405 Magazine November 2018

OTHER OPTIONS’ THANKSGIVING

THE METRO TURNS 30

ALCOHOL LAWS’ IMPACT

The Food Issue NEW RESTAURANTS / THE DOUGHNUT RUSH / HOW WE ARE FARING

LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS ONE! THE BIG FAT DONUT FROM BROWN’S BAKERY

Love Life Again

ABBEY RONCK, PA-C

NOEL R. WILLIAMS, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

AMY BROOKS, A.P.R.N., CNP

SHANNAN CARMOUCHE, PA-C

CHRISTINA TELOCCI, PA-C

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BENJAMIN J. BARENBERG, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

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in this issue

NOVEMBER 2018

Feature 32

HOW WE’RE FARING The number of locally owned eating establishments in OKC continues to increase, in spite of some experts’ past predictions. Is that good news or bad news? Well … yes.

37

FRESH HELPINGS

It really has been a big year for growth on the city’s dining scene – we rounded up 36 of our favorite new restaurants, so read on to find out why you should pay them a visit.

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

in this issue

NOVEMBER 2018

In the 405

15 Shopping delights from Starr Home; clean and clear beauty products; humorous gratitude for modern travel; Other Options’ holiday philanthropy

Culture

46 The changing landscape for (and in) metro wine and liquor stores

Home

51 Amy Young’s joyful

Just Say Dough Whether your primary draw in looking for doughnuts is organic ingredients, spectacular toppings or simply proximity to your mouth, there’s a warm, fresh treat waiting for you at these sweet spots.

Crown Heights abode; decorative touches for your coffee table

Travel

59 Culinary cities that are perfect destinations for foodie explorations

Dining

67 The Metro still shines at upscale dining; Stephanie Miller’s Amish pie; Othello’s returns; Anchor Down’s Okie Mule

Events

79 Cirque du Soleil on ice; Oklahoma Contemporary takes the spotlight

In Every Issue

10 From the Publisher 12 Web Sights 74 Food and Drink 82 On Location 84 Speakerbox 86 On the Radar 88 Backstory

ON THE COVER

42

Restaurateurs Chris Lower and Kurt Fleischfresser toast the Food Issue with a doughnut … or two. Photo by Charlie Neuenschwander

VOLUME 4 / NUMBER 11, 405 MAGAZINE (PERIODICALS 21350) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY, 12 TIMES A YEAR, BY 405 MAGAZINE, INC., 1613 NORTH BROADWAY AVENUE, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73103. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT OKLAHOMA CITY, OK AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO 405 MAGAZINE, P.O. BOX 16765, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA 91615-6765.

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Retirement I Investments I Insurance I Planning

FindYourRetirement.com Retirement planning can be overwhelming, but no matter where you are in your retirement journey, you’ve come to the right place. Log on and choose the stage that fits you best, Starting Out, Building Up, Closing In, Enjoying It, or Passing It On. BOK Financial Advisors can help ease the stress by working with you to strategize each and every step.

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NOVEMBER 2018

VOLUME 4 • NUMBER 11

Publisher | Editor-in-Chief Heidi Rambo Centrella heidi.centrella@405magazine.com

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Steve Gill steve.gill@405magazine.com

The Right Path

Style Editor Sara Gae Waters saragae.waters@405magazine.com Travel Editor Matt Payne matt.payne@405magazine.com

Whether you need to make sure you’re on the right path or want a second look at your portfolio, one of our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professionals can help. It could very well be the right step on your journey to a worry-free retirement.

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Fashion Director Jennifer Salyer jennifer.salyer@405magazine.com Contributing Writers M.J. Alexander, Mark Beutler, Jerry Church, Christine Eddington, Greg Horton, Lauren Roth, Elaine Warner

ART Art Director Scotty O’Daniel scotty.odaniel@405magazine.com Graphic Designer Brian O’Daniel brian.odaniel@405magazine.com Contributing Photographers M.J. Alexander, Shannon Cornman, Charlie Neuenschwander, Don Risi, Trace Thomas

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

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405 Magazine Volume 4, Number 11, November 2018. 405 Magazine is published monthly by 405 Magazine, Inc. at 1613 N. Broadway, Oklahoma City, OK 73103, 405.842.2266. © Copyright 2018 405 Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of 405 Magazine content, in whole or part by any means, without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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CIRCULATION AUDITED BY

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Feast Your Eyes M Y FA MILY ’S T H A N K SGI V I NG tradition is to meet at the farm on

HEIDI R A MBO CEN TRELL A Publisher | Editor-in-Chief heidi.centrella@405magazine.com

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTO BY SIMON HURST

the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, thus making it easier to avoid conflicts with work schedules (we have a very large immediate family – 44 and counting, to date). No, I didn’t grow up on a farm, but both of my parents did during their childhood and teenage years, and, since, have returned to my mom’s homestead.

This arrangement leaves my Thursday wide open to volunteer in the morning with Other Options, preparing food for delivery to more than 1,000 people living below the poverty level, and whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS. The whole week prior is spent preparing for the big day, and if you’d like to give thanks by giving back in a way that is so meaningful to others, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so. Read more on page 22.

Given the vast amounts of Thanksgiving-themed food that most of us consume in a given November, we find it fitting to release our annual food issue this month.

Many of our loyal readers tell us they look forward to receiving the food issue in November and use it as a resource for the coming year.

For that, we thank you. While some are inclined to stay in the comforts of their own homes and cook for themselves, a large majority of our subscription base prefers to eat out with some regularity. And judging by the number of new restaurants opening – even with some closures here and there – the demand for food service is real. Last year, Greg Horton and I tried to make the argument that there was simply no way the OKC market could sustain the number of new restaurant openings year over year. But through his research and interviews with top restaurateurs, Horton has found that, at least so far, that simply is not the case. Now, that leads to another question: Does this growth come with a cost?

Read his article on page 32 to learn more about how the metro is faring.

One development that certainly has come with a cost is State Question 792, which many wine and spirit stores are now feeling in full swing. Yes, big-box retailers and grocery stores can sell you cold high-point beer and wine, but how is that keeping in line with keeping-it-local and supporting small businesses? Horton also tackles this in a “Blurred Lines” series that begins this month (pg. 46).

Of course, these changes do have their good sides, as well – more new restaurants mean more places for locals to explore and hopefully enjoy, and in addition to the proponents of convenience-store wine shopping, the new liquor laws are also a plus for fans of local craft beer, who will find it easier to stop by their favorite brewery’s taproom. On a somewhat-unrelated note, if you ever need a quick bite of cheer, we found that our city is well-supplied with excellent doughnuts (pg. 42).

From our family at 405 Magazine to yours, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving to start off this holiday season.

Moving this Winter to Nichols Hills Plaza!

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WES NEWTON & GUILLOUME NOVEMBER 16-30TH

Web Sights What’s online at 405magazine.com

Extra Helpings If you’ve been anywhere in OKC over the past year, and we presume you have, you know that the city is growing by the day. That’s good news for fans of a more robust metropolis, and better news for restaurant lovers, since dozens of new dining establishments have sprung up over the course of the last year.

So many, in fact, that our listings on page 32 don’t tell the whole story – see 405magazine.com/November-2018/Favorite-NewRestaurants-2018/ to serve yourself an expanded list.

Leopold’s Ice Cream has been a Savannah favorite since 1919

“Aspens -n- Shrubs” oil by Wes Newton

Peaches and Dreams Travel broadens the mind – but if you select your destination appropriately, it’s also an excellent way to broaden your palate. Writers Matt Payne and Elaine Warner dish up some of their favorite gourmet getaways on page 60, but think of that article as a first course; visit 405magazine.com/ November-2018/Cities-to-Savor/ to find more details to savor. And speaking of getaways, Elaine also recently headed down to the Deep South for a visit to Georgia’s oldest city and its always-fresh delights – head to 405magazine.com/ November-2018/Travel-Savannah-Style/ for some peachy recommendations.

“Different Way of Feeling” bronze relief by Guilloume

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

Sampler Starter Given that this is the Food Issue, we hope that at least some of this month’s featured content makes you hungry. But since there are still a few weeks between now and your Thanksgiving feast, it seems only fair to us that we help satisfy your appetite for fine dining in the meantime.

That’s the idea behind the Friday $50 giveaway: each Friday (except the fourth week, since we presume you’ll have plans of your own), we’ll hold a random drawing to give one lucky reader a $50 gift card to one of the restaurants featured in this month’s issue. All you have to do to enter is make sure you’re signed up for our free newsletters at 405magazine.com/newsletters/ and then watch for the link inside. Good luck, and happy dining.

PHOTO COURTESY VISIT SAVANNAH

“In Front of Me” bronze by Guilloume

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Every space is filled with untapped possibility. To fit more than you can imagine. To function better than you’d believe. From custom shelving to allpurpose storage, the transformation begins at The Container Store, now open in Oklahoma City.

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Brave new heights and widths in your garage.

405

in the

Residential Razzle-Dazzle

PHOTO BY DON RISI

If you’re in the market for some eye-catching new pieces to brighten up your living space, you should feel a gravitational pull toward exploring Edmond boutique Starr Home.

This gold stud vase – which owner Tara Starr praises as “Rock and roll meets home decor!” – is among a galaxy of gift possibilities, and the holidays are coming soon; better plan a shopping trek.

NOVEMBER 2018 405 MAGAZINE

15

in the 405 FAVORITE THINGS

The Starr of the Show Radiant gifts for the home

Harper+Ari sugar scrubs, $40 “These exfoliating sugar scrubs are truly dessert for your skin, and they smell amazing. I pamper myself with them, but I love to give this set as a gift, too.”

Barr-Co. bath bombs, $45 “Ultimate relaxation in the tub, leaving your skin soft and silky. These effervescent bath bombs are filled with mineralrich Epson salt.”

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

Tara Starr

Kate Spade gold dot frame, $42 “I love anything Kate Spade.

These frames are great for gifts or a special picture of your own.”

Candice Barry art: “Minerva in Rose,” $225 “I adore her work. This Tulsa artist does stunning figure and abstract art. Her small pieces are perfect for any little vignette, and her large custom pieces always make a statement.”

Nest Fragrances vanilla orchid almond candle, $42 “Mediterranean almond and white orchid are enveloped with vanilla, patchouli and musk. My absolute favorite scent from Nest, I burn it every day.”

Chanel necklace, $99 “I’m in love with these necklaces made from vintage buttons; I wear mine with everything.”

Sugarfina Champagne bears, $8.50 “Made with Dom Perignon, these bears sparkle in flavors of brut and rosé.

My two favorite things combined: Champagne and gummy bears.”

Susan Gordon pottery, $150 “I’m a huge fan of these abstract bowls that can go in any room of the house.

Beautiful handmade pottery that can double as a serving piece or decorative accent.”

Prosecco Pong, $20 “Add some fizz to make this the ultimate party game – this is a fun hostess gift.”

PHOTOS BY DON RISI

IF YOU A R E LUCK Y enough to have your last name be “Starr,” you better be one.

Tara Starr is just that, and her beautiful store shares both the name and the status of stardom. Having moved locations in the last year to 15124 Lleytons Court Suite 112 in Edmond, Starr Home is shining bright and ready to help you make your home do just that, as well. It’s a bright space with gorgeous merchandise from front to back, and if you are looking to up your game in terms of decor, this is the place to start.

With a focus on home and gift items, it’s easy to see why this is a destination when you have people to buy for. “My goal is to provide an atmosphere where people feel at home; a place where you can find that perfect piece for your home or gift for your best friend,” says Starr. By investing in merchandise that she finds herself wanting, she has shown a savviness for picking out on-trend items to accompany her eye for design. Unique lines that maybe haven’t made it to Oklahoma yet or a showcase of local artistry – there’s a lot of starr power going on inside. - SAR A GAE WATERS

Cozy Up with our cold weather essentials Sunburst - Deco box wall art , metallic silver, Retail: $325, Value Price: $175.00 Faux Fur Pillow - 20x20” premium luxury faux fur with down fill, Retail: $150, Value Price: $65.00

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in the 405 TRENDS

From Van Cleef Salon: Pevonia Botanica YouthRenew tinted cream, SPF 30, $53.50; Pevonia Ligne myoxy-caviar timeless repair cream, $205; balm cleanser, $46.50; eye contour, $187.50; repair lotion, $40; repair serum, $205

From Airelle Skincare: Exfoliating cleanser, $64; intense hydrating repair complex, $116; age-defying facial serum, $158

The Clean Life Clearly superior skincare

From Veise Beauty: Dream serum, from $21; clarifying face oil, from $24; ultra-hydrating face oil, from $36; illuminating toner, $16; hydrating face wash, $24

Van Cleef Salon, 6452 Avondale, OKC, vancleefsalon.com; Udånder, 131 Dean A. McGee, OKC, udander.com; Salt & Water, opening soon at 629 W Sheridan, OKC (look for the pop up in November!); Veise Beauty, veisebeauty.com; Airelle Skincare, airelleskin.com

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

From Salt & Water: Palermo body lavender and sage soap, $12; Palermo body botanical facial steam, $32; Monastery Lapiz matte body spray, $28; Face Crème tinted mineral sunscreen, $55; Manasi 7 powder, $58

From Udånder: Indie Lee CoQ-10 toner, $32, and Squalane facial oil, $32

PHOTOS BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

IF YOU A R E L IK E most of the general population, you’re hearing the word “clean” more and more in product descriptions – and that’s a good thing. Clean products are important and something we should all be looking for more of in our lives, especially in those products we slather all over our skin. While these few choices are just the tip of the iceberg, we can’t help but think to ourselves, “Let’s tip that iceberg and get the ball rolling!” Try these, and ask questions. There are plenty of alternatives and answers out there; you just need to go looking for them. And treat yourself to a consultation while you’re investigating. These places know what they are doing. - SAR A GAE WATERS

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in the 405 LAUGH LINES

A Little Gratitude, Please … But no thanks to the Mayflower T H A N K SGI V I NG IS T HIS month, but I think gratitude is a discipline that requires daily practice, with the goal being to live in an ongoing state of thankfulness instead of limiting our expression of gratitude to one day a year. I’ve been keeping a mental list of things that I’m thankful for, even if they’re not on the scale of a winning lottery ticket. Acknowledging the little things is just as important.

(Cue the bluebird to light on my extended finger, please.)

Nowhere is this Hallmark commercial of a theory put to the test more brazenly than at the airport, where all the raised-bywolves children of the world and their what-me-worry parents convene during the busiest travel season of the year to push every. last. one. of. my. buttons. And with great success, I might add.

It’s all I can do to get through my pre-flight ritual of sizing up, scoffing, judging and seething at the unwashed and unattended masses in the security line and boarding gate, compelled as I am to deliver a menacing stink-eye as a warning (to anyone who will look up from their phone) that I’m on the edge.

Here’s where a little gratitude exercise is needed most. I remind myself, albeit with clenched teeth, that I’m lucky to be flying and not driving, and that I don’t have to live with the food-smacking, aisle-jumping, line-clogging Philistines and their broods – I only have to get through a flight with them, which will be over soon enough, thanks to the magical, modern era in which we live.

After all, we’re flying, not crossing on the Mayflower – the very thought of which reminds me how clever I was not to be a Pilgrim in the first place. I can barely steel myself for 3.5 irritating hours inside a climate-controlled flying vessel. I wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes on the 66-day crossing that the Mayflower endured over rough seas with nary a barf bag.

