CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK One of the main facets of the Oklahoma state meal, chicken-fried steak has been a tried-and- true local pastime since ranchers first sidled into Oklahoma Territory. Today, the decadent dish is just as popular, while contemporary iterations speak to OKC’s ever-growing restaurant scene. Cattlemen’s Steakhouse: The oldest continuously operating restaurant in Oklahoma, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse is a rightful Stockyards City icon, known for timeworn recipes like chicken-fried steak, flat-griddled and served with cream gravy. McClintock Saloon: As one of the top cattle markets, it’s fitting that Stockyards City is known for its steaks. Indeed, McClintock Saloon serves a pitch-perfect chicken-fried steak, topped with gravy, in a transportive space laden with taxidermy and polished wood furnishings. Cheever’s: Chicken-fried steak gets a glow up at this upscale Uptown 23rd standout, where the ambience skews special-occasion worthy and the house version comes with jalapeño cream gravy and garlic red-skinned potatoes. The Press: The steak comes a little thicker, and a little richer, at The Press, a Plaza District spot that chicken-fries a ribeye filet before serving it with thick country gravy, mashed potatoes and green beans. Jamil’s Steakhouse: Another old-school classic, Jamil’s is a Lebanese steakhouse known for its smoked bologna and housemade tabouli — but don’t sleep on the chicken-fried steak, a 10-ounce hand-battered beauty heaped with buttery gravy.
PHO Home to tens of thousands of Vietnamese people, as well as a full-blown Asian District, OKC has become a hub for pho, one of the foremost foods popularized by immigrant communities — so much so that the anise-scented noodle soup is as locally ubiquitous as steak. Pho Cuong: A cornerstone in the Asian District, this humble and homespun eatery serves a bracing bowl of pho, laden with tender slivers of brisket, tendon, tripe and more. Pho Lien Hoa: With a few locations scattered around town, Pho Lien Hoa has cemented itself as a local go-to for soulful bowls of herbal broth, brimming with vermicelli noodles, spices and sprouts. Twenty Pho Hour: Unlike any restaurant in town, Twenty Pho Hour holds the unique distinction of being America’s first 2D noodle restaurant, which means the immersive black- and-white art on the walls makes the dining room feel like one giant comic book. Riviere Modern Banh Mi: This Midtown mainstay toes the line between classic and contemporary, where scratch-made pho bowls are adjoined by banh mi tacos, bulgogi fries and panko-breaded calamari. Lido Restaurant: Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines share top billing at this sprawling Asian District staple, where the something-for-everyone menu includes superlative pho slow-simmered with the likes of brisket, tendon, tripe and meatballs.
58 # s e e o k c
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online