Britton District

[shawnw]

Very glad to see the theaters are going to great uses

[White Peacock]

New Mexican cuisine is fantastic; can't wait to check this place out. On a motorcycle trip to Santa Fe/Taos, I went (twice) to a restaurant in Chimayo and I've been daydreaming about it ever since.

[soonerguru]

I have been hankering for true New Mexican cuisine in OKC for years. I was hoping Frida would go in that direction, alas...... But El Coyote is exciting. Salivating just thinking about the gobsmacking meals I had in Santa Fe over the years -- some of the best food I've ever eaten.

For the record, I tried La Tertulia in Tulsa on a recent visit, and while it was decent it just didn't pull off New Mexican. You always hate when a restaurant description says something like, "a modern take on...." Why? We don't need a modern take on New York Pizza, or a Katz Deli sandwich, or red chile chicken enchiladas from the Shed.

Growing up in Norman, we had the Border Crossing, which despite multiple owners and perhaps being uneven service wise, was always spot on with the food. Later, we had Blue Corn Cafe in North OKC, which was just in a terrible location and no one really understood what they were trying to do.

Hopefully El Coyote is an earnest attempt at bringing legit New Mexican cuisine to OKC, and hopefully it's a worthy destination for dining.

[Bowser214]

The Green Chille Kitchen in Yukon is worth checking out.

http://www.greenchilekitchen.com/

[soonerguru]

The Green Chille Kitchen in Yukon is worth checking out.

http://www.greenchilekitchen.com/

It's OK. Nothing stellar.

[soonerguru]

Another Norman New Mexican gem I forgot: Trujillo's de Santa Fe, which was a smashing restaurant that opened in the mid-1980s in a pueblo-style mansion. It was a very expensive investment with a sophisticated and impressive menu, but seemed to be a victim of the oil bust, if memory serves.

[HangryHippo]

It's OK. Nothing stellar.

Lies.

[MagzOK]

It's OK. Nothing stellar.

Absolutely. We were greatly disappointed. It has promising stuff on the menu, but it doesn't deliver like those in the Santa Fe area.

[formerly405Tulsan]

I have been hankering for true New Mexican cuisine in OKC for years. I was hoping Frida would go in that direction, alas...... But El Coyote is exciting. Salivating just thinking about the gobsmacking meals I had in Santa Fe over the years -- some of the best food I've ever eaten.

For the record, I tried La Tertulia in Tulsa on a recent visit, and while it was decent it just didn't pull off New Mexican. You always hate when a restaurant description says something like, "a modern take on...." Why? We don't need a modern take on New York Pizza, or a Katz Deli sandwich, or red chile chicken enchiladas from the Shed.

Growing up in Norman, we had the Border Crossing, which despite multiple owners and perhaps being uneven service wise, was always spot on with the food. Later, we had Blue Corn Cafe in North OKC, which was just in a terrible location and no one really understood what they were trying to do.

Hopefully El Coyote is an earnest attempt at bringing legit New Mexican cuisine to OKC, and hopefully it's a worthy destination for dining.

You don't have to like La Tertulia, but it's not a modern take on anything. His grandpa ran it in Santa Fe for 30+ years and it is his reincarnation of that, down to the paper the menus are printed on. I personally think it's
better than anything I had on my trips to Taos or Santa Fe.

[Mott]

Started visiting Santa Fe in the late 70’s. Would stay at the de Vargas, $21.00 a night for 3, bathroom down the hall. Amazing place SF was, a hardware store, Woolworth’s on the square, Sears around the corner, a great local camping and fishing store on San Francisco St. lot’s of owner owned bookstores, and the art galleries. Our favorite cafe was Josie’s, on Marcy St. The Chile was great, green are red, we thought it the best in town. Well worth the 15 wait in line. And she made great mocha cake and apricot pie. Closed around 2020, after 50+ years.

[Bellaboo]

Absolutely. We were greatly disappointed. It has promising stuff on the menu, but it doesn't deliver like those in the Santa Fe area.

The very first Green Chile Kitchen was in Santa Fe. Then they opened another in San Francisco, then in Yukon which is the hometown of the founder.

[MagzOK]

The very first Green Chile Kitchen was in Santa Fe. Then they opened another in San Francisco, then in Yukon which is the hometown of the founder.

