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Food Friday: Baba G’s

baba g's

It’s not often that I get my ideas for dinner from a movie but that is just how I discovered shawarma.  So if you’ve seen the first Avengers movie you know there is a scene near the end when Tony Stark wakes up from being beaten up by the Chitauri, he suggests to his fellow Avengers that he wants shawarma for dinner.  Then the post credit scene has the Avengers sitting at a table eating shawarma.  This scene is totally hilarious and got me to wondering, what in the hell is shawarma?  After some research, I decided I wouldn’t mind trying it and found a place on Memorial Road that serves it up.

On the Northeast corner of Memorial and Meridian (across the turnpike, north of the Mercy Hilton, I mean Mercy Hospital) is a rather large strip mall with all types of businesses.  Baba G. Mediterranean Grill is on the very end of the mall, closest to Memorial Road.  They have a good selection of other food such as gyros and salads but I was there for shawarma.  You can get it in a pita, plate or bowl.  I always get mine in a fresh-baked pita which they fill with your selection of steak or chicken.  Then you get to put in some veggies, I highly recommend the Arabic pickles.  I’m a pickle lover and these are so different, not sweet or kosher, almost a dill taste but not quite.  Then add some tzatziki sauce and it’s ready to eat.  I always get a combo that you can get with seasoned fries or you can go for their homemade hummus.  Now if you’re like me, I was skeptical of hummus.  Tried some at a work party many years ago and hated it, swore I would never put it in my mouth again.  My husband changed my mind on a visit, he got the hummus and it was great.  Had a fresh taste that I just can’t find with the store-bought stuff.

The staff is always great and the place is clean.  They have opened a location in Edmond recently, I haven’t tried it yet.  So if you want to pretend you’re an avenger, stop by and get some shawarma.  I give it 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 4401 W. Memorial Road, Oklahoma City; 1165 E. 2nd St. Edmond.

 

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Food Friday: Hideaway Pizza

hidaway pizza

I have found myself getting picky about my pizza recently.  Back when I was pregnant with my daughter, I was perfectly happy with Ci-Ci’s pizza.  I could damn near eat a whole pizza all by myself and I enjoyed it.  I also liked Pizza Hut and Mazzio’s but now 15 years later I have become a pizza snob.  I shed no tears when Ci-Ci’s on NW Highway closed, I can’t stand the taste of Pizza Hut, have no desire to stop at Mazzio’s, and refuse to go back in Pizza Inn.  So in NW Oklahoma City, that doesn’t leave many options.  Initially, I didn’t want to try Hideaway because it was founded in Stillwater and for a die-hard Sooner (I was also born in Norman, so there’s that as well), it was hard for me to want to stop but my persistent husband finally talked me into it.

I know their pizzas are legendary, but I wanted to try the fried mushrooms to start.  The server brought a bowl with a big pile of steaming fried mushrooms along with ranch and marinara for dipping.  Honestly, these are the best fried mushrooms on the planet.  I was immediately in love with them and have to get them every time we visit.  The crunchy batter is fried to perfection while not over-cooking the mushroom inside.  The homemade ranch that is served with them is a perfect addition to help cool the temperature for eating, plus you can also save it to dip the crust in after you’ve eaten the rest of the slice.

Now for the pizza, our first visit we got the pepperoni palooza.  Three types of pepperoni piled on top of the hand-tossed crust (there is also a thin crust but I haven’t tried it yet).  It was wonderful, there was the proper amount of grease from the pepperoni but not too soggy.  The crust is almost biscuit like, very flavorful but not overpowering.  We got a large and had enough to take home for later.  So needless to say we’ve been back many times now, always trying a different pizza.  We’ve now tried The Boz, Cimarron, the Capone, and the Sicilian.  Every pizza has been great.  There are about 20 different pizza’s to select from plus sandwiches and pasta.  They also have some deserts that look really good but I’m always too stuffed to try them.

