Off the Hook backing up the truck; Penny Hill closing for good
OTH Food truck will continue; Penny Hill Bingo moves to Tuesday
It’s Hump Day folks and with Arctic winds whistling down the plains there ain’t much to be happy about. Especially with news we’re losing two 405 diningscape mainstays in the next few weeks.
Penny Hill Deli, Bar & Char in Norman and Off the Hook in Oklahoma City both announced intentions to close existing stores but neither will vanish completely.
In the case of Off the Hook, chef/owner Corey Harris is shutting down his store at the corner of Britton and Broadway on Feb. 3 after a nine-year run, but will continue to operate his food truck. And he hasn’t closed the door on finding a new location.
From his announcement:
“I want to be the first to say, thank you all for the support that you have shown Off The Hook for the last 9 years! … I remember sitting at my desk as a culinary instructor at the Guthrie Job Corps center, drawing the logo for OTH, telling myself that I was only going to do the food truck part time to ensure that I still had a salary job and benefits to fall back on, just in case I didn’t make enough money on the truck. The plans I had for myself were not the plans that God had for me. I decided to step out on faith and leave that career with nothing but faith, passion, and the motivation of providing for my family. It didn’t take long for the buzz to generate. We hustled so much on that truck and would even do multiple events a day to survive. … After much pressure from our customers, we decided to open a brick and mortar restaurant. … There was a lot of doubt about if we could survive there or not, seeing that nobody survived there, not even the Starbucks that it was built to be, but again, God said differently. I am so grateful and thankful for all of the love and support that we have received over the years, but our last day of business will be February 3rd, 2024. I will continue to operate the food truck, so be on the lookout for future locations.”
Corey built a second location in far west Oklahoma City in the airport corridor that was growing into an anchor until COVID-19 arrived. A third franchised location opened for a short time in Midwest City. Glad to hear Corey plans to continue operating the truck and hope he finds a new home for Off the Hook.
You’ve got even less time to visit Penny Hill, but its Tuesday Night Bingo will continue.
Serving sub sandwiches for almost 40 years and Tuesday Night Bingo the past seven, Penny Hill will close this Friday. Owner Pam Graham said so on Facebook after questions arose following last night’s bingo. It moved her to post about it:
”We are very sad about the closing of our business. We appreciate all the kind words of support we’ve received from the Norman community. … There has been some misinformation about the reasons behind this event. Hal Smith and Hunter Miller have been nothing but supportive of Penny Hill and our family. The reason is simple, the store has become unprofitable. All of the expenses have become more than the store could bear. We’ve done all we can. Penny Hill is one of the oldest restaurants in Norman. Almost 40 years.”
In the same message, Graham said the family’s other Norman restaurant, Land Run Grill, would be the new home of Penny Hill Tuesday Bingo:
“Land Run Grill on Tecumseh is very proud to announce that beginning Tuesday ( 1/23) we will continue hosting Penny Hill Tuesday Bingo.”
Penny Hill opened in 1974 and was sold once before Pam and her husband Gary bought it in 2003. When they took over, the shop was just off Main Street in a small strip mall. The Grahams did a major renovation on that dining room before outgrowing it and moving to its current and final location on Lindsey Street.
Tiger Style ready to show its stripes
In better new, chef Caleb Stangroom of Bradford House, announced his new pop-up concept, Tiger Style, will hold its first event on Jan. 31 at GHST Bar and Grill in Midtown.
He and chef Zach Hutton will collaborate again, this time on Hutton’s new turf. However, the menu will be from Stangroom, who has been composing this menu since at least last summer.
The announcement was made today on Instagram with the promise that the menu was due tomorrow. Well, my Food Dood Feeders, as a subscriber you get that menu a day early:
First Chamber
Bonito and beet salad with spruce tip ponzu and horseradish vinaigrette plus greens, rosemary bonito aioli, sesame seed, chili crisp, Thai basil and dill.
Inside Out Crab Rangoon is crab salad, Midwest kosho, fried onion, caviar, and pineapple nuoc chom.
Corned beef deviled egg includes some devilish eggs, Nichiyobi Beef heart pastrami, Funyuns, and sauerkraut kimchi.
Fried head cheese bois with plum, tiger garum, jalapeño, and herbs.
Shiitake Arancini with easy cheese, kimchi aioli, togarashi fermented mushroom, and octopus gremolata.
Second Chamber
Lobster roll on milk bread with tarragon bonito aioli, crab paste vinaigrette, Asian cabbage slaw, chili crisp, bottarga, and herbs.
Cacio e pepe made with ramen noodles plus bone marrow butter, aromatic pepper blend, honeybee goat cheese, egg yolk sauce, and crispy bits.
Fried headcheese burger has fried headcheese patty pluse shoyuzuke cucumber tzatziki, chili crisp, and cilantro.
Nichiyobi Double stack burger has white cheddar spread, onion, greens, and chili jam.
Final Chamber
Hong Kong egg custards with sunchoke custard, milk caramel, and cheerios.
C.R.E.A.M Dreamsicle has yuzu, cream, and love.
See you on the last day of January, betting one of these items will be among the best 10 things I eat this month.
Seats still available
Chef Kevin Lee is cracking open his doors to the new Birdie’s by Chef Kevin Lee on on Saturday and Sunday night. Help him get ready for the grand opening by grabbing tickets to a special dinner this weekend.