Come and travel Oklahoma with me.

Posts tagged ‘food’

Food Friday: Hummus Mediterranean Cafe

I am a fan of Mediterranean food. I know it’s odd but I just love how the flavors come together. I finally had a chance to try Hummus Mediterranean Cafe a few weeks ago with family and we loved it.

We started with the plain hummus with warm pita. This was amazing. It’s hard to find good hummus unless it’s made fresh, and they make theirs every day. The warm pita worked so well with that fresh hummus, I could have eaten so much more if given the chance. While Miss Mae ordered the Akawi pie, me and Big K ordered the combo platter with Kofta and Shish Tawook. We also all got the mint lemonade as something different to drink. Because of a bigger order for a table before us, it took a bit longer than normal but the food was worth the wait. Let’s start with the Akawi pie, this is like a Mediterranean version of a pizza. Akawi is a brine cheese named after the Palestinian town Akki (now part of Israel). I had a bite, it was good. The cheese has a Feta type consistency and flavor. Overall, Mae loved it. The combo platters we ordered were good as well. They came with vermicelli rice, grilled vegetables, and baba ghannouj with pita. Kofta is a type of meatball with spices. Shish Tawook is marinated chicken, grilled to a perfection. Everything on this platter was amazing. The rice was perfect, the Kofta was good as was the Shish Tawook. Big K loved his platter as well. As for the mint lemonade, this was different, but it works. You have the fresh lemonade with the freshness of mint. It was just a flavor explosion that I had never experienced before but would definitely drink again.

We had a great night, just sitting as a family and enjoying a good meal. They are a bit hard to find if you don’t know what you are looking for, tucked into the corner of a strip mall. They also have a second location in Moore. I am ready to visit again to try more options on their menu. I am giving them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 3000 W. Memorial Rd., Oklahoma City; 811 SW 19th St., Moore.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Flatire Burger

While out taking pictures of historic places in Edmond, it was time for lunch and we realized that there was a good burger joint that we hadn’t been to in a while. Flatire Burger has been in Edmond for over 20 years, just west of the University of Central Oklahoma campus. We had gone there early on but hadn’t been back since. That was a mistake.

On a nice Saturday afternoon, after walking around the UCO campus, we went to Flatire. The weather was so nice that we sat out on the patio in January. We started lunch with the Green Chile Spokes. These are Anaheim chiles that have been roasted, then breaded and fried. The served them with a ranch type dipping sauce called Rooster sauce. We loved them. They were so good, crispy with a touch of heat to them. I could have eaten a whole bucket of them on my own. Now onto the burgers, I ordered a Juicy Lucy while Big K decided to tackle the Hell’s Kitchen burger. It didn’t take too long for us to get these incredible burgers. The Juicy Lucy is a half-pound burger stuffed with cheddar cheese, topped with more cheddar, bacon, grilled onions, and a fried egg. This was seriously on of the best burgers I’ve eaten. We all know the best burgers are messy and this one was so juicy that it was falling apart. Every bite just had so much flavor. As a side I got tator tots, which were fried perfectly. And the Hell’s Kitchen burger that Big K had, his exact words were “it is fucking amazing”. This burger brings the heat, grilled sweet onions, grilled jalapenos, ghost pepper cream cheese, bacon, salsa, chipotle mayo, and crushed tortilla chips. He ate it without breaking a sweat. He got the fries and loved them as well.

I totally need to remember that Flatire Burger is an option in when in Edmond. The service was outstanding and the patio was a great place to sit. I will give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 318 E. Ayers St., Edmond.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Asian Buffet

All of Oklahoma City gets excited when a new buffet opens and a few months ago all the talk was about the new Asian Buffet on NW Expressway. On their opening weekend there were lines out the doors with wait times as long as two hours. I personally saw the lines when I tried to check it out. I waited a couple months and tried again, this time with no wait.

I was met with a pleasant woman who was very nice, you pay first, then are escorted to your seat. Everything was well stocked on the buffet and I had to try a bit of everything. I immediately fell in love with their bacon wrapped shrimp, of course. The cheesy seafood casserole was another favorite that also got a second helping. I also loved their pineapple chicken and their version of sausage with onion. They had some decent sushi, I tried most of their cooked varieties. Their General Tso chicken as well as the sweet and sour chicken were ok but I’ve had better at other Chinese buffets. Same with the crab rangoon and egg rolls, good but I’ve had better. They did have crab legs and to be honest, I love crab but hate the work to get the meat out.

