It's not hard being a food cricket! Our main goal is to help introduce people to some of the best independent and local restaurants, in order to get them away from the big chains. Food should be fun, unique and delicious, and that is what we are after!

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Review for White River Fish Market and Seafood Restaurant!



White River Fish Market and Seafood Restaurant has received rave reviews from publications across the country for their fresh seafood, despite being far from the sea in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We just had to see what the fuss was about.

Taste-I had the grilled swordfish steak. It was buttery and delicious. It had a consistency and texture similar to a beef steak. It tasted completely different, though. Lighter and fresher, somehow. It was tender and flaky and a joy to eat. I will never look a swordfish the same again.

Taste-I had the fried catfish and shrimp dinner. The shrimp was crispy and the catfish tender.

Atmosphere-Doesn't look like much from the outside, or the inside really. Standard looking place, really packed, communal seating. I am normally against this, but here I believe it is a plus. It made it feel more like a get-together than a restaurant. Also, there is a fish market along one wall of the restaurant with a great selection of fresh seafood.

Atmosphere-The restaurant has a simple and casual atmosphere with community seating. A few accolades and ocean view pictures adorn the walls.

Service-Counter ordering, but your food is delivered to your seat without numbers assigned or assigned seating. The servers are quick and efficient. The place runs smoothly.

Service-The service was efficient and quick despite the fact that we came in at 12:15 PM and the place was hoppin'.

Value-Around $35 for my swordfish meal and Jess's catfish and shrimp meal. All dinners come with two sides and two hushpuppies and the portions are quite large. Worth every penny!

Value-Our bill was about $40 for two large dinners with 2 sides and hushpuppies. It's a pretty good deal for the high quality and quantity of the food.

Uniqueness-Has a wide range of seafood from all over, including many you don't see everywhere. Their seafood can be prepared many different ways: fried, broiled, grilled, steamed, or raw. Some New Orleans-inspired dishes.

Uniqueness-White River Fish Market probably has the best seafood offerings in Oklahoma.

Variety-A wide variety of seafood, but mainly only seafood. They have chicken breasts, but that is it for anyone who does not like seafood. No meals for vegetarians.

Variety-They have a large selection of seafood, plus a fish market and scrumptious looking pies.

Cleanliness-No real problems, but the restaurant is old and shows its age in places.

Cleanliness-No issues here.


Sides/Drinks/Desserts-Hushpuppies are the size of a golf ball and are tasty with a little kick. Fries and onion rings are good and definitely homemade. Rice was flavorful and a good compliment to the meal. Delicious looking desserts in the case, but we had no room.

Sides/Beverages/Desserts-I had crispy onion rings and fries. The huge hushpuppies had a crispy outside and soft inside with a hint of spice. Our dinners were served with cocktail sauce, butter and tartar sauce (the sauces homemade, of course).

Story/History-White River Fish Market has been in the same location for over 80 years. It is about the freshest seafood around and is famous all over for its cuisine.

Story/History-White River Fish Market has been in business for over 75 years and flies in fresh seafood from all over.

Presentation-Food always look good, but not spectacular. Tastes better than it looks, which is the way it should be.

Presentation-It ain't fancy and it don't need to be. Simple plating.


White River Fish Market is a must anytime you visit Tulsa. It is located close to the airport and the Tulsa Zoo, so it should be on your way!

White River Fish Market and Seafood Restaurant
1708 N. Sheridan Rd.
Tulsa, OK 74115
http://www.whiteriverfishmarket.com/
https://www.facebook.com/whiteriverfishmarkettulsa/

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Kickstarter Project!

We here at Food Crickets are planning to write a book. Well, a series of books, but one book first. It is a definitive guide to the top 100 restaurants in the state of Oklahoma, including scores and backgrounds for those scores. We plan to try to have the book finished by the end of 2020, but we need your help! Follow the link to our Kickstarter and pre-order your copy of the book and help us make this dream a reality!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/foodcrickets/food-crickets-100-best-restaurants-in-oklahoma

Review for Enrique's Mexican Restaurant!



The Hottest Jalapeno on the Runway has consistently been included among the best restaurants in Oklahoma, so we had to fly by and check it out for ourselves!

Taste-I had the Texas Hot and Spicy Burrito and, man, was it covered in cheese! The dish was spicy, but not overly so. The burrito was juicy with tender beans and large, savory steak chunks. It was topped with a roasted red jalapeno.

