About Steve

Hello, I am Steve of Steve's Gastronomic Home Page, which was started as a hobby to let others know about some of my favorite restaurants. This blog is an update and expansion of the original web site, and a chance for readers to leave their comments and suggestions. The most up-to-date restaurant reviews are at OKGourmet.com. For now I am including links to the reviews rather than try to move everything to Steve's Food Blog all at once. I am not a professional food person and I do not have a connection to any restaurant. As a geography major in college (Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Austin) I am interested in different countries and cultures. This has now expanded to food in not only focusing on ethnic, national, and regional foods, but also in trying to determine what constitutes authentic ethnic food. My academic training and profession also inspired me to try to make a "master list" of restaurants, which I have included in the Blog as "Steve's List". I have included a box for comments on the list so that others can help me compile the list and keep it updated. At the very least, though, I hope it will serve as a list of interesting restaurants to try when traveling to different geographic areas.

Barbacoa El Azul–El Paso, TX

Barbacoa El Azul
3010 George Dieter Dr.
El Paso, TX
(915) 630-2061
Barbacoa El Azul

Barbacoa El Azul


One thing I have learned about border cuisine is not to ask too many questions about where certain foods originate, but to concentrate on going to places that are popular and eating what people recommend. In the case of Mexican style barbacoa a few experiences at random restaurants convinced me that I did not like this dish until I got some informed opinions about where to go, such as to Barbacoa El Azul in east El Paso.

Finding out exactly what you are eating when you order barbacoa is not easy, because barbacoa can mean a certain cooking style regardless of the meat, or when it does refer to a meat it is usually lamb or goat. In El Paso, though, I am fairly certain it means beef cheeks (although admittedly I have not witnessed the process of meal preparation).

The one important fact I have heard from my friends is that Barbacoa El Azul serves old style barbacoa as it is prepared in Ciudad Juarez. The important factor to diners is that the meat be lean and not greasy, as is the case at El Azul. Barbacoa is made fresh every day, and they serve it until it runs out (this is probably the reason Google lists Sunday as having an earlier closing time than other days, but it is really based on when they run out of food).

Barbacoa is the only item served served here, and it is sold by the pound in the quantity you want (you can also order a half pound or get four tacos which I think is about equivalent to a quarter pound). They give you tortillas and condiments so you can make tacos out of them. Some of the chiles in the salsas have a flavor that somewhat overpowers the meat, but this is why it is critical that the meat not be fatty so that this would be the overwhelming flavor (and also give an aftertaste). All I can say is that after trying a lot of barbacoa dishes, I think it is important to go to a place that knows how to prepare it correctly, as I found at El Azul.

Visually this is not the most appealing meat to me, but inside a taco you are not looking at the meat, but just tasting its deliciousness. Yelp says there are several very good places to try it besides El Azul and this is fine, but I know from experience that El Azul is good enough to make a believer out of a barbacoa skeptic as I was before I came here.

Mexican Dishes

Barbacoa

Barbacoa

The Barbacoa can be ordered by the pound or you can get an individual order of four tacos (the price of four tacos was $6.25 when I went to the restaurant). It comes with tortillas to make tacos, and along with this are cilantro and onions along with red and green chile (the red sauce is made with chile de arbol and is the spicy one). This is all very flavorful and I would certainly suggest trying it for anyone who is interested in this type of food. Nothing else is served at this restaurant besides the barbacoa, but I think it makes a good lunch or at least a snack.

People describe the meat as being very lean, and I think this is what makes it good. I have had several experiences with barbacoa that was not as good as the one here, and I know this restaurant has a reputation for being one of the best.

The barbacoa is made fresh every day, and they serve it until it runs out. My friends who recommended the restaurant say you are fairly safe at least until 1:00 p.m., and after that it depends on how busy they have been.

Drinks
Drinks follow the pattern of the menu, and you only get one choice–Mexican sodas. Fortunately these are the good ones that I have always liked, including Mexican Coke and fruit flavored drinks including manzana (apple).

Things to Know
Restaurants in Mexico follow one of two patterns–either they just serve one item or one type of food, or they are restaurants as we know them with a varied menu. The first example gives a limited choice but it is likely where the best examples of their specialty can be found. Barbacoa El Azul just has one item but the dining room is like a regular restaurant where you eat at a table (they do not have wait staff but they will bring your order to the table). It is very casual and I think it fits a local trait where people want the best food they can get for very little money, but they do not want to pay for fancy things they do not need.

There is no issue with language here–they speak English and Spanish. It is, however, very typical of border style restaurants.

My chile index does not mean a lot for this restaurant–if you add a lot of red chile it might be 5 chiles and if you only use the green it will be about three.


RATING: 22

Cuisine: Mexican
Cost: $
Hours: 7:00 am to 3:30 pm (2:30 on Sun.) according to Google
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: No

Most Recent Visit: Jan. 12, 2019
Number of Visits: 2
Best Items: Barbacoa, Salsa

 

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index: chile 4
Cooking Oil: N/A

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Barbacoa
star 5 Salsa

Taqueria Jalisco–Roswell, NM

Taqueria Jalisco
1622 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM
(575) 623-8226
Taqueria Jalisco

Taqueria Jalisco


There are two things about the name Taqueria Jalisco that I think are misleading, although neither makes any difference in the enjoyment of the food. In border areas such as El Paso the name “taqueria” has a certain connotation that tacos will be the main emphasis of the restaurant. Tacos are a main focus here, but there is certainly a broad menu that includes just about any of the familiar Mexican items that you would like.

Also the focus of the restaurant does not seem to be on Jalisco style food, although I was informed that this was the original residence of the owners. There are items on the menu that appear to be authentic (especially in the “Especialidades de la Casa” section), but this does not seem to be the case with everything. Still, when the food is as good as I found it to be, I have little concern about whether it originated in Jalisco.

I did find the food comparable in quality and flavor to the Mexican food served in El Paso, and this is something that I think will please most people when they try it. This is not New Mexican cuisine, but I think they combine Mexican recipes with New Mexico chile and other local flavors on some of the dishes. The one thing I can say for sure is that it is not Americanized in the manner that I see in many restaurants around the country.

Chips and Salsa

Chips and salsa

Chips and salsa

The Salsa has a very good flavor, is smooth (without noticeable chunks of onions or other vegetables), and has what is to me the right spice level (not fiery but not “gringo” salsa either).

I liked the chips as well, and I think they are made in house.

Enchiladas Suizas

Enchiladas suizas

Enchiladas suizas

The Enchiladas Suizas were a somewhat unusual choice to be on the “Especialidades de la Casa” menu because this is apparently supposed to be a menu of authentic items, and these enchiladas are not like the ones I have had in Mexico. For instance they have changed the traditional green sauce to red, the red chile sauce seems to be from a local New Mexico source rather than from Mexico, and the sour cream is American style rather than the traditional Mexican crema.

At first I was disappointed that I did not get traditional enchiladas suizas until I decided to skip putting the sour cream on top of the enchiladas, resulting in regular red enchiladas which were not only some of the best I have had anywhere, but were very reminiscent of the ones served in El Paso. This is a good thing because to me the local chiles in New Mexico and the El Paso area, along with the local way of making them into a sauce, are really some of the best anywhere.

The inclusion of an excellent Guacamole makes this probably a better choice than ordering the regular enchiladas, and what I have determined is that it is better to just leave the sour cream on the side (note, though, that the sour cream will be served on top of the enchiladas unless you request that it be on the side). Others may like the sour cream more than I did, so it is worthwhile to at least ask them to bring it on the side.

Chile Relleno

Chile relleno

Chile relleno

I think the Chile Relleno that I sampled also seemed to deviate from the traditional Mexican style as evidenced by the large amount of cheese on top. I also found it to be full of seeds (normally a negative), but whatever they did worked pretty well and made it come out with a good flavor.

Carne Adobada

Carne adobada

Carne adobada

Carne Adobada is a traditional New Mexico style dish, so I decided to try this on a return visit to the restaurant (also its price was a dollar less than normal as a Friday special). With not much experience ordering this dish, though, I could not tell whether it was New Mexico style or it was more representative of traditional Mexican food. My feeling was that it was probably the latter, since the spice level was about three out of five on my New Mexico red chile scale. Also it was from the “Especialidades de la Casa” section of the menu which supposedly lists the Jalisco style dishes (and I think for the most part it does). In any case I really enjoyed the dish although I wish they had the option of a smaller portion size (even though I was happy with the price they charged for it).

Gordita

Gordita

Gordita

The Gordita is an item I did not try and am not including in my ratings, although I am able to include a photo of it. I was told it was good, and one thing I noticed is that it has a Chihuahua/ El Paso/ New Mexico style corn meal crust rather than one made with a flour tortilla which is common with the “gorditas” from the interior of Mexico (which I assume would include Jalisco). It is certainly not unusual for a gordita like this to be served in a New Mexico restaurant, although one thing I did find strange is that it is listed in the “Combination Plates” section of the menu although this is just one item with rice and beans (not what I normally consider as a combination plate).

Other Notes
The “Especialidades de la Casa” section of the menu includes several Jalisco style dishes, especially the meat plates. I thought the enchiladas suizas were very good, but the red chile was El Paso style. If you really want something authentic from Jalisco it is probably best to ask the kitchen because I do not think the menu is totally consistent, and the wait staff may not know. On the other hand, if you just want something really delicious that will not be a problem here, and I think any of the staff can help you make a selection you will enjoy.

The Melon (cantaloupe) drink was thin but had a good flavor, especially with the mix of spices that are included. This is on my recommended list as well.

My first visit here was on a Sunday evening, normally a slow time for restaurants, but this one was almost completely full. I think this is a good recommendation in a state where people have a large choice of Mexican restaurants.


RATING: 23

Cuisine: Mexican
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: Beer and wine

Most Recent Visit: Jan. 11, 2019
Number of Visits: 2
Best Items: Red Enchiladas, Carne Adobada, Guacamole, Salsa

 

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index: chile 4
Cooking Oil: N/A
Special Ratings
star 5 Red Enchilada
star 5 Chile Relleno
star 5 Carne Adobada
star 5 Guacamole
star 5 Beans
star 4 Rice
star 5 Melon Drink
star 5 Chips
star 5 Salsa

 

Menu (Aug. 2018):

Swadley’s Bar-B-Q–Bethany, OK

Swadley’s Bar-B-Q
4000 N. Rockwell Ave.
Bethany, OK
(405) 470-4343
Swadley's BBQ

Swadley’s in Bethany a half block south of Route 66


It seems that there are enough versions of barbecue in Oklahoma that one person can never try all of them, but a few restaurants have become particularly popular such as Swadley’s Bar-B-Q. With the original location in the west Oklahoma City suburb of Bethany, Swadley’s moved from NW 23rd & Council to NW 39th Expressway & Rockwell and has established several branches throughout the metro. It seems that the family’s 80 years of experience in the food industry is paying off (Swadley’s celebrated its 20 year anniversary as a restaurant in 2018).

I really dislike restaurants that answer “everything” when you ask “what is especially good here?” or “what is the restaurant’s specialty?”. The employees at Swadley’s told me “ribs,” and I would agree that this is usually the best item. I have found several varieties of meat that are worthy substitutes, though, and for most occasions I think I actually like them better. In this respect Swadley’s is among a handful of barbecue restaurants in the city that offer such a variety of good choices.

