A Foodie's Tour Of Oklahoma
07/03/2010 04:47
By KC4
Special Correspondent
St. Albert’s Place
Part One Of Three:
Oklahoma City was much less humid than Houston and even though about the same temperature, the lower humidity makes it seem a little warmer.
My sister has joined me for this segment of my trip, as our main purpose is to visit a cousin who is convalescing in hospital.
After we pick up our rental car, but before we hit the hospital, we decide to get breakfast. Hmmmm, where to eat in Oklahoma? My sister is a fellow food adventurer and like me, she does not like to eat in any place that she can eat at back home.
So we are on the hunt for something quick, but out of the ordinary for us. Waffle House? Nope. Denny’s? Nah. IHOP? Don’t think so. McDonald’s? No way. Never. We’re hungry, not desperate.
Carl’s Jr? OK – Now here is someplace different and it looks like we can get in and out quickly. Carl’s Jr. also seems home to Green Burrito, another one of these restaurant joint ventures. I’ve had more than my fill of Mexican and Tex-Mex fare lately but my sister can go for it.
She orders a breakfast burrito and sides. I scan the menu and to my delight, I find something I have never eaten for breakfast, or any meal to my knowledge, anywhere. There’s a pork-chop and gravy breakfast biscuit. Awesome! It’s so wrong it has to be right.
The glazed cinnamon raisin biscuit looks very interesting too, so we get one of those to share.
Carl’s Jr. isn’t busy this morning, maybe 10 other customers in here at the time and interestingly all seniors, except for us.
I understood why in a few minutes. The staff behind the fast food counter were coming out from behind the counter opening the door for customers and greeting them by name. These customers were obviously regulars and must order the same thing because they were asked if they wanted “the usual”. The staff members were also waiting on the people at the tables, including us. Now that’s something you don’t often see in a fast-food restaurant.
Did we want more of anything? How was our meal? My sister was so enthused with her side of mini hockey puck shaped hash browns, she asked what they were called, expecting some cutesy trade name. “Uhhh, Hash Browns?” the staff member replied, probably wondering why Canadians didn’t know what hash browns were, poor thangs.
My pork chop on a biscuit was surprisingly good, and it was a real pork chop, not a formed patty of pork-like product. It was also breaded and fried, with a generous helping of southern white gravy.
The Cinnamon Raisin biscuit was also a glorious experience to eat. It was so soft it almost melted like butter in our mouths. That could only mean one thing: It was full of shortening or lard. We ordered another, to go. You know, for our cousin.
Later on that day after we had checked into the hotel we asked about the local places to eat. We wanted something that was a reflection of Oklahoma City, something that offered Oklahoma southern style food and drink.
The concierge suggested that we check out Logan’s Roadhouse. They were known to make a pretty good chicken fried steak, a true southern dish.
As soon as we walked into Logan’s Roadhouse, we knew we were going to have fun. The floor was strewn with peanut shells and there was a big barrel of peanuts right at the front entrance. Tin pails of peanuts were on each table with beer advertisements on stakes stuck into them. I couldn’t help thinking that this place would be a 911 nightmare for anyone with a peanut allergy.
Crunching our way through the shells, we found ourselves a booth. Americana was everywhere with neon beer signs, license plate wall maps of the USA, old road signage and vintage posters for country and western concerts.
The
menu wasn’t a disappointment. There were many
southern specialties that aren’t readily available
back in Canada. My sister orders a chicken fried
steak with gravy, I found myself a mess o’ southern
fried catfish with an unusual side of a baked sweet
potato with both melted marshmallows and a drizzled
caramel sauce to top. Sweet, on sweet, on sweet. Hoo
wheee, I won’t need dessert.
Our review of the drink menu also proved to be interesting. I was the driver for this Oklahoma leg of my journey so I wasn’t going to touch alcohol. My sister however, was welcome to go for it and she found the house specialty drinks. These were Logan’s Roadhouse “teas” in many flavors and colors.
I ordered a regular iced tea, which always comes unsweetened in the southern States. If you want it sweet you must ask for it to be sweetened or add sugar to it yourself. Good luck trying to get the sugar to dissolve in the ice cold drink.
The Logan’s Roadhouse tea was an unnatural fluorescent blue in color and came in an oversized mug. When my sister had finished about half of her drink, the waiter, who knew we were from Canada, informed her that there was a two-drink limit for these teas. I thought he was kidding with us.
Really? Why, we wondered? My sister said that the drink didn’t taste that strong. He informed us that the drink contained not one, but two shots of liquor, one of which was 151 proof Everclear.
Is that all? This was a dilution as real Everclear is 190 proof and illegal in many states. However, most alcoholic spirits such as rum and vodka are 80 proof range, so this was kicked up a notch from the norm.
Everclear is also a neutral or pure grain alcohol meaning it is colorless and has no to low flavor. That’s why my sister couldn’t taste it. Watching her ricochet off the tables and chairs like a pinball after one drink proved the alcohol content was significant and made me glad I was driving.
The meal itself was excellent. My crispy southern fried catfish fillets were perfectly browned on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. The triple sweet potato however, did me in only after about four bites. It was way too sweet for my taste buds.
My sister’s chicken fried steak was also very good and authentically prepared. Contrary to the first guess of many people, it has nothing to do with chicken except for the preparation method.
A tenderized. ½” thin cut of steak is battered and then fried like a piece of chicken. Then a generous portion of peppered white gravy is poured over the fried steak and served, typically with mashed potatoes. Green vegetables, optional.
