Taqueria El Ranchero Taco Food Truck...Muy Sabroso!

On a last minute whim, two
co-workers and I decided to make our way a mile and a half away from work...so glad we did!!

     I'd been to this taco food truck in the past, but it didn't impress me then. Wow, not sure what changed but all I can say is this is off the chain amazing.  I had one beef and one pork. Total was $3...THREE DOLLARS!!  They're fast, friendly and talented cooks.  The pork had been simmered in this chili sauce with all the flavors one would expect from Mexican food. Hm, a local eatery that meets your expectations...fancy that ;-)

     Wish I could say what my co-workers ordered but to be honest, I didn't see...I was too busy devouring my food.  You can find this taco food truck goodness just west of 31st & Sheridan, on the corner of Mall 31.

     Food has flavor and if you're sensitive to spice, make sure you tell them so they don't sell you something spicy. The beef tacos were flavorful and not spicy but the pork were also delicious but spicy.  Nothing negative to say about this place...no downside in my eyes :-)

Coffee House on Cherry Street...BEST Mocha Latte...EH-VER!!!!!!!!!!

Coffee House on Cherry Street not only offers REAL breakfast foods (not just pastries and fruit) they seriously made me the best mocha latte I've ever had. I thought all coffee shops were the same...not true. 

     My sister Gina and I met up for a belated birthday brunch...she selected this place and I wondered why with all the amazing locally owned restaurants we have to choose from in Tulsa.  With the first sip of coffee I realized this was no ordinary coffee house and her choice became deliciously obvious. 

     She ordered the Sunrise which came with scrambled eggs, choice of one meat, pancakes and toast.  I ordered the Scramble...eggs with bacon, potatoes, veggies and cheese...I know, YUM, right? 

 The Scramble with bacon

The Sunrise with sausage

     The dude behind the counter was super friendly, clean place, live soft music, relaxed atmosphere...great place.  The food was as amazing as my time and conversation with my lovely sister.

     There were just a couple of downsides. First, guy taking order with long hair, while he was super nice and efficient, had his hair down and kept messing with it...not cool when you're working around food. He really needs to at least keep it pulled back in a pony tail.
Also it took forever to get our food and it's just breakfast food.  

     Other than that, it is still an awesome place that I highly recommend and I'll be back as a regular. Cheers!

Viet Huong...Ngon! (delicious!)

Viet Huong...one of THE best Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants and I didn't have the Pho!

     While I didn't try the Pho...I will be back to try it. I've had it here before but it's been a very long time.  These people are very nice and accommodating. Once again, I saw Chinese AND Vietnamese people dining in this awesome eatery...and as I always say, anytime you see people of the same ethnicity as the type of food being served, it's usually a good sign!

      I asked the lady taking my order to give me her favorite dish on the Vietnamese menu so she did.  This was a bowl with lettuce, basil (menu says mint, but it was basil), cilantro, rice noodles, carrots, scallions, cucumber, bean sprouts, peanuts, two sliced fried spring rolls, six roast pork meat balls and all topped with a special house sauce.

 Bun Cha Gio (V3 on the Vietnamese menu)- $6.49

 House Sauce w/added chili oil and Sriracha

     It was beyond wicked tasty and it was so fresh!  With each bite I could taste the crisp refreshing lettuce, basil, bean sprouts, cilantro and carrots mixed in with the soft rice noodles that gave it a natural hint of sweetness. Then you have the crunch the peanuts, spring rolls and meat balls which balanced the dish and made it THE perfect meal. Best meal-in-a-bowl food EVER!! Chúc mừng!

Pho Da Cao Pow Wow... (yes, in porn-ish tune)

Serious. Food. Porn.  I literally got hot under the collar as I took my first taste of that umami soup goodness.

    I asked the waiter AND the owner (think it was his mom) what their favorite pho on the menu was as well as their favorite appetizer. So, they brought me a pho with ALL the meats offered in every pho on the menu and for the appetizer, shrimp spring rolls.

Spring Rolls with lettuce, cilantro, bean sprouts, shrimp, and rice vermicelli. YUM.

