(10.0)

The Red Cup

The Red Cup
3122 N Classen Blvd
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
(405) 525-3430
Web Site
Map

Everyone who writes for OkcBites has been frequenting the Red Cup for quite some time now. Most of the time we all go there together and the conversation inevitably turns to us talking about how we really need to review this place. We always end up taking pictures and talking about what we might say, but these little impromptu brainstorm sessions never really result in anything productive. I think that’s partly because we’re lazy but also because none of us want to attempt to put this place into words. In fact I’m firmly convinced that President Obama’s (it feels good to type that) speech writer would have trouble describing the greatness of this place. So with that small disclaimer I am going to attempt to do it.

I think it might be better to think of the Red Cup as a state of mind rather than merely a restaurant. The actual building is an old house that has been painted green. The roof is adorned with a giant inviting red cup. There is a decent sized patio that allows smoking and dogs, while there are a few other tables nestled in a little grove of shade trees complimented by a soothing little waterfall pouring into a small pond.

On any given day you can expect to see a very eclectic clientele. You might look in one direction and see men and women dressed to impress working on some type of presentation. A casual turn of the head might reveal a small group of college students doing some desperate last minute cramming before an afternoon test. A turn of the head in another direction might result in a group of friends trying to piece together the events of the night before over coffee. One thing about the Red Cup is there always seems to be a state of tranquility within the walls. There might be 20 people in a line being held up by one indecisive person (usually BJ) but nobody seems to act inconvenienced or rushed (except for me, if it is BJ). The environment just feels very relaxing and harmonious.

It is also a guarantee that the Red Cup will have something decent coming out of the Speakers. The music will not be too loud, but it won’t be a whisper either. It is just the right volume for perfect background music. More often than not it is Neil Young, but I have also heard the likes of The Beatles and even Tom Waits. There is something about good music and good conversation that makes food tasted a little bit better.

Speaking of food I guess it is about time I touched on what they have available. This little restaurant has some of the most incredible food available in Oklahoma City, and everything on the menu will leave a person with a strong desire to return. When I go I try and force myself to order something different every time, but I have really only been successful with this a hand full of times. I have tried everything from their Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Sandwich to their Red Beans & Brown Rice, but I consistently find myself revisiting their Veggie Burger. The Veggie Burger patty is made of lentils and I think it’s made in house. It comes with lettuce, tomato, jack and mayo tucked in between a delicious toasted onion bun. Most of the sandwiches are served with Fritos which for some reason just add a little something extra to the meal. My wife typically gets the Gringo Salad which consists of lettuce, rice, beans, olives, onion, tomato, carrots, salsa-vinaigrette, sour cream and tortilla chips all mixed into a colorful bowl. She swears by this and very rarely deviates from this dish. Since my wife and I are both vegetarians the Red Cup is kind of a safe haven for us. They have plenty of meat free options, and you never have to worry about what type of meaty substance might accidentally sneak into your dish. As you can imagine I could go on and on about how great the food is, but I think you get the point. I’ll let you judge for yourself. Also, if you’re a coffee lover please do yourself a favor and drive past Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. Just keep on going until you reach the Red Cup. I can, without hesitation, say that my favorite coffee in all of Oklahoma City comes from the Red Cup. In fact we purchase bags of it from them and make it at work. There is one stipulation when it comes to ordering their coffee. It must be coupled with one of their amazing desserts. They have a wide array of delicious baked goods to choose from, and each one is just as satisfying as the next. The decision making process basically comes down to what you prefer. Personally I find it impossible to leave without indulging in one of their apricot bars. If you’re on a diet I recommend skipping dinner or spending an extra hour on the treadmill, but damn sure don’t let one of these baked goods slip through your grasp.

I try not to just throw around perfect 10’s, in fact the only other one I’ve ever given has been Bangkok, but occasionally everything about a place just feels right.  I hope I’ve at least done a decent job describing what a wonderful little place this is. Probably the most interesting thing about the Red Cup is that while the patrons might appear diverse they really aren’t that different from each other. Everyone there is just looking for some great food, good conversation and a relaxing environment to enjoy both in. I’m sure everyone who has eaten at the Red Cup has their own reasons for loving the place. These just happen to be a few of mine.

(9.5)

Café Antigua

1903 N Classen
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
(405) 602-8984
Map

I found this place a couple of years ago because I get my hair cut at Hair Rage II on Classen. My wife and I decided to give it a try, but I’m pretty sure we ordered the wrong thing. I’m not sure what it was but it was piled high with beets. I’m sure there is a large group of people someone out there who would take a bullet to defend the honor of a beet, but I can assure you I am not him. After nibbling at our plate of beets for awhile, my wife and I agreed to chalk this up as a misfire. I saw a couple of winters come and go before I would, again by chance, find myself within the walls of Café Antigua.