If they could see us today, the Pilgrims would probably call us out on every point of our soft-hands existence, including our propensity to whine about how “exhausting” travel has become.

The Pilgrims didn’t give their drink orders to an attendant while complaining about those damn kids behind them kicking their seats.

I read about the “Mayflower Diet” online. It sounds about as inviting as the 66-day retch-fest on a boat where hygiene was probably priority #10,000. On the upside, it also sounds like an excellent, post-holidays weight loss plan that I’d be willing to look at more closely in January.

The Pilgrims were badasses who subsisted on stale biscuits and cow’s tongue for two months before half of them died.

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

(Starvation was a nasty side effect of the otherwise efficient Mayflower Diet.)

The in-flight diet of the modern Pilgrim is a bag of peanuts, something that no one voluntarily eats in real life. We don’t even care about peanuts … that is, until the flight attendant announces that a passenger has a peanut allergy. Then we’re indignant little Pilgrims, put upon and cheated out of our rightful eight peanuts. What next? Christmas is canceled?

If the Pilgrims were half the sissies we are today, the Mayflower attendant would have incited a mutiny by announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a passenger on board who has a cow’s tongue allergy, so we’re going to have to suspend our cow’s tongue service for this crossing, but we will be serving other sustenance, including salt pork, assorted fish, pickled foods of unknown origin and oatmeal.”

“That beith the excrement from the bovine!” the Pilgrims would have shouted. “Yea, I demand the restitution of mine expenditure for this passage!”

So yes, it’s Thanksgiving and I’m grateful that I’m not a Pilgrim. I’m grateful that I’m not traveling by boat on an ocean that serves the dual purpose of being both my barf bag and the source of my onboard meal. I’m thankful that all it takes to rid myself of the ill-mannered Pilgrims around me is a good set of headphones. And I’m thankful that it’s just eight peanuts in that bag and not cow’s tongue. - LAUREN ROTH

in the 405 GIVING

A Dinner Served with Care Other Options’ community Thanksgiving I T TA K E S A L OT of planning and work to pull off a spectacu-

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405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

Mary Arbuckle

some of the items from them. Ben E. Keith donates product and a big container truck to store product in, and Chesapeake Energy Arena and the Cox Convention Center have donated most of the containers, pans and lids for the last three years.”

About four days before Thanksgiving, Head Country BBQ smokes the turkeys, then Tuesday and Wednesday are filled with preparing, dividing, cooking and packaging.

“We have over 300 volunteers in a five-day period,” Arbuckle says. “And our volunteers range in age from 4 years old all the way up to 70. It is amazing to see that age range and that many individuals come together year after year.”

Then on Thanksgiving Day, it’s time to hit the streets.

“Our clients are always grateful, thankful and sometimes overwhelmed with the amount of food they are given,” Arbuckle says. “The volunteers over the years will tell me every time, when they make the delivery and spend a moment with the clients, how amazed they are and how touched by the generosity. In fact, many volunteers come back year after year and will ask for the same route, so they can deliver the meal to a client they have gotten to know.”

One of the most challenging aspects is the money situation, Arbuckle said. While many products are donated, it will still cost around $7,000 for the Thanksgiving meals, and around $15,000 for Christmas gifts in December. 405 Magazine readers who would like to donate can visit the website at otheroptionsokc.org.

“This is a huge undertaking, and one we have done for 19 Thanksgivings and for 27 Christmases,” Arbuckle says. “We need your help.

What we can’t do alone, we can do together.” - MARK BEUTLER

PHOTO BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

lar Thanksgiving meal. There’s the shopping, the food preparation and the cooking, then comes serving, cleanup and storing the leftovers. Now imagine preparing that meal for a family of 1,000 – that’s what Mary Arbuckle does every November.

She’s the executive director at Other Options Inc., a local nonprofit providing resources and education to people living below the poverty level, and to those living with HIV/AIDS. “My mother, Averil ‘Cookie’ Arbuckle, founded Other Options in 1988,” Arbuckle says. “She had been a social worker in the health care community in the early 1980s when HIV first started. Back then no one wanted to help, work with or be around someone with this new disease. My mother had her own fears, because so little was yet known about the disease; but she put her fears aside to serve others.”

The elder Arbuckle took early retirement to establish Other Options, and her work landed her on the Governor’s Task Force on HIV/AIDS. She authored a comprehensive guide for living with the disease and treating those who were infected. Then a decade later, in 1998, she had an idea for another project.

“My mother established the Friends Food Pantry that year,” Arbuckle says, “unknowingly laying the foundation for an enduring legacy of service. Today, the program provides nourishment to more than 2,000 people living below the poverty level and with HIV/AIDS.” And that’s where the annual Thanksgiving dinner comes in.

“In 1999, my friend Scotty Irani called and said he would like to feed my clients Thanksgiving dinner,” Arbuckle says. “Scotty is a chef in Oklahoma City, and at the time he had a restaurant in Nichols Hills Plaza. That year we fed 34 people, and it became an annual tradition that has grown every year. Another dear friend, Robert Painter from Patrono, spearheaded the effort for 11 years, and now much of the responsibility has gone to Aly Branstetter, co-owner of Sunnyside Diner.”

It’s no small feat preparing a meal for 1,000 people, Arbuckle said. We’re talking about 100 turkeys and 225 hams; then there’s the 150 sacks of potatoes, 750 pies and 100 pounds of butter.

The gravy isn’t measured by bowl size, but by pounds – 1,000 pounds of gravy, to be exact. It takes 30 gallons of milk, 1,500 pounds of cornbread dressing and a full case of salt and pepper.

And those are just some of the ingredients … not to mention pans, foil, plastic wrap, plates and everything else needed for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

“It is truly a community effort,” Arbuckle says. “La Luna restaurant stores the turkeys and hams we collect throughout the year. The Oklahoma Regional Food Bank allows me to purchase

Holiday Wishes 2018

HOLIDAY WISHES GIFT GUIDE 2018

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“Proserpine,” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti ft. in Victorian Radicals exhibition, Suede Luxury Pillow $52.95

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Decorative throw, $119 Thick, soft and luxuriously cozy, these chunky knit throws are handcrafted and come in various color tones.

Oversized pillow, $79 Dedicated to the one you love: this 24” square accent pillow is textured canvas bearing the inscription “darling.”

Christmas tree, $159 The holidays are a time to make your home shine, and this 48” gold-beaded glitter twig tree is a good way to add plenty of sparkle.

CHATEAU DESIGNS

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MISTLETOE MERCANTILE

2717 W Reno Ave, OKC | 405.435.0061 mistletoemercantile.com

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You’ll be the favorite when you give Woops!

French Macarons! Over 20 decadent flavors to choose from and gift boxes available in sizes 3 to 36, $5.50-75.00. Yum!

WOOPS! FRENCH MACARONS

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Show them you have great taste! A Hal Smith Restaurants Gift Card is the perfect stocking stuffer for the season.

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405.848.9663 • 7650 N. Western, OKC

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Find holiday gifts and décor as well as home décor for all seasons.

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HOW WE’RE FARING BY GREG HOR T ON

THE STATE OF THE OKC FOOD SCENE

The reckoning is coming. That was the theme of 2016, based on the certainty that Oklahoma City could not sustain the restaurant growth we were seeing at the time. We listed 21 new restaurants – just local eateries, not national chains – in the food issue last year, and our initial list for this year had 36, but that number could grow by the time this goes to press, and the closings have been far fewer than predicted. That means growth is actually expanding more rapidly than in 2016, which prompted us to revisit the question of “How are we faring?”

The most surprising area of new development has been the Paseo. In much of recent memory, the options were Paseo Grill, Sauced and Picasso Café, but a wave of growth is remaking the arts district into a dining destination, as well. (For a full list, see the “Coming Soon” sidebar.) By summer 2019, assuming all are successful, there will be 12 bar and restaurant options in the historic arts district, including a new iteration of The Red Rooster and two concepts from Picasso owners Shaun Fiaccone and Kim Dansereau.

One of those 12 concepts will be Rachel Cope’s 84 Hospitality Group’s first venture in the district, an as yet unnamed concept that Cope said should open around March 2019.

“This is a prime time to be in the Paseo,” Cope says. “There are a lot of newer restaurateurs, and in some cases, we’re friends. We share information, and we’re excited about working together to attract traffic to Paseo, and we’re actively talking about ways to complement each other’s businesses.”

The city has fully embraced a new generation of restaurateurs, among whom Cope is a likely poster child, even as those operators have embraced the lessons about hospitality and cooperation they learned from previous generations. Still, not all the news is positive, and Oklahoma City is part of a national market trend that The Atlantic reported on in 2017 with this description: “The good news is that there are too many great restaurants to choose from. The bad news is … the same thing.”

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T H E PA S E O, T H E P L A Z A DI ST R IC T, U P T OW N 23R D, W E ST E R N AV E N U E , M I D T OW N , AU T OMOB I L E A L L E Y … OKC I S BETTER SUPPLIED THAN EVER WITH N E IG H B OR HO OD DI N I NG OP T ION S.

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Branching Out LOCAL RESTAURANTS EXPANDING THEIR REACH

While most restaurant expansion has occurred in or near the urban core or along the West Memorial corridor, some local brands are taking their concepts north, south and east, trying to get more local brands in population-dense areas around Tinker AFB and I-35 in Moore.

Three of the hospitality companies have been around for decades, but Gogi Go is barely a year old, and it’s already adding a location in Edmond.

John Lee, a partner in the fast-casual Korean concept, said the ownership group wanted to break into a different market, and they liked the food-court model offered by the Edmond Railyard, one of at least three restaurant co-op projects in progress in the metro.

The new Gogi Go, which will open when the Edmond Railyard is finished – likely first or second quarter 2019 – will be half the size of the Midtown location, but with a very similar menu.

Urban Management Inc., the Norman-based company behind Interurban and HunnyBunny, is also headed to Edmond sometime in 2019. The signage is already up along Covell, so residents of west Edmond will have a chance to try the made-from-scratch biscuit sandwiches without driving all the way to Uptown 23rd.

The Haynes brothers made the closing list this year with the demise of Urban Johnnie, but Rick Haynes said the company would benefit from the added focus on two new Johnnie’s locations, one in Moore that opened in July, and one that is scheduled to open Nov. 1 in Midwest City. Located at 6825 SE 29th, the Johnnie’s Express will be about a quarter mile from a Tinker gate.

Haynes said the express locations serve breakfast, and since this one will be close to Tinker, they’ll open for breakfast at 6:30 a.m.

Finally, Deep Fork Group opened one location with two familiar T H E DRUM RO OM ON brands in Midwest City W E ST E R N, NOW OP E N I N in October. Located at M I DW E ST C I T Y, TO O 2320 S Air Depot, the 6,000-square-foot facility is home to a new Wedge Pizzeria and Drum Room. Partner David Attalla said the new location has the full Wedge menu, featuring wood-fired, brick-oven pizzas, and the Drum Room also offers chicken and waffles, burgers and salads.

Like Johnnie’s, the new DFG joint concept is within a quarter mile of a Tinker gate.

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‘‘Millennials are absolutely a huge part of our customer base. They’re very faithful to ‘local,’ and they will shame their friends for eating in chains. The good side of that is that they are really trying to support our neighbors and friends.’’

- R ACHEL COPE YOUNG AND HUNGRY The gist is that the amount Americans spend on dining out versus eating at home is now 50/50, up from 25/75 in the middle of the 20th century. For decades, middle-class restaurants – places such as Chili’s, Applebee’s and TGI Fridays – dominated the markets, but that tier, where the check is between $15 and $25 per person, is exactly where the most problems are right now. The group getting the blame for all the pain: millennials, the plug-and-play scapegoats for our time. Rather than thanking them for helping to kill mediocre, middle-class concepts, many people have responded angrily … but the death of mediocre chains means someone is benefiting.

ST R E E T S I DE S E AT I NG AT T H E M U L E I N T H E P L A Z A DI ST R IC T

That someone is local restaurants. An AT&T survey in 2017 showed that half of all millennials are willing to pay (at least a little) more to support a small local business. In a market that is eaten up with rising food prices, that counts as very good news.

“Millennials are absolutely a huge part of our customer base,” Cope says. “They’re very faithful to ‘local,’ and they will shame their friends for eating in chains. The good side of that is that they are really trying to support our neighbors and friends.”

Shaun Fiaccone said Picasso has always tried to cater to millennials, and they’ve done so with great success, but Fiaccone also sees the popularity of local restaurants growing beyond the millennial divide.

“I ask my neighbors in the dog park in Nichols Hills, ‘Where do you eat?’” Fiaccone says. “They name places like The Mule and Empire or districts like Plaza as their favorite places, and I’m blown away. They, too, are gravitating toward youth and vitality, and being part of this trend.”

Diners are certainly better equipped and better informed than ever before, and food television certainly gets some of the credit, even as it must take part of the blame for fast food burger commercials with people deconstructing a burger’s textures, layers and contrasting flavors. More than television, though, millennials act as evangelists for brands they love, and they are clearly having an impact on their parents’ choices.

Two years ago, Rachel Cope said that if we could convert 10 percent of the people who ate in national chains to eating in local restaurants, we wouldn’t need to discuss closing local restaurants as often. She may prove to be more prescient than we expected, but that leads to another piece of bad news.

Coming Soon Future flavors to put on your radar AUTOMOBILE ALLEY

Magasin Table Omma Greek Kitchen CHISHOLM CREEK

Birra Birra Chalk CROWN HEIGHTS

El Tigre Tacos DEEP DEUCE

Grey Sweater/Black Walnut

L ONGT I M E W E ST E R N CONC E P T S FAVOR I T E S U S H I N E KO

standards, and we worked with an HR company that understood personality profiles to identify the right kind of candidates for our restaurant.”

DOWNTOWN EDMOND

Edmond Railyard FILM ROW

Sanctuary Barsilica Social Cinema Pub MIDTOWN

Canvas The Collective Hudson Street Market Riviere Modern Banh Mi NICHOLS HILLS PLAZA

Osteria PASEO

Frida Red Rooster PLAZA DISTRICT

Maples Mexican Radio B A R T E N DE R T R I STA N S C H WA R T Z AT M A RY E DDY ’S K I T C H E N I N 21C , HOM E OF T H E E XC E L L E N T OKC HO T C H IC K E N S A N DW IC H

SHORT ON STAFF Speaking about the shortage of trained staff in the state, Chef Kurt Fleischfresser said that Vast and Western Concepts (Sushi Neko, Musashi’s, etc.) are still having a hard time attracting experienced staff. “It’s the worst it’s ever been,” he says. “Even established entities are struggling. Places like Vast have very little turnover, which helps.”

The shortage is a real problem, though, as anyone who has eaten out this year likely will have noticed.

Fiaccone has handled the historic shortage by training people with no experience. “We create good servers,” he says. “We train to almost fine dining

UPTOWN 23RD

Social Deck & Dining ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS Cajun Corner C’est Si Bon Drum Room / The Wedge Gogi Go Hatch HunnyBunny Johnnie’s Land Run Café Mamaveca Mob Grill Neighborhood Jam Sunnyside Tamashii Ramen

PAYING FOR SPACE Rent prices are on the rise, too, and that’s bad for everyone. Popular areas of the city are now charging in the vicinity of $40 a square foot, and even the Plaza District, where young entrepreneurs such as Cope went for the creative rental agreements, is showing signs of rent inflation.

One of the most notorious casualties this year was the Irma’s in Midtown.