 Pho, a hearty Vietnamese broth-based soup with fresh rice noodles, your choice of meat (mine had round steak, brisket, beef meatballs, flank, soft tendon, tripe, and shrimp), garnished with onions, cilantro and a side of bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, jalapenos, and lemon. 

     I've read other diner reviews and some say these people are rude. I just think it's a culture misunderstood. They were super nice, fast, friendly service and the pho... seriously? Pho get about it :-)  cho sức khỏe của bạn!

Kupcakz...HUGE and Taze-tee!

Tropical Bliss-Luscious coconut cake with mascarpone cream cheese frosting sprinkled with sweet toasted coconut flakes

     OMG...really that's all that needs to be said but, I'll fill you in on the experience of this cupcake. They used green dye in some of their items today, it being St. Paddy's day and all. This Tropical Bliss was just that...loaded with huge, sweet toasted coconut flakes atop the rich yet fresh mascarpone cream cheese frosting. Coconut was also found inside the flavorful, most yet dense cake. 

     They had so many to choose from...too many to list but I had a hard time choosing between the Tropical Bliss, Lemon Drop, Triple Chocolate and Cheeky Monkey. It would've been even harder to choose but they were sold out of the Velvet Elvis, Salted Caramel, and Boston Dreamer.  I'll be returning and even ordering some goodies to deliver to my clients.

     Clean, fast and friendly service...who could ask for anything more?  They sell their unique and delicious cupcakes by the dozen, half dozen, four and one. Kupcakz, soooo good...cheerz! :-)

Charleston's on Yale...GREAT Salads and Sammies!!!

Yes, it's a local chain. BUT, this local chain is one of those few and far betweeners that actually get what it takes to be a success. And, let's face it...even chains have some menu items that get you to walk in, but it's restaurants like this one that keep you coming back for more ;-)



     So a co-worker arranged for a "girls luncheon" and Charleston's is where they picked to go. Lunch was great, company even better! 

     Okay, I'm just gonna get to the point. Charleston's has GREAT sandwiches, my favorite, hands down is the Chicken Avocado on a berry wheat bread. I chose steamed veggies as my side and even those were amazing.  The reason their food taste so good is because it's fresh...no, I'm actually serious, a chain restaurant that serves food made with the freshest ingredients. I've never had a salad with outdated ingredients and the avocados are as if the chef hand picked it themselves.  

     Another yummy sandwich is the prime rib...don't judge, it's so good I crave it often.  They also have a couple of the freshest, tastiest, and appetite filling salads as well.

     

     Charleston's is owned by the Hal Smith Restaurant Group and I can say this company definitely knows how to do "chains".  The service is so outstanding, it's close to the service you get at one of their sister restaurants, Mahogany.  The formula is simple...offer good food at mid-range pricing and upscale service.  I like it. Bon Appetit!

Bill & Ruth's...Off the Hook! Off the Chain! Off 31st & Memorial!

Bill and Ruth's Sub and Sandwich Shop off 31st and Memorial is awesome...just awesome. Heatlhy, flavorful menu items, perfect for lunch and/or dinner. Fear not, they also have some not so healthy items that will be a "be back" reason for me :-D



     Nice friendly folks working behind the counter. Not too busy...good place to go eat with some friends and some good conversation.  I ordered the falafel pita sandwich with a side of hummus...I didn't order the extra pita wedges because I used the hummus as a sauce...(happy shoulder shrugs) yay-yah! 

     Service was pretty fast considering everyone had fresh made to order foods like avocado salad and cabbage rolls.  They had other menu items like Philly Cheese Steaks, Meatball Subs, etc. I know, my falafel was fried but I did try to eat healthy ;-)

White Flag...I Surrender My Taste Buds Yo!

White Flag, it's located in the former Back Alley Blues place just south of 1st and Elgin and is owned by Blake Ewing's Blue Ox Dining Group.