In need to make a couple of comments about Swadley’s at the outset. One is that I have found the quality to be inconsistent over the time I have been coming, and this is undoubtedly what has caused many reviewers and commenters to largely dismiss the barbecue here as not being representative of Oklahoma’s best. I will say that I understand this sentiment, but I have found the quality to be much more consistent in the last couple of years (as of this writing in 2019). Some of my friends and relatives from out of town have come here and found it outstanding, as have I. It still has some weak points, but I have not found inconsistent quality to be one of them on the last several visits.

Another major point is that the side dishes have always been a major factor in my desire to come here versus other choices that might be available. For a while this was inconsistent as well, although the Memorial Road restaurant seemed to keep the consistency while it was lacking at the Bethany location. Now, though, I consider this problem to be “fixed” as well, at least in my experience. No place is perfect, but it is always better to have an upward trajectory, as I believe this one has.

The Barbecue

Rib dinner

Small order of ribs

Swadley’s menu describes the Ribs as “Hand Rubbed Honey Rib Dinners,” and I thought the flavor was one of the best I had tried. Three types of sauce were available, but before applying any of them I tried the “eating the meat plain” test to see if the flavor was worthy of standing on its own, and it passed with flying colors. I thought it had just the right amount of smoke flavor, but it seems that everyone has their own preference, so this is just my opinion. The meat left a smoky aftertaste in my mouth after the meal was finished, but did not overwhelm the other flavors while I was eating the food.

The really important factor of the ribs, though, was the tenderness of the meat (and this is even more of a factor now that my teeth are no longer in the best shape). This is the one thing I most often find lacking in ribs, especially in other parts of the country (but sometimes even in Oklahoma). I would have to judge Swadley’s ribs as being just about perfect in every way, although this does not mean I could not find others (especially in Oklahoma) that are as good or better.

Ribs. sausage, and brisket

Three meat dinner with ribs, sausage, and brisket

Brisket is probably the next most popular item at Swadley’s. This meat is “24 Hour Sugar Cured” and while it is not meat that will fall apart when touched by a fork, it has the kind of barbecue flavor that would be expected in a good Oklahoma “Q” restaurant. The brisket, though, has shown the greatest variability of any item over the times I have tried it, ranging from moist to dry. This, along with the hot links, has been my biggest disappointment at Swadley’s.

One way to try different types of meat at Swadleys’s is by ordering the “2 Meat” or “3 Meat” dinners (as shown in the photo above). One surprise for me was that Swadley’s has excellent Turkey, which I tried on one of the plates. In this case I thought Swadley’s was better than most other BBQ restaurants that serve turkey. When ordering turkey I do not like too much smoky taste, and I thought Swadley’s was just right, as well as having very good meat.

Sausage was one of the choices on the 3 Meat dinner shown in the photo (and is barely visible under the ribs). This choice was not very exciting, not because there was anything wrong with it, but because I prefer the sausage at the German and other specialty restaurants.

Sampler plate

Sampler plate with turkey, sausage, brisket, hot links, ribs, and pulled pork

Take out orders are quite popular at Swadley’s, and one that offers a large variety of meats is the sampler plate with six items (shown in the photo above). The Pulled Pork, which I tried for the first time with this order, was cooked well with burnt ends, and I thought was excellent. The turkey was as good as it had been the first time I tried it. The Hot Links seemed too spicy to me, and I thought were not as enjoyable as the sausage.

Pulled pork and chicken

Two meat plate with pulled pork and chicken

For a while I had a turkey fixation that seems to have kept me from trying the Chicken, but now the chicken is an almost constant part of any two or three meat dinner because of its excellent flavor.

Pulled Pork has become another one of my “top three” choices (along with chicken and ribs), although unlike the others I think it is really only good with the sauce.

I have not cared for the Sauce as much as at some other restaurants, but there are several varieties so most people can find something to their taste. I think some of the sauces are way too sweet, but the thick and juicy sauce is really pretty good. Best of all, though, is the fact that none of the sauces seem to contain MSG (and I have had enough experience with the sauces that I should know by now if they did).

They provide several types of pickles and other condiments to make sure you have the full Oklahoma barbecue experience.

Side Dishes
Swadley’s serves an array of side dishes which makes it difficult to try them all, and I think this is another of the restaurant’s best features. Baked Beans come in two styles– sweet or hot (I was told the hot one was really hot with jalapenos included, but it was not any spicier than most Mexican food). The sweet baked beans were initially sweet for my taste, but now it has become one of my “go to” side dishes (although I really think the ones at Billy Sims are better).

The Okra was extremely non-greasy compared to most versions, and I think is one of the best choices for a side dish (but it needs to be eaten right away and would not make a good take-home dish).

The Green Beans seemed bland to me at first but now have become a consistent favorite of mine (and bland is good compared to the things some restaurants do to their green beans).

The Potato Salad looks as if it is mostly mayonnaise, but it has a good blend of flavors that makes it better than it looks.

Corn on the Cob was cooked just right, and I thought was very good.

The Cole Slaw either comes with chunky pieces of cabbage and a very good dressing (this is something that I think has become more consistently good over the past ten years or so).

Other Items
The Iced Tea is especially good, with both sweetened and unsweetened available (at one time I saw that they used Luzianne–I do not know the current brand but it is still good).

The restaurant recently switched from Texas toast to a roll on the dinner plates. I liked the Texas toast better, but the current roll is still a good feature to help round out the meal.

Turkey sandwich

Turkey sandwich

The owner pointed out on one visit that sandwiches are popular at lunch, and this may be a way for people with a light appetite to enjoy the food here (the sampler plate and some other combination plates seem clearly designed for families rather than individuals).

Ice cream machine

Free ice cream is available from the machine

A free Ice Cream Cone machine is also available. Even though this type of ice cream from a machine is not the best, I really enjoy it as part of the tradition of eating at Swadley’s. My biggest complaint is that I always have to ask the staff which side of the machine is vanilla and which is chocolate (I like the vanilla).

