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Posts tagged ‘food’

Food Friday: Taqueria El Camino

I love new restaurants, but I love them more when they’re close to home so I was excited to hear about the opening of Taqueria El Camino a few weeks ago. They originally opened in the Edmond Railyard back in October 2019 and business was so good they now have their own location on North MacArthur in Oklahoma City.

Being an introvert, I was apprehensive about going in, I could see they were really busy with the Friday night crowd but Big K wasn’t going to let that deter us. He went in and found out they had tables open, so in I went. They mostly specialize in tacos but have a few other items as well. We started with just basic chips and queso. These were awesome. The chips were fried flour tortillas with seasoning on them and the queso had a tang to it, I would have these everyday if I could. I went with the coconut shrimp taco and brisket barbacoa taco with the sides of waffle fries and cilantro lime rice. The tacos were good sized, the coconut shrimp taco had a nice pile of slaw on top, gave it a beachy type feel. The brisket barbacoa taco also had the slaw with some cotija cheese on top, the brisket was cooked perfectly, melted in my mouth. The cilantro rice was really good, had a light flavor to it. And the waffle fries were perfect, not those sad ones you get from Chick-fil-A. These were fried crip with seasoning over them that gave them a great flavor. I also had a lavender berry margarita, this was a real treat, sweet with a touch of lavender flavor. Big K had the chorizo guac taco and a quesa carnitas taco with the sides of zesty slaw and elote. He loved both tacos, they had crispy cheese fried onto the tortillas. He thought the slaw had a flavor that was different, and he fell in love with the elote (elote is grilled street corn, I tried a bite and it was good).

The only real downside is that it did take a bit to get our entrees. Like I said at the beginning, they were really busy. They just opened at this location in December and getting a lot of attention. I will be going back to try more of their menu offerings and will give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 9120 N. MacArthur Blvd., Oklahoma City.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Haystack Coffee

We sent Miss Mae back to Norman for the spring semester last week but of course some of her books hadn’t arrived before she left. They showed up a few days later and on Saturday morning we decided to deliver them as well as take her out for breakfast at one of her many favorite places to enjoy a coffee, Haystack Coffee.

This small coffee shop is run by the OU Baptist Collegiate Ministry and is just southwest of the campus dorms. It was quiet on Saturday morning, just another small group was meeting there, so we just sat and enjoyed our coffee while conversing about the upcoming semester. All 3 of us thought the snowman latte sounded good. This special latte for winter has peppermint, maple, cinnamon, white chocolate, espresso, and whipped cream. It was different but good. Each sip you could just get a hint of each flavor, it was the perfect drink for the cool morning. We also had some cinnamon rolls made for Haystack by Buttercream Bakery. These came in small containers and could be heated, a nice sized roll with lots of buttercream icing topping it.

Haystack Coffee is a straight up coffee shop that was started in 2019. Even though it’s in the ministry building, the coffee shop is separate from the rest of the building. Even though it is near the campus, it is not part of OU. It’s right across the street to the south of the old Stubbeman Village and to the southwest of Adams Tower, both will be demolished soon. You will need to text your tag number to a verification service to prove you are a customer and not just parking there to go to a game or class. I give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 1203 Elm Ave., Norman.

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Food, Norman, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food, University of Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Neptune Submarine Sandwiches

To start out the new year we wanted to eat a bit healthier, so we tried a place that we always pass but have never stopped, Neptune Subs. Normally I see the parking lot packed but on this nice Saturday afternoon there was no one. The drive thru lane was packed, so we went up the steps and ordered from the window quickly. They have a more traditional sub menu, variations of different meats, 1 type of cheese, and veggies. You can get half or whole sandwich made on bread baked fresh in house.

I decided to try the supreme sub- salami, pepperoni, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, and mayo. Didn’t take too long for it to be ready. I got a whole sandwich and it’s fully a footlong. All of the meat tasted good, the veggies were fresh and crisp, and the bread was so good, light and fluffy, with a soft texture. Big K got the same thing and liked it as well. Miss Mae got a half salami sandwich, she liked it and said it was enough food for her.

The unique architecture of the building makes it stand out on Classen Blvd., the mid-mod design was built in 1961 to house a hamburger place called Quicks. They were gone by 1974 when Neptune moved into this location. Neptune Subs were a popular sandwich chain in the 1970’s and 1980’s with 17 stores around the state. Bankruptcy in the 1980’s killed the chain but this one location remained. The original building was just a walk up but the dining room was added in 1974.

I will definitely be returning, mad at myself for waiting so long to try this place out. Really good food and atmosphere. I’m looking forward to trying more items from their menu. They get 5 strips of bacon, hopefully on their BLT.

Address: 3301 N Classen Blvd., Oklahoma City.

