Editor’s note: This is the final post written by Andrew Littleton, the founder of our Shady Restaurant series. Andrew wrote this before he left town but I have waited until now to publish it so that it will still seem like he is here. Enjoy his farewell words and a final tasty find.

By now the word is out that my days as shady writer for eataroundokc.com have come to an end.  I have decided it would be fitting to end my shady posts where I started them — on SW 29th street, almost literally next door to Sydney’s, the one that started it all.

This review is about the best Mexican-style tamales in town.  I say that with absolutely no reservations. No ”I think,” no “possibly,” — absolutely no trepidation.  I speak with confidence because I believe I have eaten at every authentic-ish Mexican restaurant on the south side of Oklahoma City and, unfortunately, at my fair share of Okla-Mex places in town as well.

Before I get to talking about Tamales, I would like to offer a brief homage to SW 29th street.

Ever since the day I had a $3 breakfast for lunch at Sydney’s and helped to unplug the fan so they could plug in the cash register to complete my purchase, I fell in love with this stretch of road.  Sure, there have been moments of fear. Like the time the drug dealer dudes started ramming their $40,000 tricked-out Cadillacs like they were bumper cars. Or, the time the meth lady accused me of stealing her car (my custom Volkswagen Beetle) and then chased me back to my office. Or, of course, the time I ate at the Golden Touch Grill.  But those moments are fleeting as I think of all the great food.  Flautas and enchiladas at Los Desvelados, dollar tacos at Max Burger, the burger I got carded to eat at the place that turned out to be a shady beer bar, and the time my friend Dirk nearly died from the heat after shouting “muy caliente el diablo!” about how hot he wanted his pork chile verde from the place across the street from Los Desvelados.

Yes, I have many fond memories of SW 29th street, and I leave you with one final recommendation.

Tamales may well have a more complete name, but I’m not sure. There is a bit of a language barrier.  I asked once what hours they were open and got a “yes we are open, you like tamales?”  To which I replied, “As a matter of fact I do!”  So this I know — they are open seven days a week for lunch and at least until 6 or 7 or so.  I say this 6 or 7 deal because I have sent many people there after work to take a dozen home for dinner.  These tamales pair especially well with the marinated flank steak you can purchase at the mercado across the street if you want a complete meal.  They also serve menudo on the weekends.  I bet it’s awesome, but I haven’t tried it.

The menu consists of tamales, chocolate covered bananas (with sprinkles), and nachos.  They also serve raspados (Mexican snow cones).  I have only had the tamales, so you will have to supply your own reviews the other other offerings in the comments. I’m not big on raspudas or chocolate covered bananas, sprinkles or no sprinkles.

You order your tamales by the dozen, spicy or . . . uhm . . . not spicy. A dozen tamales costs $13. The spicy pack a punch, as they are full of chopped jalapenos, but they are, by far, my favorite.  These tamales are silky, moist, perfectly steamed, and by no means dried-out gritty corn mush pockets like you would get at most places in town.  In fact, I have had many people who don’t even like tamales say these are great.  The problem is, these people probably had their first and only tamale experience from Taco Bueno.

Take my advice, block out past memories of fast food tamales and Okla-Mex tamales, go get a dozen of these, take them back to work (they will stay hot, trust me), and go change the lives of your co-workers.  They really are that good. I work with a large number of people from Austin who swear there is nothing close to these down there, and they are a good seven hours closer to Mexico than us.  The door to the back room is usually cracked open where you can see a lady with a stack of corn husks rolling up and steaming them as fast as she can go.  It may bring tears to your eyes, but fight through the emotions and yell out, “One dozen tamales . . . uh . . . spicy!”  It works every time.

Well, there’s not much more to say about Tamales, so let me just say this. It’s been awesome, and humbling, to see how our shady reviews have changed the dynamic of these deserving restaurants and brought them patrons that might have never ventured into them before.  I have had owners of a few of these places come out and give me hugs. I’ve seen the comments as our faithful readers give great feedback on these shady wonders. Recently, I’ve even seen a couple of these spots hit the national food scene on TV.  The only negative has been watching some of my favorite spots become so popular that they are hard to get into now.

Thanks, Oklahoma City, for all the shady memories. I can’t wait to hear what you all think about Tamales.  While Nashville has a great meat and three, spicy chicken, and soul food scene, there is no replacing the Mexican and South American food scene we have here in OKC. So keep them busy for me while I’m away, and  if you are ever in Nashville, I’ll meet you for some hot chicken.

Editor’s note: this month’s shady restaurant feature is a special contribution from Chef Ryan Parrott. Chef Parrott is a leading chef and restauranteur in Oklahoma City and we’re delighted to have his contribution here. For more about Chef Parrott, please see his author page.

As a chef, I am constantly searching for the next great meal, combing the planet for a new flavor, new technique or new ingredient. As of late, I have found more enjoyment seeking out the little, out of the way, family owned ethnic places — the ones that are truly displaying and sharing their culture the best way they know how — through their food.

Recently I was directed to El Pollon by a close friend. He casually told me about a nice little Peruvian Restaurant at SW 44th and Penn. Being a northsider, I find myself, at times, not really getting out my “bubble,” so I had no idea that this place existed.

Upon entering, I was warmly greeted and directed to the rest of my group. This was nice but unnecessary as they weren’t hard to spot in this very small, 35-seat dining room. The décor is unassuming, with generic tables and chairs — think 1970’s era Pizza Hut, but renovated and updated. The walls are adorned with cheesy, Peruvian-style rugs, wall hangings, and a large flat screen that plays old Peruvian variety show DVDs. There appears to be one server that takes care of the entire dining room, and on my several visits, it has been more than adequate. The menu verbage is very easy to read, offering detailed descriptions of each dish in clear English. Sometimes I find that true ethnic restaurants have a hard time conveying the dishes to those not versed in their culture or language, but this is not the case at El Pollon.

First off, the beverages. They offer the standard lineup of sodas and iced teas, but if you order one of these you are missing out on a great part of the experience. Instead, try a canned Peruvian soda called Inca Kola ($2). This popular soda is sweet with a bubble gum flavor and a cream soda finish. Another option is the Chicha Morada ($2.99), which is made from purple corn. It’s reminiscent of clove and pineapple, with some sweet earthiness of corn mixed in. This drink is quite refreshing, and pairs well with most of the flavors in the dishes I have had there.

Now, onto the food. The selection is pretty good, with several different offerings and even a lunch menu. Although there are several main characters in the plot of this menu, the star of the show, though not but by much, is the rotisserie chicken. The manner in which they prepare it is exceptional. As a chef, I certainly won’t be giving a standing ovation to a simple, ordinary bird very often, but this one truly deserves a repeat performance. Seasoned to perfection and slow roasted, the skin is perfectly golden brown, with meat left tender and juicy on the inside. Ask first if it’s available, as they seem to have issues keeping up with the demand on this item.

The wonderful supporting cast of menu items are certainly nothing to shy away from. One of my favorites, although I haven’t encountered anything yet I didn’t love, is the Papa Rellana ($4.99). It is perfectly-prepared mashed potatoes enveloping a filing of ground beef, seasonings and raisins. The addition of the fruit in this one really adds a new dimension not regularly found in most American dishes, even the American adaptations of popular Peruvian dishes.

The sauce de Aji — a mixture of roasted peppers, milk, cheese and Peruvian seasonings — repeats itself throughout the menu and can only be described as beautiful. The rich velvety texture and the “slightly sweet at first, slightly spicy finish” is perfect with the not-so-heavy-mouth feel of this sauce.

The Papa a la Huancaina ($4.99) features this sauce over blanched potato slices and garnished with olives and hard-boiled egg. I can promise you that this vegetarian dish will leave even the biggest carnivore a happy diner. The sauce is also used in the Aji de Gallina ($6.99), which combines their rotisserie chicken, walnuts, raisins and more potatoes. This item is listed on their lunch specials and leaves me speechless every time I consume it.

Among the other offerings that we enjoyed are Chicharron de Chancho ($8.99), which combines fried pork loin with a salsa criolla and sweet potatoes; the Bisteck a lo Pobre ($9.99 – their version of steak and eggs) with fried egg, plantains and avocado; and another crowd favorites, the Jalea De Mariscos($10.99), which features deep-fried calamari, mussels, shrimp and fish, and is also served with the salsa criolla and fried yucca.

They do offer desserts, but I have never had the room to try any one of them, so I may have to report back on these at later date.

I have to say that owners Juan and Niel do an impeccable job of making sure their diners are happy. Their food and flavors are to be cherished. They stay true to their heritage and cooking style, and it is very refreshing to experience this heritage as a diner.

When it comes to shady Oklahoma City dining the following rules have proven themselves accurate.  There is a positive correlation between Mexican food’s tastiness and its level of shadiness;  iron bars may seem cold and uninviting, but they apparently lock in flavor (I haven’t found a bad iron-clad restaurant yet);  breakfast is always the safest option at a shady diner; and while the tire barns that often surround these shady wonders seem like a good deal, the tires they sell are prone to blow out when you reach interstate speeds (sorry TD and Brent).

This month’s Shady Restaurant of the Month recipient has iron-clad windows, crime-ridden surroundings, a pawn shop across the street, and an endorsement from DAZ, the rapper.  Yes, the cousin of Snoop Dog is endorsing this month’s Shady Restaurant of the Month.  Well, maybe not, but there is a signed picture of him hanging in there, thanking them for the food.  Please welcome A Family Affair to the growing list of Oklahoma City’s shady yet tasty eateries.

A Family Affair is a soul food joint on the East side with a loyal following.  In fact, I found out about this place after I reviewed Florence’s and was immediately hit by the loyal A Family Affair coalition that was not shy about declaring this place the “soul food anchor of Oklahoma City.”  I respect their confidence.  Isn’t there a saying along the lines of “bring it strong or don’t bring it at all?”  DAZ may have rapped that for all I know, but I do think it’s true.  These guys were not shy about letting me know that they were a force to be reckoned with in the Oklahoma City soul food scene.

