Dining Delights

Someone once asked me, “If you had to choose two of your favorite restaurants, which two would you choose?” That poses a very difficult question for me. It’s no secret that I love a wide diversity of ethnic foods, or as a friend of mine would say “strange foods.” I’m game for just about anything other than the typical “Standard American Diet.” So after a moment of thought, I’d have to say that two of my favorite restaurants are Ri-Le’s, which is Vietnamese food, and Ichiban’s, which is Japanese.
As I drive into the parking lot of Ri-Le’s, on 91st and Yale in Tulsa, the saliva juices in my mouth start to water at the mere thought of putting a fork full of incredibly tasteful food into my mouth. As I open the entrance door to the restaurant, not only does the keen sense of smell kick in with the aroma of garlic, ginger, basil and peanut sauce, but the ambiance of the fairly small setting places me mentally into that foreign land, Vietnam. Although not elaborately decorated, it is warm and inviting with a peaceful feeling in the atmosphere. With red being the predominant color, paintings and wall-hangings from Vietnam hang artistically and unpretentiously on the walls. On one wall hangs the many awards the restaurant has received as one of the best restaurants in Tulsa, over the course of the years in business. Also on display are numerous reviews and excellent ratings from food magazines as well as the New York Times. I am greeted by a petite and beautiful young Vietnamese girl who is the daughter of the owner, Ri-Le. Because I frequent this place as often as I can, she knows my face and without asking, seats me at a table and quickly disappears only to return with my favorite, hot jasmine tea in a small cast-iron tea pot along side the tiny handleless tea cup, from which to savor the soothing hot drink. Even though the menu has a wide variety of selections to choose from, I have my favorites. Ri-Le specializes in tofu and tempeh dishes which taste surprisingly like meat, although these amazing dishes are made of a soybean product instead. Ri-Le, dressed in his native linen pants and shirt, comes out from the kitchen, places his hands behind his back, and with his genuine smile and friendly eyes, asks in his broken English, “ Hello, you have you favorite dish today and you fresh basil rolls?” I excitedly reply, “Yes, of course.” Moments later ,while I am sipping my jasmine tea, the waitress returns with my order of basil rolls and peanut dipping sauce. Wrapped in softened rice paper, almost like a thin, translucent tortilla, are rice vermicelli noodles, thinly sliced carrots, bean sprouts, tofu, and basil leaves. As I dip the roll into the spicy peanut sauce and take my first bite, I am immediately in heaven. Moments later a small bowl of steamed rice is delivered to me with another bowl turned upside down on top of it to keep the rice warm. Then out comes the two main dishes: soy ginger “chicken” with vegetables and soy cashew “beef” with strawberries and vegetables. Now neither of these dishes actually have meat in them but one would never know that if I didn’t reveal the secret. The servings are so large that I am never able to eat all that is before me, but that doesn’t disappoint me because I take the leftovers home and gladly enjoy another complete meal out of them. I can not think of one time I have ever been unhappy while dining at Ri-Le’s, and able to reap the benefits of such a fine meal for under the price of about twelve dollars per person.
My other favorite place to eat is Ichiban’s Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar in Joplin, Missouri. It too is a fairly small unnoticeable place, but the food is anything but unnoticeable. Entering into the front door of this obscure little restaurant, I am faced with long pieces of cloth, covered with Japanese writings and flowers, which hang from the ceiling. As I part the fabric and step inside, I stand there waiting to be seated. I take in my dimly lit surroundings: red and black Japanese paper lanterns, black tables and chairs, large bamboo plants, and the sushi bar. Eddie, the Japanese waiter, whom I’ve come to know on a first-name basis, greets me with a slight bow and seats me at my favorite table, which is two steps up and to the left of the front entrance room, second table on the left. He pulls the chair out for me, places the main menu and sushi menu and pencil down in front of me, and says, “You want your Japanese green tea today?” I reply, “That sounds good, yes.” Now this green tea is not served from a tea bag but rather a delicious blend of dried loose leaves steeped and then strained. It is simply the best green tea I have ever tasted. As I sip my hot tea from the large pottery handleless cup, I scan the sushi menu with pencil in hand, ready to make my selections. I absolutely can not place only one order of sushi, but two and sometimes three instead. I usually choose Sakura, which is steamed octopus rolled in rice and a nori sheet(seaweed), with cucumber, avocado and cream cheese, topped with a warm cream cheese sauce, slightly melted. I also choose Unagi, which is baked eel, slightly salty, with a very distinct flavor like none other, which is rolled also with rice and avocado and topped with a spicy eel sauce and macadamian nuts. As I wait for my sushi to be made fresh by the lady and the man behind the glass sushi bar, I also place an order of Edamame, which is steamed soybeans in their pods sprinkled with coarse salt. I enjoy placing the whole pod in between my teeth and pulling the beans out from within, and sucking on the pods to get the salt off. When my sushi arrives, I take my small dish and make a mixture of wasabi paste, which is Japanese horseradish and then add some soy sauce. While holding the chopsticks in my hand correctly, I pick up one of the eight pieces that comes to an order and dip it in the concoction and place the whole thing in my mouth. There is nothing like good sushi. I have eaten sushi all over the United States and even in Hong Kong and I would have to say that Ichiban’s is right up there with the best. As I finish my meal of edamame, sushi, and several cups of green tea, I sit satisfied that I can possibly make it another month or so until I can visit again. My bill usually comes to about 25 to 30 dollars, but it is worth every penny.
When I go out to eat, American food is never on my list of choices. If I can’t eat some kind of ethnic food, then I would just as soon stay home and cook an exotic dish myself. But I have to thank God for two of my favorite restaurants, Ri-Le’s and Ichiban’s. What a pleasure it is to take the time and money to experience such dining delights!