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Bluestone Steak House and Seafood
The new Bluestone Steak House and Seafood at 10032 S. Sheridan Rd. may be just what South Tulsa was waiting for — a neighborhood chop house with a little more class than the word neighborhood implies. Not everything is perfect, but the potential is there. The trimmings are upscale (as are the prices), but the service and general bustle needs to be a little smoother. When we were there for dinner, however, they'd been open only a few weeks. No doubt they need some time to work out the kinks and relax a little. Once they do, it will be a lovely, if expensive, choice for lunch or dinner.
What used to be a Chinese restaurant in a small, old, strip mall has been redone. Parking was tight and the light was shadowy. There are very few accessible parking spaces and no access aisles that we could find, but there are curb cuts. We managed to park around a corner and got in without too much trouble.
Although the dining room feels intimate, the space holds 125, and there is plenty of room between tables to maneuver. The restrooms are quite easy to find in a wide hallway with doors that are a lighter weight than in most other restaurants.
In the ladies' room, the stalls were adequate with appropriate bars for support, and it wasn’t until I started to wash up that I noticed the sink. Be aware that the sinks are set parallel to one of the stall walls leaving only about 15 inches between. There is absolutely no room for a wheelchair, and there was barely room for me.
A full bar sits one step up along the side of the room. There are small tables near the bar, but the majority of tables dressed with white cloths are level with the door. The lighting is dim, the noise level low (about three "Whats"), and a small fireplace with a surrounding brick hearth adds both literal and figurative warmth. The kitchen is partially open to the dining area with a very contemporary lighted blue soffit adding pizzazz. And completing the inviting ambience is the use of weightier contemporary silverware and white plates that are uniquely shaped in a pointed ellipse. More important, the food is good
For my entree, I chose the barbequed salmon with mixed veggies and a sweet potato hash for $24. It was served with a mixed baby greens salad that was excellent. The greens were crisp and sweet and the house dressing complemented without drowning the greens. For my taste, the salmon was just a minute overdone, but the sweet potato was a lovely and different accompaniment.
I ordered a Chilean sauvignon blanc that was an excellent choice — very fruity and not too dry. Wine seems to be getting more and more expensive in restaurants, and this one was $8 for a glass.
My husband ordered the prime rib special for $28. His dinner came with the salad and with baked potato and green beans. He was delighted. The meat was cooked beautifully to his specifications, and we took home enough for another dinner. In fact, we could have shared the portion in the restaurant and still taken home another portion for dinner.
The menu at Bluestone is not large but certainly varied enough, with six appetizer choices ranging from $8 to $16 for shrimp cocktail, and six salads priced at $9 and $13. Entrees of chicken, pork chop, or steak are priced from $21 to $29, and six seafood choices are priced at $23 or $24.
There is a short list of desserts on the menu, and they cost $5 or $6. Not that we needed dessert, but we were a little disappointed that chocolate cake was not one of the choices. We opted to share one portion of vanilla bean ice cream, which was smooth and creamy, and with a very good cup of decaf coffee, it was actually a fitting end to a good meal.
The lunch menu eliminates a few entrees, prices others for a little less, and adds sandwich items that are $8 and $9.
Freelance writer Rhoda Baker reviews restaurants and accessibility for The Vintage Newsmagazine.
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