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.

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.

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.

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.

Let’s start off by clarifying that we — myself, Sarah and Tim — went to Sauced in February (yes, it’s taken us that long to publish this review). We know that February isn’t the greatest month for sitting out in the ample patio, drinking a beer and eating a slice. So, if that’s what the charm of Sauced is really about (and we suspect it is), we clearly missed out.

But at the same time, a restaurant can’t be completely about atmosphere and experience. They do, after all, serve food as well, and the the food just didn’t strike us as all that memorable.

Now, it’s not the worst thing in the world for food to be “OK.” The worst thing is when it out-and-out sucks and it’s expensive. The food at Sauced does not out-and-out suck and is maybe only a little expensive, so it doesn’t have everything going against it — it just doesn’t have that much going for it.

Sauced is fine. It’s OK. It’s good. The food is just not memorable. And that’s unfortunate for a place that has so much going for it in the “experience” department.

The pizza ($16.50 for cheese plus $1.50 per topping) — we split a half-pepperoni and sausage and half-garlic, mushrooms and brocolli pie — was on the dry side. It’s a big pie with a very thin crust, but that crust was quite bland and there was very little sauce on it (ironic, considering the name of the restaurant). We did appreciate the availability of some unique toppings, like broccoli and carrots, but overall, it just fell short. That, plus the hefty price tag, make this a poor pizza value in our opinion.

You might see the large diameter of the pizza as improving the value, but the super-thin crust means that, even at a large size, it’s not very filling. The three of us easily finished every last bite of our large (which cost $21) and could have had more. Put it all together and it’s average pizza at a pretty substantial price.

We also tried the hummus and chips appetizer ($3.10). It wasn’t anything to write home about, either. These were ballpark-style tortilla chips and some pretty bland hummus with a little seasoning tossed on. Frankly, I didn’t taste anything.

The one thing I did have that was great was the coffee and I’d gladly get another cup of that. Again, this adds to the appeal as a hang-out or coffee shop as opposed to a dining establishment.

If I lived in or near the Paseo, I would go to Sauced because it’s a neighborhood kind of place. I like the funky art on the walls. I like that it has a great beer list and a place to sit outside. But I don’t live right there and I don’t know that Sauced has enough to pull me back for another taste. A restaurant needs to make that first impression count and while I wouldn’t necessarily ward anyone away from Sauced, I am not going to push people in that direction.

I have a feeling we’ll get some pretty spirited comments on this one. Please, let us know what you think in the comments, whether you agree or disagree with our review.

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.

Being an Italian food freak, I find that I am often drawn to Italian eateries when I decide to dine out for the evening. It used to be that I enjoyed the Italian chain restaurants, but all of that changed when my date to the senior prom suggested we eat at Caffe Pranzo for the big night. What I did not know is that I would be recommending this place on a regular basis for years to come.

Caffe Pranzo is tucked into a strip mall and it stays fairly well hidden from the bustle of May Avenue. In fact, the first few times I attempted to dine there, I drove past it because of its hidden location. From the outside, it doesn’t look like anything special, but when you enter the doors you are greeted by elegance and class. Dimly lit and very well-themed, Caffe Pranzo makes you feel as if you are dining in a small restaurant in Italy. I was very impressed by the atmosphere, but would my tongue be as impressed as my eyes?

Absolutely.

For starters, there are a variety of choices. If you’re in a soup mood, there are options. If you’re in a cheese and wine mood, there are options. You will not be left wishing something else were on the menu. My personal favorite appetizer is the Caprese. The fresh Italian favorite is served with mozzarella cheese, diced tomatoes, and just a hint of olive oil and spices. The fried calamari is also an excellent choice, and Caffe Pranzo boasts that it is the “best in Oklahoma City.” I would have to agree.

The house salad, while tasty, comes off as a bit “plain Jane” in my humble opinion. I think Caffe Pranzo could do better by creating some sort of signature salad to accompany their meals.

For an entrée, I highly recommend the Chicken Cannelloni. Some would argue standard Italian dishes taste the same no matter where you go, but Caffe Pranzo finds a way to top every other place I’ve tried with this offering. The Cannelloni is delicious and it is baked with an amazing tomato-cream sauce that makes my mouth water even as I type this review. The chicken is very tender — not at all dry — and it has a fantastic flavor.

Speaking of chicken, Caffe Pranzo offers an oven roasted chicken which is marinated a full 24 hours before it is cooked. If you’re not in a pasta mood, try this dish which is served with stir-fried vegetables.

