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Posts tagged ‘Oklahoma’

Food Friday: Burger Station

Since last Saturday was a good day for a drive, I took off to the northwest corner of Oklahoma to do some exploring and I found a good burger joint in the middle of Okeene.

Right in between two old service stations is a small building that is the home of the Burger Station. Painted a bright blue to catch your attention, it sits on State Highway 51 a block east of the intersection with State Highway 8. Being that was 12:30p, the place was packed but I was lucky to get a parking spot right out front. The dining room was small but not too crowded and we walked right up to the counter to order. For such a small restaurant, they had a big menu that included lots of burgers, sandwiches, and even pizza. I got a bacon cheeseburger with a side of chili cheese tots. It didn’t take long for our food to arrive, everything looked great. The burger was excellent, 1/3rd pound of fresh beef with bacon and American cheese on top. The bun was fresh and soft, didn’t take away from the taste of the meat. This was just a straight up no frills burger, the way it should be. The chili cheese tots were good as well, tots were fried to a crisp perfection and the chili wasn’t out of a can, no it was homemade with the same meat as used in the burgers.

Even though the restaurant is small and in an old building, it was clean and the staff was really great. I loved the old sign decor, lots from not only petroliana but from local places as well. There were even pics of Okeene from the past on the wall. I give the Burger Station 5 strips of bacon, definitely worth the drive to Okeene.

Address- 118 E Oklahoma, Okeene.

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Food, Okeene OK, Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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Food Friday: Del Rancho

For today’s review I am going to talk about an old favorite, Del Rancho. To me this restaurant is the epitome of comfort food in the Oklahoma City metro. The first time I remember eating at one, I was 6 years old and we took our food back to my grandmother’s house in Norman. While eating, I lost 1 of my teeth. It fell to the floor but I remember the panic while crawling on the floor trying to find it. If I didn’t have that tooth, I wouldn’t get a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

Of course, the best thing to order on their menu is what they are known for, the Steak Sandwich Supreme. I know there are other items on the menu, but I’ve only tried a few because I want that huge steak sandwich. Basically, it’s a chicken fried steak slapped on a bun. The steak itself is huge and when covered with lots of breading and deep fried, it becomes massive. There is just something they get right with the flavor, it is truly one of the best chicken fried steaks in town and yes you can order it just as a meal. Back to the sandwich, the chicken fried steak is placed on the bun with mayo (Miracle Whip), lettuce and tomato. Really it doesn’t get much better than the Steak Sandwich Supreme. I have read on their website that the sandwich was perfected in 1964.

They also have some of the best sides in town. I love their hand breaded onion rings. The onions are huge as well and lightly breaded with a similar taste as the chicken fried steak. The tator tots are also good and deep fried to be crisp on the outside. My favorite is the fried green beans. The only way to eat green beans are fried and they do a great job. Lightly breaded and served with a housemade ranch, my favorite side.

There are locations all over the metro area, the first one I ate at was in Norman on Lindsey Street near I-35. It’s still there after opening in 1979. There are some that you can go in and sit down and other where you just drive up. I highly recommend getting the Steak Sandwich Supreme with a side of onion rings. The true definition of Oklahoma comfort food, they get 5 strips of bacon.

Address- Norman- 2300 W Lindsey St.; Moore- 1409 N Moore Ave.; Mustang- 462 W Highway 152; Midwest City- 9411 NW 10th St., 9201 SE 29th St.; Oklahoma City- 5111 N MacArthur Blvd., 2741 NE 23rd St., 16 SW 59th St.; Tahlequah- 4800 S Muskogee.

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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

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

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

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Food Friday: Tower Cafe

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.

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Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Falcone’s Pizzeria

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.

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Oklahoma

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Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

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

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Oklahoma

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Food Friday: Patty Wagon

patty wagon 3

I’ve said it before, there are lots of burger places in the Oklahoma City metro.  Almost too many, most are just ok but a few are my favorites.  Patty Wagon is tied for first place in my burger world along with Tucker’s Onion burger.

I was first turned on to this place by a friend who had been coming here since it opened.  So one night we tried it and I fell in love.  Located on May Ave just south of NW 36th Street in what was an old Whataburger, this is just a straight up no-frills burger joint.  A good sized menu with burgers featuring different toppings and weekly specials that are always original but my go to burger is the Jailhouse Blues- big beef patty, lettuce, tomato, sauce, big chunks of blue cheese, and a couple of slices of thick cut bacon.

Service is always quick- wrapped in foil, my burger is just peeking out of the spaces just waiting for me to devour it.  Bun is of a sweet bread variety, toasted so it has that buttery goodness that mixes well with the big chunks blue cheese.  The sauce has just enough kick to it but it only accentuates the taste of the burger.  The think cut Applewood bacon is also a delicacy when placed on the burger, really brings the flavors together.  My only real complaint is sometimes the veggies can be a bit overwhelming but I can remove them if I think it’s too much.  Since I’m burned out on fries, I get onion rings.  These are more of a tempura based coating than the typical Sonic type onion rings.  Always a big pile of them to sit aside my burger.

My husband has tried many of the other burgers and even some of the specials.  He always likes them.  Now Mae has to order a kids corn dog every time, just don’t get it- take the kid to a burger place and she wants fair food but at least she’s eating.  So I highly recommend a stop giving it 5 strips of bacon.

 

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Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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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, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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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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Oklahoma, Oklahoma food

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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, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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