Yes I know the story. Me and the wife travel to Santa Fe and the surrounding area about 4-6 times per year, and what we ate at the Green Chile Kitchen in Yukon the two times we went was about half as good as anything locally there in SF, and not worth the 30 minute drive from our home. But hey, to each their own! I don't like to (and am not doing so) ridicule people about what they like or don't like, I'm just commenting on our experience of the place.

[Sooner.Arch]

Personally think they should remove the street parking from n Olie to n Francis. Expand the sidewalks and add trees. Brick the road throughout the whole district with raised crosswalks (both to ensure that speeds lower). I found some reference pics. Adding a huge sign like this one at the beginning and end of the district will help with the speedy drivers too. Also I know no one is biking on Britton but hopefully these pics can give some inspiration.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah I agree. Build a parking garage to make up for the loss of parking spaces. I become somewhat of a regular in the area and I’ll go out of my way not to park on the street because it’s really hard to back out in traffic. And there is some good congestion on this road at times.

They’re also likely going to have to grade separate the railroad tracks that go through the intersection when commuter rail happens. I don’t really think there are too many speedy drivers. Speed limit is 25 which should be 30. Traffic moves 25-35 MPH. Not a big deal.

[Soonerinfiniti]

All I can say is I really hope the quality of this development is better than Owl Court! That has to be the worst quality renovation I have ever seen!

[ksearls]

So in the 80s there was a fabulous authentic New Mexican food restaurant just west of Santa Fe on Memorial Rd called Santa Fe Crossing. It was opened by a handful of Norman guys who had Border Crossing connections. At the time there was not much going on out there. Both the location and the concept were way ahead of their time. The restaurant was beautiful, and had sweeping views of the sunset due to unobstructed views over the lawn of Fife corporation. The guys spent lots of time and money on the interior and acquired great art from a Santa Fe artist named Tavlos. They built a beautiful raised wood bar that highlighted the space. They shipped in green and red chile and blue corn tortillas weekly from New Mexico. Their food was terrific. Flat blue corn enchiladas, green chile stew, and the epic Shed special. The drinks including the delicious Tavarita were legendary as were the characters who frequented the bar. It only lasted a few years, the timing was not the best as it opened at the beginning of the oil bust. It would kill it now!

[Pete]

From the Oklahoman archives:

***********

The Santa Fe Crossing even has waterfall
ANN DEFRANGE
Published: Sun, December 26, 1982 12:00 AM
The enchiladas don't look like enchiladas, the tacos are in pita bread. The tortillas are a disconcerting shade of navy blue.

Nothing is sacred at Santa Fe Crossing, but everything is heavenly.

The restaurant opened about a month ago on Santa Fe about a mile west of Broadway Extension. Six "working" owners operate the establishment with a full offering of friendly hospitality; most of them have had a previous connection with Border Crossing restaurant in Norman, and those familiar with the Norman eatery will find similarities in the menus.

New Mexico provides the theme for the decor and the food. The building, which is on the west end of a shopping center, has an open, bright feeling of adobe. Paintings in "desert colors" of pinks and purples fit the theme; a noisy waterfall on one end of the restaurant is somewhat harder to explain.

The Santa Fe cooking relies heavily on Indian traditions, explained Tom Calhoun, one of the owners, so they pick up the special green chiles and blue corn tortillas on regular trips to Santa Fe. The blue color is from non-hybrid Indian corn.

The tortillas are used in enchilada dishes, but those are not rolled in the usual manner. A couple of tortillas are stacked, pancake-style, with a generous beef filling between. Cheese and chicken enchiladas are based on plain corn tortillas, the chicken boiled in a wine sauce and combined with vegetables.

Among the specialties are the Shed's Special, a tribute to a popular Santa Fe, N.M., restaurant; chile that's thick and very rich; beef tacos that are stuffed in a pita-type bread rather than taco shells, two large ones to an order.

Outstanding is the Green Chile Stew, a combination of diced steak, corn and spices in a savory broth, either in a bowl or atop a tortilla and under cheese.

Rice and beans, of course, come with the dinners. The rice varies at different times from dry to too dry, but it's coated with an excellent tomato sauce. The beans they don't mess with; they're the plain brown variety.

Appetizers include guacamole (a bit lemony); tortilla soup, a thin beef-vegetable soup floating with chips; artichokes, chili, salad and nachos. The nachos are a possible meal in themselves. Eight toppings are available, including the stew; the toppings are welded to the chips with a chewy cheese, and the result is some of the best nachos east of New Mexico.

