I’ll sum up this review in the following sentence — eating at Fusion Café reminds me of eating at home, but it’s better than my mom’s cooking.  Please don’t tell my mom that I said that. She might cry.

From the outside, the restaurant is pretty non-descript with the exception of the obvious orange signs outside.  The ambience inside is a stark contrast to the plain exterior. You can come here for a meal or just come to read a book while sampling the various flavored teas or milk teas on their inviting sofa or typically empty tables.  This is a café after all.

However, if you’re going to come to Fusion Café just to enjoy their drink bar, then you’re totally missing out!  This is one of only a few restaurants in OKC that offers teriyaki bowls ($6.95-7.95) or Bento “rice boxes” (also $6.95-7.95).  For the most part, this place is a fusion of Korean and Japanese-style food with a pretty equal distribution of the two cuisines from sushi to bulgogi.

The ultimate stars of this restaurant, however, are the spicy potato stew ($6.95) and Chef’s Specialty ($10.95) — aka “goat” stew.  I’ve had the pleasure of trying both and I must say that both are superb!  The owner mentioned that once you try the goat stew, you won’t want to go back to the spicy potato. I have to agree. Their menu describes the Chef’s Specialty this way — “Rich soup made with tender goat meat and traditional Korean spices and seasonings.”  I can’t really figure out all the ingredients that go into the dish, but the one ingredient that has a prominent presence is perilla leaves (an herb that is a member of the mint family with an aroma reminiscent of apples and mint).  The slow-boiled goat meat is super tender and absolutely delicious.  I ordered it with medium spice and it had just the perfect blend of seasoning and heat (of course, I like things spicy, so keep that in mind).  If you prefer less heat, the spicyness can be adjusted when you order but Korean food is generally known to be pretty spicy.

The spicy potato stew is described this way — “Traditional Korean hearty stew with rich savory broth. Made with pork neck bones and potatoes.”  It’s not as delicious as the goat stew, plus this dish requires a bit of work to get all the meat out of the neckbones.  Depending on how meaty the neck bones are you might get more or less meat. Nonetheless, I usually go home pretty satisfied with the portions. Each bowl includes an entire potato, sliced onions, and chilis. 

I went to get the goat stew the other day and they had run out (which goes to show you that if you’re REALLY craving the goat stew, it’s best to call ahead to make sure they have some ready). Since my mom and I drove all the way down there to try the goat stew and came up lacking, I think they gave us extra meat portions in the Potato Stew we ordered. I must say, I was quite happy with that addition.

If you happen to come with a friend or a significant other, you can go off menu and get the ”jung-goal” or family-style versions of the stews that can easily feed 2-3 people.  The stew is actually cooked on your tabletop with one of those portable butane cooktops.  Once you’ve dished out most of the stew, the server comes with a platter of veggies and rice to stir fry into the pot and finish up whatever is left.  My friend and I were pretty full from the stew already and didn’t realize how much more food would come with the stir-frying.  Family-style prices for the the spicy potato and goat stews are $20 and $29 respectively.

Both stews come with a bowl of rice and an accompaniment of Korean side dishes.

Fusion Café is a family run business with good service. They are proud of the fact that none of their food contains any MSG — just like mom would like.  One would be hard-pressed to find tastier potato or goat stews even among the larger Korean communities in LA or New York.  Let us know what you think about it in the comments section below.

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.

Editor’s note: This is the final post written by Andrew Littleton, the founder of our Shady Restaurant series. Andrew wrote this before he left town but I have waited until now to publish it so that it will still seem like he is here. Enjoy his farewell words and a final tasty find.

By now the word is out that my days as shady writer for eataroundokc.com have come to an end.  I have decided it would be fitting to end my shady posts where I started them — on SW 29th street, almost literally next door to Sydney’s, the one that started it all.

This review is about the best Mexican-style tamales in town.  I say that with absolutely no reservations. No ”I think,” no “possibly,” — absolutely no trepidation.  I speak with confidence because I believe I have eaten at every authentic-ish Mexican restaurant on the south side of Oklahoma City and, unfortunately, at my fair share of Okla-Mex places in town as well.

Before I get to talking about Tamales, I would like to offer a brief homage to SW 29th street.

Ever since the day I had a $3 breakfast for lunch at Sydney’s and helped to unplug the fan so they could plug in the cash register to complete my purchase, I fell in love with this stretch of road.  Sure, there have been moments of fear. Like the time the drug dealer dudes started ramming their $40,000 tricked-out Cadillacs like they were bumper cars. Or, the time the meth lady accused me of stealing her car (my custom Volkswagen Beetle) and then chased me back to my office. Or, of course, the time I ate at the Golden Touch Grill.  But those moments are fleeting as I think of all the great food.  Flautas and enchiladas at Los Desvelados, dollar tacos at Max Burger, the burger I got carded to eat at the place that turned out to be a shady beer bar, and the time my friend Dirk nearly died from the heat after shouting “muy caliente el diablo!” about how hot he wanted his pork chile verde from the place across the street from Los Desvelados.

