Scene - Blogs - Goulash for breakfast with a side of conversation

The Egg Salad Sandwich at Steve's Sundry Books & Magazines, 26th and Harvard, is a fave at the store's lunch counter.

Goulash for breakfast with a side of conversation
Published: 5/14/2010 1:36 PM
Last Modified: 5/14/2010 1:36 PM

I'm not renowned for my patience. So when I arrived at Southern Ag for a little pet-related somethin' somethin' at 8:15 this morning, I was disappointed that they didn't open 'til 9 a.m.

However, despite the gray skies and my matching mood, I spied illumination immediately next door at Steve's Sundry, 26th and Harvard, and ambled inside. The owner of this Tulsa institution, Joanie Stephenson, welcomed me as I entered and asked if I needed anything. That's when I saw the counter in the back -- the famed lunch and soda counter I've heard about since I moved to Tulsa nearly 12 years ago but, embarrassingly enough, had never visited.

I asked if they served coffee, she says yes, and I grab a copy of GQ before heading back. It had Jake Gyllenhaal on the cover, and I wanted to read about his upcoming flick, "Prince of Persia" (yeah, right).

Anyway, I sidle up to a seat at the counter (do people still sidle?) and ask Teri, the funny and friendly chef, for some coffee -- and, might as well fess up, two scrambled eggs, several pieces of bacon and buttered toast. Mmmm, sweet, sweet morning piggery ...

While I polished off my plate, with between-bite flips through glossy magazine pages made a little slicker by bacon-y fingerprints, Teri told me that it's lunch her counter's best known for. In fact, I was the first breakfast patron for the day -- which is how I lucked up in being her "tasty-tester" for that day's lunch special.

"What are we going to call it?" she asked another Steve's employee. A few seconds later, she came up with "Italian Goulash." Fabulous. I almost asked for a second test, but I was raised better than that.

Aside from daily specials (and what has GOT to be a slap-ya-mama yummy macaroni and cheese -- baked, thank you, as it should be), the counter serves a variety of sandwiches, with the egg salad and chicken salad ones being most popular, Teri told me. And, of course, there's the famous soda fountain.

Before I knew it, 9 a.m. came, and I reluctantly finished my java, grabbed Jake and bid adieu -- for today, anyway. I'm totally going back for lunch some time, and the sooner the better. I just hope the counter's long-time patrons don't mind me horning in on their midday nosh spot, considering a few folks would rather keep it a secret, Teri confided. So shhh and stuff.

Peace, love and goulash ... xoxo

P.S.: Yes, I'm aware it's been, like, 19 years or something since I've blogged; but I've been on vacay, sick and, let's face it, lazy. But next week will bring quite a few new things to gab about, so please meet me on Monday afternoon for another gab-a-thon, 'K? K. Have a groovy weekend.

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Living Wright

While other kids were watching "The Smurfs," Scene Writer Jason Ashley Wright was tuned in to "Style with Elsa Klensch." By fourth grade, he knew he wanted to write, and spent almost three years publishing a weekly teen-oriented magazine, Teen-Zine -- circulation: 2. After earning a degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, he became the medical reporter and teen board coordinator for the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American, a Gannett newspaper. Eight months later, with visions of Elsa dancing in his head, he applied for the fashion writer position at the Tulsa World, where he began working on Aug. 3, 1998. He is now a general assignment reporter for Scene.

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