Come and travel Oklahoma with me.

Anadarko Heritage Museum and The National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians

January 20, 2022

Sometimes when I go out for a drive, I have a destination. Other times I just go driving and stop whenever I see something interesting. A few months ago I got in the car and took off to the southwest. No particular place in mind, but when I came upon Anadarko I drove around and found their historic Rock Island Train Depot and the Anadarko Heritage Museum located within.

This museum has a mix of Native American artifacts along with photos and items from local residents. One room on the east end of the building holds all of the Native American items- moccasins, costumes, headdresses, and lots of items with intricate beadwork. The rest of the building has various other items such as cameras, boots, hats, clothing, tools, and lots of photos from around the area.

The most interesting part of the museum is the building it’s housed in, the Rock Island Depot. Built in 1911 as a passenger station for the CRI&P (Chicago Rock Island & Pacific) railway, it sits just off Main Street between two rail lines- one ran alongside the building to the north and the other still runs along the east side curving to the south. The station was used for passengers for many years until it closed in 1974. The museum was opened in 1979 by the Philomathic Club of Anadarko. This group has been in existence since 1899 and they founded a town museum in 1936. The depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

We also stopped at the National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians. This is really a nice place to visit if it’s a nice day. The majority of the hall of fame is outside, a nice walk with statues and busts of famous Native Americans. There are descriptions along with each statue to tell of the persons achievements. Inside is a small visitor center with some artwork by different Native artists.

These two locations are a great way to learn more about the history of Anadarko and the Native Americans who live in and around the town.

Address- National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians- 901 E. Central Blvd., Anadarko; Anadarko Heritage Museum- 311 E. Main St., Anadarko

Category:

Anadarko OK, National Register of Historic Places, Native American Museum, Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Tower Cafe

December 10, 2021

When you think food in Okarche, your thoughts automatically go to the fabled Eischens Bar and their fried chicken. Yes, they do have good food but if you come into town on Highway 81 from the south, you travel right by the Tower Cafe. They do have some of the best cinnamon rolls in the state of Oklahoma, and that’s why most people stop, they do have a full menu as well. They have burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken, a full breakfast menu, and of course, chicken fried steak.

That’s what I enjoyed on my trip there a few weeks ago. The building has been rebricked in the past few years, but inside it still has that 70’s-80’s restaurant decor. On the Saturday afternoon that I visited, the place only had a few patrons, so I had my choice of tables. A wonderful teenager took my order, chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans along with a warm roll and for dessert a famous cinnamon roll. First up was a fresh small side salad, just enough to start with but not get too stuffed for the main course. Next up was the chicken fried steak, about an 8oz size, covered with cream gravy. The mashed potatoes were also covered in the same gravy and then a serving of green beans with some bacon. The chicken fried steak was a nice size with good flavor. The meat was tender and breading wasn’t too much to overpower the meat and was fried to a golden crisp. The mashed potatoes were good but didn’t quite have the texture of homemade. I felt that maybe they had been powdered at some point. The cream gravy was also good but not outstanding. I did enjoy the green beans with bacon, had a good flavor. The roll was warm and very good, especially after the butter melted. For dessert they brought out a fresh, warm cinnamon roll. I have always enjoyed their cinnamon rolls over the years but served up fresh and warm gave me a new appreciation for them. I do wish they had more icing, but that’s just me. It was warm and buttery with a subtle hint of cinnamon.

I know the Tower Cafe has been in it’s current location for many years. I can’t find much of a history of it but can find that it has been in existence since 1968. The service was great and even though a bit dated, the interior was clean and in good shape. I will give them 3 strips of bacon. It was good but I felt could have been better. I know they concentrate on the cinnamon rolls but they could improve the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. I will stop again to try some of their other menu selections.

Category:

Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Falcone’s Pizzeria

October 29, 2021

Falcones Pizza

I first heard about Falcone’s Pizzeria many years ago when the owner decided to tell off the Edmond Planning Commission back in 2007. Danny Falcone had just opened a new location in Edmond and the city didn’t want him to put up an awning in the colors of the Italian flag, so he banned them from his restaurant. Hey anyone who didn’t like members of Edmond city government couldn’t be that bad, so we stopped at the Edmond location and visited many times until the location was closed. The only location left is on North May Avenue.