Yes, I have many fond memories of SW 29th street, and I leave you with one final recommendation.

Tamales may well have a more complete name, but I’m not sure. There is a bit of a language barrier.  I asked once what hours they were open and got a “yes we are open, you like tamales?”  To which I replied, “As a matter of fact I do!”  So this I know — they are open seven days a week for lunch and at least until 6 or 7 or so.  I say this 6 or 7 deal because I have sent many people there after work to take a dozen home for dinner.  These tamales pair especially well with the marinated flank steak you can purchase at the mercado across the street if you want a complete meal.  They also serve menudo on the weekends.  I bet it’s awesome, but I haven’t tried it.

The menu consists of tamales, chocolate covered bananas (with sprinkles), and nachos.  They also serve raspados (Mexican snow cones).  I have only had the tamales, so you will have to supply your own reviews the other other offerings in the comments. I’m not big on raspudas or chocolate covered bananas, sprinkles or no sprinkles.

You order your tamales by the dozen, spicy or . . . uhm . . . not spicy. A dozen tamales costs $13. The spicy pack a punch, as they are full of chopped jalapenos, but they are, by far, my favorite.  These tamales are silky, moist, perfectly steamed, and by no means dried-out gritty corn mush pockets like you would get at most places in town.  In fact, I have had many people who don’t even like tamales say these are great.  The problem is, these people probably had their first and only tamale experience from Taco Bueno.

Take my advice, block out past memories of fast food tamales and Okla-Mex tamales, go get a dozen of these, take them back to work (they will stay hot, trust me), and go change the lives of your co-workers.  They really are that good. I work with a large number of people from Austin who swear there is nothing close to these down there, and they are a good seven hours closer to Mexico than us.  The door to the back room is usually cracked open where you can see a lady with a stack of corn husks rolling up and steaming them as fast as she can go.  It may bring tears to your eyes, but fight through the emotions and yell out, “One dozen tamales . . . uh . . . spicy!”  It works every time.

Well, there’s not much more to say about Tamales, so let me just say this. It’s been awesome, and humbling, to see how our shady reviews have changed the dynamic of these deserving restaurants and brought them patrons that might have never ventured into them before.  I have had owners of a few of these places come out and give me hugs. I’ve seen the comments as our faithful readers give great feedback on these shady wonders. Recently, I’ve even seen a couple of these spots hit the national food scene on TV.  The only negative has been watching some of my favorite spots become so popular that they are hard to get into now.

Thanks, Oklahoma City, for all the shady memories. I can’t wait to hear what you all think about Tamales.  While Nashville has a great meat and three, spicy chicken, and soul food scene, there is no replacing the Mexican and South American food scene we have here in OKC. So keep them busy for me while I’m away, and  if you are ever in Nashville, I’ll meet you for some hot chicken.

Here’s a list of September’s winners:

• Rosie wins a $25 gift card to Deep Fork Grill (review).
• Cult of Nobody wins a $20 gift card to Market-C.
• Jocelyn wins $10 in pizza bucks at Hideaway Pizza.

If you are one of the winners, you should have already received an email notification from me. Be sure to reply and claim your prize.

Congrats to our winners and thanks to all of you for leaving comments on our site. Your comments are what really make our site fun, so please keep them coming. Remember that only comments left in October will be eligible for October’s prizes.

Hope to hear from you soon.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the almost three years since I started EatAroundOKC.com, I can’t remember another restaurant that has generated as much buzz around its launch as Big Truck Tacos. I feel strange writing this article as it almost seems superfluous to have yet another online page dedicated to discussing it. But at the same time, I’ve received enough email from readers asking, “Why don’t you have a review of Big Truck Tacos?” to motivate me to get this article published. So, here we go.

I truly love the idea of Big Track Tacos. It represents the epitome of what I tend to look for in restaurants. That is, a place that offers something truly unique to the Oklahoma City restaurant landscape. On this front, Big Truck Tacos excels, bringing a gourmet and hip spin on the authentic taqueria experience both indoors (at their restaurant location) and on the street (via their actual taco truck). The ownership of this restaurant has experience in high-end dining, and the idea of taking something as awesome as a taqueria-style taco and sprucing it up with culinary creativity is extremely exciting to me.

While their focus right now appears to be on the restaurant location, it seems they have plans to turn their taco truck into a Twitter-driven mobile dining experience akin to Kogi in Los Angeles. Time will tell how this plays out but it could be a very unique and successful offering. For now, it seems that their static location is keeping them busy enough as crowds have been overwhelming and consistent since their opening.

When you visit their restaurant location, you’ll find a small, nicely redone old drive-in diner. There’s not a lot of space inside, but in the warmer weather they have good outdoor seating on colorful picnic tables which can even be used in the rain since they’re covered by the old drive-in roof. Getting to know the people dining next to you is the standard MO here as most anywhere you sit you will be sharing space with others. But hey, that makes it all the more fun and gives it a true “hang-out” kind of feel.

