Restaurant Review: Mom's Family Diner

There is a brand new place in town that serves some of the best comfort, diner-style, food.  I am happy to say, I was able to give them try within a week of them opening their doors.

For the last six months, give or take, I've watched what used to an old gas station at the corner of 41st and Mingo into a quaint little diner.  Both mom and I were wondering when, or if, they were ever going to open because of how long it took.  But, I can say this, the wait is well worth it.

When it comes to diner food, many people think of meatloaf, fries, chicken fried steak and other common items loaded down in grease.  Not in the case of Mom's Diner.  Nope, not in the slightest. *cue big grin here*

I've eaten there twice and plan to go back for more.

What I had the first time was their Broccoli and Chicken Alfredo.  Don't cringe on me just yet.  There was plenty of pasta, enough for two people, easy, with just enough of the Alfredo sauce to keep things together instead of a puddle of extra to sop up with a dinner roll or garlic bread.  The sauce was thick and creamy, just enough pepper to give it zing, and lots of Parmesan cheese for extra flavor and texture.

You would think there would be tiny pieces of broccoli and chicken with that much pasta.  Again, nope.  There were good sized pieces of chicken, some needed to be cut down to fit in my mouth, which was tender, juicy, and very well seasoned to compliment the sauce.  Even the broccoli was in large chunks and the most beautiful green color, not that dead over-cooked gray some try to pass off as fresh.  This was all fresh as far as I can tell.  I highly doubt they used frozen because of how good it tasted.

Mom had this beautiful, thick and juicy, hamburger.  Hand patted and seared perfectly, it couldn't have looked better in our own kitchens.  To save a little money, she got the combo which came with an order of fries and a drink.  The fries weren't tiny little shoe strings like certain fast food places.  These were thick and they gave a lot of them, too.

Today, we went back after our appointments were done and enjoyed their breakfast menu.  We both had omelets.  I had their Fajita omelette and mom had their Max Omelette.

Both were huge and served with home fries (chunked potatoes that are pan-fried) and a single biscuit and gravy.

First off, their white gravy is to die for.  Thick, creamy, with enough pepper to go with practically anything.  Many places the gravy is like sausage flavored paste.  This wasn't.  Even as it cooled, it didn't congeal; which is a huge plus in my book.  There was just the tiniest hint of sweet behind the pepper that made it awesome.  It definitely had the taste of being freshly made.

Secondly, the biscuits were fluffy and big.  But, they were the perfect size for the amount of gravy we were given.

Third, the home fries... Yum is the only word I can use to describe them.  They were golden brown and soft without that mealy feel, and very buttery in flavor; which is how I love my fried potatoes.  Best thing, they weren't tiny cubes, but decent sized pieces which I dipped in my gravy.

Lastly, the main entrée of the meal!  The omelette was big and stuffed full of yummy goodness.  Mom's was the same way.  In mine, there was beef, green pepper, mushrooms, onions and lots of cheese.  Oh my there was a lot of cheese!  I was in heaven.  :)  All of that wasn't just placed in the middle and the egg folded over, there was plenty cooked into the eggs as well.  What was in the middle was extra.

It took effort to eat all of that.  To say I was stuffed would be an understatement.

Yes, I enjoyed both visits and left very happy.

If you're wondering about the service, well wonder no longer.  The wait staff is attentive.  Our waitress came by the table to make sure our glasses stayed full and to ensure the food was to our liking.  The one small mistake they made (giving mom hash browns instead of the home fries) was fixed very quickly.  And, they quickly learn who you are.  As soon as we walked in, they recognized mom and our waitress did remember me after our first visit.  Before you know it, they'll be like our waitresses at Village Inn, the moment they see our cars pull up, they'll have our drinks waiting and taking bets on what we'll be eating.