I’m not going to say that they are better or worse than Mama E’s, or that they bring bigger flavors than Florence’s, but I will tell you they hold their own as a legitimate satisfier of my soul food cravings.  You see, each of these places brings something different to the table.  A Family Affair brings all-you-can-eat soul food goodness at a great value ($8.50). Of course, it will likely shave a few years off your life with its assortment of deep fried meats, delicious fatty sides, salty vegetables, and rich desserts.  That’s not a slam to these guys at all, just a warning to those readers looking for a healthy meal.  Although, a meal of fried pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and corn bread hits all the major food groups right?

I’ll discuss the food, but you should really just go try it yourself.  They offer a salad bar to start (there you go, health nuts).  Progress through the line and you get to choose your favorite vegetables, which you serve yourself.  They have had green beans and macaroni and cheese every time I have gone (yes, macaroni and cheese is a vegetable — I mean, vegetarians can eat it, right? At least the non-vegan variety?).  They also usually have a rice dish, corn, a bean offering, and some sort of green.  Next, you move to the variety of fried meats that the nice ladies serve you.  I have had the fried catfish, fried chicken, fried shrimp, and fried pork chop.  Tim went with me this last time and had the chicken fried steak, which he gave two greasy thumbs up. They also have a few non-fried “meats” like spaghetti and neck bone, but only if you catch them on the right day. Oh, and remember that the mashed potatoes and brown gravy are on a separate table after you pass through the line.  Don’t make the critical error of passing these by.

As mentioned, prices here make a great value.  $8.50 gives you the all you can eat buffet option.  Perhaps an even better (and healthier) value is the “to go” option, which gets you a meat, a couple sides, and corn bread for the low low price of $5. That’s a great deal and it can help you avoid the temptation to over-eat everything on the buffet. You can also order off the menu and get various burgers and sandwiches, although I’ve never seen it done.

Tim also found a special coupon on the restaurant website, giving us half off our second buffet. Websites are a rarity amongst shady winners, but A Family Affair has one, complete with special offers. I can’t promise that offer will still be around when you check, but it’s worth a look just in case.

I recommend the fried pork chops.  They are a bit salty, but with great flavor.  Tim thought the chicken fried steak was a better option, describing it as extremely tender on the inside and super crispy on the outside. He rarely eats chicken fried steak so he can’t say if it’s the best in town, but he definitely enjoyed it here. The macaroni and cheese here is a little different than what most of the competition offers.  It’s a stovetop version, not a baked version, and it is loaded down with pepper.  I thought the pepper was great and really added a unique twist to the rich, classic dish.  I think Tim agreed, but to be honest, I had trouble understanding him as he moaned with delight on his third, or was it fourth, helping.

It is also important to know procedure here. When you go in for the first time, you might look around, perplexed for a minute, as I did. Don’t worry, it won’t be too long until one of the nice ladies will show you the ropes. But, you’ll be ahead of the curve as long as you know that you should just head straight to the buffet line and start loading up a plate. Then, find your table later. A waitress will bring you a drink after you sit down, and you can pay (yes, even by credit card) on your way out.

My only complaint is that A Family Affair doesn’t offer ice cream.  You can, however, get an icey grill next door.  I do not know if DAZ has ever been fitted for a grill next door or not.  Next time he and I hang out after a big rap session I’ll let you know what he says.

Why don’t you let us know what you think about A Family Affair in the comments.

I know I missed the Shady Restaurant of the Month for April.  To make up for it, I am going to make a strong recommendation for this month’s shady offering. I’m even making a bold proclamation that you won’t find better authentic tacos anywhere else in the city.  I have probably eaten at every authentic taqueria in town and there is none better than Los Comales.  It lies on South Agnew just south of the Stockyards.  They are cash only (note: they now accept visa and mastercard), but if you are in a pinch, you can go next door to a particularly shady gas station where there is an ATM and some slot machines.  Does anyone really know what goes on with these gas station slot machines that say “for entertainment purposes only?” There is no way these dudes are in here on Friday’s spending their paychecks unless there is a chance to win some malt liquor … but I digress.

Los Comales is a taqueria, in true form.  That means no chips and no insulting cheese jelly.  While I am on the subject of insulting cheese jelly, why do Okla-Mex restaurants all over town serve this mysterious, watered down, clearly-not-cheese-based, jelly-like substance?  I would prefer they just come out and say “we don’t serve cheese dip for free you cheap-skate, pay for some good stuff” rather than to serve up these ramekins of puke-orange-colored flavorless goo. Oh, look, I digress again. Ok, back to the restaurant.

Los Comales has tacos, burritos, gorditas, tortas, enchiladas, quesadillas, and a few other specials that sometimes change.  I made a claim that they have the best tacos in town, and I think I am mostly correct.  Max Burgerprobably has the best “al pastor” tacos, but Los Comales has the best asada and lengua, plus their breakfast tacos are out of this world.

That’s right, I said breakfast tacos.  You don’t know what you are missing until you try some chorizo, potato, and egg tacos from this place.  What’s even better is that they serve them all day.  The breakfast burritos are fantastic as well.  Seriously, how can you top fried potatoes, onions, cheese, chorizo, and egg wrapped up in a tortilla?  I’ll tell you how — by dousing it in their delicious red sauce.

Tacos here price out a bit higher ($1.50) than the taco stands that occupy shady corners all over town, but hey, they have to pay rent, you know.  Plus, you get air-conditioning, cool tile floors, and graffiti-covered bathrooms, all of which come in handy on hot summer days when you don’t feel like standing in the hot sun to get your lengua fix.

The quesadillas here may be my favorite in town as well.  It’s hard to beat tasty carne asada chopped up, smothered in cheese, and fried on a griddle in a fresh tortilla.  I know, quesadillas may not be what you think of when you think authentic Mexican food, but who cares, these are good.  The only quesadillas in town that can compare are from Max Burger, and also Chef Parrott’s at Iguana Mexican Grill.

The gorditas are my favorite in town as well.  Theirs are on the thin side versus the thick and crispy side — more like what you would see from a street vendor or Tacos Los Desvelados.  I really like this style, though.  There isn’t anything here that isn’t good.  Just pick your meat (carne asada, pollo, lengua, chile verde or rojo, carnitas, or machaca; your method of delivery (taco, torta, gordita, etc.); and your garnish (red sauce, green sauce, lime).  I had not heard of machaca before. I discovered it is actually a re-hydrated, shredded beef and it is very tasty.  Thanks to my Hispanic food expert and friend, Aswado, for educating me on this one.

Los Comales is worth the trip to Stockyard City for those wanting a good taqueria experience.  If you are tired of being insulted by other “Mexican” joints in town offering bland flavors and “cheese” jelly, this will be a breath of fresh air (assuming there isn’t a cattle auction going on down the road, in which case you shouldn’t breathe too deeply).

The wonderful thing about Oklahoma City (and its truly remarkable lack of zoning structure), is that you can find shady eating all over — sometimes literally a block away from what would be considered “the good part of town.” I have been enjoying shady dining all over town these days, mostly thanks to you readers who faithfully recommend new shady places for me to try. This month’s shady award winner is going to come again from the East side. There are a lot of places I have yet to try on this stretch of road, but the bright orange trailer / shack where Geronimo’s lies just screamed out to me that shady dining could be found within.  Well, it may not have been an audible screaming voice, but with hand-painted, large, black, graffiti-esque, exterior signage saying “Fish” and “Donuts,” Geronimo’s voice might as well have been audible. I was too intrigued to pass it by.

That’s right, Geronimo’s is a small, bright-orange shack of a building beckoning passers-by to come try its donuts and fish. I have to admit, even I was a bit nervous walking into this one. The door is like a hinged patio screen door that has been replaced with rusty steel and bars. It doesn’t look like a mere mortal would be able to push it open as you approach it, but it swings open with ease. The always-packed parking lot eased my tensions and I busted on in, with a few shady companions. The first thing you see is an archaic display case that doubles as a serving counter.  Inside this case is a fairly large assortment of donuts, including some fairly large (read: huge) donuts. The menu is the old school ripple board with the little stuck-in letters advertising burgers, fish, and donuts. There are several fliers hung up advertising local fund raisers and Douglass High School sporting events. The other thing you immediately notice is there really isn’t anywhere to sit. There are a handful of chairs to sit in while you wait for your food, and there are a couple of stools that you can sit at along a very small bar by the window — room enough for maybe 3 or 4 people.

It’s worth sticking around and eating there at the bar. Have you seen the movie “Barbershop”? In the movie, there are the same dudes sitting around at a barber shop all day, chatting about who knows what, right?  Same thing here. You have a couple guys that are always there hanging out and just shooting the breeze, commenting on everyone that comes in and out (nothing negative, but quite often funny), and making your wait for a tasty burger pretty entertaining.  In fact, the last time I was there I learned all about the Douglass High School Football coach and how he is apparently one of the finest coaches in the country and also about how this girl who walked in apparently has lost a lot of weight since last time. There is a place to sit outside on what I like to call “patio seating East-side style.”  Very similar to the patio experience at the former Tom and Jerry’s except there is no fountain, no bistro furniture, and no mosaic-tiled walkway.  OK, I guess it’s really just a couple of picnic tables under a carport.  Regardless, on a nice spring day it’s probably a nice place to enjoy a Geronimo burger.

Speaking of the Geronimo burger, it is a burger with a slice of ham on it.  Nothing fancy, but it’s tasty.  These are little thin patties (probably frozen), but he does them up well.  His burgers are cheap, ranging from 2.50 to 3.50 depending on how you specify it.  He also has fried catfish which seems to be pretty fresh, and everyone agrees it’s pretty good.  You can of course get fries, fried okra, and jalapeno poppers.  Not a lot on the menu. Just very affordable burgers and fries. It’s nothing fancy, but they are rock-solid good burgers for just a couple of bucks. Don’t misinterpret what I am saying, please.  These are no Nic’s burgers that explode with flavor and shave a year off your life. They’re just good old-fashioned affordable burgers served in aluminum foil and a paper bag.

I also really like the donuts.  I’ve had his Texas-sized donuts as well as the regular size. I think they are fantastic, and they are fresh every day. They are fluffy and light and have a hint of lemon. My wife doesn’t like the lemony essence, but I think it’s a nice touch.

