Local Nostalgia Post: Casa Bonita es cerrado

Meant to discuss this while there was yet time to get one last meal: Casa Bonita, a 35- or 36-year institution in Tulsa (really Eastern Oklahoma) has closed its doors for good. Something about failure to negotiate a lease agreement with the shopping center?

About a year ago the Oklahomilist, the Mrs. and younger members of our clan made the pilgrimage to the House Beautiful, always painted an adobe pink, so that they could sample what we remember so fondly from our teenage visits. The atmosphere inside was much the same, like visiting a Mexican village at night, except that there were fewer people, the waitstaff did not have the enthusiasm we remembered from the early days, and the quality of the cuisine was only so-so.

But the kids liked it, and that's all that counted. Glad we got a chance to do it before the closing yesterday. Guess we'll have to go to Denver to eat at the only one left.

The Oklahomilist admits that he's been spoiled by fantastic cuisine here and elsewhere. (The ultimo fave? Gardunos of Sante Fe, just north off the old square. It's New Mexican cuisine, actually, but it spoils you.) Other favorites closer to home: Abuelos, though the wait time on weekends is daunting; El Chico, consistently high quality food, and good help; and in Broken Arrow, El Tequila, which offers dishes with SHREDDED BEEF as well as the ground stuff. (Shredded beef is our gold standard for authenticity.)

Michael at BatesLines takes a fond last look at Casa Bonita.

Photoblogger Tom Baddley has some last shots. For the Tulsa-phile there is other stuff too.

Another great last day picture from Joel Blain's Photoblog.