Johnnie wasn't the only one on the spot in the Haynes family kitchen

Rick and David Haynes have spent their professional careers sustaining and expanding their father Johnnie's burger legacy, but in June they quietly planted an homage to their mother in Yukon called Pauline's Southern Kitchen.

The Haynes brothers recently closed their Johnnie's Charcoal Broiler south Oklahoma City location to cap a pair of Johnnie's farewells. The first came last spring, when the Yukon location closed to make room for Pauline's.

"I was just 13 years old when my dad opened the first location, and since I was a young man, I have always wanted to offer Pauline’s amazing fried chicken in a restaurant honoring mom,” Rick Haynes said.

Pauline's, which specializes in biscuits and fried chicken with family-style sides, opened at 1700 Shedeck Pkway just south of the interstate. Escaped into Pauline's last week during an afternoon maelstrom and found a hot meal reminiscent of old times awaiting.

The service was excellent and did hearken to the family-style days of Sleepy Hollow. Diners can choose between fried chicken, chicken-fried steak, chicken tenders, chicken livers, lamb fries, fried whitefish, Impossible meatloaf and smoked chicken. All dine-in meals come with bottomless salad with ranch dressing and all the biscuits you want. Individual diners choose from five sides for another bottomless bowl. They'll sell you a second bottomless side for $9.95. Folks can split an entree and choose two sides but no refills.

For my maiden voyage, it was a four-piece fried chicken dinner. I chose green chile corn from mashed potatoes, fried okra, green beans, and baked beans.

Biscuits were crispy and well-buttered. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy in the center — the kind any grandparent would be proud to claim came from their cast-iron skillet.

Butter was in strong supply on the biscuits as well as the corn, which didn't feature much heat from green chile. Didn't stop me from finishing it. I didn't order any extra corn or salad but did have a couple extra biscuits (you know, for sopping). Seconds would've only kept me from a slice of Pauline's signature buttermilk pie, which was sweeter than granny's description of the good ol' days.

Dessert also includes Derby pie and a rotating cheesecake. The entire menu is just a little bit cheaper if you order it to-go and carryout orders can be picked up at the drive-thru window. Pauline's also includes a cocktail bar it calls The Roost with local beer and house specialties.

Pauline's has replaced one Johnnie Charcoal Broiler but joins four others plus a Johnnie's Charcoal Express, and The Lounge at Johnnie's.

More:How Ingrid's Kitchen legend rose from Irene's Bakery

Is Nebu coming or going?

In a roundup of restaurant openings and closings published online last week and set to print next week, you won't find a mention of Nebu, which is located in the Devon Energy Center. You know, the modern cafeteria concept with a variety of cuisines served at counters around the space operated by Guckenheimer Hospitality? I'd shared whisper about its closing and changing into a completely local proposition, but that idea has gone the way of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and Pappadeaux's.

Nebu, in fact, is alive and well but under new management. Coury Hospitality, which also operates Vast, Flint and Cafe Cuvee, now operates Nebu Cafe.

Jennifer Burgess-Wright, director of marketing for Coury Hospitality, said they've had a little trouble getting the message out about Nebu during the transition.

"Since the pandemic, there's been some confusion about Nebu," she said in a phone interview last week. "We closed during the pandemic, like everyone, for a little while. Then there was confusion whether we were open to the public or just Devon employees."

More:Oklahoma City restaurants: Guide to dining out, outdoor dining, patios

Burgess-Wright and Coury's regional director of operations Emre Topcu want to emphatically get the message out that Nebu Cafe is not only open, but open to the public again.

"We have removed a few counters during the pandemic," he said. "Because of the labor shortage, we haven't reopened all of them, but we still have plenty to offer."

I plan to check it out and share the details soon as I can.

Savory birthday

If you're planning to get out shopping this weekend, you'll want to swing by Savory Spice Shop to help it celebrate 10 years of keeping the 405 diningscape spicy. Owner Able Blakley brought the franchise to town from Denver on his passion for cooking, but today it is fueled by the quality of its employees and the service they bring to the public.

"I've got an incredible team," Blakely said. "They've done such a phenomenal job taking care of our customers, it's really made it a lot easier for me to be a full-time dad."

Since Able opened the store 10 years ago with his mother, Debra, he's also gotten married and become a dad to a pair of daughters.

"I have a full life, and I'm really fortunate," he said over coffee a couple weeks ago. "When I think back on the journey of how we got here, it's amazing. I've learned so much about business and community. But what I'm most thankful for is how our little spice shop was embraced by the public. Without our customers, and the passion they've shown for our little shop ... we're just really thankful. "

To celebrate 10 years, Savory Spice will throw a party chock full of coffee, pie and, tastings that include the spice the shop is known for. The party will go on from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Quick bytes

Speaking of birthdays, mark your calendars, the Gourmet Gallery gals, Cyndi Utecht and Janet McDonald celebrate 21 years of their own serving the 405 diningscape on Oct. 1. Cyndi and Janet promise a shindig featuring some of their favorite local vendors. We'll have more details as the event nears. ...

Chef David Jacobs, who operates the catering for Rococo Fine Dining and Catering, has a five-course exploration of Spain's summer fare scheduled for Wednesday at the original Rococo at 2824 N Pennsylvania Avenue. That location, long the home of Tony's Italian Specialties, is now home base to Rococo's catering services. Chef/owner Bruce Rinehart said he wanted to turn Jacobs loose, have some fun and start using the original location's dining areas to host special events. For this dinner, Jacobs promises diners a culinary tour of both traditional and modern Spain. Jacobs's menu will include Opa de ajo, Pipirrana, Albondigas, Lubina asada, and mixed-berry gazpacho with vanilla bean ice cream. Cocktail hour starts at 6:30 p.m. with dinner beginning at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $65. Go online to https://www.eventbrite.com and search A Taste of Spain.

On the subject of local vendors, I finally got to sample the merchandise from a longtime communications professional, who recently revealed a direct connection to The King of Rock N Roll, Elvis Presley. Cyndi Hoenig has a salad dressing on the market, now available at various locations around the 405 diningscape.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Pauline's takes Johnnie's spot, Nebu stays, Savory Spice marks 10 years