Bluestone Steak House and Seafood's Five Course Beef and Wine Dinner with Chef Tony Biggs...An Evening of RED...

...Details coming soon!

Zanmai Modern Japanese Cuisine: Great Food

                                                                                                     Finally I had the opportunity to try Zanmai Modern Japanese Cuisine and the best part, it was with my sister! (She gets my foodie, photo taking, critiquing while eating, self :-D

     My sister called up on Friday evening and said, "Let's go for a two person food crawl."  I didn't hesitate...I grabbed my camera and off we went.  We started at Zanmai Modern Japanese Cuisine.  I'd heard a lot of buzz about this place so we were pretty excited.  

     Where to start...well, let's start with our seating. There was just two of us, PLENTY of empty tables. I really wanted a table by a window. But when I asked, the hostess said they were reserved.  I mean there must have been twenty open tables and half by a window. So she sat us at the bar...the bar, really? 

     It took forever to get a drink order, the blonde bartender was busy taking care of and talking with her friends.  It took way too long for her to take our drink order, our food order and get our tab. 

     Anyway, we ordered, the food was delicious, so, there's that.  Below are photos of the food we ordered. And no, we didn't do sushi, we had other places to go and  I felt like this place wasted our "food crawl" time.

     Below is Panko Scallops and Jumbo Shrimp with Green Chile Chutney. Way over-priced.

 Panko Scallops and Jumbo Shrimp with Green Chile Chutney $10

Below is what was supposed to be the Beef Sashimi with ginger, nira, hot olive and sesame oil with uzu and soy sauceh.  It was tasty but, I always thought Beef Sashimi was supposed to be raw. Yeah, it was cooked. I was very disappointed.

 Bee Sashimi with ginger, nira, hot olive and sesame oil  $12

     I heard the owner of Zanmai is also the owner of Fuji. It's disappointing because I really like Fuji...well, before he stopped making it what it was and tried to be something he wasn't.  You can't mark you product price that far down with "all you can eat sushi" and attract good tippers. And when you can't attract good paying, high tipping customers, your quality servers and bartenders leave and go to work at places where they tip well.

     This place has been opened long enough to have it right by now.  Zanmai's service is terrible, not customer-focused, slow, and way too much help on the clock...the food is great, but over-priced. To the owner of Zanmai...your food prices might work better if your service was better. People will pay for good service all day long...without it, it's just over-priced food.

     

Bluestone Steakhouse and Seafood: New Fall Mouth-Watering Menu!

     Bill Tackett, owner of Bluestone Steakhouse & Seafood is at it again! He has a new fall menu that brings a whole new meaning to "comfort foods".  It's comfort brought up a few notches to whole new level! 

 

     Let's start with a cocktail, shall we? You know they say if you eat dessert first you won't eat as much of your meal, so I started with this new Pecan Pie Cocktail ;-) It's seriously loaded with rich, creamy pecan pie flavor...from the creamy house-made vanilla bean ice cream to the Pecan Pie flavored Backwoods Moonshine Premium Spirits, perfect for fall. 

     And the cocktail pictured is the creation of Bluestone's bartender Jennifer Willhite. She won first place in the state of Oklahoma for Backwoods Moonshine's Best Cocktail. Did you get that? First place in the state...you know you have to come try this out now and congratulate Jennifer while you enjoy this tasty cocktail.  I shared mine with a friend because I had some food tasting to do and this cocktail was my "dessert first"!

     After a couple of sips of the decadent cocktail, I tried the house-made chicken noodle soup. Your mom never made soup like this. The noodles were perfect in size, thickness and not over cooked. It was one of the most savory soups I've ever had.  If you're in the mood for something comforting yet hearty, this is your savory answer. You can also pick some up and take it to a friend that's feeling under the weather...maybe even say you made it. Just kidding, don't do that, tell them you got it at Bluestone.

Chicken Noodle Goodness, I mean Soup

     Next, I sampled the Italian Roasted Chicken with mashed potatoes and asparagus.  I know I'm constantly talking about the flavors here, but my goodness, that's what I taste, is all the flavors. It's no wonder too, because they marinade the bird in garlic, rosemary, thyme, black crack pepper and sea salt for 24 hours.  I love it when a chef creates food, and the finished dish contains several ingredients, ingredients that "mesh" well beautifully, while retaining the flavor of each individual ingredient, that's magical.

