Although I previously visited the Heart Hospital strictly for the food, the knowledge I gained about Integris Hospital came as a result of a fairly long time spent in the hospital’s waiting room.

Based on this I believe that others in the same circumstance might have some dining options that are not too bad, considering that it is pretty typical hospital food. Like the Heart Hospital, the food at Integris (formerly Baptist) Hospital is fairly cheap for what you get. Unlike the Heart Hospital dining area, though, the one at Integris does not have a name– it is just called “Cafeteria.” I think Integris has a much nicer dining area than the Heart Hospital, except that the patio area here was under construction when I went.

Integris seemed to have a larger choice of menu items than the Heart Hospital. I did not see as much emphasis on healthy dining as I had seen at the Heart Hospital, but there was more of what I would call standard dining options than there was of what I would call junk food. I think Integris really has options for just about everybody.

While the Heart Hospital keeps the same menu all day, Integris seems to make a very drastic change in the menu at about 5:00 pm. Before this time I saw a large variety of sandwiches and lunch items, while after this time they sell their dinner entrees and offer their daily specials (although the price difference at dinner is really negligible).

Lunch
There is much more that I do not know about the food here than what I can report, but I know that my mom really enjoyed the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich from the lunch menu. I did not try it, but I observed that it had quite a lot of bacon, and it seemed to be good quality (although a little less crispy than I would probably like).

Dinner
Dinner has daily specials as well as their regular menu (in this regard it is similar to the Heart Hospital). I decided to try the Szechuan Chicken, which was the daily special when I was there. This had good chicken, good rice, and OK vegetables. I was pleased by the quantity of food, and there was no need to buy side items because the main dish had everything I needed (meat, vegetables, and rice to fill me up).

The sauce on the Szechuan chicken did not taste anything like Chinese food to me, but I thought it was fairly good (it was, however, the definite weak point of the dish). I would get this dish again if I were at the hospital (the problem, of course, is that they only offer it from time to time). I could not find a web site that listed the cafeteria’s daily specials, as is available on the Heart Hospital’s web site.

Other Details
I was pleased about the choice of drinks–I had a good iced tea with the meal and an Odwalla drink that helped pass the time in the waiting room. There is a wide variety of both regular meals and snack food that I think is far superior to what is sold in the vending machines throughout the hospital.

The hospital’s web site lists the cafeteria as being open until 7:00 pm, but I know that it is open past 8:00 (although I am not sure about the exact arrangement about when certain types of food are served).

Editorial
The food here was good, and frankly better than I had expected. This is not the subject of my editorial, though. I believe that large hospitals in general (and I am not picking just on Integris) should explore other dining options for visitors and possibly patients. It might be time to see if some food trucks could do some good business here, and I am particularly thinking about ones that serve ethnic food.

I had somewhat of a revelation when I ate at a Vietnamese restaurant near St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tucson, and noticed that it was filled primarily with people in hospital uniforms. The restaurant was far enough away from the hospital that most people probably used a car for the trip, although most of them could have walked if they wished. This did show, though, that hospital personnel (and I am sure patients as well) want a variety of food to be available as is the case with people in general.

Right now hospitals do not have a very good reputation for food, but they are getting better. I just think that there are more steps that some of them could take, and I hope they do. A food court or food trucks might be an idea that some of them would want to try.

Update since my last visit: I have received a report from my family that the chicken and dumplings at the cafeteria were disappointing, so this might indicate that I would have trouble finding other items that I like.

RATING: *

Cuisine: American
Cost: $
Hours: Open Daily
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Jul. 18, 2016
Number of Visits: 1
Best Item: *

Special Ratings

Szechuan Chicken

Nina’s Family Restaurant

The old Coit’s Root Beer Stand at Northwest 50th and Portland in Oklahoma City has found a new tenant, Nina’s Family Restaurant. Nina’s does not have the carhops, root beef floats, or some of the other features that made Coit’s famous, but it is bound to create its own following.

In the Southwest the line has become somewhat blurred between Mexican and American food, and in this sense Nina’s is “Southwest.” It does not serve Southwest cuisine such as green chile cheeseburgers or other fusion type dishes, but diners do have a choice between American or Mexican food (I think the menu leans more toward the American dishes, though).

