SOB Onion burgers. What happened? Is OKC epicenter of OB's, or not?

[FoodFuser]

First time I walked in there, there was sizzling flat-top of the best onion burgers. There was a pile of 50-pound nesh-metted yellow giant onions on the clean kitchen floor. Just the sight of those onions gave me tell I was home.

The burger was classic 1/3 pounder smashed to the grill with big handfulls of onions, which were given charred crunch.

Their fixin's bar was simply courageous. Load it yourself, and that's what we did.

Their first shut-down was at 23 and Rockwell. They kept a location on Memorial near Broadway, now closed.

So what the heck happened? And is there room to fill vacuum on the OKC scene, without driving to the classics in El Reno?

[ljbab728]

There are certainly onion burger options in OKC. Among those, besides the new Tuckers, is Bunnys.

[OKCisOK4me]

FYI to the OP, the SOB's on Memorial & Santa Fe has been shutdown for years... where have you been?

[BBatesokc]

Tons of local options..... I don't do burgers often, but when I do its Nic's, Ron's, Tucker's, Bunny's, Little Mike's, HD's (if you like your burger with a full helping of rudeness). And, back in my much younger single days, the Red Dog had one of the best onion burgers in town.

[Steve]

My understanding is SOB closed due to the owners retiring... could be wrong, heard this second hand.

[lasomeday]

Actually El Reno is the epicenter and OKC has grown from there.

[FoodFuser]

Actually El Reno is the epicenter and OKC has grown from there.

Agreed on El Reno as Onion-Beef-Bun epicenter. Yet could tremors reverberate to the Metro? So many places serve caramelized onions as a topping, and call them "Onion Burgers". That's not the finest rendition.

[RadicalModerate]

Actually El Reno is the epicenter and OKC has grown from there.

LMFAO...(metaphorically)
Never having lived there, I have to ask: Do they sell Onion Burgers in . . . say . . . Portland?
(Oregon, not Maine.)

[FoodFuser]

FYI to the OP, the SOB's on Memorial & Santa Fe has been shutdown for years... where have you been?

Please give a re-read to original post. Reason for post is Memorial location shut down. As to "where have you been?"... been working on onions and burgers.

[RadicalModerate]

Is there a reason why Shallot Burgers haven't taken off?

Toss some fresh herbs into the dressing(s) in squeeze bottles, serve the burgers on freshly-baked-then-purchased (in bulk)/delivered Ciabatta rolls along with an assortment of freshly grated cheeses from which the consumer can select . . . et voila!

The only question remaining is the batter-dipped/breaded Fried Sides . . .
How about . . . Romaine Lettuce!

[lasomeday]

LMFAO...(metaphorically)
Never having lived there, I have to ask: Do they sell Onion Burgers in . . . say . . . Portland?
(Oregon, not Maine.)

13 years ago. No..... They may now, but haven't really been looking for any when I have visited the last few years.

[metro]

Horrible topic. As many have said, SOB has been gone for years. Also, as many businesses that went to the wayside, they failed to or quit advertising. El Reno has always been the OB capital. Nothing wrong with Nics, Little Mikes or HDs, and even Tucker's is OK if you want to go gourmet.

[FoodFuser]

Horrible topic. As many have said, SOB has been gone for years. Also, as many businesses that went to the wayside, they failed to or quit advertising. El Reno has always been the OB capital. Nothing wrong with Nics, Little Mikes or HDs, and even Tucker's is OK if you want to go gourmet.

"Horrible topic"? Why cast such dispersion on questions of quest of best burger and onion?

SOB out of business, but they set the bar highest. I'm hopeful this thread will draw input from others who knew SOB standards.

[RadicalModerate]

Damn Straight FoodFuser.
So . . . how about . . . a "burger" . . . with onions or shallots . . . made of a non-animal protein-like substance--maybe tofu?--that resembles SUSHI!!! (of course, it would have to be served raw . . . =) And, instead of those polluting trucktype vendors it could be served to diners in more of a bicycle-based rickshaw-esque manner. While touring . . . Bricktown?

JUST KIDDING!!! Dudemigo! Not tryin' to be an SOB . . .
(i see nothing wrong with the topic but that is just my opinion)

uh . . . i misspelt the name of some Netflix disc earlier today . . .
but i think [casting] aspersions instead of dispersions is the "correct" term.
but my spelling is probably off . . . =) and dispersions is way more clever if you think about it.

[metro]

"Horrible topic"? Why cast such dispersion on questions of quest of best burger and onion?

SOB out of business, but they set the bar highest. I'm hopeful this thread will draw input from others who knew SOB standards.

Nics is 100x better than SOB ever was. SOB was good, and had great cookies, but best onion burger it was not.

[OKCisOK4me]

Please give a re-read to original post. Reason for post is Memorial location shut down. As to "where have you been?"... been working on onions and burgers.

I read your original post--twice. I corrected you. It was never at Broadway & Memorial, it didn't just now close. Am I missing something else??

[MikeOKC]

Where's the love for S&B Burger Joint? Two locations now. NW 59th & May and 9th and Broadwayish.
http://newsok.com/sb-burger-joint-op...rticle/3647196
Great video in the link above. Interviews with both owners.

