While walking around the town square in Altus, I kept being hit with the unmistakable smell of fajitas cooking. The smell drew me into a small little building on the corner of US Highway 62 and Hudson Street. This little place is a true hidden gem in Altus.
I like to judge a Mexican restaurant on their chimichangas, these were different than I have had anywhere else. I got 3 small chimichangas (instead of the normal big one), with the usual side of beans and rice. There was actually something refreshing with these chimichangas, they weren’t drenched in sauce, they were just plain which allowed me to experience more of the meat and fried tortilla flavors. The ground beef inside was spiced nicely with just a bit of cheese and the tortillas didn’t have that greasy taste that sometimes is a downside of chimichangas. The rise was really good, had a buttery Hispanic taste that was also something that was refreshing. The refried beans were more of a soup type than what I’m used to as well. I’m still torn on them but I know there are people who like them to be runny. The chips and salsa were also good, the chips were fresh and light, the salsa had a good kick to it.
So if you find yourself in Altus, take a walk around their historic town square and stop in at Taqueria Hernandez. The staff was friendly and the decor was beautiful, with hand painted walls. The outside of the building has a look that reminds me of the old 1950’s diners. I’ll give them 5 strips of bacon.
A few weekends ago, I got the pleasure of touring the 1937 mansion of Dr WH Slaughter in northeast Oklahoma City. Situated on a 7 acre piece of land on NE 50th Street, just to the east of I-35, this home is a hidden gem and home to a vital member of Oklahoma City history.
Wyatt Hardy Slaughter was born in Alabama in 1872 and attended Walden University, then later Meharry Medical College, both in Nashville, TN, graduating around 1892. He arrived in Oklahoma City in 1903and became the first African American doctor in the new city. He worked with Dr WL Haywood to build the Utopia Hospital on NE 1st and later they established the Great Western Hospital in NE Oklahoma City. He practiced medicine in his own personal office in the Deep Deuce area of Oklahoma City, placing his Slaughter Buidling at 327 NE 2nd. This 3-story building was used for retail, housing his wife’s family’s pharmacy as well as the home of the Dunbar Library. Side note, none of these buildings are extant any longer, most succumbing to the wrecking ball in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He was also active in real estate, banking, as well as oil and gas. A public servant for many years, he was on many boards and committees. After retirement in 1949, he dedicated himself to building a YMCA on the NE side as well as a new school (current Frederick Douglass High School). He passed away in 1952, buried in Trice Hill Cemetery along side family. In 1907, he married Edna Randolph, the daughter of Jefferson Davis Randolph, the first African American Teacher in in Oklahoma City who founded the first black school at California and Harvey (what is now right in the middle of the Myriad Gardens).
Dr Slaughter purchased a 40 acre plot on NE 50th Street near Bryant Avenue in 1916 and built this home in 1937. The drive to the house is a old meandering paved trail that gives you a beautiful view of the mansion before leading you to a parking area next to the home. Being perched on a hill, the home dominates the landscape. The large stones that have been used in the construction also draw your eye to the home. Massive arches frame the east side of the house, these also provide a beautiful view of the countryside from the porch as well.
I wasn’t able to take pictures inside, but the home has been restored. After entering the home, you are in a foyer that to the left leads to the living area and to the right, a den or office, plus a hall to a bedroom suite. The dining is off the living area and also leads to a small kitchen. Upstairs are bedrooms, bathrooms, and storage areas. The two bedrooms that were open both had spacious bathrooms attached to them. One bathroom also led to an open air porch that is right above the front doors. There is a third floor but there was no access for guests. On the grounds are the remains of a well house and windmill. A functioning garage and small storage building are also original to the home and have been updated.
Over the years, parcels from the original 40 acres have been sold off. The house was empty for a time and vandals did hit the property. The home is in private ownership now and used for various events also rented out as an Airbnb. The property has also been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as of 2018. If you see a chance to visit this beautiful home, I highly recommend it.
Nic’s Grill is known around the country, several tv shows have featured it, many magazines have done stories on it. My first visit was a few years ago, at the time it was only open during the week for lunch. Even though we got there early, my claustrophobia set in and we got the burgers to go. Now after a 30-minute drive back home I wasn’t really impressed with the burger. But I wanted to give them another chance, I just needed to work through being in such a small place.
While passing it a few months ago, I found out that they are now open on Saturday as well. So I took a long breath and went in. To say this place is tiny is an understatement, there is a long counter with 9 stools overlooking the grill, a shorter counter near the window on one side of the door and 2 small tables on the other side of the door. I felt it best to sit in the corner with one window behind me and another I could see out. The menu was pretty straightforward, burger or cheeseburger, by themselves or in a combo. You do get a selection of cheese and can get add ons like bacon or mushrooms. The only sides are curly fries.