Historic photos of Neptune Subs, then Quicks. Being built in 1961, and later in the 1960’s. Current building now has a dining room, 2022.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food, Oklahoma history

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Food Friday: 405 Pizza

I love trying new local pizza places. 405 Pizza has been in west Edmond for a couple years and over the summer I had a chance to try it. Since then, we’ve been back a couple times. They are just a simple small pizza restaurant.

To start, we have their garlic cheese bread. This is just a cheesy goodness. I like when there is more cheese than crust and this cheese bread is perfect. Next up is their pizza, we’ve had a couple different kinds and they have all been great. A nice light flavor to the crust and plenty of cheese and toppings. We also tried a calzone on our last visit, that was also good. Stuffed so full that it got messy (and messy is always good with food).

The customer service has always been good and the restaurant clean. We have also gotten takeout, which went well. I give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 815 E Main St., Yukon.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Spark

I found a great new place for burgers here in Oklahoma City last Saturday, plus afterward you can enjoy Scissortail Park. Spark opened a year ago at the north end of Scissortail Park. Even though this is in a city park it’s owned by The Social Order Dining Collective, the same group that owns Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. I had heard through different sources that they had a good burger, so we stopped to try it.

It was a nice Saturday to go to the park, so we strolled through flowers to the small building that contains the restaurant. We were there right at the end of the lunch crowd, so we ordered quickly and found a good seat. At the counter you give them your phone number and they text when your order is ready, so you can sit inside or out in the park. Didn’t take too long for me to get that text, so we could try our food. For my first visit I tried the BLC Spark burger, a perfect burger patty with bacon, crispy fried cheddar cheese slice, thick pickles, pimento cheese, and prairie ranch. This was an awesome burger, so much flavor. I wasn’t expecting it to be that good but wow. The fried cheese slice gave it a crunch that was different. The tang that came from the mix of pimento cheese and ranch was also surprisingly good. It was also a good size burger, not small. Big K got the same burger that I did but Miss Mae got a corndog. It was a footlong Schwab dog coated in cornbread, she said it was good, tasted like a fair corndog. We also got to share bacon cheese fries and pink fries. The bacon cheese fries were really good, the cheese sauce had a nice flavor and the bacon was crisp. The pink fries were really good, the pink is an aioli that has a nice tang to it with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. I really liked the pink fries the best, better than I was expecting.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by just how good everything was, just wasn’t expecting anything this good in a park. This really is one of the best burgers in the Oklahoma City metro. The service was great as well and the employees were friendly. Afterward we walked around and looked at more of the fall flowers blooming along the sidewalks. It was an enjoyable trip. I give them 5 slices of bacon.

Address: 300 Oklahoma City Blvd., Oklahoma City; 1332 W. Memorial Rd. Suite 101, Oklahoma City; 1121 NW 63rd St. Suite 5005, Nichols Hills.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Haydeh’s Bistro

I am a big fan of Greek and Mediterranean food, so I was interested when I saw a new place pop up on Hefner Road just west of Rockwell. After a couple of visits, it’s now one of my favorite places for a gyro in the OKC metro.

This is a small family run restaurant that opened just a few months ago, its location is hard to overlook. In a small strip mall near a gymnastics training center, the parking lot looks busy because of the parents at the gym. They have a basic Mediterranean menu, with salads, gyros, falafels, and kebobs. I have gotten the gyro meal every time, so far. The pita is filled with gyro meat, onions, tomatoes, black olives, and feta cheese. It’s just the right size to pick up and eat, not too big. The meal comes with a side of either tater tots or fries, I have tried both and they were good. I finish off the meal with dark chocolate baklava. I love regular baklava, so putting a topping of dark chocolate on it is an extra special treat.

Overall I feel that this is a hidden gem in Oklahoma City, I know more will discover it. The service is great and the restaurant always clean. I will give them 5 strips of bacon with that dark chocolate baklava.

Address: 7202 W Hefner Rd., Oklahoma City.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: The Butcher BBQ Stand

A few weeks ago we had a nice weekend, so we went east on old Route 66. After a quick drive through Wellston, we found The Butcher BBQ Stand where 66B joins Route 66 on the east side of town. I had read about them online and knew if you weren’t in line early, you might not get any food. It was already after noon but we decided to stop anyway.

There was no line outside, so I thought that was a good sign until we got inside and saw the line that went around the dining area. Since we had come that far we decided to stay and see how long it would take. Now to be honest, the line did move pretty well but it still took us 30 minutes before we got to the front to order. Fortunately, they still had quite a bit of food still available, Big K got the rednexican nachos and I got a 2-meat plate with sausage and burnt ends. Before we even got to a table, our dinner was ready. I was surprised by the amount of food on the plate, there was a lot. Not just the 2 meats but sides of potato salad and mac and cheese as well as a huge piece of Texas toast. I jumped right in with the sausage, it had a smoky flavor, quite good. Now the burnt ends were great, melted in my mouth. Perfect combination of fat and meat, and crisp but tender. These were true meat candy and I highly recommend them. The potato salad was good as well but the homemade mac and cheese really stood out. Spiral pasta in a rich cheese sauce that had a sharpness to it that gave it a bit of a kick. Now the rednexican nachos that Big K got were the same way, lots of food piled on a tray. He got his nachos piled high with pulled pork, with creamy queso and barbecue sauce over top. He thought they were some of the best nachos he had ever eaten. Very flavorful with the different combination of food.