There isn’t a lot to write about regarding the food — I mean, it’s burgers, fish and donuts — but the atmosphere is as shady and wonderful as it gets.  You may see me sitting out on this patio, East-side style, once the weather warms up a little.  If you listen to anything I say, go get a donut, get a burger, and enjoy the conversation.  It’ll only cost you a couple of bucks, and you will have some awesome stories when you go back to the office after lunch. Please leave comments on your experiences. We are bound to get some good stories.

I love those moments in life that are totally hyped up and then actually live up to the expectations.  That doesn’t happen often.  Sure, I’ve had those moments like the Broncos winning the Super Bowl, my first Metallica concert, and successfully potty training a child.  But in the world of shady dining, most often you are simply celebrating the small things like not getting hepatitis, or learning a new gang sign.  However, Florence’s was one of those shady moments that really lived up to the high expectations I had.

I first heard about Florence’s from a co-worker who said it was “as good as Mama E’s.”  I know, I told him to stop the crazy talk, but still, I had to see for myself.  I headed over the next day to find it just east of the Capitol between Kelly and MLK drive.  I nearly missed the building the first time by.  It has a very small sign, and the actual building itself looks more like one that would house a variety of liquors rather than tasty fried chicken.  The windows are iron-clad, the door is solid wood, the bricks are stained a nice shade of dingy, and the whole place lies right in the heart of one of the most crime-ridden streets in the city (according to OKCcrime.com).  In other words, it’s the perfect setting for some fantastic shady dining.

It’s what is inside the restaurant that got me excited.  Nice tables that have a certain country dining room feel, southern paintings and decorations, a dark green, hand-painted drop ceiling, and the heavenly smell of iron skillet cooking.  The menus are laminated descriptions of what can be cooked up from scratch for you complete with how long some of the dishes take to prepare.  Also striking is that every person in there (except me and my companions) were known by name — another sign of a great place.  I also like the blast of heat you get on a cold day when you open the door, but take note — the bathrooms are not heated.  I think the bathrooms are awesome, though.  They are the skinniest little rooms, and they are decorated like the bathroom in someone’s home.

All of this was exciting, but what I was anticipating most was skillet-fried chicken.  At Florence’s, you can get chicken, skillet fried steak (chicken fried), catfish, spaghetti, and a variety of sandwiches and burgers. Nearly everything has the option of fresh pan gravy. Yum.  I got the smothered chicken which is fried chicken with pan gravy poured all over it.  I was originally just ordering fried chicken, which is mentioned as their best seller. Then our waiter mentioned that smothered chicken is the same thing, just covered in gravy.  I nearly gave him a hug.

Of course, no soul food joint is complete without those lard-injected sides and cornbread.  I’m not a big cornbread fan, but theirs is moist and delicious.  Crumbly and moist seems like it would be impossible to create, but it truly has both traits.  Other options for sides are mashed potatoes, rice, greens, creamed corn, yams … etc.  I hate yams, but one of my shady companions swears these are the best he’s ever had.

I like that Florence’s offers reasonable portions, affordably priced.  Mama E’s is fantastic soul food as well, and a great value if you are feeding two. But, at Florence’s you can get an actual meal for one (meat and 3 sides) for $7.  No all you can drink Kool-Aid, but you can get sweet tea. Well, only if they haven’t had a rash of diabetics eating there as they said they had the day we were there.  We had to sweeten our own tea that day.  Well, I say “we,” but I had Dr. Pepper, of course.  And to further digress, the radio was playing all the favorite R&B hits of the 90’s.  I hadn’t heard “Somebody Rockin’ Knockin’ Da Boots” since 9th grade.  I kept anxiously awaiting the Humpty Dance, but sadly it never came on.

Anyway, I love skillet fried chicken.  If you haven’t ever had it then go to Florence’s and try it.  Actually, you should go regardless, but especially if you have never had skillet fried chicken.  There is something about food fried in a skillet.  I think part of it is when you cook in a skillet you are forced to make small batches so quality and attention to each order are required.  Also, pan frying eliminates the cross contamination of flavors that can happen in old oil.  There’s nothing worse than french fries that taste like fish.  Of course, the best part about a pan fry is that homemade pan gravy!  That’s right, gravy from the grease, not from a package or a jar.  I can’t help it, I love the little things in life.

If you are looking for some shady dining and some good, old-fashioned soul food, give Florence’s a try.  You will find that this place is as shady as they come on the outside, but like a true worthy winner of the Shady Restaurant of the Month award, it’ll win your heart when you step inside.  Sure, there is an element of danger here, but that’s just part of the fun.  With this place being so close to the Capitol, you might even see a shady politician or two.  Go try Florence’s for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments.

Having a penchant for trying all things shady, I’ve been excited about a couple of suggestions I received lately. The first was a recommendation of a place that serves fried pig ears, pigs feet, and Mexican donuts. That one will definitely be reviewed soon. The second was Big Johnson’s Highway Grill, home of the Big Johnson World Famous Trucker Burger! That name and claim had me anticipating lunch so much I barely got any work done all morning.

Big Johnson’s Highway Grill is joined to a gas station. When you walk in you get a great, shady diner feel complete with stained, tile floors and creepy, unsanitary bathrooms with malfunctioning soap dispensers. There’s a long bar where you can sit on a stool and make friends with other shady eaters that have a hankering for trucker burgers. If communal bar stool dining isn’t your thing, there are also tables and booths. We chose one around the corner with a good view of the nice, large, flat panel TV.  I’m starting to feel sorry for myself since I don’t have a flat panel TV at home. Even the shadiest spots in town are starting to broadcast news and sports in HD-capable, flat panel glory. Anyway …

The nice thing about shady spots joined to gas stations is that if the food is no good you can always go next door for beef jerky and an energy drink. Unfortunately, you may be more satisfied with the beef jerky than the menu items here at Big Johnson’s. The menu is typical diner fare — hot plates with various warm meats and sides, several fried options slathered in gravy, a handful of sandwich options, and its namesake — the Big Johnson World Famous Trucker Burger.

There is a danger in heaping praise on yourself. Declaring yourself as “world famous” is setting yourself up for undue scrutiny. I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about a shady place serving a frozen patty if it hadn’t been declared “world famous.”  Big Johnson’s uses one of those weird, uniformly mis-shapen patties.  You know, the ones that are neither round nor square, but rather created to be oddly asymmetrical in an attempt to fool the rubberneckers at neighboring tables into believing they are hand made. They’re not. So much for world fame.

I actually didn’t order the burger myself. My shady companions were already getting burgers and I was skeptical in the first place because mustache man from the Golden Touch Grill was eating one.  Big red flag.  Of course, I did get to observe them on my companions’ plates. They were paired with ordinary orders of fries.  Not bad looking plates, just not deserving of a world famous title.

So, what did I order since I didn’t go for the burger?  Well, I broke one of the rules of shady dining.  I took advice on what to eat from a truck stop waitress.  Believe me, I paid for my mistake. When I asked her what was best and heard, “Oh honey, the hot beef sandwich is unbelievable,” I should have resisted and ordered a corn dog.  Instead, I not only placed my order but also found myself anticipating my meal. The anticipation only increased the disappointment when I tasted it. It was obviously reheated from frozen meat.  The whole thing was completely covered in a dark, salt-jelly that posed as gravy and it was all served on top of a piece of soggy, white bread.  It really was terrible. On the bright side, I did play with the gravy for a while and was amused by the way it bounced.

Perhaps the most disappointing part of Big Johnson’s is the pricing.  It seemed pretty high considering its shadiness.  If dishes were three and four dollars, you could probably find some value here. But the food here is pricey by shady restaurant standards. I spent over $8 on my hot beef sandwich.  Chicken fry rings in at over $10, catfish for $8, and most everything else for $6 or $7. With prices like these, I just can’t recommend it when one can go to Nic’s Grill and experience a burger worthy of world fame with fries and a drink for around $7.

When it comes to shady atmosphere and quirky names, Big Johnson’s really has it all going on.  I just wish it offered a good value of flavor and price. I mean, come on, who wouldn’t love to announce to their coworkers, “I’m headed to Big Johnson’s for lunch, you want anything? Burger? Skoal? Jerky?”  I know that would make my day.

It’s possible that the breakfast at Big Johnson’s is good. Shady places often do breakfast right. I’ve just never tried it. Have you? Let me know what you think in the comments.

Editor’s note: This is the 100th restaurant review posted on EatAroundOKC.com. I thought it appropriate that review 100 would feature a Shady Restaurant of the Month, as Andrew’s shady series has so captured the heart of our city and brought fame to OKC’s culinary underbelly. Thank you, Andrew, for tirelessly braving Oklahoma City’s shady spots to bring us new adventures in dining. And thanks to all our writers and our readers for supporting us. Here’s to the next 100!

For this month’s Shady Restaurant selection, I wanted to stay away from the southwest side of town.  As shady and edible as the southwest is, I feel that other areas of Oklahoma City are being neglected.  This month, I am choosing a place on on a particularly shady stretch at the southern end of N. May Avenue.  This part of town is home to one of my favorite sports, pawn shopping.  Yes, it is a sport.  It is also home to a handful of delicious eateries.  Today, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you one of my personal favorites, Shish Kabab!

Shish Kabab Restaurant is just south of 36th, nestled between a Dunkin Donuts and a Blockbuster.  I know, pretty benign, but go another block south and you can get your supply of drug paraphernalia, stolen car stereos, and even that dirty Santa outfit you were wanting to sport at the company Christmas party.  If that’s not shady enough for you, come hang out at Shish Kabab on a Friday or Saturday night and smoke some hookah while you enjoy the belly dancing.

Ok, wait. I really don’t mean to imply that hookah pipes and belly dancing are, in and of themselves, shady activities. The truth is, they are both beautiful cultural art forms. But the point of my shady restaurant series is to introduce the average Oklahoma City resident to dining experiences they would normally be too scared to try. And trust me, hookah smoke and belly dancing scare plenty of people. But that’s too bad, because these irrational fears of shadiness only cause us to miss out on so many hidden treasures in our city. No more, I say! No more!

Ok, back to the review …

The food here is served buffet-style or menu-style.  I like the lunch buffet.  It is incredibly fresh plus they will bring you warm bread and fresh-out-of-the-pot kababs straight to your table as they are ready. Terrific!

