Over the last several years, Oklahoma City has become home to a number of fine dining establishments, each with their own charms. High-end sushi? We’ve got it. Gourmet Italian? We’ve got it.

But if you want to know where Oklahoma City has really flourished, look no further than the prime steakhouses. We have a bounty of wonderful restaurants that serve top-of-the-line steaks at top-of-the-line prices. And Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse is no exception.

Located in Bricktown, Mickey Mantle’s (not to be confused with The Mantel, just down the street) has been serving great steaks for nearly a decade. It’s a classy establishment, featuring a well-worn bar that is at once cozy and lush and a dining room where white tableclothes and candles wrap everything up in sophisticated elegance.

But let me tell you, if you strip all of that away, what you’ve got is still a great restaurant. An expensive restaurant, but great nonetheless. They could seat all of their guests cafeteria-style and it wouldn’t matter. The food is that good.

I tried a couple of appetizers. The Baked Herb Boursin Cheese ($13) was good, especially with whole roasted garlic cloves on top. The combination of flavors was excellent, though I was a bit let down by the toast points that came with it. Had they been just a little thicker or a little less crisp, the dish would have been much better.

By far my favorite appetizer, and the one I have been raving about to my friends, was the Maryland Style Crab Cake. At $22, it is expensive enough to be an entree, but it’s also big enough to be an entree. A lot of crab cakes, especially around here, are cut at least 50-50 with bread crumbs or some other filler. I swear to you, I think the crab cake at Mickey Mantle’s had to be at least 95% crab. It towered above the plate, seated on a beurre blanc with a piece of lump crab at the top. Flavorful, decadent, delicious — I was blown away by this thing.

For a lighter start to a meal, I also recommend the Insalata Caprese ($9). There was no big twist to this classic salad — thick-cut tomato slices and fresh mozzarella covered in basil, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette — it was just executed perfectly. The mozzarella was tender and flavorful, the tomatoes (out of season, I might add) were full of flavor and it all came together wonderfully.

Now, I recently saw a complaint about Boulevard Steakhouse from a diner who said the prices were too high, especially when sides must be ordered a la carte. I, as a man on a budget, certainly sympathize with the sentiment, but that’s how it’s done at top-end steakhouses all over the country. Chili’s and Applebees will give you a steak and potatoes and a side of mealy vegetables, but that food just doesn’t compare. If you don’t feel like the flavor of the food and the experience of dining at Mickey Mantle’s or Red Prime matches the price you must pay, then I wouldn’t spend the money to eat there.

While I can’t afford it every week or even every month, I think the food and the atmosphere is worth the cost every once in a while. Mickey Mantle’s serves most of their steaks this way, with side dishes available at an added cost. One exception was the Mesquite-smoked filet ($34), which came with a sweet potato mash and crispy fried onion strings.

If I’m being honest, the onions were kind of bothersome and got in the way. I’d have them for an appetizer, maybe, but when the steak comes, I want the steak. And believe me, I wanted this steak. They cold smoked it for 6 hours, but the end product had no bitterness, just a sweet, woody flavor that played off the quality beef. It was tender, but cohesive. And paired with the sweet potato mash? Excellent.

They also have plenty of seafood options (crab, tuna, lobster, etc.) and about every cut of steak imaginable. The cheapest on the menu is the sirloin at $22, while the most expensive is a big-old porterhouse at $50. They also serve veal and rack of lamb, but I didn’t try those so I can’t tell you how they rate.

If you are a vegetarian, it’s not that Mickey Mantle’s doesn’t want your business, it’s just not their top priority. About the best you can do is get fettucine alfredo, sans chicken or shrimp.

But the sides are great for vegetarians and anybody else who likes food. Aside from the basics — au gratin potatoes, rice pilaf, fresh asparagus — there are treats like mac and cheese, sauteed mushrooms and (my favorite) the mushroom risotto. There’s also a lobster risotto, but I only tried the mushroom variety. It was great.

For a dessert, I tried the homemade chocolate cake, which was kind of a German chocolate variety. It was OK, but I kind of expected more after everything else I’d had. Maybe the problem was that I was so stuffed with food I had to take the cake home and eat it later. Still, I’d probably opt for the chocolate mousse or the creme brulee next time.

If price is no barrier, then I suggest giving Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse a shot. Despite a few very minor quibbles, I think everything I ate there was delicious and well-prepared. It may only be for special occasions for most of us, but it will certainly help make your occasion more special.

Other articles you might like:

• Boulevard Steakhouse: the kind of treat worth saving for
• Jamil’s Steakhouse: still around for a reason
• Sumo Japanese Steakhouse: all-you-can-eat sushi heaven
• Cattlemen’s: try it for breakfast
• Cafe 501: the restaurant transformer

This article was posted by Greg Elwell on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009. It is filed under:

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