Forecast for the 405 diningscape: Delicious

Local food adventures range from Greece to Connecticut this weekend

Happy hump day everyone, we’ve got a chilly sun-splashed weekend ahead of us, so don’t delay making those dining plans.

Sadly, there won’t be a Barbecue Brawl to attend, but St. George Greek Orthodox Orthodox Church will have its Greek Festival going all weekend long. That’s not all, chef Bruce Rinehart and his crew are making it possible to take a trip to the East Coast without leaving the 405 diningscape.

Specifically, Mystic, Connecticut. Neither Julia Roberts nor Annabeth Gish will be there as far as I know, but Rococo will flow with lobster, clams and dirty chowder. The special Driftwood Menu also include a lobster roll. Make reservations here.

Already locked and loaded this weekend and seeking somewhere new to try down the road? In case you missed the news, Casady Square will welcome Symmetry on Nov. 6. Former Mahogany proprietors Jason Pool and Dave Osborn have teamed up on the concept with chef Glenn Scott. The upscale restaurant operates under the Empire Hospitality banner, created by the recent Hal Smith Restaurants ex-pats. To be among the first to make reservations, click here and choose Nov. 6 or later.

Celebrating The Life of Riley

In yesterday’s posted about the $20,000 donation Chefs Fest and Super Cao Nguyen Market made to Pivot, a Turning Point for Youth, I gave a brief accounting of the origin of the event. Chef John Bennett’s passing in the summer of 2019 inspired the evolution of a  food fair into a fundraising event for The John Bennett Memorial Scholarship.

Ever since we lost JB, I’ve long pictured him holding court beyond the pearly gates from the patio of a tasteful bistro overlooking the proverbial streets of gold. Today, I know he’s got a new patio partner.

When we lost chef Bennett in 2019, he left behind a Havanese pooch named Riley. The first time I met chef Bennett in 2009, Riley was by his side. He remained at JB’s side most minutes of most days in the decade that followed.

And why not? Before that, Riley was running around an Edmond neighborhood looking for a home. He wiggled his way into the backyard of a family that didn’t have the heart to call the pound. Instead, they called their “Uncle Jake.”

JB told me the story many times. He drove over, and it was love at first sight. For the next decade, Riley was either begging chef for food or lap space. The only way to divert his attention was to change the channel to Animal Planet where a dog or horse on the screen might get him barking.

Few people could pry Riley from chef Bennett’s side, but among them was my wife, Lori Cathey. Not long before his death, chef took Lori aside and conferred with her about Riley’s next home. There was never any question.

After JB left this world, Riley moved in with my family. He endured a new brother, a Dachshund named Reuben, and two cats, Archie and Sammie. He ignored the cats, and taught Reuben that house-training was optional. Riley survived the pandemic and the loss of his little brother in 2021. Riley even weathered the house breaking up. As many of you know, Lori and separated amicably in January 2021. There was never any question which household Riley would head toward.

Riley’s health had been in decline most of 2023, but that didn’t stop him from wagging his tail or occasionally bearing his tooth. Spry was his middle name. That’s why when he stopped eating Friday, we knew the end was near.

Weep not, though, for we the living Riley leaves behind. Like Lori said, “You know the second Riley’s spirit left this world, he jumped straight into chef’s lap on the other side.”

This is a straight fact. We’ll miss you, Riley. Give chef a lick on that long nose of his for the rest of us.