OKCVEGGIE | Vegetarian Recipes

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Restaurant: The Press

The Press is one of the newer restaurants in OKC’s Plaza District, and I personally think it brings something that the area was lacking. You had a pizza place, you had a ramen place, you had a grilled cheese place, you had a wine bar and a brew pub, but what you didn’t have was just a good, homestyle restaurant that serves a variety of food.

The Press isn’t as basic as all that, of course. Southern staples are their bread and butter, but they mix things up with tons of interesting flavors and a fair share of vegetarian options. Best part? Brunch is served all the way until dinner.

I’ve actually only been to The Press three times, so I certainly haven’t made my way through the whole menu. But below are some of my favorites so far (and a few more I’m looking forward to trying).

VEGAN NACHOS

These. Are. Good. Homemade chips are covered in a layer of thick, hearty vegan queso and topped with quinoa, black and pinto beans, romaine, pickled jalapenos, red onion, avocado and cilantro. I promise you’ll love these even if you aren’t vegan, because my meat-and-potatoes father was chowing down. The queso had a great chili-cheese flavor and wasn’t so wet that it turned the chips to mush. These are super filling and could easily be a meal on their own.

BEANS & GREENS SALAD

This is a super concentrated little salad that’s surprisingly filling and features massaged kale, pinto and black beans, quinoa, red bell peppers, toasted corn, house dressing and lemon. In the photo above, I added cheddar cheese and Ed gave me one of his deviled eggs. This really is a dream vegetarian salad, as it packs both veggies and bean-based protein. Solid winner!

Photo via @thepressokc

VEGGIE BURGER

This veggie burger truly is something special. When you first cut into it, it’s quite bright pink and rather looks like meat, which is an unwelcome trick on the eye (I’m thinking that beet juice must lend its color). But once you dig in, there’s no question that it’s a nice vegetarian burger. It’s served on a Hawaiian bun and topped with avocado, feta, grilled onions, pickles, red bell peppers, arugula and vegan mayo. The photo above really doesn’t even do it justice, so just give it a try.

CHILAQUILES

The Chilaquiles is a lunch/brunch menu item and is a great treat on a day when you’re not overly concerned about consuming vegetables. It’s sort of similar to the nachos, I guess, but with real cheese and an egg on top. On the base of chips, The Press loaded on red & green chili sauces, jack cheese, an avocado, an over easy egg, queso fresco and your choice of meat (ask for it with the vegetarian chili instead). You can’t go wrong with a classic dish like this!

Avocado Toast photo via @thepressokc

FOUR MORE ITEMS ON MY LIST TO TRY

Avocado Toast. Farrell Bread baguette, avocado, sesame seeds, cherry peppers.

Chili Mac. Radiatori mac & cheese topped with chili, crumbled cornbread, sour cream, green onion and cheddar.

Breakfast Hash. Smashed potatoes, kale, mushrooms, red bell peppers, red onion, avocado, green chili sauce, fried eggs.

Indian Taco. House fry bread, black bean puree, chili, romaine, pickled jalapeno, cheddar, red chili sauce, green onion.