Nonesuch

[sooner88]

This article just changed these guy's lives and this business. Major props to them for staying the course here in OKC.

Will be interesting to hear how many out-of-towners make a trip here specifically to try this out.

[bucktalk]

As I read this great news I couldn't help but smile the entire time. I owned a business for 20 years and have first hand experience of knowing the difficulties of a business start up. It makes my heart happy to learn of the success they are achieving.

[BoulderSooner]

Yeah... I was looking at it yesterday as an option for my girlfriend's birthday. Checked back this morning and every available reservation on the website is full lol, guess we will try Red Prime!

Cafe Cuvée. (The new spot at the ambassador hotel) is fantastic and would be great for a birthday

Also ludivine is really phenomenal. (Maybe the best OKC restaurant)

[jerrywall]

Very happy for them. Their entire concept isn't something that would appeal to me at all, but it's still great for them to get some recognition. Hopefully my wife will give it a try sometime.

[Urbanized]

Will be interesting to hear how many out-of-towners make a trip here specifically to try this out.

I forwarded a link to three different out-of-state friends yesterday, two of whom had already read the article. One is in the business in Austin. All three of them expressed an interest in coming here to check it out.

[sooner88]

I forwarded a link to three different out-of-state friends yesterday, two of whom had already read the article. One is in the business in Austin. All three of them expressed an interest in coming here to check it out.

Figured this would be the case. Had multiple friends who have never been here see it and reach out. Also great press for 21C and Arbolada, etc.

[SSEiYah]

If anyone here wants to take photos of the courses and post them here, start to finish that would be pretty cool. There are certainly a lot of photos online of random dishes, but seeing it start to finish would be neat.

[PhiAlpha]

I forwarded a link to three different out-of-state friends yesterday, two of whom had already read the article. One is in the business in Austin. All three of them expressed an interest in coming here to check it out.

I’ve had three friends, one who now lives in NYC, one who now lives in LA and another who lives in Tulsa, all independently ask me about the restaurant since the article ran. This is making some major noise nationally. Really cool deal for OKC, couldn’t be happier for those guys!

[gopokes88]

October reservations open up on September 1st according to their Facebook page

[chuck5815]

October reservations open up on September 1st according to their Facebook page

I spoke with a manager last evening. Apparently the reservations open exactly at 8:00 am Central Time on the 1st. Make sure to dust off that F5 key the night before, lol.

[jonny d]

Given how popular they soon might become, is this the type of establishment that could move to a larger location? Or does it's small location help it?

[Ginkasa]

Given how popular they soon might become, is this the type of establishment that could move to a larger location? Or does it's small location help it?

Their model is dependent on a relatively small location, I believe. If you haven't been, it's not a typical sit down restaurant with individual tables and everyone ordering what they want. When I went it was just my wife and I, so I can't speak to the experience with a larger crowd, but everyone is sat at the same table (more like a counter) and served the dishes from that night's menu.

[gopokes88]

The extra demand for ingredients could be a strain on them in a larger setting. If it gets too booked up I would suspect they raise prices over raising # of seats.

I just don’t think the concept scales easily

[Hondo1]

Kudos to Nonesuch and the publicity it will bring. Maybe the next article about an OKC restaurant won’t begin with such an incredulous tone on the part of the author.

[TheirTheir]

Kudos to Nonesuch and the publicity it will bring. Maybe the next article about an OKC restaurant won’t begin with such an incredulous tone on the part of the author.

I think the tone is fine. For those who have never been to OKC, let alone in the past 5 years, I can understand their skepticism.

[gopokes88]

Kudos to Nonesuch and the publicity it will bring. Maybe the next article about an OKC restaurant won’t begin with such an incredulous tone on the part of the author.

Agree but it was setting the stage for how big of a deal it is that okc has the best new restaurant. This would be like Indiana winning a national championship in football. I don’t think it was an intentional slight, it was to build some context.

[Urbanized]

I also cringe a bit when most national stories start by describing low expectations, but of course the flip side is that people continue to be surprised or even shocked by how great OKC is when they actually come here. In this case probably most people reading can identify with the writer in having no/low expectations, and then they go along for the surprising culinary journey.

