Old Restaurants

[Jim Kyle]

Across the street on Western was Nick's Deli. That place was fabulous.

Fabulous is an understatement. I first discovered the muffleta there, and nobody since has come even close!

[Prunepicker]

Fabulous is an understatement. I first discovered the muffleta there, and nobody
since has come even close!

No kidding. The menu said, "a meal for 4 or a feast for 2!" I was crazy about
the pastrami and provolone. = a pause for remembrance =

I would cash my check on Friday and head over for lunch.

Do you know why it closed? Retirement? Certainly not for a lack of business. The
place was packed and sometimes with a line out of the door. Were there 8 tables?

[bchris02]

Does anybody remember the Internet Cafe that used to be on Western back in the late 1990s? It was a coffee shop primarily but they also served basic pastries. They had several beige computers running Windows 98 with CRT monitors for Internet access (ISDN-speed) which was lightning fast for the day. As long as you bought coffee or a pastry you could freely use the computers. It was also one of the first places I ever heard of that had Wi-Fi, back before most people even had laptops.

[Prunepicker]

Does anybody remember the Internet Cafe that used to be on Western back in the late 1990s?

Not me. Was it where the Ground Floor was located in Nichol's Hills Plaza?

[Prunepicker]

Has anyone ate at the Boulevard Cafeteria lately? It's been a long time for me.

Any reports of it's cuisine would be appreciated.

[RealJimbo]

Has anyone ate at the Boulevard Cafeteria lately? It's been a long time for me.

Any reports of it's cuisine would be appreciated.

Last time I was there a couple years ago they were still putting out the finest comfort food in the state. It is a hidden jewel.

[Prunepicker]

Last time I was there a couple years ago they were still putting out the finest
comfort food in the state. It is a hidden jewel.

That does it. I'm going to go ASAP.

The Boulevard Cafeteria

I remember they moved from Classen to the current location in the late 60's.

[Urbanized]

Fridays are mac and cheese day. Also fried chicken and chicken pot pie are among the entrees on Friday. Also, pie.

[Bullbear]

I have never experienced Boulevard and have considered it when passing that I should check it out some time.. I really need to do so.

[bluedogok]

I saw this in the Denver paper today, the founder of Casa Bonita, Taco Bueno and Crystal's passed away on Tuesday.

Denver Post - Casa Bonita founder Bill Waugh dies at the age of 79

[Prunepicker]

I saw this in the Denver paper today, the founder of Casa Bonita, Taco Bueno and Crystal's passed away on Tuesday.

Denver Post - Casa Bonita founder Bill Waugh dies at the age of 79

So sorry to hear.

I love Taco Bueno, liked Crystals and couldn't stand Casa Bonita.

[Bullbear]

I was never a casa bonita fan here in OKC. however the one in Denver while the food may have still been just average.. the spectacle that is the enviroment at that one is pretty amazing.

[Prunepicker]

I was never a casa bonita fan here in OKC...

I agree.It's the only so-called Mexican restaurant that didn't have onions.
At least the one on NW 39th Expressway and Portland didn't have onions.

What's Mexican food without onions?

[Prunepicker]

Does anyone remember these restaurants.

1. Shipman's Cafe

2. Garland's Smorgasbord?

Those are 2 restaurants I remember from the 60's.

[Stickman]

Does anyone remember these restaurants.

1. Shipman's Cafe

2. Garland's Smorgasbord?

Those are 2 restaurants I remember from the 60's.

Had a buddy that worked their (Garlands) in circa. 63 and the buffet was 76 cents for all you could eat. Red paid him .50 an hour to bus, .65 an hour to wash dishes and .75 to work in kitchen. Don't dare drop a glass or you would pay for it. Before my time though.

[ctchandler]

Does anyone remember these restaurants.

1. Shipman's Cafe

2. Garland's Smorgasbord?

Those are 2 restaurants I remember from the 60's.

PP,
Which Shipman's? Actually I grew up going to the one on Robinson near the viaduct and as a huge butter/margarine fan, I loved the tray of butter they placed at every table/booth. They opened another one on Reno (I think) not far East of Western. I was an adult then and it was a little nice dump than the dump on Robinson. Great rolls (they called them biscuits), lots of honey and as I said, butter. My favorite meal was a hot beef sandwich. Open faced with roast beef over bread, and lots of gravy. I vaguely remember Garland's, where was it located.
C. T.

