Bluestone Steak House and Seafood...a Wine Dinner to remember: August 18th, 2014 @ 6:30

Michael V's, Bixby's Little Restaurant Gem with BIG, Upscale Cuisine!

     Michael V's, located in the corner at the Palazzo Shopping Center in Bixby, OK.  The atmosphere, location and ambiance may be soft and romantic, but the food is just pure party in my mouth, bursting with full flavors.

     My sister and I started with the Lobster Bisque. Oh, bisque you say dismissively...yes, bisque but make no mistake. This is Lobster Bisque is not only cream, lobster traditional goodness, it REAKS of flavor beyond any other.

Lobster Bisque  ...creamy, decadent goodness. $6

     Next, we had the Crispy Wrapped Shrimp...again, the flavors, the textures...swirled in my mouth like a more tasteful, slow motion version of a "twerk"...yes, I said twerk. Twerking should be a verb for flavor action in  your mouth...just sayin' :-)

Crispy Wrapped Shrimp
Wrapped in rice paper, deep fried and served with an Asian dipping sauce $10

      My sister ordered the Salmon Salad...and while it was also, bursting with flavor, I wanted to order something not usually found in other restaurants. A Chef Michael signature dish if you will. 

     By the way, it has to be said, Chef Michael and his lovely wife Carol Minden are friendly and passionate about the quality and stature of the food they put out every day.  I asked Chef Michael if he'd cook up something he liked. And did he ever deliver. Wow. 

     Now, he couldn't make me anything with bearnaise sauce because it's typically only served with dinner menu items.  But I didn't mind it. What he brought me was different, unique and foodgasmically beyond what I'd expected.

     He made me a Tenderloin Ravioli Stacker, which is a 8 oz filet served atop a jumbo spinach ravioli on a bed of red pepper marinara cream sauce topped with sauteed mushrooms and wilted spinach.  See the string of onions? They weren't overly greasy like you get in some other fine establishments.  The beef tenderloin filet was so tender, I literally ate my dish with a fork. Never once, did I need to use a knife...now that's saying something!!

     I gave my sister a bite and she couldn't believe how tender it was either. Literally melted in your mouth.  I think someone without teeth could it this it's so tender.  My sister knows good steak and filets as she and my brother in law frequent fine restaurants and enjoy a good filet almost weekly.

Tenderloin Ravioli Stacker
8 ounce filet mignon atop a jumbo spinach ravioli on a bed of red pepper marinara cream sauce topped with sauteed mushrooms and wilted spinach

$32

      Of course we had to end out meal on a sweet note :-)  so we shared this delectable Chocolate Mint Cheesecake, which I believe was as light as a mousse. 
 

     Other dinner menu items include traditional classics (but with the Chef Michael tweak) such as Cordon Bleu of veal, beef or chicken, as well as Steak Diane and the phenomenal Beef Wellington.  I will go back and take some of my top clients there.  Why? Because it's sure to wow, impress and make them feel how much I appreciate them. As much as I appreciate the talents of Chef Michael and the hospitality of his wife Carol and their whole staff. Bon Appetit my friends!

BBD on Peoria...Beyond AMAZING Service and Food!

      Brookside By Day, aka BBD on Brookside.  This place is locally owned and operated.  I've gone there for years but have never blogged about them, until now, yay!

     Best breakfast place in Tulsa, hands down. Especially since Blue Dome Diner has closed...they gave BBD a run for their money.  I love this place though...I've always had great food and nice, courteous service.

     I saw a few reviews on Urbanspoon, and let me just say, anytime someone gives a bad review to a restaurant and names a better place to go, they're not going to be objective, they're already loyal to that other place to which they suggested you go.  Keep that in mind.  

     My kids treated me to a birthday brunch and I was so happy they chose BBD on Peoria as this location was the original place.  They were super, I mean REALLY busy on this 4th of July, so the wait was a bit longer than usual but we didn't mind it so much.

     Everyone's food came out tasty and left everyone wanting more.  I love this place for not only the food and service but for their SMART customer service skills.  Oddly, for the first time ever in years, my food and only mine, came out cooked incorrectly.  I ordered the eggs benedict and as you can see from the photos below, they overcooked the hollandaise sauce. It was basically tiny pieces of scrambled eggs.  A mistake that typically occurs when a restaurant is overly busy and possibly understaffed in the kitchen.

     Here's what...two things beyond positive that came out of this experience and made me a fan for life. Literally, for life. 

     First, you know this is actually HOMEMADE and not from a mix, packet, or any kind of nonsense...it was homemade because of how it was overcooked.  And despite the texture, it really was still wicked good to the taste.

     Second, the server was apologetic and kind about the miscooked food.  In fact, she actually asked me a couple of times if I was sure that I didn't want to order something else.  I did NOT ask for a refund or for it to be taken off my bill or any kind of price reduction. I told her all of it still tasted good and that I would eat it.  At the end of it all, they completely took that dish off our bill...totally. Even though I ate it, they took it off. Talk about EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.  We all live in an imperfect world, but when one owns up to their errors and makes it right, that makes it perfect in my eyes. 

     We'll be going back again, and again and, well you get the picture.  Ps.  They make the most UH-MAY-zing home made cinnamon rolls, their waffles, pancakes and cheese burgers rock my mouth.  BBD, go get you some...you'll be glad you did my friend. Cheers!

