Foolish Things Bar & Biscuit: A Perfect Fit in Brookside
Local Dining By BLAKE AUSTYN
Contributing Writer
Foolish Things Bar & Biscuit, 3524F S. Peoria Ave., feels like a very on-trend restaurant and bar/flower bar concept that fits perfectly in Brookside, opening in late 2018. This is the third business brought to Tulsa by Justin and Katie Carpenter.
And before you ask, no, its name, which includes the word “biscuit,” has nothing to do with dogs. (I have heard that confusion a couple of times.) The “biscuit” in the name comes from the menu, with a number of dishes piling ingredients on top of a biscuit.
The concept brings together a coffee bar, cocktail bar plus food and a flower bar. It may sound like a lot but, boy, does it work and is it beautiful, with floral arrangements set throughout the space.
Foolish Things Coffee Co., 1001 S. Main St., overseen by Justin, opened downtown in the Cathedral District in 2012, followed by Ever Something, 2306 E. Admiral Blvd., Katie’s focus, in the Kendall Whittier neighborhood in 2013.
“We’ve been wanting to merge our concepts for a while,” says Justin, commenting on his reaction to when he and Katie were contacted by Henry Aberson regarding launching a concept in his available commercial space.
Bar & Biscuit’s food menu is divided into Day Bites and Night Bites, with various biscuits and non-biscuits and sweeter fare available from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. or 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
“I am the food and drink guy,” says Justin. “I love telling stories through food and drink.”
The drink menu features alcoholic drinks for different times of day and from various eras. “It’s interesting to note how the time in history created the food and drink that we have available to us, such as the story behind the creation of the Gin and Tonic,” Justin says.
The menu changes quarterly, with new items tested months in advance. “Those food and drink changes could be big or small, but always focused on balance,” he adds.
We were fortunate enough to have Justin wait on us personally, and he offered many insights into the menu offerings.
For munching, my party started with the Charcuterie Board—which featured a mixture of nuts, cured meats, cheeses and olives, providing a nice introduction to the meal.
We also chose the Sampler, which provided just that—a sampling of many appetizers on the menu: pickled veggies, hummus and pesto, fried cheese curds, and nuts, with aioli and housemade blueberry jam. Our favorites were the pickled veggies and the hummus and pesto—though, the chips seemed like they came from the bottom of the bag.
For our main dishes, we chose the Fried Chicken Biscuit—fried chicken and a poached egg atop a biscuit complete with blue cheese, arugula and honey butter. The dish was decadent, with the delicious blue cheese topping. What a wonderful mix of flavors!
Our second dish was the Mushroom Flatbread with a fabulous sage element.
Popular menu items, according to Justin, include the Fried Chicken Biscuit, Pesto Chicken Flatbread and Berry Salad.
“I am interested in complexity of flavors with just a few ingredients—that encourages creativity,” he says.
Foolish Things Bar & Biscuit is open daily 7 a.m. to midnight and offers cocktail and floral events as well as a daily Reverse Happy Hour, 8 p.m. to midnight, and a Flower Hour, 5 – 6 p.m.
For more information, visit barandbiscuit.com.
