I do not really expect to influence people’s eating preferences or decide on my own which are the best dishes at Oklahoma City restaurants.  However, this year’s politics seem to indicate that our message may be better received if we come off as self-confident and a little audacious, so I will be this way in support of a good cause–giving readers the benefit of my highly refined taste in food to impart my vast knowledge of the best dishes that can be found anywhere in the city.

OK, even I do not believe what I just said, but nevertheless I will list some of my personal favorite items at various restaurants.  Even though many of the restaurants listed are excellent all around, these are the items I find that are the best to order.  I have already started a series of posts along the same theme, including Pollo Guero at El Birrias, Chicken Tawook at Camilya’s, and some of the city’s best Enchiladas.  However, this is my first attempt at creating a comprehensive list.

These, then, are dishes I have found to be among the best of the best, and that others may want to try:

Steaks

• All natural Oklahoma beef — Ranch Steakhouse (OKC)

A number of restaurants have excellent steaks but this is my favorite

Hamburgers

• Hamburger with Johnnie’s Sauce — Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler (OKC and The Village) Veggie burger is an excellent substitute
• Onion Burger— Johnnie’s Grill (El Reno)

There are a number of choices in the metro for hamburgers, and for me eating a hamburger is a splurge, but I like these two when I do (but the veggie burger at Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler is something I eat more frequently)

Barbecue

• Ribs — Van’s (Shawnee)
• Ribs — Swadley’s (Bethany)
• Pulled Pork — Billy Sims (OKC)
• Chicken — Billy Sims (OKC)

Meat Dishes

• Molasses Chicken — Cheever’s (OKC)
• Grilled Chicken — Green & Grilled (OKC)

Most of my favorite meats are listed in barbecue and ethnic restaurants

Fried Chicken

• Fried Chicken — Cajun King (Warr Acres)
• Fried Chicken — Olde Orchard (Bethany)
• Fried Chicken — Ann’s Chicken Fry (OKC) Only available on weekends
• Fried Chicken — Eischen’s (Okarche) Maybe the best chicken, but it is not really in the Oklahoma City metro area

Sandwiches

• Turkey Reuben — Ingrid’s (OKC)
• Cuban — Cafe 7 (OKC)
• Turkey and Guacamole — Cafe 7 (OKC)

Salads

• Pear Salad — Boulevard Steakhouse (Edmond)
• Apple Spinach Salad — Green & Grilled (OKC)
• 24 Ingredient Salad — Castle Falls (OKC) Castle Falls is open on weekends and is by reservation only.  I am not sure of the status of this salad, and whether it is still being served.

Desserts

• Tiramisu — La Baguette (OKC)
• Black Forest — Ingrid’s (OKC)

This list could be much longer but these are two of the best

Mexican (Enchiladas)

• Enchiladas de Rajas — Casa Perico (OKC)
• Enchiladas Verdes — Abel’s (Warr Acres)
• Tomatillo Enchiladas — Poblano Grill (OKC) Not on the menu but can be special ordered
• Enchiladas Verdes — San Marcos (OKC)

Mexican (Tacos)

• Tacos Calvillo — Abel’s (Warr Acres)
• Tacos al Pastor — Abel’s (Warr Acres)
• Tacos (various) — Taqueria La Original (OKC)

Mexican (Other)

• Pollo Guero — El Birrias (OKC)
• Pozole — Birrieria Diaz (Bethany)
• Flautas — Chalo’s Tacos (Bethany)
• Tamales — Chalo’s Tacos (Bethany)
• Gorditas — Abel’s (Warr Acres)

Latin American

• Pollo Saltado — Zarate’s (Edmond)
• Passaro Preto — Cafe do Brasil (OKC)

Italian

• Spaghetti with Cacciatore Sauce — Papa Dio’s (The Village) This can be ordered as a main dish or as a side dish with any dinner which comes with spaghetti
• Eggplant Parmesan — Vito’s (OKC)
• Chicken Parmigiana — Tommy’s (OKC)

Pizza

• Lombardy Pizza — Flip’s (OKC)
• Margherita — Humble Pie (Edmond)

French

• Chicken and Mushroom Crepes — La Baguette (OKC)
• Chicken Confit — La Baguette (OKC)

German

• Wienerschnitzel — Old Germany (Choctaw)
• Chicken Jager Schnitzel — Old Germany (Choctaw)
• Hahnchenbrust — Royal Bavaria (Moore)
• Haehnchen Chicken — Castle Falls (OKC) Open on weekends by reservation only

The three chicken dishes are very similar and all are good–I’m not sure which is best

Middle Eastern

• Tagines — Cous Cous Cafe (OKC)
• Ghormeh Sabzi — Travel By Taste (Warr Acres)
• Chicken Tawook — Camilya’s (OKC)
• Eggplant Casserole — Nunu’s (OKC) Thursday only–served every 2nd Thursday–the Green Bean Casserole rotated with it is also one of my favorite dishes
• Ribs — Jamil’s (OKC) Middle Eastern style ribs served as an appetizer with dinner, or you can order it as a dinner

African

• Vegetable Plate — Queen of Sheba (OKC)

Chinese

• Roast Pork Tofu Hot Pot — Fung’s Kitchen (OKC) added 2-25-16
• Szechuan Eggplant — Chow’s (OKC)
• Fresh Fish with Ginger and Onions — Chow’s (OKC)
• Roasted Pork and Tofu Casserole — Grand House (OKC)
• Fu-jjian Tofu — Grand House (OKC)
• Spare Ribs and Bittermelon — Fung’s Kitchen (OKC)
• Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce — Szechuan Bistro (OKC) added 2-25-16

Chinese (Lunch Specials)

• Green Beans with Minced Pork — Chow’s (OKC)
• Fish with Black Bean Sauce — Grand Village (OKC)
• Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce — Szechuan Bistro (OKC) added 2-25-16

Vietnamese

• Vietnamese Pork Chop — Golden Phoenix (OKC)
• Chicken and Lemongrass Vermicelli Bowl — Kim Wah (The Village) This is also available at Lido, which uses the same recipe
• Chicken Vermicelli Bowl (Bun) — Pho Ca Dao (OKC) More authentic and technically better than the same dish at Lido and Kim Wah, but did not have lemongrass

Vietnamese (Pho)

• Pho — Pho Cuong (OKC)
• Beef Noodle Soup — Pho Kim Long (OKC)

Thai

• Pad Prik Khing — Charm Thai (Warr Acres)
• Green Curry — Tana Thai (The Village)

Japanese

• Salmon Teriyaki — Tokyo  (OKC) Available on the Happy Lunch or Tokyo Box
• Tempura Udon — Tokyo (OKC)
• Chicken Katsu — Tokyo (OKC)

Korean

• Spicy Potato Stew — Fusion Cafe (Norman)
• Kimchi Chee Kae — B-Won (Del City)

Indian

• Cauliflower Kashmiri — Taj (OKC) Not on the menu but can be special ordered
• Channa Masala — Ajanta (OKC)

See my Oklahoma Reviews for more information about these restaurants.