The latest in Oklahoma City food & drink

Dave Cathey, Oklahoman
·2 min read

Howdy Oklahoma City, I'm Dave Cathey and I write the Food Dude column. This weekly food & drink newsletter is an extension of my coverage of the 405 diningscape.

What a busy week it has been, starting with a visit from celebrity chef Danny Bowien.

The Westmoore High School graduate was at Lee's Sandwiches to sign copies of his latest cookbook, but also took time to check out the State Fair and have a visit with a pair of local chefs making their way in the food-service industry.

Chef Jeff Chanchaleune is shown Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, the day his Ma Der Lao Kitchen, of Oklahoma City, was named among the Top 50 new restaurants in the United States.
Chef Jeff Chanchaleune is shown Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, the day his Ma Der Lao Kitchen, of Oklahoma City, was named among the Top 50 new restaurants in the United States.

One of those chefs was Jeff Chanchaleune, who has had an enormous couple of weeks. The 2020 James Beard nominee opened Ma Der Lao Kitchen a year ago this month and that restaurant has now landed on two prestigious national lists of the top 50 new restaurants in America.

On Thursday, the NOUN Hotel opened in Norman giving Sooner fans a new lodging option at the doorstep of Campus Corner. One thing newsletter subscribers will learn that others won't? The Food Dude's favorite place to eat on Campus Corner is Pepe Delgados, which owner Emilio Salinas opened 30 years ago this year.

Coming soon to the pages of The Oklahoman is coverage of Friday's opening of El Coyote Bar and Cantina in the Britton District. I was able to sneak in for a bite on Wednesday, and the space is beautiful. Highlights included a duck confit taco, savory sopapillas, and carne adovada. While in the Britton, I always try to sneak into Zero Tolerance Coffee. What readers will soon learn is owners Maura and Roy Baker roast their own coffee and cacao beans and harbor a chocolate factory.

Finally, the Tower Theatre hosted a bittersweet celebration for longtime food-service community leader Clayton Bahr, whose battle with lung cancer has turned terminal.

If you haven't had a chance to check out our roundup of recent restaurant opening and closings, you'll want to do that. As is the trouble with lists like those, they can be quickly outdated. For instance, one bit of news I just learned is Brielle's Bistro closed earlier this month in Midwest City but will reopen on S. Meridian in the old airport corridor this week.

Follow the Food Dude (@thefooddood on Twitter; keyword the food dude on Facebook and Instagram) for the latest news from around the 405 diningscape.

Dave Cathey, Food Dude. Tuesday, August 13, 2019. [Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman]
Dave Cathey, Food Dude. Tuesday, August 13, 2019. [Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman]

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: The latest in Oklahoma City food & drink