Pollo Campero

[Pete]

Latin chain to bring first Oklahoma location to Uptown


With origins in Guatemala and over 350 restaurants worldwide, Oklahoma City is set to get the first Pollo Campero in the state.

[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

Yet another entry into the seemingly endless chicken war, Campero offers a Central America take with unique spices in offering several versions of fried but also citrus grilled chicken and wings.

The first U.S. location opened in Los Angeles in 2002, drawing huge crowds and favorable reviews. Similarly, new locations in Las Vegas and other American cities have experienced long lines.

The closest current locations are in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area with 16 total in the state of Texas.

Pollo Campero also features aguas frescas drinks, empanadas and bowls, plantains, street corn, flan and other Latin dishes.

The location at 1414 NW 23rd was formerly an Arby's.

[Paseofreak]

Sure looks like a mighty upgrade to me. I miss Arby's from 20 years ago, but can't win against accountants in the kitchen.

[Pete]

I've heard great things about it and it's quite different that the other chicken places. Empanadas, street corn and other sides, desserts and drinks are unique.

It's a lot like El Pollo Loco, which is my absolute favorite of this type of place.

[Mr. Cotter]

Cool. With this and the new Jimmy John's, this stretch of 23rd is improving nicely.

[Paseofreak]

Same franchisee as Dallas?

[TheirTheir]

This makes me happy.

[Midtowner]

Well cool. So now we'll have a chain restaurant for when the Oklahoman ranks the top 5 latin restaurants in the OKC area.

[soonermike81]

I love El Pollo Loco! Was amazed at how fresh everything seemed for a fast food joint. Excited to try this place out.

[progressiveboy]

I have at the one's in DFW. They are ok but not anything special. I was really disappointed when they shuttered all of the DFW's Pollo Tropical which was similar to this concept. We will see if OKC embraces the latin cuisine?

[Pete]

Here is the rendering for this particular site which is now under construction.

[Roger S]

Nice.... I figured they would do like Sam's Southern Eatery and just remodel the existing building and slap a coat of paint on it.

Does anyone know why that Arby's just suddenly closed? Was it building related? It always appeared to do quite a bit of business. At least at lunch.

[Bullbear]

So glad they are really remodeling this Building!. will look so much better.

[Pete]

Does anyone know why that Arby's just suddenly closed? Was it building related? It always appeared to do quite a bit of business. At least at lunch.

The local Arby's franchisee still owns this building.

They are basically remodeling all their area locations so I suspect they decided this location was not worth it for some reason.

[baralheia]

Nice.... I figured they would do like Sam's Southern Eatery and just remodel the existing building and slap a coat of paint on it.

Does anyone know why that Arby's just suddenly closed? Was it building related? It always appeared to do quite a bit of business. At least at lunch.

When I worked for the company a decade ago, that store was among the oldest in OKC. The kitchen was a cramped mess and the drive through was not a modern configuration. Lunch business was brisk, but dinner business there was... eh. It was enough to sustain the store, but not much else. I suspect US Beef Corp (the Arby's franchisee that actually owned the store) needed to repair and/or remodel the store but the sales at the store couldn't justify the cost of the necessary work.

[Pete]

Some time ago, I was a consultant on a proposed merger between Arbys and Long John Silvers.

They had entered into an agreement whereby the two concepts would be largely co-branded in almost all locations.

The main motivation was that Arby's had a strong lunch business and that LJS did better at dinner time.

It was fascinating work, trying to merge the two cultures (Arby's was heavily franchised and LJS was not) and in the end the deal was scuttled when they realized there would be too much time and money required to bring the two organizations together.

[Pete]

[Harbinger]

Whoa. I was under the impression that they were going to renovate the existing structure. This took me by surprise.
20180320_125232.jpg

[Pete]

Yeah, they meant to renovate then determined it was better to scrape and build new.

[baralheia]

Yeah, they meant to renovate then determined it was better to scrape and build new.

Having worked in that building when it was an Arby's, truthfully, this decision actually doesn't surprise me all that much - and it plays into my theory that US Beef closed the location because of needed repairs that were deemed too expensive. That store was originally built in 1967, and the kitchen and back office looked every bit of 50 years old.

