Pollo Campero

[Pete]

Latin chain to bring first Oklahoma location to Uptown


With origins in Guatemala and over 350 restaurants worldwide, Oklahoma City is set to get the first Pollo Campero in the state.

[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

Yet another entry into the seemingly endless chicken war, Campero offers a Central America take with unique spices in offering several versions of fried but also citrus grilled chicken and wings.

The first U.S. location opened in Los Angeles in 2002, drawing huge crowds and favorable reviews. Similarly, new locations in Las Vegas and other American cities have experienced long lines.

The closest current locations are in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area with 16 total in the state of Texas.

Pollo Campero also features aguas frescas drinks, empanadas and bowls, plantains, street corn, flan and other Latin dishes.

The location at 1414 NW 23rd was formerly an Arby's.

[Paseofreak]

Sure looks like a mighty upgrade to me. I miss Arby's from 20 years ago, but can't win against accountants in the kitchen.

[Pete]

I've heard great things about it and it's quite different that the other chicken places. Empanadas, street corn and other sides, desserts and drinks are unique.

It's a lot like El Pollo Loco, which is my absolute favorite of this type of place.

[Mr. Cotter]

Cool. With this and the new Jimmy John's, this stretch of 23rd is improving nicely.

[Paseofreak]

Same franchisee as Dallas?

[TheirTheir]

This makes me happy.

[Midtowner]

Well cool. So now we'll have a chain restaurant for when the Oklahoman ranks the top 5 latin restaurants in the OKC area.

[soonermike81]

I love El Pollo Loco! Was amazed at how fresh everything seemed for a fast food joint. Excited to try this place out.

[progressiveboy]

I have at the one's in DFW. They are ok but not anything special. I was really disappointed when they shuttered all of the DFW's Pollo Tropical which was similar to this concept. We will see if OKC embraces the latin cuisine?

[Pete]

Here is the rendering for this particular site which is now under construction.

[Roger S]

Nice.... I figured they would do like Sam's Southern Eatery and just remodel the existing building and slap a coat of paint on it.

Does anyone know why that Arby's just suddenly closed? Was it building related? It always appeared to do quite a bit of business. At least at lunch.

[Pete]

Does anyone know why that Arby's just suddenly closed? Was it building related? It always appeared to do quite a bit of business. At least at lunch.

The local Arby's franchisee still owns this building.

They are basically remodeling all their area locations so I suspect they decided this location was not worth it for some reason.

[baralheia]

Nice.... I figured they would do like Sam's Southern Eatery and just remodel the existing building and slap a coat of paint on it.

Does anyone know why that Arby's just suddenly closed? Was it building related? It always appeared to do quite a bit of business. At least at lunch.

When I worked for the company a decade ago, that store was among the oldest in OKC. The kitchen was a cramped mess and the drive through was not a modern configuration. Lunch business was brisk, but dinner business there was... eh. It was enough to sustain the store, but not much else. I suspect US Beef Corp (the Arby's franchisee that actually owned the store) needed to repair and/or remodel the store but the sales at the store couldn't justify the cost of the necessary work.

[Bullbear]

So glad they are really remodeling this Building!. will look so much better.

[Pete]

Some time ago, I was a consultant on a proposed merger between Arbys and Long John Silvers.

They had entered into an agreement whereby the two concepts would be largely co-branded in almost all locations.

The main motivation was that Arby's had a strong lunch business and that LJS did better at dinner time.

It was fascinating work, trying to merge the two cultures (Arby's was heavily franchised and LJS was not) and in the end the deal was scuttled when they realized there would be too much time and money required to bring the two organizations together.

[Pete]

[Harbinger]

Whoa. I was under the impression that they were going to renovate the existing structure. This took me by surprise.
20180320_125232.jpg

[Pete]

Yeah, they meant to renovate then determined it was better to scrape and build new.

[baralheia]

Yeah, they meant to renovate then determined it was better to scrape and build new.

Having worked in that building when it was an Arby's, truthfully, this decision actually doesn't surprise me all that much - and it plays into my theory that US Beef closed the location because of needed repairs that were deemed too expensive. That store was originally built in 1967, and the kitchen and back office looked every bit of 50 years old.

[Pete]

[Uptowner]

I feel fear for the el pollo chulo location on 50th in Warr acres. The wife and I drive there often even though it’s pretty far outside the hood. We also have to flip a coin because it’s across the street from Abel’s and we can never decide between our two favorite Latin joints in town. If I can get relatively healthy grilled chicken plates a mile from my home in paseo? I might only be driving to Abel’s from now on.