Spanish Omelet

Spanish omelet with home fries (topped with bell pepper and onion)

The breakfast pictured in the photo shows how this fusion idea works. The Spanish Omelet was Mexican style with salsa and cheese on top, although I think the idea of an omelette itself is an import to Mexico from the United States (I did not see huevos rancheros or other Mexican style dishes on the menu). The omelette was flavorful and I recommend it, but I just want readers to know that there are not any alternatives to the Spanish omelet if you want a Mexican style breakfast.

The omelette comes with a choice of side items, so I chose the Home Fries. These came with bell pepper and onion (which the waitress suggested they could add), and I thought this was a good touch. Overall this was a very satisfying meal.

Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits and gravy

Although my meal was huge, my dining companion was having an even harder time finishing the meal, so I ended up sharing some Biscuits and Gravy. This was an alternative choice to the home fries (all breakfast plates come with a choice of either of these items, grits, or toast). To me the biscuits and gravy were stellar, reminding me of the ones I used to get in central Texas.

Lunch and Dinner
For lunch or dinner there are several Mexican choices, although there does not seem to be the opportunity for a “crossover” of a Mexican main course with American sides (at least from the menu). I think if you really want this, though, they can do it. Since I tried the salsa on the omelette, I at least know that this salsa would be very good on the dinners.

Additional Comments
The cost is really in the $$ category by the time you order a drink, but it is so much lower than other places that I have designated it as $.

RATING: 20

Cuisine: American & Mexican
Cost: $
Hours: Open daily except Sun. evening
Accessible: Yes (I checked the bathroom)
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: No
Special Features: Serves Breakfast

Most Recent Visit: Sep. 16, 2015

Number of Visits: 1

Best Item: Biscuits and Gravy

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index:

 

Special Ratings

	Spanish Omelet
	Home Fries
	Biscuits and Gravy

North May Donuts & Kolaches
10712 N. May Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK

(405) 751-1620

North May Donuts & Kolaches

North May Donuts & Kolaches is probably more of a take-out business than a restaurant, although they do have tables to eat breakfast here.  It closes at noon daily (and is open from 5:30 am). The big items seem to be breakfast kolaches (with choices such as sausage) or the fruit filled kolaches.

What I did not know beforehand was that they do not keep kolaches in stock, and the only way to be sure of getting them is to order them ahead of time (thus I have not yet tried the kolaches).

Sweet Rolls

Apple, cinnamon roll, and jelly filled roll

The sweet rolls I tried, though, were a big hit. The Apple flavored one (on top) was very fresh and flavorful, and did not have any of the “donut shop” greasy taste that I often find. In fact, I would compare the rolls here to the ones at Ingrid’s for quality (and in fact these might even be better).

The Cinnamon Roll (shown on the bottom left) was just as fresh but I would say it was my second favorite behind the apple (just a personal preference).

The Jelly Filled Roll was a disappointment for me because I found it to be rather unremarkable. I would say I wanted more of a fruit flavor and not as much of the generic jelly-like substance.

Recommendations
Two of the three items I tried here were excellent, and the other was good. I definitely recommend giving this place a try.

Call ahead of time if you want to be sure to get the kolaches you want.

RATING: N/R

Cuisine: Bakery
Cost: $
Hours: 5:30 am to noon (open daily)

Most Recent Visit: Apr. 13, 2016
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Apple Roll, Cinnamon Roll
 

Special Ratings

	Apple Roll
	Cinnamon Roll
	Jelly Filled Roll

Johnnie’s Grill in El Reno, OK

Having grown up with hamburgers as one of the staples of my diet, there were two ways of preparing them that made for an extra special treat: onion fried and charcoal broiled with hickory sauce. While there are still several places in Oklahoma that prepare decent charcoal broiled hamburgers, finding onion fried burgers that taste like the ones I remember as a kid seems to be increasingly difficult. One of the first places I would recommend trying, though, is Johnnie’s Grill in El Reno. In business since the 1940’s, it still prepares food the old fashioned way– with not much consciousness of fat or cholesterol, but very cognizant of maintaining the long-established standard for flavor and enjoyment of a burger.

El Reno is close enough to Oklahoma City so that many people make the commute every workday, but far enough away that a dedicated group of fans make the commute the other direction to eat some of the famous onion burgers and Coneys in El Reno as often as they can make the trip (but it is probably never often enough). There are three El Reno restaurants that are well known for the local specialty (onion burgers and Coneys), and probably others that are less famous but still good. I think the burger at Johnnie’s Grill is about the best I have found anywhere, and the Coney is not far behind. The onion burger is definitely a local specialty, since I have not found any in Oklahoma City that are quite as good.