The shish kabobs here are not what backyard BBQ Joe makes skewering a tough piece of sirloin and some veggies and cooking them just past well done. No, these are more like grilled meatloaf than steak.  At least the beef kababs are.  They are particularly good when you get a plate of fresh ones brought to your table with some warm pieces of flat bread on the side.

Apparently, you can also enjoy the buffet for dinner, I just haven’t been around here that late.  The hookah room is open in the evenings for you as well in case you like to chase your kebabs with a little flavored tobacco.

On the buffet, there are a variety of fantastic choices.  Honestly, I don’t know what they all are. I just know they are tasty.  There are several lentil dishes, rice dishes and chicken dishes.  There is usually a palao-type dish, which is the Middle East’s version of a meat combo rice (like America’s chicken and rice or Asia’s fried rice varieties).  Picture something like this.  There is also plenty of basmati rice, and several soupy dishes with a variety of different meats to spoon over it.  They also have a very tasty spaghetti that is always on the line.  I think it’s funny to eat spaghetti off a Middle Eastern buffet.  Food here is very Middle Eastern, by the way.  More Afghan and Persian than Turkish and Mediterranean.  To me, that means these dishes look more like Indian foods than the foods you would get at Zorbas or even ZamZam for that matter.

Aside from the food, there is lots of fun to be had at Shish Kabob. In the evenings, you can get your hookah fix here.  I still haven’t tried the hookah.  My Bangali friend, Rana, swears it is a tasty treat and I plan to join him one day and report back. Don’t feel like eating or smoking but still want to spend some money?  You are in luck!  They sell DirectTV packages with all your favorite Middle Eastern programing.  And, of course, there is always belly dancing, and from what I can tell, you are more than welcome to join in and show off your mad belly skills.

If you’re into shady people watching, you might be disappointed here. While most of our shady reviews feature a handful of interesting, shady characters, they are conspicuously absent at Shish Kabob. There’s not enough gravy here to attract Mustache Man or some of the shady guys who frequent Sydney’s. The waitresses here don’t stop to smoke between taking your drink order and bringing you your main course. So, in this respect, Shish Kabob is lacking in shadiness, but I think it makes up for it in other ways.

So, give Shish Kabob a try. To play it safe, swing by at lunch.  I think you will really like the buffet.  If you’re more adventuresome, check it out on a Friday night and you might catch me belly dancing after my first hookah experience.  Ok, probably not, but you’ll at least have a good time. And please, somebody … anybody … do some belly-dancing and then tell us all about it in the comments.  This has to happen.

Southwest 29th has long been a shady destination of mine.  It all started just east of Portland with Sydney’s Restaurant, and then continued east to the corner of May with 50’s cafe and El Regio Loco (which has since been spotted all over town).  Venturing further east, I found Max Burger off Western.  There are countless contenders for the shady honor along this stretch of road, dotted between the used car lots promising easy financing and the pawn shops offering to buy your gold fillings.  I owe it to a friend of mine for introducing me to Taqueria Los Desvelados, the latest purveyor of shadiness.  He is actually the same guy who introduced me to Nic’s Grill, so he will be automatically inducted into the shady hall of fame once it is created.

Taqueria Los Desvelados is in a very convenient location.  It is next to a Volkswagen repair shop and across the street from a rug and carpet store.  Further down the road on each side are used car lots, used tire and wheel swaps, and pawn shops.  It’s the perfect location because you were probably already driving by looking for an easy, no-hassle financing option for a used El Camino, which always stirs up a mean appetite.  Tacos Los Desvelados (as they have etched into their long bench tables) is full of flavorful ethnic authenticity, and surrounded by ultimate Oklahoma City shadiness.  What a perfect combination.  For all you real adventurers, try visiting late on a Saturday night while celebrating an OU victory.  You will find them serving delicious food until 3am on the weekends.

The decor is what you would expect in an authentic Mexican restaurant.  Bright orange and purple colors, pictures of Mexico, and cool chairs.  They have these big, picnic-table-style benches that have etched graffiti all over them in the front room, and in the side room a couple tables with cool chairs that look like this.  Also in this room is a ridiculously huge Mexican headdress.  Think this but 10 times bigger.  It is very light, though, as one of the waitresses showing it to us was able to lift it with one hand.  They also have a candy dispenser with a Mexican version of an M&M character, and one of those crane machines that you pay 50 cents to try and fish out a 25 cent prize.  You know, typical shady restaurant stuff.

The menu offers standard taqueria fare — tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, flautas … etc., stuffed with your favorite meats.  They have asada (steak), lengua (tongue), pastor (a seasoned pork meatloaf of sorts), chicken, barbacoa (beef head), and of course, buche (stomach), tripas (intestines), and chorizo (sausage).  Like any respectable taqueria, the tacos are traditionally served on corn tortillas with onion and cilantro and rolled up individually with a little parchment paper.

The gorditas are much bigger and thicker than those at the other taquerias in town.  I’m not sure if I like that or not.  I kind of like the thin gorditas as they seem easier to eat.  These are thick-cut corn “shells” (for lack of a better term) and according to those familiar with San Antonio street food, just like the gorditas in San Antonio.  They are made to be able to hold their fillings like a little fried sandwich and are absolutely packed with meat, beans, and flavor.

The enchiladas and flautas are topped with shredded lettuce, slices of tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.  The enchiladas have a tasty red chili sauce of some sort, and the flautas have a green tomatillo sauce.  In my opinion, they could both use a little kick so I usually sprinkle on some of the salsa that they bring out in those cool little Mocajete bowls with the little feet.

But unlike your typical taqueria, this is a full service restaurant. There are several dinner plates (with rice and beans on the side) including my new favorite dish — tacos derados. These are fried tacos.  They are stuffed with your choice of a crumbly goat cheese, or mashed potatoes (you read that right).  Not since those brilliant carnies at the state fair introduced fried mashed potatoes on a stick have I been so excited about a dish.  Now, if only they could stuff a taco with macaroni and cheese and deep fry it.  I wonder if they would take suggestions?

I always make a big deal when a restaurant serves one of my favorite meats, and yes, you can get goat here.  They serve a goat soup.  No, I haven’t tried it, mainly because soup isn’t my favorite means of sustenance.  I will try it when it gets colder. I wish they would serve goat tacos.  Finding goat, or even lamb, in this town is not easy.  Heck, I can understand squirrel (by the way, I have honestly thought of opening a fried squirrel restaurant — you think fried onion burgers are all the rage, wait till metro OKC sees the squirrel fries sweeping through the city) but lamb and goat are a main meat group in nearly every heavily populated culture in the world.  For now, you will have to settle for small morsels found in soups, stews and masalas in the ethnic eateries dotted across our metro.

One other thing — there is a pretty steep language barrier here, but that doesn’t stop them from being highly accommodating.  First off, we got an awesome tour of the restaurant and didn’t really even ask.  We got samples and descriptions of several items.  Also, my Bangali friend who was a little disturbed at not being served chips with our meal once brought this up to the waitress.  She asked, “Chips?  Like nacho or like tortilla?”  He said, “like tortilla.”  Next thing you know, she brings us out a basket of freshly cut pieces of corn tortilla that they fried up for us on the spot. Amazing!

Beverages range from the Mexican bottled coke (which tastes WAY better than American coke.  I think it’s sugar cane like the Dublin Dr. Pepper), cans of other beverages and cervezas, and flavored waters.  I find it interesting that these Mexican restaurants call what we call fruit juice “flavored water.”  Anyway, they have cantaloupe, a purple one that no one has been able to translate, and horchata.  If the assortment of beverages isn’t enough to provide relief to your taste buds still smarting from that pickled jalapeno, go next door to their paleteria (popsicle shop).  Our hostess gave us a tour of the place and a lot of samples from the paleteria.  She gave us a cup of what she called “crazy water.”  It was cucumber water and was surprisingly good, and very refreshing.  She also had celery water which I will never try because I hate celery, and a variety of other fruit waters.  These really are flavored waters.  They are not sweet like a juice.  The paletas were available in walnut, rice, mango, chocolate … etc.

Taqueria Los Desvelados is not the shadiest place I have ever reviewed.  Sure, from the outside it stirs up fear and uneasiness with the best of them, but inside you feel pretty comfortable except for a more difficult language barrier than many other Mexican restaurants in town.  As with all shady restaurants, I recommend to our shady novices to stick with daylight hours, but for the more experienced shady adventurists, Taqueria Los Desvelados lets you adventure late into the night.  After all, desvelados translates as “kept awake.”  So if you are “kept awake,” make sure you are not “kept hungry” and go have a late night burrito.  I can’t wait to hear what you think in the comments.

I love a good burger, and am actually pretty picky when it comes to burgers. I also like shady, hole-in-the-wall-type places.  Nic’s combines the best of both worlds with a fantastic burger prepared in a little building, a shack actually, just off NW 10th on Penn.

I like my burgers thicker than onion burgers, greasy, and full of meaty flavor. The problem with griddle-fried burgers is that often times they are very bland when they are not squashed down to typical onion burger thickness. In fact, I hate watching Oklahoma City’s onion fry chefs (I hear they are better in El Reno, but I don’t know from personal experience) get their big spatulas and then squish every last morsel of juice out of every patty they fry. I also hate watching friends do this when they are grilling burgers at home. My favorite part of a burger is all the flavorful beef juice that explodes into a cholesterol and fat-laden flavor bomb with every bite. Nic has figured out how to serve a big, beefy (dare I say manly?) burger without murdering it while it cooks.

I have actually been meaning to experience a Nic’s burger for myself for a long time now. The problem is that every time I drive by there are people lined out the door and there is no place to park. There are only 15 seats in the entire place — nine at the bar, where you get a front row seat to all the cooking action, and 3 two-seater tables along the back wall. I went at 11:20am and had no trouble claiming 2 bar stools, although Nic did say it was one of his slower days in quite some time.  By the time we left, it was standing room only. My advice is get there early, before the big lunch rush.  Apparently there is major to-go and call-in business here as well, so you have options.