While there is a compelling argument to be made that people say they want humanely sourced, locally raised meat products, even if that means a price differential of an extra dollar or two – something Irma’s provided – the other reality is that the price of doing business kept going up.

Chris Lower, one of the owners, says, “The common area maintenance and insurance got out of hand, and the parking, which wasn’t a problem in the beginning, got unmanageable. The north store was still making a profit, but the rent was going up there, too.”

These are the two biggest issues moving forward: rising rent and staff shortages. As a result, counter-service concepts with small footprints and minimal service will be the rule for the next few years. We will also see more locals moving east, west and south, taking advantage of less local density in the suburbs (see Expansion sidebar). Growth and change – for better and sometimes worse – remain on the menu.

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CLEANSE & BEAR IT BETTER HEALTH THROUGH SUFFERING

By Matt Payne haled for an eternity and paused before taking another deep breath; one of those long, lightheadedness-inducing kinds of breaths. The kind that includes a nose whistle … the kind, I imagined, taken by Buddhist monks or POWs in enemy interrogation. “It lasts a month,” she added.

It could have been worse, I thought, my nose whistling again. She could have proposed that henceforth we would fetch our drinking water from a local creek, or declared our official family language Pig Latin – but a cleanse, to someone whose primary joys in life revolve around multi-course meals and copious amounts of wine, felt draconian.

“What exactly does that entail?” I asked, fearfully. As the litany of new dietary modifications and omissions went on, sometime between “smoothies for breakfast” and “no pork,” I blacked out.

“Cleanse” was actually her polite way of saying “diet” – but the truth was as much as I hated the idea, there was something I hated more. On our dresser was a picture of my wife and I, taken when she had just completed her master’s from Southern Nazarene University. It was almost Christmas, and we were expecting our first child. In the photo, however, only one of us looks eight months pregnant … and it’s not my wife. If forced to choose between a diet of spinach and almonds for a month or having to exist henceforth as the Porky Pig version of my once-fit self, I supposed a cleanse was the lesser of two evils. Barely.

The cleanse included a breakfast smoothie (almond milk, banana and a handful of berries) with fiber, protein and digestive enzymes, a tiny salad for lunch, tiny salad for dinner. No sugar, no dairy, no carbs, no booze, no caffeine, no pork, limited meat … the list went on and on. At week three, you even ramped it up with 32 ounces of a special yellow drink that made your pee smell terrible.

The first few days of a cleanse turn you into a total savage. Because coffee is now out, you are exhausted and cranky, and you also want to eat – well, absolutely everything.

Suddenly, you remember every single good meal you’ve ever had. From a mile away, I could smell Tucker’s burgers cooking on 23rd. At Barnes and Noble, a cashier offered me a free fresh-baked cookie with my purchase, and I began to tremble.

When picking a restaurant one night, my wife suggested we go to Cultivar. “They’ve got a taco salad,” she offered. “And salmon.”

That was it. “THEY’VE ALSO GOT QUESO FUNDIDO AND STEAK FAJITAS AND ENCHILADAS AND MARGARITAS AND TAMALES – AND MARGARITAS!” I tried to bring down my blood pressure, nose whistling with each deep, voracious breath I took.

The cleanse had been going on for almost two weeks and I was turning into a werewolf.

“Let’s just go to Coolgreens,” I managed. “Again.”

The next morning, though, I woke up at my usual 6 a.m., but rather than feeling groggy, I was cheerful. In the kitchen, I made some tea (cleanse tea, obviously) and didn’t immediately want to shatter my mug. When I got to work, my boss said I seemed unusually chipper, and when it came time for lunch, rather than ruefully perusing the burgers before conceding to another ridiculous salad, I was just happy that the chicken on my spinach and berry salad could be blackened.

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Later that day, I returned to the office and encountered a co-worker I hadn’t seen in a long time. “You look like you’ve lost weight,” she said. This was a surprise. I began to puff up. Most compliments I’d received of late were more like, “You sure have a pretty baby,” or this gem: “You don’t look that tired.”

“I’m on a cleanse,” I offered, sounding more like a happy salesman than the victim (or perpetrator) of a violent crime.

“Sounds horrible,” she said. I took a long sip of my cleanse water followed by a deep, nose-whistling breath of contemplation. “It’s not that bad,” I mused, and headed to my office to snack on some walnuts.

By the last day of the month-long cleanse, I’d lost 12 pounds and my future was green. I‘d become an energetic chatterbox with a clear mind, determined to live a healthier life. Thank god for my wife, and thank god for the cleanse. As we pondered where to eat that last night, I suggested recent staple Zoe’s Kitchen.

“How about a burger?” she said instead.

I eyed her suspiciously. “Tucker’s, maybe?” I took a big, deep, contemplative breath …

“If we’re going big, let’s pick a place with a bar,” I said. And with that – lighter, more energetic and in solidarity – our cleanse, effective though it had been, came to a merciful close. Margaritas, anyone?

COPYRIGHT CSA IMAGES

“WE ARE GOING TO DO A CLEANSE,” SAID MY WIFE WITH A SMILE. I ex-

Fresh Helpings

A ROUNDUP OF OUR FAVORITE NEW RESTAURANTS

By Steve Gill and Greg Horton Photos by Scotty O’Daniel

Oso >> Chef Chris McKenna took his impressive talent to Humankind Hospitality earlier this year, and this taco concept is the first fruits of McKenna’s teamwork with chef Ryan Parrot. Delicious house-made sauces complement an exciting menu of gringo tacos and even a few more traditional tacos and burritos. The team has been refining the menu for months, and every component – from potatoes to salad to salsa – has been created with attention to detail and intentionality. 603 NW 28th, OKC, 405.309.8226 NOVEMBER 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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O

Oklahoma City seems to get bigger every day – so much so that it might actually have grown just a little since you started reading this sentence.

More residents, more visitors, more development, more growth … and all that means many more places to eat, drink and be merry. OKC’s ongoing expansion has given rise to a feast of new possibilities for all kinds and atmospheres of dining, even while time and circumstances have forced some other longtime favorites to close their doors. We’ve put together a list of some of the metro’s standouts that have opened in the last year, so please consider this an invitation to dine out on these recommendations.

ST I L L H U NG RY ? F I N D MOR E ON L I N E AT 4 05M AG A Z I N E .COM / FAVOR I T E-N E W-R E STAU R A N T S -2018/

Gogi Go >> Fast casual Korean food wasn’t

on anyone’s radar two years ago, but the partnership of chef Kevin Lee (also Vast’s executive chef), John Lee and Jason Chang has made counter-service Korean food a popular choice in Midtown.

Diners can choose from beef, chicken, pork or tofu and build their own bowl or burrito, but don’t hesitate to just go with the delicious signature offerings. For extra customization, add popular toppings japchae, mandoo and kimchi, as well as traditional sauces such as ssamjang or modern twists gogi sauce or pesto. 1325 N Walker, OKC, 405.778.8524

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Lip Smackers >> A burger place connected to a gas station?

Don’t scoff, because one bite will make you a believer. Owner Jabbar Chaibainou is great at the fundamentals, starting with half a pound of certified Angus beef, well-seasoned and grilled on a flattop. You could stop there and be happy, but where else can you find a patty topped with brie and fried apples, or homemade onion dip and potato chips? These burgers are both surprisingly cheap and startlingly delicious, and that is definitely a winning combination. 4200 N Penn, OKC, 405.604.9770

CHADA THAI >> Longtime Normanites might still be feeling the loss of venerable Italian-slash-Thai restaurant (yes, really) Jana’s, but the blow will be softened as soon as you try this well-spiced successor. The Italian dishes are off the menu, but that leaves more room to explore the expanded selection of authentically flavored and prepared soups and noodles. Although, for reference, the garlic shrimp stir fry is a house specialty. 1324 N Interstate, Norman, 405.561.7771 DECKLE SMOKEHOUSE BBQ >> Texas native Andrew Liu is putting in work as a pitmaster to bring Edmondites the true oak-smoked flavor of Texas-style pit barbeque, and the results are perfectly engineered to bring out the savor of their top-quality meats.

The brisket, ribs and house-made German sausage are set off by imaginative sides such as brown sugar sweet corn and potato cheese bombs; just be certain that you’re prepared before attempting either of the menu’s dining challenges. 324 W Edmond, Edmond, 405.657.2992 THE PORCH >> The north end of the University of Oklahoma campus is visually spectacular – which is why The Porch, right across Boyd from Jacobson Hall, has one of the best views in Norman.

With a raucous party atmosphere before and during OU games and excellent people-watching anytime, it’s an automatic draw for lingering over a margarita. And some fried cheese curds.

And maybe a chicken and waffle sandwich.

311 W Boyd, Norman, 405.310.2257

Wheelhouse Pizza Kitchen >> They have fried pepperoni. If you’re still reading, this New York-style pizzeria dishes up a few daily slices and many more whole 20-inch pies, made from scratch with the freshest ingredients and featuring tasty topping possibilities such as barbequed pulled pork, spicy vodka sauce, crushed meatballs and fig jam. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are also on the menu … but so is fried pepperoni. 11109 N May, OKC, 405.286.5814

The Union >> The space isn’t new – it was once a meeting hall of the electricians’ union – but its 2018 reinvention makes it a nice hangout and vanguard for the developing SoSA neighborhood, with thoughtful touches both in décor and food. The broad oak bar upstairs, converted speakeasy downstairs and spacious back yard are all comfy spots for a drink, and from chicken crisps to flatbreads to the grouper banh mi, the menu’s offerings are surprisingly and delightfully elevated beyond more conventional bar fare. 616 NW 5th, OKC, 405.601.2857

BLOCK 23 >> The Sheraton’s house restaurant has received an extensive makeover to make it a more casual, contemporary, convenient spot for breakfast and lunch, especially if you’re in the mood for a customized breakfast skillet or sirloin Cobb salad. And in the afternoons and evenings, its new patio makes a convenient stop on your way to or from a Thunder game. Plus, there’s no other way to get hold of their loaded fries – the chorizo and fried egg variety, in particular. 1 N Broadway, OKC, 405.235.2780 CAFE CUVÉE >> Almost an homage to The Coach House’s haute cuisine, the menu at the newly re-envisioned restaurant in the Ambassador Hotel is thoroughly French and comfortably approachable. Classics such as Dover Sole and Beef Bourguignon—made with braised short rib – are combined with East and West Coast oysters, near-perfect beef tartare, escargot and even a beautiful soufflé for dessert. Sommelier Jeff Cole is on hand to guide you through the mostly French wine list.

1200 N Walker, OKC, 405.898.8120 BAR ARBOLADA >> Although technically more bar than restaurant, Riley Marshall’s hotspot on the edge of Film Row offers excellent food on a menu created by consulting chef Tehra Thorp.

Most of the menu is of the bar snack variety, including excellent deviled eggs, but the deep-fried stuffed pork chop certainly counts as an entrée, and it’s easy (and rewarding) to make a sandwich of the blistered shishitos and chorizo plate. 637 W Main, OKC, 405.601.8659

Capitals Ice Cream >> How can a menu be both narrow and im-

mensely broad? The only things sold in Capitals are coffee and ice cream, but the vanilla soft-serve is blended with your choice of an array of additions so extensive that there are more than 300 combinations. Strawberries and granola? Cookie dough and Cocoa Puffs?

Try a custom experiment or stick with one of their specialty blends – including a current selection that contains a slice of pumpkin pie.

1006 N Hudson, OKC, 405.600.9966

The Press >> If you’re looking for home cooking but not wanting to cook, The Press specializes in comfort food favorites that are remarkably consistent and very much familiar to native Okies. The team that brought diners The Mule now offers brunch, lunch and dinner just down the street, featuring ample portions of biscuits and gravy with pork belly, Dagwood sandwiches, burgers, Indian tacos, meat loaf, fried chicken and pot roast. The menu reads like a cleaned-up, modern version of meal planning in nearly any house in Oklahoma. 1610 Gatewood, OKC, 405.208.7739 NOVEMBER 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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Ganache >> Briefly speaking: if

you’re looking for exceptional sweets, this Chisholm Creek gallery of edible showpieces should be right at the top of your list. Husbandand-wife team Laura Szyld and Matt Ruggi offer a small selection of salads and sandwiches, as well, but visitors will quickly find themselves mesmerized by the confectionary craftsmanship on display in the tarts, macarons, petits fours and other baked goods and specialty desserts. 13230 Pawnee, OKC, 405.286.4068

Out of Service

Local establishments whose kitchens are now closed The Barrel Besos de Mexcal Chae Covell Park Deep Fork Grill District House Esca Vitae Guernsey Park House 333 Irma’s Mamasita’s OK Yeah Slaughter’s Hall Sussy’s Urban Johnnie Viceroy Grille

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KITCHEN AT COMMONPLACE >> Partners Chris Castro and Ben Nockels are treating this café adjacent to the bookstore as an experiment in what defines a restaurant. As much dining room or breakfast nook as restaurant, the kitchen offers three main categories for breakfast and lunch: on greens, on polenta and on toast.

Dinner is a rotating feature such as chili Colorado or brisket tacos that begins with a brief reading from a book by a member of staff. It really is like a family dinner.

1325 N Walker, OKC, 405.534.4540

STITCH CAFÉ >> This entry is really two locales in one. The first is just north of the Bricktown Ballpark inside the venue called The Bridge, and offers a menu reminiscent of the owners’ original coffee shop: coffee and tea, small plates and baked goods, especially the sweet or savory hand tarts that drew their appreciative clientele. Stay tuned, though, because another location is coming soon to West Village in Film Row, boasting an expanded menu with seasonal options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 229 E Sheridan, OKC, 405.652.1322

BISTRO TWENTY-TWO >> Restaurant: noticeably small. Flavors: big, bold and beautiful. You should probably err on the side of caution and make a reservation for dinner, especially if there are more than two in your party, but there’s more than enough on the menu to make a trip to Kickingbird Square worth your while. The concept is from Signature Grill chef Clay Falkner, so the food – truffle fries, filet with Marchand de Vin or Smokey Manhattan made with Laphroaig and Knob Creek – is thoroughly top shelf. 1417 E Danforth, Edmond, 405.562.4884

THE WINSTON >> The Hal Smith Restaurant Group is making some noise in downtown Norman – they’ve added another location of popular breakfast-food concept Neighborhood Jam next to the railroad tracks, and doubled the draw with this other new dining attraction right next door. The Winston offers “classic meals with a modern flair,” and while the chipotle meatloaf has a devoted fanbase, it’s also hard to argue with the Prime Minister, a chicken-fried steak sandwich where the steak is filet mignon. Heated patio, too. 106 W Main, Norman 405.561.7616

NED’S STARLITE LOUNGE >> This retro supper lounge and bar is from Ned Shadid of decadeslong success story Ned’s Catering. Located in the old Nomad II space, its decor is a funky retro dive into the middle third of the 20th century and definitely helps establish a vibe. The food is focused around traditional favorites like burgers, sandwiches, salmon and salads – and for the record, the arancini on the appetizer menu is a must-try. 7301 N May, OKC, 405.242.6100

NOODEE/OKIE POKIE >> This upstairs-downstairs twin, counter-service concept is in the space formerly occupied

by Guernsey Park, which has gone to the big Restaurant Row in the sky. Okie Pokie features traditional poke bowls you build yourself from a bounty of options – and yes, there’s Spam, because it’s delicious in the appropriate quantity.

Noodee is a similar idea that begins with a choice of Asian noodles, including udon and ramen.