Take a look at the menu and you’ll find a lot to love. The in-depth descriptions of their tacos, burritos, tortas, salads and more are inspiring with exciting combinations of ingredients like “ground bison picadillo,” “fried avocado,” “spice-rubbed beer can chicken,” and the like.

However, when my eyes wandered across the page to the pricing, I was a bit disappointed. Tacos are $2.75-$3.00 each. “That’s cheap!” you may say, but keep in mind that even the smallest appetite would likely need two of these tacos to feel satisfied (I could easily eat three without over doing it). Having frequented some of OKC’s best southside taquerias where amazing tacos of the same size are served up for $1.50 or less each, the price tag on BTT’s offerings let me down. Sure, I know it’s a gourmet spin and I would expect to pay more than the norm, but twice as much? With prices like these, they had better deliver on taste.

But in the taste department, I’ve been let down a bit. Most everything I’ve tried at lunch sounded better on the menu than it actually delivered. I’ve had four different lunch tacos. Two of them have been good. The other two have been average at best. None of them have been what I would consider amazing.

On the positive side, the slaw on “The Okie-Baha” (fish taco) was the best I think I’ve had and “The Rancher” offered a great combination of flavors with slow-braised brisket, potatoes, queso, and a pickled relish that really livens things up. On the disappointing side, the verde pork at BTT was unexciting in both texture and flavor, and the beef al carbon was tough with a “coffee-rubbed” flavor that was quite overpowering and not all that appealing. Even though “Urban Coffee Company – rubbed grilled skirt steak” had my mouth watering when I read it on the menu, it was less than satisfying to my taste.

I also wish the tortillas at Big Truck Tacos brought more to the party. As it is, they’re fine, but they’re nothing special. You have your choice of flour or double-corn tortillas on each taco you order. Livening up the tortillas with something homemade or otherwise unique would really go a long way toward fulfilling the gourmet expectations set by their pricing.

Now, I’ve heard from many people who believe breakfast is the better offering at Big Truck Tacos. I’d have to agree. The pricing is a little lower, which is nice, and the flavors I had were better as well. All of the breakfast tacos are “build your own,” allowing you to select from their list of ingredients. For $2, you get two ingredients but … oh yeah … eggs count as an ingredient. Add a quarter or so for each additional ingredient you want.

I had an egg, avocado and flank steak breakfast taco that was very good. It was heavy on the pepper, which I like. The steak was a little tough, just like the lunch steak, but it had a better flavor than its coffee-rubbed lunch sibling. I also had one with egg, spinach and ham.

You can also build your own breakfast burrito. In fact, this the best value I’ve found so far at Big Truck Tacos. For $4 you get your choice of three ingredients wrapped up in a 10 inch tortilla. It’s a decent amount of food for the price. I had the egg, avocado and flank steak in a burrito and thought it was even better than the taco version. I also thought the tortilla on the burrito was better than the ones on the tacos.

I wish they would open earlier for breakfast. I also wish they would include a few of their own taco creations at breakfast like they do at lunch. Come to think of it, adding a “build your own” option at lunch might be nice as well. Why the separation? And, why not offer breakfast tacos all day. That would really rock.

Alright, so there are some things I wish were different, but at the bottom line, Big Truck Tacos is definitely worth your attention. Give them a try. You’ll find that they run a great operation and they’re very concerned about customer satisfaction. Send them your feedback through Facebook or Twitter and I can almost guarantee they’ll be quick to respond and react.

I’m sure I’ll be visiting them again, though I can say I’d be visiting them a lot more frequently if pricing were a little lower or if there were some lunch combo that could get me three tacos for around $6 instead of $9. As it is, my visits may be infrequent but I do look forward to seeing how they continue to change and improve.

Please let us know what you think about Big Truck Tacos 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.

Here’s a list of August’s winners:

• Craig wins a $50 gift card to Paseo Grill.
• Alisa wins a $20 gift card to Market-C.
• Matt wins a $20 gift card to Rococo (review).

If you are one of the winners, you should have already received an email notification from me. Be sure to reply and claim your prize.

Congrats to our winners and thanks to all of you for leaving comments on our site. Your comments are what really make our site fun, so please keep them coming. Remember that only comments left in September will be eligible for September’s prizes.

Oh, and if you haven’t already, check us out on Twitter. We’ve got nearly 1,300 followers now and it’s a whole lot of fun. You can use the #eataroundokc tag in your tweets to join the conversation and get your tweets listed on our Twitter page. Plus, we occasionally offer special giveaways just to our Twitter followers as well.

Editor’s note: this month’s shady restaurant feature is a special contribution from Chef Ryan Parrott. Chef Parrott is a leading chef and restauranteur in Oklahoma City and we’re delighted to have his contribution here. For more about Chef Parrott, please see his author page.

