The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

Location(s) Being Reviewed: Edward Delk's Bar and Restaurant, 427 S Boston
Date/Time of Visit: 01/25/2012, Evening
Quality of Food (1-5): 4
Menu/Food Options (1-5): 4 (for what I consider a bar)
Quality of Service (1-5): 4
Atmosphere (1-5): 4
Overall Rating (1-5): 4
Price ($-$$$$$):$$
What makes this restaurant unique:  Built into the ground floor of the Philtower with a large bar and spiral staircase leading up to an open deck for more seating.

Tell us about your experience:  Had the short rib panini for $9.  It was good. 

My friend had the pastrami panini and we traded a section of sandwich.  A large sandwich btw.  Hers was more flavorful due to the sauerkraut, gruyere & whole-grain mustard sauce.  Had more horseradish in there than mine did.

Cool interior and good service.  Open and airy and a good place to gather with some friends.

Menu:

I saw you there last night and almost stopped in. I was leaving the Press Club and was looking for a place to eat. A pastrami panini would have been perfect.

Never pass up an oppotunity to dine with me.  I tend to amaze everyone with my social skills. 

You would've been more than welcome.

That sounds great for sure......What are the hours...I might hit it before Gordon Lightfoot tomorrow night...!

Per FB they open at 11am tomorrow and I'd imagine last call is 1:30am if there's business.

\

I think we have a Winnah.....!!!!!

They have Peroni on tap.  Which is nice.

What's the price per draught?

I was drinking guinness so I'm not sure.

Stopped by Saturday night after attending "Stomp" at the PAC.  Got there around 10 and the place was 3/4 full.  Sat at the bar.  The drinks were very well made.

The atmosphere has a very cool vide and the crowd was on the younger side, but mellow as most everyone was engaged in conversations.  Two large TVs behind the bar were on the Thunder game, but were muted so they did not obstruct conversation.  They have hooks under the bar for the ladies' purses - a big deal to my wife and something you usually find at bars in large cities, but for some reason many Tulsa bars completely miss this inexpensive little extra.

I always just love banging my knee into a hook. Lots of places have them in town....just gotta poke around. But a good way to tell if a place is good or not?

Juniper owner to operate Edward Delk's, open Brady District steakhouse in the fall

http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=371&articleid=20120806_371_0_Justin214637 (http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=371&articleid=20120806_371_0_Justin214637)

Sounds like food from the galley on the fail boat.   ;D

It needed an upgrade.

Still have not eaten there, might be more incentive to now.

More like he's jumping on the fail boat to try and save it from hitting a titanic sized iceberg.

I thought something might be up @ E.D. I had noticed they had recently removed the menus posted at the entrances.   I have yet to try the place.. I was meh with the old menu.

I am glad they are doing a new menu.  The old one didn't really offer much as a place to go eat.  It seemed to want to be "just a bar" that also had a couple of items to eat and thus, for me at least, wasn't a place I would go as much. 

I always had good experiences with the food (lunch and apps at night), but the service could be on the very lean side.  I assume they spent a lot of $ on the build out and could be an example of the first guys leaving a very nice business opportunity for the second guys.

I’ll take great food over an over-built atmosphere any day.

Sadly, it was never great food.  The atmosphere was good though.  It was a bar that had some things on a menu you could eat if you needed to.

Our favorite way to explain food like that:

“It’ll make a turd"

Ding

Dinner at one of the fishing boat crew eateries in Boston had some really good food.  Atmosphere was oil cloth covered picnic tables, BYO wine.  It was just down the street from one of the famous eating places.  My cousin said the famous place's food was good but not as good as where we went and the prices at the fancy place were significantly higher.  It was a while ago so I don't remember the prices or the names of the two places but they were on the waterfront.  I believe I had a swordfish steak.

You know what’s funny this time of year in New England Red?  Even McDonald’s makes one hell of a lobster roll.

That always freaks me out when I see lobster advertised at McDonalds. I have never been brave enough to try it. 

No doubt that this is a good move, the food a Juniper is excellent.

My personal opinion is that they should super simplify at Delk's and just be a bar with a cheese plate and Charcuterie and etcetera.

My personal opinion is too many restaurants make a hands-on-chef spoil.

Just making a point. The sucksess rate for foodies is less than %20....

