Always the contrarian, Louis slipped a bit under the weather this week, so instead of asking him to review the canned chicken noodle soup collection from Walgreens, we're going to take a look at some of his best food reports from this past summer.
Take a look below, and maybe plan a road trip...
1. TLO Restaurants Revisited: Eischen’s Bar and the Gospel of Fried Chicken
What Louis Wrote: We made our way to Eischen’s Bar — 109 S. 2nd in Okarche — and even though it had been raining all day, the whole town showed up, and then some. My wife had been hearing the legends about this fried chicken shrine in the middle of nowhere since she moved to Oklahoma. And by God, she was ready.
Walking through the door, I was reminded just how semi-rustic the place really is — pieced together bit by bit, both in décor and, thankfully, in fried chicken. We were seated in a booth near the bar, where a spring semi-pro football game blared in the background and the whole place buzzed with mid-level madhouse energy.
No menus necessary. You're here for one thing, and they know it. A paper basket of fried chicken — and honestly, that’s all you’ll ever need.
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2. A Return to Geronimo’s and the Best Damn Burger in OKC
What Louis Wrote: Although the hot dogs and catfish were tasty, the entire time I picked at them I really just wanted to bite into a legendary Geronimo Burger ($7.25), aided by a cup of very sugary, very red Kool-Aid—the best Kool-Aid.
Wrapped in foil like a gift from the meat gods, the burger was sweating gloriously, dripping a sacred mix of beef juice and melted cheese. As I peeled the foil back, that unmistakable aroma – smoky, salty, burgery – hit my face like a warm hug.
I quickly clutched at the burger, and – as my jaw strained — I bit in, instantly remembering why I crowned it Oklahoma’s best all those years ago. The thick, seared patty. The slick of mayo melting into molten cheese. The griddled ham –yes, ham – bringing an extra punch of salt and soul. The toasted bun barely held it together, like it was trying to keep a juicy secret from the rest of the world.
Oh, how I missed this burger!
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3. Roadhouse Redemption at the Flamingo Lounge in Enid
What Louis Wrote: …walking in through the windowless door, I stepped into the well-worn grandeur of the place, the wood-paneled walls, the yellowed-stained pictures, and the many years of now-gone cigarette smoke that kept the place in good working order for the next generation.
As the Budweiser sign buzzed next to us, we sat near the available light from the one window.
Looking over the weathered posters, beaten signs, and a small selection of souvenir shirts—apparently, this bar has been around since 1958, the shirt tells me—I looked over to my right and saw what the Flamingo is somewhat famous for, at least in this area: their bubbling, steaming, overflowing pots of homemade beef chili.
“There is a God…”, I said aloud.
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4. Ranch Hand Review: Oklahoma’s Mazzio’s Pizza and The New Ranch Bar
What Louis Wrote: I recently caught wind in the mail that Mazzio’s Pizza – our state's once beloved but now oft-forgotten pizza chain – had unveiled the most Oklahoma thing of all time: a Ranch Dressing bar.
As this site has chronicled like a sauce-streaked scroll of culinary scripture, Oklahomans have long held an unholy devotion to plunging their pizza slices into ranch dressing—a creamy, tangy baptism that transcends condiment status and ascends into full-blown cultural rite.
In fact, some flavor crusaders have even ventured deep into the Hidden Valley itself, braving buttermilk storms and garlic powder fog, all in pursuit of the perfect dairy-based companion to their grease-slicked, pepperoni-covered soulmate.
To honor these brave ranch-lusting souls, my wife and I stopped by our local Mazzio's to review each new flavor in the trough and see how the ranch paired with a variety of dippables and salad bar vegetables.
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5. No Bull: FireLake’s Bison Fry Bread Taco Is Oklahoma’s Best Indigenous Fast Food
What Louis Wrote: …I needed plenty of room for the Nishnabe Taco ($6.99), a hulking beast with a sturdy base of plump fry bread that is truly some of the best in this rarified business; while I originally craved the bison they served, they ran out earlier in the day, so I settled on the ground beef, which, really, was just as good this evening. I just wanted that taco!
But it was the extras where Firelake really shone brightly, a menu where you can make the taco truly your own. In addition to the heavy meat, I dropped pinto beans, pepper jack cheese, green chiles and jalapenos right on top, satisfying every hungry need I had. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t beat this.
The biggest surprise on the night, however, was a dessert style of frybread: the Fry Bread with Fresh Fruit ($3.99) topping. As it was laid out before me—a solid piece of warm fry bread covered in rich strawberries with a large dollop of whipped cream on top—it was like a continual gift from the Great Spirit directly to my belly in need of sweets.
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6. Smokes, Scratchers, and Brisket: Kimie’s on S. Portland is OKC’s Best Hidden BBQ Gem
What We Wrote: In Oklahoma, it seems the best barbecue often comes from semi-holy pitmasters armed with top-of-the-line equipment, modern dining rooms, ample waitstaff, and a well-stocked meat locker—all blessed by an army of sycophantic Yelpsters who cream their jeans for a free meal and a 4.5-star review.
But on the industrial south side of Oklahoma City, you won’t find any of that fancy shit.
Instead, you’ll discover something better—Kimie’s Store (3900 S. Portland Ave).
Surrounded by rundown apartments, vandalized buildings, and dollar stores begging to be shoplifted, we recently received a tip that this ramshackle little shop slings some of the best barbecue in OKC every Friday and Saturday: fresh and flavorful Laotian-crafted masterpieces that will make any meat lover drool.
That was good enough for me.
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7. Reopened and Reborn: 39 Restaurant Returns to FAM in Mouthwatering Form
What Louis Wrote: As I contemplated stealing more bites off her plate, I had to calm down, because I had my own dish in front of me, the most beloved of all Southern breakfast foods, the Biscuits & Gravy ($10.00).
Always a mainstay in an everyday hearty breakfast—in this case, brunch—this variety featured a unique ingredient, and in three different ways, no less. The star of this perfect brunch meal was duck, and it had me swooning. This beautiful bird was central to the flavor of the golden duck fat biscuits, made ever more fantastic with duck sausage inside a confit duck gravy, with a smattering of mushrooms to taste.
I had to personally and professionally shout it out to the world that not only is this the best breakfast/brunch dish I have ever had, but I now think that duck might have stolen the title of my own personal favorite taste. Quack, quack!
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We hope that belly growl of a roundup left you hungry for more, because Louis will be back before you know it with a review of a Paseo Arts District standout. Until then, enjoy the sunshine!
