Passing through OKC - need hotel and restaurant help (Moore: appointed, home)

[TravelinGal]

It's been many years since I lived in OKC. We'll be stopping there in a week on our way to TX.

Restaurant stuff first:

Am I correct that U R Cooks (on NW Expwy) is gone now? I worked there and remember the food being SOOOO good!

I remember a restaurant that had a funny name but had these awesome cheese logs (not just fried cheese sticks - these bad boys were LOGS! LOL). It had an old style/westernish theme if I remember right.
Can anyone think of what restaurant I'm remembering? I think it had 2 parts to the name.

there was also another place (which seems to have had a funny name too) that had fried peaches you could order for dessert. Does that ring a bell with anyone?

HOTEL stuff next:

We probably won't spend a lot of time here as it's a fast down and back trip but we'll need a hotel for 2 nights (1 nt going down and then again 1 nt heading home). Something near the interstate would be desirable. I don't remember the neighborhoods well enough to guess at this anymore (just that Nichols Hills was ritzy). We want safe and clean. Preferably $100 or LESS -- and while price is important, we are not budget inn/ motel 6 etc people. (I'm spoiled, what can I say? LOL)
Pool for our 5 yr old would be super too.

Thanks in advance! If you're ever heading to Denver, I'd be happy to help answer those questions!

[irishlover]

Stay at the new Hampton Inn in Bricktown...they were doing a special for $99/night when they opened in the spring...they have a GREAT swimming pool that is very suitable to kiddos...I always saw lots of kids in there when we stayed. Other than that try
the residence inn bricktown...older than hampton but great location and you get a suite with kitchen...prob around $120/night
Hyatt Place NW...this is the most recent place we stayed in July...up in the Bell Isle area...very nicely appointed rooms with a great swimming pool...think we paid only $90/night around 4th of July
An often overlooked hotel but one with a lot of history, in Nichols Hills and nicely appointed is the Waterford Marriott...they are usually around $100-120/night...they have a great Italian restaurant called Belinis next door.

As far as OKC restaurants...we ate out a lot (just moved to Houston) so here goes (I won't bother with chains):

Cheevers: an OKC staple for many years, can be pricey but the food is generally excellent...I would call it gourmet southern with an Okie twist
Gourmet Deli for lunch: off of Western near Chesapeake
Saturn Grill: GREAT lunch spot near Chesapeake...lunches can be a bit pricey tho
The Wedge: great pizzeria/italian food...at nw 50th and western and new location in bricktown
The Trattoria: another great Italian place in downtown
For an old school throwback try the Nichols Hills pharmacy deli in Nichols Hills plaza...they have great tasting burgers/grilled cheese/pimento sandwiches for less than $5/plate...we ate there all the time for lunch
Ted Escondidos (an Oklahoma-Texmex chain)...good but I would save the tex mex for Texas
Iguana Grill...good Mexican food less of the "Tex" in my opinion

There are tons of good BBQ options but my favs are Leos near downtown (an OKC institution, must see) and George's happy hog if you are feeling a bit more adventurous.

For dessert try Pink natural yogurt near Tinker east of Downtown and the new cupcake place in the midtown revitalization area (can't recall the name at the moment but the cupcakes are bad ass).

[TravelinGal]

Oh, I remember Ted Escondidos! I'd forgotten about that one. But I'm trying to remember the names of two restaurants I remember eating at (described above)

[irishlover]

Originally Posted by TravelinGal

Oh, I remember Ted Escondidos! I'd forgotten about that one. But I'm trying to remember the names of two restaurants I remember eating at (described above)

So, after all of that detail on great, non-chain restaurants in OKC you still want cheese logs and fried peaches? Yeesh, next time I'll save my breath!

[TravelinGal]

Sorry if that offended you. It wasn't meant to. But my original question was quite specific. I was trying to remember the name of 2 places I really enjoyed when I lived there 15+ years ago. If we had more time I certainly would enjoy browsing around and trying other places! But, when I think of OKC I remember those 3 restaurants and I am pretty sure I'd heard UR Cooks was closed so I was trying to remember the name of the other 2 places. I don't know if either of those places are chains either - I've never seen them anywhere else (not that triggered a memory by the name anyway).
As it is we now only have the 1 night there because hubby wants to head back home via Amarillo "for a change of scenery". and we have to get on the road at a reasonable time the next morning.

BTW - Hyatt Place NW was the hotel winner - best rate for what we were needing (king bed and sleeper sofa) Thank you for that suggestion.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by TravelinGal

Oh, I remember Ted Escondidos! I'd forgotten about that one. But I'm trying to remember the names of two restaurants I remember eating at (described above)

The fried peaches are from Harry Bears (located in Moore). Nothing to apologize for fried peaches....some of the best stuff you'll ever put in your mouth. Sometimes the Fam and I will just stop there strictly for the fried peaches; it's worth it.

As for the cheeselog place I think I remember the commercials for the restaurant you're talking about....the Smokehouse? Or Chuckwagon? Something like that, but it's out of business now. Maybe one of the Old Time OK City folks can help us out with this one?

[Jammie]

You guys are funny. When everyone previously said that EVERYTHING is fried in OK, I didn't think you were THIS serious. Fried peaches?

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by Jammie

You guys are funny. When everyone previously said that EVERYTHING is fried in OK, I didn't think you were THIS serious. Fried peaches?

Jammie, you owe to you and your husband to try 'em next time you are in these parts.

The fried peaches come with a vanilla dipping sauce *drool* = absolutely great tasting stuff. You will not be disappointed!

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by Bass&Catfish2008

Jammie, you owe to you and your husband to try 'em next time you are in these parts.

The fried peaches come with a vanilla dipping sauce *drool* = absolutely great tasting stuff. You will not be disappointed!

It's on my list right along with fried okra. We love peaches and that actually sounds good. We'll just leave the grits off the menu though so there's more left for those of you that enjoy them.

[TravelinGal]

Thank you Bass! See I knew it was a funny name! Harry Bears. yup.

I found out what the other restaurant was. SHORTY SMALLS. I have a friend at Tinker and while she didn't know, armed with the details she asked some friends and they came up with it.
I don't know if it was the cheese logs themselves I liked so much or the dipping sauce they included. Most places give a traditional marinara sauce but they gave a sweet sauce of some sort. (not super sweet - but maybe like a french dressing or a honey mustard -- the best I can think to compare)

Now to decide which one wins as we are down to the one night there...

Jammie - To be honest I don't remember ever seeing grits at any restaurants when I lived in OKC, but we did tend to stick with the more chain like places... I had them on a cruise once and (I know this is slander to southerners... I apologize in advance) they tasted just like cream of wheat to me.
The fried peaches are divine! I've never seen them anywhere else. The dipping sauce kind of reminded me of a more liquid cheesecake mix (like the jello cheesecake before it set up).
I'm not big on a lot of fried foods (ironic that the 2 things that I'm craving on this trip are fried though!!) but the cheese logs and the fried peaches.... yummmmm.