Something TO CHALK ABOUT

REVAMPED SPACE AND MENU AT THE CHALKBOARD WELCOMES DINERS.

BY NATALIE MIKLES

Even when it’s seemingly quiet at e Chalkboard, there’s always something happening. e kitchen itself is a workhorse, open 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. e Chalkboard equally serves Ambassador Hotel guests and Tulsans stopping in for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s also a popular place for work meetings, baby showers, rehearsal dinners and other private parties.

We met Executive Chef Daniel Gibb on a quiet weekday morning to talk about e Chalkboard’s culinary and aesthetic refresh in 2022.

Gibb came to Tulsa from Scotland in 2017 and a year later started working as sous chef at e Chalkboard, pleased to have found a ne dining restaurant where he could put his classical French training and hotel experience to use. He took on the role of executive chef in 2019. He didn’t expect to call Tulsa home, but he is now the heart of the restaurant.

Part of Gibb’s hand in e Chalkboard has been to shift the restaurant to make it a little more casual. He sees e Chalkboard as both a place for ne dining and quick, comfortable lunches or dinners with friends.

“We used to be thought of mostly for special occasions — but we want people to come every day. You can come for your anniversary dinner, but also for breakfast,” he says.

When we visited, we had a nice lunch of crab cakes and a French dip, sharing the two, plus hand-cut sweet potato fries. e crab cakes ($22) were crisp and light, just as they should be, with kale, Parmesan and a lemon aioli. e French dip ($18) was shaved from a ribeye on toasty bread with horseradish sauce and a cup of au jus. Both were great.

For dinner, Gibb recommends the chicken ballotine ($28), with a sweet potato puree and broccolini. Also great is the eggplant lasagna ($26), with fried eggplant, tomato ratatouille, e fried chicken ($26) is fantastic — served with a spicy honey lime sauce and cornbread. It’s how this Scottish chef does Oklahoma fried chicken. e beef Wellington ($50) is another Chalkboard dinner staple, but Gibb has added an iteration to the menu that customers are loving. His beef Wellington bites ($22), an appetizer, are a great way to sample a taste of the Wellington without ordering the full dish. It’s a great rst course and is served with a creamy peppercorn sauce. ere’s also a mushroom Wellington ($26) for those opting for vegetarian fare. e Chalkboard has a few options for private dining — from a 60-seat event space upstairs to smaller private rooms for more intimate dinners. e wine cellar, which was recently remodeled, seats 20-30 people. Smaller, private spaces are also available for special occasions. e day we visited with Gibb, he was preparing dinner for two — a marriage proposal to take place that evening. TP

Parmesan crisps and cherry tomatoes. Another customer favorite is the halibut ($38), pan seared and served with a mustard cream, arugula salad and poached egg.

Fried chicken is one of the things Gibb rst encountered after arriving in Tulsa. It was a dish he came to love, perfecting it by creating a breading that rivals that of longtime Oklahoma cooks.

Brunch at e Chalkboard is another meal not to miss. Choose from eggs Benedict, buttermilk pancakes or three-egg omelet with tomato con t, bell peppers and spinach. Another standout brunch item is the hash stack — a lling plate of hash brown potatoes, avocado, spicy salsa and two eggs ($20).

Recent improvements to e Chalkboard’s interior are subtle, with more open space and a soothing dark blue color palette. Elegant table settings welcome guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner.