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The newly remodeled Restaurant at Gilcrease offers a unique menu of Oklahoma-inspired favorites as well as scenic views of the Osage Hills.
Fried catfish with Southwestern succotash and jicama slaw.
I have already started on my personal “A-List” for the year. Let’s see … View: The Restaurant at Gilcrease. Appetizer: The Restaurant at Gilcrease. Place to Take an Out-of-Towner: The Restaurant at Gilcrease. Art Collection … I could go on, but I think you get the idea. This newly remodeled gem of a restaurant, nestled in the iconic Gilcrease Museum, is not to be missed.
The University of Tulsa took over management of the restaurant in January and completely renovated the space. Tulsa native Geoffrey van Glabbeek (former executive chef of Lava Noshery) was tagged as the new chef. Always creative, van Glabbeek has spiced up the menu. He kept some of the original items, such as the popular buffalo burger, but added his own unique twist to the traditional Oklahoma cuisine.
My mom, Mike, and I dined on a hot summer’s afternoon, and we could only imagine the view of the Osage Hills during the autumn leaf explosion. The new menu offers a carefully edited selection of starters, soups and salads, sandwiches and entrées — only 20 choices. We started with Tex Mex egg rolls ($8). I could have stopped here, for this was one of the best starters I’ve had recently. Two egg-roll wrappers are stuffed with a mixture of black beans, corn, peppers and ground beef; fried to a golden crisp; and topped with a light black bean sauce and lightly spiced crema. Two other starters are spicy black bean cakes ($8) and three-cheese, tomato and basil thin-crust pizza ($7).
I chose the creamy lobster and roasted yellow corn soup ($4/$8) as an intermezzo, mainly because those are two of my favorite ingredients. With the addition of some heavy cream and herbs, van Glabbeek created a delicious soup. The soup of the day, chilled asparagus, definitely piqued Mom’s interest but wasn’t quite ready for service. She chose, instead, a cup of tomato bisque ($3/$6), a good choice. I think this soup should be bottled — soup, pasta sauce, a dip for tender breadsticks — the possibilities are endless.
We passed on salads, but some offerings include quiche with field greens ($9), Southwestern Cobb ($10) and a Santa Fe chicken salad ($9).
The roasted duck tacos ($10) that Mom chose for her entrée were simple yet tasty, topped with a housemade salsa and jicama slaw, but she longed for a bit more duck and perhaps a little more spice. Overall, a delicious choice. Other sandwich choices include the Gilcrease club ($9) and the popular Remington buffalo burger, topped with caramelized onions and smoked cheddar ($9). I enjoyed a hearty portion of fried catfish ($14), paired with Southwestern succotash and jicama slaw. The catfish filets were super crisp and quite hot — just out of the fryer. The gorgeous tower of wild mushroom tostada ($12) looked delicious, as did the ancho coffee-crusted beef tenderloin ($18). I will try it next time merely for the jalapeno corn pudding on the side.
We needed a little something sweet after all that spice and settled on the chocolate hazelnut crepes. Two crepes are filled with rich melted chocolate and toasted hazelnuts and topped with a sweetened whipped cream. This is super rich — the perfect dish for sharing. Other desserts include sweet potato pecan pie and a ginger mascarpone tower. All desserts are $7.
If you need a break from perusing the museum, there is a full bar with a large flat-screen TV — perfect for a quick snack and glass of wine.
The restaurant is open only for lunch, Tuesday through Saturday, and Sunday brunch, but the space is available for private evening functions.
Museum admission is not required to dine at The Restaurant at Gilcrease — you’ll get to view some gorgeous Bierstadt pieces in the dining room — but is highly suggested.
The Restaurant at Gilcrease
Gilcrease Museum, 1400 N. Gilcrease Museum Road
Cuisine — Casual café
Setting — Gilcrease Museum
Chef — Geoffrey van Glabbeek
Prices — Starters, soups and salads, $3 to $12; sandwiches and entrées, $9 to $18; Sunday brunch, $19.95
Credit cards — All major accepted
Hours — 11 a.m.-3 p.m.,
Tuesday through Sunday
Dress — Casual
Noise level — Low
Handicapped access — Yes
Smoking — No
Parking — Museum parking lot
For more information or directions to the museum, call 596-2720 or visit
www.gilcrease.org/therestaurant.aspx.