As a chef, I am constantly searching for the next great meal, combing the planet for a new flavor, new technique or new ingredient. As of late, I have found more enjoyment seeking out the little, out of the way, family owned ethnic places — the ones that are truly displaying and sharing their culture the best way they know how — through their food.

Recently I was directed to El Pollon by a close friend. He casually told me about a nice little Peruvian Restaurant at SW 44th and Penn. Being a northsider, I find myself, at times, not really getting out my “bubble,” so I had no idea that this place existed.

Upon entering, I was warmly greeted and directed to the rest of my group. This was nice but unnecessary as they weren’t hard to spot in this very small, 35-seat dining room. The décor is unassuming, with generic tables and chairs — think 1970’s era Pizza Hut, but renovated and updated. The walls are adorned with cheesy, Peruvian-style rugs, wall hangings, and a large flat screen that plays old Peruvian variety show DVDs. There appears to be one server that takes care of the entire dining room, and on my several visits, it has been more than adequate. The menu verbage is very easy to read, offering detailed descriptions of each dish in clear English. Sometimes I find that true ethnic restaurants have a hard time conveying the dishes to those not versed in their culture or language, but this is not the case at El Pollon.

First off, the beverages. They offer the standard lineup of sodas and iced teas, but if you order one of these you are missing out on a great part of the experience. Instead, try a canned Peruvian soda called Inca Kola ($2). This popular soda is sweet with a bubble gum flavor and a cream soda finish. Another option is the Chicha Morada ($2.99), which is made from purple corn. It’s reminiscent of clove and pineapple, with some sweet earthiness of corn mixed in. This drink is quite refreshing, and pairs well with most of the flavors in the dishes I have had there.

Now, onto the food. The selection is pretty good, with several different offerings and even a lunch menu. Although there are several main characters in the plot of this menu, the star of the show, though not but by much, is the rotisserie chicken. The manner in which they prepare it is exceptional. As a chef, I certainly won’t be giving a standing ovation to a simple, ordinary bird very often, but this one truly deserves a repeat performance. Seasoned to perfection and slow roasted, the skin is perfectly golden brown, with meat left tender and juicy on the inside. Ask first if it’s available, as they seem to have issues keeping up with the demand on this item.

The wonderful supporting cast of menu items are certainly nothing to shy away from. One of my favorites, although I haven’t encountered anything yet I didn’t love, is the Papa Rellana ($4.99). It is perfectly-prepared mashed potatoes enveloping a filing of ground beef, seasonings and raisins. The addition of the fruit in this one really adds a new dimension not regularly found in most American dishes, even the American adaptations of popular Peruvian dishes.

The sauce de Aji — a mixture of roasted peppers, milk, cheese and Peruvian seasonings — repeats itself throughout the menu and can only be described as beautiful. The rich velvety texture and the “slightly sweet at first, slightly spicy finish” is perfect with the not-so-heavy-mouth feel of this sauce.

The Papa a la Huancaina ($4.99) features this sauce over blanched potato slices and garnished with olives and hard-boiled egg. I can promise you that this vegetarian dish will leave even the biggest carnivore a happy diner. The sauce is also used in the Aji de Gallina ($6.99), which combines their rotisserie chicken, walnuts, raisins and more potatoes. This item is listed on their lunch specials and leaves me speechless every time I consume it.

Among the other offerings that we enjoyed are Chicharron de Chancho ($8.99), which combines fried pork loin with a salsa criolla and sweet potatoes; the Bisteck a lo Pobre ($9.99 – their version of steak and eggs) with fried egg, plantains and avocado; and another crowd favorites, the Jalea De Mariscos($10.99), which features deep-fried calamari, mussels, shrimp and fish, and is also served with the salsa criolla and fried yucca.

They do offer desserts, but I have never had the room to try any one of them, so I may have to report back on these at later date.

I have to say that owners Juan and Niel do an impeccable job of making sure their diners are happy. Their food and flavors are to be cherished. They stay true to their heritage and cooking style, and it is very refreshing to experience this heritage as a diner.

A quick glance at the unimpressive, slightly run-down exterior of Classen Grill and you won’t be expecting much more than an average greasy-spoon. Walk inside to find a mix-matched, unpolished interior and your expectations will be reinforced. Try the food, however, and you’ll most likely be impressed. The folks at Classen Grill appear to be masters at managing expectations, setting you up for run-of-the-mill food and surprising you with an edge of quality you don’t expect.

Take the orange juice, for example. I’m not sure you can get a fresher glass of OJ anywhere. They’ve got an orange juicing machine right in the dining room where the juice is squeezed right into pitchers which are then brought to your table to serve. You’ll pay up for it, of course, but if freshness is what you’re after, you’ll love it.

The surprises don’t end there. Read down the menu and you’ll see that this isn’t average diner fare at all. You’ll find creative ideas all across the breakfast and lunch menus.