Before I dive into the burger and fries I experienced, let me go over the menu.  Breakfast, burgers, and chicken fried steak.  No frilly salads, no fruit cups, no yogurt and raisin parfait, just different slabs and hunks of meat and eggs thrown on a griddle. That’s my kind of place. He does have a daily special of pork chops, meatloaf, or fried chicken, depending on the day. I can’t wait to say that I have tried them all. I love a griddle or pan fried chicken fried steak, so I can’t wait to try Nic’s. He seasons, lightly flours, then throws it on the griddle. Once it’s done it is plated, and then he goes around to a back room where he finds mashed potatoes and white gravy to cover everything in.  I have to admit, my eyes started to well with tears of joy when I first saw him do this.

The burgers are thrown on the grill in what appears to be 1/3 to 1/2 pound of meat.  I didn’t ask the exact weight as I was feeling a little verklempt after watching the chicken fry and the precision with which Nic fielded orders from patrons in seats, over the phone, and from standing, waiting to-go orders. The burger was covered with cheese, grilled onions, dressed to my specifications, and then piled onto a toasted bun. It was huge, sloppy, and extremely hot.

He also has hand-cut curly fries that are fried to each order. Sure, lots of places serve hand-cut fries, but Nic’s look better. They aren’t mushy and brown like you so often see.  They are crispy, golden, and fresh.  He doesn’t care about letting them sit and drain. He believes that hotter is better and throws them straight from the grease directly onto your plate.  The portion of fries is the size of a small child, and when paired with a burger it is a daunting task just to finish everything.

Nic, always looking to help curb coronary disease, does not serve a double burger.

A few comments I and my lunch companion made really help to sum up the experience.  My companion thanked me for making him experience a place like this. He had no idea the treasures you can find if you just take a risk and jump into some of these little dives to experience true Oklahoma City culture.  He is obviously not a regular shady companion, but after this experience, he may well be. My reaction to Nic’s was equally sincere. I believe I muttered something about this burger changing my life as I wiped tears from my eyes.

I would call Nic’s shady, but not so shady as to deserve the prestigious designation of “Shady Restaurant of the Month.”  To me, it has shady characteristics, but falls more into hole-in-the-wall status. We don’t want to cheapen the title given monthly to those truly shady places, so let’s just call Nic’s a great hole-in-the-wall with fantastic food.  Prepare yourself properly before going so you can maximize your experience. Arrive early, skip breakfast, and be prepared to either sneak a nap at work afterwards or to at least have access to a highly caffeinated beverage. I have a feeling you, like me, will agree this is the best burger in town.  Let us know what you think in the comments.

The goal of every shady pick is to find a tasty bit of food at a location the average person may never have the guts to try on their own.  This month’s pick, Macy’s Pancake House, was actually recommended by one of our shady-lovin’ readers. The only thing is, Macy’s Pancake House was sold, and the name changed.  It is now 44th Cafe Pancake House.  Actually, I think it’s really only called 44th Cafe, but Pancake House still is pasted down the pole so that is what I will call it.

I had been to 44th Cafe about a year ago (when it was Macy’s) and remembered it to be pretty good.  I decided to go back and try it again.  Sure, it’s pretty shady.  You will find 44th Cafe nestled snuggly among a long line of pawn shops and cash advance joints.  The pawn shop next door actually outfitted my Volkswagen with a new stereo not too long ago.  So, how shady is this stretch of road, you ask?  Well, Sydney’s Restaurant, the famed inaugural Shady Restaurant of the Month, chose to move just down the road at SW 44th and May.  I will miss the old location with its leaky awning and its requirement of unplugging the fan to plug in the credit card machine, but even places like Sydney’s are looking to advance themselves.

As nearly every shady restaurant does, 44th Cafe likes to proudly put pictures of their food on the sign outside.  I’m not sure what the reasoning is behind this is.  You would think the words “Cafe” and “Pancake House” would be enough to clue people in that there are delicious greasy morsels inside.  Maybe they simply want to be sure that the image of their food can transcend language. Who knows.

Inside, I was pleasantly surprised by the well-lit, air conditioned environment.  Smokers are segmented in a separate room and unsurprisingly, that room was full.  There was no one in the non-smoking area except for myself and my shady companions.  Also, if you were thinking about borrowing the proprietor’s phone for personal reasons, you’d better think again.  There is a big sign on the counter plainly stating “No More Personal Phone Calls.”  Lucky for me, I had my cell phone for emergencies.

After we looked over our menus, our waitress approached and broke down the options for us.  I appreciated her candid honesty.  “Breakfast is great!” she said.  I asked about the daily specials and she said, “Oh, they are all good!”  I asked if that was really the case given that all of the specials were under $5 and she clarified that wasn’t really the case.  She said the chicken fried steak is terrible, a frozen parts-is-parts patty.  She raved about the spaghetti, though.  We all decided to play it safe and order breakfast.  I say we played it safe, but a couple of my shady friends ignored my sage advice and ordered the breakfast steaks along with their eggs and home fries.  Please, hear my plea — never order a steak that costs less than $10.  $4.99 is seductive, but it’s bad news.  The breakfast “New York Strip” looked like a thin shave of arm steak, but I could be wrong.  Whatever it was, my repentant friend informed me it was terrible and tough.  On the other hand, the eggs, home fries, biscuits, gravy, and pancakes were all fantastic — and very affordable. 44the Cafe also offers diner staples like meatloaf, pot roast, beef tips, catfish, and burgers … etc. I think I’ll stick with breakfast, though.

One thing that stood out was the fact that everyone who came into this restaurant was known by name.  Clint (who I called “Mr. Suspenders”) came in and ordered while he walked into the smoking chamber.  He ordered like this — it was brilliant:

waitress: “Hi Clint, be right there with your coffee and the usual.”

Clint: (nods head and says something unintelligible while pulling on suspenders)

waitress: “Ok, I’ll make that iced tea.”

This was an amazing exchange of verbal and non-verbal communication.  I can only hope that one day I can go into a shady diner, mumble and tug on my sagging pants, and find that my waitress hears my message — which will inevitably be “extra gravy and Dr. Pepper please” — loud and clear.

I love ordaining a diner with the shady honor, especially when it is a reader recommendation.  44th Cafe is a particularly shady location with big flavors and personalities inside.  One of the waitresses swears that if you come back for dinner and order the ribeye, you won’t be disappointed.  She says you can cut it with a butter knife.  That proposition is too shady even for me, but if one of you dares to try it and survives, please post your comments.  Until next time, keep the shady requests coming, and don’t be afraid to visit some of these places for yourselves.

As a rule, choosing the Shady Restaurant of the Month is far from easy. Perhaps what once stood out as an abnormality in my pre-conditioned culinary mind has simply become the norm. You see, I eat at shady dives and taco stands nearly every day now, so having one stand out as particularly more shady than the others is becoming more of a challenge. This time, though, the decision came fast and clear. The moment I heard myself actually say out loud, “wow, I’m eating goat meat in a gas station … and it’s delicious!” — that was the moment I knew I had a winner.

JRS Travel Center sits on the corner of Reno and Martin Luther King Avenue. Many a trucker stops here for a fill up and an energy drink, but it’s what is going on in the attached restaurant that will keep me coming back. When we first walked in, there was a sign for Corky’s Grill and a big picture of a nauseating star-shaped burger patty. Everyone has unfortunately experienced one of these unnaturally misshapen mystery meat patties at one time or another. I think the last one I had was at the hospital after my last kid was born. These can be tricky because everyone else is eating them and it makes you want to believe that they aren’t rancid, but it’s never the case. Thankfully, Corky’s has been bought out by an enterprising group of Indian chefs who have turned it into a tandoor grill.

The interior is awesome! The entire menu from Corky’s remains above the counter as well as all of the old signs advertising it’s American truck stop fare. You’ll need to ignore the Corky’s menu. Sorry for the inconvenience to all of you looking for a frozen chicken fried steak with fake gravy. They have draped some bright-colored cloths on the walls to give that distinct Indian feel, but then you sit down in booths that make you feel like you’re eating at Carl’s Jr. OK, maybe Carl’s Jr. in New Delhi.

Of course, a mismatched interior is what shady dining is all about. We’re looking for the place that can surprise us by delivering taste far beyond the expectations set up by appearances. And in the taste department, Tandoor is getting it right.

Tandoor Restaurant delivers the culture, spice, and flavor of Indian cuisine to all those daring enough to try something new. They will gladly show you a beat-up, laminated menu of what they really serve. I didn’t need a menu. When we walked in there was a dry-erase board with a big, bold proclamation:

“Now serving Halal goat!”

I knew what I was getting. No, it’s not because I’m a practicing Muslim needing to follow Halal standards, but rather because I’m a sucker for goat meat. The choices ranged from curries, to masalas, to biryani dishes. For those of you who have never experienced a biryani dish (and that used to include me), imagine an Indian version of fried rice. Indian food purists will surely mock my description. Speaking of Indian food purists … since visiting Tandoor, I have mentioned this place to various India natives and those friends of mine who have traveled extensively in India, and they all say this is one of their favorite places in town. Apparently, I’ve been out of the loop. The buffets in town surely don’t do Indian food this type of justice.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the flavor of the goat biryani. It really heated up as I went though. I found myself wishing I had ordered a Dr. Pepper with my meal this time. Talk about a hidden spiciness, this dish really creeps up on you. The only drawback of this particular selection was picking all of the goat bones out of my mouth. They are basically stewing the goat meat in a pressure cooker so that you get that marrowy, gelatin goodness in the stock. This makes it very tasty, but also means bones are going to break down and sometimes be small enough to hide under piles of rice. That, as well as the whole cloves, made it a little tedious to chew. I’m sure you can safely chew up and swallow these items, but I wasn’t in the mood for how this could have affected my digestive tract over the following few hours so I chose to discard these pieces as politely as I could.

My shady companions got a range of other biryani dishes and curries. We were not prepared for the level of spice. These dishes get warm quickly. However, fantastic flavors accompany that heat and they make the temporary palate-pain well worth it. I, for one, love the explosion of flavor that comes with saffron, clove, and other Indian spice staples.

