Andolini's and others

[heironymouspasparagus]

We've eaten at Villa Ravenna and were very impressed with the place, definitely give it a try.

Not sure what your issue is with Burnco.  If your biggest impression of a BBQ place is the beans, that might explain a lot.  I remember you mentioned this Black Jaxx place quite a bit out near Oologah but you always talked about the sides.  No argument from me about Albert G's, love the place and it's been consistently good since they opened on Harvard.  I do prefer the Harvard location.

I figure if the sides are more memorable than the Q at a BBQ place, they are doing something drastically wrong.  There are a couple of other ex-pat Oklahomans from Guymon and Elk City who opened a BBQ place up in Eagle Nest 24 miles up the road from us earlier this year.  Doing a great job on the Q and not too bad on the sides.  Lately, they've been doing a once a month special of smoked prime rib, that's been outstanding and we always watch for the announcement on Facebook when it is coming up.

As for what we can do better than others at home, that's the whole point in being in the hospitality business for us.  We don't do OJ and a frozen Lender's bagel for breakfast.  MC has quite a menu doing a fusion of breakfast classics and southwestern cuisine.  We consistently get high marks from our guests on the breakfasts in person and on-line.  Having a life-long resident of Santa Fe tell you and post online it's one of the best breakfasts they've ever had will make buttons pop off your shirt in a hurry!  Having the head of cattle operations at one of the largest ranching operations in the area call you the new "brisket king" of Colfax County is pretty heady stuff too  

I guess I haven't been all that clear about sides....they definitely don't make the BBQ, but they absolutely can break it.  No real issue with Burn Co at all - if they were in Norman, Moore area, it would definitely be in the top 2.  BBQ in that area sucks mostly - it's all Rib Crib and Billy Sims...blech!  (Even Earl's is just ok...fair to good, but gets raves by people in the area.)  

What I am most concerned about is that all the meats are great.  And I can definitely eat Burn Co...it's just that I think Albert G's (Harvard - never been to the other one) and Smokies are better, so when I get to do them, I will go to the better ones.  If I were there and could do BBQ 2 or 3 times a week (yeah, I probably would) then Burn Co is definitely in the rotation!    And then, all the sides better be of same level or at least very close.  If not, then they are just not gonna cut it.  

Kinda like a catfish place that doesn't have pickled green tomatoes - if they don't have 'em, they are not serious and not worthy.  Catfish Cove in Moore - yes!

As for Black Jaxx - their passing is a major loss to humanity.  Another guy tried to take up the banner for a while, but it was just not the same.  Everything was always good when the original guy was running it - for me, brisket and pork are usually the top one "go to's" for me, with ribs number 2.  The dilemma with Jaxx was how truly fantastic all 3 were.  Smokies and Albert are both kinda the same - I only have a certain amount of space to put the meats - which one or two do I go with...??  So, I rotate....2 at a time usually.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Slowly working my way through that list.  Being out of town puts the slow on that.
Andolini's - Tulsa and Owasso.  They are Ok, but yeah, I can do the stuff I get there better at home.  I prefer Tucci's.

Burn Co - are you kidding??  Albert G's is much better, as is Smokies, and I can do as good as them...maybe not better, but just as good.  Especially baked beans!

Fat Guys - again, kidding??  They are good, but WAY overpriced for what ya get.  And I can do better burgers.

Forgive me for being skeptical of a stranger on the internet, but this just hammers it home that you might be delusional. Thinking you can make better pizza than Andolini's (arguably the best in Tulsa),  better BBQ than one of the best in the state and better burgers than one of the best burger joints. Either you're a professional-level chef who never cooks at home or you're full of it.

And Fat Guys is not overpriced. You must be thinking of somewhere else. Their burgers are $4-$8 and are big enough to feed 2 people. Their regular size fries are more than enough for 2 for a couple bucks. When we go there (which is fairly often), it ends up being $10-$15 for a large meal for 2! That is about as cheap as it gets for a burger joint.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

He's an idiot don't waste your time...

Or maybe just a bit crazy. Or an old-fashioned highly-committed troll, maybe? He comes across as a Mr "I am so smart". After all, he is far better than the best of Tulsa at cooking and yet he's an engineer!

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I can do the stuff I get there better at home.  

And I guarantee if you cooked up your "recipes" for a blind taste test of your food versus those places, people would choose those places by a wide margin. It wouldn't even be close. You might think you're an expert-level chef and better than everyone else, but I can almost guarantee that is exclusively your opinion and your recipes wouldn't be able to get hundreds 4.5-5 star reviews year-in year-our like those places I listed.

