ref=”https://thinktasty1.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/whisk.jpg”>It’s boring in Oklahoma City when the NBA is off-season.

I’m a woman of simplicity. There’s pretty much three things I like to do in the evenings – watch Kevin Durant play with his eclectic but cohesive playing style, write, and eat out at nice restaurants with nicer prices.

However, it’s September and the NBA isn’t starting until the end of October. Writing can be strenuous and bland at times. But worst of all, I can’t afford to eat out every night, so I have to follow the one rule for the poor man who can’t have nice things when he wants – quality over quantity. That pretty much means only eat out once every two weeks.

It’s alright though. I do cherish the times I do eat out. I do what is necessary to ensure a good meal. That means three things:

– utilize Yelp and thoroughly check the reviews for recommended items beforehand.

– complete all of my work so that I can relax during my epic meal time.

– watch the global and national news (but mainly focusing on the sports features of the news stations) pre-dinner to come up with topics. Just in case I’m going with friends.

Last Friday, I was looking on a friend’s Facebook and saw that she recently visited In The Raw, a modern sushi-fusion restaurant located on S. Oklahoma Ave. I had just finished doing my writing for the day and I was hungry. That means I must eat. Except, I was indefinitely too lazy to cook anything. That means I must go out to eat.

In The Raw – electrifying taste; gourmet sushi with a twist

Immediately after walking up to the restaurant, I saw a sense of style that isn’t usual for most sushi restaurants. I’m used to seeing a more traditional Japanese/Oriental theme for restaurants with a sushi bar. However, this restaurant was very Americanized – and still managed to look like a reputable sushi bar. It had patio seating, but the distinguishing look was the Piet Mondrian-like color scheme on the walls of the room. It was very modern-looking and I loved it.

After walking in on a busy Friday evening, the waitress told me that there was a 20-minute wait for a table. I noticed that there was open seating at the bar so I asked if I could sit there instead. She smiled wide and led me to the bar while everyone else waited for a table. I don’t understand why nobody wants the bar – that’s where you can watch SportsCenter and eat SIMULTANEOUSLY.

I ordered a glass of their private label sauvignon blanc and ordered their calamari roll along with Gene’s pepper filet.

Wine & Sushi?

I noticed that the wine was sweet and crisp like a sauvignon blanc should taste. It complimented the calamari sushi well. With fried squid in the middle of rice, cucumber and avocado, the calamari in the sushi was very warm and had the right amount of crisp to it. The cucumber and avocado hinted of freshness. It was a great appetizer to prepare for the filet mignon.

Gene’s Pepper Filet

The pepper filet couldn’t be cooked any more perfectly in my opinion. It came to my table steaming hot from the moisture of the sauce. I ordered it medium-rare and the steak reflected as such – with a rosy pink center surrounded by a brown from the perfect sear. It had a very peppery taste, but it wasn’t overbearing like most pepper steaks. The meat itself was very tender with each bite, which made eating the filet mignon very enjoyable.

The mashed potatoes were a bit oversauced, but I mixed it and it was very good after that. The mash were very well pureed but still had the chunks of potatoes – kind of like orange juice with pulp for those who enjoy it. I really liked it and if it wasn’t oversauced, it would have been one of the best mashed potato dishes I’ve ever had.

After the meal, I couldn’t bring myself to order dessert – even though they all looked so appealing. The dishes were visually-beautiful and filling, and so I enjoyed every part of the meal. I paid my check and left happily!

Overall, I was thoroughly satisfied with the wine, the sushi and Gene’s pepper filet. If you ever get a chance to visit Oklahoma City, make sure to head over to In The Raw Bricktown and root for OKC when they’re on!

Brought to you by Amanda G.