When on the road in Oklahoma, small town eateries are almost always a sure-fire bet for some good old-fashioned cooking—hopefully from an elderly woman, natch—that you usually can’t find in the hard and cold city anymore. But, on those rare occasions, sometimes that side-of-the-road eatery is just another travel-weary ruse, delivering a much-promised handcrafted meal that’s about as homemade as warming up a TV dinner in the microwave.
For example, take the Pauls Valley favorite—I’m guessing—Punkin’s at 1911 W. Grant Ave.; I’m sure you’ve seen their enticing Elvis-laden signage pelvically shimmying down the highway, advertising enough good eats to get anyone and everyone in your party all shook up at the idea of stopping for some fried fish and barbeque, if they can just hold on for a few minutes and make it a couple of miles to Exit 72.