I haven’t been to Atlanta, but my girlfriend lived there for many years and insists that Chef Dee Creations, located at 2739 NW 36th Street, is the closest restaurant in Oklahoma City to capture the vibe and feeling of the Dirty South.
I had often wondered about the place every time I passed by and wanted to check it out. Unfortunately, it always seemed closed during my odd dining hours. This time, though, I was in luck. As we turned down NW 36th, the open sign was brightly shining, and eager customers were lining up for that Southern-infused food.
With homemade street art on the walls featuring various slogans, Dee’s is very small. The counter takes up around half the storefront, which is fine, as it seems more focused on carry-out and food delivery than sit-down dining. That works for me.
After looking over the computerized menu on the big television screen, I placed my order and sat down at one of their indoor picnic tables, a Diet Coke in my hand.
As my girlfriend reminisced about her favorite restaurants in the ATL, I listened but had trouble focusing. The aromas of Dee's buttery variations and spicy vibrations had me salivating.
Soon, our food arrived, and I found myself in some sort of Southern heaven.
Starting with Chef Dee’s Go 2 Sides, I chose the Sweet Corn Hush Puppies ($6.00). Crisp on the outside and breaded on the interior, they had some figurative dog in them, with the spicy cornmeal performing an introductory magic trick.
With regular fries seeming passé, our next dish was the Respect the Drip Fries ($14.00), a massive loaded fry combo featuring crinkle-cut French fries and crispy chicken nuggets, plenty of cheese, and a selection of hot sauce, wing sauce, and other mysterious sauces dripped on top, creating a total flavor explosion.
Dee has mastered the art of booming sensations, with the different sauces' heat and the greasy fries absorbing them, preparing for impact with every bite. Honestly, there's no other way to order fries now. They have to be like this – a true masterpiece.
Finally, the main dish arrived – Grilled Blackened Catfish Shrimp Pasta ($15.00). True to its name, the catfish fillet was sat upon penne pasta smothered in Alfredo and Parmesan cheese, with shrimp scattered all about.
This was no Hamburger Helper concoction. The penne pasta was luxuriously coated in Parmesan cheese, and the deliciously grilled catfish provided the inspiration to eat the whole plate as soon as it was served. The shrimp, though not necessary, were the perfect punctuation to the perfect meal. Each bite was a harmonious blend of creamy and savory flavors, making it an unforgettable dish.
So, yeah, maybe Chef Dee’s is the closest approximation to real Southern food, and that’s fine. But for me, it’s the real deal for the truly Oklahoman experience of food and culture, and that’s all I really want to eat these days.
Cómpralo ya!
