REVIEW: R Bar wows with Sunday brunch
BY SCOTT CHERRY World Scene Writer
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The R Bar & Grill in Brookside has been serving themed Sunday brunches for a couple of months, reflecting such food styles as Mexican, French and County Fair, so it was with curious anticipation to learn what the theme would be when we planned a visit.
Chef Trevor Tack posts the themes each Wednesday or Thursday on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Here’s what I had to look forward to: The Big Booty Brunch. Did they see me coming?
Apparently, the R Bar servers came up with the idea, and Tack took on the challenge.
So, instead of the tournedos et les oeufs or croque madame from the French menu, or the Berkshire bone-in pork chop and eggs from the County Fair menu, I found myself contemplating such items as the Hot Mess Meg, The Chi Chi (a.k.a., The Big Slutty), frittata a la Markwood and Kristin’s flapjacks.
We settled on the first two, and just to get into the spirit of the day and snub our noses at that frou-frou French stuff, we decided to share a Mason Jar Mimosa ($10), served just as it sounds.
I don’t know exactly how it happened, but my wife snuck in a bowl of shrimp and lobster bisque ($7), which I thought an odd pairing with our Mason jar drink and three football games and an auto race on the six televisions that surrounded us.
I have to admit, though, I did finish my half of the bisque right down to the last drop. It had quite a bit of shrimp and a little lobster in a flavorful, thin broth that was garnished with a sprinkling of parsley.
The Hot Mess Meg ($11) was described as potatoes, bacon, eggs, cheese, sausage gravy, tomato and biscuit “in a big pile, straight up, no chaser.” The sausage gravy had a light texture and was the key player in this country-style breakfast.
The Chi Chi ($12) included a sausage patty, bacon, ham, fried egg, cheddar cheese and tomato on a big toasted bun. The yolk from the egg was oozing out over the edges, and pieces of bacon were sticking out here and there in this delicious, messy breakfast sandwich.
I suppose some diners eat the sandwich with a knife and fork, but I found if you squish each side of the bun hard enough, someone with a big mouth can handle it out of hand.
If I had more choices, I would have taken the frittata a la Markwood with chorizo, roasted jalapeno, creme fresca and potato, and Kristin’s flap jacks, which featured chocolate chip pancakes with balsamic strawberries and “a ton” of vanilla whipped cream.
Kristin, it turned out, was our server, and she did a nice job keeping up with a festive (loud) Sunday crowd in the main dining room. A number of diners chose to sit on the patio, where overhead heaters kept a chilly wind at bay.
Tack said he writes eight to 10 entrees to fit each week’s theme and keeps some signature dishes, such as chicken and waffles and the lobster and shrimp bisque, on each menu.
Almost everything is made from scratch for the Sunday brunches, including preserves and butters.
Blueberry-ginger-cinnamon preserves and honey
almond butter with house-made biscuits and toasted sourdough were available the day we visited.
The brunch is served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Find more of Scott Cherry's reviews in Thursday's Weekend magazine or online at tulsaworld.com/cherrypicks.
R BAR & GRILL
3421 S. Peoria Ave.
918-392-4811
11 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week (Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.); accepts all major credit cards.
Associated Images:
Sunday brunch pancakes at R Bar. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World
|