I’ve never been to New York to try New York style pizza but I think Falcone’s is about as close as I can get in Oklahoma. We usually get the 18 inch pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives. This pizza is so big, you can feed a family of four on it easily. The crust is light and thin, the cheese and toppings thick on the top. Now I’m also not going to lie, it’s got some grease on it as well but my dad would always say, “The greasier the better”. You can get smaller pizzas but why? Seriously they do have a personal pizza so you can do your own thing. We always start with mozzarella sticks that are big and chunky. Now unfortunately they have no ranch for dipping but I can get over that. If you aren’t full from the pizza, or even if you are, get some cannoli. Either plain or chocolate dipped, doesn’t matter, these are some of the best in town.

I highly recommend a visit. Service is always good along with the food. I give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address:6705 N May Ave., Oklahoma City; 216 S. Santa Fe Ave., Edmond.

Category:

Oklahoma

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Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

October 14, 2021

On a crisp Saturday morning we decided to take off and road trip out old Route 66. This is always a beautiful drive, heading out west from Yukon, past the small town of Banner, into El Reno. From there keep going out west, past the farms and valleys, listening to the rhythmic thumping of the original Portland concrete. I love going down the Bridgeport hill, with the South Canadian River valley spread out in front of you as you glide down the incline. There is a small piece of original pavement where it swept to the left to go across the Pony Bridge. Past the crumbling Hinton Junction, with a quick stop at Lucille’s Provine Service Station, through Weatherford, then into Clinton. Lots to see on the way here but I am here to talk exclusively about the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum.

Opened in Sept 1995, this is a nice stop to learn about the history of Route 66 though the state of Oklahoma. Through the black double doors, the first stop is the building of the highway. Not just pictures but the actual tools used are on display. Smudge pots and surveyors tools that show how rough the building of the highway was back in 1926. The next display is of a service station. These were vital along the route back in its heyday. So many cars would fail along the trip, the service stations were a life line for those who had car trouble. Another display shows bus lines and freight transit along the route. Then into a replica diner, just like today, you needed to have a place with good food to sit and relax. Next up is a hippie painted VW Bus, to show how the route was used by their free spirits. Then onto the decertification of Route 66 and its resurgence over the past 25 years.

This is a really cool place to visit. Takes about an hour to go through but you learn a lot about the history of Route 66 through Oklahoma. I love seeing the pictures of what the road looked like not only during the building of the highway but of the years following. The museum also has plenty of static displays inside and out of life as it was on the old route. Of course the heyday of Route 66 was from the 1930’s to the late 1950’s. As the road was bypassed by Interstates 44 and 40 in Oklahoma, many sections of the old highway were left abandoned. Oklahoma does still have over 400 miles of Route 66 still drivable and I’ll talk about that some other time.

The Oklahoma Route 66 museum is a nice stop to get out of the car, stretch your legs, and learn about the old road as it meanders through the state.

Address: 2229 W Gary Blvd., Clinton.

Reproduction of an old gas station on Route 66
Reproduction of an old Ford used to take Oklahomans to California in the 1930’s
Old VW Bus
Diner moved to the museum site

Category:

Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Casa Perico

March 26, 2021

I drive past this restaurant everyday, in an old Braums building on NW 63rd Street. Every time I think, “You know, I need to try this place.” Took me 4 years but we finally stopped a few weeks ago and now I wish I had stopped earlier, this place is outstanding.

Since it is in an old Braums, it is small inside but they do have patio for outdoor dining. Of course they have the typical Tex-Mex menu, so I went with my favorite chimichanga. They have a large selection of sides so along with my rice, I tried some Mexican corn. First thing that was served were the chips with salsa and queso. Perfect starter for my first trip, the chips were light and buttery. The queso was thick and creamy with just enough kick to give it good flavor. Next up was the main course, the ground beef chimichanga was deep fried to a golden crisp. It was a good size but not too large, I could actually finish it without asking for a to-go box. The ground beef and cheese mixed inside quite well with a bowl of sour cream sauce for pouring over or dipping. The rice and corn were equally good as well.

