Old Restaurants

[RadicalModerate]

Is the "Falling Water Grille" in the Renaissance Hotel now an "old restaurant" (that is no more)? We ate there on our honeymoon--the first honeymoon that had to stay local--fourteen years ago. It was really good. The night we dined there, the current mayor and his entourage also stopped in to have a bite. Did they simply change the name to something else?

Here's one I'll bet nobody else remembers: "Col. Drake's No. 2." It was in a "replica" of "Col. Drake's No. 1" which was the first oil well in Pennsylvania. It's over at SE 25th and I-35. Now, it is some sort of "Gentleman's Club" but when it was new it had some truly excellent food.

[kevinpate]

I miss Allen's and the Lunch Box with their homemade rolls and meatloaf Friday. Also miss Thai Kitchen the way it was originally before the owner died and you would go through the line and get either 1,2 or 3 item versus a buffet now where the pans are always empty. At least we still have Coney Island.

Haven't been to Thai Kitchen in a few months, but the last time I was there they did a good job of keeping the pans filled, not an easy task when I am in hollow leg mode.

[Jeepnokc]

Haven't been to Thai Kitchen in a few months, but the last time I was there they did a good job of keeping the pans filled, not an easy task when I am in hollow leg mode.

If you hit it right at 11 or 1115, it isn't bad. I am not sure how big their kitchen is but doesn't look very big back there. Kevin, I fyou like Thai, you should try Thai House at 23rd and Walker on SW corner. It used to be a Wendy's years ago. (Tie in to old restaurants). Big buffet and excellent food. They also have fried pork which is not healthy in any way but is so good.

[Martin]

Here's one I'll bet nobody else remembers: "Col. Drake's No. 2."

i remember the place. never once ate there but passed it by numerous times in the early 80's when my dad and i would make almost weekly trips to old paris flea market. -M

[ctchandler]

RM,
I lived South and travelled I-35 to/from work so yes, I remember it. Like Pete, I never ate there.
C. T.

[RadicalModerate]

I was on the crew that did the framing, cornice, siding and interior carpentry on the place. The article says it was "contructed" of old barn wood. That isn't exactly correct. Actually, only the interior wall and ceiling surfaces were covered with salvaged barn wood. We put it on over sheerock backing that had been painted black. The superindent bitched that we were leaving too large of gaps between the various pieces that we ran through a table saw to square-up just a little. (talk about eating up a bunch of sawblades from hitting old nails and staples . . .). The interior designer bitched that we weren't leaving big enough, rustic, gaps between the pieces.

In addition to smoked ribs, they also had steaks, prime rib, and various types of seafood. As I said, the food was very good. Not inexpensive, but not a rip-off either.

New restaurant modeled in shape of historic well | News OK

[Martin]

Dodson said it was Wagner's idea to build a replica of the Titusville rig. When completed, the restaurant and bar will seat about 300. Later, private party rooms will be completed in the basement.

whoa... that place has a basement? i'd have to imagine it's in pretty sad shape today. -M

[CarltonsKeeper]

Didn't it use to be "Black Gold" when it first opened????

[Martin]

looks like black gold opened in 1990: New Restaurant Opens Today | News OK

-M

[Urbanized]

The basement is still in use. You can only purchase 3.2 beer at the upstairs bar, but full liquor downstairs. Don't ask me how I know these things.

[BlackmoreRulz]

Here's one I'll bet nobody else remembers: "Col. Drake's No. 2." It was in a "replica" of "Col. Drake's No. 1" which was the first oil well in Pennsylvania. It's over at SE 25th and I-35. Now, it is some sort of "Gentleman's Club" but when it was new it had some truly excellent food.

Had a great steak there once with the LOML.

Anyone remember Cattle Rustlers a couple of miles south of there? Ate 6 steaks one time when the whole crew went with the sole purpose of an eating contest. Loved their sourdough bread.

[Martin]

The basement is still in use. You can only purchase 3.2 beer at the upstairs bar, but full liquor downstairs. Don't ask me how I know these things.

interesting... the reason i thought the basement might be in sad shape is because the county assessor's site says it's storage. -M

[kevinpate]

well, apparently it's where they store the spirits.

[ljbab728]

I ate there a few times but it wasn't that close to where I was living at the time so it wasn't a regular stop for me. I don't have any particular memories about it, good or bad.

