El Coyote

[er1c]

given the restaurants Stranger has been associated with, wonder how involved he actually is...

The day I was there, he was cooking. The service was good that day, but my impression of the food execution was similar to Rover’s.

[Rover]

The only really great New Mexican restaurants I remember in Oklahoma were the Border Crossing in Norman during its heydey, and Trujillo's de Santa Fe, also in Norman. There was a place called I think Blue Corn Cafe or something? It was on North Penn near Memorial. It was pretty good but I only went there a couple of times.

Green Chile Cafe in Yukon is pretty good but not great. Their green chile is way better than their red chile.

Used to be a pretty good one on Memorial at about Santa Fe years ago. Can’t remember the name though. That was early 80s.

[Jersey Boss]

Used to be a pretty good one on Memorial at about Santa Fe years ago. Can’t remember the name though. That was early 80s.

Santa Fe Crossing. I don't think it was that far north though.

[Rover]

Santa Fe Crossing. I don't think it was that far north though.

Yes, that was it. They were where Concentra is in the industrial looking center on Memorial, in the west building behind the one fronting Memorial.

It was a true NM style with many dishes from The Shed in Santa Fe. Was very good.

[okatty]

The Border Crossing in Norman served the Shed Special back in the day. It was fantastic. I miss that dish!

[Jersey Boss]

Yes, that was it. They were where Concentra is in the industrial looking center on Memorial, in the west building behind the one fronting Memorial.

It was a true NM style with many dishes from The Shed in Santa Fe. Was very good.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...l/62862131007/

I only ate there once or twice as I live in Norman and enjoyed BC. It set the bar for New Mex cuisine. The Shed Special was my go to there.
Based on your and several other reviews it appears that El Coyote has a lot of work to do to be mentioned in the same breath as either BC or Santa Fe Crossing.

[ManAboutTown]

The girlfriend and I went back last night and the wait was about an hour, so we added our name to the list and went a few doors down to Venn Pizza to have drinks while we waited. Our table was ready in about 45 minutes but we found seats at the bar instead, right in front of the fireplace and very cozy.

We ordered the New Mexican Mule and the Red Chile Michelada. The mule was tasty but pricey at $13. The michelada was also very tasty and I will order it again. The chips and salsa were good but the Tajin seasoning on the chips was pretty uneven, as some were covered in it and others had little or none.

We shared the Burrito Platter and ordered it Christmas-style with an extra side of hominy. The burrito is big and enough for 2 people to share. Both chile sauces were tasty and the red sauce was spicy enough to tickle the top of my head. It wasn't fiery hot, but just spicy enough to not hide the flavor of the chiles. The hominy and coyote beans were both full of flavor and I think the beans are as good as you will find at any place in town.

For a place that has only been open a couple weeks, they are doing quite a bit of business. The atmosphere is nice, the service was very good and the food will keep us going back for more. This restaurant is a great addition to the area and should develop a pretty solid following.

[Jersey Boss]

The girlfriend and I went back last night and the wait was about an hour, so we added our name to the list and went a few doors down to Venn Pizza to have drinks while we waited. Our table was ready in about 45 minutes but we found seats at the bar instead, right in front of the fireplace and very cozy.

We ordered the New Mexican Mule and the Red Chile Michelada. The mule was tasty but pricey at $13. The michelada was also very tasty and I will order it again. The chips and salsa were good but the Tajin seasoning on the chips was pretty uneven, as some were covered in it and others had little or none.

We shared the Burrito Platter and ordered it Christmas-style with an extra side of hominy. The burrito is big and enough for 2 people to share. Both chile sauces were tasty and the red sauce was spicy enough to tickle the top of my head. It wasn't fiery hot, but just spicy enough to not hide the flavor of the chiles. The hominy and coyote beans were both full of flavor and I think the beans are as good as you will find at any place in town.