The Tropical Restaurant: So Fresh, They Grow Their Own Veggies!!

                                                                 The Tropical Restaurant does an amazing job to create the "tropical" feeling. Starting with the vegetation they use in their recipes... grown right outside their restaurant!

     I took a client there for lunch and it was also my first time.  A bold move I admit, but I was so glad I did.  I ordered the lettuce wraps and scallops.  I wish I could go into more detail, but I waited too long to blog about this amazing fresh food restaurant.  It is Asian influenced and the flavors will feed your soul beyond.  

     As I wrote earlier, The Tropical Restaurant literally grows much of their staple ingredients with regard to the veggies.  From scallions to herbs like Thyme, and even eggplant!  They were really nice and took me around their garden.  I just wished I'd had my Cannon, but unfortunately I only had my phone :-(  

     

     This restaurant spews freshness from the moment you walk UP to the actual restaurant.  I highly recommend giving this place a whirl...you'll be so glad you did! เพื่อสุขภาพของคุณ!

 

El 7 Marez...A Gem in Little Mexico, Tulsa

     There are plenty of authentic Mexican eateries in the Little Mexico part of town in Tulsa.  But if you're expecting processed, over greasy, Tex-Mex, you're in the wrong part of town.  Fresh, clean, and simple flavor profiles are what you'll find at El 7 Marez (which actually translates to The Seven Seas).

     On a weekend, Tulsans typically enjoy a nice Bloody Mary or Mimosa of sorts as a choice of beverage to accompany their brunch. But if you're in Little Mexico (21st and Garnet area), specifically El 7 Marez, you'll want to indulge in the tasty Michelada. It's your choice of Mexican beer, with Clamato juice, spices, and beer with a salted rim. I usually squeeze some lime juice in mine as well. It's served over ice and man is it good...I mean BUENO!!!

Michelada

     My brother chose the burritos with their signature white queso with green chilies sauce. It comes with rice, beans and a few extra condiments like pico de gallo, a scoop of guac, and sour cream.

     I chose the traditional Mexican "weekend" stew, Menudo. I love it...but it's not for everyone. The main protein is...yes, beef stomach.  It's tasty and if you don't want the protein, just tell them you want the soup alone...it's made with a red chili pepper base and comes served with lime, chopped onions, and chopped cilantro on the side as well as crushed oregano and crushed red chili peppers.

Menudo

     I also ordered tacos, the classic carnita tacos. Fresh, amazing, deep flavors...it doesn't get any better than this. Oh, and I also ordred tacos al pastor, which is spit-grilled meat, in Mexican cuisine it's usually pork.

 Tripe Beef Taco

 Tacos al Pastor

Tripe Beef, Al Pastor, Carnitas = triple the taco gooness :-)

     This place is awesome. They do speak English, well enough to know what you want, they're kind, friendly and know how to cook. Buen provecho!

Hoop's Philly Steak Food Truck...Daaaaang Good!

Hoop's Philly Steaks...serious good eats. Words can't do this place justice. You have to try the Philly Steak & Cheese though...really.

     It was "Food Truck Wednesday" and I walked all the way around the trucks to see what I hadn't tried yet (not much I haven't tried). Ran into some awesome people I know...hi Serene, Brady, LB, Terah...and the new people I met :-D, it was great to see you all!

     Okay, on to the goodness. I decided to try Hoop's Philly Steaks. They have jumbo hot dogs, footlong Polish sausage and fried pickles.  They also have some tasty beverages on the menu like lemonade. Oh, and the people servicing were super friendly...I love that.

     I digressed...the Philly Steak & Cheese was delicious. The beef and the onions were cooked tenderly and packed with flavor...almost tasted like a slow braise or roast on both meat and onions.  The sauce was savory and had a slight kick to it.  That Swiss cheese just melted lusciously...ever so creamy and satisfying. You have to try it. I tried to capture the flavor with photos but I didn't have my Canon with me, so Samsung had to step in and try to get the job done. Honestly, the photos don't do this tasty sandwich justice. Try it for yourself. It was only like $7...which is pretty standard pricing for food truck menu items.  Okay, turn on the porn tune...and feast your eyes on THIS.

  

     Hoop's Philly Steak Food Truck...it's that good. Okay, turn the porn music off...it's still good :-)  Cheers!

El Taquero Food Truck...Mexican Hot Dogs? Si, Muy Bueno!

      

                                                     Mexican hot dogs? Sure! Why not? There's always a first time for everything, right? :-D

     So my sister came over for a visit and asked if she could pick us up some Mexican hot dogs for lunch.  I was like...whuhhhh?  Never heard of them. But, ever the curious foodie, of course I said, "SURE!!!"  I'm so glad she did. She stopped by El Taquero Food Truck and informed me they have two locations. One off 2nd and Lewis and the other off 31st and Mingo area.

     As you can see from the photos, this one had a frankfurter, topped with fresh onions, tomatoes, crema, a tasty spicy taco sauce, mustard, cheese and wait for it...BACON!!!  It was good...I could've eaten three more, but I had one and split a 2nd with my sister. Yum.

     Any way you bite it, it was satisfying and scrumptuous! Buen provecho!