the U.S.  Now, there are several dozen (at least) spin-off versions of Pinkberry in existence. It’s like people are crazy for it, but with good reason. Who doesn’t love that perfect union of fat-free dessert topped with healthy fruit?

So, four years after the U.S. craze begins, Passionberri boldly goes where no other fro-yo shop has gone before — to Norman.  On my visit, I was kind of in a rush to get back up to OKC, so I focused on my usual fro-yo order: a medium-sized plain yogurt topped with strawberries, kiwi and dduk (small balls of soft rice cake).  The price came out to $4.27 — a steal compared to the $8-10 you’d pay for a similarly designed cup at Pinkberry. Green tea and pomegranate are the other yogurt flavors at Passionberri and other toppings include blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, nuts and a few more I just can’t remember.  I’m just glad it’s strawberry season again because the fruit they had was perfectly ripe and delicious.  Although their plain yogurt isn’t as tangy as Pinkberry’s, I actually prefer my fro-yo to be a little more plain and enjoyed what Passionberri had to offer.

Tim, on the other hand, told me that he visited Passionberri and was pretty disappointed. That was primarily because he went there with his kids who were looking for things like chocolate yogurt and crazy, kid-friendly toppings. In his opinion, it wasn’t the most kid-friendly place and the mild flavors weren’t what they were looking for. 

I’m sure that most people who venture here for the first time will get the fro-yo, but they also offer smoothies, teas and coffees. Honestly, I glossed over the entire right side of their menu. Tim said he did have the “Passionberri” smoothie — a mixture of fresh fruit blended up with plain yogurt for around $4.50. It was tasty and fresh and more tart than sweet, which he liked. One negative is that it only comes in the one size which is really big. But, hey, I guess you could share it if you weren’t there with people under seven years old.

Passionberri has ample seating and also have free wi-fi so once summer arrives you can just lounge around and spend your entire afternoon here.  Now, if the owners of Passionberri were smart, they would open up a few more in Edmond, OKC and Moore so everyone can conveniently enjoy fro-yo goodness! However, I’m afraid some others may be beating them to it as we’ll see in future fro-yo reviews.

My favorite fro-yo joint in L.A. has got to be Yogurtland.  Why?  It’s because they actually charge you by the ounce, weighing your yogurt and toppings all together. They also have 10 different flavors of frozen yogurt and their choice of toppings was more than I can count with my hands.  In contrast, Passionberri has only three, mild yogurt flavors, and they’ve gone for the full service model, charging based on dish size and how many toppings you choose to put on. So, if you’ve been spoiled by the pay-per-ounce model of some other fro-yo places, prepare to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you’re used to the Pinkberry/Red Mango model of business, you’ll be happy to find the pricing substantially cheaper at Passionberri.

Bottom line: Passionberri is a decent fro-yo option with quality ingredients and competitive pricing. But, its limited selection of flavors and toppings combined with a non-pay-by-the-ounce pricing model may leave it vulnerable when compared to other fro-yo options we’ll explore in this series.

Stay tuned, and let us know what you think about Passionberri in the comments.

This is part two of Greg’s Oklahoma City Cupcake Smackdown. If you recall, we’ve had two cupcake bakeries open up here in the city in relatively short order, so we’re taking a close look at them both. Here, we’ll take a look at the newly opened Cuppies & Joe. Click here for the review of Sara Sara Cupcakes.

The first thing I’ll say about Cuppies & Joe is that you should go to Cuppies & Joe. Even if you don’t like cupcakes. Even if you don’t like Joe (but who doesn’t like Joe — I mean, what did he ever do to you?).

Why? Because Cuppies & Joe is a great place to hang out. It’s like if your friends invited you over, but instead of bedrooms, they all just decided they wanted a bunch of tables and chairs and somebody on a keyboard playing easy-going music.

The restaurant is owned and operated by the Diefenderfer family, who, I was told, just really like making cupcakes. And pies, too. You can check out their online menu to get an idea of their full selection.

At $2 a piece ($22 per dozen), the cupcakes aren’t break-the-bank expensive, but they’re also not that big. Unlike Sara Sara Cupcakes, Cuppies & Joe serves the size of cupcake your mom probably makes. But let me tell you, you only wish your mom’s cupcakes tasted this good.

While Sara Sara does a host of specialty cupcakes, Cuppies focuses on some basics with a few twists thrown in. You can have chocolate or vanilla cake with chocolate or buttercream frosting and any combination therein. The Boomerang is chocolate with mocha frosting. The Neverland is peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting.

All of them are good. And if you want something a bit different, the Horsebite (carrot cake with cream cheese frosting) and the Roman Holiday (tiramisu) are great.