For a place that has only been open a couple weeks, they are doing quite a bit of business. The atmosphere is nice, the service was very good and the food will keep us going back for more. This restaurant is a great addition to the area and should develop a pretty solid following.

Thanks for that review. Hopefully more reviews like this will be forthcoming

[Rover]

Thanks for that review. Hopefully more reviews like this will be forthcoming

Yes, hopefully this is the real experience rather than the one I had. High level execution and consistency will be needed for continued success. Hope they find it. I'll give it another try soon after the bloom is off.

[soonerguru]

So I waited a few days after my initial visit before giving my review. I just wanted to allow time to consider the full experience.

First, I am excited by the concept. It's very overdue in a city that has a long-standing cross-cultural relationship with Santa Fe.

I attended on my birthday, and while I greatly appreciate the lovely renovation and activation of the space, with many warm details reminiscent of Santa Fe, the food is badly wanting.

It's hard to believe that this is the end result of a) an accomplished chef, or b) someone who is supposedly bringing decades of New Mexican family recipes to the fore. Instead of a love letter from the land of enchantment, it feels more like a contrived money grab.

The good:

- The margarita was excellent, if, as Rover points out, it is also one of the weakest cocktails I've ever had

- The service was casual and friendly

- The aforementioned atmosphere, particularly in the back bar and patio area, is charming and I imagine quite cozy on cooler nights (it was unseasonably warm when we visited).

- The green chile queso appetizer was scrumptious if too mild

The not good:

- The salsa was devoid of spice or flavor

- We ordered the smashed guacamole and it tasted like a not necessarily good avocado with too much garlic and nothing else. No citrus, no salt, no cilantro. It was like eating raw garlic with avocado. Horrible.

- The stacked enchiladas were, frankly, bad. The green chile, I was told, is only served mild. Not medium, not spicy, not hot. Mild. And by mild, they mean no spice. And, no flavor. I never tasted anything like it in New Mexico, from roadside diners in small towns to the well-known cantinas of Santa Fe. The lack of piquancy or flavor in the chile undermines the dish, but it was worsened by dry tortillas seemingly stuck between inelegantly placed chicken and a green Chile sauce that was devoid of texture or flavor. Just a massive disappointment.

- The refried beans which accompanied the dish (uncommon in New Mexico, which usually offers pintos) were dry, because I guess they got heat blasted on the plate until there was no moisture left in them. The texture was almost like chalk.

- The cheese covering the stacked enchiladas was overheated to the point of losing all moisture despite being enmeshed with the flavorless green chile. This is probably a result of the plate being heat blasted, but I am not a chef, so I don't know how this happened other than it was terrible.

- The sopapilla accompanying the dish (which I was told by the server was a "New Mexican tradition" although El Coyote's version was nothing like anything I ever ate in New Mexico) was the worst I've been served in a restaurant. I'm not sure if it was supposed to taste oven baked as opposed to deep fried but it was heavy and doughy and rubbery and simply awful.

I've eaten in dozens of eateries throughout New Mexico over the years, and while posole is indeed an essential element of the cuisine, rice is still often served alongside burritos and enchiladas. There is no rice available at El Coyote. No biggie unless you prefer rice. But, while the flavor of the hominy was OK, it was also overcooked and dry. So, basically flavored hominy pellets. Bon appetit!

My companions ordered the green chile chicken nachos. They were literally burned -- the tortillas were charred to the point of being black -- and overcooked to the point of dryness with scant evidence of green chile. Despite this, the flavor was quite good so it must take a lot of effort to destroy this dish.

So many people were coming in and out that the dining room was buzzing with flies and the staff acted oblivious to it.

If I were ranking on a five-star scale, I would struggle to even give El Coyote three stars. Even if one doesn't know the wonder of New Mexican cooking, it would still be a very disappointing experience. But, if one has even an inkling of what the cuisine is supposed to be, it is disturbing. I seriously doubt I will go back because it is just a total gut punch to the point of insult if you are hoping for the real thing.

