Tulsa

Do I Detect A Hint Of Urbanism With That Ghanoush?

by Cassidy McCants | Jan 21, 2024 3:42 pm

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Posted to: Food

Maple Ridge Grocer
1810 S. Cincinnati Ave.
Tulsa

Since McNellie’s Pub opened in 2004, the McNellie’s Group has established a foothold for itself as a major dining enterprise in Tulsa. Most recently, they’ve opened Bishop Quigley, a cozy, dim, wood-laden pub, then the next-door Maple Ridge Grocer, an ​“all-day bistro” at 18th and Cincinnati — both intended as walkable destinations serving the Maple Ridge neighborhood. 

Did Tulsa need more McNellie’s restaurants? They’ve covered lots of bases — pub food and beer, upscale Utica Square eats, burgers, steakhouse fare, fried chicken, Mediterranean, Japanese, just to name a few. Need is debatable, but after a dinner at the Grocer, I think the group might have found its magnum opus in terms of both cuisine and vibe. Most notably, it’s a change from the group’s usual approach to dining concepts: less about ​“quantity” and more about contributing to quality of life in an existing residential area. Can McNellie’s go urbanist? These new spots point to ​“yes.”

The Grocer is in many ways the antithesis of its next-door counterpart, though the two share a kitchen. It’s bright and airy, covered in pastels, seemingly inspired by both Tulsa’s art deco history and contemporary restaurant trends. The result is a sleek, colorful, posh yet relaxed atmosphere. It feels playful and intimate, casual and chic. Behind the full bar is a vibrant pop-art magazine collage featuring ads of (mostly) stylish women, including a tongue-in-cheek 1950s ketchup ad: ​“You mean a woman can open it?” 

On a cold Wednesday night, my partner and I eased into our meal with the complimentary bread and whipped garlic butter. We ordered the za’atar-topped baba ghanoush to start, served with purple carrots, sliced cucumbers, giant radish slices (with the color palette of a ripe watermelon), and fresh, warm naan. The whole plate was a light start to the meal, save for the grounding flatbread, which was salty and buttery and just the kind of carb I could eat all night, especially paired with the cool, cuminy eggplant dip.

It’s Damp January for me, so I had the Lavender French 75 mocktail, an elegant, aromatic drink topped with a single sprig of lavender. I didn’t miss the alcohol, though I did get a pro tip: It’s common to order it with real gin too.

The menu is confident in its mix of cuisines and flavors. After a Mediterranean intro, I moved to Vietnamese fusion with the pork banh mi. The sandwich was packed with flavor, with a splash of mayo taming the Asian BBQ sauce and sliced jalapeños. It might sound strange, but my first bite was reminiscent of a roast beef sandwich. It wasn’t the flavors, but the cut of the meat: I’d never had pork sliced so thin. The texture sent me somewhere both familiar and foreign. 

My companion ordered the KC strip. The steak was a perfect, juicy medium-rare, but the highlight was the topping: a medley of grilled and roasted turnips and radishes, wilted spinach and a bold chimichurri. This is the kind of flourish that makes Maple Ridge Grocer shine for me.

But I am a simple gal, so one of my favorite parts of the meal was my side, which went unnamed in the menu description: French fries. But they’re not just any fries. They’re little, whimsical fry canoes, cut so they’re kind of a fry but kind of a chip. Crisp in some places, cushiony in others. They’re adorable, and my partner and I spent too long trying to guess the cutting method. It’s a mystery.

We finished with the Chinese egg custard pie — light but indulgent, with a generous topping of blackberry compote — and a decadent hazelnut espresso martini (think a toned-down Ferrero Rocher in cocktail form). It’s Damp January, after all, and it was the perfect way to close out the evening.

I’m glad for the revitalization of the area, and I’m in awe of how the McNellie’s Group turned this long-abandoned building into a lively, polished (but not too swanky) eatery in seemingly no time. Maple Ridge is a gorgeous historic neighborhood, but now it has a hip, walkable spot for residents — and a classy dining destination for visitors — giving midtown more of a true urban vibe. Check it out for its varied menu, classy-quirky decor, and inspired cocktails. (The strip, at 30 bucks, is the most expensive item, but many plates are between $13 and $21.)

And while Maple Ridge Grocer isn’t a full-on grocery store (its name notwithstanding), the shelves at the entrance are stocked with pantry staples like condiments, pastas, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, and wine, and a small refrigerator carries six-packs, milk, and the like for sale. Don’t plan to do a full shopping trip here, but if you realize over the course of your meal that you’re missing a couple of ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner, you might be in luck.

Next for Cassidy: Sarah Shook & The Disarmers at Mercury Lounge

Tags: Fusion , walkable , art deco , urbanist , neighborhood bars