2418 N Guernsey, OKC, 405.605.5272

Buttermilk >> In this sleek, gleaming Paseo spot, the namesake freshly baked biscuits – firm, flaky and with a hint of black pepper – serve as the foundation for savory sandwiches featuring ham and cheese, bacon and scrambled eggs, fried chicken and other options. By the way, even though it’s not traditionally a breakfast choice, the cheeseburger biscuit is excellent. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, sample a selection of tasty mini-biscuits in blueberry, cinnamon toast, chocolate chip or banana nut, all served with buttercream and berries. 605 NW 28th, OKC, 405.605.6660

Sean Cummings Irish Restaurant

>> Raise a glass of Guinness or Smithwick’s, because a classic has returned to the OKC dining scene. The namesake chef channels his Irish heritage and culinary skill into dishing up time-tested dishes such as boxty, shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, beef and lamb stew … all rich, delicious and thoroughly filling.

The good news for diners is that the new location is quite a bit bigger, and the better news is that it preserves its predecessor’s live music and cheerful, noisy, authentic pub atmosphere.

7628 N May, OKC, 405.841.7326

>> R E A D T H E R EST (14 MOR E) ON L I N E <<

405M AG A Z I N E .COM / FAVOR I T E-N E W-R E STAU R A N T S -2018/ NOVEMBER 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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Go Nuts for Donuts t h e b e s t i n b r e a k fa s t c o n f e c t i o n s

COOKIES AND CUPCAKES AND CREAM PIES are all very well, but (a) people tend to frown on having them for breakfast, and (b) there’s something magical about a fresh, warm donut. Whether you’re more in the mood for the vegan, gluten-free excellence of Holey Rollers, Belle Kitchen’s firmer and more pastry-like square confections, the perfectly executed classics at Brown’s Bakery or the outlandish toppings of Hurts, OKC has an excellent selection of possibilities for all kinds of deliciousness.

Belle Kitchen 7509 N May, OKC, 430.5484 30 NE 2nd, OKC, 541.5858

PHOTOS BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

Missy’s Donuts 1112 N Wentz, Guthrie, 260.0603; I-35 & Noble/ Highway 33, Guthrie, 293.9530

The Salvation Army helped establish National Donut Day on the first Friday in June; it started in 1938 as a fundraiser to honor their WWI “Donut Girls” and to help offset the effects of the Great Depression.

The first written use of the word was in 1809, by Washington “Headless Horseman” Irving.

He spelled it doughnut, but then again, he also called them olykoeks, because Dutch is a weird language.

Holey Rollers 3010 Paseo, OKC, 212.2383

The U.S. donut industry is worth more than $3.5 billion annually, which is almost 10 percent of the world’s ~$40 billion donut habit.

Tommy and Lucille Day whipped up a mix with distinctively light texture and founded Daylight Donuts in Tulsa back in 1954. Today, there are nearly 1,000 locations.

Either “doughnut” or “donut” is correct; the shorter spelling was likely popularized by the chain that just dropped the word from its name: Dunkin’.

If you think there’s a lot of variety on these pages, consider the breadth of choices available around the world, from Austria’s Faschingskrapfen (“little carnival cakes”) to China’s Yauhjagwai (“oil-fried devil”) to France’s Pets de Nonnes (“Nun’s farts”).

Daylight Donuts multiple locations

Brown’s Bakery opened in what is now Midtown OKC less than a year after V-E Day – April 10, 1946.

That’s a lot of dough over the decades.

Brown’s Bakery 1100 N Walker, OKC, 232.0363

The largest donut ever made – Jan. 21, 1993, in Utica, New York – was 16 feet in diameter and 16 inches high, and weighed … wait for it … 1.7 tons.

Hurts Donut, 601 NW 23rd, OKC, 839.8343

More than 10 billion donuts are made in the U.S. each year.

(So, you should probably have one or two more, just to keep up.)

Canada has the most donut shops per capita of any world nation.

Shoutout Tim Hortons.

Guinness World Record holder John Haight ate 29 donuts in just over six minutes. (You don’t have to eat that many.)

New York City baker Adolph Levitt invented the first donut machine in 1920. It was another 30 years before the first donut chain reached Los Angeles: a franchise of Salt Lake City-based Spudnuts, named for its potato flour. (New York wins.)

Humble Donuts 5900 W Memorial Ste D, OKC, 470.4402

Meet Me The Black Scintilla is a lifestyle boutique that not only carries sizes small to 3xl, but also offers personal one on one styling sessions. We specialize in making every woman feel beautiful inside and out and also offer complimentary hemming alterations, gift wrapping, affordable prices, and we are dog friendly. And with our carefully selected variety of giftable items, you're sure to find the perfect gift for anyone on your list.

1112 N Walker Ave #104 405. 824.7599 blackscintilla.com BlackScintilla @blackscintilla

Come for Happy Hour... and stay for Dinner Lori Burson, Owner | Melissa Aust, Executive Chef | Todd Davis, General Manager Tuesday-Thursday 11-10 Friday 11-11 Saturday 10:30-2:30 Brunch, 2:30-5 Limited Menu & 5-11 Dinner Sunday 10:30-2:30 Brunch

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in Midtown Approachable French fare has a new home in Midtown OKC. Discover Café Cuvée, a fun neighborhood eatery where you’ll experience some of France’s most celebrated flavors, recipes, and spirits. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

CafeCuvee.com | @CafeCuveeOKC | 1200 N Walker Ave

Meet Lanh Lanh Nguyen learned from her mother at a young age that style should be classic and effortless. After graduating college, Lanh accepted a job with luxury retailer Neiman Marcus working in their corporate buying offices for almost a decade. There she learned how to buy everything from classic fundamental pieces to the trend setter items for the season.

At Nhu Avenue you will find basic layering pieces for your everyday look to a classic cocktail dress you need for those more formal and special occasions. We also offer all the right contemporary accessories to style back with your items. While keeping everything at an affordable price point, we make sure that the brands we select are never lacking in quality. We also offer free of charge full styling service for those looking to update their wardrobe.

nhuavenue.com |

Barkeep in Midtown is a cocktail supply shop specializing in bar tools, drinkware, ingredients, and accessories. Come stock your bar or find the perfect gift, and while you shop, enjoy a cocktail!

1121 N Walker Ave | 405.613.5672 barkeepokc.com

1111 N Walker Ave | 405.778.8387 Nhu Avenue | @nhuavenue |

nhuavenue

Midtown offers: 28 restaurants • 6 spots for a cup of Joe • 1 dog park • 4 streetcar stops 2 locations to grab a Spokies bike • 13 local retail shops • 2 places to lay your head

culture

PHOTO BY CARLI ECONOMY

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The carefully curated wine selection in Normanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spirit Shop has been a major selling point for decades; with the most popular labels now available elsewhere, changes to its inventory are on the horizon.

405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

Of Cabernet and Change Local wine merchants adapting to stay afloat

BY GREG HORTON

Vance Gregory opened Edmond Wine Shop in 1973, and for 45 years, he has worked to provide his customers with high-quality alcoholic beverages, as well as ongoing education about what they were buying. With the passage of SQ 792 and the rewriting of Title 37 of the Oklahoma Constitution, Gregory is faced with a need to reshape his shop in a market where Walmart will be selling wine with only a 6 percent markup, the legal minimum.

The challenge for wine shop owners around the state is how to rework their business model to compete in a climate in which most of the new rules favor large retail operations. As a form of compensation, of a sort, legislators allowed that liquor stores could sell non-alcoholic items in their businesses – as long as the amount of that revenue did not exceed 20 percent of total sales in a given month.

“I don’t think we’re going to get close to the 20 percent,” Gregory says. “We don’t want inventory just sitting on a shelf and not selling, so we’re trying to find ways to make the store unique as a way to differentiate ourselves from the large operations.”

Gregory is thinking about adding items related to gift giving – cards, flowers, gift bags – as well as books for ongoing education, but the effectiveness of the 20-percent rule will be tested over the next several months.

Matt Sterr owns Spirit Shop in Norman, which has been in business for 42 years. Sterr has used every available square foot

to curate one of the largest, best wine selections in the state … but with the passage of the new law, the top 100 brands will now be available in Walmart, Homeland and other retail operations.

“A local business can’t survive on a 6-percent margin,” Sterr says, “so we’re going to have to try to make up the loss in revenue represented by the loss of the top 100 in other ways.”

At Spirit Shop, the 20 percent of non-alcoholic items will be focused on what Sterr calls the entire alcoholic beverage experience: glassware, mixers and tobacco. The prospect of selling cigarettes is not one that he embraced readily, but it’s hard to deny that when people drink, they want to smoke, so Sterr will stock cigarettes and cigars.

“Quite frankly, a lot of our customers have asked for tobacco, so we’re going with it,” he says.

The decision of what to stock, and how much, is one that all Oklahoma liquor stores will grapple with over the next few months, but it’s unlikely that 20 percent of revenue will be what differentiates the liquor store from the big-box location.

Gregory and Sterr both highlight the two things Walmart and other retailers cannot provide: a knowledgeable staff and a better selection of wine. (Spirits will only be available in liquor stores, and now they will have more space to carry an even better selection.)

How can local wine shops have a better selection than large retailers? So far, the store sets in retail and grocery operations are cookie cutter by design. Hundreds of bottles of wine line the shelves all over the state, and with rare exceptions, those shelf maps look very much the same. The only variation in products will be a more-or-less-units issue depending on the size of the store, not a variation in quality. It works out to less selection in more places, but that is how retail works: by maximizing volume to compensate for the low markups. In other words, if a family winery in Oregon only produces a few hundred cases of high-quality wine – especially a highly sought-after wine – those NOVEMBER 2018 405 MAGAZINE

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culture

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The future of locally owned liquor and wine shops rests in the choices that Oklahomans make over the next few years.

PHOTO BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

Popular wine labels are now available for purchase in grocery stores such as Whole Foods – the selection is unlikely to vary much, so it’s an added convenience for consumers, but only if these are the brands they want.

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products are going to land in wine shops, not retailers or grocers.

Will that be enough to keep wine shops in business? Gregory said Edmond Wine Shop will continue to stock the top 100 brands, and it’s likely that loyal customers will still buy in their favorite shops. Both Gregory and Sterr reported ongoing, vocal support from their main wine-buying customer bases.

“We’re not going to start closing out items like Bota Box just because they’re available in retail stores,” Gregory says. “We don’t want to give customers more reason to shop elsewhere. We’ll keep those items in stock and see how they sell over the next few months.”

Gregory expects a depression in local wine and liquor shops for about two years. In that time, it’s certain that several smaller operations will not be able to compete. Like every other entity in the booze business, wine shops are trying to navigate the new reality, and while Gregory wishes that the laws had changed slower to give local business owners time to adapt, he will have to adjust on the fly and find ways to compensate for lost income. The future of locally owned liquor and wine shops rests in the choices that Oklahomans make over the next few years.

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home

PHOTO BY DON RISI

Light and Life Bright and colorful, elegant and comfortable, with a clear love for creativity and a willingness to embrace and accommodate unconventionality (note the skull on the left shelf) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if our houses are reflections of ourselves, SixTwelve founder Amy Young is perfectly at home in her Crown Heights abode.

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home HABITAT

AT HOME WITH JOY

Amy Young’s Crown Heights wonderland

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOS BY DON RISI

T HE E N ERGET IC, EBU L L IE N T Amy Young and her beautiful Crown Heights home are both full of surprises. Her decisive, deep and almost booming voice, tinged with a deeply Southern accent, is certainly unexpected considering her 5-foot frame.

Perhaps it’s her own endearing juxtaposition, of delicate appearance and strong presence, that informs her design aesthetic. It, too, delights in unexpected combinations of color and style, with lots of cheeky humor, in a home that’s bright, lively and feminine, filled with art, plants and chandeliers.

Young divides her time between Savannah and Oklahoma City, where she is the owner and founder of SixTwelve, home of the Young School and a multi-purpose community space in Oklahoma City’s Paseo Arts District. She bought it in 2010 and then spent almost three years renovating the property and working with the city to rezone the area. “It’s crazy how long things

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In each room, Young’s love of art and artists is on full display. Her formal living room, elegant and feminine, was recently reimagined by the talents at three-generation Oklahoma City design firm Thomson +Thomson. Its ceiling and crown moldings are pristine, and the scale of the art lends a gravitas to the space. A large piece by Mary Ann Strandell, titled “Emperor,” enchants and adds brilliance.

(Clockwise from top) Nearly the whole rear wall of Young’s home opens up, making for an indooroutdoor space perfect for entertaining or just hanging out watching the clouds float by.

A galley kitchen, typical of the homes of its era (circa 1931), has been made bright and cheerful with cerulean walls, bright white cabinetry and a traditional rug in jewel-toned hues.

Young’s peachy dining room, perhaps a nod to her love of Georgia, is also filled with art. It’s a happy room, comfortable but not fussy.

take,” she says. “I’ve known since I was 8 that I wanted to have a school. Everything I’ve done in my education and career has led to SixTwelve.”

SixTwelve houses a preschool and after-school program, both of which are maxed out, with 10 kids in the former and 15 in the latter. It also offers spring break and summer activity camps for kids grouped by age. Young taught for years before going back to school herself at age 34, to study art and art history. “I did study abroad, and it was me and a bunch of 19-year-old kids!” she says.

She loves to learn, and has attended the University of Oklahoma in different capacities from 1988 to 2012. “I have three and a half degrees,” she says.

Young bought her Crown Heights home before she embarked on her SixTwelve adventure, back in 2007. “This neighborhood was the closest thing I could find to Savannah in Oklahoma City,” Young says. She came to know and love her second city, Savannah,

in a rom-com-worthy plot device: a near-marriage. “I fell in love with Savannah 22 years ago and would have lived there, but I called off the wedding. Five years ago, I bought a house there.”

Her Crown Heights hideout is the perfect place for this woman to recharge her batteries, with her sweet terrier mix Willie Merle by her side. “We did one round of renovation. The backyard was all hard surface.”

Enter Young’s dear friend and landscape designer Phillip Koszarek. He and Young transformed her backyard into a lush, verdant poolside oasis. Its soothing tranquility is only enhanced by the adjacent sunroom and its large glass doors that open nearly the entire length of the wall.

Throughout the whole place, a mix of family antiques, art created by people she loves and beautiful objects new and old have been deftly swirled together to create a home truly reflective of its joyful, earnest occupant.

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home DÉCOR

From Chateau Designs and Interiors: Medium crystal tower container, $79; Petal pot orchid, $159; Navy box, $90; Palm Springs Modern Living, $40

You’re the Tops Finishing touches for the coffee table

ON E E V ER-POPU L A R and, most would agree, essential piece

From Gathered Home Shop: Onyx bowl, $49; Bone inlay sunburst box, $49.99; Voluspa candle, $29.95; Panda Raffia coaster set, $19.99; Wonderplants, $42; Organic cement pot, $9.95

Starr Home, 15124 Lleyton’s Court, Edmond, starrhomeokc.com; Gathered Home Shop, 115 S Broadway, Edmond, gatheredhomeshop.com; ME Home, 2925 W Wilshire, OKC, mehomecollection.com; Chateau Designs and Interiors (formerly known as Red Chateau), 9209 N Penn, OKC, chateaudesignandinteriors.com

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From ME Home: Blue and white porcelain pagoda, $200; Tom Ford book, $135; Selenite cross, $390

PHOTOS BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

From Starr Home: Dixie hourglass, $42; Abstract bowl, $60; Acrylic easel, $26; “Shikomi II” painting, $100; Quartz flower, $55; Marble tray, $85

of furniture for the living room is the coffee table – but while the choice to include one might be obvious, the next steps sometimes aren’t. Selecting what to place on top of that lovely coffee table – books, candles, trays, picture frames, knickknacks – can be more involved, and more rewarding, than picking out the table itself. Here are a few pairings of things that might jumpstart your arrangement. One hint: don’t be afraid to clear it off and start over. The top of your coffee table is one of the easiest places to reset the mood of a room. - SAR A GAE WATERS

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travel

One for the Road

JOHN VALLS

Enoteca Nostrana, the latest project by six-time James Beard “Best Chef Northwest Award” nominee Chef Cathy Whims and partner David West, isn’t just a good place to grab an excellent glass of wine and some Italian bites; it’s practically a reason to visit Portland all by itself.

