The Oil City Exchange Experience: Why You Should Go

Over the last seven months, the Venango Republic has featured several articles on local businesses that we classify as the gems of the county. In this pursuit, we have met several wonderful people willing to take a chance on a comedy news website reviewing their establishment.

Among those people is the owner of the Oil City Exchange, who graciously allowed us to come in and sit down for an interview. Because we don't use real names on this website, we will give the owner an alias and substitute the first letter of his name with a G to conceal his identity.

We would like to thank Geff for allowing us to come in. We will preface this article by saying that although this is a comedy news website, this review is meant to highlight what makes the Oil City Exchange worth a visit. There will be jokes mixed in from time to time because of the nature of our platform. However, the overall context of this article is to give the reader an idea of what the Oil City Exchange has to offer.

Here is our review....

The Entry

Once you enter the building, you get the sense of a lively atmosphere. As you can see in the picture, there are only a few people at the bar. But the bright lights, reverberating echoes, and bright colors mixed with the classic feel of the ceiling design make this building feel like a hotspot. One can only imagine what potential this place has if it can max out its capacity in customers.

Due to the lack of demand, the upper floor is not in use at this time. But just imagine what kind of dining experience this place could have been in its heyday if it wasn't a bank. A multilevel restaurant with a balcony overlooking the lower floor. A jazz band playing orchestral compositions while couples dance the night away. The lower level enjoying their time while trusting that no one on the upper balcony will drop a loogie in their soup. This place gives the vibe of a classic fine dining experience.

The Food

We (as in the only guy who runs this website) had the pleasure of trying three different dishes recommended to us by Geff.

The main entrée was a po’boy sandwich with shrimp that, according to Geff, is intentionally supposed to fall out of the sub. This way the people eating the sandwich feel like they are getting a bonus fry-in shrimp on their plate.

The sandwich has a crispy texture on the bread. However, it is very airy and personally not my favorite out of the three things I got to eat on my first visit. Nonetheless, it was filling and the shrimp was well prepared.

My advice for anyone eating this sandwich is to request a dipping sauce to go with it. A fair portion of the shrimp does stay in the sandwich. However, the ones that do fall out initially become an extra side to your dish that can use the dipping sauce.

One of the pros of this sandwich is that they pack it with so much shrimp, you could start your own business with Forrest Gump.

I found the Meat Candy to be the most unique and flavorful out of all the dishes I tried. The sauce used to marinate these beautiful blocks of joy is made in-house and tastes as good as it looks.

I personally enjoyed this dish. Although I found the coleslaw with it to be dry, the meat itself was worth coming in for. Just like the shrimp from the po’boy, I would recommend requesting some kind of dressing to go with the cabbage shreds beneath.

Maybe it's a style of dish from some part of the world I don't understand. But I mean, really.... Nobody takes a head of lettuce and says "I'll just eat it unprepared."

What I most loved about the Hushpuppies is the butter that came with them. I'm not one for spice. However, I am trying to give an honest review and chose to get the full experience because I don't want to be a wimp about it.

The first butter to come with the Hushpuppies is the sweet honey butter. Although the Hushpuppies on their own are delicious, it is the butter on top that really sells the flavor.

The sweet honey butter was incredible. That mixed with the texture of the Hushpuppies’ crunch was just phenomenal as a combo.

If I did this over, I would request the butter to be melted prior to it being served just to see the difference. Personally, having it at room temperature and more solid kept it from having the glaze effect I would have preferred. But it was still delicious.

The hot honey butter was also really good. I found that the sweet flavoring inside of it had more presence than the spice and I was able to tolerate it.

The Hushpuppies themselves are a great option as an appetizer and something I would definitely try again during a future visit.

Something I would love to see the Exchange offer is a cinnamon glaze option to include with this dish. It would be just like a Taco Bell Cinnabon with cornbread.