So I will highly recommend a drive up old Route 66 to Wellston for The Butcher BBQ Stand. It’s even worth the wait to stand in line. This was easily the best barbeque I’ve had in Oklahoma in a while. The service was great, very friendly employees. I will give the 5 strips of bacon with some of those burnt ends.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food, Route 66

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Food Friday: Basic Knead

I don’t often get to eat on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, but when I get to Norman, I try to stop by Basic Knead. This is a small university run cafe that specializes in personal pizzas and pastas.

I learned about it last year when Mae was a freshman. She was trained to work there just in case someone called out. Soon I was hearing about the pasta she was eating almost every night and I wanted to try it. So one Saturday night last year, we drove down and got our own personal pasta dishes. The have several options but I went with a penne pasta, drizzled with alfredo, then added pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives. After a topping of cheese, the dish is placed in a brick oven to be fired. After a wait, my pasta dish was delivered and it was glorious. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the cheese was melted crisp. On my next trip, I got a personal pizza. This was prepared similarly, personal sized crust, with alfredo, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, and topped with cheese. Baked in the same fired oven, this pizza was just as good as a pizza you would get at Hideaway (and much better than the national pizza places).

Basic Knead was her go to dinner spot for the fall semester but it was shut down in the spring due to not enough employees. Mae was anxious when she went back to campus this fall, would her beloved Basic Knead be open again. Fortunately it is and she says it’s just as good as last year. So if you find yourself on campus and looking for some pasta or pizza, try Basic Knead. You can find it south of Lindsey in Cross Village.

Address: 1695 Asp Ave., Norman.

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Food, Norman, Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Not Cho Cheesecake

I love cheesecake. Not going to lie, one of my favorite desserts. It is hard to find a decent cheesecake though, most are just ok (even though my daughter makes a really good mint chocolate cheesecake). I have been hearing about Not Cho Cheesecake for a while and on a beautiful Friday night, I decided to stop and try it. Everything I had heard was right, this place is good.

We got some personal cheesecakes to go, I got the Tennessee Whiskey and Big K got the chocolate chip cookie dough. We tried them after we got home and WOW!! So much flavor!! Mine had a graham cracker crust that was perfect. Gave the cheesecake a crunch that I had never had before. Then the cheesecake itself was so creamy, the cheese flavor really popped. Then the homemade caramel sauce on top was just the best. The owner could bottle it and sell it for topping or just spoon straight from the jar. As for the chocolate chip cookie dough that Big K had, after only a couple bites he looked at me and said, “if I die while eating this, put it in the coffin with me. I’m taking it with me.” He thought it was rich and decadent.

This small cheesecake bakery has only been around since 2020. The co-owner passed away not long after the opening and now her husband runs the cafe in her honor. He was the one running the register when we stopped in. He was so nice and friendly. He obviously takes pride of the product he delivers. He has a large variety of cheesecakes from plain to fancy. If you need dessert and want a good cheesecake, stop and see what he has in the case. I guarantee you’ll find something you love. A definite 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 3934 N College Ave., Bethany.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: HD’s Onion Burgers & Gyros

hd's onion burger

There are so many good places to eat in Oklahoma City that you can drive by and never notice. HD’s Onion Burgers & Gyros is one of those places, I know it’s there and love their food but forget about them. I need to be reminded that when I want a good burger, they’re close to home.

HD’s sits on the corner of a large strip mall on the NW corner of Rockwell and NW 122nd. Just a small restaurant with a big menu and flavor. I always get the bacon cheeseburger, perfectly seasoned beef patty with cheese melted on top. They chop up the bacon and pile it on top, while a pile of fried onions is under the patty. The lettuce and tomato are fresh, and the bun has been toasted to a buttery perfection. This is a good-sized burger, so bring your appetite. We also got the onion rings and bacon cheese fries to share. The onion rings are fried nice and crispy. The bacon cheese fries are a true work of art, crisp fries with shredded cheese and chopped bacon on top. No, not bacon bits, chopped bacon, most pieces were about an inch long. They were so good.

The service was great, plenty of places to sit. This place is a true hidden treasure in NW Oklahoma City. They have lots more on their menu that I haven’t tried, sandwiches, gyros, salads, and lots of burgers to choose. I give them 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 12417 N Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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