[Stickman]

PP,
Which Shipman's? Actually I grew up going to the one on Robinson near the viaduct and as a huge butter/margarine fan, I loved the tray of butter they placed at every table/booth. They opened another one on Reno (I think) not far East of Western. I was an adult then and it was a little nice dump than the dump on Robinson. Great rolls (they called them biscuits), lots of honey and as I said, butter. My favorite meal was a hot beef sandwich. Open faced with roast beef over bread, and lots of gravy. I vaguely remember Garland's, where was it located.
C. T.

He said Garland's was where Browns Coin shop is. No upstairs then, was added later.

[ctchandler]

He said Garland's was where Browns Coin shop is. No upstairs then, was added later.

Stickman,
Brown's Coin shop was there when I was a child and I'm 71, so maybe near Brown's? I still don't have strong memories about it.
C. T.

[zookeeper]

Was Garlands the one with the (very cool) art deco spire like thing?

[Stickman]

Stickman,
Brown's Coin shop was there when I was a child and I'm 71, so maybe near Brown's? I still don't have strong memories about it.
C. T.

Sorry, I will find out tomorrow when I see him. I think he said around the 500 block on 29th

[Prunepicker]

Had a buddy that worked their (Garlands) in circa. 63 and the buffet was 76 cents
for all you could eat. Red paid him .50 an hour to bus, .65 an hour to wash dishes
and .75 to work in kitchen. Don't dare drop a glass or you would pay for it. Before
my time though.

Too cool for school!

I remember Garland's having cottage cheese with pineapple. I'd eat $5 of that in
a sitting. I'm thinking the buffet was on a carousel that went into the kitchen so they
could refresh whatever was missing. I thought it was the greatest restaurant on Earth.

[Stickman]

On Garlands, he seems to remember in that area where Browns is, but that was a few brain cells ago. They had a sword fish hanging on the wall and always had pineapple and cottage cheese.
He doesn't remember when Vern closed it.
BTW: used to eat at Shipman's on Central around 15th.

[Jim Kyle]

As I recall it, Andy Anderson moved Hardy's to that location after the original downtown location burned, but it didn't survive for very long. That would have been about 45 years ago, more or less... I remember the swordfish.

Andy, a bowling buddy and no relation to the hardware magnate of the same name, bought the rights to Hardy's at an auction and so far as I know it was his only venture into food service.

[ctchandler]

On Garlands, he seems to remember in that area where Browns is, but that was a few brain cells ago. They had a sword fish hanging on the wall and always had pineapple and cottage cheese.
He doesn't remember when Vern closed it.
BTW: used to eat at Shipman's on Central around 15th.

Stickman,
Ok, you got me, when was Shipman's ever on Central? I think (I hope, for my memory's sake) that you are confusing it with the one on Robinson. The one on Robinson was the original (I believe) and it wasn't till in the 60's that he opened a second one on Reno/Main (pretty sure it was Reno). I don't know of a third one. Maybe Jim remembers another Shipman's. As for Brown's, they were there in the 40's and are still there. Garlands certainly could have been in the general vicinity. And, amazing as it might seem, my (normally pretty good) memory may be failing me. I suppose Brown's could have moved a building or two to the East or West sometime in the past. But, I have been in Brown's recently (for old guys, recently can mean several years and that's what I mean this time) and it didn't look like a place that could have been a restaurant. It doesn't look big enough inside.
C. T.

[ctchandler]

As I recall it, Andy Anderson moved Hardy's to that location after the original downtown location burned, but it didn't survive for very long. That would have been about 45 years ago, more or less... I remember the swordfish.

Andy, a bowling buddy and no relation to the hardware magnate of the same name, bought the rights to Hardy's at an auction and so far as I know it was his only venture into food service.

Jim,
I remember the fire, but I don't remember them re-opening. I do remember the Hardy's sold ham sandwiches at the State Fair for quite a few years after the fire. My wife loved those sandwiches.
C. T.