Welcome To Case's Column
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.
In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Case's Food Reviews: Installment Seven
I've promised you that I'd get back to you with a food review, and a food review is what I'm going to give you this time. Welcome back to Case's Column for yet another grip on the grub of my life, from my keyboard to your eyes. My recent Tulsa road trip presented some opportunities to visit new places I've never before stopped at, plus some old places I've been previously. Ratings for these eateries are, as always, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars (1 = Poor, 5 = Superior).
So, let me get you started on three picks that your blog buddy has ventured into....
1. Nelson's Buffeteria, Tulsa. This was the long-awaited event for me. It's a restaurant that used to be located downtown when many business folk would stop for some grub, and the stories people have shared about this food stop became legendary. Within the last ten years, however, they closed and then reopened, first with a sister location east of downtown near I-244 and Utica, and then this new locale on Memorial Avenue just south of the Broken Arrow Expressway. These guys have the same menu and recipes that have endured all these years, the most notable being their legendary chicken-fried steak. Long story short, I decided to be next to try it. Nelson's CFS has this slightly crispy breading with the tender round steak in the middle, nestled upon a small puddle of cream gravy and topped with same. Delicious! The macaroni and cheese is just like you'd remember as a kid, with the mashed potatoes and cream gravy every bit as good as the average cafeteria chain makes, but these guys make it work. Add a soft, big, fluffy roll, and you've got yourself a meal for a king. I even added a green vegetable (spinach) to the repertoire. Very tasty. They also have pan-fried steak, chicken-fried chicken, fried catfish, meat loaf, and Salisbury steak, as well as an array of traditional vegetable choices to suit whatever you choose. Breakfast is also served here, as they open at 7 every morning except Sunday. Don't forget that they have different pies, too, for the dessert lover, with the tallest meringue this writer has ever seen. Will I be back? Listen, I went twice that week, so it's a resounding "Yes!!!" You, too, will be saying what many folks for decades have previously blurted upon entering this Tulsa institution: "Hello, chicken-fried!!"
(Rating: 5 *****)
2. Ron's Hamburgers & Chili, Tulsa. Tulsans value their burgers, and this place has a following that an Okie would appreciate. The chain has locations in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Where I went to was in South Tulsa and it was a pretty busy hangout at 6:30 in the evening. This Tulsa legend has a wide array of hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as homemade chili. I chose to order a traditional double jumbo cheeseburger. As I ordered from a menu at my seat, I had anticipated the patties to be thick, but the waitress didn't say anything about how I wanted my meat cooked. That should have been my first clue. My burger was ordered with lettuce, pickle, mustard, and fried onions, a nod to the fried onion burger tradition of the Sooner State. This double jumbo came with two thin patties, and the bun and patties were bigger in circumference compared to the smaller burgers they have. Okay. Fine. My burger and fries were pretty good, along with an ice-cold Pepsi. Next time I'm in Tulsa, I can give this chain a ride once again, but their burgers don't beat places I've experienced in Houston or Frisco, but just for Tulsa, it'd be worth going back again.
(Rating: 4 ****)
3. Hammett House Restaurant, Claremore. In the shadow of the Will Rogers Museum, we have this quaint getaway eatery that looks like a throwback to a simpler time. On both of my visits here, I came over for lunch but probably should have considered this place for dinner. They have some notable appetizers such as fried green tomatoes, which were very large and tasty. Other appetizers include the bloomin' onion and the pamper-fried chicken livers (and, no, they didn't use a diaper in the frying process!). I had the misfortune of ordering ---- of all things ---- a reuben. Big mistake. The toasted rye tasted very funny and uneven, and the combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing didn't go so well with the bread. I should have ordered one of their hamburgers, since the picture on the menu looked very good. To be fair, I'd have to give their dinner selections (an array of steaks, chicken, lamb fries, pan-seared pork loin, calves liver, catfish, and salmon, to name a few) a try. When you're seated at your table, the waitress gives you a free gift in the form of a warm, soft cinnamon roll. It was one of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever tasted in my life, with just the right amount of cinnamon and cream frosting to mesh with the dough's texture. Traditional vegetable choices, too. The desserts at this place will knock your socks off. If you order the chocolate chip/peanut butter pie, which needs an elevator ride to get to the top -- it's just so huge and feels like ten stories tall, you won't be able to finish it. Certainly not after a meal. Case will make his way back and give them another chance, having been twice already. Just skip the reuben and you'll be fine.