For anyone starting off on the journey of drinking beer (aka, me), this drink is probably the least potent out of all the ones I tried here. After drinking it, there was a bit of a warm calm I felt. I'm not sure if that is the clear skies or the jet lag. What I will say is that just as the menu describes, it is light compared to other beers.

As one who is trying to get used to alcohol, this drink definitely put me through the storm. The menu's description of this drink is that it is hazy, tropical, and smooth. The only problem is that I was homeschooled and forbidden to drink any alcohol until I was 29.

I know this is called Jet Lag for those of you who are accustomed to beer. As for me, this was more like Jetfuel.

The Elderflower is made by Side Hustle Brewery and is a hard seltzer with a berry base. The drink is gluten-free and has a low sugar content.

As one who personally enjoys a good seltzer, I can say that this one has its own flavor distinct from other kinds of seltzers. A lot of seltzers you buy from the store may advertise as having diverse flavors. However, when you get them home, they taste the same.

Not the case here. You can genuinely taste the berry flavor in the drink, and for seltzer lovers, this is a good option.

The Passion Fruit Mango is another hard seltzer with a tropical flavor. It is low in sugar content and gluten-free. The flavor of this one is not as strong as the berry. However, it is still distinguishable from plain seltzer.

I wound up returning for another visit to experience more of the Exchange’s line of beverages.

I asked for the waitress’s recommendation and was advised to try the Bloom because it is apparently one of their most popular drinks.

Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I am learning to build a tolerance to alcoholic drinks. This one, I have to say, gives you the kind of kick you get when you try to chug apple cider vinegar.

I'm not saying it tastes like that. I'm just saying that if you are not used to alcohol, this will surprise you if you drink it too fast.

Fortunately, I know to start off slow when it comes to alcohol.

The surface of this drink has a great flavor from the foam on top. Once the alcohol hits your tongue though, you do experience a bit of a sour sensation mixed with the sweet flavoring.

The ingredients, according to the menu, consist of popsicle gin, elderflower terrativo, lemon, and syrup.

With a bit of research, I was able to learn that the less familiar ingredients are purposed to have the kind of sour kick I got.

With that said, I feel bad that alcohol is not my forte. Otherwise, I would be able to give a better review for the quality of the drink.

The best I can say is that if sour is what they are going for, then this drink delivers.

I'm sorry, cocktail lovers! I'm trying to be like you!

I loved this drink. It took me back to my early adulthood life when I first turned 21.

I made a point to come back and try some more options before finalizing this article. Personally, I feel like this place has a lot to offer and I could not see myself only submitting an article that features three dishes.

The waitress recommended the Jambalaya and I went for it. I will say that I forgot to mention to her that I don't like spice. But that's okay, because frankly, it's about time I learn to handle some Cajun.

This dish was very filling and something I recommend for anyone who doesn't mind a bit of tang. The recipe consists of andouille sausage, chicken, and rice.

The tang was something I could handle, but I was constantly wanting a glass of water because I am that much of a wimp.

If you are like me and have a hard time drinking alcohol, your best bet is to just buy desserts associated with the concept.

Bourbon pudding is something I have never had before because being homeschooled meant I was only allowed to have fruit punch.

Today, however, I broke my rule and decided to challenge myself to try something new. The ice cream itself is fantastic when it melts to the bottom of the plate.

The waitress told me they had run out of smoked ice cream and were using normal vanilla bought from the store. So I can only assume that what I was tasting was the bourbon sauce mixed in.

The bread pudding itself is not my favorite. But that's probably just because bread pudding in general is not my go-to. I think what really sells the flavor of this dish is the bourbon sauce.

The Dusted Dividends are a very pleasant dish to try. I was afraid the powdered sugar would be dangerous to ingest because of the possibility of inhaling it. Sorry.... PTSD from past desserts....

The breading is soft, and the espresso whipped cream that comes with it adds a sweet flavor that magnifies its taste even more.