For an appetizer, I like the chips with red and green salsa ($2.29). There’s nothing special about the chips, but the salsas impress me. There’s a tasty, tangy red one and, my favorite, an unusual green salsa, served warm, that’s not too hot but has a little kick. It’s not that these are the best salsas I’ve ever had, but they are good, and much better than I would expect at an average diner. Plus, they’re a great value as one order can easily satisfy a party of 4-6.

For my meal, I almost always get the jalepeno swiss burger. It’s not on the menu, but it was a special one time and every time I go back I’ve just asked for it and they’ve made it for me. They’ve always charged me $5.99 for it, which is a great deal considering it comes with home fries. Their home fries are thick-cut chunks of potato encased in a very tasty batter, but for some reason, they just don’t seem very greasy.

I think the burgers here are very good. They’re served on a very good bun, which is slightly toasted and a little crispy on the edges. The burger patty is thick with a seared exterior and very juicy inside. It’s always well done with no pink but never, ever dry. On the jalepeno swiss burger, the toppings are fresh and the jalepenos are hot and whatever sauce they put on it is fantastic. Of course, there are several other burger options to choose from and all are good.

Lots of people love the breakfast here, which I can understand. They’ve got things like the Biscuit Debris ($6.89), which is three biscuits topped with ham, sausage, gravy and cheddar cheese and served with hashbrowns. It’s definitely a conversation starter, but for me, it’s just too much. I’ve also tried the migas ($6.99) and the pancakes for breakfast. Both are fine, but for some reason, I’ve never been as wowed with the breakfast as others I know have. For me, lunch is the time to go.

Whenever you choose to go, Classen Grill is worth your attention. You’ll find interesting dishes that almost always exceed your expectations.

Have you been to Classen Grill? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.

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.

Andrew was the very first writer to join the EatAroundOKC.com team nearly two years ago. Since then, he’s contributed over forty restaurant reviews and numerous comments on this site. He also invented the “Shady Restaurant of the Month” series, which has become one of the most popular features of our site. We regularly hear from readers who love the shady restaurants and can’t wait to hear of Andrew’s next find.

With an iron stomach, a seemingly impervious immune system, and an almost reverent respect for anything and everything deep-fried, Andrew has braved Oklahoma City’s shadiest regions to find the culinary jewels that most of us would never find on our own. He’s brought recognition to many of OKC’s deserving but previously unknown restauranteurs. And, he’s done it all for the love of Oklahoma City and its restaurant community, because I can tell you that he, like all of our writers, works strictly as a volunteer.

It is Andrew who first introduced us to Nic’s Grill and Mama E’s and who is primarily responsible for directing the producers of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives to those locations. Andrew also directed our attention to the amazing tacos at Los Comales, the succulent chicken at El Regio Loco and Oklahoma City’s only location for eating goat biryani in a truck stop — the Tandoor restaurant. Of course, the list of hidden finds goes on and on. You can relive the memories by viewing all of Andrew’s review contributions on his author page.

So, it is with great sadness that we say farewell to Andrew. We wish him well as he and his family make the transition back to their home state of Tennessee. I hope you’ll leave a comment here on this post and join us in thanking Andrew for his contributions here.

(Oh, and if anyone out there loves shady restaurants and fancies themselves a writer, we’ve got an opening on our writing team. Contact us if you’re interested. It pays nothing, but it’s sure a lot of fun).

Thanks again, Andrew. Best of luck to you and may Nashville’s shady dining industry finally get the respect it deserves.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s a list of July’s winners:

• Ryan S. wins a $50 gift card to Paseo Grill.
• JuJuBeans wins a $20 gift card to Rococo (review).
• Jared wins $10 in pizza bucks from Hideaway Pizza.

If you are one of the winners, you will receive an email notification from me. Be sure to reply and claim your prize.

Thanks for all of the comments, everyone, and keep them coming. Remember that only comments left in August will be eligible for August’s prizes. Plus, your opinions are what really make this site great, so please let us know what you think.

Oh, and if you haven’t already, you might consider following us on Twitter. We occasionally offer special giveaways just to our Twitter followers as well.

Expectations can be a horrible thing. When I go into a movie, I try and convince myself that it’s going to suck before it even starts. Why? Because when it’s just so-so, I’m not disappointed. And if it turns out to be good, well, I leave feeling like it was a special treat.

Unfortunately for Mexicasa, the opposite can also work. People like us who fondly remember Tom and Jerry’s (see our past review of T&J’s) might visit looking for a fine-dining twist on Mexican food, the way Iron Starr has worked on barbecue. After all, Tom and Jerry still have their name and brand firmly on this new place (just check out the website). But high expectations are bound to be crushed and Mexicasa ends up disappointing.