Lunches range in price from $3.75 to $6. After 5 p.m. a dinner menu goes into effect and includes several mesquite-grilled items trout, shrimp, chicken. Dinners are from $11.25 for steak asada to $6 for broiled chicken breast with verde sauce.

If you haven't eaten yourself into some kind of Mexican madness already, there are desserts, and the best is a Dobos Torte. It's six thin layers of cake, divided by chocolate icing and pleasantly reeking of brandy.

(Story continued below...)
The kitchen at Santa Fe Crossing is open every day from 11:30 a.m. until 10 week nights, 11 weekends; the bar keeps later hours.

[ksearls]

From the Oklahoman archives:

***********

The Santa Fe Crossing even has waterfall
ANN DEFRANGE
Published: Sun, December 26, 1982 12:00 AM
The enchiladas don't look like enchiladas, the tacos are in pita bread. The tortillas are a disconcerting shade of navy blue.

Nothing is sacred at Santa Fe Crossing, but everything is heavenly.

The restaurant opened about a month ago on Santa Fe about a mile west of Broadway Extension. Six "working" owners operate the establishment with a full offering of friendly hospitality; most of them have had a previous connection with Border Crossing restaurant in Norman, and those familiar with the Norman eatery will find similarities in the menus.

New Mexico provides the theme for the decor and the food. The building, which is on the west end of a shopping center, has an open, bright feeling of adobe. Paintings in "desert colors" of pinks and purples fit the theme; a noisy waterfall on one end of the restaurant is somewhat harder to explain.

The Santa Fe cooking relies heavily on Indian traditions, explained Tom Calhoun, one of the owners, so they pick up the special green chiles and blue corn tortillas on regular trips to Santa Fe. The blue color is from non-hybrid Indian corn.

The tortillas are used in enchilada dishes, but those are not rolled in the usual manner. A couple of tortillas are stacked, pancake-style, with a generous beef filling between. Cheese and chicken enchiladas are based on plain corn tortillas, the chicken boiled in a wine sauce and combined with vegetables.

Among the specialties are the Shed's Special, a tribute to a popular Santa Fe, N.M., restaurant; chile that's thick and very rich; beef tacos that are stuffed in a pita-type bread rather than taco shells, two large ones to an order.

Outstanding is the Green Chile Stew, a combination of diced steak, corn and spices in a savory broth, either in a bowl or atop a tortilla and under cheese.

Rice and beans, of course, come with the dinners. The rice varies at different times from dry to too dry, but it's coated with an excellent tomato sauce. The beans they don't mess with; they're the plain brown variety.

Appetizers include guacamole (a bit lemony); tortilla soup, a thin beef-vegetable soup floating with chips; artichokes, chili, salad and nachos. The nachos are a possible meal in themselves. Eight toppings are available, including the stew; the toppings are welded to the chips with a chewy cheese, and the result is some of the best nachos east of New Mexico.

Lunches range in price from $3.75 to $6. After 5 p.m. a dinner menu goes into effect and includes several mesquite-grilled items trout, shrimp, chicken. Dinners are from $11.25 for steak asada to $6 for broiled chicken breast with verde sauce.

If you haven't eaten yourself into some kind of Mexican madness already, there are desserts, and the best is a Dobos Torte. It's six thin layers of cake, divided by chocolate icing and pleasantly reeking of brandy.

(Story continued below...)
The kitchen at Santa Fe Crossing is open every day from 11:30 a.m. until 10 week nights, 11 weekends; the bar keeps later hours.

Yay! Now I am so hungry. It was so long ago we still had to write names on the liquor bottles! And we got busted a few times by the booze cops. Oh good times.

[DoctorTaco]

From the Oklahoman archives:

***********


Among the specialties are the Shed's Special, a tribute to a popular Santa Fe, N.M., restaurant; chile that's thick and very rich; beef tacos that are stuffed in a pita-type bread rather than taco shells, two large ones to an order.

Is this when Oklahoma first met the soft taco?

[ksearls]

Is this when Oklahoma first met the soft taco?

This is my favorite thing they had that I still make at home when I make green chile stew. I present you the Green Chile Special - flour tortilla filled with green chile stew, cheese and sour cream then put under the broiler.