The service was incredible, our drinks were kept filled and dirty plates vanished without us realizing it. The restaurant was clean and the buffet was full every time I went for refills. The decor is wonderful, love all of the dolphins decorating the buffet. Overall, is it the best Chinese buffet in town, no but it ranks in the top 5. It is a bit pricey but everything seems to be going that way. I recommend a visit so you can try it for yourself, I’m giving them 5 strips of bacon wrapped around that shrimp.

Address: 5702 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Tikka Craze

Craving some Pakistani/Indian food? Well I found a small place on North Portland Ave that serves some really good food and it’s not a buffet.

We have been meaning to try Tikka Craze for quite a while, honestly keep forgetting. So one Saturday night, while out taking pictures of historic places, we both remembered and stopped in to try it out. Once again, another case of we should have stopped in earlier. Located in a big shopping center, there is a small dining room and you order at the counter. The girl who took our order was super nice and understanding. The have a big selection on their menu so we decided to try the combo meal with 2 entrees. I got sweet butter chicken and spinach with potato while Big K got grilled chicken tikka also with spinach and potato. The combos come with biryani and rice as well as a warm pita. It didn’t take long for us to get our food. My butter chicken was great, had a lovely sweet taste that I had not experienced before. The spinach with potato was great as well, had a buttery base that enhanced the flavor. The biryani and rice did have a bit of heat to it but nothing overwhelming. The highlight was the pita. So fresh and light, just the right amount of butter melted on top. It truly made the whole dinner. Big K loved everything in his combo. He agreed about the pita. The servings are huge and we both took home leftovers.

Tikka Craze is a really good place for Pakistani/Indian food. It helps if you know what you are getting, if you aren’t familiar with the food for this region I do suggest a buffet to try first. I’m giving them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 4104 N. Portland Ave., Oklahoma City; 301 S. Bryant Ave., Edmond.

Category:

Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Pattie’s Hamburgers & Roast Beef

Found another new burger place that lives up to the hype, Pattie’s Hamburgers & Roast Beef in Edmond. I know I’ve complained in the past about the number of burger places in the Oklahoma City metro but I’m always happy to have a good place enter the discussion.

We stopped in on a Friday night, there were quite a few people enjoying dinner already. We got a table and looked over the menu. Got our order taken pretty quickly- I went with the bacon cheeseburger, of course, with a side of onion rings while Big K got the spicy big sexy with fries. It didn’t take too long for the orders to come out and everything looked great. The bacon cheeseburger was covered in melted cheddar, caramelized onions, and some of the best bacon I’ve had in a while. Seriously, that bacon had a smoky sweetness that I don’t usually find in a restaurant. I also really liked the onion rings, they were similar to Sonic onion rings but better. The spicy big sexy that Big K got was interesting- two patties with bacon, cheddar cheese, grilled onions, grilled jalapenos, fried pickles, spicy mayo, fresh lettuce and tomato. The fries were double fried, the type that are crispy on the outside but soft in the middle. He loved every bite and agreed that the bacon was amazing.

I had been hearing a lot of positive about Pattie’s in different groups, everyone was right, they have good burgers. I’m excited to go back and try some of their other menu items. I’m giving them 5 strips of that really good bacon.

Address: 1149 E. 2nd Street, Edmond. (In the shopping center to the east of UCO, just west of the Walmart Market)

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Social Capital

I’ve heard about Social Capital for a few years, they had huge watch parties for the Thunder games over the summer. On a trip downtown I decided to stop in and see what they were about.

It was about lunch time on a Saturday afternoon, so it wasn’t real busy. First thing I realized right off the bat, this isn’t really a restaurant. It’s more of a gathering place with a bar and food. All the tables are for multiple groups and even seating areas for more of a gathering than dining. We ordered off their limited menu, a shrimp taco, pork belly taco, and nachos to share. The food was delivered quickly. We both loved our tacos, lots of flavor and great taste. The nachos were the true star of the show. The chips were made from flour tortillas and the white queso was amazing.

Like I said, it’s really not a restaurant but a great place to gather with friends and family. I love the fact that it is built in an old service station that dates from the 1960’s. Before that the area was residential and a house was on that site as late as the 1950’s. As the area turned industrial, more homes were replaced by businesses. Now almost all the homes are gone as are many of the businesses. Across the street there is the beautiful Scissortail Park. I will give them 5 strips of bacon, they do have good food and a huge beer menu.

Category:

Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Jobe’s Country Boy Drive-In

El Reno is known for onion burgers, there are several restaurants in town that specialize in them as well as an Onion Burger Festival every May. Jobe’s had been a mainstay on Route 66 for years but had closed for a while. Now it’s reopened, serving up those famous burgers.