Lastly, dessert. You absolutely MUST try the Tiramisu. I can’t quite put into words my feelings about this dish so let me simply post the description that is written on their menu:

“This dessert is truly an international effort. Imported Belgium chocolate, mascarpone cheese from Italy, crispy lady fingers from France and dairy fresh eggs from Albertson’s are combined with espresso and brandy to make this a light ‘pick me up’ end to a perfect meal.”

There’s also much more to explore at Caffe Pranzo. It is, in my opinion, and incredible experience from start to finish. I’ve been recommending it to people for many years and so far, I have not heard any negative feedback from those who have tried it. So, I invite you to try it as well and let me know what you think (positive or negative) in the comments.

Every so often, all of our regular writers try to get together to experience a new Oklahoma City restaurant. I say that we “try” because so far, we haven’t quite made it. We were just about to accomplish this feat at the new Iguana Mexican Grill downtown, but Andrew got called away by work at the last minute. Nevertheless, Greg, Sarah and myself were able to get together for lunch at the Iguana. What follows reflects contributions from all three of us.

Perhaps you remember the Iguana from its old location on Western Avenue. I remember eating there several times and noting its uniqueness. Now it’s back and continuing to provide an interesting alternative to Oklahoma City’s standard Mexican food places.

We really appreciate its downtown location. The owners have not only opened a restaurant, they have refurbished a historical building just east of Broadway. One thing is for sure, you have to know the place is there because you’d never have any other reason to turn east on 9th. But once you find it, you’ll be delighted with this “old turned new” achievement complete with beautiful landscaping and free parking (a treat in downtown).

The interior decor is modern — an unfinished feel with giant, bright-colored paintings and glass light fixtures adorning the brick walls. The tables are made locally and, like the plates, sport a rough-hewn, slightly off-balance look. In other words, they have perfectly captured a look that isn’t meant to look perfect.

Now to the food. The starter is chips and salsa, as it should be at any Mexican restaurant, but here are thick, fresh-fried tortilla pieces and five unique salsa options. The house salsa comes for free, but you can try additional salsas for $2 each, or get all four premium varieties for $7. We got all four so we could give you the full report.

Surprisingly, we all agreed that the free, house salsa was just about the best one. It is a fresh and chunky salsa, almost like a pico de gallo, where the flavors of the vegetables stand out independently. Its only downside was being too mild. We felt that if they could add a few more minced shavings of jalapeno to warm things up, it would be just perfect.

The premium salsas were definitely unique. There was a tomatillo (verde) salsa which I liked pretty well but Greg found too sweet and lacking in kick. The smoked tomato salsa, served warm, also let us down. However, the “coral snake,” a sweet peach salsa with a definite kick at the end, was very unique and enjoyable. Then there was the favorite of the premiums — the citrus-habanero — spicy, flavorful, but not so hot that you can’t taste anything.

None of us were very impressed with the guacomole ($2 for a single serving, $4.50 for more). It was okay, but nothing to turn flips down the hallway over. We all agreed we’d had better elsewhere.

I was impressed that the menu offered some very affordable options. It’s a pretty good deal when you can get interesting, creative food in a fabulous location for about the same cost as standard Okla-mex fare. The lunch specials were all around the $7 range, which is at least what you would expect to pay at a Ted’s or Casa Perico. Even at dinner, you can get a meal for $9-$12 or so. Very reasonable for what you get.

Greg was very satisfied with his chicken torta lunch special ($6.50) and offered the following insights:

“Iguana must wood-grill their meat because this was flavorful, moist chicken. The torta bread was nice and chewy, but not too tough. The rice was so-so. Red rice is just your standard Mexican rice, though not as flavorful as some I’ve had, while the green rice was an even milder taste. Instead, spend $1 more and change your side to the sopa de maiz — a roasted corn soup with coconut milk, green curry, roasted poblano peppers and a shitake mushroom dumpling in the middle. Very tasty. If you choose to get it on its own, it’s $4 for a cup and $6 for a bowl.”

Sarah ordered the shrimp and vegetable skewer lunch ($7.50) and here’s what she had to say:

“It was pretty good, but the vegetables and plate were shiny with some type of oil. Wish I had known to order it without oil. That would have made it a pretty healthy dish. Also, the temperature of the food was not hot. Oh, and if anyone out there has tips on how to gracefully remove shrimp from wooden skewers, please let me know.”

I chose the fish taco lunch ($7). It was very good, even better than what I’ve previously reviewed at Chica’s. The fish had no hint of fishiness. I had the black beans and fresh fruit for sides. I was pleasantly surprised to find another Mexican place offering fresh fruit with their meals. My one recommendation would be to split this into two tacos. They served it as a single taco stuffed so full of filling that it was impossible to eat. They could easily add another corn tortilla and serve the same amount of filling as two tacos. It would be much more manageable and seem like an even better deal.

As I mentioned before, I feel that the pricing at Iguana is actually very good. It’s one of the reasons I am comfortable recommending it. They do offer some higher-end options, like their family-style group dining with charges of $12.50, $15, or $25 per person. These options provide a multi-course meal with some great variety, but personally, I don’t see the value there. I’d stick with the dinners or lunch specials.

Oh, one more thing — we did try out the key lime pie ($4.50). It was a hit. As Sarah said, “it was the only thing that was to die for.” This is key lime done right — a creamy filling with real, tart, lime flavor on top of a crumbly crust, served in a raspberry sauce. Very good eats, though Greg and Tim felt that the raspberry sauce was unnecessary. Sarah just felt that it was yummy.

Though we’re not saying the food is out of this world, we believe the Iguana is definitely worth a try. If nothing else, it’s a unique Oklahoma City eatery that highlights the potential of our downtown area and offers an alternative to the same old Mexican food we’ve all had over and over. Given the fact that pricing is quite reasonable, I highly recommend you check it out soon.

Tell us what you think in the comments.

Not to tie the excellent Wedge Pizzeria to that mediocre pantry staple, Wolf Brand Chili, but stranger, how long’s it been since you had figs on your pizza? Well, that’s just too long.

The Wedge could easily be described as “upscale” pizza, but not because of outrageous prices (though if you’re looking for cheap eats, look elsewhere), but because of outrageous quality and innovation.

The wife and I lunched here recently and found favorites all over the menu. For the appetizer, we tried the Anti-Pasto platter. This could have been a meal by itself for $9, with marinated seasonal vegetables (ours had eggplant, locally grown squash, sweet peppers, Sungold cherry tomatoes and beets) plus cheese, German potato salad and two slices of spicy Capicola ham. The flavors, other the peppers and the sharp blue cheese, were subtle. It isn’t for everyone, but as a lover of fresh, local produce, I recommend it.

Also good is the Wedge Trio, which is a plate of their Italian flatbread served with olive tapenade, roasted red pepper hummus and marinated artichoke hearts. At $8, it’s enough to split with four or five people.

We each had a salad (all are $6) and were mostly delighted. She had the marinated mozzarella salad, which came with sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and arugula. I stole a few bites and was pleased, though I wish the cheese had a little more flavor.

One bit of flavor she didn’t want was a tiny bug that she spied. Before she could catch it, it darted deeper into the salad. Needless to say, the salad was replaced. And I can honestly forgive the bug, since I know they were using local, pesticide-free, organic arugula. The man in me says, “Aw, heck, it’s just extra protein.” The reviewer, however, is glad they were quick to replace the salad with a bug-free version.

My salad had fresh spinach with pears, toasted walnuts and a dijon-balsamic vinaigrette. That dressing (which you can buy by the pint for $8) was amazing. The pears were crisp and crunchy and the walnuts were rich. I’m not usually a fan of fruit in my salad, but this was just a well put together production.

The main attraction, of course, is the pizza and the selection at the Wedge is pretty stout. There’s the normal “build your own” section, though with a few oddities for your choosing including capers, prosciutto, pancetta, goat cheese, figs, pears, etc. But the specialty pizzas really surprised me. It’s rare I find specialties that are so … special.

We tried the Truffle Shuffle ($15) with roasted chicken, truffle oil, sage, spinach and crimini mushrooms. I could have eaten it all day long. The flavors were well-balanced and delightful. This was certainly more than the sum of its parts, though I’ll admit, I was a bit let down with the crust. The Wedge brick-fires all their pizzas, but the oil and ingredients rendered the usually tender crust a bit flimsy. But as knife-and-fork pizza goes, the taste is out of this world.

I also had a slice of the Prosciutto E Formaggi ($14) which is covered in prosciutto, arugula and figs. It’s an odd taste, but not a bad one. The figs aren’t overly sweet. They are complimented with the salty meat and the lightly bitter arugula.

A word of warning — if you get anything with arugula, get it in the summer. I was disappointed in the winter with the arugula, which was harsh and bitter. Manager Elena Farrar told me she begs their local provider, who grows the stuff in El Reno, to find a way to produce it year-round, because the quality drops off when they get it elsewhere.

For those of you who might end up at The Wedge, but would like something a little less experimental, I recommend the American Pie. It comes topped with marinara sauce, fresh meatballs and onions. My wife is also a big fan of The Vedge. All vegetarians take note — this is your dish. Garlic, red bell peppers, artichokes, mushrooms, pine nuts and ricotta make this a favorite.

If you skip appetizers and salads, one pizza is probably big enough for two people. I suggest you go with friends, try a couple of different pies and maybe split an appetizer. It’s not cheap, but you’re not getting cheap food, either.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

I’m surprised, taken aback, shocked … I’m really quite confused by my experience at Lotsa Noodles the other day. You see, I had several people recently tell me how good the place is and so I was really looking forward to trying it. When I got there, the sweet-looking decor and high-end marketing impressed me so much I had to ask the people to make sure it wasn’t a chain (and it isn’t, though they are looking at opening a location in Woodward soon). But then my food came out and, man oh man, I was disappointed.

First of all, if you asked my wife she would tell you that there is very rarely any food that I don’t like. I mean, I just like food and I will give any food the benefit of the doubt. So, you have to understand that it is not to be taken lightly when I say that I did not like the food here. Let me say it again — I did not like it.

Of course, I was open to the possibility that maybe I just went on a bad day or chose the wrong thing from the menu. I wouldn’t want to offer such a negative impression based on one isolated experience. So, I checked with my trusty co-writers here and found that they have had equally lackluster experiences with this place (I should have checked with them before I went).

Andrew says, “I have had an alfredo dish (tastes like it came out of a jar), the Stroganoff (much better than the alfredo), and a pesto noodle dish that was very underwhelming. I’ll never go back.”

Sarah says, “The last time we ate there, he (my husband) thought the pasta was too soggy, and he agrees it is way too expensive for what you get. Nothing I’ve had has ever been horrible, but it’s nothing special either.”

With these two impressions giving credence to my own, I feel completely justified in presenting my opinion here. So, here’s a some more detail about my experience.

I’ve mentioned the sleek, high-end marketing, and it really is top-notch. Just go visit their website and you’ll see what I mean. Beautiful photographs of the food, high-end design, simplicity — they’ve got it going on with marketing. The interior of the restaurant is equally polished. You really will find it hard to believe that it’s not a chain. I’ve heard that it used to be a chain called “Nothing but Noodles,” but at some point, the owners took it independent. They must have learned a lot about marketing from their chain experience because everything looks outstanding.

But then comes the food. Again, it looks great in the photos. And the menu is really interesting and widely varied. I was getting really excited about it as I waited to order. I chose Pad Thai. I love Pad Thai. It’s one of my favorite dishes so I really wanted to see how theirs stacked up. The cost was $6.49 for a bowl. Seemed pretty good to me, so I ordered it.

But then I noticed on the take-out menu I was perusing that the Pad Thai doesn’t come with meat. In fact, most of the noodle dishes don’t come with meat. Meats are listed as “toppings” and to add chicken to your Pad Thai will cost you $2.49 extra. So, now I’m realizing that to get a bowl of chicken Pad Thai, you’re looking at $9. “Yikes,” I thought. “This had better be some really good Pad Thai.” I kept an open mind.

Then it came. It smelled funny. I stirred it around in the bowl and noticed that the scrambled egg was not crumbled up and distributed throughout the Pad Thai. Nope. It was about a 3×3 inch block of scrambled egg that I had to try and crumble and stir around myself. Then, I tasted it and what I found was an almost watery-tasting sauce with very little punch to it and an overpowering amount of garlic (which I am still tasting now). Nothing bold. Nothing to set it apart. Just a bowl of slightly Asian-influenced noodles and a big brick of scrambled egg.

The other funny thing is that they served it with an Italian breadstick. Now, I understand they have Italian noodles too, but shouldn’t you pair up your offerings in the same family?

And this leads me to my conclusion. When you have a restaurant that serves such a variety of types of foods including American noodle dishes (like stroganoff), Asian dishes, Italian pastas … etc., it’s an interesting concept but near impossible to pull off. How can you expect to create Italian dishes that rival Italian restaurants or Thai dishes that compete with the Asian district? And, even moreso, how can you expect to charge 50% more for them?

To my mind, it’s just a doomed concept. But, I will say, they appear to be doing ok. Maybe the high-end branding is enough to distract people from the food and justify the higher price tag. The free wifi is nice as well. But, I cannot in good conscience support this place or return here because they are cranking out mediocre dishes. I wish them continued success, but I’ll be getting my noodles elsewhere.

Is there any place in Oklahoma City that you will drive completely out of your way just for the cookies? Ingrid’s Kitchen is that place for us. We can be clear on the north side of Edmond, and my husband (the founder of Sweet Tooths of America United), will have a sudden and uncontrollable urge for the chocolate thumb print cookies made famous at Ingrid’s. So we make our way to the corner of Youngs and NW 36th Street in OKC, before driving home way back on the far west edge of town. It’s nuts. But it’s worth it. These cookies are the creamiest, most fudgy and totally illegal things you will ever enjoy. And an inside tip from my Mom – request the ones from the non-refrigerated case. They’re better, she says.

My mom and my husband are the self-appointed dessert connoisseurs of the family. You know, the type that look at the dessert menu first, before deciding on a main dish. They also choose restaurants based on how good the crunchy, burnt topping on the creme brulee is. The conversations in the car as we try and decide where to eat are mind-numbing. Mom will smack her mouth and tongue trying to decide what taste is on her pallet for the evening, kind of like when Johnny Carson used to put that huge turban on and place the card to his forehead to see what answer would ultimately come to him. And the funny thing is – Mom can’t smell or taste, so does it really matter? She says yes, because now texture is everything. And thus, the love for the creamy thumb prints.

Anyway, Ingrid’s specializes in a variety of German foods and dishes. Their official name is Ingrid’s Kitchen – European and American Bakery and Delicatessen/Restaurant. They also have their own catering company, Lee’s Gourmet To Go.

Every time we go to Ingrid’s, I tell myself I’m going to try the German food since it’s something they specialize in, but I have yet to make it past the grilled Turkey Reuben sandwich on the menu. I will leave the German review to Andrew, my co-hort in tasting. He will post his findings soon.As for me, I can tell you that the Turkey Reuben is hot, stacked high with meat, cheesy, bubbly and delicious. And I’m sure it’s not legally on my diet. If you’re not a big meat eater, you could easily split it with someone else and add a side of their tabouli or German potato salad. Or, you could order it as a part of the half sandwich and cup of soup. I recommend these options as ordering the whole reuben for myself, plus a side salad and drink set me back over $10 for lunch, which is a little more than what I like to pay here around town.

If you’re ever in the mood to see old guys playing live music on a Saturday, then Ingrid’s is the place. Go for breakfast or lunch, then grab your partner and hit the dance floor for a number or two. We like to go for the brunch buffet on Sundays. You can always count on a nice variety of main dishes, salads and “a full dessert table featuring pure concocted indulgence,” with “more outstanding creations” offered on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Easter. They even take reservations for large parties. The buffet is $13.95 for adults (less for kids) but it is a good value with all of the offerings they provide.

The counter help is part of the fun, as they are all talky and very helpful, especially the man at the cash register. Part of the Oklahoma City charm of this restaurant.

Last year, I even ordered my entire Thanksgiving meal from Ingrid’s. Being someone who enjoys cooking, I was a little wary of a holiday restaurant meal. But Ingrid’s didn’t disappoint. And I will not hesitate to order more holiday food from them again if needed. It sure beat sitting in Denny’s eating one of those skillet meals with nine million fat grams.

We like Ingrid’s as much for the atmosphere as we do the food. But we wouldn’t drive clear across town if the food wasn’t worth the price of the gas to get there. One of my co-workers’ favorite things to do is eat lunch at Ingrid’s, then go next door to shoe shop at Linda’s Birkenstock. >Men, take note – you won’t find a faster way into a woman’s heart than a tasty meal she didn’t have to cook and new pair of comfy shoes.

PLEASE NOTE: This review was written before El Pollo Chulo moved to its new location on NW 50th Street.

I have seen El Pollo Chulo a hundred times sitting on the corner of Meridian and 23rd in Oklahoma City, but have never stopped. This is unlike me. Part of it is because there is a Mexican restaurant every 200 feet in this town and it gets old eating Mexican food every night. Don’t get me wrong, I love Mexican, but let’s be honest, stale chips and watered down cheese dip get old after a while. That’s where Pollo Chulo is a breath of fresh air. First off, its Spanish, not Mexican. Is there another Spanish restaurant in Oklahoma City? I know Tom and Jerry’s and other popular OKC eateries serve tapas periodically, but is there really a Spanish place in town? If so, please leave a comment and let me know because if this is what Spanish food tastes like I want more!