I hate thinking Junipers might suffer from all these other diversions.

Which is one of the reasons that I think Delks should simplify. Why bring food in from another location? Just make whatever the facility you have can accomodate.

Edward Delks has a full kitchen

They do? When did they (and how did they) install a Vent? Previously the lack of a vent was preventing the installation of a grill, twelve burner and flat top.

Closing on March 3rd.

I will lament all the time I went there.

Actually I think I went twice.

They say if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all.

The space was very nice.

Pretty much my thoughts.

Same here.  4 times.  That's all I've got.

Justin doesn't have time to devote to it with Prhyme being open now?

Or are other people as underwhelmed as MC and I by the hype surrounding his food?

See, and the rest of us were being nice.

Well that's a bummer.
It's certainly a nice build-out.
hopefully something else can move in and make it work

Did he ever fix the name Prhyme or did he run with that?

He fixed it by adding flames, flaming plants or whatever that's supposed to be.

(http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/8720/phryme.jpg)

IT BURNS

OMG!

Of cours I haven't eaten there yet, so perhaps the food will overcome the other stuff.  I may hit it this weekend if the wife wants to.

It's a nice space in a part of town that is developing.  I think it'll find new life sooner rather than later.

Would try it on a trip to Tulsa, but if I lived there again it would not be a frequent visit for me. At the prices they have, I would hope that it's the best steak on the planet.

http://static.squarespace.com/static/5057c325e4b01fe6ef244c24/t/51252d6be4b068400115cf49/1361390955007/PRHYME%20MENU%20rev%202-18-13.pdf (http://static.squarespace.com/static/5057c325e4b01fe6ef244c24/t/51252d6be4b068400115cf49/1361390955007/PRHYME%20MENU%20rev%202-18-13.pdf)

http://prhymetulsa.com/ (http://prhymetulsa.com/)

So much for using that as my rap name.

You can make another one!

http://www.myrapname.com/

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5242/5352265976_b48a4da9de.jpg)

Collie Tee Mugshot Jam a.k.a. Diggy Ritz

My wife and I have not been to Prhyme yet, but two different couples we know have been. Both have reported back that it is overpriced and underwhelming. We will probably still try it, but it sounds like one of those places we will go once if we aren't blown away.

Puff Scotty S Tripp

I drank at Delks probably once a week.  Ate there rarely.  Lunch crowd was thin.  After dinner drink crowd as fairly good. I will miss it.

An investor in Prhyme tells me the cheaper steaks are better than the more expensive steaks.  The feedback from patrons has been the same.  Goes to show, don't always order the most expensive thing on the menu.

Sounds like a good investor...not sure if I would be spreading that around..

Too bad. Wonder what killed it? Was it the early problem with the food? Ever changing staff? Bad signage?

I knew it was there, was going to go in and walked by the door more than once.

The food got better?

Yes, the food had greatly improved because they weren't trying to make things that the kitchen could not handle. I had a Tuna TarTar and a mushroom pizza that were very tasty.

too many eateries and too few mouths....predicted this too

Oh, then why are Atlas Grill, Elote, The Vault etcetera still doing well? Why does JJ Sandwiches want to open in the Thompson Building?

You just hate downtown. You either have some personal greivance against it or you want it to fail bacause it will help you personally along with your development plans and for some reason you also dislike our heritage neighborhoods. Go build a bland restaurant or a big box in south Tulsa, why not?

I blame the owners...they knew nothing about the restaurant business and thought all they had to do was build a bar and fill it up with Restoration Hardware lighting.

No, it's a question everyone should be asking.  Its basic market forces.  In a crowded market you have to provide a top notch product.  Delk's nailed the decor, but failed at food and in my experience service.  If you don't hit all three you don't stay in a crowded market.

IMO, The Vault needs a menu overhaul if they want to stay busy.  Great venue and the food is good, just nothing particularly memorable or something I crave to go downtown for.  Cocktail menu is second to none and they do have great service, I'd simply like to see more items rotating in and out of the menu since it's limited to about six or eight entrees. 

Anyone know if the kitchen has limited equipment which restricts the menu to things which can only be heated in an oven or cooktop?