Although it is sweet, it is not the kind of sugary flavor that makes you sickened after eating too much icing on a cake. This is actually really good and something that may cause me to develop a powdered sugar addiction.

The Smash Burger has two juicy stacked patties. It is served on a toasted brioche bun with melted American cheese and vegetables. It features the Exchange’s in-house sauce, which consists of a mayo base.

The executive chef, who requests we refer to him as Cosmic Charlie, has a background in meat fabrication.... Is this a real background or did is he fabricating his story???? He states that the burger is made up of short rib, brisket, and chuck roast.

According to Cosmetic Charlie, the Exchange sauce is a "heavily mustard-based sauce that pairs perfectly with the rich flavor of ground beef."

This burger was a really good in-house dish. The sauce gives it a taste separate from other burgers you may purchase at other establishments.

After hearing Mr. Charlie express the perfection of this beef, we are wondering if the cows that were slain for this plate were holy cows, or just perfected through the process of meat fabrication.

We are waiting on his answer.

Other Features

The Exchange is in a building that holds a lot of history dating as far back as whenever its history started.

Below are several Easter eggs you can experience while visiting the restaurant.

On the first level, visitors can see a safe that likely existed whenever the bank was using the building. Experts believe this safe was used to hold the money when people opened accounts.

The giant door would have been convenient to protect against burglaries given its size. Though this is myth, it is backed up by facts.

According to Geff, the bill in the picture above was printed in this very building. The vault itself has been cleaned out for the most part and converted into a wine-tasting room.

The only remnants remaining of the lockboxes they removed are the lockboxes they removed.

There's also a gate Geff locked himself behind one day when he closed it shut. He apparently had to wait for a while because he had no cell service. That must've been boring....

According to Geff, the upper part of this wall once had its own window for a gunman to peer out over the bank.

This was essential during the Bonnie and Clyde era because a window in the floor would not have given the gunman a bird’s-eye view.

Geff says he does not intend to install a window because he claims he doesn't need a gunman.

We personally believe Geff is missing out. So we fabricated the next picture to help him see the potential.....

Imagine the potential Geff!

The unit above does something extra special for the Oil City Exchange. We just forgot to take notes because we are really bad reporters. Just be sure to ask about the function of this machine when you visit and the people present will share something interesting that we should have included in this article.

Long before the Oil City National Bank was a thing, there was another business establishment crucial for the oil industry. The remnants of that business is a safe in the basement of the Exchange which predates the bank building itself. The business was the Oil City National Exchange, which according to Geff, was a short-lived oil industry contract hub in the late 1800s. According to Jeff..... Oooops! You didn't read that.... We said Geff.... According to the guy in charge, the term "by the barrel" as it related to the 42 gallons universally measured, was coined in here.

Conclusion

The experience at the Oil City Exchange is one that anyone visiting Venango County should take part in. The owner is one of the most polite people you will meet and was very accommodating. The tour may not have equated to a museum experience, but come on.... You are there for the food.

What does exist from a historical standpoint is still interesting to say the least. Plus if you like alcohol, you can participate in a wine-tasting activity on select dates while confined in a safe..... I wonder if intoxication makes a person claustrophobic..... Try not to close the safe.....

All that to say. I would like to thank the owner of the Oil City Exchange for allowing me to come in and experience this first hand. His restaurant is an affiliate of the Side Hustle Brews & Spirits Company which originated in the United Arab Emirates between the owner of the Exchange and his business partner. In the back of the restaurant they have a mural depicting the experience of thier brewing company between both regions of the world, Oil City and Abu Dhabi. What I find most inspirational about this brand is the importance of the owners dedication to his hometown. A brand like this can go anywhere and arguably become much bigger as a result. However, the man in charge chose to keep it close to home which says a lot about him as a person. I also want to mention that I had the pleasure of meeting his wife who also plays an important role in the community. They have a good thing going at the Oil City Exchange. So be sure to check it out and even meet the people who make this possible. You won't regret it!