The service is always good and we are seated quickly.  Never a problem with cleanliness either.  The price is about the same as the chain pizza places but the quality is much better.  I know the original location is Stillwater has been around since 1957 but they have been spreading out over the state the past few years.  The best part of Hideaway is that there are many locations to try even though I’ve only been to the NW Highway location.  I give it 5 strips of bacon plus a couple of fried mushrooms just for fun.

Addresses: The original in Stillwater at 230 S. Knoblock; Downtown Oklahoma City- 901 N Broadway Ave.; Northwest Expressway Oklahoma City- 5501 NW Expressway; West Memorial Oklahoma City- 5950 W. Memorial Rd.; Western Avenue Oklahoma City- 5022 N Western Ave.; Edmond- 116 E 5th St.; Moore- 835 SW 19th St.; Norman Campus Corner- 577 Buchanan Ave.; Norman University Town Center- 1353 24th Ave. NW; Yukon- 1701 Shedeck Pkwy.; Enid- 2201 W Owen K. Garriott Rd.; Bartlesville- 100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd.; Tulsa Cherry St- 1419 E. 15th St.; Tulsa 51st & Memorial- 7877 E. 51st. St.; Tulsa 61st & Yale- 5966 S. Yale Ave.; Tulsa Hills- 7549 S. Olympia Ave.; Broken Arrow- 1150 N. 9th St.; Owasso- 12903 E. 96th St.; Bixby- 10461 S. Memorial Dr.; North Little Rock, AR- 5103 Warden Rd.; Benton, AR- 20260 I-30; Conway, AR- 1170 S. Amity Rd.; Fort Smith, AR- 8302 Phoenix Ave.

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Food Friday: Sid’s Diner

sid's diner

I’ve gone through El Reno many times and have always seen Sid’s Diner sitting on a corner of Route 66 but never stopped.  Finally, this past summer, the crowds looked manageable so on a hot afternoon we stopped for lunch.  This is place is a straight up diner, so it is very small but we got a good seat at a small table in the back.  They do have other items to order but since they are known for their onion burgers, that’s what at least 2 of us got (my daughter doesn’t like fried onions, no she’s not human).  The burgers were good, lots of fried onion mixed with the meat.  A downside was that I couldn’t find the condiments so it was a bit dry but not a deal breaker.  The sides are just standard fare- fries and onion rings, nothing really special.  The service was good but like I stated, it is small, so if you are claustrophobic like me, this isn’t the best place to be on a busy Saturday afternoon.  One of the main reasons it gets so busy is because it does sit on a corner of Route 66 though El Reno.  This diner has been on many different national tv shows which has boosted it’s popularity.  It opened in the late 1980’s and was previously the location of the historic El Reno Hotel, which now sits on the grounds of the Canadian County Historical Museum.  I will give it 3 strips of bacon, because I thought with all of the hype, it could have been much better.

Address: 300 S. Choctaw Ave., El Reno, OK

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Food Friday: San Marcos

San Marcos bird

It’s no secret that there are  a lot of Tex-Mex restaurants in the OKC metro but one of my favorites is San Marcos.  I was first introduced to their food in 2002, one of my husbands’ co-workers took him there for lunch.  A few days later, my husband thought I would enjoy their food as well.  At this point I was pregnant and would eat anything spicy (which is interesting since the child now hates everything spicy).  I really like their chips- the queso isn’t bad and even though I haven’t had it in a while, I remember their salsa being good as well.

Now if you’ve been reading me for a while, you know that once I find one thing to eat at a restaurant, I stick with it.  I have been eating their chimichangas with sour cream sauce for ever but one night I got wild and tried their Pizzadilla De Lujo.  Wow, was this good and different.  Between 2 huge flour tortillas there was cheese, fajita beef, onions, peppers, and bacon.  I really love this but you need to have a big appetite to eat it.  Yes it does come with rice and beans.  It was truly a different way to mix up pizza with Tex-Mex cooking.  Their chimichangas are also good, but I have had better at Zarate’s in Edmond.  I love their rice but really don’t care much for their beans, a bit too runny for me.  At the end of the meal you do get a sopapilla, so try to leave some room.

