Te Kei’s
Tulsa, OK
Lettuce Wraps
w/ Thai Peanut Sauce, Spicy Chile Sauce
Dish Score: 90
Overall Score: 87
Price: $
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SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 17/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 9/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 10/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 36/40
- Service: 10/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 5/5
- Cost vs. Value: 3/5
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Kung Pao Chicken
w/ Steamed White Rice
Dish Score: 86
Overall Score: 87
Price: $$
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SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 16/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 8/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 10/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 34/40
- Service: 10/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 5/5
- Cost vs. Value: 3/5
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Asian Breast of Duck
w/ Mandarin Sesame-Peanut Noodles, Hoisin Sauce
Dish Score: 85
Overall Score: 87
Price: $$$
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SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 15/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 7/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 10/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 35/40
- Service: 10/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 5/5
- Cost vs. Value: 3/5
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REVIEW
Upon entering Te Kei’s, I was immediately taken aback by the exquisite décor. The entryway is lined by a vine-covered stone and wood trellis. Upon entering the doors, it is like entering into another world. Immediately, you are greeted by a samurai statue surrounded by artistically arranged bamboo. Venturing in a little further, you’ll see a beautiful dining room utilizing modern curves and meshing them with the rustic feel of stone walls as well as intricately carved wood panels.
After being greeted by the hostess, were taken to our booth: a round table against the wall where we could sit and fully enjoy the scenery of the restaurant. After our waitress, Sommer, took our drink orders, I excused myself to make a trip to the restroom. Ordinarily I would leave this detail out, but the beautiful architecture continued into the bathrooms as well. There was even an English to Korean educational language studies CD playing to further immerse you into the atmosphere. After washing my hands at one of the personal sinks conveniently located in every stall, I returned to my table.
Upon sitting, we looked over the menu. Deciding to start with an appetizer, we chose to order the Lettuce Wraps. For entrées, my date chose the Kung Pao Chicken and I treated myself to the Asian Breast of Duck. After a short while, the Lettuce Wraps were at our table. The lettuce was fresh and crisp. I had a couple issues with the lettuce splitting on me, causing the chicken to fall out. However, it had an amazing flavor and nothing was stopping me from gobbling up those stray wonderfully cooked and seasoned pieces of chicken. Two sauces also accompanied this appetizer: a Thai Peanut Sauce and a Spicy Chile Sauce, which were hot and hotter respectively. Overall, a very good, light dish to start the meal off with.
As we finished our wraps, our main dishes were brought to the table. Unrolling our silverware napkins, I was surprised to find a pair of chopsticks wrapped up with a fork. Personally, I prefer using chopsticks at Asian restaurants so I was happy to see they were included. Digging in, I tried the Mandarin Sesame-Peanut Noodles first. They have a very mild flavor on their own, but the addition of the supremed mandarin orange slices made them to die for. The green beans were cooked to al dente perfection. Cutting into the duck, I was a tad worried the blackened skin would affect the flavor, but my worries were unfounded. The Hoisin Sauce is what had the smokey flavor. Although a bit too strong on its own, when paired with the duck, it was exquisite.
My date’s colorful Kung Pao Chicken, had a slightly spicy flavor but wasn’t overwhelmingly hot. I may be speaking subjectively here since my date, who doesn’t do too much heat, was complaining that her mouth was on fire by the end of her meal. Regardless, the chicken was well seasoned and the breading gave the dish a pleasant texture. I felt the snow peas were just a tad too al dente, but the rice was cooked quite nicely.
Overall, I had an amazing experience at Te Kei’s. I was a tad disappointed there weren’t more customers in the restaurant enjoying this other-worldly experience as I was, but it may have just been a slow day. Our waitress was one of the best I’ve encountered yet and the atmosphere is amazing. If you are ever in the Cherry Street area, make sure to drop in at Te Kei’s. You won’t regret it.
