I have a confession to make. Of course we all try restaurants because they are recommended to us, but I have a secret informant. He has not steered us wrong yet, and somehow he seems to know about all of the best, hidden, eating establishments in this part of Oklahoma.
This time, he told us to go to a tiny shopping center and look deep into the corner, where we would find a pearl in the field of fine cuisine.
Sure enough, ensconced in the corner of an ordinary 70’s style shopping mall there was a sign marking Rick’s Café Americain. Below the sign, natural wood roofing protected outdoor café tables, chairs and potted plants. Walking through these, we came to window pane, wooden- framed glass doors, which opened into the interior of Rick’s. Again, using natural wood, pillars, complete with carved supports, and a waist high rail defined the main room by delineating space. Upon entering, we took in the cozy bar to our right, the California style kitchen directly in front of us and the bevy of tables in between the two. To our far left was another dining room, just as enchanting, but different. It was more French Provincial, contrasting with the café style of the front room.
Everything about Rick’s is charming. The tables, covered in green linens, look crisp and cozy at the same time. The atmosphere is made even more enchanting by the indirect lighting, which sparkles and reflects off of the glasses on every table. Slate colored floors provide the perfect foundation for the entire look. We (My husband, Tom, and I) sat in the front room with our backs to the wall that faced the bar. This was also home to a glassed- in fireplace (perfect for romantic dining in the colder months). Feeling right at home, we enjoyed our view of the outside tables, the bar, complete with wide screen T.V. and the stainless kitchen.
The owner and head chef, Rick Kamp, has been wining awards for thirty years. His menu features seasonal dishes, all very interesting, using fresh greens, herbs and delicious sauces. As appetizers, we asked Rick if he would make one or two of his favorites, so that we could share them with you. He chose a crab- stuffed corn fritter which was served in a pool of honey with thinly sliced Bermuda onion rings. The crunchy fritter broke in our mouths, giving way to an amazing creamy crab filling. Whatever crumbs fell in the honey were scooped up rapidly, until there was absolutely nothing left on the plate. He also brought us a toasted goat cheese dumpling served in a fabulous hoisin-type sauce (a Chinese barbeque sauce made with soy, ginger, garlic, red chilis and fish sauce). The golden triangle oozing with mozzarella- textured goat cheese was superb, enhanced by the dark spicy sauce.
The menu offers appetizers, salads, entrees of all varieties, a Chalkboard menu and evening specials as well as desserts. Even though we’d ordered the appetizers, I couldn’t resist the grilled asparagus salad on the Chalkboard menu. Fresh baby spinach and sliced ripe tomatoes were tossed with warm vinaigrette. The grilled asparagus spears were laid across the salad and rested upon a foccacia crouton topped with melted goat cheese, again the cheese had the texture and creaminess of mozzarella. It was so fresh and unique. I loved the way the warm dressing slightly wilted the baby leaves and brought out their rich flavor. Other salads on the menu were: Spinach Bleu Cheese, Broiled Spinach Mozzarella, Crab and Shrimp Ravigote (which is typically a piquant vinaigrette, containing shallots and/or capers and served either hot or cold).
Beautiful, warm bread arrived in a basket complete with cloth napkin. Inside were green pepper popovers and foccacia. A side of whipped butter accompanied the breads. Tom was taken by the popovers. They are his favorite new food item now.
Our dinners were equally well prepared. I had ordered one of the evening’s specials, Smoked Prime Rib with Rosemary rub and served with creamy horseradish sauce The melt- in- your- mouth smoky beef was divine. I had to ask myself why I had never dreamed of smoking prime rib. It’s the next step beyond excellent in beef fare. The combination of the crispy rosemary coated outer edge of the meat with the tender smoky beef and the horseradish was sublime. I was really pleased with my dinner. The marbling was perfect. Our waiter had asked how I wanted it prepared and I had said, “more rare than medium” and so it was…perfect.
Tom ordered the Seafood mixed grill a la Bodean’s, which included good sized portions of Yellow fin Tuna, salmon and shrimp…. Tom couldn’t remember ever having a Tuna steak and was amazed by its flavor, texture and succulent quality. The salmon was fresh and flaky and the sautéed shrimp burst with flavor. . Both of our plates were filled, there were no empty spaces. Steamed chard, which I thoroughly enjoyed, provided nesting beds for our dinners and an olive tapenade was spilled over Tom’s, provides a rich medley of taste bud tantalizers as well as a pleasing presentation. Both of us had green beans, country- style and my potatoes were served julienne, dressed with salt, pepper and perhaps a little glace? They were great. Tom’s entrée was served with boiled potatoes, a perfect match for his mixed grill.
I ordered a glass of the house Merlot by Leaping Horse, which was quite good as well as reasonably priced at $4.95. We finished our meals with two dishes of Mason’s ice cream. Mason is Rick’s son and he was in the kitchen cooking beside his dad all night. It was fun to watch. Evidently, Mason is the master- creator of all of the ice cream served at Rick’s. The two we tried were tarragon and cherry pudding espresso. Both of them were fabulous. I was surprised by the tarragon, which I thought might be reaching, but it was very good and tasted a little like licorice.
There was a broad range of items on the menu. Some were quite exotic, like baked shrimp and escargots ala Bourguignon, shrimp and portabella ravioli, homemade pate en croute. Others were time-honored favorites like fried chicken, grilled chicken, filet mignon, pizza and a smokehouse platter. Our experience was very pleasant. Light jazz played in the background; people sat at the bar and watched baseball. Even though all of the tables were filled, the kitchen and staff never showed any signs of stress or strain. It was a flawless operation, as you could easily see by looking around at all of the happy diners. This chef is used to delivering excellent meals to his many patrons, in what seems to be an effortless manner, no doubt because he is very good at it! I am sure that we will return be back soon and often.