2 minute read
Chef Chat
Four Floors of Exellence
Chef Chris McKenna leads the charge at the new OKC dining hotspot the Joinery.
Chef Chris McKenna is no stranger to the Oklahoma City culinary scene. A native of Edmond, McKenna has turned out eye-catching and palate-pleasing dishes at OKC favorites such as Stella Modern Italian Cuisine, Packards New American Kitchen, Oso on Paseo and Clark Crew BBQ.
McKenna’s latest project is the Joinery, a multi-faceted and multi-leveled hotspot for Italian-American cuisine, craft beer and cocktails, plus entertainment at
Oklahoma’s rst golf-simulator bar,
“Good. Good?” e concept is the newest o ering from the Community rough Beer Group, which also owns
Social Capital, as well as Edmond’s the
Patriarch and 1884.
Located in the heart of Bricktown in downtown OKC, many people will recognize the Joinery’s location as the home of TapWerks Ale House for 20 years. Each of the four oors now boasts a separate bar and craft beer program. e main oor o ers fullservice dining and drinks in a space that feels familiar but noticeably reimagined. Steaks, chops and shortribs accompany Italian-American classics like shrimp and pancetta carbonara and chicken Parmesan. Made-fromscratch desserts are a great way to end a meal, along with local Eote co ee.
If you walk downstairs from the main oor, around a couple of corner and through just enough doorways to make you feel like you are searching for a speakeasy, you’ll nd what is essentially just that: a dimly-lit room with tables, comfortable couches and continuous booth seating. e full menu is served downstairs and accommodates diners later into the evening than on the main oor. ere is, however, a catch ... the door is passcode protected, so you’ll want to be extra polite to the hostess if you have any hopes of snagging a spot.
Up one level from the main entrance, you will nd the golf bar, “Good. Good?” with a smaller menu based on the downstairs lunch fare and an almost entirely local beer list. e bar features ve Full Swing PGA-certi ed Simulators o ering more than 35 course options, including TPA courses featured on the PGA tour. e simulators are more than just entertainment; their technology can help you improve your golf swing without actually having to hit the greens.
On the top oor, you will nd space for private parties and corporate events, hosting up to 160 guests. With its own bar and catering kitchen, clients can work with the chef to customize their events to their speci c tastes.
I visited the Joinery a couple of weeks back to check out chef McKenna’s new menu. Housemade meatballs with tomato sugo, whipped ricotta and grilled bread were a great shared plate, or could easily have served as a meal for one. I opted to share so that there was room for the burrata caprese, with cherry heirloom tomato, crispy basil, baked pancetta, basil oil and balsamic reduction. We sampled a couple of cocktails, and enjoyed them so much that we decided to repeat our original selections for the second round. e Joinery is open seven days a week, with hours varying between each oor. AMANDA JANE SIMCOE
Chef Chris McKenna has worked at a variety of OKC restaurant staples. Photo courtesy Community Through Beer Group