The first location I visited was on the southside of OKC but they have expanded to NW OKC and I frequently visit the North Rockwell location.  A few years ago they took over an old closed up Burger King and turned it into a colorful representation of a Spanish villa.  I have always had good service at the locations I’ve visited and the food has always been good.  I’m giving them 5 strips of bacon just for that pizzadilla.

Address: 2301 SW 59th St; 12201 N Rockwell Ave.; 1732 S Meridian Ave., all in Oklahoma City.

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Food Friday: Café 7

Cafe 7

If you are up around Quail Springs Mall and want a quick meal then stop by one of my favorites, Café 7.  This is one of my favorite places to stop for lunch and the food is better than what you can find in the mall.  Located in a strip mall to the west of Quail Springs Mall, this small restaurant does get full quick during the lunch rush.  Once you get in, grab one of the menu slips, you chose between pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and salads, put your name on it and select what you want from the menu slip (I really don’t have a better name for the slip of paper you fill out).  Place your order, then grab a seat.

I have my favorite- baked macaroni and cheese.  Listed on the pasta slip, it is mac and cheese with tomatoes and bacon mixed in, then baked with breadcrumbs on top.  Always served with garlic bread, this is easily the best thing on the menu.  Yes I have tried other pasta’s, a pizza and a couple of their sandwiches and it’s all been good but I always come back to the mac and cheese.  Of course that’s all that Mae will eat even if she doesn’t want the bacon (kid isn’t right in the head, hates bacon).

Only down side is that it is small and does fill up quickly.  The lunch crowd gets there around 11:30a but is gone by 1p.  The staff has always been friendly and everything has been clean.  This review is only for the Northwest OKC location, there is another downtown.  I do see on their website that the downtown location does have breakfast as well, so I might have to fight the traffic and try it sometime.  I’m giving it 5 strips of bacon, but try to avoid the crowds.

Address: Northwest OKC- 14101 N. May Ave.; Downtown OKC- 100 w. Main, Suite 105.

 

 

 

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Food Friday: Gloria’s Kitchen

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Update Jan 2023:  They have reopened in Hydro, new address 104 E Main Street.

Update Sept 1st, 2021:  Closed.

I love getting on the roads and small highways in Oklahoma.  I love driving to small towns.  I stop for a while, walk around, talk to people, learn about the town.  A few weeks ago I took off, with no destination in mind, driving towards the southwest on two lane highways and I eventually ended in Hinton.  I can talk more about the history of Hinton later but while I was there I tried a little restaurant on U.S. Highway 281.  Wow- I was completely blown away by how good it was.

Gloria’s Kitchen sits on the north side of Hinton on U.S. Highway 281.  A big barn like building, there is the restaurant on the front and an antique store on the back.  I had originally just stopped at the store but you can easily go from the store to the restaurant through a doorway.  Between the fact I could smell the food and saw a sign advertising bread pudding, decided it was time for lunch.  I walked in towards the menu- burgers, steaks, even salads, but I wasn’t real hungry.  At this point a nice gentleman came in next to me and told me to try a bacon cheeseburger.  I replied that I wasn’t that hungry and I needed to save room for the bread pudding so I was going to get something small.  He walked away before I ordered a patty melt.  It wasn’t very busy so it didn’t take long for my meal to arrive.  Remember I wasn’t very hungry, so imagine my shock when they place a huge patty melt with a mountain of fries next to it in front of me.  I decided that maybe I was hungry after all and got to work.  The patty melt was really good- served on texas toast, it was extra buttery, extra cheesy, just the right amount of onion to go with a hamburger patty seasoned to perfection.  The pile of hand cut fries that came with it were just as good.  About halfway through, the man I had talked to came back into the restaurant looked at me and said, “I thought you weren’t that hungry?”  I had to reply that I didn’t expect there to be so much food.  I was stuffed after eating this big meal but still made room for the bread pudding.  The slice was good as well, the only downside was I felt it needed more sauce.

Overall it was a great visit to Gloria’s Kitchen.  The staff was very nice and everyone I came in contact with was friendly.  The food was great but I’m warning you, be prepared to eat or get a to go box.  It is worth the time to get off I-40 and head about 3 miles south on U.S. Highway 281.  I’m going to give it five strips of bacon.