I think right now the best thing we can hope for without strong national/international brand (outside of the obligatory cowboy/Indian/tornado/bombing and now - fortunately - Thunder) is that everyone who comes here for the first time leaves and tells tons of people "you wouldn't believe how cool Oklahoma City is..." Because right now, MOST people wouldn't.

[Timshel]

I also cringe a bit when most national stories start by describing low expectations, but of course the flip side is that people continue to be surprised or even shocked by how great OKC is when they actually come here. In this case probably most people reading can identify with the writer in having no/low expectations, and then they go along for the surprising culinary journey.

I think right now the best thing we can hope for without strong national/international brand (outside of the obligatory cowboy/Indian/tornado/bombing and now - fortunately - Thunder) is that everyone who comes here for the first time leaves and tells tons of people "you wouldn't believe how cool Oklahoma City is..." Because right now, MOST people wouldn't.

^ Generally agree with this. However, while his theme that OKC is still a chicken fried steak and hamburger town has some truth to it and made the story work I don't think you have to dig that hard to see that our food scene is much more diverse than that and that it short changed a lot of recent improvement in this area. The primary article and the secondary article regarding other spots in OKC even cut against this theme by discussing Ludivine, Pho Cuong and other Vietnamese spots, etc.

Notwithstanding, this is great exposure for the city as a whole and I'm sure there will be people visiting OKC because of this award that would have never given it a second glance.

[Urbanized]

^ Generally agree with this. However, while his theme that OKC is still a chicken fried steak and hamburger town has some truth to it and made the story work I don't think you have to dig that hard to see that our food scene is much more diverse than that and that it short changed a lot of recent improvement in this area. The primary article and the secondary article regarding other spots in OKC even cut against this theme by discussing Ludivine, Pho Cuong and other Vietnamese spots, etc.

Notwithstanding, this is great exposure for the city as a whole and I'm sure there will be people visiting OKC because of this award that would have never given it a second glance.

Agree with this also. It's just going to be a process. Right now we are on the cusp of "it" city status similar to what places like Charlotte, Nashville etc experienced within the past couple of decades. I too am hopeful that the national narrative begins to shift. I think it's something that happens overnight, and this is EXACTLY how that transpires.

[HOT ROD]

ya I agree that OKC is on the cusp. If we can stop the bad articles from the legislature and keep the momentum that OKC is making organically; OKC will definitely become more well known (ala Charlotte) and there wont be the negative beginnings to national articles (note, most International articles about OKC do NOT have any negativity, just some of the national. ...). and yes, the Thunder is a big part of this - note in the NBA world there is much less and less apprehension about OKC as a city - although there are some who still like to point out OKC's lack of flash.

And really, kudos to Bon Appetite for publishing this. My hope is that this helps Nonsuch move to a better location in the CBD, that's still small/intimate but more 'appropriate' for a national Michelin rated dig when considering the "expectations" of the national audience.

[dankrutka]

^^^
I've heard a number of national NBA writers say positive things about OKC and the food scene in particular. It's great advertising for the city.

[gopokes88]

ya I agree that OKC is on the cusp. If we can stop the bad articles from the legislature and keep the momentum that OKC is making organically; OKC will definitely become more well known (ala Charlotte) and there wont be the negative beginnings to national articles (note, most International articles about OKC do NOT have any negativity, just some of the national. ...). and yes, the Thunder is a big part of this - note in the NBA world there is much less and less apprehension about OKC as a city - although there are some who still like to point out OKC's lack of flash.

And really, kudos to Bon Appetite for publishing this. My hope is that this helps Nonsuch move to a better location in the CBD, that's still small/intimate but more 'appropriate' for a national Michelin rated dig when considering the "expectations" of the national audience.

Moving to the cbd would be suicide and unnecessary. They are in a perfect spot.

[shawnw]

I think there are expansion options in their current space, it doesn't seem like the space to the south has much going on it it? if so, no reason to ever move (don't say parking).

[gopokes88]

They aren’t expanding, moving, or any other thing you guys can think of.

[PhiAlpha]

They aren’t expanding, moving, or any other thing you guys can think of.

This feels like a concept in which the small size is an asset. I think expanding it too much might ruin the experience.