Taste-I had the Chicken Mole. It was shredded chicken in a peanut-butter sauce. I have never had anything like it and the flavor was unique. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly the taste was, however. It was very juicy and had a lot of flavor.

Atmosphere-You can't beat the view here. Enrique's sits right on the airport and a wall of window faces the landing strip. The décor is colorful and bright with Spanish music.

Atmosphere-Enrique's is located in the Ponca City Airport. There is a runway right outside the big windows. We saw a few planes taking off while we were there. The restaurant is decorated with bright Mexican pottery and plays festive Latin music.

Service-The service was efficient and prompt.

Service-She was very good and attentive. Nothing to complain about.

Value-$34 for chips, salsa, queso, 2 entrees and a watermelon tea is a lot of food for the price.

Value-For my Chicken Mole & Jess's burrito plus chips and queso and Jess's watermelon tea, it was around $35. Chips and salsa are not included, but they are worth the price.

Uniqueness-The house specialties, including our dishes are a good example.

Uniqueness-Some very unique dishes, including both mine and Jess's. They definitely think outside the box when it comes to Mexican food.

Variety-They have a large menu full of goodies.

Variety-Besides the unique house specialties, they have everything you would expect from a Mexican restaurant, tacos, burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, and a lot more.

Cleanliness-No problems here.

Cleanliness-Pretty pristine from what I could tell.

Sides/Beverages/Desserts-I was surprised when the chips were brought out. They are unique puffy chips, kind of like mini sopapillas, perfectly suited for scooping after you bite off one end. The cheesy queso was amazing. The salsa is definitely on the spicy side. The rice was flavorful and the guacamole was delicious. The new sweet watermelon tea was very nice.

Sides/Drinks/Desserts-Nothing here was treated as an afterthought. The chips were puffy things unlike any chips I have ever been served. (They also make for easy scooping.) The salsa is deceptively spicy and among the best salsas I've ever had. The queso was gloriously cheesy. The beans were cooked with bacon and much better than the standard refried beans. The rice was somewhere between fried rice and Spanish rice. Some cool desserts, including the orange sopapillas, and a decent collection of cocktails, wines and beers.

Story/History-Enrique's has been at the airport for over 30 years.

Story/History-Enrique's has been at the airport since the early 80s. They have been owned and managed by the same family since. They are still responsible for the menu today.

Presentation-The pepper on top of my dish was like the cherry on top of a sundae. Beautiful!

Presentation-Everything comes out looking delicious and big and it tastes even better. Bright plates crowded with delicious food, no space wasted.

Enrique's Mexican Restaurant
2213 N. Waverly St. Ste. 3
Ponca City, OK 74601
http://www.enriquesmexicanrestaurant.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Mexican-Restaurant/Enriques-Mexican-Restaurant

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Review for Danny's BBQ Headquarters!


Danny's BBQ Headquarters (formerly Head Country BBQ) is a very famous barbecue sauce company, so we decided we had to swing by their headquarters in Ponca City and check 'em out!

Taste-I had the Sampler, which included ribs, brisket, a hot link and ham. The food was well-cooked and the barbecue sauces were quite flavorful. The ribs were delicious, but a little on the fatty side, the brisket was good, but not the best. The hot link was good, but not too spicy. The ham was meh. The Head Country sauces really brought out the potential of the meats (My favorite was the Hickory Smoke).

Taste-We both had the sampler. The pork ribs were the best meat on the plate, with a crispy outside, tender inside and lots of flavor. The ham was smoky, the brisket tender, and the hot link tasted like breakfast sausage but spicy. As for the sauces, the original was sweet and tangy, hickory smoke was a little less sweet and the hot and spicy has a kick, but not overwhelmingly hot.

Atmosphere-Relaxed and laid-back. Very wood-paneling. Very country. They also have a small shop of Head Country products.

Atmosphere-Danny's has a simple country feel.

Service-Counter service, cafeteria-style. Friendly though.

Service-Danny's is a counter-service restaurant. The staff is nice.

Value-A little more expensive and a little smaller portions than some other barbecue restaurants, but still a good deal and you won't leave hungry!

Value-Out two samplers, a drink and water was about $36.

Uniqueness-Ham and hot links are not necessarily staples of Oklahoma barbecue. Plus, they have some other inventive uses for their barbecue, like as a baked potato topping.

Uniqueness-Danny's is a classic barbecue restaurant. Although, interesting variety of sauces to buy. We bought the chipotle and apple habanero varieties.

Variety-Decent, but nothing except barbecue. Vegetarians would be hard-pressed to make a meal here.