Address: 104 E Main St., Hydro.

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Food Friday: The Garage

the-garageAs you’ve probably noticed by now, there are a lot of burger places in Oklahoma City.  And if you’ve been reading my work, you know that I’ve been to about half of them.  So today I’m going to tell you about The Garage, a local burger chain that popped up a few years ago.

The Garage is an automotive themed restaurant with a dozen locations not only around Oklahoma City but now in two other states as well.  I personally love the theme- with a grandfather who owned a service station, I love old automotive signs and the neon that sometimes surrounds them.  What I don’t like about The Garage are the tall tables that seem to be popular recently.  I’m short and feel like I need a step-ladder just to get into my seat.

As for the food- it’s ok.  They do have a varied menu with different types of burgers.  But the menu isn’t much different from some of the other burger places around town.  On my last visit I tried the Mushroom Swiss.  Not bad, meat was fresh and the taste was good but I just found myself expecting more.  The fries are just ok as well, not great.  My daughter loves the fact that the kid’s meal comes with a bomb pop but then she is easily entertained.

So after a great build up with the décor, I’m just disappointed that the food doesn’t live up to my expectations.  And with that I’m giving The Garage 4 strips of bacon, only because I really do like the service station theme.

UPDATE:  I decided to give them another try.  I’ve heard so many good reviews that after 8 years, we checked them out.  I will admit they’ve gotten much better.  We started with thunder fries.  I loved them, seasoned fries with blue cheese, and bacon crumbles topped with a sriacha aioli.  The flavors blended so nicely, they were addictive.  Our burgers came out quickly afterwards, for this trip we both tried the Sweet Oklahoma burger- with cream cheese, bacon, grilled jalapenos along with a jalapeno relish.  This was the best burger I’ve had this year.  The meat was perfectly cooked and those toppings came together for a sweet burger with very little heat from the jalapenos.  I was really impressed with this burger.  I also got a side of onion rings, enjoyed them as well.

I will be upgrading The Garage from a 4 strip to a full 5 strips of bacon.  The service was great and everyone there incredibly friendly.  I’m happy I tried them again.  So give them a visit again if you haven’t in a while.

 

Address: Oklahoma City- 1024 W. I-240 Service Rd.; 209 Outlet Shoppes Dr.; 1117 N. Robinson; 6900 NW 122nd St. 101; 2900 W Britton Rd.; Del City- 5301 Main St.; Edmond- 601 S. Bryant; Edmond- 1316 W Covell Rd.; Moore- 2060 S. I-35 Service Rd.; Norman- 307 E. Main St.; Shawnee- 190 Shawnee Mall Dr.; Stillwater- 520 W. Elm Ave.; Broken Arrow- 801 E Hillside Dr.; Owasso- 13303 E 96th St. N.; Tulsa Sheridan- 7104 S Sheridan Rd.; Fayetteville, AR- 100 E. Joyce Blvd.; Rogers, AR- 4200 S. 48th St.; Omaha, NE- 7610 Dodge St.; Kansas City, MO- 8811 State Line.

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Vacation Time With New Food

100_9132We just got back from our annual family vacation and the rule while we are traveling is that we can’t eat anywhere that we have back in Oklahoma.  So we get to try many different places and get to try chain restaurants that aren’t in Oklahoma City yet.  After a week away from the great state of Oklahoma, I’m back with my requests for new restaurants to move here.  Now we have done pretty good recently- we did get Zaxby’s and Dairy Queen has come back to the Oklahoma City market.  But there are still plenty of others that need to enter the metro to take my money.