Italian Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Aspargus

     Okay, this next dish is serious fall, let's get warm and fuzzy, rich Italian, wicked-tasty, HOUSE-MADE lasagna. No, I'm not over-exaggerating.  When you try it, you'll remember those words...you will I tell you! Why is this so rich and delicious? Well, it could be due to the house-made, all beef Italian Sausage, made with red wine and spices. This meaty star is added to the lavish bolognese sauce, then topped with mozzarella and ricotta, with no fillers added. It's then topped off with roasted pine nuts and a pesto cream reduction sauce with a hint of Sriracha. SRIRACHA!!!! He had me at Sriracha.

 House-Made Lasagna with house-made all beef sausage, creamy pesto and toasted pine nuts.

     Somethings to know about Bill Tackett: He's a classically trained chef, and has been trained by a leading saucier and could possibly know more about proteins than any other chef in Tulsa. True story. 

Jennifer Willhite, Bluestone Steakhouse and Seafood's Bartender Extraordinaire and winner  of the 2014 Backwoods Moonshine Pecan Pie Cocktail for the state of Oklahoma! 

Jennifer Willhite-Bartender and Bill Tackett-Owner, of Bluestone Steakhouse and Seafood

     For more details, visit their website at  http://www.bluestonesteakhouse.com

Hibiscus Caribbean Bar and Grill: Lots of Jerk Goodness ;-)

                                                                   Hibiscus Caribbean Bar and Grill, located in the heart of Brookside, is what I would imagine authentic Caribbean cuisine to be. I've never been to the Caribbean, but the food takes me there!




     I had a little guest with me and we were seated immediately.  I didn't like where they had us seated, but the window seats were all four tops, which they reserve for parties of four.  And the interior is super, DUPER tiny. They need to get a bigger place, especially since the food is amazing.

     I started with the Fried Plantains and Jamaican Patties.  The Fried Plantains were a little bit too overcooked.  According to our server, the chef's response was it was the plantain, and some are more ripe than others. When I pointed out that the people next to me had perfectly well cooked plantains, it was the excuse I kept getting. It was obvious to even the most elementary mind that it was in the cooking, not the ripeness.  I just REALLY dislike it when there is no accountability, standard or consistency for the food being sent out. That left a bad taste in my mouth, literally. But that bad taste went away...fast.

     Okay, that was the only negative thing about that place because everything else was phenomenal.  The Jamaican Patties were awesome. We tried the beef and chicken. It was almost hummus like consistency but oh so savory and tasty. The crust was perfect in texture, flakey-ness and taste as it absorbed the meat flavors.

 Fried Plantains- $5.99

Jamaican Patty-$3.99

     Next, we finished with the Red Snapper.  You could literally hear the "oohs and aaahhs" from diners as the platter was being brought to our table. It's beautiful and aromatic.  I've never had red snapper like this.  It's scored, seasoned, deep fried and sauteed in an orange juice and sweet vinegar relish.  You can taste the fried savoriness and the citrus notes of the orange juice and vinegar relish. A perfect balance of goodness that makes you want more.

 Red Snapper-$19.99

     I only know of one other Caribbean food restaurant in Tulsa and it's fairly new. I'm excited to try it out and compare the two.  I have a feeling it's going to be hard to beat Hibiscus. The interior is decorated faithful to the Caribbean culture and yes, Bob Marley art and poetry through out.  Everyone was enjoying the food, the atmosphere and company.  It's a great place to take a date, family and/or friends.

Happy place, happy face :-D

     "Me only have one ambition, y'know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen.  I like to see mankind live together- black, white, Chinese, everyone - that's all."- Bob Marley  

     Next time you're in the mood for something Caribbean, yet made locally and fresh with a little spice, take your taste buds to Hibiscus!   

BGB: Brownies Gourmet Burgers...Should Be BBIT (Best Burgers In Town)

                                                                                                                         Most Tulsans and even non-locals, have visited Brownies in Tulsa. But, did you know they've recently introduced their gourmet side to Tulsa? Located in the heart of Utica Square, Brownies Gourmet Burgers, aka BGB includes the strong, savory flavors, but with an upscale gourmet twist.

