Nestled comfortably on Main Street in Norman, the Winston is a favorite among college students and suburban Normanites alike.
To call the offerings of the Winston “just bar food” is a complete understatement of the meticulously crafted meals and cocktails you’ll find there. The menu features a variety of dishes – ranging from appetizers like jerk chicken lettuce cups and chicken fried quail to main courses like the spicy grilled adobo burger and the seared ahi mazesoba.
Specialty cocktails include the Jessica Rabbit, a gin-based drink with carrot-ginger syrup and fresh lemon and mint; My Hands are Thai’d, a rum and ginger liqueur drink with lemongrass syrup and fresh lime and basil; and the Chip-otle off the Old Block, a margarita-style cocktail with tequila, pineapple rum, chipotle-pineapple syrup and fresh lime. For dessert, try a ricotta fritter or nitro espresso martini.
The best way to liven up the beginning of the week? The Winston’s $2 Tuesday special. Choose between a variety of tacos: crispy pork belly, spicy shrimp, miso veggie or Tinga chicken, or go with corn dogs, buffalo wontons and parmesan truffle fries. All of these mouthwatering dishes, alongside “chambongs,” mimosas and a selection of beers are just $2.95 all Tuesday long.
If you’re in town on the weekend, head to the restaurant for its delicious brunch offerings; including, but not limited to, huevos rancheros, Johnny cakes, shrimp and grits, and avocado on sourdough toast.
To start your morning with a kick, the Winston offers boozy breakfast classics like Irish coffee, the Spicy Mary and the staple mimosa.
Operating out of Foolish Things Coffee, et al., a James Beard Best New Restaurant semifinalist, will soon be your new favorite pop-up restaurant. et al. is a collective of talented chefs, working together to liven up Tulsa’s food scene with delicious, made-from-scratch meals and equitable business practices in the food and beverage industry.
The tiny but mighty team is currently running five different food concepts, or what we would call “flavor exhibitions.” Bischix, a biscuit sandwich concept menu, features – you guessed it – a variety of different biscuit sandwiches that change with each iteration of the event, along with a small offering of cocktails and beers. Compaignon is the collective’s delectable French food and wine program and an overall celebration of community. Pickles at the Barbeque is a six-course, Southern, flavor-packed food party that uses produce at its peak freshness to ensure you’re chowing down on the best meal possible. Japanese Breakfast, served every Sunday, is a set menu of eight Japanese breakfast staples. The Butter Bar is a dessert pop-up that features seasonally inspired small bites. Finally, Dumpling Night happens every Wednesday and features Japanese fried chicken, milk tea and of course, hand-folded dumplings.
Yes, the food is obviously incredible. However, their care for staff – including full profit distribution and equal pay among workers, for example – makes the group an entirely different kind of admirable. With the collective’s emphasis on maintaining a happy and healthy team, creating delicious food and fostering community through the meals they make … why wouldn’t you want to eat at et al.?
Lupe Garcia, chef-owner at Trompudo’s Tacos, began his formal training at a young age in his father’s restaurant. Photos courtesy Lupe Garcia
Best known as Chef Lupe, Guadalupe Garcia – chef-owner of Trompudo’s Tacos on May Avenue in Oklahoma City – has a generations-deep affinity for all things cuisine.
“What began as a passion for cooking goes much further for me,” he says. “Ultimately, through cooking, I realized my passion is guest satisfaction. I was blessed with my father having a successful restaurant chain with multiple locations. This was instrumental for me to learn about different kitchen layouts, workflows and processes.”
Flavors are an art form, he believes.
“There is an infinite number of combinations between different spices, herbs, textures, meats, aromas, temperatures, presentations,” says the chef. “There’s something special about successfully fitting endless puzzle pieces together and creating a unique experience. I see this entire process as an art form that extends to every cuisine. Pick any cuisine, and you will find a masterful artist who has successfully solved and pieced together a delicious puzzle.”
Great dishes originate from fine ingredients – and Garcia has one favorite in his arsenal.
“I enjoy working with peppers,” says Lupe. “There is a vast array of peppers, each of which offers a unique flavor and spice. There are so many different dishes you can prepare with fresh, dried, smoked or grilled peppers. Successfully combining those peppers with other ingredients is a fascinating experience.”