If you really believe what you're saying, you must have some bizarre kind of taste buds that aren't like anyone else's. Thinking burn co beans are the best thing they have there is just one example. Hundreds aren't lining up every day for BBQ that's just "ok"...

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

But ya can't get best in class here. 

Stop it with this. This is not true. Over the years I have met and interacted with hundreds of people coming to Tulsa from out of town. One of the biggest compliments I hear about Tulsa is the food is great, especially for the price.

I've traveled to hundreds of other cities and I'm a hardcore foodie and go out of my way to try the "local"/top-rated places when I travel. While food is really great at many of these places, it is often expensive (and almost always more expensive than Tulsa places). Tulsa holds its own in terms of good food and the prices are typically a lot lower than other cities for the better places. And a lot of the places we have would have huge lines if they were somewhere like LA or Austin (i.e. Lone Wolf, Nelson's).

[TeeDub]

And Fat Guys is not overpriced. You must be thinking of somewhere else. Their burgers are $4-$8 and are big enough to feed 2 people. Their regular size fries are more than enough for 2 for a couple bucks. When we go there (which is fairly often), it ends up being $10-$15 for a large meal for 2! That is about as cheap as it gets for a burger joint.

While I agree with you on some things, I am not a big fan.   I tried their Memorial location a couple of times and was pretty underwhelmed.   I also have never seen a $4 burger at Fat Guys are you sure we are talking about the same place? 


*Caveat...   I also believe that it is hard to throw a rock in Tulsa without hitting a $10 hamburger place.  I also believe that just an abundance of toppings does not make a good hamburger.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

While I agree with you on some things, I am not a big fan.   I tried their Memorial location a couple of times and was pretty underwhelmed.   I also have never seen a $4 burger at Fat Guys are you sure we are talking about the same place?  


*Caveat...   I also believe that it is hard to throw a rock in Tulsa without hitting a $10 hamburger place.  I also believe that just an abundance of toppings does not make a good hamburger.

Yes, the regular cheeseburger/burger are 4.09/3.79. The double meat burger is $5.69. There's not a $10 burger on the menu, even after tax.

The fat & Juicy and a small fry is less than $10 and is more than enough to feed 2 people.

Also, I listed those places not just because I like them but because those are among the top rated places in the Tulsa area and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. I thought perhaps heironymous was not going to the right places, but it sounds like he is an elite 1%'er in the taste-bud realm where nothing is good enough for him.

[Townsend]

I also will plug Villa Ravenna as a great place to go.

If you show up and don't feel like Italian, walk North in the Farm and eat at Margaret's.  I always order the special.

Both places deserve high praise.

[Hoss]

I also will plug Villa Ravenna as a great place to go.

If you show up and don't feel like Italian, walk North in the Farm and eat at Margaret's.  I always order the special.

Both places deserve high praise.

Margaret's.  I'm a regular at that place; so much so that Margaret knows me by name now.  Fridays is my favorite especially as it gets colder...I get the soup of the day (on Friday it's Goulash; like crack but in a bowl) and a half sandwich...their triple-decker.  Yum.

And they do have a lot of awesome specials.

[rebound]

Margaret's.  I'm a regular at that place; so much so that Margaret knows me by name now.  Fridays is my favorite especially as it gets colder...I get the soup of the day (on Friday it's Goulash; like crack but in a bowl) and a half sandwich...their triple-decker.  Yum.

And they do have a lot of awesome specials.

I don't get down there enough,  but love Margaret's.   It's that time of year, will have to hit it soon.

[RecycleMichael]

That shopping center has great food.

Villa Ravenna Italian
Margaret's German
Yutaka Japanese Buffet
Beef Capital Steakhouse
Ron's Hamburgers
The original Mazzio's Pizza
The original Billy Sims BBQ
Great Harvest Bakery
Katy's Pantry
Anduini's Italian Market
STG Gelateria

[RecycleMichael]

And a Subway

[Markk]

Says the top troll.  As always.

Yep.

[Conan71]

Margaret's.  I'm a regular at that place; so much so that Margaret knows me by name now.  Fridays is my favorite especially as it gets colder...I get the soup of the day (on Friday it's Goulash; like crack but in a bowl) and a half sandwich...their triple-decker.  Yum.

And they do have a lot of awesome specials.

You are making me homesick.  Love Margaret's!

That's one more place to add to the list when we are back in Tulsa the next time.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Margaret's.  I'm a regular at that place; so much so that Margaret knows me by name now.  Fridays is my favorite especially as it gets colder...I get the soup of the day (on Friday it's Goulash; like crack but in a bowl) and a half sandwich...their triple-decker.  Yum.

And they do have a lot of awesome specials.

Margaret's is great.  Can't get that at home...