Ted's Cafe Escondido

[Roger S]

Hal smith is involved with Teds HSRG is not

We can argue semantics all day..... Hal Smith was CEO of HSRG at the time.... You said "...in any way".... I see a way..... Semantics

[AMinEdmond]

Yep, we don't go to any Hal Smith restaurants voluntarily. Charleston's, The Garage, Louie's, Mahogany, Mama Roja's, Pub W, Upper Crust, and especially Ted's all have better equivalents out there. Haven't eaten at any of the others, so can't speak to them.

Definitely respect your opinion here, but I've never heard anyone say they avoid every Hal Smith restaurant. Just curious, what is the better equivalent to Charleston's/Red Rock ?

[soonerguru]

If you haven’t tried Mama Lety OKC, would totally recommend it. She makes everything from scratch and has managed to work in a number of the old classics, like Huaraches and Moles.

Would love to try it. And while moles are indeed delicious, and truly authentic Mexican cuisine, I'm talking about classic Tex-Mex. I love authentic Mexican, New Mexican, Sonoran, and other styles of Mexican food, but I'm literally just talking about classic cheese enchiladas, etc.

[soonerguru]

Hal smith is involved with Teds HSRG is not

Tricky!

I went to Jimmy B's the other day. Ordered a burger and fries with ice tea. It was a very good burger but with tax and tip it was almost $30 for lunch for one. LOL. What if I had enjoyed a cocktail?

Not to be a cheapskate, but this is why I mostly dine at home these days.

[soonerguru]

Agree with Soonerguru. But have you tried Mi Pueblo in Warr Acres? I lived in Dallas for 25 years and Mi Pueblo is the best TexMex in OKC I've had so far.

I have tried Mi Pueblo, and it is delicious! It is very good. It is not exactly Tex-Mex but it is very good.

[Jeepnokc]

Tricky!

I went to Jimmy B's the other day. Ordered a burger and fries with ice tea. It was a very good burger but with tax and tip it was almost $30 for lunch for one. LOL. What if I had enjoyed a cocktail?

Not to be a cheapskate, but this is why I mostly dine at home these days.

I went and checked out their menu and you weren't kidding. $16 for a burger ala carte and $7 for fries. Didn't see the tea price but that's $23 for a burger and fries. Broadway 10 is $17 but that comes with a side (looking at lunch menu), To tie it back in....Ted's doesn't have a burger on their menu.

[TheTravellers]

Definitely respect your opinion here, but I've never heard anyone say they avoid every Hal Smith restaurant. Just curious, what is the better equivalent to Charleston's/Red Rock ?

To be honest, we don't go to places like Charleston's or Redrock Canyon Grill (or Chili's or Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday or TGI Friday's, et al) very much. If we want Mexican, we go to a Mexican place; if we want BBQ ribs, we go to a BBQ place; if we want seafood, we go to a seafood place, etc. As Roger S said, those places seem to cater to picky eaters (or to people who aren't sure what they want, and to groups where nobody can decide on one cuisine so they go to a place that everybody can find something on the menu), so we don't really have an equivalent to Charleston's or RRCG.

If I had to choose equivalents, they'd be Paseo Grill, Kitchen 324, Mary Eddy's (haven't been to it since they're reopened, though), and Rococo (and we really don't go to any of those much at all, except Rococo, right now mainly for brunch).

[Roger S]

As Roger S said, those places seem to cater to picky eaters (or to people who aren't sure what they want, and to groups where nobody can decide on one cuisine so they go to a place that everybody can find something on the menu), so we don't really have an equivalent to Charleston's or RRCG.

Probably a better way of saying it than me saying picky..... I also tend to go to restaurants with a small menu that focus on one cuisine.

But I'm also not a typical diner.... I'm a pretty good cook in my own right. So I tend to hit places that make foods I don't/can't make for whatever reason.... Lack of equipment/ingredients usually..

[SoonerDave]

To analogize Red Rock Or Charleston's with Applebee's may be one of the most asinine things I've read here in a long time.

[TheTravellers]

To analogize Red Rock Or Charleston's with Applebee's may be one of the most asinine things I've read here in a long time.

They all serve multiple kinds and styles of food - I wasn't comparing the quality, just the "we have everything on the menu" way of operating.

[soonermike81]

Tricky!

I went to Jimmy B's the other day. Ordered a burger and fries with ice tea. It was a very good burger but with tax and tip it was almost $30 for lunch for one. LOL. What if I had enjoyed a cocktail?

Not to be a cheapskate, but this is why I mostly dine at home these days.

Yeah eating out definitely is getting expensive these days. I’m sure it’s good but I couldn’t justify paying $23 for a burger and fries. But their tuna, Korean beef tenderloin, and steak frites were all excellent.

[Jersey Boss]

They all serve multiple kinds and styles of food - I wasn't comparing the quality, just the "we have everything on the menu" way of operating.

I imagine you pass on diner's as this is their operating model. A good diner offers pages of menu items with multiple styles of food.

[TheTravellers]

I imagine you pass on diner's as this is their operating model. A good diner offers pages of menu items with multiple styles of food.

Well, actually, now that you mention it, we pretty much don't do diners since we've been back in OKC, hadn't really thought about it much. When we lived in the Chicago area, we frequented them all the time (although we called them "Greek restaurants" because they were mainly owned by people of Greek descent). We only go out to eat once a week, usually, maybe twice, though, so we choose our restaurants carefully.

[Pete]

I went by yesterday and noticed they have completely repaired this damage:

[OKCRealtor]

LOL at some of this thread. Hal Smith is hands down the most successful restauranteur in this state and a heck of businessman. I don't know that I've ever had a bad meal at any of his restaurants and the service/execution is next to none. I do prefer more local & eclectic options given the choice but know if I eat at one of his places it's always good food and service.

My one knock would be that pretty much all of his concepts are stolen ideas from other from other prominent national restauranteurs/existing concepts. But that's not uncommon in the business. He's got the corporate experience and back ground to execute his restaurants at a level nobody else in Oklahoma can even come close to duplicating. Do they cater to the masses? Sure. It's business. Would you rather live like the 1% and feed the masses or live like the middle class-maybe upper middle class at best (if you're lucky owning a restaurant) and have something a little more eclectic?

[chssooner]

LOL at some of this thread. Hal Smith is hands down the most successful restauranteur in this state and a heck of businessman. I don't know that I've ever had a bad meal at any of his restaurants and the service/execution is next to none. I do prefer more local & eclectic options given the choice but know if I eat at one of his places it's always good food and service.

My one knock would be that pretty much all of his concepts are stolen ideas from other from other prominent national restauranteurs/existing concepts. But that's not uncommon in the business. He's got the corporate experience and back ground to execute his restaurants at a level nobody else in Oklahoma can even come close to duplicating. Do they cater to the masses? Sure. It's business. Would you rather live like the 1% and feed the masses or live like the middle class-maybe upper middle class at best (if you're lucky owning a restaurant) and have something a little more eclectic?

Exactly. If it isn't broken, why fix it? His restaurants serve consistent food. Not exceptional or James Beard award winning. But you know what you are getting at Charleston's, Red Rock Canyon, Pub W, etc.