[ksearls]

This is my favorite thing they had that I still make at home when I make green chile stew. I present you the Green Chile Special - flour tortilla filled with green chile stew, cheese and sour cream then put under the broiler.

Sorry you can't see it! Dang.

[soonerguru]

So in the 80s there was a fabulous authentic New Mexican food restaurant just west of Santa Fe on Memorial Rd called Santa Fe Crossing. It was opened by a handful of Norman guys who had Border Crossing connections. At the time there was not much going on out there. Both the location and the concept were way ahead of their time. The restaurant was beautiful, and had sweeping views of the sunset due to unobstructed views over the lawn of Fife corporation. The guys spent lots of time and money on the interior and acquired great art from a Santa Fe artist named Tavlos. They built a beautiful raised wood bar that highlighted the space. They shipped in green and red chile and blue corn tortillas weekly from New Mexico. Their food was terrific. Flat blue corn enchiladas, green chile stew, and the epic Shed special. The drinks including the delicious Tavarita were legendary as were the characters who frequented the bar. It only lasted a few years, the timing was not the best as it opened at the beginning of the oil bust. It would kill it now!

Yum. Wish we had something like that now! Here's to hoping El Coyote does it right.

[soonerguru]

From the Oklahoman archives:

***********

The Santa Fe Crossing even has waterfall
ANN DEFRANGE
Published: Sun, December 26, 1982 12:00 AM
The enchiladas don't look like enchiladas, the tacos are in pita bread. The tortillas are a disconcerting shade of navy blue.

Nothing is sacred at Santa Fe Crossing, but everything is heavenly.

The restaurant opened about a month ago on Santa Fe about a mile west of Broadway Extension. Six "working" owners operate the establishment with a full offering of friendly hospitality; most of them have had a previous connection with Border Crossing restaurant in Norman, and those familiar with the Norman eatery will find similarities in the menus.

New Mexico provides the theme for the decor and the food. The building, which is on the west end of a shopping center, has an open, bright feeling of adobe. Paintings in "desert colors" of pinks and purples fit the theme; a noisy waterfall on one end of the restaurant is somewhat harder to explain.

The Santa Fe cooking relies heavily on Indian traditions, explained Tom Calhoun, one of the owners, so they pick up the special green chiles and blue corn tortillas on regular trips to Santa Fe. The blue color is from non-hybrid Indian corn.

The tortillas are used in enchilada dishes, but those are not rolled in the usual manner. A couple of tortillas are stacked, pancake-style, with a generous beef filling between. Cheese and chicken enchiladas are based on plain corn tortillas, the chicken boiled in a wine sauce and combined with vegetables.

Among the specialties are the Shed's Special, a tribute to a popular Santa Fe, N.M., restaurant; chile that's thick and very rich; beef tacos that are stuffed in a pita-type bread rather than taco shells, two large ones to an order.

Outstanding is the Green Chile Stew, a combination of diced steak, corn and spices in a savory broth, either in a bowl or atop a tortilla and under cheese.

Rice and beans, of course, come with the dinners. The rice varies at different times from dry to too dry, but it's coated with an excellent tomato sauce. The beans they don't mess with; they're the plain brown variety.

Appetizers include guacamole (a bit lemony); tortilla soup, a thin beef-vegetable soup floating with chips; artichokes, chili, salad and nachos. The nachos are a possible meal in themselves. Eight toppings are available, including the stew; the toppings are welded to the chips with a chewy cheese, and the result is some of the best nachos east of New Mexico.

Lunches range in price from $3.75 to $6. After 5 p.m. a dinner menu goes into effect and includes several mesquite-grilled items trout, shrimp, chicken. Dinners are from $11.25 for steak asada to $6 for broiled chicken breast with verde sauce.

If you haven't eaten yourself into some kind of Mexican madness already, there are desserts, and the best is a Dobos Torte. It's six thin layers of cake, divided by chocolate icing and pleasantly reeking of brandy.

(Story continued below...)
The kitchen at Santa Fe Crossing is open every day from 11:30 a.m. until 10 week nights, 11 weekends; the bar keeps later hours.

Ann Defrange was a great writer. The Oklahoman had a few.

[TheTravellers]

Ann Defrange was a great writer. The Oklahoman had a few.

I thought her review was pretty pedestrian compared to other food writers (Gazette's Jacob Threadgill, for one recent example).

[HOT ROD]

very excited about this and downtown Britton!!!