The biggest of them all is In-N-Out.  I am more than willing to sacrifice the governor and other crooked lawmakers just to bring one to Oklahoma City.  Their restaurants are clean and nice, as are their employees but it’s the burgers that make you drive 4 hours across state lines just to get.  If you haven’t been to an In-N-Out, then you need to know it is just a burger place.  Simple as that- you can get a hamburger, cheeseburger, or double cheeseburger.  There is a “secret” menu, that’s where you’ll find the double-double animal style (my favorite).  It comes with fried onions, pickles, and more sauce.  The only drawback is that they don’t have bacon, but it’s really not that big of a deal.  The only side available is fries.  So yeah, this place is simple and they only do one thing, but damn they do it right.  Right now you have to risk your life and go to Texas but I’m hoping that some day they will realize that half their Texas business comes from Oklahoma and move to the Sooner state.

Another chain that needs to come to Oklahoma City is Fuddruckers.  I know back in the 1980’s we had a few in town but I guess there were problems in the upper management, and they went away.  There is one in Tulsa and several in the Dallas area but it’s time we get one here.  I can even pick out a few good places out here on the Highway to Hell (NW Expressway if you haven’t been keeping up with me).  Fuddruckers is more of a fast casual, better than Chili’s or Applebee’s.  Their burgers are killer good as well with so many different options that you can get it just about any way you want.  They also have hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and salads but I only go for the burgers.  Big thick burgers with whatever you want topping them, then a trip to the burger bar to add your own condiments.

Now we also ate a few others that were ok, but I can live without.  One place that I found, that is not a chain is in Las Vegas, New Mexico.  Yes, you read that right- not Nevada, New Mexico.  Located northeast of Santa Fe, it’s on I-25.  This is where we found Charlie’s Spic & Span Café.  Not just a restaurant but bakery, this was singlehandedly the best place we found this year.  All day breakfast, Mexican, and American food on the menu, which was all really good.  The enchiladas were the best I’ve ever had in a restaurant (my husband makes some that would make you understand why I’m married to him).  My husband had a burger on jalapeño bread with fresh jalapeño’s in the melted cheese.  But as good as the food was, the bakery had the really good stuff.  I mean cinnamon rolls the size of my husband’s hand.  These were better than the ones at the fair.  And they lasted all the way home.  The apple fritters were easily the size of 2 softballs and the doughnuts were covered in dark chocolate.  It is my recommendation that if you are heading out west on I-40, get off on US Highway 84, head about 30 north to Las Vegas, New Mexico, and find this wonderful place.  I know from now on, we’ll be stopping every time through.  (If you are a history nerd like me, the town is so cool and has so much to look at, really worth a stop).

So maybe we’ll get lucky and get some new places to eat in the future.  In the mean time, I’ll just keep trying other new places around town.

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Food Friday: Nhinja Sushi & Wok

NhinjaHere is another restaurant my husband introduced me to- Nhinja.  He actually learned about it from the owner, Kang Nhin.  He always likes trying new places, so one night he took Mae with him for dinner.  If she liked it then he knew I would like it.  About a month later we went and even though I really like my Chinese food from a buffet, it wasn’t bad.

They do have a pretty big selection on their menu but I’ve recently been on a sushi trip and they have some of the best in town.  First of all, they list the ingredients on the menu.  I’m real picky about what I have in my sushi- no caviar or fish eggs of any sort, no salmon, light on the veggies.  So it’s easy to order your sushi and it’s made right then, hasn’t been sitting around.  The rolls are huge, so one roll is more than enough for one person.  My two favorites are the Thunder and Geisha, but the others I have had are good as well.  My husband has tried almost everything on the menu but his favorite is the Cashew Chicken.  Once again, huge portions with lots of veggies and rice.  Mae is more predictable, she sticks with her Honey Chicken and then won’t eat the rice.  We do almost always start with the Cream Cheese Puffs.  Crab meat, cream cheese, and scallions wrapped up and deep-fried.

The service is always good, no matter if you are eating there or getting it for take out.  The atmosphere is fun, lots of colors, and bottles of Japanese sodas on the wall.  I give it five strips of bacon.  There are five locations around Oklahoma City, so it should be easy to find one.

Address: Rockwell- 12021 North Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City;  May- 13905 North May Ave., Oklahoma City;  Broadway- 5 West 15th St., Edmond;  Mustang Rd.-  335 South Mustang Rd.

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