El Metate Raises the Bar for Mexican Lunch

-- The lunch-only Eastside spot creates straightforward, memorable Mexican meals.


Is there an item you keep ordering, even though it’s usually terrible?

For me, it’s Spanish rice, which is regularly (and confusingly) served in Mexican restaurants. Too dry, too wet, overcooked, undercooked, under-seasoned: the ways Spanish rice can go wrong are so numerous you almost wonder why anyone bothers.

But the reason I keep ordering it is that, when it’s done correctly, it’s a revelation. Soft and fluffy and packed full of gentle umami flavors and just the right hit of sodium. It’s not the only thing done right at El Metate in Northeast OKC, but it’s so consistently tasty that it keeps me coming back as often as the craving for Mexican food rears its delicious head, which is a lot.

El Metate bills itself as “Authentic Mexican Food,” but I’m not in any position to tell you what is or isn’t authentically Mexican. All I know for sure is that it tastes good to me and it has filled a flauta-shaped hole in my heart.

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Streetview of El Metate (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

A metate is a flat stone used for grinding grains, by the way. That doesn’t have a lot of bearing on what I order, but if you’re anything like me, not knowing what the restaurant’s name means would drive you so crazy you might stop reading this review to look it up and possibly forget to come back here to finish.

Not finishing isn’t much of a worry at El Metate, though. In fact, my biggest problem so far has been the ongoing battle between my taste buds (“Keep eating!”) and my digestive system (“Maybe save some for later? Please?”) over how much El Metate I can devour in a single sitting.

If you’re getting the elote in a cup, bring a corn-loving friend along, because it’s a lot. There’s so much corn in that cup, it stopped being street food and became an interstate banquet. Delicious, spicy, crunchy, and satisfying, yes, but it might be enough for an entire meal.

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Elote at El Metate (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

Sadly, I had also ordered the tacos dorados (feature photo), which are a trio of crispy fried tacos filled with your choice of asada, al pastor, chicken, or a blend of chicken and chorizo, so I had to soldier on and continue eating long after my capacity was reached. But these tacos, especially with chicken/chorizo, are too good to pass up. Plus, they come with a big bed of that perfectly delicious Spanish rice, so you’ll definitely be full by the end.

A similar experience, though with the addition of some solidly tasty refried beans, can be found in the flautas. You get four extra-long chicken-stuffed rolled and fried flautas with guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, rice, and beans. If you’re a big dipper of foods, this is the dish for you. The flautas are cooked perfectly, with the meat inside staying tender while the tortilla is crisped up just right to hold massive scoops of sour cream, guac, and hot sauce.

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Flautas at El Metate (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

I’m not sure what they did to get the burrito named after them, but the “El Adrian” is another solid choice. It’s a flour tortilla this time, but it’s absolutely packed full of asada (or whatever protein you choose), melted cheese, beans, rice, and your choice of veggies. It’s also grilled, which adds a little extra texture that I appreciate. This one comes with queso for dipping, in case you really, really need more cheese in your diet.

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Burrito El Adrian at El Metate (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

When I’m feeling even slightly more health-conscious than normal, however, I go straight for the protein bowl. It’s a big pile of rice and refried beans covered in salad, avocado slices, cotija cheese, and your choice of protein. Toss in a little of the house-made hot sauce and you’ve got a lunch that will sate even the biggest hunger until dinnertime.

While I think the street tacos are wonderful, they’ve fallen behind a surprising dark horse for my must-order messy meal: Tostadas.

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Tostadas at El Metate (GREG.ELWELL/Okla City Free Press)

Forget those disappointing fast food tostadas of your youth, because these open-faced crunchy tacos will overwrite those memories with the first bite. The sturdy fried corn tortilla base is stout enough to hold a hefty pile of beans, cheese, meat, lettuce, and pico, which means any mess you make it your fault. Frankly, I enjoy a meal that goes a little outside the lines and requires some deft napkin work.

El Metate is a sit-down restaurant, including a cozy little bar top, but they’re more than happy to pack it up to go if you’re in a rush. They only recently began online sales, but it’s made it a lot easier for me to get my El Metate fix without running afoul of the clock back at work.

  • El Metate Authentic Mexican Food
  • 1309 NE 23rd Street in Oklahoma City
  • (405) 361-8842
  • Elmetateokc.square.site
  • Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

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Long-time food enjoyer Greg Elwell writes about food, restaurants, and trends. He has his own blog "I Ate Oklahoma" and has written for The Oklahoman, The Oklahoma Gazette, and others.