When the server came around with the check she asked how I liked my meal. I was so overwhelmed by how bad it was I simply said, "Great!"

Hopefully the owner will make a major overhaul of the dreadful food preparations, starting with the flavorless green chile, from which all New Mexican food emanates. And, it would be nice if the restaurateur cared to make food beyond the mass produced, low quality variety on display at El Coyote. Either that, or just sell the restaurant to someone else who cares to do it right.

[billeboy]

Used to be a pretty good one on Memorial at about Santa Fe years ago. Can’t remember the name though. That was early 80s.

You are thinking of Santa Fe Crossing. It was associated with Border Crossing of Norman.

[Jersey Boss]

^ Thanks so much for taking the time to write this as well as spending good money to get the story. It pains me knowing that many will form their opinion on on this cuisine based on their experience at this establishment.
I will not write this off as a learning experience for new operators as they have been involved in other ventures and know what it takes. Frankly there is no excuse once they opened for business. Jeez, not sourcing hatch peppers is a huge fail.

[soonerguru]

^ Thanks so much for taking the time to write this as well as spending good money to get the story. It pains me knowing that many will form their opinion on on this cuisine based on their experience at this establishment.
I will not write this off as a learning experience for new operators as they have been involved in other ventures and know what it takes. Frankly there is no excuse once they opened for business. Jeez, not sourcing hatch peppers is a huge fail.

My guess is they are just trying to cut corners. Lame.

[Will Dearborn]

Frankly hard to believe these experiences are from the same restaurant...need the dust to settle because I'm not waiting hours to risk a mediocre meal.

[rayvaflav]

Used to be a pretty good one on Memorial at about Santa Fe years ago. Can’t remember the name though. That was early 80s.

Santa Fe Crossing. I believe this spot would later turn into a small dance club, Birdie's, which would later relocate to a larger venue in the early days of Bricktown.

[borchard]

We finally ate there on Friday. And, unfortunately, we weren't impressed with the food. Like one of the posters above we found the food fairly bland. I don't think we'll be going back any time soon, especially with the long wait times.

[OKCRealtor]

I'm surprised to see the reviews on this place given chef/operator. I'll probably still check it out after awhile once the dust settles but gonna wait until I hear some better news and the wait isn't crazy.

[Soonerinfiniti]

We finally made it to El Coyote. Don't understand why there aren't on-line reservations available but you can put your name on a waiting list online (when are you supposed to do that?). The wait was about 45 minutes and our group enjoyed the cocktails. We ate on the patio, which was lovely. The food was good, although not as spicy as we like when in Santa Fe, NM. The prices were surprisingly affordable (compared to Frida, another favorite of ours). Overall, a really nice evening. Looks like the brewery (Madhopper?) is getting close to opening.

[ocugolf]

I think this place may be turning the corner. Went last week and it was by far the best experience I've had there.

[soonerguru]

I think this place may be turning the corner. Went last week and it was by far the best experience I've had there.

Did they change the preparations for all of the items on the menu?

[catcherinthewry]

Did they change the preparations for all of the items on the menu?

My thoughts exactly. I had so much hope for this restaurant because I love New Mexican cuisine. They have some of the blandest food I've ever eaten.

[mgharfeh]

I agree. I went recently and the food and service were both amazing

[Soonerinfiniti]

Went last Friday and it wasn't very crowded. Chilis were a little better than last time but nothing like we've ever had in Santa Fe, NM.

[OkieBerto]

Never had bad service here, but the food is always so bland. I don't think I will go back unless it is for chips and queso and some cocktails. Does anyone else feel like the food is lacking in flavor?

[Rover]

Never had bad service here, but the food is always so bland. I don't think I will go back unless it is for chips and queso and some cocktails. Does anyone else feel like the food is lacking in flavor?

Yes… especially for Mexican food cuisine.