Aurora

After moving back to OKC after 7 years in the PNW I am greeted with a plethora of new restaurants to explore, one of which is Aurora. It is nestled in the Plaza District on 16th street on the corner. I have actually driven by this place a few times but was under the impression it was just a coffee shop with some light pastries. I wandered in on a Sunday morning around opening (8am) and was amazed to find an incredibly cute space with a plethora of seats and table service. Their space extends all the way back ending with a patio in the back that welcomes furry friends (leashed). They have an entire brunch menu featuring specialty coffees and cocktails that will delight a range of palates and dietary needs. Upon reading more about them they want to fuel your day in a delicious, healthy, local way and I would 100% say they succeeded.

No breakfast is complete without coffee – so let’s start there! They had your typical coffee options – lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, drip, etc. BUT they also had some fun options including – Blueberry Muffin, Campfire, and Island. The Campfire is a s’mores latte with espresso, marshmallow and chocolate syrups and comes with whipped cream and teddy grahams – seriously adorable and delicious. I grabbed an iced campfire because OKC is hot as hell and this PNW girl is nowhere near ready for anything above 70 degrees. Their Island Latte also intrigued me – espresso, macadamia nut syrup and white chocolate; just how they do in Hawaii. If you can’t decide, get both like me! Both were on the lighter, less sweet side, which I appreciated because you could actually taste the espresso without it being overpowered by syrups.

Now for the main event – their dishes. They have a pretty large selection ranging from lighter to heavier mains with plenty of sweet and savory options. Enjoy biscuits, burgers, omelets, breakfast tacos and much more. I went with the Shrimp + Grits because this southern at heart girl can never pass up this dish and also grabbed the Steak + Eggs. The shrimp + grits are served with goat cheese grits and tomato reduction topped with perfectly cooked shrimp. The dish had an incredible balance of salty, slightly spicy and a lemon wedge to brighten up and cut through the creamy grits. The tomato reduction was to die for – I honestly wish the dish had more of this sauce and a bit less of the grits. While the grits were creamy, warm, and cheesy they overpowered the dish a bit because it was served with so much of them. I recommend adding a side of eggs (runny yolk preferred) to make this dish even more breakfast-y and give you some extra protein to offset the carbs from the grits. Overall though I would definitely give it a solid 8 or 9 out of 10 for the flavor. Next up was the Steak + Eggs – a true classic. Aurora serves a NY Strip, cooked your way, with 2 eggs (also cooked your way) + potatoes and avocado. It even comes with both green and red salsas. The steak was tender and juicy with a light flavor; the potatoes could have been a bit crispier but they were soft on the inside. Overall I would give this dish a 7 or 8 out of 10. Very solid, and a safe choice if you want something more basic and simple.

Definitely add this spot to your breakfast rotation and head over to their website to tantalize your taste buds. Click here for their menu.