We stopped in on a Saturday for lunch. At first it was quiet and we were the only diners in the building but as time went on, the place filled up. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger on sourdough with a side of chili cheese tots while Big K got a Western Char Burger and chili cheese fries. The orders came out pretty quickly and the food was amazing. My bacon cheeseburger had a beef patty, fried to perfection with onions. Several strips of thick bacon, jack cheese, lettuce, and tomato along with a thousand island dressing all piled high on the toasted sourdough. It was just how a onion burger with bacon should be done. The tots were great as well, the chili had a great flavor with lots of meat. Big K loved his Western Char Burger, also a onion fried beef patty with bacon, American cheese, onion rings, and homemade hickory char sauce. Said it was one of the best burgers he had eaten in a while and to be honest, he eats a lot of burgers. He also loved his chili cheese fries as well.

Jobe’s Country Boy Drive-In originally opened in 1958 by JR Jobe. It served travelers on Route 66 until 2015, when it closed. The building was several different businesses before reopening as a restaurant again in 2024. Now ready to serve adventurers rediscovering Route 66 for its 100th birthday, Jobe’s is a great small-town diner with good onion burgers. I give the 5 strips of thick bacon.

Address: 1220 Sunset Dr., El Reno.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food, Route 66

Tagged with:

Food Friday: SAT Asian Seafood

About a month ago a new seafood restaurant opened on NW Expressway. SAT Asian Seafood is originally out of the San Antonio area but have expanded to Oklahoma. I gave it a few weeks before we tried it out.

Located in the old Red Lobster, we stopped in on a quiet Friday night. I love all of the decorations, the light up lobster as you enter is just fun. We were seated quickly and had a server immediately. My one downside is this restaurant does specialize in seafood boils. I’m just not a fan, so that limited the menu for me pretty quickly. We ordered crab rangoon and mozzarella sticks to start while we looked over the menu. The appetizers came out pretty quickly and were good. I got the fried shrimp basket while Big K went with the fried catfish basket. These were pretty run of the mill fried seafood baskets. The shrimp were huge but nothing really special. Big K loved his catfish.

Service was great. SAT Asian Seafood is ok but their fried menu didn’t hit it out of the park for me. I’m giving them 4 strips of bacon because the service was good.

Address: 4243 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City.

Category:

Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: China King

I love a good Chinese buffet. Hunan Wok in NW Oklahoma City has been my go to for almost 30 years. There are a few that have gone that I loved and a couple still around that I enjoy. One I hadn’t tried yet is China King on North Penn near Memorial, so on a Friday night we decided to check it out.

Located just in front of the Walmart, the parking lot wasn’t very full so maybe a red flag but we’ll see. We were seated immediately but there were very few diners. The buffets were full of steaming food, so we tackled them. The had so many of my favorites- General Tso’s chicken, seafood casserole, sweet and sour chicken, fried shrimp, egg rolls, crab rangoon. I liked most of it. The chicken was a bit dry, even the gooey General was tough. The seafood casserole needed something, just couldn’t place what it was. Even the crab rangoon was a bit flavorless.

Now the service was incredible and friendly. The restaurant was clean. I feel like if they improve the food, they might get more business. So I’m going to give them 3 strips of bacon, just for the service.

Address: 13220 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Oklahoma City.

Category:

Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with:

Food Friday: Billy Sims Barbeque

I am a lover of good barbeque. Some brisket, pulled pork, sausage, or hot links, don’t care, I like it all. As strange as this comment might seem, it is hard to find in Oklahoma City. Yeah, we have lots of burger places but really only a few barbeque joints. Billy Sims Barbeque has been around for a while. I stopped once and wasn’t impressed but was in the mood, so I thought I would give them another try.

On a quiet Saturday night, we stopped in for dinner. The place was empty, so it didn’t take long to order or get the food. I just went with a sliced brisket dinner with loaded potato salad and mac and cheese. The brisket was good, not overly flavorful though. I did need the hickory barbeque sauce to liven it up. The Loaded potato salad was excellent, tangy with bacon bits. The mac and cheese was edible. Not my favorite but not as horrible as a frozen diet lunch I had a few weeks ago. I absolutely hated their bread, it could have been buttered on both sides when they toasted it, too dry. Big K got a combo dinner with sliced brisket and hot links with the same sides as well. He liked the brisket, thought the hot links were good but not too spicy.

Billy Sims is a football legend in Oklahoma. He was a running back for the University of Oklahoma from 1975-79, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1978. He went on to play with the Detroit Lions for a few seasons before retiring after an injury. In 2004, he opened with the first location in Tulsa. Since then the franchise has spread to six states. I will give them 4 strips of bacon. It wasn’t horrible but could be so much better. There are 22 locations in Oklahoma, with 12 more in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Category:

Barbeque in Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

Tagged with: