Smoke. On Cherry Street is Serious.Good.Eats.

Smoke. on Cherry Street...I can NOT believe I have not blogged on this upscale smokehouse as of yet.  I had a business lunch there sometime back and then, just last night (December 21st, 2013) I had a glass of Malbec wine and a starter...the Roasted Bone Marrow.



     It's been almost a year since that lunch meeting, but I recall what we had and it doesn't hurt I had taken photos :-)

 Tomato Bisque-CREAMY, VELVET-TEE Goodness!

 Lamb Sliders-$13

 Beer-battered Salmon (not sure if this is on the 2013 menu any longer, but it should be!)

Roasted Bone Marrow - $15

     I ate at the bar and ordered a lovely Amalaya Malbec. The bartender was Jesse...he was cool, friendly and gave great service.  I can't believe I haven't made this place a regular...it's literally walking distance from my place. I plan on trying everything on that menu...it's definitely Top Chef worthy eats!

Bruhouse Grill in Broken Arrow...Stay Hungry My Friends :-)

 

Bruhouse Grill in Broken Arrow...Stay Hungry My Friends :-)

    





 
                                                                  



      
     Ah, the Bruhouse Grill, how I've missed you so!!  This is owned and operated by ONE of the former owners of the Bruhouse Bar & Grill that was once on Brookside, Travis Bruton. He's one of my favorite people and I'm so happy to see he's relocated, relaunched and doing great.



     I picked my dinner guest up from school and the first thing she said was, "I'm hungry!".  So I told her I'd take her to see my old friend Travis at his new restaurant.  This place is HUGE. Has plenty of restaurant space on one side and through another room is a HUGE bar area with extra booths in addition to the large, beautiful bar.  He's already granted me a future interview at which I'll take plenty of indoor photos.  For now, let's move on to the food, shall we?  

     We ordered sweet potato fries for starters, my Tessa Bear had not EVER tried sweet potato fries so we decided to give 'em a whirl.  They were DEEE-lish!  They were fried perfectly, not too greasy, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and sprinkled/fried with rosemary.

  
     Next, I ordered the lobster ravioli, which comes with a side and I chose a small Caesar salad.  My lil guest ordered off the kids' menu (as she should, she just turned 6) and opted for cheeseburger and house fries, of which I sampled the tiniest amount of each.

     The dressing on the caesar salad was delicious and lettuce was crips and fresh.  The pasta was thick and cooked to perfection, sauce was flavorful.  The house made fries were also cooked just right, not soggy, and salted to perfection and the cheeseburger was yummy and satisfying.  Service was pretty good, and friendly as expected at any of Travis' establishments.  

     I really didn't experience any downside, except that I live on Cherry St. and I sure wish this place was there rather than Broken Arrow. But I am glad that Broken Arrow has a cool little joint like this. It's family oriented, yet looks like it could be fun with adult beverages on a date night out.  Downtown Broken Arrow is being renovated and I love the quaint small-town feel.  If you don't have a positive experience at Bruhouse Grill, give it a chance...after all, a new place usually needs a good six months to get it down right.  

    

 

     Look at this happy face...she had crayons, good food, eh hem, awesome company, and a great time all around :-) 

 

Brookside By Day, aka BBD...II!

     I never even knew they made cinnamon rolls...until now. This thing was HUGE. I took a slice, my nephew took a slice and the rest stayed behind...too big to finish!!






     I take my younger nieces and nephews to a birthday dinner each year, usually anywhere they choose.  So I ask my nephew, Preston, "Where we going?"  He chooses brunch instead of dinner and immediately insists on BBD II.  I was so happy he did...especially after tasting, what used to seem like such a simple type of food, and now I view as the ultimate yummyness of brunch.

 Homemade, bready, soft, doughy, oozing sweet goodness. Big enough for 4!!... $4.50

 This might seem like a simple cheeseburger, but the meat is juicy, flavorful and just pure American good food.

 Basic Murrito (scrambled eggs, sausage, green onions & cheddar wrapped in
a flour tortilla & served with fresh guacamole, sour cream, picante & home fries)...$8.50

 

 One happy 15 year old lil camper & birthday boy :-)

Service was fast and friendly, food...awesome. For the best American food, BBD on Brookside and BBD II on 81st & Harvard is THE ultimate in lunch/brunch American cuisine.

India Palace...Tulsa's Royalty of Indian Cuisine!!

The food is what you think would be served in an actual palace in India.  The buffet serves up some of the classics of Indian cuisine.  I've been coming here for years and don't know why I've waited this long to blog on it!

     I love it when I ask a server about a food item and they have this look that comes over them as if to say "Ah, a foodie stands before me."  Because they not only tell you about the dish in which you inquired, they recommend what to pair it with, what sauce to use, etc.  PS. Their tamarind sauce is out of this world.

     You're greeted with a friendly smile, seated immediately and service is outstanding. Whether you choose the buffet or order from the menu. They constantly watch for expressions, coming to your aid for assistance and keeping your glasses full of the beverage you chose and the water.  Love this place.

Thanks! You Rock!!

For making True Foodie Sound Bites the #3 Food Blog on Urbanspoon Tulsa!!

 

Mexicali Border Cafe...The Homemade Salsa is the Star of the Show!

Mexicali Border Cafe serves up decent Tex-Mex food.  A slight hint of Mexican authenticity,  mixed with the Americanized cheesy, saucey-ness that makes it Tex-Mex. Mediocre food, excellent service.






     My boss treated us to lunch on a cold, snowy day. Entering this place with the rich aromas and warmth that Mexican food has to offer made weathering the outside cold temperatures to get to this cozy little eatery tolerable.

SONORA STREET TACOS • $10.99 

Shredded Pork served in two White Corn Tortillas with Pickled Cabbage,

Pico de Gallo and Your Choice of Tomatillo Sauce or Chipotle Sauce.

Served with Rice and Borracho Beans.

TORTILLA SOUP • Bowl $5.49

A Thick Creamy Soup with Chunks of Chicken, Diced Tomatoes, Avocado and Mixed Cheese.

Beef Tamale smothered in chili and cheese.

     What made this place so good was the weather...anytime it's snowy, icy, and cold, we tend to crave comfort foods.  It's not my first choice in Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine, but it's okay. I'm not a fan of covering up what should be good food, with sauces, cheese, etc.  The tamale was overcooked, to the point that not even the chili and cheese could hide that fact or make it soft.  Service really was outstanding. Our server kept our beverages capped off and we were seated, waited on, and served quickly. Oh, and it has to be said, the salsa that is served complimentary with the chips (we had both mild and EXTRA spicy) was outstanding. It was the freshest and tastiest thing on the menu.

MAXXWELLS: Prime Rib & Meat Loaf & Bacon Cheese Burgers, Oh My!

     I really, REALLY dislike it when people give bad reviews...what's that saying? "If you can't think of anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."  Especially if you don't know good food.  I read some reviews on UrbanSpoon from "diners", and all I can say is, stop smoking or  STICK TO CHAIN RESTAURANTS!!  Moving on....


     I brought some clients to this place...these are hard-working construction guys and I knew, just KNEW they would appreciate this slightly upscaled version of good ol' home-cookin'.  The food is not over-seasoned, but is soooo flavorful!!  I wonder if some of these "diners" on UrbanSpoon, giving poor reviews on the food, might be smokers or used to chain restaurants where sodium is a prime and key ingredient in the foods being served?  At any rate, the food is just good, plain and simple.  

     Our experience was a good one. Greeted by the hostess upon entering and seated immediately was a great start.  It's a nice, big place with plenty of seating and a full-service bar.  I ordered the prime-rib, mashed potatoes and delicious, steamed veggies.  One client ordered the meat-loaf with the same sides as me, and the other client ordered a bacon cheeseburger with crispy french fries.  They both absolutely LOVED the food as did I.

     I also ordered the sweet potato tater tots and calamari.  The calamari had cayenne pepper mixed in to the flour mixture...giving it just a slight kick.  And the sweet potato tater tots were the best I've ever had.

 Sweet potato tater tots

 Calamari...oh yeah, you can see that sprinkled kick of spicy-ness...yes you can.

Meat loaf, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies...LOADED GOODNESS!!

Bacon cheeseburger and crispy, golden french fries...look at that juicy meat!!!

 Prime rib, steamed veggies and garlic mashed potatoes...your mouth is watering right about now.

     Okay, now for the rest of the story...while everything was great, service was a bit slow. They weren't that busy but it took forever to get our food.  There was a food critic in the restaurant and the owner or manager seemed to be so concerned and doting over this one person that they overlooked the fact that ONE PERSON will not make or break the restaurant...ONE bad experience however, will.  

     So, word to the wise, treat everyone the same because at the end of the day, it's your  "steady customers" or lack there of that will grow or kill your business.  PS. our waitress was awesome, even though she took the blame for the food taking so long...we knew there was a food critic that took our place in line in the kitchen.  Having said AAALLLL of that, next time you're in the mood for GREAT comfort/home-cookin' food with a nice atmosphere and a good wine list, give Maxxwells a whirl, you'll be glad you did. Cheers!

Napoli's Italian Restaurant in Bixby, Alimento Delizioso!

 

This little gem is hidden deep in Bixby, Oklahoma. I stopped for a quick lunch and quick is exactly what it was. But it didn't taste quick, it tasted flavorful and delicious. My experience was a good one, from both service and food standpoint.  The service was truly quick, friendly and the food was just so good.




     One thing I know about Italian food is that there are different types of Italian cuisines, usually matching their regions.  So when someone visits a town in Italy, then frequents an Italian restaurant in America, they start slashing away at the goodness because it's "not authentic" based on THEIR experience.  You must know, depending on regions and intended recipes, pastas and sauces vary!  For example, some pastas are made without eggs for storing purposes. And regarding pasta dishes, some are made with an "al fresco" outcome, using fresh tomato, basil and olive oil rather than the richer bolognese or ragù sauces.  

     At Napoli's, they definitely use the egg based pasta recipes and rich sauces. To me, it tastes authentic and fresh-made.  I have not been to Italy, but had the privilege of enjoying my ex-husband's aunt's rice and meatball recipe as well as eggplant parmigiano and lasagna.  Napoli's reminds me of her cooking. (Her sauces took at least THREE days to cook.)

     Okay so, I made it a quick 30 minute lunch and had the meat stuffed ravioli baked in a rich, savory meat sauce, with a side piece of what tasted like ciabatta bread, typically served in the Veneto Italian region.

 Baked meat ravioli with house-made ciabatta bread, with a glass of ice tea, it was $11+

This is all that remained...it was very good.  Oh, the waiter was Italian.

     Next time you're in Bixby and looking for a family friendly, GOOD Italian eatery...remember this place.  Buon appetito and Cin Cin!