Regional Food & Drink?

Old Apr 17th, 2013, 08:46 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Regional Food & Drink?

Is there any type of food, drinks, etc. that Oklahoma is known for?

My wife and I will be in the state soon and like to try food that is considered local.
jedivader is offline  
Old Apr 17th, 2013, 12:12 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Try an onion burger in El Reno.

Otherwise it is pretty much Southern fried, with the exception of some excellent Asian food like the Vietnamese place in a frontage road strip mall near the Walmart in Moore.
Ackislander is offline  
Old Apr 17th, 2013, 12:12 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,940
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Onion burgers for sure. You will see them advertised quite a bit. We had one at an old burger joint that dated back to the 30s. Really juicy! Basically they smashed fresh cut onions into the meat.
jayne1973 is offline  
Old Apr 17th, 2013, 12:23 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think what you really want is to find some good local spots to eat. If you tell us where you will be, we might be able to recommend some good local spots.

It's funny about this whole "onion burger" thing, which I have read about on a different post. Never heard of them (at least called that). I wonder if it's a local thing and not an "Oklahoma" thing. One poster said an "onion burger" was unique to the region and was never seen in the NE. Tell that to White Castle, which has been serving onion-infused sliders in the New York area for years (though it did start in Wichita).

The state has some decent bbq places and great hamburgers. Buffalo burgers were popular there long before they were a fad elsewhere. And, of course, steaks.
doug_stallings is offline  
Old Apr 17th, 2013, 02:13 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No, no, no, Doug! An onion burger isn't even a little bit like a White Castle, and, yes, it is classically limited to the El Reno (just west of OKC) area.

In the first place, it's BIG. Three times as big as White Castle, maybe four. In the second place, it is a loose (almost loose enough to see through) patty of meat, almost like you chopped it quickly off the end of a package of ground beef to make chili but slapped it on the grill instead. Then it is fried on the [greasy] hot top separately from the onions. They are combined on a greasy hot bun when finished and served -- now, Easterners, remain calm -- with your choice of ketchup or yellow mustard. Mustard goes on hot dogs! Not always.

There is a fair amount of other stuff to see in El Reno, and if you space your eating, you can have an onion burger at each of the three classic places. I had potato salads rather than fries with mine, IIRC.
Ackislander is offline  
Old Apr 17th, 2013, 02:57 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,940
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think we had our onion burger at Robert's Grill in El Reno -- really old place with just a few bar stools for seating. But they definitely smashed those onions in with the meat -- it was not separate. They also talked me into trying some kind of hot dog-- can't remember exactly what was on it (maybe cole slaw?) But it was good, too...totally different.

By the way, if you are at all interested in Route 66, Oklahoma is the state with the most miles of driveable original road. El Reno is one of the towns on the route.
jayne1973 is offline  
Old Apr 17th, 2013, 03:06 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 27,868
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cole slaw on a [all beef, preferably kosher] hot dog with spicy brown mustard = delish++
DebitNM is offline  
Old Apr 18th, 2013, 06:17 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the info.

Mainly looking for types of food that are considered Oklahoma originals or something the state or certain parts of the state are known for.

Interesting or cool local places are also welcome.

I assume beef, steaks, etc. are big out there.
jedivader is offline  
Old Apr 18th, 2013, 06:31 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 26,778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
BBQ bologna is a regional specialty. And Oklahoma BBQ is, in general, a somewhat unique blend of Texas, KC, and Memphis styles.

There is also some dairy/burger chain called Braums or somesuch that I remember from when I was a kid.
travelgourmet is offline  
Old Apr 18th, 2013, 06:31 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 26,778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You could also try the watered-down beer that they sell in Oklahoma, but I wouldn't recommend it.
travelgourmet is offline  
Old Apr 18th, 2013, 08:09 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Like I said, I've never heard of an onion burger or run into one in my entire life, and I spent the first part of it on the Kansas/Oklahoma border, going to Oklahoma frequently. But I've never been to El Reno or eaten at the place that serves them. So I think the OP will probably have to head there to find one.

I do like Braum's, but it's a chain throughout the region, and the food is not in any way memorable. The ice cream (in particular the milkshakes) are, however, well worth a stop. You'll find a Braum's in almost every city or town in Oklahoma, and that's one place I'd recommend. They're usually open "late" (i.e., 9pm), so you can go for a before-dinner ice cream some evening.

Chili cheese dogs with chopped raw onion are popular, though you can buy those at Sonic, the popular drive-in chain. In the region they are called "Coneys".
doug_stallings is offline  
Old Apr 18th, 2013, 08:31 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Braum's is regional, not Okie. We have them in Texas. Doug's right, there's a reason that an ice cream cone is part of the Braum's logo.

In Oklahoma: beef, it's what's for dinner.
BigRuss is offline  
Old Apr 19th, 2013, 03:51 AM
  #13  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Any suggestions for best places to get authentic OK BBQ?

Just got back from Kansas City and will be going to Memphis this summer. We love BBQ!
jedivader is offline  
Old Apr 19th, 2013, 05:14 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm particularly fond of Dink's, which is in Bartlesville. There are barbecue places everywhere in Oklahoma, but I don't have a favorite in either Tulsa or OKC (we just never bother because we like Dink's so much). But I'm sure other people will.
doug_stallings is offline  
Old Aug 11th, 2013, 11:11 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,443
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think the most authentic Oklahoma BBQ is Wildhorse Mountain BBQ(near Sallisaw Oklahoma). I think the other must eat place would be Cattlemen's Steakhouse in OKC.

I was actually trying to find an old post on regional foods. I think it had over 100 post. It might have been something like "what can you not find overseas". But it was a post about regional food. I never did find it.
spirobulldog is offline  
Old Jun 2nd, 2014, 01:38 PM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,443
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lamb Fries, AKA Mountain Oysters
spirobulldog is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Ozarksbill
United States
18
Aug 9th, 2014 09:30 AM
orangetravelcat
Europe
6
Apr 4th, 2009 07:45 AM
wliwl
United States
27
Mar 31st, 2009 09:22 AM
Postal
United States
9
Feb 20th, 2007 09:30 AM
Kevin
Europe
7
Aug 14th, 2002 05:40 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -