Week 15: The Red Cup Cafe

There is about to be a bad word, as far as any tried-and-true comfort food lovers are concerned, making a guest appearance on this blog--- vegetarian.

That’s right, the biscuit of Oklahoma hales from a totally vegetarian coffee shop known as Red Cup, and we are especially excited about this biscuit.

If you look up Red Cup you are bound to come across a slew of reviews from blindsided, albeit satisfied, carnivores un-expectantly enjoying completely vegetarian foods. Though the review will start with a point of confusion, each person is obviously won over by the amazing spread of special specials.

It’s not very often you find a restaurant that serves all vegetarian cuisine that receives raves that don’t even mention the meatless menu, but just praise the the whole experience. That’s how good the food is there. That’s because the inspiring meals focus on the ingredients that are there, not on what’s not (all that bacon, bird and beef we’re accustomed to).

In a state where there are 1.12 cows for every one human, you have to wonder, how is a vegetarian restaurant thriving, and more impressively, how did it get started?

Rewind about 20 years.

In 1995, Kurt Orth (original owner), sick of the daily grind, “decided he was done waiting on drunks, and decided to open his own coffee house, where he thought he would be able to sit around and read his books, getting up occasionally to help incoming customers.” Which, with the success it later met, turned out to not be a very reasonable expectation.

At first Red Cup had about three sandwich options, chop full of sliced meat, and of course, coffee. The evolution of the marvelous menu came about slowly and only somewhat deliberately.

At one point a vegan chef was hired making incredibly good vegetarian specials, and the most special made their permanent home onto the menu. After her meat-free legacy wove its way into the heart of Red Cup the idea became more profound than then owner expected. During a life changing visit to Los Angeles, Orth made the economic and environmental decision to go vegetarian himself, Red Cup was soon to follow.

And that’s how you cultivate a menu of approachable vegetarian food in a city whose number one brand may very well be the one found on the side of a cow. You do it slowly, one new favorite item at a time.

This modge podgy, eclectic and electric menu is not the only place you find such attributes at Red Cup. Meet the inside of the lovable cafe.

With an assortment of chairs, once said to look as though they were all found in a thrift shop in one afternoon, filled with all sorts of people and all sorts of backgrounds. A collection of regulars and new people ready to try something new with the available collection of comfort food.

Here at Biscuit Fest we do not shy away from vegetarian options either, that is to say, a biscuit at its base is a pretty great vegetarian option. The Oklahoma biscuit is even more impressive with vegan written on its resume. Yeah, we said it, vegan.

Creativity is imperative when it comes to all veggie everything, and that’s the best part about Red cup. We love creativity in our biscuits, the one’s with their hair dyed outrageous colors and whose minds are always in the clouds and whose uniqueness is all a part of their charm, those are the biscuits we love sharing with you.

“We make our biscuits by hand, mixing our ingredients just until thoroughly combined. We then spread the dough onto a half sheet pan, flatten it out, and create little dots to help the biscuits rise in the oven. Our ingredients aren't very different from a traditional biscuit, we just take out the lard or butter, and replace it with hi quality oil or shortening, and replace the milk as spoken above.” --- yes kids, that is where vegan biscuits come from.

Even if you’re skeptical about vegetarian cuisine, we know you can jump aboard a biscuit and gravy, right? Even the one on the Red Cup menu we are sure, it's a big favorite among the crowd. And we all can agree with “There is nothing better than cracking open an amazing, straight out of the oven, biscuit.” Because we all “need a biscuit that is fluffy, crispy, flaky, and has body. No one wants a biscuit that dissolves in gravy, or cant stand up to being buttered, or slathered in preserves.” Preach.

So use your biscuit bravery and go to Red Cup of Oklahoma City. You wont be disappointed and we will be so proud. Feast without fear, my friends.