Perhaps the highlight of the food was the naan. Naan is an unleavened bread found all across the Middle East and into India. It resembles pita bread, but it is much softer and infused with more flavors. They served a garlic naan which had cloves of garlic woven artfully through the dough. It was out of this world. The smell of roasted garlic enveloped our table and made our mouths water. We also ordered plain naan and onion naan. They were both very good. It was like naan other naan I have ever had. Ha!

You do need to be aware of the pricing and the size of the dishes here. The prices were quite high, ranging from $7 to $12, depending on the dish. My goat dish was $11 after tax and I declined the beverage. The good news is that these dishes could feed two or three people comfortably. I think the best course of action is to take six to eight people and order four or five dishes, in essence making your own buffet. I can promise it will be much more tasty than any buffet you have ever had, and less likely to spread disease (depending on who you invite to eat with you, of course).

The shady experience at Tandoor Restaurant will provide you with good food, good fun, and the ability to pick up a pack of cigarettes, an energy drink, and one of those cool, mesh-backed trucker caps with the clever sayings on your way out. Bring an appetite, be prepared for a little spice, and get ready for what is perhaps the best Indian food in the city. But don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself. Let us know what you think in the comments.

To the drive-by reader, the title “Shady Restaurant of the Month” may appear insulting, but shady-lovers everywhere know the truth. It is a distinguished honor and a true privilege to earn this title. To receive the “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award, an establishment must not only provide tasty fare, but also it must be bold, daring, adventuresome, and willing to flex its culinary muscles in a less than desirable location, under less than desirable conditions. Plus, it must remain steadfast in its calling as the higher-end restaurant snobs turn their nose up and speed by on their way to whatever “safe” food they can find served in a polished interior. Anyway, today we bestow this high honor on Taqueria Sanchez.

Taqueria Sanchez is located 5000-ish NW 23rd in Oklahoma City. I say “ish” because they move around a bit. On the weekends, they are usually in the parking lot of the auto repair shop on the corner, but during the week, they seem to move to whatever parking lot lets them sit there the longest. Speaking of mobile taco stands, I read that Los Angeles is about to pass a law keeping these mobile trucks of goodness from sitting in one spot for more than an hour at a time. This will ruin their businesses. Apparently, local brick and mortar restaurants put pressure on governments to pass such laws because these mobile delights, with no rent and little overhead, have an advantage over the traditional sit down establishment. Let’s hope that the entrepreneurial masa artists in Oklahoma City are not similarly restricted.

I usually eat at taco stands a couple of times each week. They are cheap, convenient, and they offer a level of taco, burrito, and gordita goodness that most restaurants in town only dream of. I like Taqueria Sanchez in particular because they have a really flavorful chicken taco. The al pastor isn’t bad either, but it’s nothing like Max Burger. You can also get carne asada, lengua, barbacoa (occasionally), and you get to choose whether you want them in the form of tacos, burritos, mulitas (best described as corn tortilla quesadillas), quesadillas, or tortas (Mexican sandwiches).

The prices are great. You can have tacos for $1, burritos for $4, or mulitas for $2. Whatever you choose, it’s a great value, but you really get the best bang for your buck with the burrito. It’s $4, but keep in mind this includes tax, and it is big enough to be a meal in itself. Stuffed with rice, beans, meat, cilantro, and hot sauce, you won’t need more than one.

I also encourage you to move beyond chicken or beef. Try the lengua. Sure, it’s tongue, but you can’t say you don’t like it until you try it. It has a real beefy flavor, like roast beef. It’s very tender. Plus, it’s fun to see little taste buds on the chunks of meat. A friend of mine refuses to eat it saying he won’t eat food that can taste him. He’s a wimp. Also, the tripas (Mexican chitterlings) aren’t bad, although I prefer them in soupy dishes rather than tacos.

If you need an icy-cold beverage and can’t wait to get a can of Dr. Pepper when you get back home, try the flavor of Jarritos. It’s the first national soft drink brand of Mexico. It features lots of fruity flavors if that’s your cup of tea. I’d stick with Dr. Pepper, but Sanchez doesn’t sell it.

In a way, the goal of this review is to encourage you to eat at any taco stand you can find. There are hundreds throughout the Oklahoma City metro, each with a unique flavor and offering. Plus, their shadiness cannot be questioned. Sure, there have been accusations of these stands having sub-par health ratings, as was reported in Nashville, but I don’t believe it. I think these stands offer great food at great prices. If you turn your noses up at them, you are passing up the opportunity to introduce your palate to so many fresh and unique flavors.

Oklahoma City, it’s time to celebrate the shadiness of ordering food while standing on a street corner. Give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments.

I know, March came and went without a “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award. I’m making up for it with a particularly strong April recommendation that was actually brought to me by a loyal Shady reader. Please keep the suggestions coming! You never know when your favorite place could get the honorable Shady Restaurant of the Month award making you the envy of all your friends.

I got the email yesterday that I should give Choice Cafe a try. Luckily, I had no other shady plans and decided to go give it a shot. Choice Cafe sits on South Shields Avenue in Southeast Oklahoma City. As we neared the restaurant it became clear that it had some strong shady characteristics. We passed the Dreamland Motel, a couple pawn shops, a large bingo hall, and just before you reach the Swank Hotel (you can’t make up a name like that) you find Choice Cafe.

Like many of its shady cousins, Choice Cafe has a big, blue awning with jumbo letters advertising its name along with its phone number. A large portion of the awning was torn off on one side. Honestly, though, with these 78 mph Oklahoma winds, I’m not sure how anyone maintains a decent awning in this town. The parking lot was packed. In fact, we “made up” our own parking space. A full parking lot is always a decent sign, but Western Sizzlin’ also typically has a full lot so take that with a grain of salt.

Inside, it was very clean, although it did still maintain some shady interior characteristics such as water-stained, multi-colored ceiling tiles, and cinder-block walls. There was a large menu over the counter and as we walked up to order, we were told that we could sit down and that they would bring us menus. The menus were surprising. I’m used to a grease-stained menu at these places, but this was a nice, bright, laminated menu with great pictures and graphics, plus a large ad mentioning their catering business. There wasn’t the slightest bit of ketchup, meatloaf juice, or burger grease to be found lingering from the last guy. Our beverages were brought to us in nice, clean, sturdy glasses. Again, very surprising. I’m used to those beady, red, plastic cups with a worn-out Dr. Pepper or Coke logo on them. Also, in true South Oklahoma City fashion, they boast enough signed OU footballs, plaques, and framed snapshots of all the glories and traditions of Sooner Football to classify this place as an OU museum.

There are lots of food options here including burgers, gyros, baked potatoes, several varieties of chicken, and then a host of diner meals including meatloaf, roast beef, catfish … etc. I asked about the burgers. I was prepared for the “all beef patty” speech that can be translated as “frozen, all beef — but not the parts of beef you would normally want to eat — patties.” Instead, our waiter surprised me by saying how they hand-weigh the fresh beef every morning for their burgers. I figured I’d better try one. My shady lunch companions (no, they won’t mind being called that) got gyros and a roast beef dish.

The burger came exactly as advertised. It was an all beef, hand-made patty. I was impressed. A little under-seasoned for my taste, but I added some salt and it was quite enjoyable. It came with hand-cut curly fries. They were fantastic. The chef must have some mediterranean / middle-eastern influence. I say this because of the gyro offerings, plus the seasoning on the fries had a strong hint of garam masala or something similar. It was all very good. The roast beef came in typical diner fashion with mashed potatoes and gravy, and bland green beans.

I was quite surprised at the quality we experienced here. They have a very friendly waitstaff, good quality food, and prices that are in line with shady spots everywhere. I got in and out for $5. Not bad for such a quality meal. Oh, and like every good diner, they also provide a large display case of oversized slices of homemade pie. This is a tradition I rarely get to experience. I’m just not a big dessert fan. Sure, pie is good and all, but why waste that stomach space when it could be filled with meat, cheese, and gravy?

There may be shadier places in town, but Choice Cafe combines great taste with plenty of shady surroundings to provide an all-around great experience that earns it the prestigious Shady Restaurant of the Month award for April. Try it, and let us know what you think.

Being a shady adventurist has its challenges. I mean, think of it this way – you’ve got one hour for lunch, your only break from a crazy day of work, and you are leaving the fate of your precious lunch time in the hands of an inexperienced griddle chef and a waitress that, more often than not, has a progressive form of emphysema from her two pack a day habit. Why do it, you ask? Well, simply put, it’s exciting! Even when you have a less-than-stellar experience at one of these joints, you typically walk away with a good story, more money left in your pocket than McWhataKing’s “value meal” would have left you with, and the chance to mingle with some of Oklahoma City’s more dynamic personalities.

Cesar’s Grill is no exception to this rule. It is border-line shady. In fact, my lunch companion and I had a good healthy debate about the ultimate shadiness of this particular eatery.

A few key shady factors:

1. Surrounded by wheel and tire shops (I am in no way saying these have a dishonest practice, but you have to wonder why they always seem to have that hubcap you were missing on special. Maybe they have all those left socks I’m missing in back too. Never thought to ask! The one down the road from Cesar’s does have those hard-to-find Volkswagen sized tires for only $20!! What a bargain!).
2. It is located down the street from the Red Dog Cafe. Pretty sure bad things go down here. It looks like the bar in that Quentin Tarantino film, Dusk Till Dawn. I’m not a frequenter of these places so I can’t give you specific details. Besides Red Dog, there are at least 3 additional sleazy men’s clubs in the immediate area (I refuse to call them Gentlemen’s clubs).
3. Lots of vagabonds wandering around this side of town. It’s not far off Reno, so transients often find this particular stretch of road a good place to take a mid-day stroll. It could very possibly just be the bouncers from Red Dog Cafe killing time before the Happy Hour action starts. Who knows?
4. It seems like the apartment complexes over here seem to always have cops, and even a random shooting or two every quarter or so.

And the arguments against the shady rating:

1. It’s not an overly dangerous part of town. Aside from what happens here in the late evening hours, I think if you stay out of Red Dog Cafe, and don’t go swapping meth pipes in the apartment complexes, you are pretty safe to be around here, even in evening hours.
2. The clientèle here are pretty un-shady. There is usually a table of Senior Adults enjoying a laid back lunch while socializing (or I guess they could be planning their excursion into the Red Dog, in which case my assumption could be way off).
3. The inside of this place is not shady at all. In fact, it has that feel of an old BBQ restaurant, or cheap budget steakhouse. Wood paneling, old western pictures, Coca-Cola memorabilia, and a crane machine to try and win a stuffed animal after lunch.