Coincidently this second time can be blamed on a haircut as well. I was car pooling on this fateful day and my co-worker decided he would give the restaurant a try while I got my hair cut. I warned him that all they serve are F*%$^&g sliced beets, but he had skipped lunch and decided he would chance it. I made my appointment for 4:00 but I usually make it at 5:00. This caused a bit of confusion with my hair cutter (sounds better than beautician or hair dresser) who was expecting me at 5:00. Needing to waste some time I figured I would join my co-worker next door and see how he was enjoying his beet plate. To my surprise I found him sitting there with a delightful looking plate full of eggs, tortillas, black beans, toast and some oatmeal looking stuff called Mosh. I stood in amazement as I didn’t see a single beet. Having eaten lunch already I decided to order what turned out to be fried bananas with some syrupy goodness topping them.

I spent the weekend thinking about that plate of bananas and what I saw on my friend’s plate. The following Monday I talked a few co-workers into heading over there for lunch and the rest is what I consider history. I ordered the “light breakfast” which consists of three eggs cooked with all kinds of spices, vegetables and a side of some spicy green sauce, bananas (not fried) apples and strawberries topped with a super delicious mango sauce, two slices of toast, and a hearty bowl of piping hot mosh.

Curious about mosh? Don’t worry I was too. Mosh is basically oatmeal. This made me feel weird because I always considered ordering oatmeal at a restaurant kind of a waste of my time as well as the restaurants. I figured the little packages of stuff I put in the microwave was as good as oatmeal was ever going to get for me, and I had come to terms with that. Mosh, however, completely blew my mind, and has opened my eyes to how delicious oatmeal can actually be. Basically mosh is oatmeal made with three kinds of sweet tasting milk (I assume they are all from a cow, but I can’t bring myself to ask. If you know and they aren’t do not tell me). I don’t know what type of special things they do to it to make it so good, but I can assure you it is. I’ve rambled about mosh for so long I almost forgot to mention how great their coffe is. It is rich and bold and served to you in a completly unpretentious cup. In essence you get great tasting coffee without questioning whether or not you’re a douchbag.

The actual restaurant is a quaint little place that is brightly colored and has nice eye pleasing pictures of Guatemala adorning the walls. Every time I’ve dined there they have only had one server, but he is like some type of wonder kid. He is very friendly and kind, and knows his way around a restaurant. I’m not sure how he manages all the tables at once, but I can assure you we could all learn a thing or two about multitasking form this kid. Not to mention he also manages to be your cashier when you leave.

The biggest selling point for Café Antigua is they serve breakfast all day long. I wish more places would follow their lead and progress towards this. We live in a new America now, and breakfast should be able to show its face after 11:00 AM. The one drawback is they close at 5:00 PM every day. Basically this just means I can only eat two meals there every day rather than three.

I can assure you that all three writers have eaten here and it comes with an undisputed OkcBites seal of approval. Do yourself a favor and make your way over to Café Antigua a soon as possible. Oh yeah while your in the neighborhood stop by Hair Rage and say hello to “A.”

(3.0)

Wellington Pancake House

5816 N W 63rd Street
Oklahoma City Oklahoma 73132
Phone No. 405-603-3714

Apparently there’s a new breakfast joint in town that goes by the name Wellington Pancake House. My wife and I were a bit hungover (more me than my wife) and we were looking for a quaint little place to indulge in a nice greasy breakfast. We knew this place was close by and relatively new so we decided to give it a try. We made the short trip south and pulled into a parking spot. We both may have noticed, but neither said anything about the abundance of what I like to call “grocery getters” surrounding us. For those of you more cool than myself a “grocery getter” is the stereotypical car you would see an elderly person driving. A couple of quick examples might include: Crown Victorias, Older model Lincoln Towncars, Le Sabres, or anything made by Buick. I’m sure subconsciously we both saw this as a bad sign, but we were hungry enough we were going in regardless.

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(8.0)

Neptune Submarine Sandwiches

 

Neptune Submarine Sandwiches
3301 N Classen Blvd
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Phone: (405) 525-0414
MAP

It is weird what you can remember from when you are really little. I am talking about your earliest memories here, like when you were 4 or 5 or something. Sometimes it is just a smell or certain lighting in a room but usually it is something small and trivial and leaves you wondering, why the hell is that even a memory. Sometimes you can’t even be sure it is a real memory but just a story you have heard a million times that someone older told you about. Oddly enough for me perhaps my earliest memory is of Neptune Submarine Sandwich shops. And last week I went in another one and ate for the first time in literally scores of years. Read more

(9.0)

The Undergound

The Underground
1621 S Douglas Blvd
Oklahoma City, OK 73130
(405) 733-7720

OK, let’s begin with an apology – no pictures. I usually stop by this place at 6 AM and am in no mood for taking pictures. Plus the lighting would suck.

Now with that out of the way a short review – I have only had their coffee but they offer the other accoutrements that most places have (scones, muffins etc.). The coffee is excellent as they know what they are doing. Free Wi-Fi and games in a decidedly upscale modern environment always make for a comfortable visit. I usually like my coffee house to have more of a folksy lesbian feel (read Red Cup) but this place feels much more born again (I have seen a few bible study groups here) – if ya know what I mean.

But really none of this is why I frequent this place. Service. The guy that owns the place runs the place and makes you want to come back. A good guy that has taken a chance, invested some money and ALOT of hard work and is proud of what he offers. This translates into everything – including the java – and just makes you kinda feel guilty for going to Starbucks instead.

So stop by, have a cup, take some pictures and send ‘em to me. I obviously need some help.

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