Carl, what i dislike is imbalanced growth and poorly thought out development. I don't hate anything. I even gave you hints of a big downtown deal working as we speak....I would be concerned  about your attitude. Get an adjustment!

The Vault Pasta is something that I've had cravings for.  

The mac & cheese?  Sort of bland, IMO.  It would be magnificent with bacon.

Feel free to explain to me how a daytime population of nearly 30K is a bad investment for a sandwich shop. I'm all ears.

I never said that.

Delk's was more than a sandwich shop. It was another boozerie....and had an extensive menu.

Inexperienced entrepreneurs?

m

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6050409/2-26-2013%209-06-50%20AM.png

You edited my post instead of replying, conan -.-

And no, not the same thing as the mac and cheese.  Description from the menu

They don't have a price on just a side of it, but I've been able to order that at dinner.  They've got a smaller portion that you can order as a lunch special.

That's bizarre. 

I'll give the pasta a shot next time we are there.

Delk's also had the burden of the large expense of the build out and the furnishings, etc.  That creates a big cash flow need just to service the debt/investment.

I've heard some banter on Facebook that an Italian concept is going in the spot, so it won't be idle long.

Wonder if they are installing a vent? That was one of the main limitations for Delk's kitchen.

I'd like a good Thai place downtown...we already have a few mediocre Italian places.

Just curious, who carried the financial load on the build out, was it Delk or the property owner? I read reviews of Delk's on yelp! urbanspoon and Trip Advisor and they were mixed as to 60% liked it and 40% didn't and the compalints were universal almost on the food, srevice and prices and those three always seem to be the down fall of most places. Also noticed that The Vault has similar reviews on those three sites as well.

They were essentially one in the same.  Hunt Hawkins was a partner in Delk's.  His family owns the Philtower.

Thanks. The reason I was asking is if it was the Philtower that fronted the build out, the cost could very likely be past on to the next tenant to pay for the build out. If it was carried solely buy the tenenat, the owner would not be trying to recover construction costs, and could get reasonable rent without passing the cost to the next tenant.

Although, and just guessing, with the Philtower being part owner, I would think they are going to add in the cost (buildout cost added to the lease) on whoever is next, and from the sound of things if there is no vent in the kitchen, it is still a very limited market for a restaraunt to open there again.

I said from the beginning they needed to scale back the food to what the kitchen could support.

Both Hodges Bend and the 1764 Wine Bar are doing fine serving upscale cocktails and cheese platters with no other food.

Same kind of reviews Prhyme is getting as well.

I had the crab risotto at Prhyme and it was delightful.

1/2 Delk was/is the property owner.

Don't be sad....

Discussed going there with my wife some night.  After reading the reviews, she said she would rather spend half the money at Juniper.
I suppose we'll wait until the inevitable Prhyme Groupon.

He is spreading in response to patrons telling him it is overpriced and they don't want to go back.  Encouraging them to give it another shot and try the cheaper steak.  Apparently, everyone that tries the cheaper steak gives him good feedback.  Everyone that tries the more expensive steak tells him its overpriced.  

I don't understand most of the complaints about pricing at Prhyme.  Its prices are high but in line with Mahogany, Flemings and other high-end steakhouses around the country.  If you think those places are too expensive, then don't both with Prhyme.  I assume the "most expensive" steak people are complaining about is the 40-day dry aged strip/rib eye.  A steak dry-aged that long is an acquired taste (and super expensive due to time, shrinkage and trimming) that does not appeal to most people.  After aging that long, the meat takes on a somewhat funky mushroomy/blue cheese kind of concentrated smell/taste.  Some love it, but it's most definitely not for those used to non-aged beef.

I wish Pyhyme would offer a 21 to 28-day dry aged steak instead of the 40.  But I think it is trying to offer something no one else in town is offering.  For what it's worth, I thought the grass-fed rib eye was one of the best grass-fed steaks I've ever had.

Delk's FB status if anyone's interested:

CHEAP BEERS!!!!!!

Delk’s is offering HUGE DISCOUNTS on select bottle and all tap beers.