Location: 4101 S Mingo Rd, Tulsa, OK 74146 (right on the corner in front of the Techridge office complex)

Hours of Operation:  Monday through Sunday 6am to 3pm

Rating: Five stars in food, service, convenience, prices, and decor  You are getting more than what you pay for.

Restaurant Review: Shish Kabob

Location: 31st and Garnet, Tulsa, OK, in the shopping center with Harps.

Ever since I came back to Tulsa, I've known this little restaurant was there; tucked away in its little corner beside the Subway.  Every so often, I would catch the scent of good Mediterranean food.  But, it took until Adam's last day with us before we decided to go there and give the food a try.  Well, that five year wait was well worth it.

Ever since I moved out of Oklahoma to suffer in AR for a while, I've missed having good, authentic Greek food.  Not just Greek food, but Mediterranean food with its bold flavors and succulent cooked meats.  What In honestly missed was having someplace to go when I wanted an awesome gyro.

When I lived in North Carolina, we had such a place.  It was a small hole in the wall that served recipes that were passed down for generations.  You could taste it in the food and feel it in the cozy atmosphere.

When I came back, there really wasn't a place that served authentic Greek or Mediterranean food.  People knew what it was but fell short.  One place, the food was dead on, but not very good on the pocket. (I'll save them for another review post)

found at twopeasandtheirpod.com

Well, a couple of Friday's ago, we took Adam to Shish Kabob.  He wanted Greek, and that was the one place we hadn't tried.

Between mom and my sister, who joined us for dinner, we tried both of their appetizer samplers.  We were not disappointed in the least.  Soft, warm pita bread was served with fresh made hummus, a chutney that a nice kick to it, cabbage roll, stuffed grape leaves and the absolute best tabouli ever made.  Those alone would have filled us and still be worth every penny.

Adam and I tried the gyro and were not let down.  Those had a very savory lamb with tzatziki sauce and fresh vegetables.  Wisely, I had a salad while my son had fries.  My sister tried their vegetable falafel and they were divine.  I forget what everyone else had, but needless to say, it was good.

We all left there stuffed to the gills.  But, Dave and I just had to give their baklava a try.  When our server said it was a small piece, they weren't kidding.  But, for us, that was just right.  It was sweet enough to make your sweet tooth happy for a month and I only had half of it.  My curiosity of what baklava tasted like being satisfied in the best of ways.

While the Gyro Palace just down the street off Sheridan was good, Shish Kabob put them to shame in quality, flavor, and presentation.

found at clipartblog.com

The staff there were very open and friendly.  Each were more than happy to explain what each dish was, what came with them, and even did their best to help save a few cents where they could.  Even though we arrived just before close (something which would have irked me) they never made us feel rushed or unwanted like some places do.  We didn't realize how late it was until we glanced at the door to see the hours.  We found on our way out that they took over the establishment just a few months before and kept the recipes the same.  They only added a little more pop and love which shows.

All this leads me to believe that the best Greek food will be found in the small, hole-in-the-wall, places where you are either led by your nose or from word of mouth.

Overall, I give Shish Kabob five stars.  They have the comfortable, cozy, atmosphere, authentic food, patience, knowledge of the cuisine, and a warm and welcoming attitude.  You have to give them a try.  I'm sure you'll love their food as much as I do.

You can find them on Facebook and at their own web site at http://www.shish-kabobs.com.

Best Little Hole-in-the-wall in Tulsa

Once again, I have come out of hiding to give my opinion on one of Tulsa's many fine eating establishments.  I'll be posting more often once I pass the state insurance exam, so please, be patient.  Books, writing, and other things will be appearing soon.

Anyway...

Tonight I had the pleasure of having dinner over on Brookside.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Tulsa, or don't live in Tulsa, or Oklahoma at all, Brookside is a short stretch of road on Peoria between 31st and 41st streets.  Brookside is home to many restaurants to make any foodie swoon; such as Wolfgang Puck's Bistro, Pei Wei, and tonight's feature, Hibiscus.

