Local Flavor

lot of thought, time and research into making sure that ingredients, techniques and tastes are truly Spanish. Donovan, a lucky man, once spent weeks backpacking around the Basque region, eating all the way. Still, quality is the No. 1 goal.

“When I rst got the job at Tia Pol, I was terri ed,” recalls Donovan. “I’m from North Carolina and I had to create six new Spanish dishes every day. But then, instead of worrying about how authentic my specials were, I started making good, creative dishes. People come for good food.”

Basque strikes a happy medium between creativity and authenticity. One dish might have octopus imported from Spain, sous-vided then grilled and served with pine nuts and Spanish olives on skewers. But the traditional dish that inspired it, pulpo a la Gallega, features octopus boiled in a huge cauldron. Grilled is tastier. e city of Barcelona also inspired another menu item – a ham and cheese sandwich Donovan named Bikini, just because a popular nightclub in Barcelona serves a sandwich with the same name. But, as Eesley is quick to point out, their sandwich is extremely classic to the Basque region and uses the nest Spanish Serrano ham and Manchego cheese.

Another dish epitomizes Donovan’s approach. When making their version of the classic Basque dish chipirones in su tinta, he opted for fried calamari because, if they used the authentic sauteed squid, no one would like it. e original dish uses squid ink, rice and onion; Donovan’s uses these same ingredients, but in di erent ways. e rice is rice our and the ink is used in the sauce.

“I like to think that our dish is unique,” he says. “It respects Basque culture but it’s our own. I always tell the sta the history of the classic dish behind each of our recipes. I believe that the more knowledge you have, the better you’ll be. You never lose the thirst for knowledge.”

Basque is a team e ort. ere’s Zach Pittman, who designed a duck entrée that has, as one small component, a Mexicanstyle molé that takes ten hours to prepare. Morgan Barkley and Emily Price, those superlative bakers, have input on a lot of dishes. ey make the fabulous pillowy squid ink bread, as well as the brioche that accompanies the decadent foie gras torchon. ey have also become line cooks.

“I would never tell Morgan and Emily: ‘Do these ve pastry dishes,’” says Donovan. “I’d describe the vision, the culture, the vibe, and they’d focus their strengths and develop the recipes themselves. I wrote the menu but I never told anyone, ‘this is the recipe to use.’ I’d tell Zach what I was looking for in a dish, he’d create a recipe, and then we’d re ne it together. Amelia and I decide in what direction we’re sailing, but it’s the crew that hoists the sails, maintains the engines, runs the boat.”

It’s a group e ort and yet... “I’ve worked in so many di erent places,” says Donovan, “and this one comes straight from the heart. What we have in Basque is a style that’s very personal to me. As I was devising our dishes, a lifetime’s knowledge, things I didn’t even know I knew popped into the mix. I’d nd myself reliving memories from Spain and my Tia Pol days, my life’s highlights. Our dishes are simple, though the techniques we use are complex. We take a Above: Owner Amelia Eesley pours Ameztoi few ingredients, Txakolina 2020 from a season properly Basque Perrone. and cook them From cast iron roasted well. is is ribeye to fingerling potatoes and stuff ed who I am as a piquillo peppers, Basque chef.” has it all. BRIAN Photos by Stephanie SCHWARTZ Phillips

Being from Tulsa, I grew up around a great selection of “classic burgers” in town. So when I began splitting my time between Tulsa and OKC, I knew I needed to nd a local place to satisfy my cravings. I sampled through some great choices and found that my husband was right; my favorite would come from a spot right down the street from our home. e Patty Wagon was initially opened in 2011 as a food truck before transitioning to a brick-and-mortar restaurant a year later. Sadly, Bryce Musick, the original owner responsible for the dreamy, housemade sauces and insistence on using only 100% local, grass-fed certi ed Angus beef, passed away after a long battle with brain cancer. As fate would have it, Kris Standridge-Pederson was at the perfect point in her life to make a career change. She was so impressed by the food that she took the leap from accounting to food service and bought the restaurant.

Today, you’ll nd the same quality ingredients and home-made specialty sauces (the “Mustard Lovers” and “Horseradish Mayonnaise” are my favorites) that made the restaurant a success from the beginning. From their signature burgers and sandwiches to lighter options, there’s something for everyone, including vegetarians. ey o er a wide selection of add-ons, including hatch chiles, extra-thick bacon and housemade chili. In addition, they o er ve avors of oldfashioned, hand-dipped shakes.

For those who want something speci c, the “build-your-own” option is perfect. Weekly specials keep the menu interesting, and whatever you do, don’t skip the onion rings! AMANDA JANE SIMCOE

Photo courtesy Patty Wagon