In fact, it’s one of many must-trys in a variety of culinary Meccas.

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travel FOOD

WHERE THE DINING IS THE DRAW Travel destinations to treat your taste buds

BY MAT T PAYNE AND ELAINE WARNER

There are dozens of reasons to enjoy traveling – seeing amazing sights, reconnecting with old friends, just getting away from it all – but destination dining elevates a daily necessity to a starring role. Next time you’re hitting the road, plan a visit to these cities where outstanding dining isn’t just an element of the vacation; it’s one of the main attractions.

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PORT L A N D, OR EG ON Boar collar meat rubbed with garlic, coriander and black pepper, glazed with soy and sugar then grilled over charcoal and served with a spicy chili/lime/garlic sauce. Sounds delightfully confusing, right? Because it is. Known as Muu Paa Kham Waan, it’s one of a more than a dozen explosive Thai dishes you’ve likely never heard of – flavored drinking vinegar, anyone? – served at Portland’s famed and expanding Asian eatery known as Pok Pok. Chef Andy Ricker’s house specialty is half a dozen fresh whole natural chicken wings, marinated in fish sauce and sugar, deep fried, tossed in caramelized Vietnamese fish sauce and garlic and served with Cu Cai – which, to the uninitiated, are pickled vegetables. If you don’t order a drinking vinegar with your meal – be it tamarind, pomegranate, honey, pineapple, ginger Thai basil, turmeric, celery or apple – you haven’t really eaten at Pok Pok. Its meteoric ascension is one of dozens of highlights in the Portland culinary world. Anyone passionate about food knows that Portland was a food city before “food cities” were a thing.

Think Pok Pok sounds exotic? Try starting off your dinner with a flight of vodkas and cold zakuski – an assortment of cold appetizers that ranges from fish

PHOTO BY JAMIE FRANCIS

Chef Andy Ricker’s famous Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings at Pok Pok in Portland, Oregon

travel FOOD

spreads and assorted caviar to house-dried beef Basturma – at Kachka, where chef Bonnie Morales serves refined Russian dishes in a lively atmosphere. Most important, when you sit down to eat zakuski, is the toast (“Budem!”) that comes after completing each shared dish.

At Bistro Agnes, chef-owners Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñonez Denton serve classic Parisian staples in the heart of the West End district. Chef Cathy Whims and partner David West feature classic, regional Italian bites in the visually stunning wine bar Enoteca Nostrana; and renowned local chef Gabriel Rucker’s more casual concept Canard was recognized by The Oregonian as “Portland’s 2018 Restaurant of the Year.”

The list of Portland’s “must eat” restaurants is extensive: breakfast at Taste and Alder or Mother’s, lunch at Lardo (there are several), ice cream at Salt and Straw, a trip to Voodoo Donuts … plus, a visit to one of the city’s dozens of food pods (think food truck cities) is mandatory. To do it right, a trip here requires several days, and roomy clothes. - MP

F R EDER ICK SBU RG, T E X A S The best peach I’ve ever tasted was at the Eckhardt Heirloom tomatoes shine in this fresh, Orchard – but while the peach season only crab-topped salad at Farm Haus Bistro runs from May through August, there are in Fredericksburg, Texas. tasty reasons to visit year-round. From the beer and brats of Fredericksburg Brewing Company, Texas’ oldest brew pub, to the “five Fredericksburg is also long on extras. For sausages and cheeses, and dime” vibe and 70 kinds of ice cream made at Clear River check out Opa’s. Fredericksburg Pie Company features from-scratch Pecan Company, flavorful high points abound. pies; the peach praline pie rocks. But my #1 Do-Not-Miss extra spot Farm Haus Bistro offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in a is Chocolat, where owner Lecia Duke was the first U.S. chocolatier most beautiful setting, and basement bistro Vaudeville serves to master the art of European-style, liquid-centered chocolates. delicious “reinvented classics” including a dynamite Reuben. For Find ones filled with anything from fruit juice and Texas wines to an amazing dinner, with the largest list of Texas wines, reserve tequila and Tennessee whiskey. a table at Cabernet Grill. Chef-owner Ross Burtwell’s fare There are lots of reasons to visit Fredericksburg – wine, competes at the highest level, and Wine Enthusiast Magazine history, shopping and scenery – but its great Texas tastes may be named it one of the nation’s top 100 wine restaurants. This is the best. - EW upscale dining with a Texas Hill Country casual atmosphere.

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PHOTOS: VOODOO DONUTS COURTESY WWW.TRAVELPORTLAND.COM; SALAD BY ELAINE WARNER

A Portland must: Voodoo Donuts

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travel FOOD

Seafood Palace in Lake Charles, Louisiana, specializes in local seafood such as crabs, crawfish and shrimp.

OCE A N SPR I NGS, MIS SIS SIPPI

Across Biloxi Bay from the eponymous city with its busy casinos, live oaks arch over downtown streets lined with

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PHOTOS BY ELAINE WARNER

L A K E CH A R L E S, L OU ISI A NA Let Napa have its wine trail; southwest Louisiana has a boudin trail through the heart of Cajun country. Excellent examples of this regional specialty (think sausage with rice, onions, parsley and spices added) can be found all over. In fact, some of the very best boudin is purchased in bait shops or filling stations … but unless you’re guided by a local, you’ll probably want to stick to LeBleu’s Landing in nearby Sulphur, or the boudin balls at Seafood Palace in Lake Charles. Although, once you’re there, you’ll really want to try the gumbo, crawfish and crabs, as well.

Sloppy’s downtown has a more eclectic menu, including boudin-stuffed beignets, great music and dancing at its Saturday zydeco brunch. There’s much more than Cajun on menus at the restaurants in the L’Auberge Casino Resort, but I couldn’t resist the Cajun Benedict – rounds of Southern-style corn bread topped with fried green tomatoes, sliced avocado and poached eggs, drizzled with a crawfish Hollandaise sauce and surrounded with slices of spicy andouille sausage.

Other great stops include Calla for small plates and tapas; 1910, which features local ingredients prepared with French flair; Villa for Italian favorites; amazing hot dogs at Botsky’s; and Pops & Rockets Pop Lab, where they hand-make gourmet popsicles and ice cream.

Lake Charles cuisine ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous – sublimely excellent to ridiculously delicious. - EW

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interesting little galleries and boutiques in this idyllic little town, where the seafood and southern specialties are divine.

Charred, a steak and oyster bar, does cool things with oysters. There’s always raw, but I really liked Oysters Joachim, chef/owner Milton Joachim’s own take: fried, on a bed of spicy red onion marmalade and topped with a tarragon aioli and micro-greens. They’re served on a half-shell perched on a mound of sea salt – lovely presentation. And his steaks are all aged and seared at 800 degrees. I would love to have tried his eight-ounce ground ribeye burger with aged Cheddar and hickory-smoked country bacon jam, but when in Rome …

I got both Southern and seafood at Mosaic, with a grits cake smothered in a tomato cream sauce and shrimp. The menu is extensive, with something for every taste, including tapas and vegetarian and vegan options. Variety is the spice of their cocktails – seven different twists on a mojito and 10 on martinis.

Maison de Lu has a French flair and a beautiful patio for outdoor dining. Lunch staples are sandwiches and salads, with heavier dishes saved for dinner. The menu is not large, but daily specials add to the usual dishes.

If you’re just in the mood for something sweet, French Kiss Pastries is your spot. In addition to a wide choice of European-style pastries, several light lunch items are on the menu. Or stop at the nearby Candy Cottage for a New Orleans-style praline; they make them fresh each day.

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dining Picture-Perfect Cuisine

PHOTO BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

With its subtly spiced broth, crispy spinach leaves and mango relish, this Thai Curry Shrimp makes a delicious entrée – but since it’s being served at The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro, it’s going to be visually sumptuous, as well. LaVeryl Lower’s exacting eye for detail and sense of presentation are part of why this OKC gem is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

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dining

LOCAL FLAVOR

(clockwise from top left) Thai Curry Shrimp, Metro Smoked Salmon, The Metro’s cozy dining area

A Pearl Among Restaurants The Metro marks 30 delicious years

BY GREG HORTON PHOTOS BY SCOT T Y O’DANIEL

LaVeryl Lower looks at a plate of Thai Curry Shrimp that our art director is about to photograph. She considers it briefly, adjusts a couple of components … and then tells the server to send it back and have the kitchen redo it. For 30 years as of Dec. 7, Lower will have applied the same meticulous approach to all food served at The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro.

Any bystander looking at that dish would have seen a beautiful plate of food. At The Metro, though, there is the dish in Lower’s head and the dish on the plate, and only one of them is getting reworked. When the revised plate comes out, it does look better, somehow, in some hard-to-define way. The basil leaves are bigger, greener, maybe. The shrimp are more prominent? It’s best to shrug and just enjoy the food.

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The Metro opened in 1988 as a French bistro. Located across the street from The Coach House, it was the brainchild of Chris and LaVeryl Lower and Kurt Fleischfresser, who were also partners in The Coach House. The partnership ended amicably in 2005 when Fleischfresser and the Lowers traded their shares with each other. LaVeryl, already at that time the day-to-day presence at the wheel of The Metro, has run it as operating partner ever since, and the couple assumed full ownership of the building when they purchased it in 2013.

Fleischfresser created most of the original menu – with Vance Gregory of Edmond Wine Shop consulting on the first wine list – and many of the items on that original menu are still there: bread pudding, pork tenderloin, smoked salmon, veal liver and onions. Wait, liver and onions? Fine dining?

“People do come just for the liver and onions,” Lower says. “I guess a lot of places don’t offer it, or they maybe think it’s good for them?”

She is not herself a fan of the taste of liver, but menus are not meant to please

(clockwise from top) Lamb Potstickers, Sweet Potato Tamale, Tres Leches Cake

the owner – a lesson not always well learned by owners – and giving customers what they want, or what they didn’t know they wanted until they tried it, has always been one of Lower’s strongest gifts.

I wrote in the February 2017 issue that plenty of butter, savory and earthy.

Lower’s unbelievable wine list, which is alThe dish is superbly constructed, well ways an industry gold standard, is a prodbalanced and creative. uct of her experience, palate and intuition, Adapting to change does not mean and that good taste when it comes to wine always yielding to trends, though. Some is picking wines that a lot of people agree dishes, such as those surviving originals, hit are delicious. She has the same experithe menu and stay. In 2006, then-executive ence, intuition and palate with food, and chef Chad Willis added the lamb potstickshe listens to her customers. ers with house-made tamarind “ketchup.”

“We added a vegetarian option about It is still on the menu, and while it isn’t 10 years ago because so many of our the most popular of the appetizer options guests wanted something creative and – that would be the smoked salmon – it is fun,” she says. “It used to be [that] ‘vegethe most interesting in that it harnesses tarian’ meant salad or grilled vegetables.” elements not often combined to make a Their vegetarian special rotates rich, zippy, satisfying small bite of exseasonally; the most recent iteration is plosive flavor. Experienced Metro diners a shiitake mushroom and keep the tamarind ketchup sweet potato tamale. By any around for all the courses, measure, it is a filling meal, by the way.

THE METRO WINE BAR & BISTRO and it’s delicious in a way Willis is one of 10 chefs that makes you not notice it’s who have held the executive 6418 N Western, OKC vegetarian: hearty, soulful, title at The Metro, including 405.840.9463

some of the city’s best. They all learned immediately that Lower believes everything should be made from scratch, and she wondered aloud when we talked why so many places don’t do that.

The commitment to fresh-made food is matched by her commitment to high standards and consistency. The kitchen has two expo positions, on facing sides of the expo window. No plate hits the floor without being inspected twice.

Only a few restaurants do that, and The Metro has always done it. Consistency is present in the staff, too, as many have been there more than 15 years, and a few more than 20.

What’s next for The Metro? Lower doesn’t have plans for big changes, and why would she? Everything from the soup to the seafood to the bread pudding to the wine list is stellar, and has been for 30 years. And counting.

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CHEF’S TABLE

Team Philosophy Cream pie from Café 7’s Stephanie Miller ST EPH A N IE MIL L ER GR EW U P the youngest of seven children in a

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For Chef Miller’s old-fashioned cream pie recipe, go to 405magazine.com/Eat-Drink

He then introduced me to Jimmy Mays and Chris Kana, now my business partners.”

Away from work, Miller dabbles in acrylic and resin art, and she said she reads more now than ever before. Her garden is where she’s happiest, though, and not least because it’s a reminder of her grandmother, Ina Belle Morrical.

“She always let us help in the kitchen, be it peeling apples for cobbler, canning vegetables from the garden or jarring blackberry jam. We washed dishes, too, in the hottest water imaginable.”

Miller got this recipe from her grandmother, although she said its origins are actually Amish. It’s a simple cream pie, the ingredients for which many people always have on hand, and a delicious alternative to fruit pies. - GREG HORTON

PHOTOS BY SHANNON CORNMAN

family devoted to practical science: mother a nurse and father a cancer researcher. At home, dinner was “an ordeal.” Mother and father worked as a team to feed the family of nine, and the lesson has stuck with Miller. As the operating partner at Café 7’s downtown location, she prefers people who are solid team players.

“After I was born, my mom went back to work as an RN,” she says. “On the nights when she had to work late, my dad would make a giant pot of beans and cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet. I always appreciated how they worked together seamlessly as a team.”

Miller started cooking at age 3. Her mother couldn’t make breakfast for her one morning, so she put an egg in a skillet and went back to her room.

The house soon filled with black smoke, and she distinctly remembers her mother evacuating the children from their home. It was a dubious prelude to a culinary career that began at 15.

“Every job I ever had was in a restaurant,” Miller says. “I knew I wanted to help people, but I didn’t really know how. I always enjoyed cooking, and learning to do it in a setting like our house, where it was always such a chore but everyone helped, was important in helping me decide to go with a restaurant career.”

Her first formal cooking gig was at a lakeside restaurant in Norman. She quickly went from running the registers to working the grill and fryers, a position that taught her speed and efficiency. Most of her instruction came at home and through early jobs, but she did finally go to culinary school.

It was while she was getting formal training at Platt College that Miller met the Café 7 team. “I was fortunate to hone my skills working with great chefs, including Marc Dunham, at Platt, and it was during a ‘garde manger’ class that Paul Sorrentino introduced his plan to start the Café 7 concept.

GOOD TASTE

Othello’s Chicken Parmigiana

Back in Business Norman landmark Othello’s returns

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sparking a devastating fire. In September, the landmark at 434 Buchanan reopened to the public. Unfortunately, there was an extra year in between; the duration of the closure was not the six months owner Jennifer Dennis had initially hoped for, but closer to 16. I’m not impartial on the subject – this restaurant is actually where my wife and I had our first date nearly 20 years ago – but I consider it great news that, finally, Othello’s is back.

