Danny Bowien's Oklahoma City

By Food & Wine
Updated June 16, 2016
Credit: Photo © Michael Turek
Danny Bowien is the world’s only Korean-born, alt-Chinese-inspired, 100 percent Oklahoman chef. His hometown tour includes stops for ribs and burgers as well as excellent Vietnamese fare.
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Danny in OKC

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

According to Danny, Oklahoma City is strong in three cuisines: deep-fried Americana, messy Tex-Mex and Vietnamese that’s better than any in the US.

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Childhood Home

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

The house where Danny grew up hasn't changed: "I'd go home after school and watch my mom cook," he recalls.

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Super Cao Nguyen

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

To prepare for a tornado relief dinner, chef Danny Bowien trawls the aisles of Super Cao Nguyen, a pan-Asian supermarket the size of an airplane hangar.

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Bar-B-Q

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

BBQ joints dot Oklahoma City's landscape: according to Danny, "messy Tex-Mex" is one of the city's specialities.

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Coney Island Wieners

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

This Arts District favorite serves up "Coney Island-style" hot dogs, aka chili dogs.

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Under the Heat Lamp

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

For a pop-up hurricane relief dinner at local restaurant Ludivine, Danny prepared baby back ribs two ways: smothered in a peppery fish sauce–spiked caramel, and served with red eye gravy punched up with bacon.

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Drive-Through

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

Danny stops at a drive-through to pick up a sack of onion burgers, Oklahoma-style burgers with caramelized onions pressed onto the griddled patties.

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Eischen’s Fried Chicken

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

Danny and friends stop by the legendary fried chicken parlor. “You start by eating the skin off the fried chicken, wrapped in white bread with bread-and-butter pickles,” he says of the house specialty. “It’s almost like Peking duck.”

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Pho Lien Hoa

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

Pho Lien Hoa, one of Danny's favorite Vietnamese spots, serves light-bodied and beefy pho that's strongly scented with star anise and cinnamon bark and served with a tangle of herbs on top.

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Food Shopping

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

Danny's Super Cao Nguyen haul...

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Clothes Shopping

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

...and his patriotic score at Bass Pro Shops, an outdoors outfitting chain.

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OKC

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

The open road in Oklahoma City.

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Pho

Credit: Photo © Michael Turek

Danny and friends tuck into the superb pho at Vietnamese restaurant Pho Lien Hoa.

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