All Tap Beers $4

Abita Amber $3
Big Sky Trout Slayer Wheat Ale $3
Boulevard Bully Porter $3
Coop Horny Toad Cerveza Blonde Ale $3
Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout $3
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout (650ml) $10
Left Hand Polestar Pilsner $3
Three Philosophers Quadrupel Ale $7
Rogue Hazelnut Brown (650ml) $10
Samuel Smith Organic Cider (550ml) $7
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale $3
Southampton Double White Ale $3
PBR $2

Love prime steak, and we frequent Mahogany and Flemings.  I've eaten at Lowry's and others around the country.  LOVE A GOOD STEAK!!  I wanted to try Prhyme in spite of the silly name, but with all of the poor reviews, compared to other offerings, I just figured we'd wait for a Groupon.

I'm not disagreeing.  Just have to remember this is Tulsa.  You can walk across the street to The Tavern and get a steak frites for half the price and most Tulsans will think it is just as good.  Phyrme is trying to make sure it is covering the steak connoisseur, as you mentioned, while still offering a steak that appeals to the crowd that wants a price point just a bit lower than Fleming's and Mahogany.

Which, BTW the last two times I've eaten at Fleming's the steaks have been terrible.  Steaks ordered rare and medium rare served well done.  I was somewhat forgiving the first time, although I did request a replacement.  The second time I was none too happy.

Call me a cab! I'll be right there!

The $3 prices are pretty good for a single bottle price.  Most of the liquor/beer stores seem to offer a mix-a-six for less than $9 for medium and lower price beers.   I can understand not including the really pricey beers in the mix-a-six.  


Edit:  Nevermind, I missed the thread name and thought I was responding to "Best Selection of beer and best place to purchase for value ".

What I said is still true though.

Runnin' them specials on OK+ for 7 days at a time can be a beach... lessin' you want ABLE to come bust up your gin joint

$10.00 for Rogue River beer? Even for a pint and a half, that's way too much.

I'm unfamiliar with the cost of this specific beer, but the other $10 one on their list, (Yeti) is about $10 at the liquor store.

I can't find online prices for any local stores, but it's $7 at Total Wine in Dallas. That's a pretty slight markup for a bar. I seem to remember a lot of big bottles at McNellie's going for nearly twice as much as liquor store price.

I assume Delk's is having a "clearance" sale.

I know that a sixer of 12oz bottles in the stores (grocery & c-stores only) here is around $9.00, don't really see a lot of the 22oz bombers, and most of the bars here sell Rogue on tap. One of the ones that I have every now and then is Dead Guy Ale

http://rogue.com/beers/dead-guy-ale.php (http://rogue.com/beers/dead-guy-ale.php)

and the cost is on average $4.00/pint, same for all the Rogue brews. Will check with a friend who is a bar manager here, unlees it was the rep from Rogue that she told to go jump in the river because of incompetent delivery drivers.

Oooh, That's a bingo!
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT1vJvjK8-eKdczwzt-LREYDmR5peY0CNEZ1jqmr6jH0YtNrJcE)

Okay, I was wrong on the price for a six of Rogue. It's $12.29, and on sale for $10.69 at the local grocer.

(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p309/kallsop2/IMG_20130305_125256_zps0fe4dbcd.jpg)

This one did not carry the 22oz bombers. Might have to go check out the Rogue Brewery because the also do spirits as well. Currently trying Pendleton Blended Whisky from the Hood River Distilery. Mighty tasty.

Rogue has a tendency to be a bit pricey around here.  The store I usually go to has more 22 oz bombers than 6 packs in Rogue.  I think American Amber Ale is the only one under about $7.

Edit:

$7/22 oz bomber is equivalent to about $22.91/6 pack of 12 oz bottles.  Most of the bomber prices are now pushing that price.  My squeaky wallet says that's too much except for a special occasion.  There is still plenty of good beer out there at less than $12/6 pack.

Tavolo location?

Yup
http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx?Justin_Thompson_to_open_Tavolo_Italian_Bistro_downtown/21-19506
http://tavolotulsa.com/  (just a logo)

Sounds great.  Would love an Italian restaurant in that area. 

I hope they "cozy up" the interior decor.  Delk's didn't feel... comfortable, like a place where you would enjoy taking the time to hang out and chat for a while, and thus draw you back to visit again.  I think it didn't have many booths or spots where if you were one of the first few people in there you could still feel you were in a cozy comfortable spot (booths help with that as one example you see in many places).  If you were one of the only people there you felt "out in the open" and "naked".  Sure the place would have worked ok if it were packed,,, but as I always say, you have to have a place that feels comfortable for the first people because there will always be a time when that is going to be the case, and if they don't feel comfortable and leave with that experience you might whittle away your customer base. Lot of people don't consciously think of this stuff when they are in a restaurant like I do lol, but they still feel it to some degree none the less. 