Btw. Get to el pollo chulo it’s omg amazing, inexpensive, and guilt free. The defacto dish is the bone in chicken that flame grills so long that the fat melts away yet it’s still tender & moist thanks to the marinade, wherein the recipe is probably locked in a vault somewhere. It is decidedly low key and extra casual. The guy who I can only assume is the owner because he’s the only person I’ve ever seen working there and performs every job simultaneously, also keeps his office in the corner of the dining room so he doesn’t miss a thing.

[Pete]

^

I've been meaning to try El Pollo Chulo and now I will!

That area is actually pretty great for food: EPC, Abel's, Del Rancho, Tim's Drive-in, and Cajun King is just a mile north. There is also a Thai place right there I want to try.

[TheTravellers]

^

I've been meaning to try El Pollo Chulo and now I will!

That area is actually pretty great for food: EPC, Abel's, Del Rancho, Tim's Drive-in, and Cajun King is just a mile north. There is also a Thai place right there I want to try.

If it's Charm Thai you're talking about, don't bother. Tom Kha soup was way too thin, didn't have nearly enough coconut milk, and they left the inedible parts of the lemongrass in. Duck curry was OK, but the flavor just wasn't there enough in the curry, and spice level of 4 barely did anything for me. Wife had Pad See Ew, I believe, and she wasn't thrilled with it either. For reference, we used to really like Lemongrass Thai in Edmond, and Bistro 38 before they started cutting down on the amount of chicken in their Tom Kha (but it's still the best tasting and thickest Tom Kha we've had in OKC). If you're looking for good Thai, try Bistro 38, hopefully during mango season 'cos their mango sticky rice is wonderful.

[soonerguru]

If it's Charm Thai you're talking about, don't bother. Tom Kha soup was way too thin, didn't have nearly enough coconut milk, and they left the inedible parts of the lemongrass in. Duck curry was OK, but the flavor just wasn't there enough in the curry, and spice level of 4 barely did anything for me. Wife had Pad See Ew, I believe, and she wasn't thrilled with it either. For reference, we used to really like Lemongrass Thai in Edmond, and Bistro 38 before they started cutting down on the amount of chicken in their Tom Kha (but it's still the best tasting and thickest Tom Kha we've had in OKC). If you're looking for good Thai, try Bistro 38, hopefully during mango season 'cos their mango sticky rice is wonderful.

Not to be "that guy," but can someone explain the love for Abel's in OKC? I've tried to keep an open mind and I've been there five different times, and while OK, I don't think it offers anything spectacular. Am I ordering the wrong items? Please tell me what I should be ordering at Abel's?

[Uptowner]

Not to be "that guy," but can someone explain the love for Abel's in OKC? I've tried to keep an open mind and I've been there five different times, and while OK, I don't think it offers anything spectacular. Am I ordering the wrong items? Please tell me what I should be ordering at Abel's?

I never order anything Tex mex. I think they’re Tex mex is not spectacular. Nor do I think much of any Tex mex, Ted’s fails 4/5 times, all the chelinos are in decline, except when the sw 29th location hits it knocks it out of the park. Tarahumara doesn’t impress me a lot either although, perhaps to their credit, I’ve only gone on sooner football days.

Abel’s exceeds in everything non-Tex mex. All the seafood is great and the “7 mares” seafood soup is a must have if you like the sound of 7 species swimming in a spicy sour veggie broth. There’s a pork rib dish that’s essentially deep fried ribs smother in peppers & onions, all the stews and guisadas are killer, and say yes to anything topped with a fried egg. There’s also a take away business being operated inside the lobby that operates as a taqueria: tacos, tortas, burritos, gorditas, etc. If you just ask for the taqueria menu when you sit, you can dine in(you can also call ahead for take away.) But keep in mind it doesn’t come with rice & beans although you can order them ala carte. I don’t recall if the chip&dip setup is included with dine in taqueria orders. And it’s what most big tables of Mexican families do on weekend lunch, that and the seafood soup. Or if you can best 5x 4” street tacos you can order the “calvillo” and they come on a platter with botana, fried onions, and grilled Serrano. Don’t forget to order fruit from the case as desert or appetizers they always have sliced mango, papaya, watermelon, etc. ready to go and also sell aguas frescas that I don’t believed are printed on the menu. I usually have a beer or two in the frozen mug. Honestly the rule of thumb is just to avoid the Tex mex and embrace the platillos mexicana, mariscos, huevos, and taqueria menu. As and order the $7 special salsa of the menu, just trust, it quite spicy however as are a lot of the authentic dishes.