The service was great, food was prepared quickly and the chips and queso were replenished frequently. Since I no longer eat fast food Mexican, I will add Casa Perico to my list of favorite Mexican places along with San Marcos and Chelinos. They do have a second location near Quail Springs Mall, I just haven’t visited it yet. I happily give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 4521 NW 63rd St., Oklahoma City; 12219 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Oklahoma City; 505 E. Main St., Yukon.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler

January 29, 2021

Johnnies

Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler, a straight up burger place that has been in business for almost 50 years. It is my favorite backup for when no one can decide what to eat for dinner. I’ve been going to Johnnie’s for well over 25 years now, been to many of the different locations. What I like most is the consistency in the food, you know that bacon cheeseburger will be the same when and where ever you are in the metro.

My go to location is on NW Expressway, of course. Originally built in the early 1980’s as a Mexican restaurant, Johnnie’s moved into that location in 1992. It was closed in 2018 for a complete rebuild. It was a tough few months for me to not have it so close, but they reopened last year with a brand new place but with the same great food.

My favorite burger is the bacon cheeseburger. You can tell the difference when hamburger is cooked over a flame, just gives off a taste that you can’t get from a skillet. So the flame brings out the flavors of the meat, so you have a juicy and smoky taste that excites your taste buds. They cook the bacon to perfection, not too crisp or limp. The burger is then set off with shredded cheddar cheese, that you can also have melted onto the burger if you choose. A touch of real mayo and the burger is one of the best in town. We always order a plate of large onion rings and a large plate of cheese fries for everyone at the table to share. The onion rings are hand breaded with a light batter that is crispy. Just a touch of salt and these are the best in town. The cheese fries are just regular fresh cut French fries smothered in melted American cheese. They are just wonderful with all of that cheesy goodness.

They do serve more than burgers, there are frankfurters, salads, sandwiches, and platters with chicken fried steak or chicken fried chicken. But to be honest the burgers are so good, I never try the other items. There are also homemade pies as well, I’m always too stuffed to try them. The service is always good and the food served quick. I will give them 5 strips of bacon.

Locations: 6629 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City; 2652 W. Britton Rd., Oklahoma City; 33 E 33rd St., Edmond; 2305 S Telephone Rd., Moore; 1700 Shedeck Parkway, Yukon; 721 W. I-240 Service Rd., Oklahoma City.

Category:

Edmond Oklahoma, Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Taj Cuisine of India

January 22, 2021

It’s always a good idea to step out of your box and try something new, so while driving around looking for something different to eat my husband suggested Taj Cuisine of India. I’ve only tried Indian food once before and liked it, so I was up for trying it again.

We stopped on Saturday night around 5p and the place was empty, but there was plenty to choose from on the buffet. I tried almost everything but only remember my favorites. The two most surprisingly good items they had were the vegetable spring rolls and spinach pakoda. The spring rolls were small but packed lots of flavor in them. Normally vegetable spring rolls just taste bland but these had a flavor that was unique to them. I can’t explain it but they were really good. The spinach pakoda was also a surprise in just how much I liked it. The leaves of spinach are covered in a chickpea flour and fried. It was like eating large spinach chips, crispy but good for you. They also serve onion pakoda, it was more of a flour ball with onion in it. Also good but didn’t excite me like the spinach pakoda. Their lemon rice was really good as well, basmati rice lots of different spices with just a touch of lemon. The chicken biriyani was another favorite, chicken cooked with basmati rice and different herbs. I also tried the chicken tikka masala, chicken in a tomato based sauce. I really tried to sample a bit of everything but I will not eat chicken still on the bone, so there were several chicken dishes I didn’t attempt. I also can’t remember the names of everything I did try, I did my best to remember what I liked best.

The service was great but since they were serving buffet, the employees had to handle all of the food. It is an odd experience to tell someone what you want and have them get it for you. I’m ready for buffets to be able to present food like normal. The only drinks were bottled water, so no soft drinks or anything. Now they were good about making sure you had plenty to drink but it was still odd. The downside was everything was served on styrofoam plates with plastic forks. I wasn’t a big fan of that either.

So overall I will give them 4 strips of bacon for the food. I’ll go back and when I can get my own food, I might up that rating.