I’ve been so torn with its classification that I even went here twice in the same week to try and figure it out. I may need reader assistance in properly categorizing this place. Let me describe some of the food offerings to give you proper preparation before you try this place for yourselves.

First off, they serve breakfast all day. Bonus! And its pretty good! The Cesar Omelette throws together a lot of what’s in the kitchen (in their words) to make a spicy and robust meal. Again, breakfast is always a safe option as it’s hard to mess it up. The burgers, however, are a different story. I asked our waitress what she thought and she said, “oh, they are awesome!” She was a young and energetic sort, literally running between tables and the kitchen to try and give everyone quick service. She didn’t look, or smell, like the heavy smoker type that I’m used to in these types of places. That, paired with her age, (the older you get the more taste buds you lose) made me think her opinion could be valid. Wrong. Frozen patty. Not 100% sure it was even all beef. I was unable to finish it.

They do have a daily special, which on one occasion looked really good. They had a baked chicken dish with fried okra and some type of green vegetable. It looked and smelled awesome, and everyone in the place but us had ordered it (and cleaned their plates). It may be that the daily special is the way to go every day. The second time I went, though, the special was a roast beef dish, and the quality of the burger made me a bit squeamish so I went with the breakfast. My fellow shady adventurer tried the $3.99 chicken fried steak. I told him not to, but the price sucked him in. No amount of intervening was successful in averting his curiosity. I even offered to pay for something else myself, but he wouldn’t listen. Of course it was a frozen, processed patty, but he finished it off. There is something about gravy (even if it does come from a mix) that can really make processed meat edible by masking the flavor.

Overall, Cesar’s isn’t bad. Great prices, great service, decent food offerings. As long as you treat these places like they should be treated, as quick and cheap lunch adventures, you will set them up for the way they are meant to be enjoyed. If you are taking the family out at night, I would stick to places like Iron Starr, El Pollo Chullo, Sophabella’s, and a number of other non-shady eateries listed on our site. And stick to the places like Cheevers, Deep Fork, Red Prime, and La Baguette for those nicer dinners. No hate mail please if you go into my shadier suggestions with the wrong expectations.

Ladies, Gentlemen, and Shady Restaurant lovers everywhere, I’m extremely pleased to present you the latest Shady Restaurant of the Month … MAX BURGER!! That’s right, the epicurean purveyors of one of my favorite places in town, Max Pollo, decided the world, or at least south Oklahoma City, needed another Max restaurant.

Shady restaurant adventurers will be glad to know that Max Burger is in a particularly shady location just North of SW 29th on Western Ave. Across the street is one of those “we finance anyone” used car lots (I’m pretty sure the Fair Credit Act is ignored in places like that) and just down the road from one of those used wheel stores. You should definitely read my disclaimer from the inaugural shady review, which will be particularly important for your excursion to Max Burger.

I have known for several months that Max Burger was opening and I have been driving by often, just waiting for it to finally “go live.” Our first time to catch it was a real treat. They have taken over a building that was probably an old bar of some sort. It’s not a real big joint, but big enough to seat 30 people or so. The building is bright blue and orange. The sign features the Max Pollo chicken holding a burger high for all to see. It’s not quite as disturbing as the same chicken waving a chicken leg around at Max Pollo (that one reminds me of that classic Saturday Night Live commercial, “Clucky Chicken“). As we walked up to the front door, we found a flyer posted advertising a booty-shaking contest down the road. Our excitement soon turned to disappointment, however, when we saw it was last week. Oh well, maybe next year.

Inside Max Burger, we were instantly hit with the smell of hamburgesa de carbones (grilled burgers). What a great smell! The color mosaic was kicked up another notch on the interior with bright orange, purple, and blue plastered everywhere. The bathroom was an interesting experience as well. First, there is graffiti everywhere. I’m assuming it’s left over from the last owners. Second, you get your soap out of a ketchup squirt bottle. Awesome! At first, we were the only ones enjoying a Spanish version of Judge Judy on the flat panel displays, but soon a few tables of local blue collar workers, who also enjoyed a satisfying Hispanic take on the American classic, filed in.

At Max Burger, you order at the counter and then sit down while your food is prepared. The menu consists of the Max Burger, the Max Max Burger (double the meat), max papas (french fries with various toppings), plus several types of tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, taquitos, and more!

Let me begin by describing the Max Burger. It’s a grilled all-beef patty on a toasted bun, and between each patty a thin slice of grilled ham, yellow cheese, and white cheese. It’s topped with mustard, shredded lettuce, tomato, and a smear of what appeared to be mashed avocado. It’s a sloppy masterpiece with a really unique flavor. I just got regular papas, which were pretty boring crinkle cut fries. I should have gotten the Max Papas where they cover the fries with everything in the kitchen including jalapenos, cheese, sour cream … etc. The Max Papas look like a meal unto themselves. I didn’t get them because I just wanted to keep from spending over $10.

The tacos al pastor (pork-ish taco) were on special. They are served on a couple warm corn tortillas with onions and cilantro. Nice, simple, tasty, and only $1 … the way tacos should be.

Also, they brought out three squirt bottles of sauce with our meal. The first was a green tomatillo-looking sauce that had a hint of avocado taste in it and just a little bit of heat. The second was an orange-colored sauce with a little more heat that tasted kind of like a thousand island hot sauce. I know, bad description, but it was the favorite of our table. Finally, there was a dark red sauce full of visible chili pepper seeds. It was quite warm.

You know what I just realized weren’t on these burgers? Onions. Weird. You would expect onions on a Hispanic burger. I didn’t miss them, though. Maybe Max realized that every burger place in town does an onion-fried burger and he just wanted to stand out.

Great food here. It really is a unique burger unlike any other burger in Oklahoma City (to my knowledge). The ham adds a nice smoky flavor, and the white cheese (I’m not sure what it is — maybe Queso Blanco or Quesadilla, or just a simple Mexican farmer’s cheese) was a real compliment to the grilled flavor of the burger. I also really liked the avocado on the burger. Good idea, Max Burger! In fact, Max Burger is full of great ideas. I really want to try the taquitos and a few types of tacos, but not sure if I’ll ever get past the burger. If I could offer them any tips it would be to invest time into developing a hand-cut french fry, but until then I’ll just squirt that orange-colored hot sauce all over them and eat them anyway.

Max Burger really does sit at a less than desirable location. You probably want to stick to keeping this a lunch spot. But hey, that just adds to the fun right? It’s what shady restaurant dining is all about.

I’m not sure what Max has in store for us next. Maybe Max Pizza? Or perhaps Max steakhouse? I don’t know, but I would wager that whatever it is, I’ll be writing about it when it comes along.

Have you ever wondered what “soul food” is? Visit Mama E’s and they will be glad to educate you. I told the friendly lady preparing my meal a couple days ago how glad I was to find a soul food joint in this town and she said, “Baby, this is truly soul food because we make it with lots of love from deep down in our soul.” I’ll tell you what else it does; it warms the soul. In short, “soul food” is “comfort food”and Mama E makes it as well as anyone I know. Soul food is made the way all comfort food should be made. The made-from-scratch gravies are creamy, the casseroles are cheesy, and everything comes with an extra scoop of lard for flavor.

Not only is Mama E’s great, it’s shady too. It’s a small little shack in a less-than-desirable part of town (off 36th between Kelly and Martin Luther King). Luckily, Mama shuts down before it gets too late, so it’s usually pretty safe to frequent during operating hours. Mama E’s is open from 11-7 Tuesday through Friday, but they close at 6 on Wednesday. Mama says, “You better be goin’ to Wednesday night meetin’ at Church!!” Mama E’s has 4 or 5 tables and a long bar with seats as well. Lots of people came and got food to go while we ate. After seeing the portions Mama serves, I’m sure these people were taking them home to share.

Mama E’s has several fantastic offerings to choose from. Chicken and waffles, burgers, catfish, fried ribs, and pork-chop sandwiches. The chicken and waffles are amazing (dusted with powdered sugar), but to me, the real shining star is the Soul Food Daily Special. Sure, it’s $9.95, but wait until you hear what it includes! You get two meats, three sides, a roll or cornbread, dessert, and all-you-can-drink Kool-Aid! When I say two meats, I mean two full servings of meat. When I say three sides, I mean you better be ready for an afternoon nap when you get back to work. You get a roll or a slice of cornbread (or in my case she gave me both because I was taking too long to decide) and dessert, which could range from bread pudding to sweet potato pie (both are great, according to my lunch companions). I’ll admit, I’ve never made it to dessert. First, I’m not a big dessert fan, and second, not many people can make it through two meats and three sides and live to describe the desserts. In all reality, the soul food special could, and probably should, feed 2 people.

Meats can include a variety of options from day to day. You might get neckbone, chicken and dressing, pork-chops, meatloaf, catfish, fried tilapia (or other whitefish), spaghetti casserole, stroganoff, beef tips, fried ribs, or the like. If you have never had neckbone, try Mama E’s. It’s perfectly seasoned and slow cooked for hours until it’s fall-off-the-(neck)bone tender. To give you a perspective on portion sizes, a typical neckbone is about the size of a man’s fist. Granted, its not loaded with tons of meat, but she loads up 3 or 4 of these chunks of flavor for one serving. The stroganoff had big chunks of meat in a homemade gravy. It was very filling and very tasty. The sides were fantastic as well. Baked macaroni and cheese was perfectly done, mashed potatoes had a homemade turkey gravy drizzled all over them, and I also tried a squash, okra, and tomato saute of some sort that was unique and flavorful. Of course, you can also get corn, greens, beans, yams, cabbage, or whatever else Mama has cooked up for the day.

Next time I think I will bring the whole thing home and split it with my wife. I’m pretty much useless after a meal like that if I try to conquer it by myself. And how can you go wrong with Kool-Aid? Its one of those things that you would never be caught drinking while out with your buddies, but Mama makes everyone drink Kool-Aid, and it’s a nice nostalgic flashback. It’s also funny to see all your buddies with Kool-Aid mustaches.

