The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

OK, so there are a bunch of new restaurants and bars that have opened in and near downtown.  Not seeing any of them being reviewed, so I'm just going to throw some names out there and see what folks have to say:

Tallgrass Prairie Table
313 East 2nd St

(Former site of the Blue Dome Diner).

We went there for dinner recently.  Great atmosphere, fancy vittles, great wait staff, local/organic, a bit pricey.

I'll definitely try this again, but my first impression is that it might do well to follow the advice of Thoreou and "Simplify, simplify."  Personal bias: I'm a sucker for simple foods prepared exquisitely.  (Rather than overly complex foods prepared expensively.)  Since they go out of their way to source local and organic meats, eggs and veggies, it seems like they shouldn't have to doctor them up too much.  Am I just being cranky and overly critical? Other folks: what are your thoughts?  (About the food, not me!)  ;)

A good friend of mine went there recently and gave them a huge thumbs up.  One of the better reviews he's given in a while.  I am looking forward to trying this place.

We are yet to wander over to Tallgrass. (The cold weather is keeping our normal walk-to-dinner plans to a minimum.) I'm also a little gun-shy on the prices despite the rave reviews I have heard. I am just not much of a $20+/plate kinda gal, which is only exacerbated by my apathy for steakhouses. I mean - I gotta have a nice bev with dinner too!

For those who wish to check it out, I have heard that the bone marrow is a must-try!

I gave in and paid the price - well worth it!

Location(s) Being Reviewed: Tallgrass - 2nd Street
Date/Time of Visit: Last Thursday around 9:00 p.m.
Quality of Food (1-5): 5
Menu/Food Options (1-5): 5
Quality of Service (1-5): 5
Atmosphere (1-5): 5
Overall Rating (1-5): 5
Price ($-$$$$$): $$$-$$$$

What makes this restaurant unique: The food! Incredible food. The scallops were even better than they used to be when the chef was at Smoke. The bone marrow is so unique to anywhere else in Tulsa and so good!

Tell us about your experience: We arrived without a reservation late into dinner service on a Thursday. The restaurant was hopping, but we were able to find a spot at the bar (though there were a couple tables open also). I recognized our bartender from previous establishments where she had worked. She gave us outstanding service and good recommendations regarding our dinner choices. The menu is somewhat short (as one would expect at a nicer restaurant) but varied. We started off with an appetizer of the much-touted bone marrow. It did not disappoint. The lemon and dill served with it really brought out the flavor. My husband tried the shot of whiskey taken through the remaining bone and found it to be incredible (not to mention unique). We elected to split the duck breast and scallops/pork belly dishes for our dinner. We couldn't decide which was better! Magnificently cooked to perfection. For drinks, we each had a glass of tasty Malbec that complemented everything nicely.

Worth the price, worth the wait, worth making reservations.

Location(s) Being Reviewed: Tallgrass - 2nd Street
Date/Time of Visit: Last Friday 6:45 PM
Quality of Food (1-5): 5
Menu/Food Options (1-5): 5
Quality of Service (1-5): 4.5
Atmosphere (1-5): 5
Overall Rating (1-5): 5
Price ($-$$$$$): $$$-$$$$

What makes this restaurant unique: Excellent Food Quality.  Stands up to anything in Tulsa.  Also the unique bone marrow appetizer and luge Shot. 

Note.  I took off a 1/2 point for service as it was a little slow at times.  But not too bad, and it was packed, and the server's knowledge of everything and overall great attitude made up for it.

Tell us about your experience: I could go into detail, but suffice to say that everything everyone had was simply excellent.  With the possible exception of the flat bread appetizer, which was still very good, but not really differentiated from others I've had elsewhere.  My buddy and I felt we had to try the bone marrow and associated luge shot, if for no other reason than to say we did, as it is easily the most unique thing on the menu. (The wives politely declined.) I found it very "interesting".  I'm not sure I'll do it again, but the flavor layering with the various side components made for a very complex taste and mouth feel.  I give it a thumbs up, with caveats.  The luge shot following though, I give higher marks.  I went with Bullet Rye, and the alcohol in the shot dissolved the fats in the marrow and added a layer of complexity and smoothness that was really quite good.  I don't think you can do the luge shot without actually ordering the marrow appetizer, but if you could I would be very interested in that.

Not cheap, but not ridiculous either.  Make reservations.  Well worth it, and I will go back.

Prhyme did a bone marrow luge shot when they first opened.  Not sure if they still are.

The work done inside was pretty impressive.  It looks great.

Price is reasonable and service was good.

The wife had the flat iron and I had the ribeye.

Sadly, both were oily Whirley.  There was oil Whirl pooled in the plates.  We paid our tab and moved on.

10W-40 or 5W-20?

I'm going to guess Whirl

(http://giveitawhirl.co.uk/images/cache/0431c4433340ba5b7d0b734c75fe9b6fe321da7f.jpg)

The Vault is better......

Brunch at Tallgrass this weekend was very good.  Service wasn't as good as the food but was passable.

Never been there, but based on the examples above I don't think my food Venn diagram and their's overlap.

The chef is very talented.

Personally I don't buy the "farm to fork" mantra though...unless Sams is a farm.

Closing its doors on Oct 1st

https://www.facebook.com/TallgrassTulsa/posts/1860350707323342

:(

Not terribly surprised, I remember hearing that Michelle Donaldson was leaving for Detroit earlier this year and apparently had left Tallgrass by the time MC and I had taken the cannon_fodders there for a fairly disappointing experience.  Apparently, she was the magic behind that one.  We never had a meh experience until she left.

$16 for a burger...  $38 for 8 oz filet...  yeah, right... I will just go to Dallas to Abacus.

Not surprised they are going away.

Well, I'm not sure if they are/were directly competing against Abacus, but definitely against Juniper, Prhyme, Chalkboard, Flemings, Polo Grill, and others.   At that price point, you better get it right.  And based on some of the recent reviews, they were starting to falter.

They weren't competing against Abacus - Abacus says they are Asian-Fusion.  And Dallas area generally won't be much competition except for someone like me crazy enough to do a road trip for dinner.   Don't really know about the labels, just know the couple times I have been there it was pretty good.  (Should be for the prices they charge!) 

My favorite in Dallas is a little pricey, and a chain, but I just can't resist the ettouffe's at Pappadeaux!  Love the alligator, but they haven't had it the last couple times I was there.


Yeah, perfection is mandatory at that point!    Even at Dead Lobster level they better get it close to right...which too often they don't.   Just wonder sometimes how they stay in business?

The dining experience and food was well worth it when Michelle was still there.  We loved the place.  We had bragged on it to everyone we knew, took the CF's a few months before we moved away and we were all underwhelmed that night.  I learned shortly thereafter Michelle had left and was going to Detroit.

Anyone who doesn't think the chef makes a place is mistaken. 

Yeah.  Chef is the single biggest thing, no doubt.