Old Restaurants

[Achilleslastand]

What was that greasyspoon in Britton, the AAA Cafe?

That name seems to ring a bell or maybe it was called britton cafe.

[Achilleslastand]

Okay . . . Here's one that I bet almost nobody remembers:
"Good Eats Café".

It was where "The Ranch" is now (over on Britton Rd.).
I only ate there a couple of times, but the food was superb, if basic, and priced right.
It was the place where my "cooking gene" was activated with my first taste of "Tequila Glazed Chicken".

(I know that TGC is, like, Cooking 101 but it was sure good and opened up my culinary horizons. =)

In the 70s the "great American railroad" was in that same spot and had pretty good food. For a time in the later 80s it was a Mexican joint although I cant think of the name of it.

[RadicalModerate]

In the 70s the "great American railroad" was in that same spot and had pretty good food. For a time in the later 80s it was a Mexican joint although I cant think of the name of it.

That's right . . . I almost forgot . . . It, the railroad-esque motif, intended by the original tenet, probably had a lot to do with the artistic architecture of the building . . . =)

[ctchandler]

RM,
Don't forget, it was also Bodean's, a restaurant that started in Tulsa and is still in Tulsa. I used to eat lunch at the AAA, good chicken fried steak.
C. T.

That's right . . . I almost forgot . . . It, the railroad-esque motif, intended by the original tenet, probably had a lot to do with the artistic architecture of the building . . . =)

[Jim Kyle]

A place that just popped into my mind was Hardy's, Famous for Steaks. It was one block West of the old Union Bus Station on the N. W. corner. Long after they closed the restaurant, they served ham sandwiches at the state fair. Really good steaks, shore patrol salad (a wilted lettuce salad) and the hangout for lot's of celebrities that performed at the Civic Center Music Hall, or as it was know then, the Municipal Auditorium. My aunt worked there and there were lots of autographs on the walls by the performers.

Oh, my, how could we have overlooked Hardy's for so long in this thread?

I was introduced to it while riding the "Toonerville Trolley" from a MoPac flag stop into Columbia, MO, en route to a photojournalism workshop in the spring of 1951, by the only other occupant of the car -- an advance man for Sol Hurok Productions who was on the way to prepare for a Broadway show's tour stop at UofMO there. We chatted to pass the time and when he found out I was from OKC, he asked if I had ever been to Hardy's. "No, what's that?" was my reply and he informed me that it was one of the best steak houses in the country and that the casts of almost all travelling shows that played Municipal Auditorium ate there.

I didn't get around to trying it until years later, but it became one of my regular stops. One of their specialties was "Shore Patrol Salad" which had earned its name during WW2 when Norman hosted not one but two Navy bases since it was a favorite among the SP squads who patrolled downtown OKC on weekends. It was simply "wilted" green lettuce with lots of cumbled crisp bacon on it, and the hot bacon fat was the dressing. Great stuff!

The original location burned and the business wound up being auctioned off. A bowling acquaintance by the name of Andy Anderson bought it, and set up under the original name down on SW 29 just west of Western, with all the same menu and the same great service. Then one day I drove by and it was closed. Never did hear what happened...

[Achilleslastand]

Oh, my, how could we have overlooked Hardy's for so long in this thread?

I was introduced to it while riding the "Toonerville Trolley" from a MoPac flag stop into Columbia, MO, en route to a photojournalism workshop in the spring of 1951, by the only other occupant of the car -- an advance man for Sol Hurok Productions who was on the way to prepare for a Broadway show's tour stop at UofMO there. We chatted to pass the time and when he found out I was from OKC, he asked if I had ever been to Hardy's. "No, what's that?" was my reply and he informed me that it was one of the best steak houses in the country and that the casts of almost all travelling shows that played Municipal Auditorium ate there.

I didn't get around to trying it until years later, but it became one of my regular stops. One of their specialties was "Shore Patrol Salad" which had earned its name during WW2 when Norman hosted not one but two Navy bases since it was a favorite among the SP squads who patrolled downtown OKC on weekends. It was simply "wilted" green lettuce with lots of cumbled crisp bacon on it, and the hot bacon fat was the dressing. Great stuff!

The original location burned and the business wound up being auctioned off. A bowling acquaintance by the name of Andy Anderson bought it, and set up under the original name down on SW 29 just west of Western, with all the same menu and the same great service. Then one day I drove by and it was closed. Never did hear what happened...

Off topic here.....
I knew there was one naval base in norman by the airpark but where was the other?

[ljbab728]

Off topic here.....
I knew there was one naval base in norman by the airpark but where was the other?

The Naval Air Technical Training Center was located directly south of OU. I don't remember when it was active but I remember the buildings being there when I grew up in Norman and went to school at OU.

[Jim Kyle]

Off topic here.....
I knew there was one naval base in norman by the airpark but where was the other?

One was south of the OU campus, and the other north of Robinson. Max Westheimer Field is a relic of the North Base. During my years at OU (1948-52) there were dozens of WW2 Navy fighters, mostly Corsairs, mothballed at the old South Base, and during my first year a tragic fire destroyed the BOQ at the South Base which was being used by OU as a men's dorm, killing three students. By 1950, part of the South Base got reactivated for training and it wasn't unusual to see lots of Navy uniforms around Norman and OKC on weekends.

[Urbanized]

Used to love RJ's Cafe up on Santa Fe. Old-school diner. Much like downtown Airpark though, the smokers ruled that place. So you had to be content with smelling like an ashtray when you left. It's hard to believe that wasn't so long ago.

[Garin]

Used to love RJ's Cafe up on Santa Fe. Old-school diner. Much like downtown Airpark though, the smokers ruled that place. So you had to be content with smelling like an ashtray when you left. It's hard to believe that wasn't so long ago.

Blue plate special

[boscorama]

Now I'm wondering if it was called the A&A Cafe.

Good Eats: Went there once, liked it. There was also one on I-35 in the Denton TX area. I stopped there in 1996.

That name seems to ring a bell or maybe it was called britton cafe.

[boscorama]

Bob's Queen Bee, NW 23/Western, a late-night delight LOL.

[GaryOKC6]

That was the A&A Café. I used to go there every Friday after work when I got paid and have a steak Betty was my favorite waitress.

[GaryOKC6]

I used to love to go to Sambo's on 33rd & Classen and have their pancakes.

[Urbanized]

The OG Abraham's Western Cafe. Not as enthusiastic about the current location. Loses some of the charm.

[bluedogok]

Okay . . . Here's one that I bet almost nobody remembers:
"Good Eats Café".

It was where "The Ranch" is now (over on Britton Rd.).
I only ate there a couple of times, but the food was superb, if basic, and priced right.
It was the place where my "cooking gene" was activated with my first taste of "Tequila Glazed Chicken".

(I know that TGC is, like, Cooking 101 but it was sure good and opened up my culinary horizons. =)

Now I'm wondering if it was called the A&A Cafe.

Good Eats: Went there once, liked it. There was also one on I-35 in the Denton TX area. I stopped there in 1996.

They have one left in Dallas (on Live Oak) and one in Houston, they were all over Dallas when I lived there in the early 90's. They used to have a real good chicken fry.

What was that greasyspoon in Britton, the AAA Cafe?

I think it was in the old 7-11 right by Casady, I think they later moved down Britton Rd.

[Urbanized]

I'm going to go ahead and add the original Pearl's and Bellini's to this list. R.I.P.; you both became the Melanie Griffiths of restaurants.

[Prunepicker]

I'm going to go ahead and add the original Pearl's and Bellini's to this list.

Pearl's was very good. I'm assuming you mean the one that was on NW 63rd.

