Blake Shelton's Southern Restaurant Is As Amazing As His Music
We need to talk about the gator wings.
While a handful of celebrities have developed their own restaurants, very few have garnered national success by replicating the magic in new locations. With his restaurant Ole Red, first opened in 2017 in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, Blake Shelton has proven that live country music, honky-tonk vibes, and Southern food is not only a damn good time but a lucrative business model. So lucrative that his sixth location is coming this year to Las Vegas with a 27,000-square-foot footprint. (Blake, if you need help testing out the menu, I volunteer as tribute.)
Besides new locations popping up almost every year since opening, Ole Red had its TV debut on Barmaggedon, where celebs Nikki Bella, Carson Daly, and Shelton himself pit Hollywood stars against one another in various drinking games. It's safe to say this restaurant is taking some big (cowboy) steps in the restaurant industry, so it only made sense for Delish to try out the menu and see if the food holds up to the glamor and fame around it.
Spoiler alert: Oh boy... did it succeed.
Best Appetizer: Southern Tater Tot Poutine
This is one of the cheaper—and still more filling—appetizers. Piled high with fried cheese curds, pulled pork, white gravy, and a fried egg, this is a complete brunch in a skillet. We couldn't stop going back for more.
Best For Sharing: Bar-B-Que Gator Wings
You can get chicken wings anywhere; but gator wings? When you see something this unique on a menu, it's worth trying. Chefs use the back legs and brine the meat for 24 hours in Sierra Mist to take out the gamey-ness that some taste in gator meat. It's smoked and slathered in an orange barbecue sauce to brighten the flavor. It's got a slight swamp funk that we were into.
Best Burger or Sandwich: Southern Gentleman
Bring extra napkins and wet naps for this one! Ole Red's wagyu beef burger is the epitome of Southern cooking: it's loaded with bourbon jam, pimento cheese, and a thick fried green tomato. Don't be a hero, use a fork and knife if you want your clothes to stay clean.
Best Entrée: Country Boy Smothered Pork Chop
I rarely recommend pork chops at restaurants; they're often too tough and don't have enough sauce. But this double-cut pork chop is so tender, comforting, and tastes like it was cooked with love.
Best Side: Honey-Drizzled Skillet Cornbread
Good luck sharing this side. The whipped honey butter softens the cornbread so it has the texture of the center of a gooey cinnamon bun. If you can get a scoop of caramel ice cream on the top, this would be an incredible dessert.
Best Dessert: Banana Pudding
The Ole Red dessert menu is rather small, with only a few mini mason-jar desserts. They're ideal individual sizes, with about six bites per jar. The banana pudding is smooth, creamy, and just the right size after the massive portions from the rest of your meal.
Julia is the director of video at Delish. Previously, she worked on Food Network's Snapchat team as their "try" girl: trying new products and bizarre diets on the market. Currently she oversees the video team where content lives on YouTube, TikTok, onsite, Snapchat, and Facebook. She's also previously a host of the hit series "Julia Tries Everything" where she goes to top chain restaurants in America and finds her favorite menu items.
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