There were a couple of highlights, which ought to be mentioned before the mediocrity begins. They do a pretty good chips and salsa at Mexicasa. That may not sound like much, but compared to some other spots around town, it’s a nice surprise. The chips were freshly fried, crisp and light, but hearty enough to stand up to the salsa (if you want something with more kick, ask for the hotter salsa, which is tasty, fiery and offers a more interesting flavor).

Also surprising, a pretty nice queso, free of charge. This wasn’t the “cheese jelly” you often get — it was real melted cheese, with a mild flavor. Not as good as queso you pay for, but the best of the freebies, by far. In fact, if free queso is the primary requirement for your Mexican dining experience, you should run, not walk, to Mexicasa.

Another good thing mentioned by Tim and Sam was the ranchero beans, which can be substituted for the refried variety. According to them, they were above average and offered a great alternative to the normal sides.

But sadly, the rest of the meal was just … average. My shrimp fajitas ($13.99) were fine. The shrimp was cooked and came in a good portion. But I was hoping for a bit more, honestly. A little seasoning — just a touch — could have done wonders for the dish. Again, this is the problem with high expectations. Anywhere else I would have said, “Mmmm, shrimp fajitas.” At Mexicasa, I kept feeling like a little innovation would have put them over the top.

And it’s something that is apparent all over the menu. From the standard enchiladas, tamales and tacos, I kept wondering where the vision was. Certainly, if you’re opening a new Mexican restaurant in a region where Mexican restaurants are in abundance, you’re going to have a point of view or an opinion expressed through the food. Other than a couple of pork stew dishes (like the Carnitas de Puerco for $12.99), the “street tacos” ($11.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) which Sarah had and found pretty tasty, and the aforementioned chip set-up, I didn’t see anything to distinguish Mexicasa from Chelinos or Nino’s or any of the other ok-but-not-great Okla-Mex restaurants out there.

Andrew’s chimichanga ($9.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) was pretty soggy. Sam’s enchiladas ($8.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) were decent (he recommends the shredded chicken over the shredded beef). Tim’s tamales ($10.99 dinner, $7.99 lunch) were pretty dry and lifeless. And to top it off, we had pretty poor service. We don’t give too much weight to service since it can vary greatly day to day, but it’s worth a mention this time as it was noticeably off.

If we’d had the same experience anyplace else, we’d have said, “Meh. It was fine, but nothing to write about.” The difference here, and the reason we’re writing, is that we hoped for so much more from Mexicasa. It has the pedigree to be better and we wish it were.

As it is, if you’re close by and looking for some decent Mexican food, Mexicasa is good. If you’re thinking about making a trek across town for a special visit, you would probably be better off visiting your own local good-but-not-great Mexican restaurant and saving the gas.

Of course, we always want to know what you think, whether you agree or disagree. So, please let us know in the comments.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When it comes to shady Oklahoma City dining the following rules have proven themselves accurate.  There is a positive correlation between Mexican food’s tastiness and its level of shadiness;  iron bars may seem cold and uninviting, but they apparently lock in flavor (I haven’t found a bad iron-clad restaurant yet);  breakfast is always the safest option at a shady diner; and while the tire barns that often surround these shady wonders seem like a good deal, the tires they sell are prone to blow out when you reach interstate speeds (sorry TD and Brent).

This month’s Shady Restaurant of the Month recipient has iron-clad windows, crime-ridden surroundings, a pawn shop across the street, and an endorsement from DAZ, the rapper.  Yes, the cousin of Snoop Dog is endorsing this month’s Shady Restaurant of the Month.  Well, maybe not, but there is a signed picture of him hanging in there, thanking them for the food.  Please welcome A Family Affair to the growing list of Oklahoma City’s shady yet tasty eateries.

A Family Affair is a soul food joint on the East side with a loyal following.  In fact, I found out about this place after I reviewed Florence’s and was immediately hit by the loyal A Family Affair coalition that was not shy about declaring this place the “soul food anchor of Oklahoma City.”  I respect their confidence.  Isn’t there a saying along the lines of “bring it strong or don’t bring it at all?”  DAZ may have rapped that for all I know, but I do think it’s true.  These guys were not shy about letting me know that they were a force to be reckoned with in the Oklahoma City soul food scene.

I’m not going to say that they are better or worse than Mama E’s, or that they bring bigger flavors than Florence’s, but I will tell you they hold their own as a legitimate satisfier of my soul food cravings.  You see, each of these places brings something different to the table.  A Family Affair brings all-you-can-eat soul food goodness at a great value ($8.50). Of course, it will likely shave a few years off your life with its assortment of deep fried meats, delicious fatty sides, salty vegetables, and rich desserts.  That’s not a slam to these guys at all, just a warning to those readers looking for a healthy meal.  Although, a meal of fried pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and corn bread hits all the major food groups right?