(Rating: 4 ****)
And there you are.
My recent Tulsa road trip presented some opportunities to visit new places I've never before stopped at, plus some old places I've been previously. Ratings for these eateries are, as always, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars (1 = Poor, 5 = Superior). So, let me get you started on three picks that your blog buddy has ventured into....
1. Nelson's Buffeteria, Tulsa. This was the long-awaited event for me. It's a restaurant that used to be located downtown when many business folk would stop for some grub, and the stories people have shared about this food stop became legendary. Within the last ten years, however, they closed and then reopened, first with a sister location east of downtown near I-244 and Utica, and then this new locale on Memorial Avenue just south of the Broken Arrow Expressway. These guys have the same menu and recipes that have endured all these years, the most notable being their legendary chicken-fried steak. Long story short, I decided to be next to try it. Nelson's CFS has this slightly crispy breading with the tender round steak in the middle, nestled upon a small puddle of cream gravy and topped with same. Delicious! The macaroni and cheese is just like you'd remember as a kid, with the mashed potatoes and cream gravy every bit as good as the average cafeteria chain makes, but these guys make it work. Add a soft, big, fluffy roll, and you've got yourself a meal for a king. I even added a green vegetable (spinach) to the repertoire. Very tasty. They also have pan-fried steak, chicken-fried chicken, fried catfish, meat loaf, and Salisbury steak, as well as an array of traditional vegetable choices to suit whatever you choose. Breakfast is also served here, as they open at 7 every morning except Sunday. Don't forget that they have different pies, too, for the dessert lover, with the tallest meringue this writer has ever seen. Will I be back? Listen, I went twice that week, so it's a resounding "Yes!!!" You, too, will be saying what many folks for decades have previously blurted upon entering this Tulsa institution: "Hello, chicken-fried!!"
(Rating: 5 *****)
2. Ron's Hamburgers & Chili, Tulsa. Tulsans value their burgers, and this place has a following that an Okie would appreciate. The chain has locations in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Where I went to was in South Tulsa and it was a pretty busy hangout at 6:30 in the evening. This Tulsa legend has a wide array of hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as homemade chili. I chose to order a traditional double jumbo cheeseburger. As I ordered from a menu at my seat, I had anticipated the patties to be thick, but the waitress didn't say anything about how I wanted my meat cooked. That should have been my first clue. My burger was ordered with lettuce, pickle, mustard, and fried onions, a nod to the fried onion burger tradition of the Sooner State. This double jumbo came with two thin patties, and the bun and patties were bigger in circumference compared to the smaller burgers they have. Okay. Fine. My burger and fries were pretty good, along with an ice-cold Pepsi. Next time I'm in Tulsa, I can give this chain a ride once again, but their burgers don't beat places I've experienced in Houston or Frisco, but just for Tulsa, it'd be worth going back again.
(Rating: 4 ****)
3. Hammett House Restaurant, Claremore. In the shadow of the Will Rogers Museum, we have this quaint getaway eatery that looks like a throwback to a simpler time. On both of my visits here, I came over for lunch but probably should have considered this place for dinner. They have some notable appetizers such as fried green tomatoes, which were very large and tasty. Other appetizers include the bloomin' onion and the pamper-fried chicken livers (and, no, they didn't use a diaper in the frying process!
). I had the misfortune of ordering ---- of all things ---- a reuben. Big mistake. The toasted rye tasted very funny and uneven, and the combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing didn't go so well with the bread. I should have ordered one of their hamburgers, since the picture on the menu looked very good. To be fair, I'd have to give their dinner selections (an array of steaks, chicken, lamb fries, pan-seared pork loin, calves liver, catfish, and salmon, to name a few) a try. When you're seated at your table, the waitress gives you a free gift in the form of a warm, soft cinnamon roll. It was one of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever tasted in my life, with just the right amount of cinnamon and cream frosting to mesh with the dough's texture. Traditional vegetable choices, too. The desserts at this place will knock your socks off. If you order the chocolate chip/peanut butter pie, which needs an elevator ride to get to the top -- it's just so huge and feels like ten stories tall, you won't be able to finish it. Certainly not after a meal. Case will make his way back and give them another chance, having been twice already. Just skip the reuben and you'll be fine. (Rating: 4 ****)
And there you are.
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