Chocolate cake

Chocolate cake

Occasionally a person may prefer one of the regular desserts, such as chocolate or strawberry cake. Out of the two I think the chocolate is a little better, although both are good choice.

A Summary
Overall I think I like the meals here better than the individual parts of it, simply because there is so much selection and all of it is good. I don’t have proof of this, but it also seems that the servings are larger here than at other places (for the same amount of money). This is good Oklahoma barbecue, about which I really have no complaints.


RATING: 24

Cuisine: Barbecue
Cost: $$
Hours: Closed Sun.
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: No
Additional Locations: 8317 S. Western Ave. (OKC), 2233 W. Memorial Rd. (OKC), 308 E. Hwy. 152 (Mustang), 1629 E. OK-66 (El Reno)

Most Recent Visit: Jan. 10, 2019
Number of Visits: 10+
Best Items: Ribs, Pulled Pork, Chicken, Okra, Green Beans, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Chocolate Cake

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Pork Ribs
star 5 Pulled Pork
star 5 Chicken
star 5 Turkey
star 4 Brisket
star 4 Hot Links
star 4 Sausage
star 5 Potato Salad
star 5 Cole Slaw
star 5 Green Beans
star 5 Okra
star 5 Sweet Beans
star 4 Spicy Beans
star 4 Mac and Cheese
star 5 Chocolate Cake
star 5 Strawberry Cake

Ranch Steakhouse–Oklahoma City, OK

Ranch Steakhouse
3000 W. Britton Rd.
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 755-3501
Ranch Steakhouse

Ranch Steakhouse


Growing up in Oklahoma I never realized that other parts of the country did not enjoy the same abundance of good quality steaks as here, but in recent years it has been much harder even in the Southwest to find the same kind of beef I remember as a youngster. I am not sure where along the supply chain much of the beef seems to have lost its flavor, but I have learned to distrust many of the claims made by restaurants that they serve a great steak.

Ranch Steakhouse on the north side of Oklahoma City, though, goes a long way in my quest to find steaks that live up to my expectation of the way I know they can be. I do not know if Ranch Steakhouse has the best steaks in Oklahoma, but I believe it is close. I cannot afford to go to all of the steak restaurants to find out which one is actually the best, but at Ranch Steakhouse I am pretty sure people will be satisfied that this is about as good as it gets.

Even though Ranch Steakhouse is quite upscale, blue jeans are about as common here as they are at Cattlemen’s at the Stockyards. It is expensive, but I think people will consider it a bargain for the quality of meat served, especially when compared to upscale restaurants in large cities (although I say this without having much first hand experience with them).

Ranch Steakhouse’s web site includes the following information about the steaks:

Every evening you’ll find an extraordinary menu featuring 100% USDA Certified Prime tenderloins, strips, and ribeyes being skillfully prepared and cut by hand for each guest who dines with us. Our exceptional chef-driven cuisine consists entirely of custom aged hand cut Prime Beef from Nature Source that is never exposed to antibiotics or hormones and fed on grass up until just before being processed. We also offer a selection of Grade 12 Japanese Wagu Filets, 100% Grass Fed Filets and Dry Aged Ribeyes.

In ordering a filet the waiter informed me that there were three levels that could be ordered: the filet I ordered from the regular menu was about $50, the 100% grass fed filet was about $80 (this one is more tender), and the Japanese Wagyu was $30 per ounce (and is the most tender). The latter two are not listed on the menu, and the difference with the 100% grass fed meat is just the amount of time they are fed grass (the regular beef is grass until the time of processing).

The bottom line is that even the “regular” steaks are what I consider to be a special treat, and these are the ones I am saying are among the best in Oklahoma. I ordered the grass fed filet in 2010 when it was not as expensive as it is today, and I would say my enjoyment level of both types of steak was about the same.

Also in 2010 they were saying that their most expensive steak was “Kobe beef,” and I think they had to change this to “Wagu” because of the the term “Kobe” being a trademark for only certain beef which comes from Japan (and there were about a dozen restaurants in the entire United States that served genuine Kobe beef). I did not ask them on the last visit what they mean by “Japanese Wagu,” but I think this is the same steak they were selling earlier as “Kobe.”

For my taste Ranch Steakhouse is top quality, but there may be other levels of top quality available at a few restaurants in the country that are at a higher level then here.

Salads and Appetizers

Chop House

Chop House Salad

Even though I thought the steaks were top notch, I did not feel the same way about the Chop House Salad. This was a good salad, but it did not seem to me to reach the same level as the salads at Boulevard Steakhouse, Cheever’s, or a number of other good restaurants. The fact that it was topped with cheddar cheese was not a good sign to me, and I was underwhelmed enough by the other ingredients to think that maybe putting cheese on top was actually an improvement. Still, it was not bad, just a little below the level I would expect in a very good steak restaurant.

There are quite a few other choices for salads and appetizers, so I do not know if I would have a better opinion overall if I tried some of the other items.

Steak
Of course steak is the main reason to come to Ranch Steakhouse. All of the steaks are “Prime,” are grass fed until just before the time they are processed, and are hormone and antibiotic free. I believe being grass fed is the most important factor in the good flavor I find in the steaks here.

Strip

Strip

The menu has changed somewhat since an earlier visit I made in 2010. At this time the regular menu was not being advertised as being grass fed, but you could get grass fed beef at a higher cost. At this time I ordered a grass fed Strip at the higher cost. This cut, though, had extra fat and slightly different flavor that has since made me stick with the filet.

Tenderloin filet

Tenderloin filet on a recent visit

My most recent order of a Filet was quite good, but was cut into bite-sized pieces which was quite surprising to me (but I think in a good way). I had eaten a filet on a previous visit, and this continues to be my first choice when coming here.

They now offer the filet at three different sizes (7 oz., 10 oz, or 16 oz.). The one pictured is ten ounces (which I shared, and both of us found it to be the right size).

