October 31st, 2012 by Aubrae Filipiak – Comments (2)
It’s not often that a new lunch spot opens quietly under the radar in Tulsa. Normally, by the time opening day hits, I’m almost sick already of the hype. But when a friend mentioned that we try Foolish Things café for lunch this week, my response was a quizzical look.
Tucked neatly away at the corner of 10th & Main, it’s just off the well worn path I tread between my midtown stomping grounds and my downtown haunts. The decor is post-industrial, with a touch of well-funded hipster: with clean lines, a mix of conduit and what looks to be reclaimed/repurposed wood, a concrete subfloor finished to a high gloss and of course, hand lettered chalk board menus. Burlap drop cloths divide the space and the concrete countertops are free from the horror that is a drip coffee maker. It was love at first sight.
Foolish Things is the best of Portlandia and Brooklyn, tempered with Tulsa sensibility – the building is owned by a church and the skinny jeans-wearing, blunt-banged barista James was chatty, pleasant and kind. And (but?) the coffee is fantastic! Who knew that good coffee could be made by anyone other than a disaffected, sardonic hipster? And, in what appears to be a good natured attempt to poke fun at another Tulsa coffee shop, their website boasts a tongue-in-cheek list of “house rules.” If you’re familiar with the rules of the other shop, these are sure to elicit a chuckle.
A quick note about food, lest I leave you with the impression that FT is all ambiance and coffee – Sandwich #1 (tomato, fresh mozzerella, basil pesto and proscuitto) was good. The hummus and pita chips served with it was great. And the no bake cookie that followed was amazing. Had I been less ravenous, I would have been tempted by the dispensers of “sugar” cereals, my adult guilty pleasure resulting from a childhood of deprivation, but those will have to wait until next time.
Foolish Things Coffee Company
1001 S Main, Tulsa, OK
918.857.2326
foolishthingscoffee.com
M-F 7a-6:30p
Sa 7:30a-3p
closed Saturdays (for now…)
Aubrae Filipiak: Author
I have always loved restaurants.
As a kid, I would beg to go out to eat almost every night. It was something about the spectacle of it all that got me hooked – the sequence of service unfolding like a plot, four meals hitting the table simultaneously, the servers moving lithely among tables packed with chattering guests. The food was almost an afterthought.
My first job was as a waitress in a small Mexican restaurant at age 16. I’d been bitten by the bug and I’ve never looked back. Fast forward more years than I’d like to admit and I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and have made a career out of working in restaurants around the country. The food’s much more important to me now, but the spectacle still has the power to captivate me.
Now, let’s eat!
2 responses so far ↓
Frankwick Nov 2, 2012 at 10:29 am
It was OK. It’s more of a lunch place and not a coffee shop. I found it very uncomfortable to hang out in. The coffee was better than starbucks fare, but there is much better coffee in Tulsa.
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Charlie Nov 2, 2012 at 3:04 pm
I first visited FT within a week of their opening and was quite pleased. Not the overbearing ego of many coffee shops, but instead friendly and wanting to ensure I was happy with my order – and man was I!
I have problems going to coffee shops with all their fancy names for their drinks and special ways to order. I want COFFEE. Dark, rich and strong. Imagine my pleasure to have a large cup of a rich, dark strong coffe without any bitter taste. That’s hard to accomplish, but they did. And the #1 sandwich: I got the last one available that evening. Would have ordered a second one otherwise.
If I go downtown and they are open, I make it a point to stop in and have a nice cup of joe and something to eat too.
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