Nestled along Automobile Alley, among elegant facades of old showrooms, you’ll find the 1911 Buick building housing an award-winning restaurant that brings class, glamour and flavor to downtown OKC: Red PrimeSteak. Keith Paul, president of Good Egg Dining and owner and chef of Red Prime, opened the restaurant in 2007. “With the momentum of downtown,” he says, “and the beautiful building, we knew it was a winner.”
Entering the showroom-turned-steakhouse, you’ll find high ceilings, skylights and an industrial, modern, yet comfortable, atmosphere. Walking toward the exhibition kitchen, you’re drawn by the “red wind,” streaks of red neon light leading to the wine wall – 55 bottles tall by 130 bottles wide – that separates the dining room from the Red Bar.
Of course, the atmosphere’s not the only thing sure to impress. Paul, of Cheever’s Cafe and Iron Starr BBQ fame, has teamed up with Chef Robert Black, who trained under The Coach House’s famed chef Kurt Fleischfresser and has served as executive chef at the Museum Café, to create unforgettable taste. Red PrimeSteak features a prix fixé menu ($39), including a starter, entree and dessert. “We started the menu in 2008 in the economic downturn. It’s been such a success that we keep it around,” says Paul.
If you’re dining with a group, he recommends starting with the 32-ounce dry-aged Kobe long-bone rib eye, served with choice of crust or sauce. “The bone is 14 inches. It’s a huge piece of meat, but it’s fantastic. We’ll even slice it at the table for you,” he says.
At Red Bar, you can start with the best-selling $3 appetizers, like the art piece tomatoes: red, yellow and fried green tomatoes topped with balsamic reduction.
Next, choose from a selection of seafood, chicken or such sought-after USDA Prime cuts as the Wagyu Kobe beef, bone-in rib eye, Porterhouse, New York strip, filet mignon or buffalo steaks. There’s even a selection of Kobe skirt steak.
Complement your steak with comfort food sides like green-chile mac, crispy Idaho fries or seared green beans. For dessert, there’s warm chocolate spoon cake or butterscotch panna cotta. Finally, don’t forget to sample the wine. “Our wine list is very approachable,” Paul says. “We have a wine for everybody, not just elite selections.”
Red PrimeSteak was recently recognized as one of the top steakhouses in the nation, in a poll conducted by MSN, for incredible service, atmosphere and pricing. “At Red Prime, you can spend as much or as little as you like, but our advantage is great value,” says Paul.
504 N. Broadway Ave., Oklahoma City. www.redprimesteak.com
