Restaurant Reviews

Duke's Southern Kitchen...a new favorite!

If you love real Southern food, then you will LOVE eating at Duke's Southern Kitchen!  

Get comfy -- it's gonna be a lengthy review!  Y'all know I am a Southern girl at heart, and I do love 'real', and I mean 'authentic', Southern food.  There is a distinct difference between Southern food and 'authentic' Southern food, and tonight I fully enjoyed the latter when dining at Duke's.  

For a moment tonight I thought I was dining in Charleston, South Carolina.  Both the interior decor and its friendly hostess evoked true Southern hospitality from the moment we entered.  The genuinely friendly and comfortable atmosphere had me sinking into my comfy booth from the instant we arrived and were handed our simple, one page menus.  I love a simple menu, by the way.  When I am out to dinner with friends, the last thing we need is to read a 6 page menu for 30 minutes trying to find 'just the right dish'.  Yes, I am one of those people who reads the entire menu.  It's just the kinda foodie I am.  I cannot help myself! 

Duke's is a very 'open' feeling restaurant, with high ceilings and an elegant, winding staircase to the second level.  But although it is open and airy, it still feels very cozy, and its beautiful art and lighting are the perfect Southern element.  Another special touch that I have never, ever seen at a restaurant is (you won't believe this!) the carpeted underside of the table.  Yep.  Carpet, underneath the table.  My friend discovered it, and then of course we all had to touch the carpet that was on the underside of the table.  We all assume that it's there to protect a Southern lady from bumping her knees while exiting the booth, or well...we really don't have any other ideas, but I am sure there is good reason for it!  Some Southern, thoughtful reason.  

Our waiter was most welcoming, and introduced himself as a true Southern gentleman would.  Okay, I know...all waiters tell you their name, so maybe I'm reading into this 'Southern' thing a bit too much.  But he was an excellent waiter nonetheless.  His name was Austin, and he provided excellent and friendly service from beginning to end.  Thank you kindly, Mr. Austin!  Much obliged!  Charmed, I'm sure.  I do love the South, y'all!

Okay, and now for the food.  We ordered 3 appetizers to share, and they were all fabulous!  We had heard great things about the Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes with Lemon Basil Aioli and Goat Cheese, ($7) and we now understand why.  Just look at how gorgeous they are on the plate!  Oh, the presentation!  (Remember that 'shingle' thing I was just talking about on my Blog?  There it is again!)

The flavor was scrumptious!  A crispy, crunchy coating hugging a tender green tomato, sitting atop the creamiest aioli perfectly balanced with lemon, basil and goat cheese....oh my!  This dish is a party for your tastebuds, and it hits them all gently and simultaneously! 

Let me just say, that these are strong flavors -- the lemon, basil and goat cheese -- and yet none of them overpower the other.  Instead, they are balanced in the perfect harmony of an aoili.  An aoili that I would simply adore served in a bowl by itself with a spoon on top.  Yes, it's that good.  This dish is a beautiful marriage of creamy and crunchy.  These crunchy fried green tomatoes and that creamy aoili -- were as made for each other as a hot July day and Southern sweet tea.  

I do declare!  Where are my manners?  I didn't mention that delicious tea, the Peach tea, that we enjoyed.  It bears mentioning, because it was different that any peach tea I have ever tasted.  It had sweet and floral notes, perhaps cardamon, that gave me refreshing suprise.  Two glasses later, I still couldn't put my finger on the source  of that floral sweetness.  Guess I will just have to go back and enjoy a few glasses more, to see if I can distinguish that delicate, yet special, flavor. 

Our other shared appetizers were the Shrimp and Grits with Hominy Relish ($8) and the Southern Chips and Dips ($8). We wanted to try several appetizers in order to get a good sampling of the menu, and we were glad we did!  

Take a gander at these beautiful Shrimp and Grits!  Wow...succulent, tender, juicy, flavorful shrimp.  Perfectly cooked!  And the grits?  Best I have ever tasted!   The colors were gorgeous, too.  You know we do eat with our eyes first, and this dish was not only a feast for the eyes, but a feast for all the senses!  

Hominy is one of my favorite flavors, so I had really looked forward to the hominy relish.  Again, it did not overpower, and was a fabulous compliment to this flavorful dish.  I love it when flavors 'play nice' and nobody has to compete to get to their taste bud.  Every flavor just agrees with the other.  That's what 'real' Southern food is all about. 

Which brings me to Southern Chips and Dips.  Yes, we're still on Appetizers, but trust me, the Fried Chicken is worth waiting for.  

Southern Chips and Dips ($8) -- a beautiful platter filled with flat bread, homemade chips, and cornbread sticks -- you know, the ones that look like tiny ears of corn? That shaped cornbread has 'cast iron skillet' written all over it!  They are peeking out behind the chips there, over on the right side of the platter.  

What you see up front is a nice portion of Sweet Corn Pimiento Cheese.  Yum.  I love Pimiento Cheese, especially with Sweet Corn.  Can't wait to try that at home!   

