Lang’s Bakery–Oklahoma City, OK

Lang’s Bakery
2524 N. Military Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 528-5141
Lang's Bakery in the shopping center behind Lido

Lang’s Bakery in the shopping center behind Lido


Lang’s is a very small restaurant and bakery located in the same shopping center as Lido, but it seems to build its business on local clientele more than Lido and other restaurants which attract a good number of tourists and occasional visitors. Even so, Lang’s has its own loyal following, and for good reason.

Bakery

The most popular feature of Lang’s seems to be its bakery, which makes its own Asian specialties as well as bread for the banh mi sandwiches. The display cases have such a wide selection that it is really not easy to make a decision.

Cookies and sweets at Lang's

Cookies and sweets at Lang’s

I found some very good Almond Cookies (literally sugar cookies with almond flavoring) that made the most out of the most simple ingredients– flour, butter, and sugar.  They were not super-sweet, but had the right mix of flavors for an Asian style dessert.

Cakes

Rice cake is at top center and banana cake at the lower right

Another display case has cakes and other baked goods that I think change from time to time, but what it all has in common is that it is freshly made.

Restaurant

Interior of Lang's bakery

The restaurant has about eight tables

The restaurant serves lunch, and apparently a lot of banh mi sandwiches to go.  The lady at the counter said that some of the items have MSG, but not everything.  The five sections of the menu are (1) Banh Mi Sandwiches, (2) Beverages and Desserts, (3) Rice Plates, (4) Vermicelli and Other Noodle Dishes, and (5) Soups.

Vietnamese ham and rice noodles

Banh uot cha lua

I was talking to the lady about Banh Cuon Tay Ho, the restaurant formerly located a couple of doors down, and she said Lang’s menu item #19 (Banh Uot Cha Lua) was very similar to the rice noodle dish I used to get at the other restaurant.  I was very happy with the one at Lang’s (although it is not exactly the same dish), and this is also one of the dishes that is MSG-free. I will say that the ham and rice sheets did not provide as vibrant a flavor as I find with many Vietnamese dishes, but everything about it was very good (I especially enjoyed the fish sauce that had a more authentic Vietnamese flavor than most).

What I understand is that their most popular item is No. 1 on the menu, a banh mi sandwich with Vietnamese ham (the same ham shown in the photo of banh uot). This is also an item that does not have MSG. No. 12 (vermicelli bowl with beef) is also suggested as a very good dish that does not have MSG.

Drinks
Drinks include Vietnamese coffee, a yogurt ice drink, and smoothies.  I had hot jasmine tea with my meal.

Desserts

Flan

Flan

Besides the baked good, there are also several other desserts available including a very good Flan. This is a French styled flan as it would be served in Vietnam, and I thought it was excellent (it was also available at a very good price).


RATING: 23
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Cost: $
Hours: Open 8 am to 6 pm (closed Tue.)
Most Recent Visit: Jul. 18, 2016
Number of Visits: 2
Best Items: *

Asian Food Details

Tea: Jasmine
MSG: Yes
Buffet: No

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Banh Uot Cha Lua
star 5 Cookies
star 5 Flan

Filipino Fusion–Oklahoma City, OK

Filipino Fusion
Food Truck
Oklahoma City, OK

Status: Open as of Aug. 26, 2016


I am happy to report that the Filipino Fusion food truck is now open for business and receiving excellent reviews. It joins Chibugan Restaurant as places in the Oklahoma City metro where Filipino cuisine is available.

The Filipino Fusion Facebook Page lists the locations where the truck can be found. These include the following:

  • OU Children’s Hospital
  • Anthem Brewing–908 S.W. 4th St.
  • Mustang Brewing Company–520 N. Meridian Ave.
  • Cactus Jack’s (at the Family Fun Center)–1211 N. Council Rd.
  • The Patriarch–9 E. Edwards St. in Edmond

Some popular dishes include adobo, rice balls, lumpia, pancit, and desserts.

My previous Filipino Food Revisited blog post discusses the Filipino fusion food movement, and I will also list the various places in Oklahoma City that serve Filipino food.


