Restaurants reaching beyond weekends to tempt us
Local chefs look more and more to Mondays for special dining events
It was 1968 when The Mamas and Papas first warned us about trusting Mondays. They had history on their side back then, but neither John Phillips nor Mama Cass lived long enough to witness the age of the pop-up/collab.
The first day of the week is the last day anyone would’ve suspected chefs would choose as prime time for collaborations and pop-ups, but that’s what’s happened.
A week from today, a pair of 405 diningscape veterans will collaborate, and another will host a pop-up in his own dining room.
First, chefs Eric Smith of The Crown and Bruce Rinehart of Rococo have planned a crossover event between Western Avenue restaurants.
Rinehart’s Rococo will be the stage for a show of culinary prowess between the two long-time operators on March 25, starting at 5 p.m. Smith will make the two-mile trip south so the dynamic duo of personalities can work the dining room floor Monday night, no doubt drumming up enthusiasm for their side of a special menu. That menu includes appetizers, entrees and cocktails.
The Crown will bring to the party it’s distinctive Caesar Salad, and a Giant Rice Noodle dish with chicken thigh, marcarpone and pomegranate to the starters. Rinehart will have oysters on the half shell,, escargot, an Asian Shrimp Salad and fried clams.
Smith will bring a Black Angus Beef Tenderloin to the entrees and a Bread Pudding for dessert. Rococo will serve Colorado lamb chops, and pan-seared Branzino plus a flourless chocolate torte for dessert.
Smith is a graduate of The Coach House Apprenticeship Program, who opened the Pachinko Parlor on 9th Street in 2010 along with Sara Sara Cupcakes. He was also executive chef at West and Urban Johnnie’s for the Haynes brothers.
A few weeks ago, Smith changed the name of his Nichols Hills restaurant from Pachinko to The Crown to avoid confusion with the counter-service Pachinko downtown inside The Parlor food hall. Eric has found success with his chefs table concept, The Crown Room, in a private room but now wants to let that spirit into the rest of the dining room.
Rinehart came to Oklahoma back in 2003 with the Mohegan Sun Casino and Legal Seafood in his wake. Rococo opened that year, and he and his wife Amber have been hosting clambake’s, Wahoo and Whimsical Wednesdays ever since. Now they do their first collab with The Crown.
“We’re thrilled to have Eric down from The Crown,” Rinehart said. “Really looking forward to joining him for a Crown Room event real soon.”
The festivities begin at 5 p.m. at Rococo this Monday with the special menu available all night.
Also on Monday, chef Caleb Stangroom of The Bradford House will host a pop-up of his own side-hustle, Tiger Style. This is a walk-in only event featuring a special menu that will no doubt feature fried head cheese. Details as soon as they are released.
Checked out Kyuraman X TBaar last week with a trustworthy group of palates. Founded in 2014 by Gary Lin in New York City, Kyuramen set out to highlight the regional character of ramen from various parts of Japan. Shio’s Kyushu style, Tokyo's shoyu style, and Hokkaido's miso style are all available. It arrived to the roadside of Quail Springs Mall’s west entrance to North May Avenue with TBaar, which Lin founded in Brooklyn in 2006.
The wood-heavy interior has loads of space for small and large parties. Booth enclosures hold eight comfortably. The ramen won’t make anyone forget Goro Ramen’s heyday or locally owned Tamashii, but it is a nice addition to the 405 diningscape.
The Oklahoma City location offers 10 varieties of ramen and nearly 20 appetizers, including classic Omurice. The fluffy omelet is served tableside. A quick slice across the top spills the omelt over what’s alleged to be chicken-fried rice. Then either curry Sauce or demiglace is poured over the whole dish. Pretty cool party trick for sure, but the rice tasted straight out of an Uncle Ben’s pouch. The demi was definitely not made on premises either. We gave them props for the show, but there are limits to how much finesse any franchise chain unit can hope to muster.
We also tried fried oysters, chicken, shrimp and squid. The biggest complaint we had was every appetizer came with the same kewpie-sweet chili blended dipping sauce.
Picked up some updates whilst wandering through the Omurice. Kyuramen sets on the west end of a small retail strip on what is officially NW 140th Street. It soon will be bookended by a Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard. That Bensalem, Penn., concept has a presence in Edmond currently.
Leaving Kyuramen by way of North May I saw that almost two years of promise appears close to paying off in chicken wings and beer.
Utah chain Wingers Restaurant and Alehouse serves is a sports bar that local real estate investor Sam Larkpor is bringing to town. Originally set to arrive last year, it looks like the Wingers will arrive before summer arrives. It takes over what started as Pelicans back in 2000 before changing a few years later into Shiki. The space maintained that identity up until the pandemic.
If all goes well for Wingers, two more will find homes in the 405 diningscape.
In a release I’ve held onto for almost two years, Larkpor said, “I always wanted to be in the hospitality industry, and I am excited that I get to bring something new to my city.”
Those observing, please enjoy your Spring Break while the rest of us are slugging it out.