But the one that knocked me off my socks was the Sassafras. Here’s a short story about it:

My brother loves Red Velvet cake. I am indifferent toward Red Velvet cake. Every year for three years, my mom forgot that my brother was the one who loved it and got me a Red Velvet cake for my birthday. Then, remembering it again, would get him the same cake for his birthday. Thus began my fiery hatred of Red Velvet cake.

The Sassafras is a Red Velvet cupcake with buttercream frosting. On paper, I should hate this thing. In reality, I’m surprised I’m not at Cuppies & Joe right now, half-naked and smearing whatever I can’t fit into my mouth all over my body. It was great.

My wife would also like to point out that if you like Starbucks, but don’t like paying crazy money for Starbucks, Cuppies & Joe has some of the best coffee around at very low prices.

My only worry for Cuppies & Joe is the parking issue, which can be hairy. There’s a few street spots out front, but they’re on a very busy stretch of 23rd street which can make for some nail-biting parallel parking. A better bet is to take the little alley around back where there’s a private parking lot available.

If you can find a place for your car, you won’t have any trouble finding a place in your stomach for some of their delicious cupcakes.

Now, where else can a guy get some cupcakes? Let me know and I’ll be there soon. Oh, and let us know what you think about Cuppies & Joe in the comments.

I am a comic book geek, so I hope you will grant me this brief history lesson. Marvel Comics debuted a muck-encrusted character named Man-Thing in May of 1971. About a month later, DC Comics introduced their own vegetable-based hero, Swamp Thing. The way publishing works, there’s no way DC Comics was copying Marvel — they came up with the ideas independently and put them out almost simultaneously.

It happens a lot. “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon” came out in the same summer. In Oklahoma City, we have our own version with two cupcake shops — Sara Sara Cupcakes and Cuppies & Joe — opening up within about a month, and about a mile, of each other.

And so, in the grand history of Andrew’s Shady Restaurant of the Month and Sarah’s Onion Burger Tour, we begin Greg’s Oklahoma City Cupcake Smackdown. But in this case, since there’s just two restaurants and they both opened up so close together, we’re publishing both reviews at the same time.

This post covers Sara Sara Cupcakes. Click here for the review of Cuppies & Joe.

Cupcake-only bakeries have been popping up all over the U.S., usually in major metropolitan areas. The big one, Sprinkles, has franchised around. Despite the timing, Sara Sara is not jumping on the trend. Instead, this bakery is a tribute to Sara Brinson, the daughter of co-owner Dana Brinson and niece of co-owner Toni Hoffman, who died last year. She loved baking cupcakes and had talked about opening a store like Sara Sara with her aunt. Her family, looking for something to do with their grief, turned to the kitchen and followed up on that dream.

And the dream has taken off. The publicity for this little shop, nestled in a house next door to Iguana Mexican Grill, has been huge. Word of mouth has the place bustling and with good reason — they make good cupcakes.

Taking a bullet for you good people, I have eaten all or part of: Count Rockula, Strawberry Shortcake, Cherries Jubilee, Judge Joe Cannon, Cappuccino, The Destin and Coconut Cream. I know, I know. I totally deserve a medal to be pinned on my enormous belly.

I’ve only heard two knocks on Sara Sara — the cupcakes are a little dry and the prices are a little high. And I cannot wholly disagree. The Coconut Cream and the Cherries Jubilee I tried could have been a bit more moist. That said, they weren’t so dry that I couldn’t eat them, they just were a little dry.

I talked to chef Eric Smith and he candidly addressed the problem — lack of training. Because the construction time ran up so close to opening the doors, there wasn’t much time to perfect the cupcakes. They’ve gotten better, however, and they’re honing in on the perfect times for their different recipes.

Meanwhile, the Strawberry Shortcake, which was warm and fresh when I ate it, was perfectly moist. And my favorite, the Count Rockula — chocolate with chocolate cream, cocoa puffs and marshmallows on top — was so good I don’t remember anything but wanting more.

The price is $3.25 per cupcake or $36 for a dozen, which might seem like a lot, but really — how many cupcakes are you going to eat? For a cake meant for one (or two, if you’re capable of sharing), the price tag isn’t that shocking. If you’re planning on downing three or four, then, yeah, the price goes up.

A bit more shocking is the price for a glass of milk. At $3, it’s steep, but there’s no better companion to a warm brownie than a cold glass of milk served in a frozen glass. I had the chocolate milk and it was heavenly. Other beverages include hot chocolate ($5), espresso ($3) and soft drinks ($2).

This is not your everyday bakery. The design is stark and modern, like an Ikea full of baked goods. This is almost an experience restaurant — a cool place to take your friends or to pick up a few cupcakes to try at the office.