The chef’s style and passion is exemplified by a signature dish. The Trompo is built with layers of marinated pork, pressed one on top of the other while being cut and formed into the shape of a trompo – or a spinning top. The Trompo is then cooked by fire on a vertical spit, and once the outside edges are fire-roasted and ready to serve, the ‘Trompero’ skillfully cuts thin slices from the cooked edges.
Growing up, Garcia was immersed in all things food.
“I was always surrounded by the idea and practice of cooking,” he says. “ Both of my parents were cooks. My mother cooked for the household, while my father cooked to provide for our family. Cooking was never a daunting or unachievable task for me, especially as I am a naturally curious person who enjoys challenging myself. There are very few things that bring me joy like cooking a delicious meal does, especially when I get to share it with others.”
Garcia clearly enjoyed watching his parents cook, and as he grew older, he took advantage of any opportunity to expand his skills.
“I was ten when my cooking no longer relied on canned or prepared foods,” he says. “I was able to piece together a few basic meals from different ingredients. As I became comfortable with cooking on our stove-top, I wanted to learn how to use the oven as well.”
The chef’s formal training began in his father’s restaurant, where he also learned new skills at each stage of his development by cooking “what felt like thousands of tortillas,” he says.
One of Trompudo’s most popular dishes is the al pastor taco, topped with the salsa de pina.
He worked every job at his father’s business, learning everything from peeling and cutting vegetables to de-veining shrimp, making salsa, and working the fryer for chips, taco shells and tostadas. He learned the ins and outs of the kitchen, and what it really takes to execute – and nail – each dish.
Today, Garcia offers his take on the traditional taqueria experience. He credits his parents and says they are “my inspiration as well as my heroes. I have witnessed what someone can achieve with determination and will. Their teachings, love and support are the reasons I shoot for the stars. It’s not that I want or care to shine, instead, I want them to see that they have succeeded.”
Chef Lupe’s Salsa de Piña
20 grams Chile de árbol
100 grams Diced yellow onion
10 grams Fresh peeled and finely diced garlic cloves
Located off Route 66 and Lewis Ave. sits your new favorite sandwich shop, Gambill’s Jewish Deli and Wine Bar. With an emphasis on dry-cured pastrami and oven-baked brisket, Gambill’s sandwiches are heftily stacked with meats and toppings on either seedless Jewish rye or club bread. Along with your larger-than-life sandwich comes house-made half sour pickles and kettle chips.
There are three house sandwiches on the menu, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. The Pauli, named after owner Hunter Stone Gambill’s mother, features brisket, horseradish mayonnaise and smoked provolone on club bread. The Pistol features dry-cured pastrami, house-made spicy mustard, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on seedless Jewish rye. The Hunter is a reuben with pastrami, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on rye.
In addition to the tasty sandwiches, Gambill’s has a robust wine list, offering wines by the glass, or flights if you’re feeling indecisive. The restaurant also boasts a full Spanish espresso bar for a pick-me-up after your heavy (but delicious) meal!
With the highest-grade USDA Prime and dry-aged steaks, plus fresh, sustainable seafood, Momo’s Chophouse is one of Tulsa’s finest dining experiences. Momo’s strives to exceed expectations and provide an extraordinary experience for their guests. The elegant, high-end atmosphere is sure to leave you feeling better than when you first walked in.
The menu is delicately crafted to serve ingredients at their peak freshness, with plates rotating throughout the seasons. The aforementioned sustainable seafood is ethically sourced and flown in daily. The knowledgeable and friendly staff are sure to guide you on a delicious journey with their food and wine expertise. If you have any questions on dinner pairings, be sure to head to the wrap-around bar where you can be advised on what wine will best suit your steak or seafood.
Flo’s Burger Diner is a classic ’50s-inspired burger joint with a menu that is as deep fried as it is delicious. With two locations serving Tulsa and Catoosa, Flo’s is the stop for some of the juiciest burgers and fries in Oklahoma.
With signature menu items being the Bomb Burger, a jalapeño popper burger, the Floyaki Burger, a teriyaki mayo burger with pineapple and bacon, and the Sizzling Sizzler, a spicy pepper jack cheese and jalapeño burger, Flo is sure to bring the flavor to an American delicacy.
On top of the dish it’s best known for, Flo’s also features Frito chili pies, chili cheese dogs and loaded Polish sausage. If you’re unable to visit Flo’s in person or are hosting a large event, the diner offers all-inclusive catering for your next party.