[RadicalModerate]

I ate there a few times but it wasn't that close to where I was living at the time so it wasn't a regular stop for me. I don't have any particular memories about it, good or bad.

It's been so long ago that I'm not confident of my memory expressing truth . . .
But when the place lost The Original Col. Drake's No. 2 brand (about the time of the oil bust and Penn Square Bank Fail and Braniff going away) and turned to Black Gold . . . the quality of the food served suffered.

(historical note: back when we were nailing all that salvaged barnwood to the walls and ceilings--to help actualize the original dream of The Money Guys--I sort of wondered about chicken and cow and horse (stuff) falling into the food. But I ate there anyway a couple of times. I think the interior designer and the site construction supervisor (Merl) probably applied a proper sealant to the steampunked barn lumber.)

That may have something to do with why I'm not unreasonably picky today.

(plus it was a lot of fun to ride the crane lift to the top of the tower to nail on the last few pieces of cottonwood siding =)

[Prunepicker]

Here are some uptown restaurants I remember in the 60's and early 70's.

The Red Barn on @ NW 4th and N Hudson.
Priddy's on NW 11th and N Hudson. Later it became Martin's.
Johnny's Topper Burger in NW 12 and N Hudson.
The Seiber Hotel at NW 12 and N Hudson.
Mabel's at NW 11 and N Harvey.
Wells Fargo on @ NW 6th or 7th and N Hudson.
The Plaza Grill on NW 10th and N Walker.

Does anyone remember Cherry's? They were converted trolley cars.
There were about 8 in the city. Seated about 8 to 10 people

Marsha's which became Marsha's Sister which became Marsha's
which is now Nic's.

[RadicalModerate]

Is Nic's now located, in the same roadside cube, where the other [forgotten name] Breakfast Go-To (other than The Hungry Frog, a bit to the north and west) used to be?

I hope so, because whatever the name on the place was it was good and I hope it prospers forever.

[Prunepicker]

Is Nic's now located, in the same roadside cube, where the other
[forgotten name] Breakfast Go-To (other than The Hungry Frog, a bit to
the north and west) used to be?

I hope so, because whatever the name on the place was it was good and
I hope it prospers forever.

Oui, monsieur. (sp) C'est où il est.

[RadicalModerate]

Oui, monsieur. (sp) C'est où il est.

Be that as it may . . . Quid est quod factum est. ?de veras? non? =)
(translation: [be that as it may] . . . It IS What It Wuz. No Joke? Really? =)

[Prunepicker]

Be that as it may . . . Quid est quod factum est. ?de veras? non? =)
(translation: [be that as it may] . . . It IS What It Wuz. No Joke? Really? =)

It doesn't matter. It's in the same place whether we speak Latin or French.

[Tritone]

Ah, but it's all Greek to me. [sorry, I just couldn't resist]

[TheTravellers]

Is Nic's now located, in the same roadside cube, where the other [forgotten name] Breakfast Go-To (other than The Hungry Frog, a bit to the north and west) used to be?

I hope so, because whatever the name on the place was it was good and I hope it prospers forever.

That reminds me - is The Hungry Frog one of the 25+ year places or are they newer than that? I worked at their other restaurant (Cornucopia on 63rd/Expwy-ish) from 1978-1982 and I believe the Frog was around before the Cornucopia.

[Urbanized]

well, apparently it's where they store the spirits.

Spirits, beer, ice, glasses, a pool table, tables and chairs... ...yep, they store all of those things down there.

[kevinpate]

There is something to be said for a well organized storage area.

[RadicalModerate]

I stopped in there once, after the changeover from semi-fine dining to "Gentlemen's' Club" . . .
It was in the middle of the afternoon, I was just passing by, hadn't been in there for a couple of years, wanted to take a look at the interior with which we had taken so many pains.

The small collection of staff and management sitting around in there reminded me somehow of the "cream of the crop of local society" that I had encountered, previously, at places such as Tricky Dick's, Bosco's and a couple of dumps out there on NW 10th St. I couldn't figure out where the "Gentlemen" part came into the picture. I think I stayed long enough to have one beer (and didn't spring for a bottle of champagne for any of the "ladies" who asked)

Thankfully, they hadn't felt the need--at least at that point in time--to do a "makeover" of the rustic, authentic, wall treatments