Located downtown, they’ve definitely got a chance to become part of the neighborhood and expand their business. As it is, they’re not hurting — the cupcake display was almost empty when I visited. I guess everybody wants a sweet treat now and then.

I’m not much of a dessert guy, so dining at an ice cream shop generally isn’t my first choice. That, plus the fact that the outside temperature is often below freezing this time of year, is enough to keep me away from anything with “frozen custard” in the name. But I heard about Bodensee Frozen Custard and the fact that they serve much more than sweets. I also heard that this single-location cafe runs a very clean shop so when I found myself meeting a friend for dinner on the south side of town the other day, I decided to give it a try.

I discovered that Bodensee offers a nice selection of sandwiches, soups, salads, sides, and a full espresso and coffee selection. Not only that, but I found an incredible value in the $5 lunch combo. This selection (which managing partner, Lloyd Tidwell, tells me they actually offer any time of day, not just at lunch) gives you a choice of any full sized sandwich, choice of side, drink (with free refills), and a taste of custard, all for $5 even. I can tell you that if I lived or worked anywhere near this restaurant, I would definitely take advantage of this value regularly.

I had the Prussian Cheese Steak sandwich. It’s $4.69 by itself but you can get it, in its full size, as a part of the $5 combo described above. This seems like a crazy price discrepancy to me, but hey, I’ll take it. The sandwich isn’t huge, but it’s certainly an adequate portion. Neither is it amazingly unique, but it is very tasty and fresh. The bottom line is, I wouldn’t be head over heels about this sandwich at $4.69, but at $5 with everything else included, I’m in awe.

My friend had the club ($4.59 on it’s own). It was pretty basic, but again, tasty and fresh. That seems to be the standard here. You’re not going to be writing home about the sandwiches you discover, but you’re going to get something fresh, healthy, well prepared, and at a terrific value.

On every sandwich, you get to choose your bread, dressings, veggies and cheese. It’s actually a lot of choices to make and a little awkward (in my opinion) when you have to spend so much time setting the specifications for your order, but if you’re into customization, this is the place for you.

Of course, the calling card of Bodensee is the frozen custard, so I had to try some. It was about 10 degrees outside when I was there, but I sacrificed for the sake of this review and ordered a parfait ($2.99 small, $3.49 regular, $3.99 large). There are about fifteen to choose from and I got the Bodensee. It’s sweet creme custard, banana slices, and strawberry topping in a parfait glass. I’m no custard expert, but still I can tell you it’s very good. It’s so creamy it’s almost hard to believe. The place obviously knows what they are doing as a creamery and, naturally, this is where the heart of their business lies.

You can get the custard in a bunch of other forms like mixes, sundaes, malts, shakes, floats, freezes, cones, smoothies, and the like. Again, tons of choices to make in flavorings, toppings and mixins. They also make a no-fat, no-sugar-added frozen yogurt that you can substitute into most of their selections.

One thing I really like is the “taste” of custard that comes with the $5 lunch special. It literally is a taste — a very small paper cup barely bigger than what you’d get as a sample most places with a little scoop of custard. But honestly, this is about how much dessert we all should really eat. It’s nice that they include it on the combo so that you can get a taste of their specialty, which of course may entice you to come back and try something else.

The one thing I’m not really fond of at Bodensee is the atmosphere. The interior of the restaurant is really disjointed and doesn’t give the impression that they really spend much time on environment. There is a front room that is done up to look like you are outdoors in Vienna somewhere. A painted mural on the wall and patio tables with umbrellas (though you are indoors) establish the motif. Now, it’s not super well done, but it still provides at least a bit of decor.

The problem comes when you move into the back room, which is almost completely bare and features a hodgepodge of coffee tables, benches, tables and chairs with no decoration whatsoever. This is a room you can reserve as a meeting room for many different party and group meeting options they offer. There is a ventless gas log fireplace in this back room, which would have been great on the cold day I was there, but there was nothing really cozy about it. It was just kind of stuck in the corner. There is so much more that could be done to the interiors to make this place more inviting. I also feel that adding free wifi connectivity could really help as they are promoting themselves as a cafe and coffee shop.

That said, I can’t render too much judgment on the “feel” of the place as I was definitely not there in their peak season. I imagine the mood is so much more lively on a hot summer night when lots of people show up to enjoy the cool, refreshing, and excellently prepared custard.

The bottom line for me is that Bodensee is a great value. I’m not sure the $5 lunch combo (which I’m told is available all day) can be beat anywhere, by anyone. It’s so much better than fast food — it’s fresh, custom made, healthy and tasty — and yet they are delivering it at prices that beat most fast food restaurants. Seriously, where can you go to get a complete meal, drink included, for $5 even?

This amazing value, plus the uniqueness of their dessert offerings, make Bodensee worth a try for those who live nearby. Please let us know what you think in the comments.