Steaks are available with a choice of toppings for an extra charge, but with beef this good I am not sure it could be improved upon.

Side Dishes

Side sampler

Side sampler

A Side Sampler of vegetables is available for $20 as of the time of this writing, consisting of two vegetables plus a baked potato. The choices of vegetables can be made from their list of about eleven items (I am not including the various types of potatoes). My plate had two baked potatoes because the waiter said the potatoes were small that evening, but normally you get one (also I think the waiter did us a favor because there were two of us). In any case, I cannot complain about what you get for your money.

I have not found all of the side dishes to be equally enjoyable, though. The two in the photo (asparagus and carrots) are among the best I have tried. Probably my first choice on any visit, though, would be the baked potato. It came with all the toppings I like, and the potato is always cooked the right way.

Au gratin potatoes

Au gratin potatoes

The Au Gratin Potatoes surprised me, though, by not matching what I consider to be the overall quality of the restaurant (although I felt the same way about the chop house salad). I thought the potatoes had too much garlic, too much cheese in relation to the other ingredients, and potatoes that were not crispy enough with a texture I did not enjoy (other than that it was good, of course).

My choice of broccoli and carrots was on the suggestion of the waiter, and I might advise this tactic when coming here for the first time or when not knowing what you would like from the vegetable menu.

Dessert

Dulce de leche cake

Dulce de leche cake

One feature that does seem to be as good as the steaks, though, is the desserts. The Dulce de Leche Cake I tried was one of the best after dinner treats I have had in Oklahoma City. I also understood from the waiter that this is the only dessert Ranch Steakhouse makes in house, so this may be the only one about which I would have such a high opinion. This particular dessert, though, was well worth the money.

Other Comments
After several visits I have concluded that Ranch Steakhouse probably has the best steaks I have tried in Oklahoma City (or in the case of Red Prime, which also has excellent steaks, Ranch Steakhouse seems to be less expensive). The problem, though, is that many of the side dishes at Ranch Steakhouse do not match up to the steaks. Ranch Steakhouse is my personal choice for “best steak,” but for a whole meal experience, including salad and side dishes, other restaurants such as Boulevard Steakhouse or Red Prime might be a better choice.

Ranch Steakhouse is located in north Oklahoma City away from the popular tourist areas (but just down the street from the popular “restaurant strip” on Lake Hefner), so it does not seem to be on the tourist radar for out of town visitors. I think, though, that it offers an excellent taste of Oklahoma steak. It is certainly popular with locals, and it usually seems that even when I go on weekdays, I end up getting one of the few tables available. I think there is good reason the locals make regular visits when they want a fine dining experience.

I think reservations would be a good idea on weekends, but so far I have done fine by going and taking my chances (all of these visits were on weekdays).

They have valet parking here, but for me this would not be something I would want to consider since the entire parking lot seems like a short walk to me.


RATING: 26

Cuisine: Steaks
Cost: $$$$
Hours: Dinner Only (Open Daily)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: Full Bar

Most Recent Visit: Jan. 9, 2019
Number of Visits: 4
Best Items: Filet, Baked Potato, Broccoli, Carrots, Dulce de Leche Cake

Special Ratings
star 5 Filet
star 5 Strip
star 5 Baked Potato
star 5 Carrots
star 5 Asparagus
star 4 Chop House Salad

Someplace Else–Oklahoma City, OK

Someplace Else A Deli & Bakery
2310 N. Western Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 524-0887
Someplace Else Deli

Someplace Else Deli


Someplace Else Deli is too well known, has reviews that are too good, and has been around for so long that it should not have taken me until 2019 to try it, but it did. The problem is that it is located in one of the foremost Asian Districts in the United States, and when I am in the area I am usually on the hunt for some excellent Asian food. My first visit to Someplace Else happened as part of a “crawl” with a friend where we split an Asian meal and then went to Someplace Else to do the same thing. I am glad I did it this way, and I found out that all the good reviews about Someplace Else are true.

Someplace Else actually predates the Asian District, and it was in operation before the first Vietnamese refugees settled in Oklahoma City, sparking the early development of what later became the Asian District. The age of Someplace Else is also the reason I like it. This is not one of fancy new sandwich shops where you make your own sandwich and choose from their exotic ingredients. Someplace Else has a menu, and they make each sandwich one way. You have the option of omitting any topping or ingredient, or adding them, but my experience is that the way Someplace Else makes a sandwich seems to be hard to improve upon.

They also have a very large bakery with mostly pastries and sweet goods (brownies, chocolate cookies, etc.). There are several good bakeries in town with similar items, but what distinguishes the ones here is that they are more affordable than others, yet I think just as good (based on my sample).

Reuben

Reuben

Reuben

It is hard to see from the photo what is inside the Reuben but it was quite good, and was a combination that I would never have compiled on a “make your own” sandwich. This was because the key ingredient to it was the thousand island dressing which the person taking my order recommended, and for some reason I had enough trust in him to follow his suggestion. It was their house made dressing, so of course I should have known that it would be far better than the thousand island you would find in the average restaurant. The meat was corned beef, as would be expected, and it came with Swiss and sauerkraut. This combination works very well, and I think the reason is largely because of the thousand island.

I am now in a dilemma about whether to recommend Someplace Else or Ingrid’s for a Reuben sandwich. All I can say is that they are different, and they are both good. I like Ingrid’s for the sauerkraut. Someplace Else has sauerkraut on the sandwich, but not as much of it. Both sandwiches are good, and I would not argue with anyone who says it is better at one place than the other.

The Bakery
There is a large selection of pastries and goodies from the bakery. The brownies and chocolate cookies I tried were enough to convince me that this bakery can compete with anyone in town. It did seem to be less expensive than other bakeries, though, so this is a definite plus.