Hibiscus is a unique food experience.  Its theme comes from the Caribbean, centering around Jamaica and the big bold flavors popular on the island.  They've been around for five years; the same amount of time I've been back in Tulsa.  As many times as I have been through Brookside, I never saw it until mom spotted it Sunday when we were searching for the elusive Neighborhood Market further down the street.

This restaurant is small with a cozy, personable, feel with beautiful watercolors of people adorning the walls.  When I say small, I mean small but you don't feel crowded at any point of time.  If you want, you can even dine outside.

By no means is this a fancy place.  Casual is how the staff dresses and they are very friendly and on top of things from entry to paying the check.  You can test your server on the menu and they will describe everything well enough it makes deciding on what to eat difficult.  But, they are more than happy to recommend dishes that will fit your tastes.

Tonight, mom and I enjoyed their Fisherman's Platter.  This was a large filet of Talapia with shrimp and vegetables in a spicy scampi type sauce.  Not too spicy, mind you, but enough to come up and slap you in the face before fading away in a clean finish.  I'd say the spice is a good kick and doesn't take away from the flavors of the fish, shrimp, and the beautiful vegetables.  The sides I chose were Callaloo, a spiced spinach dish, and fried plantains.

Both sides were spot on perfect!  The fried plantains were cooked just long enough to make them flavorful without making them into hard chips.  Like potato chips, I couldn't stop at just one, even as full as what I was.  The Callaloo was a pleasant surprise with the sweetness of the spinach mixed with onions and red bell peppers, and a good kick of spice that melded well into a palate pleasing bite.

We did enjoy an appetizer which, well, we regretted having because we were so full from it, we couldn't finish the main entrée.  But, I'll definitely be going back again just to have those fries.  The fries were your normal thick cut shoestrings with cheese and the house BBQ sauce.  The BBQ sauce made the dish with its lightly floral sweetness pepped up with a blend of spices to wake you up.  Mom and I could not get enough of the sauce, it was that good.

There is one dish we saw on the menu that we intend on going back to try.  Curry Goat sounds dangerously good.  It's real goat meat on the bone cooked in the sweet yellow curry rather than the green spicy curry.  You can ask for more heat if you want, but it sounds just so good the way they have it described on the menu..

Now, fair warning, the Hibiscus has a bar, so be careful bringing your kids, even though they do have a kid's menu.  I'm not saying don't bring them, but you'll want to go in there earlier in the evening with them.

There is also live music on Thursdays which I'll investigate after I'm working again.  This weekend, they have a band coming in doing cover songs, but they normally have jazz and blues.  I enjoy all kinds of music and jazz if played well is always well worth listening.

My overall assessment:

Food: Excellent

Cleanliness: Excellent (everyone was making sure the place was kept clean and tidy)

Our Server: Very good and funny.  I hope to have him on my next visit.

Location: Good.  If you're not looking, you'll miss it.

Altogether, I give Hibiscus a 4.5 star rating.  For a little newbie on the food scene, and writing I may add, this is good and I hope it's enough to get others to go and savor the bold flavor of Hibiscus.

Mama Mia! Autentico Italiano!

While I was out with my mom and son today investigating a new shop in the Farm Shopping Center here in Tulsa, we stumbled on a restaurant that has to be the most authentic of its kind of all the places I have tried.  I’m not kidding.  Zio’s doesn’t hold a candle to the delightful atmosphere and taste sensations I had tonight.  Even Michelle’s in North Carolina doesn’t quite meet the same level of flavor and skill that this wondrous place has.

What is this place you ask?  Villa Ravenna is the name.

When you step into this hidden treasure, you feel as though you are whisked away to some place in Italy with the decor and music.  They keep the lighting low to give a more personal and classy feel and I felt right at home once we were seated.  Yes, were seated quickly and attended to as if we were the most important people in the universe.

