Onion burgers sunrise to sunset

And Cattlemen's makes it to the Steakhouse Hall of Fame

Fried-onion burgers floated into the collective subconscious of burger-fiends nationwide ever since burgermaniac George Motz started extolling their virtues a few years back.

Motz even played a role in the birth of the newest Depression Burger sanctuary, Sun Cattle Co.

“George is one of the reasons I got interested in doing onion burgers,” chef Russ Johnson told me last week. "I got a copy of his book, which I love, and it got me thinking about how to make better use of our partnership with Sun Cattle Company.

That’s who Johnson uses to source beef for his other restaurants, Ludivine and R&J Lounge & Supper Club.

“Since we were gonna highlight the beef, we decided to just name it after our beef partners,” Johnson said.

With partner/developer Chip Fudge, Johnson’s Sun Cattle Co. brings an honest to goodness burgertorium to Film Row that pays homage to classic beyond the fried-onion burger.

Chef Johnson dabbles in heresy by merging fried-onion burger technique with other classics like the Theta and Big Mac.

A renaissance man at heart, Sun Cattle Co. not only pays homage to the burgers but also the restaurants they came from. The dining room mashes classic drug store griddle vibes with the rural onion burger joints whence the Depression Burger came.

Diners can belly up to the counter either to watch the smashing show go down or have a beer at the bar beneath the mounted steer head.

Comfortable booths and a window-side counter are also available. I particularly like the coat racks at every booth.

Besides burgers, the menu consists of the mustard-slaw covered coneys that separates the for-real-for-real onion burgers from the rest. (Love the Motherclucker, Tucker’s, but still waiting on the obligatory coney).

I’ve now been twice, once for the Theta and once for the Big Jack. I also snuck in a half a coney, onion rings, fries and a Fried PB& J. One reader complained the burgers were too salty/greasy, which ultimately reminds me fried-onion burgers aren’t for everyone. By their nature, they will be greasier than the average burger. And seasoning is always intense. Personally, I think Sun Cattle is off to a helluva start and can’t wait to go back and try a basic single.

I mentioned before, I’m working on a new burger-centric top 10, and Sun Cattle Co. is absolutely making noise to be on it. Let me know your suggestions.

Check the full menu current hours here.

Cattlemen’s gets the call from the hall

Despite its humble beginnings as an all-night café, Cattlemen’s is officially in the Steakhouse Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the kind of Hall of Fame you can visit in person to find out of the meat-sweats is a real thing. But you can visit it here.

Cattlemen’s opened in Packingtown, modern-day Stockyards City, along with a throng of other small diners and cafes, feeding off the four nearby meat-packing plants that operated 24 hours, seven days a week.

In its early days, Cattlemen’s Café, as it was originally known, was best-known for its notorious gambler/bootlegger owner, Hank Frey. That wasn’t uncommon for Packingtown either.

Congratulations to Cattlemen’s for being only one of six nationwide on the list. And suddenly I’m craving lamb fries.

You can watch owners Dick Stubbs and David Egan give their account of the story on the video above (and apologies to them both for the scene-stealing cameo).

Service Industry Unite!

The Oklahoma Contemporary museum is hosting an Industry Night on Monday night from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. with An Evening Off at The Garde.

Those who attend can choose from a Junk Food Bar, drinks leaded and unleaded, games, prizes, gallery tours and live music from Kora Waves. Registration is $5, and you can get that done at oklahomacontemporary.org.

Gangnam-style nuggets

First, it was supposed to be a Cheesecake Factory but opened as Casablanca American Bistro before settling in as The Shack for a long spell broken by COVID-19.

Now the restaurant space at 13801 Quail Point Drive is due to bring Gangnam Korean BBQ, Moore’s popular all you can eat Korean barbecue restaurant, to the Memorial Road dining corridor. Sources tell me ownership has a summer opening in its sites. …

We finish with a couple of notes from the mythical land of Chisholm Creek. The acreage, now forever spiritually linked to consumerism, welcomes Riserva Bar + Tapas on Monday and welcomes back Chalk, the sports bar the size of Minnesota, March 10. Chalk went dark for scheduled cleanup and maintenance after the Super Bowl.

Have a great weekend, I am headed to Tulsa again and have a story to tell on Monday about a burgeoning local legend meeting a bona fide local local legend for the first time and a first glance at Krell’s East Coast Deli in Yukon.