Delicious Dad's Day Wishes, y'all
And don't you dare sleep on Bar Sen
Happy Father’s Day, and here’s hoping all you dads have a delicious day planned ahead. Couple dads from the 405diningscape are on my mind this today.
First, there’s my old buddy Kurt “The Big Kahuna” Fleischfresser, who raised two kids with his wife Jayne, but a whole helluva lot more as founder of The Coach House Apprenticeship Program many years ago. This year, the Kahuna celebrates Father’s Day knowing he is about to be feted as a founding member of the Oklahoma Hospitality Hall of Fame. He still acts as father figure for numerous colleagues in the local dining community, and when he’s not parsing out sage advice or sipping dry rose, you’ll find Kurt holding court at The Tasting Room.
Then there is Jeff Chanchaleune. He and his wife Rachel are raising two children and two restaurants right now. The kids are the easy part, and anyone with kids can tell that’s never the case. But when you’re getting written up by the The New York Times for the two restaurants you’ve opened since the pandemic and hosting chefs from around the country each month when you’re not traveling for guest-cheffing gigs yourself, the game can be all-consuming.
Lucky for Jeff, his Ma Der Lao Kitchen and Bar Sen are just blocks from home. I’m not saying that makes what he’s doing easy, but it does make it possible. That proximity plus an amazing staff and incredible support at home has paved the way for Chanchaleune to build an amazing culinary destination in The Plaza.
And that’s just what Ma Der and Bar Sen have established. I made a surreptitious trip to the 405diningscape last month, and lunch at Bar Sen was on the agenda. Wowwowow, what an amazing new place for folks in the 405 to sup and sip.
Jared wrote extensively about his experience at Bar Sen, and all I will add to it is this feels like the path Jeff takes to finally bring home gold from the James Beard Foundation. Between the two side-by-side concepts, diners are fully covered. Not only that, but dishes Chanchaleune invented, workshopped and refined at Ma Der are now available daily at Bar Sen.
No more waiting till Saturday for Khao Piek Sen (chicken noodle soup), or Thursdays for Lao-style Khao Soi (spicy pork noodles)! That Hokkaido Scallop Crudo I had at several special events and wrote about extensively in 2024 is on the menu every day, too. Those represent three of the best 10-15 dishes you’ll find in the 405 diningscape.
I’ve written before that Jeff’s chicken noodle soup is nectar of the gods. I suffered a head cold a couple of weeks ago, and I feel strongly that simply thinking about that soup chased the cold away 48 hours early.
The Khao Soi is simply otherworldly. This ain’t the nutty curry you’ll find from Thailand, this steaming bowl of hand-pulled noodles and spicy ground pork is the kind of dish legends are born upon. Seriously, if you like spicy foods, this one brings it from every conceivable angel without blowing your palate out.
A new bowl I tried was the Suki Yaki, which is based on a pork broth and included bean-thread noodles with a tasty peanut sauce. Roasted pork belly leads the royal succession of ingredients that also include shrimp cake, Napa cabbage, and king trumpet mushrooms. Green onions, fried garlic and cilantro top things. While this bowl doesn’t quite topple Khao Soi or Khao Piek Sen from the top of the bowl mountain, but it’s definitely a contender to consider if you’ve had the others.
On top of that, some of Ma Der’s menu is also available at Bar Sen, including the sigh-inducing beef jerky. The lemongrass-marinated beef is as succulent and mouthwatering as ever. It’s the perfect counterpoint to the aforementioned Hokkaido Scallop Crudo.
Didn’t get a chance to investigate the new cocktail menu beyond one really expertly shaken daiquiri. Kudos, to that. Not since gone-but-not-forgotten Scratch Kitchen Paseo have I had a daiquiri that good.
All I can say is, go check them out Oklahoma.
Noshes
Tomorrow is the big day for James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards finalists. The ceremony is tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., central time. (Eater.com is partnering with the foundation to livestream the ceremony). Specifically want to wish good luck to finalists for Best Chef Southwest as they gather in Chicago tomorrow.
From Oklahoma, chefs Olivier Bouzerand of Fait Maison and Zack Walters of Sedalia's Oyster and Seafood are among the finalists, joining Yotaka Martin of Lom Wong (Phoenix, Ariz.), Sarah Thompson (Casa Playa, Las Vegas), and Eleazar Villanueva (Restaurant de Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas).
I’m not a judge this year, so I’m free to share my opinion. While I’ve always been a fan of Fait Maison, when it comes to Oklahoma nominees I’m really pulling for Zack Walters. Of course, Zack and his wife Silvana have performed miracles on NW 10th Street, but last year he first deserved a nomination and had his candidacy upended, at least in part, by the bad-faith actions of a since-banned judge.
While I’ll be rooting for Zack and Silvana, my money would be on one of the Las Vegas restaurants if I were betting. Got my reasons, but I won’t share them until after the awards. Hope I’m wrong. …
Hope everyone is monumentally Thundered Up for the NBA Finals. These young fellas are absolutely thrilling to watch, and it turns out they’re watching local talent, too. In case you need anymore incentive to root, root, root for the home team, you should know at least one current young Thunder star is investing in the 405 diningscape. Sources tell me, that when chef Kevin Lee finally slows down from appearing on shows like Tournament of Champions and 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing to open MAHT in the former home of The Drake, it will be helped by at least one extraordinarily tall investor. Why? The player caught Kevin’s Cinderfella run on Tournament of Champions on Food Network last year and reached out to congratulate him. The rest is history. …