Other Information
Most of the meats for sale in the deli were the Dietz & Watson brand.

Someplace Else is open for breakfast, and has items such as sausage biscuits.

Parking in front of the store is very limited and is on the street.

According to Google the hours are Mon-Fri 7:00 am to 6:30 pm, Sat 9:30 am to 4:00 pm.


RATING: N/R

Cuisine: Sandwiches
Cost: $
Hours: Breakfast & Lunch Only (Closed Sun.)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Jan. 9, 2019
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Reuben, Brownies

Special Ratings
star 5 Reuben

Tokyo–Oklahoma City, OK

Tokyo Japanese Restaurant
7516 N. Western Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 848-6733
Tokyo Japanese Restaurant

Tokyo Japanese Restaurant


My impression of Tokyo Japanese Restaurant is that it is trying hard to provide the most authentic Japanese food in Oklahoma City. The heart of Japanese food is fish, and I know how difficult it has been throughout the years to get fresh seafood to the Great Plains (although Oklahoma has never lacked for its own version of fresh water fish). Tokyo has stuck with it, though, and now I think the state has a much better supply of fish and seafood that is worthy of the experienced chefs here.

Of course, Japanese food also includes dishes made with chicken, beef, and pork, and these have always been among the best choices at Tokyo. It is really a “full service” restaurant that serves sushi and all the important dishes generally found in Japanese restaurants.

I can tell from looking at Tokyo’s converted old house that it is not trying to be trendy, it is just concentrating on good food. People might be surprised how pleasant the interior is, though, from looking at it from the outside. The wood floors and Japanese decor in the dining room remind me of the better west coast Japanese restaurants.

Appetizers
The Miso Soup is fresh, and one of the best. Nowadays many restaurants have good miso, and I almost take it for granted. Tokyo seemed to be the first one to set the standard in OKC, though, so it remains my sentimental favorite.

Salad and miso soup

House salad and miso soup served with the dinner menu

A large side Salad is also available on the dinner menu (usually at no extra cost), and the Japanese style dressing is excellent. I did not think the lettuce rated it as a five-star salad, but with the dressing served it is definitely one of my favorites. The “Happy Lunch” comes with a small serving of salad, and I find this to be one of the highlights of eating lunch at Tokyo.

Lunch Menu

Tokyo Box lunch

Tokyo Box lunch with sushi and salmon teriyaki

About 90% of my visits to Tokyo have been at lunch, when I not only experience lower prices but I can also get some of the most flavorful and healthy lunches in town. An outstanding feature of Tokyo is the “Tokyo Box” combination plate served with some of the restaurant’s best dishes. The box lunch is probably the most substantial lunch served in terms of the quantity of food, and it consists of the customer’s choice of foods from two groups (one of which has sushi as one of the choices). The sushi is whatever the chef wishes to serve, but a California roll can be ordered instead of nigiri or sashimi. The box lunch comes with miso soup, usually making it the best deal for lunch even though it is more expensive than the other plates.

Happy Lunch

Happy Lunch with salmon teriyaki

The “Happy Lunch” comes with one main item and kakiage (shredded vegetable tempura), rice, and salad, but no soup. This offers a cost saving if you do not want sushi, and between the salad and the kakiage this makes an excellent and satisfying lunch.

The choice of lunch entrées is almost as large as on the dinner menu, and comes at a lower price. I do not know which items have a salad (although the Happy Lunch has a small salad), and other than the Tokyo Box I do not know if anything else includes miso. I would expect, though, that in some way the lunches include less food and therefore have a lower price.

My favorite item to include in both the Tokyo Box and Happy Lunch is Salmon Teriyaki with a very thick and flavorful teriyaki sauce. Atlantic salmon is most common in Oklahoma, but other varieties may be available at times. I was told that the chef buys the best fish available at the market, so that there is not just one type of salmon that is served. Tokyo is arguably the best place in Oklahoma City to get salmon teriyaki (and this is not even counting the excellent sauce to top it off). Unfortunately I cannot say that the salmon is one of Tokyo’s best items because Oklahoma is very far from the source. It is by far my favorite item for lunch, though, because I love salmon and Tokyo serves the best that is available.

Sushi

Sushi bar

Tokyo’s sushi bar has some of the freshest offerings in OKC. Items in center are fresh water eel and salt water eel.

The chefs at the sushi bar are probably the most experienced in Oklahoma City, and I would certainly say they are among the best. To me they exhibit all the characteristics of a good sushi chef: they find the freshest fish available, they know how to prepare it correctly, and they will be honest with the customer to recommend the “chef’s choice” for the best sushi (whether or not it is listed as a special).

Sushi can be ordered from the sushi menu, on combination lunch or dinner plates, or from the “chef’s recommendations of the day.” Sushi on the box lunch usually includes tuna and salmon, while the sashimi option includes a couple of additional choices such as a crab stick and octopus. The “chef’s recommendations” (the fresher, higher quality sushi) are sometimes included on sushi plates, but it is best to ask. I have found the tuna to usually be the best sushi served in the box lunch.

Philadelphia roll

Philadelphia roll

Of course the chefs here can prepare California rolls and other types of rolls, but I am not a big fan of these and would not judge a sushi chef’s talent based on these dishes. The Philadelphia Roll (made with cream cheese) was good, but not what I consider to be traditional Japanese sushi.

Yellowtail sushi

Yellowtail sushi was the Chef’s Recommendation

One advantage of going for dinner is that there seems to be a more extensive sushi selection, and I usually have more time to experiment with it. For one of my dinner starters I ordered the “Chef’s Recommendation” of Yellowtail Nigiri, which was quite fresh and just about the same as can be found on the west coast. Sushi is a food that I like but only order occasionally, and so far Tokyo has been on the top of my list of places to order it in Oklahoma City. I find Tokyo to satisfy the test for having fresh fish and knowing how to prepare it.

