(9.5)

Café Antigua

1903 N Classen
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
(405) 602-8984
Map

I found this place a couple of years ago because I get my hair cut at Hair Rage II on Classen. My wife and I decided to give it a try, but I’m pretty sure we ordered the wrong thing. I’m not sure what it was but it was piled high with beets. I’m sure there is a large group of people someone out there who would take a bullet to defend the honor of a beet, but I can assure you I am not him. After nibbling at our plate of beets for awhile, my wife and I agreed to chalk this up as a misfire. I saw a couple of winters come and go before I would, again by chance, find myself within the walls of Café Antigua.

Coincidently this second time can be blamed on a haircut as well. I was car pooling on this fateful day and my co-worker decided he would give the restaurant a try while I got my hair cut. I warned him that all they serve are F*%$^&g sliced beets, but he had skipped lunch and decided he would chance it. I made my appointment for 4:00 but I usually make it at 5:00. This caused a bit of confusion with my hair cutter (sounds better than beautician or hair dresser) who was expecting me at 5:00. Needing to waste some time I figured I would join my co-worker next door and see how he was enjoying his beet plate. To my surprise I found him sitting there with a delightful looking plate full of eggs, tortillas, black beans, toast and some oatmeal looking stuff called Mosh. I stood in amazement as I didn’t see a single beet. Having eaten lunch already I decided to order what turned out to be fried bananas with some syrupy goodness topping them.

I spent the weekend thinking about that plate of bananas and what I saw on my friend’s plate. The following Monday I talked a few co-workers into heading over there for lunch and the rest is what I consider history. I ordered the “light breakfast” which consists of three eggs cooked with all kinds of spices, vegetables and a side of some spicy green sauce, bananas (not fried) apples and strawberries topped with a super delicious mango sauce, two slices of toast, and a hearty bowl of piping hot mosh.

Curious about mosh? Don’t worry I was too. Mosh is basically oatmeal. This made me feel weird because I always considered ordering oatmeal at a restaurant kind of a waste of my time as well as the restaurants. I figured the little packages of stuff I put in the microwave was as good as oatmeal was ever going to get for me, and I had come to terms with that. Mosh, however, completely blew my mind, and has opened my eyes to how delicious oatmeal can actually be. Basically mosh is oatmeal made with three kinds of sweet tasting milk (I assume they are all from a cow, but I can’t bring myself to ask. If you know and they aren’t do not tell me). I don’t know what type of special things they do to it to make it so good, but I can assure you it is. I’ve rambled about mosh for so long I almost forgot to mention how great their coffe is. It is rich and bold and served to you in a completly unpretentious cup. In essence you get great tasting coffee without questioning whether or not you’re a douchbag.

The actual restaurant is a quaint little place that is brightly colored and has nice eye pleasing pictures of Guatemala adorning the walls. Every time I’ve dined there they have only had one server, but he is like some type of wonder kid. He is very friendly and kind, and knows his way around a restaurant. I’m not sure how he manages all the tables at once, but I can assure you we could all learn a thing or two about multitasking form this kid. Not to mention he also manages to be your cashier when you leave.

The biggest selling point for Café Antigua is they serve breakfast all day long. I wish more places would follow their lead and progress towards this. We live in a new America now, and breakfast should be able to show its face after 11:00 AM. The one drawback is they close at 5:00 PM every day. Basically this just means I can only eat two meals there every day rather than three.

I can assure you that all three writers have eaten here and it comes with an undisputed OkcBites seal of approval. Do yourself a favor and make your way over to Café Antigua a soon as possible. Oh yeah while your in the neighborhood stop by Hair Rage and say hello to “A.”

(6.5)

Tienda Guatemala

 

Tienda Guatemala
16th and Indiana

Tienda Guatemala is located in a bad neighborhood at the rear of a Hispanic grocery store - the makings of my kind of place!

Located at the corner of NW 16th and Indiana across from the Lyric Theatre the restaurant itself is in back of a small corner convenience store. The store carries everything form Hispanic groceries to elaborate children’s dresses. As you walk towards the back you see a small counter and few tables all within ear shot of the plasma TV mounted on the wall that is tuned to Spanish soap operas.

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