My order was taken quickly even though they only have 2 employees, one on the grill and one doing everything else. I didn’t wait long for lunch to be delivered. The curly fries were the first thing I tried, freshly cut, fried, and lightly salted. They were really enjoyable and a reminder that simple can be good. Then the burger, it was huge. Lettuce, tomato, pickles, lots of fried onions and melty cheese all piled on top a nice sized patty with a soft bun. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was, juicy, needed to use both hands to eat it. I really wish I had tried it fresh years ago, was much better experience this time around.
I keep mentioning it was a small place, it really is. No place for large groups or small children (I did watch parents realize this when they opened the door). It’s just an old time burger stand, not seen like this in many years. Only open for the lunch crowd and still closed on Sunday. I will go back as long as I can sit near the windows again, I’ll give them 5 strips of bacon.
I say all the time, there are lots of burger places in the Oklahoma City metro but only a few have been good. Burger Punk is one I’ve heard about but hadn’t tried until last weekend.
What started as a food truck, has now evolved into a brick-and-mortar location on the east side of the Paseo District. Painted all in black, it looks like an interesting place to try. The black theme continued inside, with pink and purple lights accenting the tables and bar. We took a seat near the window and immediately had someone there to help us find their online menu and take our drink order. We both tried their March special- Mushroom Whiskey Burger. This nice sized burger had truffle mayo, lots of mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and a sauce called Whiskey-A-Go-Go. Our orders came out pretty quick, and this burger was outstanding. The meat had a nice flavor and was juicy. The mix of the truffle mayo and the whiskey sauce really worked on this burger. There was a small pool of sauce that had run off the burger and I was dipping it in the sauce because it was so good. It wasn’t strong with the whisky flavor and had more of a honey type texture. I love truffles and the mayo was perfect, had the right truffle earthiness to it. I got the lil macaroni as a side, this mac and cheese had large rigatoni smothered in a tangy cheese sauce. Add in some roasted jalapenos and top it off with some panko breadcrumbs, this really complimented the burger. Big K got the crinkle cut fries, also doused in what they call “liquid gold”.
I’m excited to try them again, the service was great. The dining room and bar area were a bit small but there’s also a patio area which will be good now that spring and summer are about here. Not going to lie, not a lot of parking. I got lucky and got a space right up front but I know it can get crazy in that area. Overall I really enjoyed my first trip, 5 strips of bacon.
With all of this talk about aliens, time for me to talk about one of my favorite places on the planet- Devils Tower. It was most famously used in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind back in 1977. I have gotten to visit twice and loved each visit.
In the corner of northeast Wyoming, north of I-90, is a really cool geological feature, Devils Tower. I first learned of it back in 1977 while watching Close Encounters of the Third. As a kid it was fascinating this was a real place, I really wondered if aliens landed here. Of course it was just a movie, aliens didn’t land there (or did they) but Devils Tower was real and I always wanted to visit. My first trip there was in 2011. We made a quick side trip to see it. I know it’s a revered site for many of the indigenous tribes around the site and I could feel a sense of calm while I was there. We have talked about how much we loved visiting the first time so finally last year we took a second trip and it was just as much fun as the first.
To get there, get off I-90 on to US 14 at either Sundance or Moorcroft and head north. You will see the tower peeking over hills at different times. When you get to Wyoming State Highway 24, keep heading north and there will be places to stop for great views of the tower. After a few more miles you reach Wyoming State Highway 110, turn west. You know you’re in the right place, the tower rises above the valley like a silent monument to nature. There is a campground as well as Devils Tower Trading Post. The trading post is fun, they have t-shirts, ornaments, stickers, and anything else you could think of related to Devils Tower.
Continuing on, you will stop at the entrance station to get into the park. Then drive past a huge prairie dog town, then into a pine forest. Finally the tower emerges from the trees near the parking lot. After a brief stop in the visitors center, head to the Tower trail. Now I’m not going to lie, this trail is easy but you better be in shape. It’s only a 1.3 mile paved trail but there are lots of ups and downs. There are a few other trails to explore if you have but this is the main trail around the tower. You can get close to it plus see the views around the tower. There are so many things to see on this hike, small animals, native flowers, plus plenty of birds.
The history behind this beautiful place is fascinating. The Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Crow, and Lakota all have tales that include the tower and bears. If you visit the National Park Service website you can read them, interesting how they are almost the same but yet different in their own ways. Even though it was mostly referred to as Bear Lodge by the natives in the area, the name Devils Tower was given to it in by some of the first white explorers around 1876. In 1892, the area was first set aside as a forest reserve by Wyoming Senator Francis Warren. He fought to get it recognized as a national park but no action was taken at the time. In 1906 the Antiquities Act was passed and Wyoming Representative Frank Mondell convinced President Theodore Roosevelt to name it as the first national monument in the United States.
I’m already to visit Devils Tower again. So beautiful and peaceful.
The Fat Okie 