The Bottom Line
Some of my favorite restaurants around are those with attentive, hands-on owners. They tend to have unique and interesting food, and they make you feel like a special guest. Rococo Restaurant & Wine Bar fits that description to the letter. Bruce Rinehart and Jason Bustamante have crafted a classy and comfortable metro destination, incorporating the cuisine of their native northeastern region and infusing Rococo with a dynamic personal touch.
Pros
- Comfortable, distinctive atmosphere
- Fine but still somewhat casual dining
- Delicious and unique northeastern menu items
- Personal service
Cons
- Very few, based on my experiences
- Be prepared to spend a decent amount for the higher-end meat and seafood dishes
Description
- Location: 2824 N. Pennsylvania Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73107 - Directions: On the east side of Penn between NW 23rd and NW 36th, just northwest of Oklahoma City University.
- Phone: (405) 528-2824
Guide Review - Rococo Restaurant & Wine Bar
Trying to classify Rococo is no easy task. It is classy without being pretentious, fun without being trite, fine dining with just enough finery. But regardless of classifications, it is simply an intriguing dining experience, a rare kind of restaurant that is particularly distinct amongst the many unspectacular experiences in Oklahoma City.
Bruce Rinehart has been at the front on each of my visits thus far. He greets with an enthusiastic, friendly demeanor, leading us to our seats in a warm and comfortable dining room with several seating options. Choose a high-top table, the bar on the south wall or have a seat on a sofa by the fireplace in the corner. My personal favorite is the "Gangster Booth," a red leather, high-back spot that feels like your own little dining world.
That atmosphere is complimented by a varied menu that includes a number of standard items prepared in a somewhat nonstandard way. For example, the pasta options come in several sauce varieties, the coriander encrusted salmon has a wonderful ginger sauce and the veal has a cognac-scented glaze. Try the "cookies" for an appetizer. I love the ones with sirloin steak and tomatoes. Overall, it's a northeastern menu of delights that includes steaks, seafood and pasta with side items such as sauteed heirloom tomatoes, jasmine rice or sugar-snap peas in oyster sauce. To cap it all off, choose from an extensive wine list, or have a flight with several varieties.
As for cost, Rococo is very reasonable overall. Several meals come with side items, and the portions are generous. Pasta dishes are in the 12-20 range, but some of the more delectable meat and seafood dishes can reach 40. With such an original restaurant in which you often get live music and exemplary service, it's well worth it.
Check out About.com Reader Reviews of Rococo and then Submit Your Rating.
Bruce Rinehart has been at the front on each of my visits thus far. He greets with an enthusiastic, friendly demeanor, leading us to our seats in a warm and comfortable dining room with several seating options. Choose a high-top table, the bar on the south wall or have a seat on a sofa by the fireplace in the corner. My personal favorite is the "Gangster Booth," a red leather, high-back spot that feels like your own little dining world.
That atmosphere is complimented by a varied menu that includes a number of standard items prepared in a somewhat nonstandard way. For example, the pasta options come in several sauce varieties, the coriander encrusted salmon has a wonderful ginger sauce and the veal has a cognac-scented glaze. Try the "cookies" for an appetizer. I love the ones with sirloin steak and tomatoes. Overall, it's a northeastern menu of delights that includes steaks, seafood and pasta with side items such as sauteed heirloom tomatoes, jasmine rice or sugar-snap peas in oyster sauce. To cap it all off, choose from an extensive wine list, or have a flight with several varieties.
As for cost, Rococo is very reasonable overall. Several meals come with side items, and the portions are generous. Pasta dishes are in the 12-20 range, but some of the more delectable meat and seafood dishes can reach 40. With such an original restaurant in which you often get live music and exemplary service, it's well worth it.
Check out About.com Reader Reviews of Rococo and then Submit Your Rating.