El Pollo Chulo is in an unassuming building along West 23rd in an area of town with very little culinary appeal. It did have a fairly nicely restored convertible Volkswagen Beetle out front, which made me like it from the start. We walked into a completely empty building which, to be honest, made me a little uneasy. As we ate several people came and ordered takeout, however, which explained the lack of bodies in seats.

The specialty is obviously chicken. But not just any chicken, lime and fruit marinated, flame broiled, perfectly seasoned, juicy, succulent chicken. They have several side items to choose from that are served cafeteria-style out of big warmers. They offer white rice, Spanish rice, roasted potatoes, a vegetable medley, a few types of beans, and spaghetti. They also serve a few types of fish, burritos of several varieties, and a variety of Mediterranean-type desserts such as baklava and a few cakes. I also like a guy, like this restaurant’s owner, who is passionate about his art. He is not afraid to tell you exactly what to eat and why. He knows his chicken is awesome and he has a little swagger when he goes to chop off a couple meaty chunks for you.

A few things you should be aware of:

1. The side item portions are single serving portions. So, if you order the eight piece and four sides to feed a family of five, it won’t be enough. Order additional sides.
2. You may have to talk your wife into it when she sees an empty building like I did, but it is well worth it.
3. The chicken is addictive and you will find yourself craving it at strange times. For instance, it is 11pm right now and I’m fighting the urge to start stockpiling this chicken in my fridge so I can heat it up at night, even knowing full well it won’t be the same reheated.

El Pollo Chulo has everything you want in a local eatery. The owner is in there to greet you and tell you what you should order, the price is VERY nice (8 piece chicken meal and 4 sides is 10 bucks), it is certified by the National Heart Association as a heart-friendly prepared meal, and did I mention they drive what is either a late 60′s or early 70′s Standard Volkswagen Beetle or a ’71 Super? I didn’t have time to check the suspension to find out. The food is fantastic and may now be my favorite chicken in this town. Now if I can just find a decent Weiner Schnitzel my culinary desires will be totally fulfilled.

Flame Broiled Chicken. I have definitely found a new favorite way to eat chicken in Oklahoma City.

As I’ve said before, I much prefer local restaurants. But I’ve got to give credit when a chain restaurant really goes above and beyond. In the case of Panera Bread, I feel like I pretty much owe them some recognition considering that they’ve given me thousands of hours of great office space, virtually rent free.

You see, I’m actually at Panera right now, working on my laptop on their free wireless internet network. I like to get up early every day and get some personal work done before heading into the office. A while back, I was self-employed, and I’d spend even more time here, sometimes using their space for entire days at a time. Sure, I’d buy lunch here, but that’s a pretty good rate for 8 hours of rent. Especially when the rest of the time I’m just working and making use of free iced tea refills.

Since moving back to Oklahoma City, I’ve looked around for a local alternative to fill my early morning office / cafe need. But I haven’t found anything better than Panera yet. And here’s why:

Hours of Operation. Panera opens at 6am every day and stays open until 8pm or 9pm. It’s just hard to beat that availability. I have yet to find a local alternative that opens at 6am. The closest I’ve found is 6:30 and when you’ve only got until 8, that extra 30 minutes makes a world of difference.

Food. As opposed to Starbucks or other coffee shop options, Panera serves real food. And the food is great. The multitude of bagel options for breakfast are creative, made with quality ingredients and prepared well everyday by someone who must get here at 3am or something to get all of this baking done. Even better, if you’re around for lunch or dinner, there are great sandwiches, soups, salads and now some artisan pizza in the evenings. It’s nice to have a place that can satisfy at any time of day.

Free wireless internet. A few years ago, someone up at Panera headquarters must have made what I consider to be the most brilliant decision ever — to offer free wireless internet in their stores. It’s not only free, there’s even a support number to call if you have trouble (ask for the internet brochure). Now that’s service! A reliable, high-quality wireless network at no cost. This single offering has earned them my loyalty and repeat business and I’m sure there are many others out there who feel the same way. Way to go, guys!

Iced tea. Their tea is great, and they fill up two huge containers of it on their drink station so they never run out. When you’re officing at Panera, $1.50 or so buys you a whole days’ worth.

I’d love to find a local alternative that can rival these offerings for my morning ritual. If you know of one, leave a comment and let me know. But even if I find one, I doubt I’ll leave Panera completely. I’ll have to visit them at least once a week. They’ve just been too good to me.