Cyprus Grille at the Renaissance Offers Surprises
By D.J. MORROW
Contributing Writer
FRIENDLY PRESENTATION: The waitstaff is professional and courteous at the Cyprus Grille. Kendra Hutson is displaying main dishes available during lunch and dinner.
Cyprus Grille is the kind of place South Tulsa’s restaurant scene has been needing for some time. Perfect for the power lunch or good for an evening out, it has warm ambience with comfy, dark upholstery, but is lit well enough to do business. And you can enjoy a nice lunch for under $10, not including dessert….which you don’t want to miss.
Tucked into the southwest corner of the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel, 6808 South 107th East Avenue (just north of Highway 169 and 71st Street), Cyprus Grille is one of Tulsa’s best kept secrets and worth the drive even if you are working downtown, if for nothing else than the best and friendliest wait staff in town.
Executive Chef William Doyle has created a diverse lunch and dinner menu with a light Mediterranean flavor with something for everyone—soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees. For those watching their waistlines, there is a section focusing on specific diets including low fat, low carb and low cholesterol.
It’s hard to beat lobster bisque at $6 for a generous serving, but Cyprus Grille takes this starter to a new level. This rich and creamy soup is poured tableside (French style) into a large, wide soup dish over an arrangement of Maine lobster meat, garlic chive brulée and fire-roasted corn salsa. It is an impressive and sumptuous beginning that makes even the most boring business lunch a delightful break.
Other options include a classic French onion soup or a variety of salads all priced at $6 or $7.
The entrees range from a “Cowboy Burger” of black Angus beef topped with kidney beans, cheddar and barbeque sauce, plus a variety of other sandwiches including chicken, lamb, roast beef, turkey and fish— all with their own flavorful twists of spices, dressings and presentations.
A specialty sandwich includes the Tuscan Chicken Club featuring grilled chicken, peppered bacon, smoked cheddar, lettuce and tomato. All sandwiches are served with either a house salad or French fries, ensuring you won’t go away hungry.
If you are watching your weight, Cyprus Grille offers several options, including a Pan Seared Lemon Sole seasoned with herbs in a lemon vinaigrette, broccoli florettes and tomato confit and a Miso Grilled Flat Iron Steak with gingered shiitake mushrooms, soy mustard sauce and snap peas—both perfect for those watching their carb intake!
For those wanting a bit more, the restaurant also offers a Pine Nut Crusted Chicken Breast Provençale with mushroom risotto, feta, spinach, tomatoes and roasted garlic demi-glace or a Pasta Primavera with roasted vegetables and fusilli pasta in a feta basil pesto and white wine cream sauce with tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs.
No lunch entrée is more than $14, and most are $7-$8.
And then there are the “decadent desserts”—aptly named on their menu as such. Options include their Decadent Chocolate Lava Cake, Cinnamon Sweet Bread Pudding, Fresh Fruit Tart, Caramelized Peach Napoleon and Tiramisu. All are beautifully presented and worth any extra workout to assuage the guilt.
The featured dessert is the Cyprus Vanilla Speckled Crème Brulée served in an Almond Tuile Cup with fresh seasonal berries. Smooth, creamy and luscious—this dessert should not be missed.
If you’re not returning to work, Cyprus Grille offers a nice selection of after dinner beverages, including brandy and cognac whiskey, port, single malt scotch and, of course, coffees. Wine by the glass is available as well.
The dinner menu echoes that of lunch with a few luscious additions, including crab cakes, shrimp and lamb skewers for starters or a low-fat seared ahi over a papaya salad. The salad options are expanded and include a low cholestrerol asparagus salad, a Greek salad or lobster and tabbouleh salad.
Steak, pork tenderloin and salmon round out the dinner menu with a specialty of Paella with lobster and Linguiça which features fresh mussels, clams and Linguiça sausage over risotto, topped with a half lobster tail. And, you can add a cold water lobster tail (half or whole) to any entrée. Yum!
Restaurant manager William Kinser takes well-earned pride in this gem and his exceptionally well-trained staff. With soft jazz music playing in the background and a variety of seating options, Cyprus Grille offers the perfect setting for a working lunch or a well-deserved break. A plus is the ample parking on the south side of the hotel making it a short walk on the side of the lobby. Or, valet parking is always available.
Updated 04-25-2005
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