I have been in places where the service is okay, they keep your drinks full and make sure your order is exactly what you wanted, but the servers just don’t have that sense of loving their jobs and need to make sure you are comfortable.  At Villa Ravenna, all the staff were very attentive, had genuine smiles and were more than happy to explain the menu and what was in the entrees and appetizers. (We didn’t have dessert there, so that won’t be mentioned).  Everyone looked and acted professional and had impeccable manners.

Now, on to what makes this post worth the writing; the food.

Our appetizer was a cheese plate.  Brietta cheese, so creamy, rich, and  delectable, there was nothing left of it.  It came with prosciutto ham, arugula with a light vinaigrette and very delicious basil sauce for dipping.  When the plate was set in front of us, our eyes drank in the beauty of the plating and our noses took in every scent before a morsel touched our tongues.  I’m no fan of balsamic vinegar, but for them, I will make an exception.  I’ll be going back again just for the appetizer.

As in most Italian, or Italian style restaurants, we were given bread to go with our meal and to snack on while we waited for our food to arrive.  This is where I noted just how fresh everything was.  You can taste in every bite that it was made that day.  It had that nice, crusty exterior and soft interior brushed lightly with butter and dusted with herbs.  In a saucer on the side, they had a dipping sauce made from a very light olive oil and seasoned with traditional Italian seasonings.  None of could resist it once we gave it a try.

Our entrees were just as delicious, if not more, as the bread and appetizer.  Mom and I had variations of lasagna and Colin, my son, enjoyed their Spaghetti Bolognese.  I’ll say this, our eyes were not lying when we saw those plates set before us.

Colin’s spaghetti was simple and very little sauce as requested.  He slurped up every bite and picked at the bits left behind.  For him, that is a compliment to the chef.  There nothing left to clean up and I was pleased that he enjoyed it so much.  I’m sure he would have asked for more if it were possible.  The children’s portions were definitely perfectly sized for little tummies.  Of course, he also had like six pieces of bread, too.

Mom had the eggplant lasagna.  It wasn’t a huge portion, but it definitely wasn’t small.  The marinara was savory without being too highly seasoned.  I could smell just how savory  it was and it was a pleasing scent.  The disks of eggplant were just thick enough, tender, and buttery soft with a light coating of cheese.  As much as I wanted to taste, I was too busy with my own.  She admired it before finally digging in.

I had the Lasagna Bolognese.  This means it’s your basic lasagna with tomato sauce and the traditional cheese filling between the layers.  Instead of being ricotta like I’m used to, they used a bechamel, a cheese sauce of sorts, that was creamy and rich, but it did not overpower the rest of the dish.  This could possibly the one dish I took my time to savor every bite and enjoy the texture of the noodles with the sauce and seasonings.  I have never felt so satisfied after eating lasagna.

While were waiting for our entrees, we had a chance to meet one of the owners.  He was a very sweet gentleman and explained the history of the restaurant.  He’s funny and very personable; someone I wouldn’t mind working for if I were willing to go back into the food biz again.  Everything we had was well worth the price we paid.  They are not your average place.  No, you’ll be paying a bit more, but it isn’t outrageous.  At least you are getting what you’re paying for.

At no point were we ever rushed during our meal like some places do.  They didn’t bring the check until we asked for it and made sure we were ready to pay before taking the receipt folder.  We honestly could have sat there for a while nibbling on the bread, or enjoyed a dessert if we wanted.

I give Villa Ravenna five out of five stars, and two thumbs up.  Everything not only met expectations, but surpassed them.  If you haven’t been there before, do give them a try.  I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

For those familiar with Tulsa, you’ll find Villa Ravenna in the Farm Shopping Center tucked behind the store that looks like the front of a barn when you first come in.  The Spiceology Shop is there just in front of it and that too is a quaint little place worth checking out.

For those not familiar with Tulsa, set your GPS to 6526-A E 51st St, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74145.

You can also check out their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/villaravenna.