Local Flavor

with brightly colored balls of orange and green compressed melon, glowing purple and amber slices of condiments – including chipotle and mezcal pickled onion – strewn across the plate.

“I want to do fun stu , fearless,” says Tack. e rest of the menu continues in the same vein: Fresh, house-made pastas that change at the chef’s whim, roast eld chicken with black tru e jus, salmon dishes, and rich meaty delights such as a short rib “pot au feu” and a huge lamb shank, served caveman style, bone and all, nestled in a bed of vegetables and gravy.

And then, of course, there are the steaks.

While Tack rejects the traditional steakhouse experience, he’s a steakhouse veteran – having eaten in countless places in New York and Chicago, all part of his research. He developed the Lounge at the Tavern, a retro look at the 1950s that is one of Tulsa’s most highly regarded traditional steakhouses. He knows his stu .

“We’ve bought the space that used to be Mary’s,” says Tack, “and I’m building my own walk-in cooler to use as an aging room.” ere, you’ll see rows of primal cuts hanging in the cold air, the way the best traditional steakhouses have always dry-aged meat – yet all but impossible to nd nowadays. ey will also wet-age some steaks for those who don’t like the rich, evocative dry-aged avor.

“We’ll get the meat from small farms when we’re able, but we’ll use larger co-ops too. Whichever is best. We’re not beholden to a single farm,” says Tack. Yes, there will be dry-aged strips and porterhouses – it’s mostly short loins that are hanging in the aging room – and more besides.

“We’ll have A5, snow beef,” Tack continues, referring to the top grade of Japanese wagyu and to a cut that’s almost mythical, rarely seen except in food blogs, imported from Japan with so much marbling it looks like snow.

Some of the steaks will be reverse-seared, some of the lets will be sous-vided, but Tack hews to tradition, and most are broiled.

“We got the best broiler we could from a Dallas rm that does custom kitchens,” he says. “Brett and I designed every inch of that kitchen and it’s just the nicest kitchen I’ve ever worked in.”

Brett is, of course, Brett Rehorn, a veteran restaurateur known for his whimsical yet evocative designs at Kilkenny and Nola’s. So you know the decor, designed by Rehorn and Tack, will be painstaking in its attention to detail. “Lots of oil paintings, rich wallpaper, dark woods. It will be a whole new experience,” Tack concludes. “You’ll have to experience it for yourself.” BRIAN SCHWARTZ

The Eleanor

The Eleanor OKC: Life is “la vie en rose” on Uptown 23rd Street.

Like myself, you might have missed the fact that just a couple of months before a global pandemic began threatening to close down the local dining and bar scenes, a trendy new OKC hotspot opened its doors.

The space that not long ago used to be home to vintage ’70s decor and a larger-than-life image of Burt Reynolds on the wall as the Rockford Cocktail Den has been completely transformed. Shades of pink, florals, all of the selfie opportunities you could ask for – along with the honor of being the largest Champagne lounge in Oklahoma – are what you will find at the Eleanor.

Owner Amanda Bratcher named her chic lounge after Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of England and France, and provides a list of Champagnes and bubbly-inspired cocktails fit for a queen, while still off ering options for those of us on a less royal budget.

In addition to sparkling wines and bubbly cocktails, other libations include still wines, spirits and other house cocktails.

After you’ve selected your drink, check out the bites and sweets menu, where you’ll find truff le-Parmesan popcorn, baked goat cheese, tiny grilled cheese sandwiches, plus a cheese and charcuterie board.

If you have a sweet tooth, opt for the macarons, raspberry cheesecake, or the chef’s selection of “something chocolate.” If you’re the brunching type, they off er both sweet and savory options in small and large formats. Specialty brunch drinks are available as well.

The Eleanor off ers a private room for special events, happy hours and weekly live music.

AMANDA JANE SIMCOE

Photo by Tia Dawn Photography