Johnnie’s does have other items, both on the breakfast menu (6:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Mon.-Sat.) and the regular menu (lunch & dinner daily).  The burger and Coney, though, are what cause most people to make the pilgrimage to Johnnie’s.

Onion Burger

Onion burger cooking on the grill

While there are several items on the menu, the Onion Fried Hamburger is what has made Johnnie’s famous throughout central Oklahoma (and in other parts of the country as well). Each burger is individually prepared as you order it, with the onions cooked separately on the grill so they become caramelized and then added into the patty as it is cooking in order to ensure a proper blend of beef and onion flavors. The onions are added early into the meat’s cooking process and the patty is mashed flat to ensure proper cooking of all ingredients. The onions end up being cooked much longer than is found with the typical “burger with onions.” In fact, they are cooked so long that for me it eliminates the negative side effects of eating onions such as a strong taste and possible gastric upset.

The onion burger at Johnnie’s

The end result is one of the best burgers around, and a meal that in terms of flavor rivals many “fine dining” restaurants. The meat is high quality and never frozen, and the mustard and pickle toppings go perfectly with this creation. Only the white bread bun is a throwback to a half century ago that I think perhaps could be updated.

Coney

The Coney at Johnnie’s

Johnnie’s other highly popular item is the Coney, a high quality hot dog that comes with different toppings. The most popular, though (and Johnnie’s specialty) is a Coney topped with chili and a special cole slaw that seems to be served only in El Reno (with other popular restaurants serving slightly different versions). The chili was really one of the smoothest and most flavorful I have ever eaten (by smooth I mean mainly that it was not greasy and was somewhat liquid so that it could be poured over the hot dog). Many people familiar with New Mexican cuisine (and I among them) proclaim their chile to be hotter, more flavorful, and more satisfying than the Tex-Mex style chili (which is always brown and usually made either with meat or beans). Johnnie’s chili, though, was different, with a flavor that I think made it equal in quality to much of the New Mexico chile (although certainly not as spicy).

The slaw made an interesting flavor contrast, and although I did not think it in itself was as exceptional as the chili, the combination of the two allowed me to experience the flavor that makes the El Reno Coneys famous. This was a somewhat toned down slaw with not as much sharpness as is sometimes found in normal cole slaw.

Side Dishes
The French Fries were greasy, but not overly so. They are certainly better quality than is found at most restaurants these days.

Desserts

Lemon cheesecake

Sitting at the counter is a great way to chat with people and watch the food being cooked, but tables are available for families and those who prefer more space. Being at the counter allowed me to spy out several types of pie that were available (Johnnie’s has a person who specializes in baking the pies). I would not call the pies gourmet, but they were good (yes, I tried more than one kind).

Directions
Johnnie’s is in downtown El Reno on historic Route 66.  It is also located on U.S. 81, so going north from the U.S. 81 exit on Interstate 40 is an easy way to find the restaurant.

A drive-through window is also available for take-home or if you need to get back to Interstate 40 for a cross-country trip. Going to Johnnie’s requires about a four mile detour (round trip) from IH-40.

Recommendations and Tips
Most people do not have any trouble figuring out what to order: an onion fried burger would be a good bet here. The Coney dogs are also a popular choice, and with the chili and slaw are as hard to match elsewhere as the burgers. After all, only Wimpy of the Popeye comics can subsist solely on a diet of hamburgers.

A hot link or Polish sausage can also be made “Coney” style (with chili and slaw).

A breakfast menu is also available Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  They serve just about everything that can be cooked on a grill– pancakes, omelettes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, etc.  It is interesting, though, that they also offer a couple of items made with their famous chili (the same chili used on the Coneys)– a burrito or a bowl of chili.  I do think the chili here is probably the best I have ever had, so I can see why some would want it for breakfast.

Johnnie’s still has the original counter with bar stools in front of the grill, but also has a large dining room with tables (for more space and to accommodate larger parties of diners).

It is stated on their menu that they are open from 6am to 9pm Monday-Saturday and 11am to 8pm Sunday.

RATING: 23

Cuisine: Hamburgers
Cost: $
Hours: Open Daily

Most Recent Visit: May 19, 2010
Number of Visits: 4
Best Items: Onion Fried Hamburger, Coney

 

Special Ratings

	Onion Fried Hamburger
	Coney
	French Fries
	Lemon Cheesecake