And if there is a silver lining to that longer-than-expected hiatus, it’s that the scope of the repairs meant this project wasn’t just a matter of reopening; it was an extensive overhaul and improvement.

The result is a completely different vibe: Gone are the dim-vergingon-simply-dark lighting and worn red carpeting of a restaurant that already felt vintage two decades ago, in favor of a vaulted entrance, and a more spacious feel throughout, aided by the massive murals that fill the main dining area. And the ample patio on the north side now has a fire pit, an awning with overhead heaters and fans and space for musical performances.

Meanwhile, the menu is stuffed with possibilities from fried ravioli to steamed mussels to coconut cream pie, and the variety should be sufficient for most palates – but I will point out that the chicken parmigiana is excellent. Tender chicken, crisp breading, red sauce redolent with garlic … the classics never go out of style. The atmosphere has changed, but manager Patrick Murray and most of the staff are back, the food is still tempting, and I have a hunch Othello’s is still a pretty good date spot. - STEVE GILL

PHOTO BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

I N APR I L , LIG HTN I NG struck Norman Italian restaurant Othello’s,

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THE MISSING PIECES OF THE DOWNTOWN PUZZLE

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t’s a well-known fact that downtown Oklahoma City has been yearning for a new flavor; the area is primed and ready for a buzzing food scene to rival that of its regional counterparts. While Deep Deuce’s rich history has contributed to the recapturing of its glory days, its future relies on a food movement that meets the community’s needs at every level.

Enter La Baguette Deep Deuce, a Parisian café with an American twist. The OKC metro’s favorite locally owned shop for delicious cakes and pastries first introduced the French Patisserie to Norman in 1984; now it spreads the love to downtown Oklahoma City.

But what does La Baguette Deep Deuce offer that can’t be found elsewhere? The answer lies in its approach to the new-age café model.

While most cafés in the area focus on selling beans, La Baguette brings that and everything else you’d want to pair with your brew.

Whether it’s the extensive pastry selection and artisan sandwiches or the Peruvian peppers and Cerignola olives, the range is unparalleled.

Adjacent to La Baguette Deep Deuce is Black Walnut, a restaurant focused on curating the perfect balance of thoughtful food and unbuttoned atmosphere. The blending of American cuisine and the neighborhood’s cultural history make it the perfect place for the community to come together. The eclectic and vibrant menu makes Black Walnut a standout eatery, and the pairing of global cocktails from Bali to Brazil adds to its culinary

spirit. If you’re looking for something sweet and savory, the Thai deep fried shrimp with lemongrass honey might be your go-to, or if you’re in the mood for something fresh and light, there’s a seared yellowfin tuna with mango and papaya.

Next, we have Grey Sweater – a dining experience that offers a three-tiered tasting menu that highlights the most unique and unforgettable flavors from all over the world. Grey Sweater embraces a lifestyle of warmth that aims for a culinary experience where conventional cooking does not apply, transferring energy and creativity by letting ingredients travel the grey areas of taste. It’s the hard-to-define experiences and the dedication to innovation that make Grey Sweater one of the most exciting new restaurant concepts in Oklahoma.

Having three unique restaurants housed in the same building presents the opportunity for an experience unlike any other.

But perhaps what ties all three concepts together is that they are all under the same roof sharing over 100 garage parking spots. Having three unique restaurants housed in the same building presents the opportunity for an experience unlike any other.

Deep Deuce’s glory days are coming back and La Baguette Deep Deuce, Black Walnut and Grey Sweater are just what the area needs to complete the puzzle.

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American AURORA Its warmly comfortable atmosphere makes a perfect backdrop for a quick cup of Hoboken coffee or hearty breakfast or lunch assembled from superb ingredients – just be certain not to miss the beautiful secluded backyard area. 1704 NW 16th, OKC, 609.8854 $ BUTTERMILK Get a fresh, hot start to the day at the Paseo’s brick-andmortar version of a beloved OKC food truck, specializing in a wide range of deliciousness served between biscuits. 605 NW 28th, OKC, 605.6660 $

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THE DRUM ROOM March your own drumsticks in for a heap of crispy, juicy fried chicken (among the city’s best) starring alongside fried okra, waffles and a fully loaded bar. 4300 N Western, OKC, 604.0990 $$ EDDIE’S BAR & GRILL This stylish spot not far from UCO is equally ideal for a casual drink, appetizers while watching the game or a dinner date. And bear in mind that the wings are outstanding. 930 E 2, Edmond, 285.7725 $$ GREY SWEATER Chef Andrew Black offers guests an imaginative culinary journey via a three-tiered tasting menu drawing on flavors from around the world – unpredictable, but always outstanding.

102 NE 4th, OKC, 455.6274 $$$ HUNNY BUNNY Bringing the allure of fresh, hot breakfast treats to Uptown 23rd, this purveyor of made-from-scratch biscuit sandwiches located in the Tower Theatre is a must for comfort food lovers.

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THE JONES ASSEMBLY It’s noteworthy as a spectacular concert venue, but don’t overlook the kitchen’s output the rest of the time. The bar (try a Frosé) and main menu (try everything) are sufficient to make memories even on non-special occasions. 901 W Sheridan, OKC, 212.2378 $$ KITCHEN NO. 324 A seasonally inspired café and craft bakery serving spectacular rustic American cuisine. Open for lunch and dinner, and a thorough treat for breakfast or brunch. 324 N Robinson, OKC, 763.5911 $ KITCHEN AT COMMONPLACE Few bookstores offer more than coffee and pastries, but then Commonplace Books isn’t exactly ordinary. This full restaurant is a small but savory treat. 1325 N Walker, OKC, 534.4540 $$

MARY EDDY’S Inside the inviting environs of Film Row anchor 21c Museum Hotel, this showplace of a restaurant turns out a seasonally driven menu of expertly tuned flavors and dishes meant to be shared. 900 W Main, OKC, 982.6900 $$ NED’S STARLITE LOUNGE A successful family catering business grew into a lavishly retro-decorated restaurant and bar dishing up delectable burgers, chicken-fried steaks and more. 7301 N May, OKC, 242.6100 $$ NEIGHBORHOOD JAM Serving tasty takes on classic American dishes and more specialized options such as pineapple bourbon pancakes, this breakfast-centric spot aims to become a community favorite through outstanding execution. 15124 Lleytons Court, Edmond, 242.4161 $ PICASSO CAFÉ Their neighbors in the Paseo are painters, potters and sculptors, so it’s apt that creativity abounds in these zippy sandwiches, salads, pizza and surprises, including plentiful selections for vegetarians. 3009 Paseo, OKC, 602.2002 $ THE PRESS Built in a former printing facility and garage, this concept from The Mule’s team adds Oklahoma-inspired comfort food to the Plaza District – the chicken-fried steak comes recommended.

1610 N Gatewood, OKC, 982.1010 $$ RED CUP Comfortably ramshackle surroundings encourage curling up for conversation over great coffee, baked treats, vegetarian-friendly breakfast and lunch specials, and live music. 3122 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 525.3430 $ SCOTTIE’S DELI Soups, salads and especially sandwiches, all made from scratch and featuring meats that are cured, smoked and cooked in-house. Start with the pastrami and get ready to fall in love.

427 NW 23rd, OKC, 698.3696 $ SCRATCH Isn’t that the best place for food to come from? Top-of -the-line ingredients are combined into entrees and sides that are carefully concocted in-house, as are the bevy of wondrous craft cocktails.

132 W Main, Norman, 801.2900; 607 NW 28th, OKC $$ VAST Keeping your attention on the steaks, seafood and other temptations might be difficult; the view from atop the Devon Tower is truly unparalleled in Oklahoma, making this a fantastic date spot. 280 W Sheridan, 49th floor, OKC, 702.7262 $$$

Asian CAFÉ ICON Tempting sushi, Japanese specialties and delicious spectacles fill the menu to bursting with visually splendid and palate-pleasing treats. 311 S Blackwelder, Edmond, 340.8956 $$ EL TORO CHINO Big, bold flavors from disparate cuisines are blended in this self-described “Latin + Asian Kitchen” - creating results that are as excitingly distinctive as they are delicious. 2801 NW 36th, Norman, 708.9472 $$ GOGI GO Fast-casual Korean barbecue comes to Midtown thanks to chef Kevin Lee’s dream of making the traditional

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GORO An “izakaya” is a Japanese pub; visitors to the Plaza District will quickly come to associate the term with expertly crafted deliciousness thanks to this cheerful spot for ramen, yakitori, bar snacks and more. 1634 Blackwelder, OKC, 606.2539 $ KWAN’S KITCHEN Cantonese classics and French-Chinese cuisine in truly sumptuous surroundings? The roomy, regal Kwan’s has you covered. And try the lunch menu’s array of $8 selections for a quick, savory bite. 3031 W Memorial, OKC, 607.8838 $$ NOODEE / OKIE POKIE Rice or salad or noodles, grilled meats or fresh seafood, topped and sauced with a rainbow of options – whatever you pick from this pair of concepts under one roof, the resulting bowl will be just what you want, and also delicious. 2411 N Guernsey, OKC, 605.5272 $$ TSUBAKI SZECHUAN Bold flavors are a hallmark of Szechuan cuisine, so tell your taste buds to buckle up; spice is always present but never overpowering in this mouthwatering collection of staples and authentically executed dishes. 1117 NW 25th, OKC, 609.6606 $$

Anchor Down’s Okie Mule

Here’s to You, Oklahoma Toast the state at Anchor Down OK L AHO MA IS A SCOR PIO . We officially became the 46th

state on Nov. 16, 1907, and that means it has a birthday coming up … but since 111 candles are probably a bit much for a single cake, you should probably celebrate with a drink instead. And if you’re anywhere near Deep Deuce, there’s an ideal option waiting at Anchor Down, in the OKSea development at 30 NE 2nd.

The Okie Mule isn’t particularly complex. In fact, it only has four ingredients: vodka, tonic, ginger beer and a slice of fresh lime. But it’s the quality of those ingredients – especially when combined by manager Taylor Kerby – that makes the cocktail so refreshingly delicious, and their provenance that makes it a prime way to toast statehood day. The vodka in question is from Prairie Wolf Distillery, which is located in Guthrie and has been producing its signature vodka since its founding in 2013. And the hibiscus tonic that gives it a gently fragrant floral bouquet is Strong Tonic, a line of small-batch mixers handcrafted right here in OKC by a company Glenn Forester started in 2013, as well. (It was a good year for drinking locally.)

Anchor Down’s specialty cocktail is neither simply a Moscow Mule nor a vodka tonic, although it has elements of both of those classics – but for that matter, ours is neither a Midwestern nor Southwestern state, not really. The Sooner State is its own thing, and sometimes that can be delicious. So help yourself to Anchor Down’s Impossible burger or a classic corndog, and raise a glass to many more years of Oklahoma. - STEVE GILL

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YUZO Variety is the word in this sushi tapas bar, boasting a tempting swirl of Colombian, Brazilian and Japanese culinary influences. 808 N Broadway, OKC, 702.9808 $$

Bar & Pub Food BAR ARBOLADA OKC residents near Film Row have a neighborhood bar to call their own – but visitors from farther away also are welcome to sample the local beers, well-executed cocktails and seasonal menu of small plates. 637 W Main, OKC $$ OAK & ORE A Plaza District port of call built with repurposed rustic materials, it offers more than a handful of creative sandwiches that practically require a knife and fork, as well as a tantalizing selection of lovingly chosen craft beers. 1732 NW 16th, OKC, 606.2030 $ THE PORCH It has one of the best views in town, right next to OU on Campus Corner, making this college bar a prime place for a drink, a bite and peoplewatching. 311 W Boyd, Norman, 310.2257 $ SEAN CUMMINGS IRISH RESTAURANT The namesake chef brings the food, drinks, music and atmosphere of an Emerald Isle public house back to the metro – go raise a glass.

7628 N May, OKC $$ THE UNION A good sign for the future of the South of St. Anthony mini-district, this neighborhood hangout spot has three bars and a surprisingly forward-thinking menu.

616 NW 5th, OKC, 6012857 $$ THE WINSTON A menu packed with intriguing possibilities among “elevated pub food” balances out an impressive selection of beer, wine and whiskies.

Cheers. 106 W Main, Norman, 561.7616 $$

Barbeque THE BUTCHER BBQ STAND It’s open three days a week and is a good distance from the heart of the metro – but it doesn’t matter, because this is absolutely some of the best barbeque you’ll find anywhere. Go early and prepare to be dazzled. 3402 W Hwy 66, Wellston, 240.3437 $$ DECKLE SMOKEHOUSE BBQ Offering true Texas-style pit barbeque (nothing but oak for their smoke), its brisket, ribs and house-made German sausage are set off by imaginative sides. 324 W Edmond, Edmond, 657.2992 $ LEO’S BAR-B-Q Dense, rich flavor and tender texture, delivered in genuine unpolished style for commendable value – no wonder its ribs and brisket are favorites among Oklahoma connoisseurs. 3631 N Kelley, OKC 424.5367 $ SWADLEY’S Expertly prepared meats – the sausage is especially succulent – form the backbone of this Oklahoma chain’s crowd-pleasing menu. And if there’s a special occasion approaching, they’re also award-winning caterers. 5 metro locations, swadleys.com $$

Burgers & Sandwiches THE GARAGE BURGERS & BEER It can get noisy in the sports-bar atmosphere, but even so your focus will likely be on savoring the many tempting flavor possibilities of huge, juicy burgers and fries. 8 metro locations, eatatthegarage. com $ LIP SMACKERS Don’t sweat the surroundings; this gas station-adjacent grill dishes up big, beefy burgers in an unusually broad spectrum of deliciousness.

4200 N Penn, OKC, 604.9770 $ NIC’S GRILL It’s small, it’s crowded … and it’s incredible. It’s only open for lunch and the lines are often long, but the colossal burgers are easily among the metro’s best. Don’t forget some money, since it’s cash-only. 1202 N Penn, OKC, 524.0999 $ TUCKER’S ONION BURGERS With one burger, plus the recently added Impossible Burger (vegetarian), one side (fries) and one salad, the menu is easy to remember - and the execution makes the meal unforgettable. Add a shake and enjoy.

