Review: Club One15

Posted by okclocalvore on Jul 30, 2012 in Restaurant Reviews | 6 comments

Let’s be honest.  Oklahoma City’s Bricktown has seen its fair share of clubs and bars over the past decade.  There are a select few veteran establishments that have survived the test of time and the evolution of Oklahoma City, but plenty more have quickly fallen by the wayside.

Club One15 is the newest fighter in the ring.  They opened their doors at the beginning of July and took the address of the old America’s Pub.   I’m not a club-goer, but I once Thundered Up at America’s Pub.  It was a big, open room with a bar, some booths and an upstairs area where you could spy on the folks dancing downstairs.  I never went back, mostly – but not entirely – because the radio commercials drove me bonkers.  That being said, Club One15 had a bit of a tarnished image in my mind before I even set foot in the place, simply because a venue I wasn’t a fan of used to be in the same place.

You might have noticed, I just admitted that I wasn’t a club-goer… so why am I attempting to review a club?  As much as I want to support various types of locally-owned businesses with this blog, I honestly didn’t see a nightclub being one of the first reviews on my site.  It’s just that I kept hearing how incredible their food is.  A nightclub reminiscent of something you would see in Vegas with gourmet food — in Oklahoma City?  This, I’ve gotta see.   Plus, I saw a $15 for $30 coupon come through my e-mail for Club One15 on www.crowdsavings.com, so that was the tipping point.

The full dinner menu is served Wednesday through Sunday from 5pm-1am, so Justin and I went at 8pm on a Friday night.   The main dining area is tucked across from the bar and is designed in such a way that the noise from the club is directed away from the guests who are dining.  The club is straight toward the back of the building, separated from the dining and bar area by thick curtains.

A hostess took us to a table by the window and JB, our server, energetically greeted us.  After giving us some time to take in our surroundings, he took our orders.  We chose the Citizen Crab Cakes ($16.99) as an appetizer.  Justin went with the Pasta Carbonara ($11.99) for his meal and I picked The Blanch Chicken Sandwich ($8.99).  We chose two a la carte sides as well: Au Gratin Potatoes and Grilled Green Beans (each $2.79).

You know how much Vince Vaughn loves crab cakes in the Wedding Crashers?  I love them more.  When we got our appetizer, Justin and I celebrated after every single bite.  I’m not kidding; we really did.  The crab cakes didn’t look like much substance on our plates, but then again, 15 of them wouldn’t have been enough.  They were perfectly brown and crispy on the outside, giving each bite that perfect crunch.  The inside was moist and hearty and the cakes held together beautifully.  The quarter pound of lump crab meat accounted for at least 85% of the contents of each crab cake.  Other than that, the ingredients were simple: celery, rosemary and the right amount of mayonnaise.   They were served with a side of lemon dill remoulade that I didn’t try at first, A: because I thought it was tartar sauce and B: because I think food should stand on its own without sauce.  Take it from me — try the lemon dill remoulade!   It compliments the flavor, heat and texture beautifully.

The two crab cakes JB brought to our table were the best crab cakes Justin and I have ever had.  Even better than the freshest of the fresh crab cakes I had in Charleston.  How could that be?   Brandon, the General Manager, explained to us that Club One15 actually has the freshest seafood you can get in OKC.  They have a crew in Florida that goes out on two-day fishing excursions.  Their catch is put on a plane to Oklahoma City and they have it in their kitchen within just a few days after it was caught.  He went on to talk about how incredible their fresh Crab-Stuffed Halibut was and I knew we would have to come back for that one.  If I had known it was so fresh, I would have never given the sandwiches a second look.  Fresh seafood is completely different from what people usually refer to as “seafood” in Oklahoma.  In other words, save your first-time-oyster experience for the Acme Oyster Bar in New Orleans.

Our entrees were delivered in perfect timing.  My grilled chicken sandwich was served open-faced and drizzled with housemade One15 ranch.  I found the toasted Kaiser bun to be a little dry, but the sandwich was good, overall.   The au gratin potatoes immediately stole my heart, as does anything baked with cheddar cheese.  The grilled green beans were cooked al dente with more oil than I prefer, but I could tell they were very fresh.

Justin’s Pasta Carbonara was excellent.  On the menu, it is spelled, “Carabona”, but maybe they meant to spell it that way because of Executive Chef Tobin Rouse’s twist on the classic Italian dish.  He mixes the traditionally whipped egg-based sauce with Alfredo to give it a creamier texture.  Eggcellent move, if you ask us (that just happened).  The fettuccini was packed with chunks of onions, fresh green peas, bacon, chives and fresh Parmesan cheese. On the side of the bowl were two wedges of cheesy toasted bread to help with the scooping.

As Justin was finishing his meal, I ducked behind the curtains to check out the club area.  Hues of bright blues, pinks and purples were the theme.  VIP hosts were giving tours to guests while I was snapping photos, explaining the pricing structure to reserve tables and booths – or the entire room if they wanted to host a reception.  With food as delicious as Club One15′s, that is something I will definitely keep in mind.  It’s not easy to find places in OKC that have the space and great food to accommodate large groups.

When I got back to the table, I discovered that Tobin, the Executive Chef, had graced our tables with two complimentary desserts: made-to-order chocolate cake a la mode with a caramel drizzle, and homemade blackberry cobbler.  I tried both and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Justin completely finished them so I know they were good.

 

We had an incredible experience dining at Club One15.  The concept is unique because it is structured in a way that accommodates guests who want to enjoy a really great meal in a unique and energetic atmosphere, as well as the late-night crowd who prefers to dance their meal off, or just drink their dinner.

One15 has some really prime real estate right in the core of Bricktown, so they aren’t hard to find at 115 (hence, the name) East Sheridan.  A little secret we learned: if you come for dinner, keep your receipt and get a stamp before you leave, just in case you decide to come back and enjoy the club.  That way, you won’t have to pay a cover charge.