If you have never had soul food you are missing out on a passionate art form, tasty food, and some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Go visit mama, but bring a big appetite!

December’s “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award winner epitomizes everything that those who love shady spots look for in an eatery. I have chosen El Regio Loco and will implore anyone who reads this to work up the nerve to eat somewhere unconventional and try this place. This place is a road-side stand, not unlike many taco stands you see throughout the Hispanic community. What is unlike most road-side stands, however, is that El Regio Loco has rented space inside the convenience store with which it shares a parking lot to give its patrons a place to sit and eat, sheltered from the elements.

Before we dive into the savory edibles, it is important to understand what El Regio Loco actually is. Gerard (pronounced herard) came from Mexico to start his own “American dream” and open a chicken stand not unlike the places he grew up working in Mexico and in Austin, Texas. El Pollo Loco is a familiar place to anyone from Northern Mexico and all along the bordering American states, and that is where Gerard got his start in roasting chickens.

Gerard hails from Regio, Monterrey or simply “Regio.” It’s not uncommon to refer to yourself as “from the Regio,” or ask fellow Mexican nationals if they are “from Regio.” Regio, Monterrey is a mountainous region (English for regio) in north-central Mexico with its own culture, food, and industry. One of the regional specialties is cabrito, which is baby goat cooked over mesquite coals. Unfortunately, El Regio Loco does not serve cabrito but, lucky for us, they do serve a roasted chicken that rivals any chicken you can get anywhere else in town.

Gerard is a very accommodating guy and wants nothing more than for you to be pleased with your experience. He is setting up a kitchen and grill inside the convenience store, but until then he is more than willing to run back and forth to the mobile kitchen and serve you while you wait inside at one of the three booths he has prepared for his patrons. If I have anything to do with it he will be expanding soon. Currently he cooks in the little roadside stand, but his new indoor grill will cook 100 chickens at a time, he says. If you have ever eaten at a little BBQ place that shares space with a convenience store then you can picture what he is doing inside this place.

Currently, you choose either a whole or half chicken. This chicken is marinated in herbs, spices, and citrus juice and then roasted over wood and coals until golden brown and delicious. The whole chicken is $13 and it comes with sides of rice, beans, or this very tasty Mexican goulash substance (I’m not really sure what the goulash is, and Gerard was unable to put it in English terms, but it contains elbow macaroni, bits of ground beef, onions and other spices, in a soup stock of some sort. Looking back on that sentence, the choice of words could probably have been more eloquent, but I’m not sure how else to describe it). You also get a stack of warm tortillas.

The chicken is cut into pieces for you before being served. One chicken is enough for 2 or 3 people, depending on how hungry you are. A half chicken costs $7. Gerard is about to start serving Carne Asada as well which he says will be equally satisfying. I also recommend eating with someone who enjoys the opposite type of meat as you so that there is no fighting over those succulent dark meat pieces.

Drawbacks? It’s as shady as it gets. Southwest 29th is not exactly the safest street in Oklahoma City. Plus, you buy your food from a roadside stand and eat it in a shady little convenience store that has to be a front for some sort of questionable money making venture because they don’t serve gas, they don’t have an ATM, they have limited merchandise, and they are across the street from a 7-11 that offers all those things and more, and yet somehow they pay their electric bill month after month. Perhaps Gerard will one day kick these guys out and turn this place into a full service restaurant pleasing the Oklahoma City masses and fulfilling his American Dream!

The good of El Regio Loco far outweighs the bad. So please, take a friend during daylight hours and go visit my amigo, Gerard. Tell him you read about his place on EatAroundOKC.com. He was very excited to hear that he would be on the internet so your encouragement will make his day.

It’s time once again to bestow the honor of “Shady Restaurant of the Month” to another questionable establishment serving good food to Oklahoma City’s food adventurists. There were several nominees that had compelling arguments as to why they should be chosen. Rays Country Cafe, nestled between two strip clubs, was not only dangerous but paired a couple of shady staples with their gyro-meat omelet. Tacoville has excellent gringo “Mexican” food in a very shady part of town. And Mariscos Mi Lindo De Mazatlan has fantastic fish tacos and burritos if you aren’t scared by a few mistrusting stares from the locals grooving to Mexican polka at ear-bleeding levels. In the end, however, I decided to move away from these shady wonders in favor of 50’s cafe on SW 29th and May.

A couple of things put 50’s Cafe over the top and they have nothing to do with the food. Rather, the y are all about the experiences surrounding the food. For example, along the street outside 50’s Cafe I saw my first real life bumper car match between two angry drivers and also had a lady accuse me of stealing her car. There has to be an element of danger to win the “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award, and cars ramming each other on city streets pretty much takes the cake. Please refer back to my original disclaimer. Also, 50’s Cafe is out of place in its location. Next door you can send your Western Union money order to your Uncle in San Salvador, and two doors down you can buy fresh tortillas and other Hispanic groceries. 50’s Cafe refuses to move from a predominantly Hispanic area and boldly continues to cater to the working-class folk who like an affordable breakfast at all times of the day.

Once inside 50’s Cafe, the first thing that sticks out is all the Marilyn Monroe pictures. Aside from the pictures on the wall, I’m uncertain what makes it “50’s.” When I think “50’s Diner,” I imagine milkshakes, burgers, coney’s, and John Travolta dancing awkwardly. While there were burgers on the menu, I did not see milkshakes, and no John Travolta or even John Travolta look-alikes. There were a couple Elvis look-alikes, but I’m pretty sure those weren’t intentional. I’m also pretty sure Elvis washed his hair.

Of course, it isn’t living up to your restaurant’s name that wins you the award. It’s all about shadiness and flavor.

We all ordered breakfast. Fried pork chops, biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs, sausage, chicken fried steak, and grits. I didn’t eat all of this, I ate what was dubbed “OKC’s favorite.” It was a biscuit topped with a scrambled egg, covered in country gravy, and served with sausage. This may be hard to believe but I have had a similar dish at Classen Grill, and this was not too far off in flavor for a third of the price. I really think their claim of homemade gravy could actually be true. One other thing, a place like this is more than happy to give you a little extra gravy if you desire. In contrast, I was in McDonald’s today and a poor guy asked for a little more gravy for his biscuit and was told quite harshly that the portion that comes with his meal is plenty, and any additional gravy would cost him 75 cents. What a travesty. I like to think we still live in a world where a guy can get a little extra gravy when he needs it.

Anyway, my shady companions enjoyed the other breakfast items and delivered rave reviews. The chicken fried steak was obviously a frozen patty. I would never order this, but my friend eating it didn’t seem to complain.

A couple warnings:

1. The menus are saturated in cigarette smoke. Not sure why. Kinda weird.
2. Don’t get the owner started about the cost of Coke and Pepsi products. Apparently his Pepsi rep is ripping him off and he wonders how a guy is supposed to make an honest living. He turns red when talking about this. Apparently, the cost of Pepsi goes up next week too for you investors out there looking for some inside info according to shady restaurant owner guy.
3. They will try to tempt you with a $5.50 sirloin steak offering. Don’t ever fall for this trick. It even tempted one of my companions. Luckily I intervened before something terrible happened.

So until next month, 50’s Cafe now holds the esteemed title of “Shady Restaurant of the Month.” I like seeing the competition heat up. If you find a restaurant shady enough to be considered for nomination, please comment. In the meantime, go have breakfast for lunch at 50’s Cafe. You’ll be glad you did.

Since I feel it is my duty as an American to notify the public when my lunch time adventures cause me to stumble across a tasty hidden treasure, then it would also be my duty to inform the growing legion of Shady Restaurant fans of those places they should avoid. This week, my fellow lunch pals and I decided to try a place we have passed many times, but wisely had never stopped at before. The Golden Touch Grill sits along Meridian on the way to the airport inviting recent travelers to enjoy “the best home cooking in town.” They lied.

When you first walk into the Golden Touch, you are reminded of other Oklahoma City shady favorites. The menu has a variety of burgers as well as hot lunch specials. The clientèle has that special quality about them that makes you wish you had your license to carry a concealed weapon, you know, just in case. There was the guy wearing the short sleeve button up, that forgot to button up. There was a 20 year old TV playing soap operas. The tables were a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture lined up in long rows so you could eat with all your shady friends prison style. There was a white board with a drawing of peach cobbler commanding patrons to try it. In other words, your typical shady restaurant. In fact, to get the full effect of this place I have included two pictures.

The atmosphere was perfect, the location was scary, the entrance was intimidating (see picture), so all that was left to be a contender for the prestigious “Shady Restaurant of the Month” award was for the food to be good. We immediately realized that breakfast was only served until 11. That was a little concerning, but then we looked over and the guy with the unbuttoned shirt was smiling and nodding, with a little gravy collected in his mustache, as if to say “don’t worry, you’ll love the roast beef and burgers.”

I asked the waitress what I should order and she recommended the Golden Touch Burger. “Why not?” I thought to myself. After all, it is its namesake. My two shady adventurers decided to try the roast beef and beef tips and gravy respectively. The meal was plated and in front of us in less than 2 minutes. I remember remarking that was a little TOO fast. The burger had swiss cheese and a slice of ham on top and was accompanied with onion rings. It looked and smelled pretty good. It wasn’t horrible, started off pretty good, but got progressively less and less tasty the longer I chewed on it. The onion rings mysteriously tasted like fried whitefish. Not really a bad flavor in itself, just not what you really want your onion rings tasting like. I glanced over at mustache man and he was still smiling and nodding. I felt like at this point he knew something I didn’t. Meanwhile my friends were working on their beef and gravy concoctions. They described them as bringing back memories of bad TV dinners, fake grill marks and all. Not one of us was able to finish. We passed on the peach cobbler.

It is a shame breakfast hadn’t been served. It’s hard to mess up eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns, and can make one of these places worth coming back to. The price is right at a place like this if the food quality is decent. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this place for lunch. It’s a shame we were unable to try the breakfast options. We left, but not completely unsatisfied. Another shady spot can now be marked off the list and our adventures can continue elsewhere.