In the ramekin up front is (by far my favorite on this platter) the Red Pepper Jam.  Oh, my, goodness!  What a sweet treat!   I devoured it all on its own for the most part, although it was also a nice compliment to the cornbread sticks.  

My friends enjoyed the flatbread, but it had rosemary in it, so I had to pass.  If you don't remember from my last review, I have a freakish allergy to rosemary.  Please remember that little tidbit if I ever come to dine at your house.  Thank you!  (Smile!)

Well, that's just the half of it!  Half of the platter anyway.  

Because on the other side there was Black Eyed Pea Hummus.
Yep -- delicious!  Oh, and here you have a better look at the
golden cornbread sticks.  And my favorite, the   
Red Pepper Jam. 

Yum. 

I am in love...

with Red Pepper Jam.  

In a foodie kind of way.  

I'll probably dream about Red Pepper Jam tonight.  

And then I'll wake up and try to find a recipe for it, so I can make
some of my own Red Pepper Jam first thing tomorrow morning.  

No.  I'll just go back to Duke's and enjoy theirs as often as I possibly can.  Yes.  That's exactly what I'll do!  

Okay, enough about appetizers!  Although I could easily make a meal out of several of Duke's appetizers and be quite happy.  And full.  And happy.  Would it be cheezy if I said 'Happy-tizers'?  Yes.  It would. 

Forget I said that, okay?  Thank you kindly, y'all.  Did you hear my Southern accent?  It was there, trust me. 

Drum roll, please!  My Duke's Cast Iron Skillet Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Bourbon Cream Gravy with a side of Green Beans just arrived! 

    Oh, baby!  That is heaven on a plate!
Do you see how crispy that coating is?  How thick that gravy is?  

That chicken is cooked per-fect-ly!  Tender, juicy (not greasy) on the inside, with a well-seasoned breading on the outside!  Flavorful, through and through.  Again...perfectly balanced.  My compliments to the Chef!  

Two pieces of perfectly cooked chicken!  A nice thick thigh, and an 'airline' chicken breast.  'Airline' means that the chicken has been trimmed down to only the drum part of the wing, so it's essentially boneless.  This is a beautiful cut not only for presentation, but also because of the added flavor which comes from cooking the breast meat with a little bone attached.  Bone = flavor, and we love flavor!  Especially when it comes to fried chicken. 

Allow me to show you the other side of the plate, where the green beans are patiently waiting for my fork. 

You also get to see that crispy coating again.  Oh my, goodness!



Pardon me while I drool...in a ladylike Southern way, of course.  


The mashed potatoes and gravy were delicious, too...you have to taste them to believe them, so I will just let you try them yourself.



But that chicken was phenomenal!  I did not want the meal to end!

So I enjoyed one piece tonight, and the other piece?  Yep -- I'll enjoy it tomorrow for lunch, because good fried chicken is always better the next day.  Eaten cold, straight from the fridge!  Can't wait!

My friends enjoyed their meals as well; three out of the six of us had the Fried Chicken.  It was that good!

Among the other dishes enjoyed was the Fried Green Tomato BLT with a side of Smoked Chicken Gumbo ($7)

   My friends' exact words were...UN - BE - LIEVABLE!

Okay, she's an English teacher, so she won't appreciate that I called her description 'words'.  Technically, 'UNBELIEVABLE' is one word, but the way she said it made it sound like three words.  Let's just say she had quite an affinity for her mouthwatering entree.  Especially the Gumbo.  Yum. 

Un.  Be.  Lievable! 

Fab.  U.  Lous! 

Need.  More.  Gumbo. 

Yumbo.  

As I write this, it's almost midnight.  I'm getting a little silly.  Sorry.  I'll try to do better!  Hang in there...it's almost time for dessert!  

My other friends enjoyed the Biscuit and Gravy Burger with Andouille Sausage, Grilled Onions, Bacon and Bourbon Cream Gravy ($8), and the Rock Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Etouffee ($15).  No pictures here...they were hungry men, and I couldn't make them wait for me to take pictures of their food.  It's just not the Southern-lady thing to do.  Both dishes looked and tasted fabulous.  No, fab -- u -- lous.  Yes, that.  

Okay, you've waited long enough.  It's time for dessert!  My recommendation?  The MIO Pecan Pie! 

MIO -- Made in Oklahoma.  Remember...when it's Made in Oklahoma, it's 'Good for you, and it's Good for Oklahoma!'  (Sorry, the tagline just popped into my head!)  www.miocoalition.com   I LOVE MIO!



     And...

     now...
   
     I...

     absolutely...

     love...

     MIO Pecan Pie!  

This pie was unlike any other pecan pie I have ever tasted, in a very good way.  Unique, in a scrumptious way!  Hints of ginger, bourbon, cinnamon, no, maybe it was molasses...it was one of those complex flavored pies that makes me want to eat piece after piece until I can sort it all out in my foodie head.  The flavors were incredibly delicious, and the texture was amazingly thick.  Not goopy like some pecan pies, but dense, and rich, in a fabulous foodie kind of way. 