Delicias Cafe–El Paso, TX

Delicias Café
865 N. Resler Dr.
El Paso, TX
(915) 231-9757
Delicias Cafe in El Paso

Delicias Cafe on North Resler


Restaurant Web Site: Delicias Cafe


The name Delicias not only refers to the “delights” that can be found on the menu, but also to Delicias, Chihuaha (pictures of which can be seen on the wall of the restaurant). I don’t really know of any special dishes that come from Delicias– this restaurant has the standard menu items found around El Paso. It is interesting, though, that they serve flour gorditas instead of the usual corn ones.

Delicias Café does not seem as if it is trying to win any “Best of the Border” awards for its Mexican food or to attract out of town tourists. Instead, it is a neighborhood restaurant with “comfort food” at cheap prices. This is not necessarily a bad thing, since one thing I like about Delicias is its ability to reproduce the same kind of experience that could be found by walking into any restaurant at random in Ciudad Juarez or other cities in the state of Chihuahua. One thing I have discovered about Chihuahua style restaurants is that enchiladas are usually the last thing I would want to order, being so different from El Paso and New Mexico style enchiladas they hardly seem like the same dish. Most other things, though, can be pretty good when prepared as they are south of the border.

My opinion about Delicias Café is that you have to order the right things to have a truly enjoyable experience. Much of the food seems greasy, and not very good. The few items that I think are particularly good, though, are about as good as any restaurant in El Paso. These, combined with the items I think are almost as good as other restaurants (caldo, chile verde, chile colorado, huevos rancheros, etc.), make Delicias a good neighborhood restaurant for times when I want a casual atmosphere.

Chicken Mole

Chicken mole

Chicken mole dinner

Probably the most impressive dish is the Chicken Mole Dinner. Some may be reluctant to try mole because it is made with chocolate, and this does not sound very much like typical Mexican food. I am fairly confident that many who feel this way have not tried some of the really good versions of the dish, and I agree that the inferior mole is not something I would want. Delicias makes one of the better versions, however, not only because of the sauce but also because of the chicken. Most mole dishes I have seen in El Paso have been the dark brown mole poblano style of the dish, so it is pretty easy to compare them in terms of which is the most flavorful. Carnitas Querétaro and Barrigas both have very good versions, with the one at Delicias Café being very comparable. I would not say that the dish at Delicias was better than the others, but I did like the shredded chicken that follows the traditional Mexican style (although I have also liked the ones at the other restaurants when they have served a chicken breast). The main advantage of Delicias Café is probably the more reasonable cost of the mole. It is hard to beat a deal like the one here.

Chicken Flautas
Chicken Flautas have also been one of the better items. These come with fresh guacamole and sour cream as well as white chicken meat. The chicken meat seemed to be better than average in quality. The liquefied guacamole was certainly not noteworthy by El Paso standards, and the shells were rather greasy, but they still tasted pretty good when everything came together along with the sour cream.

Chile Verde

Chile verde and flautas

Chile verde with a side order of flautas

Chile Verde was not nearly as spicy as the New Mexico versions, but it was a pretty typical Chihuahua style dish. Whole green chile chunks were mixed in with beef cubes and a mild sauce. While I thought it should have been spicier, the rich flavor went a long way to make up for it. The main disappointment with the dish was the gristly beef that was served. Those who have eaten more than their share of meals at budget restaurants in Mexico, though, as I have, will feel right at home with the type of meat that is served here.

Chile Colorado

Chile colorado

Chile colorado

Chile Colorado probably has better meat than the chile verde, but is made with pork. I enjoyed the flavor of the sauce, and I thought this was another good choice for a meal.

Other Items
The Enchilada dinner plates have been unremarkable. I am not sure whether I have tried the green enchiladas, but I was not very impressed with the red ones. I do not know how the newer Las Cruces branch of Delicias Café will compete against some of the best enchiladas found anywhere, but I think people in the City of the Crosses will be happy with some of the other things Delicias has to offer.

The Refried Beans are almost always very greasy. The Rice is a lot better except at those times when it seems to have been sitting around for too long.