Variety-The restaurant has a simple menu per the usual for a bbq restaurant.

Cleanliness-No complaints here. Dining room was perfect and the line was well-maintained.

Cleanliness-No issues here.

Sides/Drinks/Desserts-Fountain drinks, some nice desserts. Sides include beans, potato salad, fries and okra. I got the beans (because barbecue beans are always a must-try. Always different. Good and tangy in this case!) and the okra. The fried okra was more crunchy and flavorful than any okra I have ever eaten, and I have been eating okra for close to 30 years.

Sides/Beverages/Desserts-I have to admit I was a little jealous of Steve's okra. It didn't even need ranch. The potato salad was sweet and tasty. The BBQ beans were good and tender.

Story/History-Danny's BBQ Headquarters is the home of Head Country brand barbecue sauce, which is sold in grocery stores all over. Danny's barbecue sauce is one of the most famous in the nation.

Story/History-Head Country BBQ is big in OK and you can find the sauces at almost any grocery store in the region.

Presentation-As to be expected. Disposable plates on trays and sides in cups. Comes with bread if you want it, but the bread is nothing special.

Presentation-BBQ isn't meant to be fancy. It's simple and delicious.

Danny's BBQ Headquarters is one of the best BBQ restaurants in Oklahoma and one of the best restaurants in Ponca City. If you are ever up in Red Carpet Country, make sure to swing by!

Danny's BBQ Headquarters
1217 E. Prospect Ave.
Ponca City, OK 74601
https://www.dannysbbqhq.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dannys-Head-Quarters-BBQ

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Review for Green Chile Kitchen!

While crusin' down Route 66 through Yukon, Oklahoma you can't miss the Green Chile Kitchen! We made sure to check it out!

Taste-I had the Savory Stuffed Sopapillas. The golden, flaky sopapillas were filled with juicy tender pork. Cheesy. Fried. Goodness.

Taste-I got the Smothered Burrito covered in (what else) green chili. The green chile had a kick, but was comfortable. (They let you choose the heat level. The burrito was flavorful and stuffed.

Atmosphere-Green Chile Kitchen has a rustic, Tex-Mex feel and saloon doors, which I loved!

Atmosphere-Kinda packed and very warm, but comfortable enough. Route 66 and New Mexico-style decor. Well lit and open.

Service-The service was fast and attentive. Extra chips and salsa were aplenty and the ticket prompt.

Service-She was probably the greatest server we have ever had. She never let us go without anything. Constantly full drinks, chips and salsa. Amazing service.

Value-For Mexican food, it's a bit pricy but worth it.

Value-Awesome chips and salsa, plus big burrito plus sides, plus Jess's savory sopapilla was still around $30. No need to worry about getting your money's worth.

Uniqueness-All you need to see is my dinner to know why they have some creative dishes.

Uniqueness-Not just your standard Mexican fare here. Green Chile Kitchen specializes in New Mexican cuisine, but you will find a lot more on the menu, a lot of dishes not to be found anywhere else around.

Variety-They have decent variety with Mexican dishes, stews, burritos, and fajitas, and even a Green Chile Burger.

Variety-Anything you could ask for in a New Mexican or Tex-Mex style restaurant. Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, soups, salads, you name it.

Cleanliness-The bathrooms were very nice.

Cleanliness-No real issues that I noticed. Clean and welcoming.

Sides/Beverages/Desserts-The salsa has a deep, smoky flavor and is mildly spicy paired with warm, golden tortilla chips. The rice had a tasty, buttery flavor and the beans lightly seasoned.

Sides/Drinks/Desserts-Awesome salsa, plus the queso rice was delicious. Cheesy goodness! They give you a plateful of sides and the chips and salsa never stop coming!

Story/History-Green Chile Kitchen was started by two families. They know their chiles. Plus, the restaurant is on historic Route 66!

Story/History-Green Chile Kitchen has quickly become a must-try for anyone heading down the Mother Road, one of a handful on Route 66 in Oklahoma.

Presentation-The food looked delicious and pretty.

Presentation-Plate is heaping and full. No inch bare. Smothered main dishes almost can't be seen for all the chili.

The Green Chile Kitchen is a must try for anyone on Route 66 or in Yukon. You won't be disappointed.

Green Chile Kitchen
12 E. Main St.
Yukon, OK 73099
http://www.greenchilekitchen.com/gckrt66-menu
https://www.facebook.com/Green-Chile-Kitchen