For nigiri the rice is supposed to be as important as the fish, but I am afraid I would have to say the fish is much more important. Still, though, I would rate the rice here as being very good, and does not come apart as easily as some others served with sushi.

The Salmon Sushi also has impressed me with its flavor and red color, and is one of the varieties served in the lunch box (but tuna is probably my favorite).

Dinner Menu

Katsu don

Katsu don

Katsu Don is a dish that is very traditional, filling, and reasonably priced. This was made with a fried pork cutlet with an egg omelet and onions over steamed rice (but it is filling even without the rice). The egg was placed around the edge of the meat (and is the lighter colored substance in the photo). A red colored ginger was added for flavor. I thought everything about this dish was very good, although the flavor was not as exciting as with some other dishes.

The Chicken Katsu had one of the best sauces I have found in any restaurant, and the breading was quite good. This is one of the choices for lunch (in the Tokyo Box), or is available on the dinner menu (in the dinner Tokyo Box or as a separate item).

Tempura udon

Tempura udon has a rich, dark broth

A bowl of Tempura Udon I tried from the dinner menu was outstanding, with a dark, rich broth and good noodles. The shrimp and vegetable tempura was the same excellent quality as the one served at lunch. I have always enjoyed Tokyo’s tempura dipping sauce (if you order tempura separately or on the side).

For lunch a bowl of Udon is available without the tempura. This soup is not much more expensive than the miso (if you order the miso a la carte), but the udon is more filling.

Nabeyaki Udon comes with chicken, shrimp tempura, fish cake, egg, carrot, and shitake mushrooms. I think this dish is very “Japanese style,” and is a good alternative to tempura udon.

Vegetable Tempura is one of the options for lunch or dinner and is excellent. I think the plates normally offer a combination of shrimp and vegetable tempura, but it is so seldom that I find restaurants that can make good vegetables that I like to order this at Tokyo.

Beef and chicken teriyaki

Beef and chicken teriyaki

Beef Teriyaki is possibly the best dish at the restaurant when judging it as a food reviewer (although I probably like the salmon teriyaki better just because I like salmon). The beef teriyaki seemed to be done perfectly in terms of the quality of the meat, the mushrooms, and the sauce. The sauce had a little bit of sweetness, but was not overly so as I think is done in some of the more Americanized restaurants.

The order of teriyaki shown in the preceding photo shows beef mixed with chicken. I thought the Chicken Teriyaki was also good, but not as flavorful as the beef. The bowl in the middle is for dipping the kakiage. A small bowl of seaweed on the side provides extra flavor and nutrition.

Tea

Miso and tea

Miso and tea

Green Tea is on the house and served in a cup (when you need refills they will come around and serve you). Because of what most restaurants charge for either iced or hot tea, I think it is a very good deal when you do not have to pay for it (and the tea here is very good).

Desserts

Plum ice cream

Plum ice cream

This section reveals one of my secrets–I like to come to Tokyo on my birthday because they give me a free dessert. Actually, it started out the other way around–I went to Tokyo on my birthday because I considered it a special treat, and I did not know they gave free desserts. In any case, they can always count on my business whether it is my birthday or not.

Tempura ice cream

Tempura ice cream

The Tempura Ice Cream is one that I particularly enjoyed, although I do not know if this is normally a “free” one (but birthday desserts are denoted by a candle on top and are always free). Sometimes, though, the regular ice cream is just as interesting such as the plum ice cream shown above (which is not one of their normal flavors).

I have found all of the desserts to be more than I want to eat and sufficient for sharing (which works out great for my “birthday parties”).

Overall Assessment
Tokyo is a friendly, comfortable, and moderately priced restaurant where you can feel at home, especially if you are a regular customer. The sushi chefs are among the most experienced I have met, and this is one of the key factors that makes a good sushi restaurant.

I would have to say, though, that the regular menu offers the food I order most often, and enjoy the most. I do not think I can point to any single item that is the “best I have ever eaten,” but Tokyo has a consistent quality of which everything is good, and some are hard to match even in larger cities.

The sushi at Tokyo has always been surprisingly good compared to other restaurants in OKC and the Southwest, and I think even though the fish here is not the same as in seaport cities, the sushi chefs know how to find the best that is available and to make the most of it.

I do not place great importance on a sushi restaurant having more variety than other places just for the sake of saying it has a “large menu,” but it is good to know Tokyo has a relatively large selection. This, along with its quality, make Tokyo a winner. The fact that much of the cooked food is as good if not better than the sushi keeps Tokyo as my choice for “best Japanese in OKC.” If this ever changes it will probably not be because Tokyo will have gone downhill, it will be that someone else has the skills and makes the effort to provide the same quality. Such skills seem to be all too rare in the Japanese restaurant business.


RATING: 25

Cuisine: Japanese
Cost: $$
Hours: Closed Mon. & Closed Sun. lunch (also closes between 2:00 pm and 5:30 pm)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Jan. 9, 2019
Number of Visits: 10+
Best Items: Beef Teriyaki, Chicken Katsu, Tempura Udon, Nabeyaki Udon, Miso Soup, Sushi (chef’s recommended items)

 

Asian Food Details

Tea: Green (brewed) house
MSG: No
Buffet: No

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Chicken Katsu
star 5 Katsu Don
star 5 Nabeyaki Udon
star 5 Tempura Udon
star 5 Tempura
star 5 Beef Teriyaki
star 5 Chicken Teriyaki
star 5 Salmon Teriyaki
star 5 Miso Soup

 

Sushi Ratings
star 5 Chef’s Recommendation
star 5 Tuna
star 4 Snapper
star 4 Tilapia
star 5 Salmon
star 4 Philadelphia Roll

 

Menu (Jan. 2019):

 

Royal Bavaria–Moore, OK

Royal Bavaria
3401 S. Sooner Rd.
Moore, OK
(405) 799-7666
Royal Bavaria

Royal Bavaria


Oklahoma has traditionally had a hard time bringing in authentic and truly good ethnic restaurants such as Asian and Mexican, but with a large number of German immigrants it seems to excel in this particular genre of food.