Dinners come with a simple but good Salad, as is typical in El Paso Mexican restaurants. This one is much better than most, though, because of the dressing (it did not taste home made but it was very good).

Breakfast

Huevos rancheros

Huevos rancheros

Delicias Café does a good portion of its business at breakfast. The large assortment of breakfast burritos and tacos are popular (pancakes and omelettes are also available). Huevos Rancheros are excellent by just about any standard, although better ones can be found in El Paso. The egg yolks had the right consistency and the green chiles came in large flavorful chunks. The greasy hash browns and flavorless tortilla detracted from the breakfast plate, though.

Huevos Delicias

Huevos Delicias

Huevos Delicias are a specialty of the restaurant, and presumably a specialty of Delicias, Mexico. There are two eggs over a quesadilla, topped with tomatillo and serrano green sauce. I thought serving them over a quesadilla was a very nice touch, and in this respect I liked them more than the huevos rancheros. The sauce was equally good, although probably not any better than the sauce on the huevos rancheros. I am sure that all the sauces served are fresh, but it was very noticeable with this particular sauce.

Other breakfast items were not quite as good as the eggs. I was pretty disappointed with the Pancakes.

Drinks
The Horchata was thin and not the best in El Paso.

Closing Comments
While the dinners at Delicias Café have not been quite as good as at other El Paso restaurants, the breakfasts can compete with most other restaurants in the same price range. I definitely think the crowds are bigger at breakfast than at any other time, but it is really fairly busy just about any time I go. The service is good and the restaurant is good, but I am more particular about what I order here than at most Mexican restaurants.

Delicias’ web site highlights the tacos, fajitas, and steak (among other items), and these are likely among the restaurant’s best dishes (but ones that I have not tried).


RATING: 20

Cuisine: Mexican Chihuahua
Cost: $
Hours: 7 am to 8 pm Daily
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Additional Locations: Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Dallas
Special Features: Serves breakfast

Most Recent Visit: Sep. 2, 2010
Number of Visits: 10+
Best Items: Chicken Mole, Chicken Flautas, Huevos Delicias

 

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index: chile 4
Cooking Oil: N/A

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Chicken Mole
star 5 Chicken Flautas
star 4 Chile Verde
star 4 Chile Colorado
star 4 Caldo de Res
star 4 Huevos Rancheros
star 5 Huevos Delicias
star 2 Pancakes
star 4 Rice
star 3 Beans
star 3 Chips
star 4 Salsa
star 3 Horchata

El Meson de Oñate–Socorro, TX

El Meson de Oñate (Closed)
9993 Socorro Rd.
Socorro, TX

The Mission Trail in the Rio Grande valley east of El Paso is one of the area’s biggest attractions, bringing visitors to the historic churches in Ysleta, Socorro, and San Elizario. The Socorro Mission forms the heart of the community and incorporated area of Socorro, and next to the mission can be found El Meson de Oñate, a small restaurant that provides a gastronomical experience to complement the cultural one.

Serving comida de corrida lunches, El Meson relies on local patrons to stay in business (a sign that the food is authentic), yet the ambience and the food will please even the most discriminating visitor. The owner used his carpenter skills to construct the entire building in 1999, ensuring that the architecture blended into the historic neighborhood.

When you enter, it looks as if they are serving a buffet– different items are covered in serving trays with a glass window in front. Actually, this is the kitchen which is open to view. On my first visit in March 2005 I was very impressed that the food tasted home made, and the flavor far surpassed the normal “restaurant food.”

Mexican Plate
My inagural meal started out with a complimentary Sopa de Fideo, a soup made with a spaghetti-like noodle, chunks of chicken white meat, and Mexican spices. When I tasted it I thought it must be the highlight of the meal, since it is the best I’ve ever had, but I thought the same thing about the Pico de Gallo served with chips (I liked the regular salsa also, but not as much).

The Mexican plate offered the variety I like and allowed me to review more items. The Red Enchilada was excellent– not the best in El Paso but possibly had the best cheese. I ordered a Flauta that is not normally one of my favorite dishes, but this turned out to be the best item on the plate. Perfectly fried with large chunks of meat, the crema was excellent, and the guacamole turned out to be the highlight. I saw another party who had an order of Guacamole, and I would recommend this if you are not ordering flautas or another dish that comes with guacamole.

