OKC Weekend Getaway

We were going to OKC for the airshow at Tinker AFB on 6/9. We were meeting a group of friends there, and they had chosen the Biltmore hotel. Its about a 3.5 to 4 hour drive from Amarillo, so we took off after work. We had gotten some restaurant recommendations from friends before the trip, but I was skeptical about the hotel after reading many mixed reviews on the internet. We were very pleasantly surprised when we arrived and checked in, as the hotel was spotlessly clean and the lobby was beautifully decorated. It was much nicer and more plush than budget hotels like Red Roof Inn, Motel 6, Econolodge, Days Inn, Best Western. The only snag was the road construction in front of the hotel and at the I-40 ramps at Meridian. The hotel has a lot of things to do - 3 restaurants, 4 pools, 3 bars, exercise facilities - and has free wireless internet (we always bring along the laptop). The rooms are big and so are the bathrooms. Also, when we checked in the room rate was less than the rate I booked online - sweet!

Friday night we went down Meridian to eat at Cajun Kitchen. It's a casual Cajun restaurant where nothing is more than $7. We had the smoked pork platter and cajun catfish tacos, along with $2 beers and some fried peaches. Even though you order at the counter, this isn't fast food. The place looks like a fishing shack on the outside and has rustic wood and faded signs hanging inside - great ambiance! They also serve jambalaya, gumbo, po'boys, and other classic Cajun food. It is part of the Pearl's restaurant family.

Saturday morning we ate the breakfast buffet at the hotel - what a treat. Hot and cold food including biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, sausage, and fruit. The Brandywine restaurant is lovely and the servers kept our coffee and water glasses full.

The airshow was lots of fun, and we got to see our friends' son who is stationed at Tinker AFB. There were lots of static displays and the aerial acts were awesome. I couldn't believe it was free to attend. It was so hot though, that we had to go swim as soon as we got back to the hotel. That was refreshing, and we were able to relax in the shade at poolside after swimming.

Saturday night we went to Bricktown to eat at Abuelo's. Even though it was the weekend, we found parking easily and only waited a few minutes to be seated - another pleasant surprise. It is a more upscale Mexican-style restaurant with many different dishes. Though the food was slow to come out of the kitchen, our server was friendly and came back to the table frequently to keep us topped off. Our meals were all excellent - seafood, a grilled chicken salad, and enchiladas.

Sunday morning we checked out of the hotel and went shopping at Bass Pro Shops for a couple of hours. After that, we went to Ted's Cafe Escondido to eat before heading home. Ted's has traditional Mexican food and it is fantastic. As soon as you're seated, they bring chips, queso, salsa, and fresh flour tortillas to your table. The decor is very traditional - lots of bright paint and mariachi music - and it feels "fun" to be there. The food service was speedy and the food was delicious. We had the pork verde and the traditional chicken fajita tacos, and were so full we couldn't eat the sopapillas they bring for dessert.

Oklahoma City is a fun place to go for a getaway weekend. There is a lot to do, without spending a fortune. Be sure to pick up the little magazine called Key (we got ours at the hotel check-in counter), the two maps in it are really all you need to get around the city.

I love doing stuff like that every weekend. I live in Midwest City where Tinker is. The restaurant's you mentioned are excellent, the next time you come up here you might also try to catch a Redhawk, Blazer, or Hornets game and then go to Chelino's downtown and then take a canal ride. Good luck in your travels and God Bless!