Fabulous!  And rich!


Very rich!
 
So very rich, that not even I could eat the entire slice.  Even with the help of my dear hubby and my friend who enjoyed one bite each.  

"I am sorry, MIO Pecan Pie.  I didn't mean to just leave you there like an unwanted bite of deliciousness, but I had to.  I was about to burst!  No amount of Spandex in my new jeans could have allowed me to eat that last bite, really.  

Although it broke my heart, I had to let you go. 

But we'll be together again soon!  I promise!"    

Note the fork at the eight o'clock position, indicating that I am left-handed.  Did you know that?  Proper etiquette indicates that left-handers place the fork at 8 o'clock to indicate that they are finished, while right-handers place the fork at the 4 o'clock position.  Now there's some useless foodie trivia for you to enjoy!

Overall, our dining experience at Duke's was simply phenomenal, and together we all decided that they deserve 4 1/2 out of 5 dining stars!  We will definitely be back, very soon.  Check out their website for more information:

www.dukestulsa.com 

Give them a call at (918) 364-3853 for reservations.  Very soon.  Really, it is just that...UN...BE...LIEVABLE!

Until we eat again...happy Southern dining, y'all!
~kk

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Hey Mambo! 

Let me begin by saying that I love downtown Tulsa.  I love downtown Tulsa for a variety of reasons...most of them historical and architectural, but many of them culinary!  My very favorite burger in the whole wide world lives downtown at Baxter's Interurban; his name is 'Honey Pepper Bacon Burger', but I just refer to him as 'Honey'.  We dine together frequently, but that's a whole other story that we'll have to get to later.  He's my favorite.  He's special.  He gets his very own burger-licious review just as soon as I can go see him and take his pretty picture.  I promise.  It will be very, very soon!   (Note to self: update menu to include Split Pea Soup on Saturday night!). 

For now, let's talk about a new place I discovered in Downtown, in the Brady Arts District to be exact.  The name 'Hey Mambo' is unique in itself, but the restaurant is pretty special, too.  First of all, I think it's special because the owner, Scott Moore, is a classmate of mine from Will Rogers High School; we graduated together in 1988.  (Gulp, now I feel really old!)  Wow, when we were studying together in Senior English class, I would have never imagined myself dining at his restaurant one day, but I am sure glad I did!   Another reason I find 'Hey Mambo' special is because of their broad and interesting menu, the trendy-but-not-too-edgy atmosphere, and of course, the delicious food! 

Recently I met a friend there for lunch to celebrate her birthday.  Hey Linda!  Hey Mambo!  Hey!   Happy Birthday!  
Linda is another dear friend of mine from high school...do you see a pattern here?  We Rogers Ropers stick together!  Back in the day, Linda and I were Pom Pon girls...Go Big Blue!

We met on a weekday for lunch, and were seated right away.  The friendly waitress came right over and took our order quickly.  Good thing -- we were both hungry girls!  Linda ordered the Mista Salad -- a fresh iceberg wedge with house made Giardino dressing...and she loved it! 

 She also enjoyed a slice of the 'Center of the Universe' pizza, topped with mambo pesto cream, artichokes, spinach, pepper bacon, sliced prosciutto, roma tomatoes and feta cheese.  Wow -- it was not only delicious, but also gorgeous!  Talk about a party for your tastebuds -- hitting every note at once can only be done by the finest of chefs!  Bravo! 

For me, the ordering process was a bit more challenging, seeing as how I have a freakish allergy to rosemary.  Yes, it's a little known fact about me, but I am completely 'intolerant' to either fresh or dried rosemary, which is a very common ingredient in any good Italian kitchen.  With that being said, the waitress was prompt to discuss my options with the chef, and advised me that the Baked Ziti would be my best choice. 

The marinara they use for that particular dish does not contain rosemary -- thank goodness!  I enjoyed every bite of the warm, and filling dish, and will likely order it again! 

Well, as you can see, I saved the best for last....dessert!  Since it was Linda's birthday lunch, we had to eat cake!  And boy, are we glad we did!  We enjoyed their homemade Wine Cake, which was, in a word...phenomenal!  Each morsel of this tender baked delight simply melted in my mouth, and there was a slight hint of the wine sweetness at the end of each scrumptious bite.  Subtle, not overpowering, just very flavorful.  Yum!  Now I'm drooling again.

The Wine Cake was enjoyed again on a recent Saturday night while out with friends.  We decided to go to Hey Mambo just for dessert.  It was fun, and fabulous, of course!  This time, though, I also sampled a special dessert of Gingerbread Cheesecake Brownie with Gingerbread Gelato...oh my goodness...I cannot say any more...you must try it for yourself!  Please enjoy!  Tell my friend Scott I said 'hello'! 

Hey Mambo is located in downtown Tulsa at 114 N Boston Ave.  Give them a call at (918) 508-7000.  Enjoy!