In the foothills of Wildhorse Mountain Range near Sallisaw sits Wild Horse Mountain Bar-B-Que Company. After 50 years of business and a foundation built off the recipes of Hubert and Betty Holman, the delicious barbecue restaurant has continued to be proudly family produced after all this time. The small-town southern comfort combined with the knockout flavors of the barbecue makes for an incredibly unforgettable experience.
Wild Horse has classic barbecue offerings like sliced and chopped beef, pork ribs and hot links, sold by the pound. The true show stopper of Wild Horse is its signature barbecue sauce, served at three different spice levels: mild, medium and hot. If you’re craving Wild Horse but can’t make it to Sallisaw, their world-class sauce is sold in some grocery stores – the owners even encourage customers to share their recipes using the sauce … unless they happen to be top secret, of course.
With autumn’s welcomed arrival, there are plenty of community events for the whole family to enjoy.
In Green Country, check out the First Friday Art Crawl downtown on Oct. 6. The Tulsa State Fair is finishing out its residency at Expo Square through Oct. 8. For a bit of ghostly fun for the season, the Second Saturday Architecture Tour – starting at the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture – will have a haunting twist on Oct. 14. After your spooky tour, check out the Kendall-Whittier art festival in the district, also on the 14th. Finally, Oktoberfest is back! Bring your best lederhosen and an empty stomach to River West Festival Park on Oct. 19-22 for a memorable, or not so memorable experience (depending on how many steins you down)!
In and around Oklahoma City, the Paseo Arts District’s First Friday Gallery Walk takes place on Oct. 6. If you’d prefer to celebrate Halloween throughout the month, Frontier City will have Fright Fest through Oct. 29, and Orr Family Farm is hosting their Fall Festival through Nov. 11.
Celebrate Chickasaw culture and heritage at the Chickasaw Nation annual meeting and festival in Tishomingo through Oct. 7. If you need a pumpkin for your Jack O’Lantern or pie, check out Annabelle’s Fun Farm in Welch through Oct. 29, Chester’s Pumpkin Patch in Piedmont through Oct. 31 or the Pumpkin Festival at Shepherd’s Cross in Claremore through Nov. 4.
With October comes show-stopping performances throughout the state.
In Tulsa, start the month with Aladdin presented by Celebrity Attractions on Oct. 1 at the Tulsa PAC. Masquerade, presented by Tulsa Symphony, will take to the PAC stage on Oct. 7. On Oct. 13-14, head to Studio K and join the Tulsa Ballet as it presents the classic fairytale Jack and the Beanstalk. At River Spirit Casino and Resort, enjoy the legendary illusionist duo Penn & Teller on Oct. 20. If comedy is more your thing, join Nate Bargatze on Oct. 20 at the BOK Center.
Presented by OKC Philharmonic, Gothic Midnight presents an evening of stunning, spooky music on Oct. 7 at OKC’s Civic Center Music Hall. The Myriad Botanical Gardens hosts the recurring Sunday Twilight Concert Series on Oct. 8. Presented by OKC Broadway, To Kill a Mockingbird runs from Oct. 10-15. Lastly, be sure to check out Hamlet, presented by OKC Ballet, at the Civic Center from Oct. 27-29.
The Pauls Valley Opry takes the stage at Pauls Valley High School on Oct 7. On the same day, the Cement Opry is happening at 410 N. Main in Cement. At Edmond’s Armstrong Auditorium, VOCES8 offers high-class a cappella on Oct. 24. And on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, patrons can enjoy Pretty Woman: The Musical at Stillwater’s McKnight Center.
Sports abound this month. FC Tulsa is taking to ONEOK field for a soccer match on Oct. 7. At the University of Tulsa, watch some of the top tennis athletes compete at the ITA Men’s All-American Championships through Oct. 8. At the BOK Center, WWE Smackdown takes to the ring live on Oct. 13. On Oct. 14, Nitro Circus Live also revs into the BOK Center. The TU Golden Hurricane football team hits Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium on Oct. 19. If you’re more into all things equine, the U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show gallop into town from Oct. 19-28.
At State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show visits town Oct. 7-14. On Oct. 21, Nitro Circus Live skates their way to the Paycom Center. The University of Oklahoma Sooners football team plays at the Palace on the Prairie– Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium – on Oct. 21.
Around the state, the Oklahoma State Cowboys football team plays on its home turf, Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, on Oct. 6, 14 and 28. At Star Skate in Midwest City, join Twister City Roller Derby for its bout on Oct. 15.