Changes in Management
In summer 2005 the restaurant was closed for remodeling, and when I returned after that time I did not find all the food to be the same as before. The fideo and flautas were still excellent. The enchiladas, rice, beans, chips, and salsa tasted more like mass-produced “restaurant food” that you can find almost anywhere in El Paso, and I did not even get the pico de gallo that I had liked so much on my first visit. The Chile Relleno was the biggest disappointment– I had enjoyed it on my first visit but the second time it was bland, greasy, and not very flavorful (although the cheese was still good).

The Latest Information from Other Sources
Other sources said that the owner sold the restaurant after my first visit in 1999, and that is the reason the quality went down. Now, though, the original owner is back (as of 2007). Yelp reviews as of 2015 and 2016 are mostly excellent (as I would expect they would be). I am increasing my rating of the restaurant based on this new information, and I think my first visit was more indicative of the way the restaurant is now.


RATING: 23

Cuisine: Mexican El Paso
Cost: $$
Hours: Open daily except Sun. dinner
Accessible: No handicapped parking
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Sep. 3, 2005
Number of Visits: 2
Best Items: Flautas, Guacamole, Fideo Soup

 

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index: chile 4
Cooking Oil: Vegetable

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Red Enchiladas
star 4 Chile Relleno
star 5 Flautas
star 5 Sopa de Fideo
star 4 Chips
star 5 Pico de Gallo

Sofia’s–San Elizario, TX

Sofia’s Restaurant
11800 Glorietta Rd.
San Elizario, TX
(915) 851-1832

The San Elizario Church is the last stop along El Paso’s Mission Trail as you travel east from Ysleta, and just as you enter the town of San Elizario you will see Glorietta Road angling off to the right, where you will find Sofia’s Restaurant. While not seeming to cater very much to tourists, this clean restaurant in a new building nevertheless makes a comfortable stop for visitors to the area as well as many locals who mainly come inside to pick up orders to go.

Mexican Plate
I tried to discover Sofia’s specialties by ordering a combination plate, and it turned out that everything was good. Usually when I recommend the Mexican plate it is because no one item stands out, but the combination of flavors enhances the experience of eating the food. Here I am recommending it because everything is so delicious, you do not want to miss out on any item if you can help it.

All orders come with chips and salsa, and these are obviously home made. The beans and rice are enjoyable, and I would recommend ordering lemonade as a drink (the one here is not too sweet and tastes just right).

I made a few substitutions on the Mexican plate since I did not want ground beef, so I ended up with both a red and green enchilada. Although the Red Enchilada was hotter than normal for El Paso, the Green Enchilada actually tasted better and would be my preference.

The Chile Relleno was excellent, and almost as spicy as those served in New Mexico.

The Flauta was thick and filled with white meat chicken– although the guacamole and sour cream were nothing special, overall the flauta was quite good.

I substituted a Taco Deshebrada for the one with ground beef, and this was probably the highlight of the meal– the shell was crispy as it should be, the meat was not greasy, and the cheese complemented the flavor.

Additional Comments
Most of the items were covered with white Mexican cheese, and not only is the food made with healthy vegetable oil, it is used sparingly enough so that the food tastes light instead of greasy. For the most part the food is as good here as at El Meson de Oñate up the street in Socorro.

Sofia’s does not serve soup, I’m not crazy about the guacamole, and the red enchilada is not as good as many places in El Paso, but otherwise this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in the El Paso area. You cannot go wrong either here or at El Meson.


RATING: 23

Cuisine: Mexican El Paso
Cost: $
Hours: Closed Mon.
Accessible: No handicapped parking
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Jul. 20, 2005
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Mexican Plate, Tacos, Green Enchiladas, Flautas, Lemonade

 

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index: chile 5
Cooking Oil: Vegetable

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Red Enchiladas
star 5 Green Enchiladas
star 5 Chile Relleno
star 5 Flautas
star 5 Tacos Deshebradas
star 5 Beans
star 5 Rice
star 5 Chips
star 5 Salsa