Royal Bavaria is one of the premier German restaurants in the state, and as good as the food is, it is an even more memorable experience for many because of the home brewed beer that is served. I have eaten German food from Washington, DC to Washington State, and the offering here is near the top in quality of the food and the atmosphere.

I should point out that I have been to Royal Bavaria when it had its original owner, and there were quite a few changes I noticed in 2009 with the new management. In my opinion these changes were for the good, but the restaurant did not go from bad to good– it went from good to better.

One feature I really appreciated was that the restaurant is now totally non-smoking. This may be due to a state law rather than customer demand, but I found the previous non-smoking section to be inadequate. There is an outdoor patio that I think now serves as the smoking area for those who prefer it.

The new owner was a long time employee at Royal Bavaria before taking over, and I would say the food is really the same as it has always been. It was explained to me, though, that he felt it to be important to have an extended stay in Germany where he lived with a German family and learned many aspects of home made (as well as restaurant style) German food. Perhaps some would not fully appreciate the commitment made to preparing the food here, but I got the feeling that this was about as authentic as one would find in a German restaurant in the U.S.

I do not need help in determining what food I enjoy, but a dining companion confirmed that the “new” restaurant was authentic and served high quality German food (from having a German background). Being authentic is not a substitute for serving good food, but in the case of Royal Bavaria I think customers get both.

Salad

Salad

Salad

I think the Salad selection here is not as extensive as at Ingrid’s, and certainly would not match Castle Falls, but the quality here seems to be as good as anyone’s. The salad shown in the photo is the house salad that comes with some dinners (and I think you can substitute a dinner side dish such as sauerkraut for the salad if you wish).

Hähnchenbrust

Hähnchenbrust

Hähnchenbrust with a “beer sampler”

One entrée I sampled at both the “old” and “new” restaurant was Hähnchenbrust in Cognacsause (chicken breast in cognac gravy with mushrooms). This was outstanding both times, and I think may be the best item served. One thing I enjoyed about this dish was that it was good without the breading that comes on many of my other favorite German dishes. I cannot attest as to how healthy this dish is, but it certainly seems to be.

Cordon Bleu

Cordon bleu

Cordon bleu

Cordon Bleu is a breaded dish stuffed with cheese and ham for a delicious, traditional dish. Different types of meat are available, and the veal I sampled was very good. In terms of flavor this was probably as good or better than the chicken dish I rated as my favorite, but chicken is something I prefer to order when I can. My dining companion thought the cordon bleu was prepared well and was an excellent example of German food.

Schnitzel

Jägerschnitzel

Jägerschnitzel

The Jägerschnitzel here was excellent, and although the mushroom sauce was something I liked very much, probably the meat itself along with the breading made it better than at many other restaurants (this was a pork loin). Fried potatoes were served on the side, and they are partially covered with the gravy, so this photo might make the schnitzel look larger than it actually it (but it was ample enough).

This is one case where I think the photo makes the dish look as good as it actually is, and I think it will sell itself (I can only say that for me it did not disappoint).

Other Meat Dishes
The Sauerbraten on my first visit was good but not outstanding. However, I have not tried it recently. I would also give it a favorable rating compared to others I have tried.

Special Dishes

Frankfurters from the sausage sampler

Frankfurters from the sausage sampler

My dining companion on one visit discovered a feature of the restaurant I had not known before–you can make special requests. In this case he saw the Sausage Sampler on the menu, but only wanted the frankfurters from it. They accommodated this request, and it also came at a cheaper price than what customers would pay for the full sausage sampler.

With the German mustard they provided I thought the Frankfurter was quite good (that is, the small portion that I sampled).

Side Dishes
Side dishes were good, but the most notable was the Bavarian Potato Salad I tried on my first visit.

One feature I would probably rate as a minus with Royal Bavaria is that customers have to pay extra for a basket of bread. I tried the bread on my first visit, and thought it was good. On a later visit, though, I skipped the bread, and found the meal to be quite filling enough without the bread.

Desserts

Black forest cake

Black forest cake

Black Forest Cake is one of the dessert items available, and I thought this was a good treat after an equally delicious dinner. My dining companion thought this was the only item we had that was not really similar to ones served in Germany, but we enjoyed it anyway.

Additional Information
I do need to mention that Royal Bavaria serves home brewed beer, and sample glasses are available (as shown in the photo of the Hähnchenbrust). I am not a good judge of such things, but a lot of people seem to think the beer is one of the best features of Royal Bavaria. I can say that I enjoyed it, but I will have to let the reader decide how the beer would rate compared to other restaurants.

Royal Bavaria also owns Das Boot Camp in Norman, which is a more casual restaurant that does not serve some of the high-end dishes such as Hähnchenbrust. It is also open for lunch (Royal Bavaria is not), and the Norman restaurant serves as a late night hangout for students and others who like to hang out late at night.

Royal Bavaria is open late enough, though, that customers will be able to enjoy the food and the beer. As of now Royal Bavaria is still in a rural setting, although I see urban development getting closer every time I go out there.


RATING: 25

Cuisine: German
Cost: $$$
Hours: Dinner Only (Open Daily)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: Beer, Wine

Most Recent Visit: Jan. 7, 2019
Number of Visits: 3
Best Items: Hähnchenbrust, Jägerschnitzel, Bavarian Potato Salad

Special Ratings
star 5 Hähnchenbrust
star 5 Jägerschnitzel
star 5 Cordon Bleu
star 4 Sauerbraten
star 5 Sausage Sampler Plate
star 5 Bavarian Potato Salad
star 5 Fried Potatoes
star 4 Red Cabbage