     I read some reviews that said they had no heat, etc. but it was cold today and it wasn't too cold inside...in fact, the temperature was just right.  They have some pretty original burgers on the menu and they kept the candied bacon from the old menu of Back Alley Blues BBQ. They also have a pretty decent tap beer menu.

     Friendly greeting, GREAT service, clean place and our server was pretty awesome.  I ordered the sweet potato tots and regular cheese burger.  In typical Blake Ewing fashion (always buying fresh and local) the buns were beyond delish.  They get their buns from a local baker called Anaya Bakery. And you can tell they're fresh. 

 

     The food was pretty tasty, nothing too far out of the ordinary but to be fair, we did only order the regular cheeseburger. I was enticed by the unique burgers on their menu so I'll definitely be back to try those out.  Like The Salma Hayek, The Hangover (part 4), The Yoko Oh No!, and The Joe Momma's Pizza Burger. They even have one called "The Back Alley Fail Burger", making light of the restaurant it was before. And the wicked tasty White Flag Flaming Queso is no joke...it's yum.

     It took just a bit long to take our order but the bartender apologized and was super friendly about it. I think it's a cool place all the way around from food to staff and beers on tap. Oh, and tons of TVs everywhere with different sports on. Nothing says "Cheers!", like burgers and beer.

Umberto's Pizza...Gourmet Pizza at Not So Gourmet Prices!

It's been a few years since I've been to Umberto's and I HATE that I waited so long to go back...seriously. 

     My friend and co-worker Brenda and I were out seeing one of her clients and decided to go grab a quick bite. Enter Umberto's Pizza...and immediately you get the aroma of that old-fashioned pizza parlor from like when you were a kid.

     Brenda doesn't eat like a man...but I do :-(  So I ordered the garlic knots to start...wow. That's all I should post is just WOW.  Soft, cheesy, bready goodness to the max.

     So I asked the man behind the counter if the pizza slices were big...he held two fingers up as if to form a triangle, except the triangle he formed was not so big, so I ordered two slices. I'll just say, one slice and I was stuffed! So I saved the other for dinner!  

     You can see the crust, it's like a hand-tossed thin crust at other places, but it has the chew and taste you would get from a top "BIG CITY" pizza joint. And affordable! I think the pepperoni slices we ordered were like $2.  

     You definitely get bang for your buck...all together, we'd ordered three slices of pepperoni pizza, garlic knots and two large beverages all for like $11 and some change.
Now for the downside...the guy behind the counter needs to be trained to be friendly...he may even be the owner, I don't know. But he never said hi, can I help you, nothing. I had to ask him if he was the person we're supposed to place our order with. Never smiled, kind of borderline rude. BUT the rest of the staff was super friendly, nice and provided EXCELLENT service.  So great food, service and affordable...who cold ask for anything more? I'll go back again and again and again and well, you get it :-D

Phee, Phi, Pho 71...Yum :-)

     I've been wanting to try this place for sometime...Pho 71 did NOT disappoint.

     If you've ever read my blog or reviews, you'll know my rule of thumb on ethnic cuisine restaurants.  If you see people of the same ethnicity as the type of food that is served at said restaurants, then chances are, it's gonna be great.

     Every person in this place was either Vietnamese or of some Asian descent, with the exception of the obvious business lunch.  I knew this food was gonna be great. Pho 71 is located on the Northeast corner of 71st and Elm in Broken arrow and while it's a bit of a drive for me, I plan on being a regular at this little Pho gem.

     We started with a couple of appetizers, had to try the fried rice and of course, the Pho.  There wasn't anything bad in the entire joint, from service, to taste, it was all entirely phenomenal. 

     In the Pho you can almost taste every ingredient in what appears to be a simple soup, yet the flavors of the broth, while individually simple, together are so complex and beyond deep.

 Spring Rolls with Grilled Pork

Vietnamese Egg Rolls

Chicken Fried Rice

Pho Dac Biet-special combination beef noodle soup

     I've had Pho at some other places in town but so far, the fast, FRIENDLY service you get here beats the service I've received elsewhere, or lack thereof. Make the drive on the B.A., you'll be glad you did! Chúc mừng! (Cheers!)