Has Bellini's closed? I'm not aware of that happening. Did Bellini's exist in
another location? I played there a couple of months ago. The usual "richer
than we could ever hope to be" crowd was attending the gig and were
engaging with the band. It was quite fun.

I'm not sure what you're talking about. We left the gig sitting very pretty.

[RadicalModerate]

I met my wife, in person, for the first time at the Bellini's, in Edmond, that has since morphed into a Teds.
I still remember exactly what I ordered* and how great the entire experience was.

A few years later, we went to Bellini's, in The Waterford, for an anniversary or whatnot.
The food was okay, but all I really remember about THAT experience was wandering, distracted, Cassidy Waifs, dressed in black, attempting to serve as Hospitality Industry reps, without the personal touch. It sort of reminded me of a production by Andy Warhol.

*I had Tuna with Angel Hair Pasta (a.k.a. "Capellini")
They put cheese on the fish.
Can you imagine such a gaffe?
But it was all good on account of I was falling in Love. =)
(this would have been back around '98 or so . . .)

Tomorrow, I put together the "St. Pat's Day Once Removed" version of some tasty eats for the same SweetHeart.

[Urbanized]

Pearl's was very good. I'm assuming you mean the one that was on NW 63rd.

Has Bellini's closed? I'm not aware of that happening. Did Bellini's exist in
another location? I played there a couple of months ago. The usual "richer
than we could ever hope to be" crowd was attending the gig and were
engaging with the band. It was quite fun.

I'm not sure what you're talking about. We left the gig sitting very pretty.

1. I am indeed talking about Pearl's on NW 63rd
2. If you are thinking of the place by the same name that still exists inside the Waterford, I doubt you spent much time at Bellini's in the '90s, eating anyway.

As far as I am concerned both places exist today in name only. They were the once the incredibly hot girls-next-door and today they are surgically-enhanced and unrecognizable.

[RadicalModerate]

A Loose Salute* to Old Restaurants . . . Shel Silverstein . . . Bobby Bare . . . and St. Patrick =) :



*all rights reserved by Michael Nesmith Enterprizes (c. 1970 sumpin' 'r other)

There Are No "New" Thoughts
We Are All Simply Compilers
Of Those That Have Gone Before.

[Urbanized]

Sleepy Hollow.

[Achilleslastand]

Sleepy Hollow.

Cant believe no one has mentioned this yet.
Some of the best fried chicken in town in my opinion.
Didn't they reopen for a spell after the robbery but ultimately had to close the doors?

[RadicalModerate]

Sleepy Hollow.

In my opinion . . . it was mis-managed.

1) Some pogue from the "management staff" came out to bitch at me (when I was a callow youth of about 22) about loading a bulldozer onto a low-boy trailer from the natural berm facilitating the completion of my task in the most expeditious manner possible in connection with a road improvement project in the vicinity.

2) A friend of mine . . . a plumber of sorts . . . (really a sewer cleaning guy) . . . told me that the worst drains of all to clear were the grease traps in restaraunts and the worst of the restaurants was . . . Sleepy Hollow.

3) After all of that . . . I ate there: The Food was Overpriced to the point that even Mediocre would have been Insulted. =)

[whatitis]

I got sick on a shrimp cocktail at the Der Dutchman one time... have never had shrimp cocktail again.

Other restaurants I miss include Bonaparte's... there was one in Shepherd Mall and also one on 39th near Ann Arbor. Tony's Via Roma on NW Expressway just east of May. Triple's on 16th & Classen. Applewood's... oh, how I loved their apple fritters and their rolls.

They also made a fantastic steak and I loved the green on green salad. I really enjoyed everything about that restaurant. I went there at least once a week until it closed. I can't remember what it became but the word was they would still have the same fritters and rolls with a similar menu. I went twice and the fritters were oily and had no powdered sugar. They didn't have the rolls and the menu switched to more seafood based. I miss that place as much as any fat man should.