Even though my sister could not even come close to finishing the steak, the sausage-based gravy was so good that she scraped it off and ate it with the potatoes.
Yes, I know, a coronary attack on a plate – thankfully we don’t eat this way very often. But, when in Oklahoma, we’ll “go local”.
To Be Continued Next Sunday.
Special Correspondent
St. Albert’s Place
Part One Of Three:
Oklahoma City was much less humid than Houston and even though about the same temperature, the lower humidity makes it seem a little warmer.
My sister has joined me for this segment of my trip, as our main purpose is to visit a cousin who is convalescing in hospital.
After we pick up our rental car, but before we hit the hospital, we decide to get breakfast. Hmmmm, where to eat in Oklahoma? My sister is a fellow food adventurer and like me, she does not like to eat in any place that she can eat at back home.
So we are on the hunt for something quick, but out of the ordinary for us. Waffle House? Nope. Denny’s? Nah. IHOP? Don’t think so. McDonald’s? No way. Never. We’re hungry, not desperate.
Carl’s Jr? OK – Now here is someplace different and it looks like we can get in and out quickly. Carl’s Jr. also seems home to Green Burrito, another one of these restaurant joint ventures. I’ve had more than my fill of Mexican and Tex-Mex fare lately but my sister can go for it.
She orders a breakfast burrito and sides. I scan the menu and to my delight, I find something I have never eaten for breakfast, or any meal to my knowledge, anywhere. There’s a pork-chop and gravy breakfast biscuit. Awesome! It’s so wrong it has to be right.
The glazed cinnamon raisin biscuit looks very interesting too, so we get one of those to share.
Carl’s Jr. isn’t busy this morning, maybe 10 other customers in here at the time and interestingly all seniors, except for us.
I understood why in a few minutes. The staff behind the fast food counter were coming out from behind the counter opening the door for customers and greeting them by name. These customers were obviously regulars and must order the same thing because they were asked if they wanted “the usual”. The staff members were also waiting on the people at the tables, including us. Now that’s something you don’t often see in a fast-food restaurant.
Did we want more of anything? How was our meal? My sister was so enthused with her side of mini hockey puck shaped hash browns, she asked what they were called, expecting some cutesy trade name. “Uhhh, Hash Browns?” the staff member replied, probably wondering why Canadians didn’t know what hash browns were, poor thangs.
My pork chop on a biscuit was surprisingly good, and it was a real pork chop, not a formed patty of pork-like product. It was also breaded and fried, with a generous helping of southern white gravy.
The Cinnamon Raisin biscuit was also a glorious experience to eat. It was so soft it almost melted like butter in our mouths. That could only mean one thing: It was full of shortening or lard. We ordered another, to go. You know, for our cousin.
Later on that day after we had checked into the hotel we asked about the local places to eat. We wanted something that was a reflection of Oklahoma City, something that offered Oklahoma southern style food and drink.
The concierge suggested that we check out Logan’s Roadhouse. They were known to make a pretty good chicken fried steak, a true southern dish.
As soon as we walked into Logan’s Roadhouse, we knew we were going to have fun. The floor was strewn with peanut shells and there was a big barrel of peanuts right at the front entrance. Tin pails of peanuts were on each table with beer advertisements on stakes stuck into them. I couldn’t help thinking that this place would be a 911 nightmare for anyone with a peanut allergy.
Crunching our way through the shells, we found ourselves a booth. Americana was everywhere with neon beer signs, license plate wall maps of the USA, old road signage and vintage posters for country and western concerts.
Our review of the drink menu also proved to be interesting. I was the driver for this Oklahoma leg of my journey so I wasn’t going to touch alcohol. My sister however, was welcome to go for it and she found the house specialty drinks. These were Logan’s Roadhouse “teas” in many flavors and colors.
I ordered a regular iced tea, which always comes unsweetened in the southern States. If you want it sweet you must ask for it to be sweetened or add sugar to it yourself. Good luck trying to get the sugar to dissolve in the ice cold drink.
The Logan’s Roadhouse tea was an unnatural fluorescent blue in color and came in an oversized mug. When my sister had finished about half of her drink, the waiter, who knew we were from Canada, informed her that there was a two-drink limit for these teas. I thought he was kidding with us.
Really? Why, we wondered? My sister said that the drink didn’t taste that strong. He informed us that the drink contained not one, but two shots of liquor, one of which was 151 proof Everclear.
Is that all? This was a dilution as real Everclear is 190 proof and illegal in many states. However, most alcoholic spirits such as rum and vodka are 80 proof range, so this was kicked up a notch from the norm.
Everclear is also a neutral or pure grain alcohol meaning it is colorless and has no to low flavor. That’s why my sister couldn’t taste it. Watching her ricochet off the tables and chairs like a pinball after one drink proved the alcohol content was significant and made me glad I was driving.
The meal itself was excellent. My crispy southern fried catfish fillets were perfectly browned on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. The triple sweet potato however, did me in only after about four bites. It was way too sweet for my taste buds.
My sister’s chicken fried steak was also very good and authentically prepared. Contrary to the first guess of many people, it has nothing to do with chicken except for the preparation method.
A tenderized. ½” thin cut of steak is battered and then fried like a piece of chicken. Then a generous portion of peppered white gravy is poured over the fried steak and served, typically with mashed potatoes. Green vegetables, optional.
Even though my sister could not even come close to finishing the steak, the sausage-based gravy was so good that she scraped it off and ate it with the potatoes.
Yes, I know, a coronary attack on a plate – thankfully we don’t eat this way very often. But, when in Oklahoma, we’ll “go local”.
To Be Continued Next Sunday.