4 metro locations, tuckersonionburgers. com $

Continental BLACKBIRD A Campus Corner gastropub pairing succulently creative dishes like pot roast nachos with a broad beer, wine and whiskey list. There’s little on the menu that won’t tempt palates. 575 S University, Norman, 928.5555 $$ CHEEVER’S Southwestern-influenced recipes (the chicken-fried steak is a house specialty) and love of seafood

PHOTO BY SCOTTY O’DANIEL

AT THE BAR

cuisine approachable for OKC diners. Pick your protein, grab it as it comes off the grill and get ready to come back again and again. 1325 N Walker, OKC, 778.8524 $

drive the contemporary comfort food in one of the city’s finest dining destinations. 2409 N Hudson, OKC, 525.7007 $$ EN CROUTE A warmly welcoming, comfortable café in Nichols Plaza offers treats all day long, from fresh pastries to select spirits and beer, with special emphasis on artisanal cheese and charcuterie. 6460 Avondale, OKC, 607.6100 $ LUDIVINE The menu adjusts constantly to reflect availability of elite-quality, locally sourced ingredients - but every dish is the result of genuine culinary artistry. 805 N Hudson, OKC, 778.6800 $$$ THE MANTEL Marvelous steaks, seafood and other specialties combine with a refined atmosphere to set the stage for a truly memorable meal, especially if you have a date to impress. 201 E Sheridan, OKC, 236.8040 $$$ THE METRO A perennial favorite that feels comfortably upscale without exerting pressure to impress on its clientele, the farreaching menu covers culinary high points from vichyssoise to crème brulée. 6418 N Western, OKC, 840.9463 $$ THE PRITCHARD WINE BAR Tempted by tempranillo? Musing about muscat? This Plaza District stop is amply stocked with an extensive list of exceptional wines, and sampling the

varied dishes is a pleasure in itself. 1749 NW 16th, OKC, 601.4067 $ ROCOCO An “East Coast-style” restaurant with a diverse menu of international dishes, all set off by carefully selected wines to create the perfect dinner pairing. 12252 N May, OKC, 212.4577; 2824 N Penn, OKC, 528.2824 $$

French CAFÉ CUVEE Located in Midtown’s magnificent Ambassador Hotel, this paean to the flavors of la belle France is the result of a collaboration between star chefs and elite ingredients. 1200 N Walker, OKC, 898.8120 $$ LA BAGUETTE BISTRO Les Freres Buthion have deep roots in the city’s culinary landscape, and this flagship combines fine dining with a great bakery, deli and butcher on site. 7408 N May, OKC, 840.3047 $$ FAIT MAISON Foie gras to Brandy Alexander, this classical French restaurant delivers exceptional cuisine made with exacting care for exquisite, if pricy, event dining. 152 E 5th, Edmond, 509.2555 $$$

German DAS BOOT CAMP Longtime fixture

for Deutsch festivities Royal Bavaria has brewed up a second round of exceptional cuisine and magnificent beer in a less expensive, faster-paced location in downtown Norman. 229 E Main, Norman, 701.3748 $ FASSLER HALL Bringing German flavor to Midtown via house-made sausages, warm soft pretzels with cheese sauce, duck fries and a heftig beer menu, plus a weekend brunch – what’s not to love? 421 NW 10th, OKC, 609.3300 $

Indian GOPURAM - TASTE OF INDIA A fullservice restaurant whose richly appointed interior and attentive staff accord patrons the feel of fine dining, even during the plentifully stocked lunch buffet. 4559 NW 23rd, OKC, 948.7373 $$ MISAL OF INDIA A Norman institution for over 30 years, specializing in tandooricooked delicacies and boasting healthy, natural, delicious cuisine served amid splendid ambiance. 580 Ed Noble Pkwy, Norman, 579.5600 $$

toppings), it offers whole pizzas or slices, a full bar and a primo patio. 1804 NW 16th, OKC $ THE HEAT There’s really no need to be humble about this true Chicago-style pizza, boasting perhaps the best crust known to man. It’s one of our favorites; choose your toppings and think deep thoughts. 1319 S Broadway, Edmond, 715.1818 $ MONI’S Handmade, New Jersey-style brick oven pizza and authentic pasta recipes from Southern Italy in a casual, comfy ambience (ideal for dates). 17200 N May, Edmond, 285.5991 $$ PIZZERIA GUSTO Neapolitan-style pizza (which harnesses an extremely hot fire to quickly cook superfine flour crusts and quality ingredients) stars alongside Italy-inspired salads, pastas and appetizers. 2415 N Walker, OKC, 437.4992 $$

Italian & Pizza

STELLA MODERN ITALIAN CUISINE A luscious spate of legitimately Italian tastes for a casual lunch, or romantic dinner, amid stylish scenery. The weekend brunch offerings are especially superb. 1201 N Walker, OKC, 235.2200 $$

EMPIRE SLICE HOUSE Reigning over the Plaza District in New York style (that means thin, flexible crust with a lot of surface area to cover in cheese and tasty

UPPER CRUST A chic, contemporary pizzeria and wine bar specializing in wood-fired, thin-crust New York-style pies complemented by a full menu and wine

THE

PER FECT GIF T IS J UST A

G I F T C A R D AWA Y AVA I L A B L E I N S I D E O R O N L I N E A T W W W. C H A R L E S T O N S . C O M

V I E W OK L A HOM A C I T Y M E T RO L O C AT ION S ON L I N E AT W W W. C H A R L E S T O N S . C O M

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list. 5860 N Classen Blvd, OKC, 842.7743; 1205 NW 178th, Edmond, 285.8887 $$ VICTORIA’S A comfortable atmosphere, with local art on its walls and the art of pasta on its plates – the chicken lasagna and linguine with snow crab are especially excellent. 327 White, Norman, 329.0377; 3000 SW 104th, OKC, 759.3580 $ VITO’S RISTORANTE Homestyle Italian cuisine in an intimate setting where the staff and management treat customers like guests in their home. 7521 N May, OKC, 848.4867 $$

TASTE THE WORLD WITHOUT LEAVING THE 405!

Products From Over 60 Countries

WHEELHOUSE PIZZA A variety of daily slices and a bigger variety of 20-inch pies (mmm, try the Guido’s Speedo) bring pizza lovers in from all around, and wings, salads and sandwiches should keep every diner hungry for more. 11109 N May, OKC, 286.5814 $

Mexican & Latin American BARRIOS A serious collection of Latinflavored deliciousness, including a brunch that’s maravilloso, in a cool Midtown space with a back patio that’s pure paradise.

1000 N Hudson, OKC, 702.6922 $ BIG TRUCK TACOS It’s nearly always standing-room-only at lunch, but don’t let that deter you; spend a few minutes in line and get an ample reward in the form of fast, fresh, imaginative taco creations. 530 NW 23rd, OKC, 525.8226 $ CAFÉ KACAO A sunlit space filled with bright, vibrant flavors from the zesty traditions of Guatemala. Lunch possibilities beckon, but it’s the breakfast specialties that truly dazzle. 3325 N Classen, OKC, 602.2883 $ CAFÉ DO BRASIL It’s a long way from OKC to Rio, but the savory menu in this Midtown hot spot covers the distance in a mouthful. Even brunch is a spicy, inimitable treat. 440 NW 11th, OKC, 525.9779 $$ HACIENDA TACOS Quality and variety make this restaurant in the Shoppes at Northpark a pleasure to visit, and to explore the menu again and again. 12086 N May, OKC, 254.3140 $

AMERICA, LET’S DO LUNCH AMERICA, LET’S DO LUNCH

OSO ON PASEO Make sure your appetite is loaded for bear when you visit this patiocentric spot in the Paseo Arts District – their mantra is Tacos & Cocktails, and they produce both with expertise and enthusiasm. 603 NW 28th, OKC, 309.8226 $

TM

John Gaul, SINCE 1925. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t look his best. Now, he and 1 in 6 seniors face the threat of hunger and millions more live in isolation. So pop by, drop off a hot meal and say a warm Volunteer on John Gaul, SINCE 1925.

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hunger and millions more live in isolation. So pop by, drop off a hot meal and say a warm hello. Volunteer for Meals on Wheels at AmericaLetsDoLunch.org TM

John Gaul, SINCE 1925. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t look his best. Now, he and 1 in 6 seniors face the threat of hunger and millions more live in isolation. So pop by, drop off a hot meal and say a warm hello. Volunteer for Meals on Wheels at AmericaLetsDoLunch.org

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TARAHUMARA’S Beloved by locals (there’s usually a line but it moves quickly), this airy ristorante serves huge, tasty TexMex classics plus less ubiquitous fare like carnitas de puerco and mole poblano. 702 N Porter, Norman, 360.8070 $$

Seafood BRENT’S CAJUN Sit down to a massive platter of jambalaya, crawfish etoufee, Pasta Orleans or any of the other temptations on the weekend brunch menu – and spice up your life. 3005 S Broadway, Edmond, 285.0911 $$

THE DRAKE The Good Egg Group’s flagship and a standard-bearer for diners who crave excellent seafood, it serves chef’s creations featuring the sea’s finest, plus an oyster bar and tempting cocktails.

519 NW 23rd, OKC $$$ OFF THE HOOK It’s a choice destination for po’ boys, fried or grilled baskets and specialty items such as the smothered seafood fries. Go get hooked. 125 S Britton, OKC, 840.3474; 1920 S Meridian, OKC, 606.6040 $ PEARL’S OYSTER BAR A perennial OKC favorite for its flavorful seafood and spicy Creole-inspired dishes: Shrimp Diablo, Tabasco-infused Caesar salads, Andouille omelets at Sunday brunch and more. 5641 N Classen, OKC, 848.8008 $$ CRABTOWN A huge Bricktown warehouse where the Cajun Crab Boil is a favorite, guests are encouraged to “leave the silverware at home and dig in” and taste is king. 303 E Sheridan, OKC, 232.7227 $$

Steakhouse BOULEVARD STEAKHOUSE Perfectly soigné ambiance down to the last detail and cuisine easily in the metro’s elite – a sumptuous, if pricy, masterpiece. 505 S Boulevard, Edmond, 715.2333 $$$ BROADWAY 10 Cruise into the Buick building in Automobile Alley to savor steak supremacy or seafood selections (even sushi) in a cozy enclave amid urban bustle. 1101 N Broadway, OKC, 212.3949 $$$ CATTLEMEN’S Almost as old as the state itself, this Oklahoma institution’s immense corn-fed steaks and matchless atmosphere are history served anew every day. 1309 S Agnew, OKC, 236.0416 $$ JAMIL’S STEAKHOUSE Saving room for your steak, lobster or prime rib is difficult when your gratis appetizers arrive in the form of a Lebanese bounty, but make the effort. Jamil’s has been feeding Oklahoma exceptionally well since 1964.

4910 N Lincoln, OKC, 525.8352 $$$ MAHOGANY PRIME STEAKHOUSE The ambiance and service are sublime, but fine aged steak broiled to perfection is the star. 3241 W Memorial, OKC, 748.5959; 100 W Main, OKC, 208.8800 $$$ MCCLINTOCK Where better to find a saloon than in Stockyards City? There’s plenty of room at the massive, 50-foot oak bar, and plenty of cocktails and whiskies behind it, but the main draw may be the massive, excellent steaks and chops. 2227 Exchange, OKC, 232.0151 $$$ MICKEY MANTLE’S This lushly atmospheric social spot in Bricktown serves powerhouse entrées and sides with a full complement of amenities destined to impress. 7 S Mickey Mantle, OKC, 272.0777 $$$ RANCH STEAKHOUSE Customaged hand-cut USDA Certified Prime tenderloins and ribeyes, served amid warm Southern hospitality. 3000 W Britton, OKC, 755.3501 $$$

events

PHOTO COURTESY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Time to Shine Cirque du Soleil has become a household name for combining elaborately choreographed acrobatics with music and stunning visuals in their high-flying family of shows. You may have seen some of their other traveling productions roll through OKC … but you’ve never witnessed one whose participants are all wearing ice skates. Join the glitterati through Nov.4 at the shimmering, sensational Crystal, as the Cox Center becomes a frozen wonderland of highadrenaline ice adventure.

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events PRIME PICKS

A Case of Identity Nov. 15-Dec. 9, Jewel Box Theatre Actor William Gillette has made a name for himself playing the role of Sherlock Holmes on stage, but when a fellow guest at a weekend retreat is found dead, he’s faced with the prospect of taking on the mantle of the great detective and discovering the killer himself. The Walker Avenue regulars of Jewel Box Theatre are in the mood for a mystery, and ready to share “The Game’s Afoot.”

Curtain Call Nov. 3, OKC Civic Center

Life’s Bitter Dance

David Sedaris

Nov. 14, Rose State Hudiburg Center

Mortality is increasingly on the mind of awardwinning essayist David Sedaris – but since he’s a keen observer with a gift for exceptionally scathing satire, the results are idiosyncratically hilarious: universally accessible but written in a voice like no other. His newest bestseller, Calypso, adds a fresh chapter to the autobiographical musings that fill this slightly grim but very funny evening.

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Remembrance Day Nov. 11, OKC Civic Center As we progress through history, is humanity learning anything? This month is the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, and Canterbury Voices is marking the occasion with the moving, reflective “War Requiem.” The OKC Philharmonic and choirs from OCU will help present Benjamin Britten’s soaring masterpiece, combined with the poetry of Wilfred Owen, painting a sonic picture of sorrow, resilience and hope for a future of peace.

PHOTOS: DAVID SEDARIS BY INGRID CHRISTIE; SHERLOCK HOLMES BY ESSANAY STUDIOS; WWI SOLDIERS BY ERNEST BROOKS

After three decades at the podium, former OKC Philharmonic music director Joel Levine is taking the baton one final time. The aptly named “Joel’s Farewell Concert” will feature two pieces – Ravel’s “Bolero” and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 – that he presided over at the Phil’s first-ever show, as well as Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait,” whose significance the maestro will reveal before the performance. It should be the ideal coda for a sterling career.

Kate Bunce, Musica, ca. 1895–97. Oil on canvas, 40 3/16 x 30 3/16 x 1 3/4 in., Birmingham Museums Trust (1897P17). © Birmingham Museums Trust

events ON LOCATION

with Lance McDaniel

A Cinema Powerhouse R ECK L E S S A BA N DON M E N T PICT U R E S is hidden inside a massive brick building half a mile from downtown. Nestled between the train tracks and the highway with a spectacular view of the city, it’s the perfect setting for a superhero movie.

Luckily, Kyle Roberts makes superhero movies. His first feature film, 2014’s The Posthuman Project, was a coming-of-age superhero tale that used superpowers as a metaphor for adolescence. The film dazzled at festivals around the world, racking up 14 major awards, including Best Director at the Orlando Film Festival and Best Oklahoma Film at the deadCenter Film Festival. It also introduced Roberts to the San Diego-based Comic-Con, the world’s largest comic and pop culture festival.

Kyle Roberts “I started reading comic books and hearing about Comic-Con when I was 10,” Roberts says. “To be invited to screen our OklaNext up, Roberts is working on a feature-length film called homa-made superhero film at Comic-Con alongside massive, What Rhymes With Reason. It is a faith-based film inspired by blockbuster Hollywood films was a dream come true.” the Book of Job, set in a modern high school.

Roberts followed up The Posthuman Project’s success with two “The goal is to tell the tragedy of Job against a backdrop of superhero short films, Heroes of the Realm and The Bulleteers. Last modern teenage life, constantly surrounded by social media,” year, he screened the pilot to a comic book-based web series called Roberts explains. “It is a fresh take on the age-old questions: Is The Grave. In between superhero films, Roberts stays busy directthere a God and, if so, why are these things happening to me?” ing and producing stop-motion animation projects, leveraging the Roberts promises the film will not be as heavy as the success of each film project to drive more paid work into Reckless premise. It will include all of the action and excitement of Abandonment Pictures. his superhero movies, infused with the faith that has guided Comic-Con is a key part of his success him throughout life. He shared it for years – thanks to meetings he arranged there, through non-denominational mentoring “People buy into PASSION . organization Young Life, appreciating its Roberts landed several projects from major clients for Reckless Abandonment approach of providing support rather than And I’ve got loads of it.”

Pictures. DreamWorks hired them to dictating belief.

K Y L E ROBERTS create a series of stop-motion animation “What Rhymes With Reason is an extenwebisodes for the motion picture Trolls. sion of that kind of faith,” Roberts says. “It’s Illumination connected them with projects for Lego. And not about preaching. It’s about asking questions, listening for Tongal booked them for two stop-motion animation series for answers and figuring out how we can build each other up to get Mattel’s “Thomas & Friends.” through life together.”

“People buy into passion,” Roberts reasons. “And I’ve got Exiting the Reckless Abandonment Pictures studio half a mile loads of it. I love being able to create films and animated series from downtown, I’m reminded of all the superheroes in my own life right here in Oklahoma with all of these great artists, casts that make the world better for everyone around them. Oklahoma is and crew members.” truly fortunate to have an everyday superhero like Kyle Roberts.

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ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN O’DANIEL; PHOTO BY HILLARY UNDERWOOD

Kyle Roberts’ super career

NOVE THRU

MBER

JANU

9

ARY 4

DEVON ICE RINK • DEVON'S SATURDAYS WITH SANTA • SANDRIDGE SANTA RUN • BRICKTOWN TREE LIGHTING FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY SONIC • A DOG DAY IN DECEMBER • FREE HOLIDAY WATER TAXI RIDES • LIGHTS ON BROADWAY ANNUAL EVENT • STREETCAR GRAND OPENING • HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOPS AT MIDTOWN • DELUXE WINTER MARKET • HOLLY JOLLY SHOPS AT THE BRICK • FESTIVAL ON THE GREENS • AUTOMOBILE ALLEY LIGHT DISPLAY • BRICKTOWN CANAL LIGHTS • BRICKTOWN HOLIDAY PARKLET • FILM ROW LIGHT DISPLAY • LITTLE WILLIE'S TRIPLE DOG DARE • MYRIAD GARDENS HOLIDAY EVENTS • OKCMOA HOLIDAY EVENTS • LYRIC'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL PRESENTED BY DEVON • SHERATON HOTEL HOLIDAY EVENTS • SKIRVIN HOLIDAY EVENTS • OKC BALLET'S THE NUTCRACKER PRESENTED BY DEVON • OKC PHILHARMONIC'S THE CHRISTMAS SHOW • RED EARTH TREEFEST • CANTERBURY CHRISTMAS AT THE CIVIC CENTER • AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM'S CANDY CANE CHRISTMAS • PAMBE GHANA'S GLOBAL MARKET • FIRST UNITED BANK DOWNTOWN GRAND OPENING • SANTA'S WONDERLAND AT BASS PRO SHOP • OKC ARTS COUNCIL'S OPENING NIGHT

FOR A FULL LIST OF EVENT DETAILS, VISIT DowntownInDecember.com

events SPEAKERBOX

A STAR IS BORN

(AGAIN AND AGAIN) A Star is Born has returned again, with its fourth iteration as a movie. The classic story of an aging alcoholic has-been taking in and mentoring a wannabe starlet – played by Janet Gaynor in 1937, Judy Garland in 1954 and Barbra Streisand in 1976 – is Hollywood gold. The 2018 version has Lady Gaga as the talented young singer, and she’s a revelation opposite burnt-out troubadour Bradley Cooper (who wrote and directed the film).

But this column is about music, and the soundtrack delivers plenty of great songs written, recorded and performed by Cooper and Gaga. With songwriting contributions from Lukas Nelson (son of Willie, and member of Neil Young’s Promise of the Real), the record is authentic, rich and heartbreaking. Oscar and Grammys are sure things.

NEW RELEASES PRINCE Piano & A Microphone 1983

Lindsey Buckingham plans solo Norman visit L I N DSE Y BUCK I NGH A M, easily one of the most gifted and original guitarists in

rock music, is bringing his solo show to the 405 this month. Known primarily as the guitarist for Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has also creatively carved out a divergent career in contemporary music.

Buckingham’s influence on Fleetwood Mac cannot be discounted. When asked to replace Bob Welch as the band’s guitarist in 1974, Buckingham insisted that he couldn’t work without his then-partner Stevie Nicks. And with that, rock history was made.

Buckingham’s songwriting prowess led to some of the band’s biggest hits, including “Go Your Own Way,” “Monday Morning” and “Second Hand News.”

His experimental solo career began with “Law and Order” in 1981, and became a full-time project when he left Fleetwood Mac in 1987 … before rejoining for “The Dance” live album and hugely successful reunion tour in 1997 that sealed the group’s legacy as a sure-thing concert draw.

But when Fleetwood Mac was planning its current arena tour, discussions reportedly became heated on the set list: Buckingham wanted to showcase new and obscure songs from the band’s catalog, and the rest of the band wanted to perform the standard “greatest hits.” With the tour already scheduled, Buckingham couldn’t sway the others.

So, now we get to see him go his own way.

Touring to showcase his most recent three-disc career collection “Solo Anthology: The Best of Lindsey Buckingham,” he performs Nov. 9 at the Riverwind Showplace Theater, 1544 State Highway 9 in Norman. Musician J.S. Ondara will be opening the show. For tickets, visit riverwind.com. - JERRY CHURCH

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CARRIE UNDERWOOD “Cry Pretty” Thanks to great management and her own capacity to understand how the business works, Carrie Underwood has her career running like a machine. “Cry Pretty” is full of ballads and femmepower anthems. Another solid product from America’s sweetheart.

TOM PETTY “An American Treasure” This is a four-CD set (60 songs) of mostly unreleased demos, live tracks and incomplete songs that didn’t make it on record. Further proof that Petty was a diverse, great songwriter and performer and a true musical treasure.

ERIC CHURCH “Desperate Man” One of the more compelling of the new breed of rebel country singers, Church (no relation) returns after a three-year hiatus with a set of new rockfueled songs. “Desperate Man” proves that he writes the most engaging songs in country music today.

ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE IMPOSTERS “Look Now” This two-disc set has EC making his first record with the Imposters in nearly a decade. The emphasis is on pop hooks and orchestral arrangements, always punctuated with sharp wit and melodies. His old friend Burt Bacharach makes a cameo. - JC

LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM PHOTO BY JOHN RUSSO

Going His Own Way

This aptly titled home recording (one of many forthcoming from the late Purple One’s extensive vaults) is a short, sweet showcase that was recorded post“1999” and pre-“Purple Rain,” when Prince was on the verge of his most prolific musical output.

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1501 N. BROADWAY AVE 405.458.0405

3501 WELLSITE DR. STE #125 405.777.3202

CROSSFIT405.COM // INFO@CROSSFIT405.COM PHOTO BY ORE ADESINA PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

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events SPOTLIGHT

Now, More Than Ever Oklahoma Contemporary takes the spotlight A N EW E X HIBI T ION on display, a

ON THE RADAR

NOV 2 Broadway Ball Lyric Theatre marks the 75th anniversary of “Oklahoma!” and welcomes headliner Bligh Voth for a musically marvelous fundraising evening. Embassy Suites, 741 Phillips, OKC, 524.9310, lyrictheatreokc.com NOV 3 Kevin Hart He’s only 5’4”, but one of the biggest names in contemporary comedy - catch star actor Hart as his Irresponsible tour rolls through OKC. Chesapeake Arena, 100 W Reno, OKC, 602.8700, chesapeakearena.com NOV 7 Once Upon a Dream OU’s school of dance toasts the past and dreams of the future at this silver anniversary fundraiser and auction. OK Memorial Union, 900 Asp, Norman, 325.4051, dance.ou.edu NOV 9 Small Works, Great Wonders Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music and door prizes enliven this annual sale of diminutive but beautiful art. Nat’l Cowboy Museum, 1700 NE 63rd, OKC, 478.2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org NOV 14 Heart Rhythm Institute Luncheon Help the HRI fund vital research to treat cardiac arrhythmia at this lavish luncheon featuring jewelery for sale from a top designer. OKC Golf & Country Club, 7000 NW Grand, OKC, 650.7118, hri/ouhsc.edu NOV 24 Deluxe Winter Market Holiday shopping for varied tastes? No problem - the 10th anniversary of this annual gift-givers’ wonderland harnesses creativity from more than 50 exceptional local artists 405 MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2018

future in dazzling style. It’s scheduled to open in the fall of 2019, and fundraising – including a capital campaign and events such as the ArtNow gala (coming in January, but an exhibition of included works begins at the current facility Nov. 16) – is well underway.

Executive director Jan Taylor, who took over from Donna Rinehart-Keever in October, enthuses, “It’s a special time for Oklahoma Contemporary! Whiteout is now illuminating Automobile Alley, and

WANT TO SEE MORE? VISIT OUR ONLINE CALENDAR AT 405MAGAZINE.COM

EVENTS

86

Erwin Redl’s “Whiteout”

and crafters. Leadership Square, 211 N Robinson, OKC, deluxeok.net

MUSIC NOV 1 Anne Akiko Meyers Dazzling violinist Meyers plays Mendelssohn alongside the Mozart Orchestra of New York. Armstrong Auditorium, 14400 S Bryant, Edmond, 285.1010, armstrongauditorium.org NOV 8 OKC Symphonic Band The mighty all-volunteer ensemble prepares to salute servicemen and women with a concert titled “Let Freedom Ring.” OCU Kirkpatrick Center, 2501 N Blackwelder, OKC, okcband.org NOV 18 Winter Wind The Norman Depot continues its cooler-weather concert series by welcoming the offthe-wall bluegrass foursome who call themselves The Matchsellers. Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.org

THEATER NOV 11 Beyond Glory Valor, duty, humility - Stephen Lang’s stage adaptation of eight first-person Medal of Honor narratives is a Vetearn’s Day wonder. OCCC VPAC, 7777 S May, OKC, 848.3761, cityrep.com NOV 13-18 Love Never Dies Ten years later and thousands of miles away, one of theater’s most famous outcasts still longs for his lady love in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker, OKC, 877.737.2929, okcbroadway.com

ArtNow 2019 is about to brighten the fairgrounds. And, of course, we’re preparing to celebrate our 30th anniversary with a move to our new facility at NW 11th and Broadway. The greatly expanded offerings for adults and children will include quality art classes and camps, and exhibitions such as Whiteout will be our calling card.

We know the Oklahoma City community and beyond will be very excited, as well.”

Visit oklahomacontemporary.org to learn more. - STEVE GILL Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation, PS Form 3526-R. 1. Publication Title: 405 Magazine. 2.

Publication Number: 021-350. 3. Filing Date: September 21, 2018. 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: Twelve (12). 6. Annual Subscription Price: $14.95. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 1613 North Broadway Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73103-4610. Contact Person: Heidi Rambo Centrella; Telephone: (405) 842-2266. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 1613 North Broadway Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73103-4610.

9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Heidi Rambo Centrella, Publisher & Editor in Chief, 1613 North Broadway Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73103-4610; Heidi Rambo Centrella, Publisher & Editor in Chief, 1613 North Broadway Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73103-4610; Steve Gill, Managing Editor, 1613 North Broadway Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73103-4610.

10. Owner: Hadley Capital Fund II SBS LP, 1200 Central Ave., Ste. 300, Wilmette, IL 60091; Hadley Capital Fund II LP, 1200 Central Ave., Ste. 300, Wilmette, IL 60091; Jim and Nikki Wood, 1465 Vistazo West, Tiburon, CA 94920; Alan Mitchell Holdings, LLC, 1555 Sherman Ave. #120, Evanston, IL 60201. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. 12. (Does not apply.) 13. Publication Title: 405 Magazine. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: October 2018. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average Number of Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months; Number of Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: A. Total Number of Copies: Average: 26,147; Actual: 26,312.

B. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution: 1: Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 12,796; Actual 13,426. 2. In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS: Average: 1,227; Actual: 1,199. 4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS: Average: 0; Actual: 0. C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average: 14,023; Actual: 14,625. D. Nonrequested Distribution: 1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 7,817; Actual: 7,279. 2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 3.

Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: Average: 3,611; Actual: 3,730. E. Total Nonrequested Distribution: Average: 11,428; Actual: 11,009. F. Total Distribution: Average: 25,451; Actual: 25,634. G. Copies not Distributed: Average: 696; Actual: 678.

H. Total: Average: 26,147; Actual: 26,312. I. Percent Paid and/ or Requested Circulation: Average: 55%; Actual: 57%. 16.

Electronic Copy Circulation. (Does not apply) 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November 2018 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Heidi Rambo Centrella, Publisher & Editor in Chief. Date: September 21, 2018.

PHOTO BY BRANDON SEEKINS

newer one in the wings, a new facility in the works and a new executive director overseeing it all – considering the organization’s commitment to modern creativity, there’s no better time than now for Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center.

If you’ve been along Broadway through Automobile Alley recently, you’ve seen artist Erwin Redl’s installation “Whiteout,” a grid of 550 suspended LED bulbs that turn off and on in a series of moving patterns that interact with nature in Campbell Art Park. It’s also a scintillating way to draw attention to the immense construction project that’s currently underway: a 50,000-plus-foot collection of gallery spaces, classrooms, theater, sculpture park and much more that will carry the organization into the

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Boogie Fever The glory days of Pistachio’s nightclub

BY MARK BEUTLER

DON NA SU M M ER was looking for some hot stuff, the Bee Gees were stayin’ alive and Alicia Bridges loved the night life on the disco ’round. Those and so many other disco-era hits reverberated off the walls of Oklahoma City’s beloved Pistachio’s nightclub – the place to be and to be seen in those heady disco days of the mid-to-late 1970s.

“Pistachio’s opened in 1975,” says Dave Riesenberg, who worked at Pistachio’s during its heyday. “It was one of the first discos in Oklahoma, and at one time there was one in Tulsa, as well as one in Houston.”

Pistachio’s was located on the southwest side of the lower level of 50 Penn Place. In those days, the complex was still relatively new, and the tony shops

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below the office tower attracted shoppers from nearby Nichols Hills. But at night, after the stores had closed, Pistachio’s livened things up.

“We had been open a couple of years when, in 1977, John Travolta’s film Saturday Night Fever hit the theaters,” Riesenberg says. “After that, disco just exploded.

Pistachio’s was new and fresh, and it was packed to capacity every night. We played all the latest music, and the dance floor was always crowded.”

The folks who frequented Pistachio’s were the who’s who of Oklahoma City, Riesenberg said. “Our clientele adhered to a strict dress code,” he adds. “And those were the days of ‘liquor by the wink.’ We were a private club, and a Pistachio’s membership – to those who had to buy one – was $100. During the disco years, we did not serve beer. The number one drink was Chivas and water or Johnnie Walker Black.”

A private room offered backgammon, and quite often those who were not on the dance floor were gambling, Riesenberg said. But it was irresistible tunes from KC and the Sunshine Band, ABBA and the Village People that kept people grooving on the dance floor. And what a dance floor it

was; by 1970s standards it was state-of-theart, with strobe lights, neon and mirrors.

As the hedonistic decade came to an end, disco took its final breath. But just as John Travolta had given life to the disco craze, his new 1980 flick spurred a new movement.

“The Travolta film Urban Cowboy did for country music what Saturday Night Fever had done for disco,” Riesenberg says.

“We remodeled the place, and Pistachio’s went country. The dance floor needed to be a lot larger for line dancing and the Cotton Eyed Joe. And the scotch we served during the disco days was replaced by Crown Royal – and of course, by then, we had added beer to the list.”

Suddenly Donna Summer gave way to Johnny Lee, and KC and the Sunshine Band was replaced with David Frizzell and Shelly West crooning “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma.” The Urban Cowboy days had arrived.

Pistachio’s Country rode the rising tide of new country through the mid-’80s before finally shuttering for good.

“We had a good run,” Riesenberg says.

“During the oil boom of the ’70s and early ’80s was a very decadent time. But it was a great time to be a bartender!”

PHOTOS COURTESY DAVID RIESENBERG

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