     So good friend Michael and I decided we were craving something good and hearty with good flavor...we opted for Brownies Gourmet Burgers aka BGB in Utica Square.  We were greeted with friendly faces and seated immediately.

     I like that this location offers adult beverages and cocktails as well as their famous house-made root beer.

     We started with the Firecracker Fritters...these consist of jalapenos, cheddar cheese, corn, red peppers, onions atop a creamy cilantro lime créme.  Oh the flavors...serious top notch starters.

Firecracker Fritters- $6

     Next, Michael decided he was sooo hungry, so he ordered the Jumpin Jalapeno Burger AND the Suit n Tie Fries.  The Jalapeno Burger is comprised of tequila sautéed jalapenos, pickled red onion, cilantro, arugula, chipotle aioli, monterey jack cheese, and a lime wedge. The Suit n Tie Fries were amazing. They're made with truffle oil, garlic, parmesan, black pepper, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. The dipping sauce they came with was a house-made spicy ketchup. So balanced, rich, savory and delicious.

Jumpin Jalapeno Burger- $9

Suit n Tie Fries- $6

     I ordered the house-made root beer, which tasted more like a rich, creamy, cream soda...it was so perfect with my burger!!  For my meal, I ordered the Bankok Burger, which is made with cucumber, pickled carrot, cilantro, avocado, butter lettuce, house-made spicy ketchup, and lime créme. What made this so tasty was, well the beef of the burger for one. It's beefy and fresh...the other was the combination of ingredients on this burger. I almost NEVER order a burger without cheese. This one didn't come with cheese, but because of the fresh crunch of the cucumber and carrots, combined with the beautiful avocado and lime créme, I didn't miss the cheese at all.

Bankok Burger- $9

House-Made Root Beer- $3 (refills inlcuded)

     Chef James Hibbard is talented in creating these wonderful burger combinations...it's like taking a trip around the world between the Jumpin Jalapeno, the Bankok, The Kimmi (which has house-made kimchi slaw) and the Ambrosia (served with naan), just to name a few!

     I am making it my year-end's mission to try every burger on that menu before the end of the year! And, some of their signature cocktails to wash all the yummyness down with will be sampled as well.

Michael's happy face :-D

     The menu is well thought out and put together nicely from starters and cocktails to the burgers and side items.  Employees are nice, knowledgeable and versed on each menu item.  This is definitely not a greasy spoon gourmet burger joint...it's top notch, clean and consistent. I would say BGB is now Tulsa's BEST gourmet burger joint, no question.

     What will help grow this place is the "Brownies" name that we've all come to know and love with over 58 years in Tulsa, it's well branded here.  What will make this place a success is the food...people will want to make it their "go to" burger place every time.

     

     Bon appetit!

Himalayas-Aroma of India: Possibly the Tastiest Indian Food...EH-VER!!!!

     Wow...tastiest Indian food in Tulsa, hands down. Friendly people, clean place and the food, oh that delicious, savory, deep flavored food. I'm so happy they're located just down the street from my office!

     Once again, I traveled out of the office for some grub. A co-worker suggested the Himalayas-Aroma of India. I had never been so of course, I was in!  They have a $9.99 all you can eat buffet. I know, that "all you can eat" can be dangerous. But it's so filling, one round is all we could ALL go. I tried everything on the buffet.

     The food is vibrant and soulfully delicious with the eyes, then you have that aroma...good Lord, that aroma. You've practically taken in that food before your first bite.  I love it when food is as beautiful as it is aromatic and tasty.

     I know, lots of pics of the same plate, BUT, isn't it gorgeous?!  They have the traditional and BEST dishes on their buffet. EVERYTHING IS SO FRESH!!! Even the 

naan was better than I've tasted in any other Indian restaurant. I asked the owner if they made their naan traditionally, by tossing the dough up against the tandoor and he said yes. OMG, it's so freakin' good.

     You MUST visit this little gem. It's on the west side of 47th and Memorial...आनंद लें! (Enjoy!)