I’ll discuss the food, but you should really just go try it yourself.  They offer a salad bar to start (there you go, health nuts).  Progress through the line and you get to choose your favorite vegetables, which you serve yourself.  They have had green beans and macaroni and cheese every time I have gone (yes, macaroni and cheese is a vegetable — I mean, vegetarians can eat it, right? At least the non-vegan variety?).  They also usually have a rice dish, corn, a bean offering, and some sort of green.  Next, you move to the variety of fried meats that the nice ladies serve you.  I have had the fried catfish, fried chicken, fried shrimp, and fried pork chop.  Tim went with me this last time and had the chicken fried steak, which he gave two greasy thumbs up. They also have a few non-fried “meats” like spaghetti and neck bone, but only if you catch them on the right day. Oh, and remember that the mashed potatoes and brown gravy are on a separate table after you pass through the line.  Don’t make the critical error of passing these by.

As mentioned, prices here make a great value.  $8.50 gives you the all you can eat buffet option.  Perhaps an even better (and healthier) value is the “to go” option, which gets you a meat, a couple sides, and corn bread for the low low price of $5. That’s a great deal and it can help you avoid the temptation to over-eat everything on the buffet. You can also order off the menu and get various burgers and sandwiches, although I’ve never seen it done.

Tim also found a special coupon on the restaurant website, giving us half off our second buffet. Websites are a rarity amongst shady winners, but A Family Affair has one, complete with special offers. I can’t promise that offer will still be around when you check, but it’s worth a look just in case.

I recommend the fried pork chops.  They are a bit salty, but with great flavor.  Tim thought the chicken fried steak was a better option, describing it as extremely tender on the inside and super crispy on the outside. He rarely eats chicken fried steak so he can’t say if it’s the best in town, but he definitely enjoyed it here. The macaroni and cheese here is a little different than what most of the competition offers.  It’s a stovetop version, not a baked version, and it is loaded down with pepper.  I thought the pepper was great and really added a unique twist to the rich, classic dish.  I think Tim agreed, but to be honest, I had trouble understanding him as he moaned with delight on his third, or was it fourth, helping.

It is also important to know procedure here. When you go in for the first time, you might look around, perplexed for a minute, as I did. Don’t worry, it won’t be too long until one of the nice ladies will show you the ropes. But, you’ll be ahead of the curve as long as you know that you should just head straight to the buffet line and start loading up a plate. Then, find your table later. A waitress will bring you a drink after you sit down, and you can pay (yes, even by credit card) on your way out.

My only complaint is that A Family Affair doesn’t offer ice cream.  You can, however, get an icey grill next door.  I do not know if DAZ has ever been fitted for a grill next door or not.  Next time he and I hang out after a big rap session I’ll let you know what he says.

Why don’t you let us know what you think about A Family Affair in the comments.

Several years ago, some friends who live in Norman introduced me to a gem called Tarahumara’s Mexican Cafe. After one visit, it easily catapulted to a spot as one of my top five Tex-Mex eateries in the metro. With so many Tex-Mex places from which to choose, that’s no easy feat.

Tarahumara’s is located on Porter, just south of Norman Regional Hospital and a few miles north of the OU campus. Years ago it was a Mazzio’s, but the owners have totally redecorated it in sunny hues of yellow and orange. While the parking lot is almost always full and there is often a line, the wait (like most Tex Mex places) goes pretty fast. A covered patio and a small indoor waiting area exist for diners waiting for their pagers to buzz. Now that summer is here, they have the misters running to cool the patio area.

One thing that sets Tarahumara’s apart from other restaurants is the flat screen TVs. In addition to regular programming, some of the TVs feature views of the kitchen so that a diner can see food as it is being prepared. It’s nice to see such a clean kitchen where the staff is working quickly to prepare the meals. Another big surprise came on my last visit a few weeks ago. The menu at Tarahumara’s now features color photos of most if not all of the dishes. This new full color menu can also be viewed online.

Tarahumara’s brings the standard fresh tortillas, cheese sauce, chips and salsa as soon as diners are seated. They also offer carrot, jalapeno and onion relish upon request. There is some kind of herb or spice in the relish that I cannot pinpoint. All I know is that it gives a slight smoky flavor to the relish, setting it apart from other places. The flour tortillas are nice and fluffy while the corn tortillas are thin and tender — just the way I like each. The “house salsa” is your standard tomato blend with just enough kick. On my last visit, I requested their green salsa which is a creamy avocado dip with lots of spicy peppers blended into it. One more thing on the set up, the chips are thin and crispy, not oily or chewy at all.

They also have tasty selection of Mexican-style cervezas and margaritas for those who choose to partake. The beers come with lime in a chilled salt rimmed glass, which is perfect for the sweltering Oklahoma heat.

While Tarahumara’s has been a long time favorite, I went twice in the span of two weeks to write this review. On my first visit, I ordered the Guiso Mexicano ($11.85) which is a dish comprised of very tender beef tips in a sauce made from tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. It comes with rice, beans and guacamole. I particularly enjoyed the tenderness of the beef and the spiciness of the sauce. The next day I reheated my leftovers along with some of the tortillas and made my own burrito for lunch.

