Lava Noshery in the News, Voted Tulsa’s Best New Restaurant of 2007

A Nosh Above
By Judy Allen

Lobster corndogs? Beet ravioli? Chef Geoffrey van Glabbeck's penchant for creative cuisine is on full display at Lava Noshery.

Aside from the scorching Tulsa heat, the only thing reminiscent of Lava Noshery's name the night Ivisited was the endless video of flowing lava playing on a flat-screen TV in the dining room. Otherwise, the crisp and very white space was cool as a cucumber. This is by far the most modern dining room in Tulsa, with perhaps the most adventurous menu. White tablecloths continue the stark theme throughout, while bright-red orchids adorn the tables, giving them a splash of color. Ceiling fixtures dressed with red bulbs bathe evening diners with flattering rose-colored light.

Tulsa native Geoffrey van Glabbeek showcases his creative cooking style in an eclectic menu focusing on seasonal as well as local ingredients - possibly a style he honed while at Palace Café, where he was previously the chef de cuisine. He describes his cooking loosely as "Italian by philosophy," meaning the flavors are simple and not overcomplicated by too many components, and the ingredients are as local as possible.

"Noshery" comes from the Yiddish word "nosh," meaning "to snack." A Noshery is thus a snack place or catery. Menu items are a testament to the art of snacking and sharing, Twenty-one appetizers, or "little noshes," are offered in categories such as raw, seared, grilled, or fried and are meant to be shared, giving diners the ability to try more dishes, Several "big noshes" are available as well.

After a bit of a hubbub when we ordered our drinks - the bar was out of peach puree and house-made aquavit, the main ingredients in two of the cocktails we ordered - we settled on a nice Provencal rosé and a cosmopolitan sweetened with blood orange juice. The wine list features eight white and eight reds by the glass, and bottles ranging from $28 to $99, while a special reserve list offers bottles up to $299.

We started our meal with a few "little noshes." The roasted beet ravioli ($8), a seasonal item, was an unexpected and delightful surprise - wafer-thin beet slices served as the pasta, sandwiching a rich herbed goat cheese filling. Nestled in a small bed of mixed greens, a drizzling of herbed olive oil was all the sauce it needed. A lobster corndog ($12) consisted of a perfectly cooked chunk of lobster tail meat, encased in a light batter, deep-fried and served with a whole-grain mustarted aioli. I can only dream about the Tulsa State Fair offering this.

For a vegetarian option, an ultra-buttery and slightly sweet tart shell loaded with sautéed mushrooms ($7) is served over a warm but crisp slaw. On a previous visit, I enjoyed the white corn tostadas topped with a super-creamy avocado puree and grilled shrimp ($12) and the braised chickpeas served on a bed of gragrant basmati rice and wraped in a chewy flatbread ($7).

Several soups and salads fill in between snack and dinner. I was excited about the mango gazpacho with seared scallop ($4, cup/$6 bowl). While the dish was slightly spicy and very flavorful, I couldn't detect a single morsel of scallop, but it was in there; our server assured me so. A hearty salad option is the grilled hearts of romaine ($7) - the inner leaved of the romaine head are lightly grilled and topped with a tart, rich blue cheese vinaigrette and slightly pickled red onions. A slightly more elegant berry arugula salad ($8) comprised a large mound of slightly bitter arugula tossed ever so scantly with a vinaigrette peppered with chopped hazelnuts. Blueberries and strawberries rimmed the large mound of greens.

The "big noshes" were a hit as well. A seasonal item, asparagus and ricotta ravioli ($18) are divided over two sauces - typical chunky tomato sauce and fresh green pea puree. (The pea sauce won us over.) Hearty paella risotto ($21), a cross between the two, consisted of a large mound of creamy tomato-in-fused risotto, strewn with clams, mussels, shrimp and slices of sausage that had been steamed in a delicate saffron broth. Rich and satisfying, it paired nicely with the menu's wine suggestion, King Estate Pinot Gris. Out third "big nosh" was seared halibut over pappardelle ($23). A generous and perfectly seared fillet was topped with a mixture of peas, fava beans, mushrooms and pearl onions drizzled with a wild mushroom "jus." It had a tender bite you only get from homemade pasta.

For dessert, the Frangelico créme brulée ($7), a variation on the Bailey's version listed on the menu, tasted of vanilla - we found nary a trace of hazelnut flavor except for the hazelnuts laced throughout. Iced lava ($8), a menu item that sounded a big confusing, was a rich and velvety molten chocolate lava cake baked in a tea cup and paired with a mocha shake - which we surmised to be vanilla ice creamed topped with chocolate ganache. Other desserts included cheesecake ($8) an a banana tart tatin ($7).

Lava Noshery is the perfect showcase for van Glabbeek's modern menu - I am definitely looking forward to what Chef Geoff will surprise us with next.

Originally Published by Tulsa People.

Return to Previous Page