I talked with my friend that is the bar manager here, and it was Rogue that she told they were not welcome anymore because of pricing and delivery issues. Almost all of the bars around here do not sell the 22oz bombers, because they can make more from $3.75 to $4.00 pints for the beers brewed in the area, and of the people willing to pay $2.50 for PBR and Hams. The grocery stores, c/stores, and the smoke shop near me sell the 22oz, and the smoke shop actually has Olde English 40's in the cooler. (the smoke shop, sells some of the cheaper/malt liquor brews)

An interesting note on Rogue, the have a brewery in Newport Oregon that you can tour, and they have a restaurant at the brewery as well, and at the restaurant if you order one of their brews it's $5.00 a pint for beer that is brewed in the same building. This may be a result of the tax laws in Oregon, which are almost as screwy as Oklahoma, and if I happen to be close to California for some reason, I will go into CA to buy liquor or beer as it is almost half the price here, even with having to pay sales tax. As an example, I like Segrams VO. A 750ml of VO is $18.95 in OR, in CA it is $12.95. (makes me miss Arizona, where at Total Wine, a 750ml was $8.99, and if you like Crown Royal, here it is around $28.00 for a 750ml, and if you want a 1.75ml it's around $52.00) The other thing here is, it does not matter which liquor store you go to, the prices are the same, and same as well when you go to the grocery store, the price of beer and wine is the same, regardless of the store you go into, and if you buy bottled beer, you pay $.05 per bottle or can as a deposit. It's included in the price. So if you buy a sixer for $8.99, while there is no sales tax (yeah right) you pay $.30 as a deposit on bottles and cans, and if you buy bottled water and soda in plastic bottles, you pay $.05 on each one. Which is supposed to entice you to return the bottles and cans to a store to get your $.05 back. This also explains why most of the bars here have a large number of beers on tap because they don't want to deal with the deposit on beer bottles, and having to return them to get the money back. It may not sound like much, but it adds up.

As for the new venture at Delks, hope they do well. I'm still hoping to get back some time to see the changes in downtown.

Soft opening Thurs (May 23rd) eve:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/post.aspx/Tavolo_Italian_Bistro_to_open_with_charity_event_Thursday/20416

Pardon my cynicism, but given the owner/operator's M.O. I think I'll have the Chicken Marsala with a side of hefty pretentiousness.

Thompson isn't an owner, only a paid consultant of sorts.  Same ownership as Delk's.

I got an email in my business account from Justin Thompson Consulting announcing the opening this morning.  I had no idea he'd gone into full-blown restaurant consulting. 

Regardless, it's same situation as Delks then just a different motif.  Wasn't he brought in as a consultant on that one as well?

I was told by an investor in his other ventures he was brought in to try and save it.  It was too little too late, soon recommended they shut down and re-brand.  It's a neat space in a great location.  Hopefully they can get it right this time.

They still got Hamm's??

From the land of sky blue waters....Hamm's, the beer refreshing....!!


Always kind of skunky....like Schlitz....

Excellent stool softener though.

I lived on Hamms and Strohs in the 80s. Bud Light was a splurge. Michelob next up if I had spare change. Never forget my dad walking into my off base mobile home (active duty, 20 year old) and his seeing that 55 gallon black trash bag filled with empties, and the chain mail looking curtain made from the connecting pull tabs. 75 tabs across, and at least 50 tabs per column. The 30+ MD 20-20 bottles on the mantle was the topper. Sorry for the memory lane (or lack of memory) trip...

My dorm roomie had a chain of pull tabs.  Bud Light was still a couple of years away.  A case of Bud in cans was about $5.00.  Michelob and Lowenbrau were a bit pricey except for special occasions. There was no where near the present choice of domestic beer back then.  About the only alternative to light pilsner was Malt Liquor.  Colt 45, of course, and even AB had a malt liquor for a while.

They better have been the gallon size MD20-20, or you were just a poser!!