My friend Nancy had the Tacos al Borrego ($11.85 for 2, $13.75 for 3), which is comprised of Mexican-style tacos with soft corn tortillas rather than hard shells. These tacos come with rice, beans and avocado slices. While Nancy said she enjoyed her meal, she said “I did have a bit of gristle in the steak in my taco, but I would let that slide — they can’t always get all that cut out.”

On my next visit, my mother ordered the Camaron al Mojo de Ajo ($12.60 single or $18.35 for double shrimp or scallops) which is shrimp cooked in garlic butter. While the shrimp were good size, Mom commented they could have had a little more garlic and the sauce could have been better. In reviewing the menu, I see that this dish was supposed to come with Mexican corn. She didn’t receive corn with her meal, but with the ample rice, beans and avocados, it wasn’t missed.

In keeping with a promise I made to myself to order something different this time, I ordered the Bistec Ranchero ($12.75), listed on the menu as a new item. This thinly-sliced, marinated and grilled strip steak had a good flavor, but it was a little on the tough side. In the future, I think I will stick to thicker cuts of meat.

Of note for both of my recent meals — I love it that nearly every single entrée comes with either a side of guacamole or some sliced avocados. To me, that’s an added bonus. I also appreciate that they have an ample lunch menu with lots of great items at value prices, and a low-carb menu for those who are looking for something healthier.

Tarahumara’s stands out to me as a cut above the standard Tex-Mex fare. They offer some unique dishes in addition to the standards and most everything they do is done very well. If you live close by, it’s definitely worth your attention. Even if you live farther away, you might find, like me, that it’s worth a special trip now and then. So check it out, and tell us all about your impressions in the comments below.

• Kaylee wins a $20 gift card to Market C.
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I’m sure you are familiar with all those cliches about curiosity. You know, like “curiosity killed the cat.” Sure, curiosity steers me into lots of great shady finds all around the city, but this morbid curiosity sometimes bites me in the end. For example, sometimes curiosity causes me to reject steadfast rules. I recently broke the rule of “don’t eat at buffets, specifically seafood buffets, and even more specifically when that seafood buffet is not on the gulf coast but rather in Oklahoma.” I know — long rule.

Anyhow, I see Catfish Cabin every time I visit Leslie’s Pool Supply store next door. Unfortunately, I stopped at Leslie’s recently when I was really hungry and that bad painting of a dancing catfish on the outside window next door — the one that honestly looks more like a mutant seal — beckoned me to all-I-can-eat myself some catfish. What was weird when we walked in was that it felt like we were walking into a Chinese buffet. It had a fountain and those fold-up, asian-looking dividers. Then the smell of fried seafood filled the air and I was snapped back into reality.

It’s your typical seafood buffet with fried clams, fried shrimp, fried catfish bits, fried whole catfish, fried stuffed crabs, fried okra, fried potatoes, and so on. It’s kind of hit or miss on whether you get food that’s fresh out of the kitchen or the kind that’s been sitting under heat lamps for a while. The whole fried catfish that I had was actually pretty good, and I caught it as it was just being loaded on the bar. By the way, whole catfish is always fun to eat with the kids because you can wave the little fish skeleton at them and get a “that’s cool dad!” So, all-in-all, not a bad buffet.

On the other hand, it is still a buffet, and I don’t really like buffets. Mainly this is due to the hepatitis risk, and also the aggressive masses that push on you to move on down the line so they can fill their plates. Catfish Cabin had its fair share of the aggressive masses nearly reaching around me. I half-expected one of these folks to smash by face against the sneeze guard when I reached for the last roll. Fortunately, that didn’t happen.

I also had trouble stomaching the vegetables here. I’ve had a lot of bad mac and cheese in my day, but this mac and cheese made the stuff from KFC seem gourmet. I have a 6 year old, a 5 year old, and a 2 year old that wouldn’t touch this mac and cheese. That should tell you something.

On the plus side, the wait staff was great. They have a bunch of sweet little old ladies who you can’t help but like. Oh, and the desserts weren’t terrible. They were your standard buffet desserts — cobblers, puddings, and soft-serve ice cream. My kids love a place with the soft-serve machine. But next time we go out to eat just for the soft-serve, we will head to someplace like Jason’s Deli, and not here.

If you like paying $12 a person for an Oklahoma seafood buffet, then Catfish Cabin is for you. We’d love to hear from your side of the story in the comments. But for me, Catfish Cabin is nothing but a reminder to trust my past experience.

You see, this review isn’t about revealing new truth about all you can eat seafood buffets, but rather about offering a reminder to us all. We all learn culinary lessons in our life, but sometimes we need them reinforced so we don’t forget the sting of our mistakes which may have faded over time. So, remember the rules, and next time you see me at a shady diner about to order the five dollar T-bone, go ahead and stab me with your fork.