Location: 1500 NW 23rd St., Oklahoma City.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Nashbird

January 15, 2021

So if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that there are a lot of burger places in Oklahoma. Recently there have also been a lot of chicken places popping up as well. I just was introduced to one of my favorites just a few months ago. As mentioned in the past, my husband works in Edmond and likes to try new places for lunch. He discovered the Edmond location, tried it, and loved it. So now it was acceptable to take me to try it as well.

Located just off Broadway on E 5th Street on the bottom floor of a modern building is seriously one of he best restaurants for a chicken sandwich. The interior is light as you walk up to the desk to order. There is plenty to choose from on the menu, you can go with a chicken sandwich or chicken baskets with either tenders or still on the bone. There are also four heat levels or if you don’t want anything too spicy, two breading flavors. I went with a Nashvillain- a chicken sandwich on a brioche bun topped with bacon, onion rings, ranch, and mac and cheese. Since I wasn’t in the mood for heat I tried the buttermilk ranch breading and I wasn’t disappointed. The chicken breast is coated with the buttermilk ranch mix and fried to perfection. Now if you’re not sure about mac and cheese on a chicken sandwich, set your concerns aside this is a great topping to this sandwich. The mac and cheese pairs nicely with the chicken and when the bacon and onion rings are added, just brings all the flavors together in each bite. This is one of the best chicken sandwiches I’ve had in years (since the chain PDQ left the metro). I had fries for my first visit which were good but went with the mac and cheese the second visit. This is the same mac and cheese on the sandwich and it is equally delightful by itself as it is on the sandwich. Creamy, lots of cheese for the pasta to soak. My husband had the same sandwich but with some heat to it, he went with the kickin temp. I tried a bite and it has a good spice to it, not too hot but enough to keep your taste buds alive.

To start with we had both the starters- fried pickles and fried mac and cheese. As good as the sandwich was the starters are better. The dill pickles are cut lengthwise and fried up crisp for a nice appetizer. The mac and cheese is almost the same as the side with the addition of bacon bits into the mix, then fried. Both are served with ranch and exceptionally good, the highlight of the trip (and remember I really liked the sandwich as well). Nashbird does sell frozen drinks, haven’t tried them yet but it’s on my short list. They also have wraps, salads, chicken tacos, and baskets with just chicken. Overall I recommend Nashbird, the food is great as is the service, they totally deserve 5 strips of bacon. They do have 2 other locations in the metro area- Norman and downtown Oklahoma City.

Locations: 1 NW 9th St., Oklahoma City.

Category:

Edmond Oklahoma, Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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2021 Goals

January 11, 2021

So if you’ve been reading me for a while, I try to support local restaurants whenever I’m out. I really prefer them to the big national chains. If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that the small local businesses are what makes our economy thrive. I’m not going to get into the politics and debate over what has occurred over the past few months, what I am going to do is focus more on these small restaurants who need our help. I’m going to spend 2021 going to as many locally owned restaurants as possible and get the word out about all- the good and the bad. If you have any suggestions, just comment on my Facebook page and I’ll check them out. Also go back through my previous posts, you’ll find some great suggestions and I do update each restaurants status. So get your taste buds ready as I go out and test the waters to see if a restaurant is worth your time and money. Let’s eat our way through 2021 and help keep our small businesses afloat.

Category:

Oklahoma, Oklahoma food, Oklahoma history

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Food Friday: Abel’s Mexican Restaurant

February 28, 2020

 

So on many Friday and Saturday nights the parking lot of Abel’s at NW 50th and MacArthur is packed.  Usually that’s a sign that the food is good, so one Saturday afternoon we decided to try it.  I have to admit, I walked away unimpressed.  So on a weeknight, I stopped again to see if my opinion would be different.  I was wrong.

They serve just standard fare Tex-Mex, tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas, and burritos.  Nothing really fancy or creative.  I was seated quickly on both visits and brought the typical chips, salsa and queso.  The chips were nothing really special and the queso was way too runny for my liking.  Both times I ordered beef chimichangas with sour cream sauce with beans and rice on the side.  The beans and rice are ok.  The chimichanga just lacks flavor, the hamburger meat just has no spice at all.  The worst though is the sour cream sauce, very runny with no tang.

The service is good, just the food is lacking.  So I’m going to give them 2 strips of bacon.  I’ll go back but try something different.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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