[FoodFuser]

Damn Straight FoodFuser.
So . . . how about . . . a "burger" . . . with onions or shallots . . . made of a non-animal protein-like substance--maybe tofu?--that resembles SUSHI!!! (of course, it would have to be served raw . . . =) And, instead of those polluting trucktype vendors it could be served to diners in more of a bicycle-based rickshaw-esque manner. While touring . . . Bricktown?

JUST KIDDING!!! Dudemigo! Not tryin' to be an SOB . . .
(i see nothing wrong with the topic but that is just my opinion)

uh . . . i misspelt the name of some Netflix disc earlier today . . .
but i think [casting] aspersions instead of dispersions is the "correct" term.
but my spelling is probably off . . . =) and dispersions is way more clever if you think about it.

Good catch on the subtle of dispersion v. aspersion. And I didn't want the "S" key to stick, yielding "ass".

Concept of shallots is really quite interesting. Cross-sectional circles instead of onion's linear, pressed into patty. Tofu could do for the Vegans, as could something from Morningstar.

The concept of best onion burger is Alliums deep crusted deep pressed to patty. SOB did a wonderful job at that. Thus curious to demise.

Not yet eaten at Nic's, only because as an old fart... I want a place to sit down and commune with my burger

[metro]

Hello, you can edit down at Nics, and it puts SOB to shame.

[istillhatepeas]

Nics has a damn fine burger, but it's not an onion burger IMHO. Sadly, I can only eat there when I'm feeling particurly aggressive because trying to eat there stresses me plum out.

I think Ol'time Diner on the south side has a good onion burger with the onions cooked into and on top of the burgers with a good mix of blackened and caramelized onions. And of course you smell like hell when you leave.

P.s. Are you the Foodfuser that puts out the "dope rhymes" on chowhound? :-)

[FoodFuser]

Nics has a damn fine burger, but it's not an onion burger IMHO. Sadly, I can only eat there when I'm feeling particurly aggressive because trying to eat there stresses me plum out.

I think Ol'time Diner on the south side has a good onion burger with the onions cooked into and on top of the burgers with a good mix of blackened and caramelized onions. And of course you smell like hell when you leave.

P.s. Are you the Foodfuser that puts out the "dope rhymes" on chowhound? :-)

Sure, same FoodFuser. Chowhound has been a wonderful place to learn and to share about food. Ain't yet heard "dope rhymes" as expression to qualify my postings, often in verse. We have fun there, and grow in the goodness of food.

One part of which, is focused in this thread, to burgers and onions, enshrouded by bread.

Try this one, of burgers.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/791909#7165609

Diddle around there... might be other "dopey's"

[istillhatepeas]

Ha ha. Well, I thought I'd try my hand at a hip term for your art. I lurked around Chowhound for years, and finally signed up around '07 or so. I've enjoyed your posts and others over the years. Incredible amount of knowledge and talent over yonder. Although, it does seem to be diminishing a bit, or maybe I just miss some of the old posters.

[FoodFuser]

Ha ha. Well, I thought I'd try my hand at a hip term for your art. I lurked around Chowhound for years, and finally signed up around '07 or so. I've enjoyed your posts and others over the years. Incredible amount of knowledge and talent over yonder. Although, it does seem to be diminishing a bit, or maybe I just miss some of the old posters.

Chowhound is a great place for learning and sharing about food, especially the "Home Cooking" section. And yep, some really sharp people there. My postings have dwindled, but I still post food poetry, as form of exercise, sorta akin to walking or yoga.

But this thread is of burgers, encrusted with onions. I may be alone in my thinking that SOB was the best, but to each their opinions.

Here's a haiku I cranked out about onion burger standards. Posted on Chowhound in "Food haiku". The form calls for restraint, with syllables metered at 5-7-5. Thus it calls for slow read. I share it in hope that it will contribute to high standard of our epicenter onionburger.


An ode to the crusted onion burger,
a great magnum opus of central Oklahoma:

Strong man at the grill
Grip to heavy spatula
Works onions and meat.

He moves left to right
with each incoming order
Pacing his spacing.

The grill must stay hot
to give crust to the onions,
which dance song their own.

Now time for the meat
A third pound of beef, as ball,
slammed hard to onions.

Spatula flattens
sphere to flat patty, forcefully,
embeds to onions.

Bed of more onions
Scattered with skill on the top
Steam rising meets them.

He preps up the bun
with a quick schmear of butter
gauging the timing.

Time to flip burger
to give crust to the top side...
The spatula pings.

The patty is placed
in fresh lane on his flat-top,
hot sound of sizzle.

Buns now to browning
Both face down in the old lane...
Might render good scrapes.

Cook's moment of rest
yet still hard calibration
to the best browning.

Top bun is scooped up
and centered atop the patty...
browned bread now meets steam.

Bottom bun plated
waiting for placement of patty
soon wet from drippings.

Now spatula gentle
in the patty removal
as joins bottom bun.

Diner astounded
to such beauty made for him...
peels the top bun....

Revealing layers
of crusted browned excellence...
Hail, Onion Burger.

Cook gives a moment
to rest spatula to shoulder
and gives his perusal,

Eyes meet 'tween the two
As the diner hefts burger...
quick nods and quick smiles.

That might be the way
all food encounters could be,
with some type of smile?