[Pete]

[Uptowner]

I feel fear for the el pollo chulo location on 50th in Warr acres. The wife and I drive there often even though it’s pretty far outside the hood. We also have to flip a coin because it’s across the street from Abel’s and we can never decide between our two favorite Latin joints in town. If I can get relatively healthy grilled chicken plates a mile from my home in paseo? I might only be driving to Abel’s from now on.

Btw. Get to el pollo chulo it’s omg amazing, inexpensive, and guilt free. The defacto dish is the bone in chicken that flame grills so long that the fat melts away yet it’s still tender & moist thanks to the marinade, wherein the recipe is probably locked in a vault somewhere. It is decidedly low key and extra casual. The guy who I can only assume is the owner because he’s the only person I’ve ever seen working there and performs every job simultaneously, also keeps his office in the corner of the dining room so he doesn’t miss a thing.

[Pete]

^

I've been meaning to try El Pollo Chulo and now I will!

That area is actually pretty great for food: EPC, Abel's, Del Rancho, Tim's Drive-in, and Cajun King is just a mile north. There is also a Thai place right there I want to try.

[TheTravellers]

^

I've been meaning to try El Pollo Chulo and now I will!

That area is actually pretty great for food: EPC, Abel's, Del Rancho, Tim's Drive-in, and Cajun King is just a mile north. There is also a Thai place right there I want to try.

If it's Charm Thai you're talking about, don't bother. Tom Kha soup was way too thin, didn't have nearly enough coconut milk, and they left the inedible parts of the lemongrass in. Duck curry was OK, but the flavor just wasn't there enough in the curry, and spice level of 4 barely did anything for me. Wife had Pad See Ew, I believe, and she wasn't thrilled with it either. For reference, we used to really like Lemongrass Thai in Edmond, and Bistro 38 before they started cutting down on the amount of chicken in their Tom Kha (but it's still the best tasting and thickest Tom Kha we've had in OKC). If you're looking for good Thai, try Bistro 38, hopefully during mango season 'cos their mango sticky rice is wonderful.

[soonerguru]

If it's Charm Thai you're talking about, don't bother. Tom Kha soup was way too thin, didn't have nearly enough coconut milk, and they left the inedible parts of the lemongrass in. Duck curry was OK, but the flavor just wasn't there enough in the curry, and spice level of 4 barely did anything for me. Wife had Pad See Ew, I believe, and she wasn't thrilled with it either. For reference, we used to really like Lemongrass Thai in Edmond, and Bistro 38 before they started cutting down on the amount of chicken in their Tom Kha (but it's still the best tasting and thickest Tom Kha we've had in OKC). If you're looking for good Thai, try Bistro 38, hopefully during mango season 'cos their mango sticky rice is wonderful.

Not to be "that guy," but can someone explain the love for Abel's in OKC? I've tried to keep an open mind and I've been there five different times, and while OK, I don't think it offers anything spectacular. Am I ordering the wrong items? Please tell me what I should be ordering at Abel's?

[soonerguru]

If it's Charm Thai you're talking about, don't bother. Tom Kha soup was way too thin, didn't have nearly enough coconut milk, and they left the inedible parts of the lemongrass in. Duck curry was OK, but the flavor just wasn't there enough in the curry, and spice level of 4 barely did anything for me. Wife had Pad See Ew, I believe, and she wasn't thrilled with it either. For reference, we used to really like Lemongrass Thai in Edmond, and Bistro 38 before they started cutting down on the amount of chicken in their Tom Kha (but it's still the best tasting and thickest Tom Kha we've had in OKC). If you're looking for good Thai, try Bistro 38, hopefully during mango season 'cos their mango sticky rice is wonderful.

TBH, I liked Charm Thai much more than Bistro 38. Perhaps it's because on my lone visit to Bistro 38, they had a sewage backup and there were plumbing personnel in the house working while we were having dinner. Nice way to set the ambiance. You know, sometimes it's OK to just close for the night and get stuff fixed. That septic aroma has lodged a permanent olfactory memory in me and I haven't returned. Sewagy smell or not, I didn't particularly like my food at Bistro 38.