Chae enters breakfast fray with Sunday brunch
Remember last week when I wrote about how breakfast was the new black? More evidence to share this week.
As I reported a few weeks ago, chef Vuong Nguyen has joined the kitchen at Chae Modern Korean Restaurant, and now he’s introduced some of his recent success to the menu.
Not too long ago, Nguyen was slinging the finest classic breakfast flavors in town at a cafe of his own called Bonjour. Now he’s launched brunch at Chae.
The strength of Vuong’s breakfast game at Bonjour was attention to detail, which included eggs cooked to immaculate perfection, unforgettable hollandaise sauce, and Gruyere biscuits and gravy.
For Chae, he’s fused some of those classic principles to Korean flavors and sensibilities.
Owner Daniel Chae hosted a special service on Sunday to present the new menu for feedback and quality control. We enjoyed a play on eggs Benedict topped with beef short ribs, a waffle topped with fried chicken thigh and gravy, and classic Korean pancakes.
Looking forward to returning soon to sample more, in the meantime you can check out brunch at Chae on Sundays. Make reservations by calling600-9040 or on opentable.com.
Stay tuned for more breakfast coverage as it continues to proliferate the Oklahoma City dining-sphere. Holey Rollers, a vegan doughnut food truck, will open a store in Paseo Arts District next month. Chef Chris McKenna and the gang
from Packard’s New American Restaurant will open Hunny Bunny Biscuit Co. (not to be confused with Todd Woodruff’s Buttermilk Southern Sliders which joins Holey Rollers in the Paseo in early 2018) by year’s end. This coming on the heels of Norman’s Syrup opening a new location in Uptown 23rd, Aurora Breakfast Bar and Backyard opening in the Plaza District earlier this year and Neighborhood Jam from Hal Smith Restaurant Group a couple weeks ago.
It’s a salsa party
The Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will host Salsa! One Taste at a Time on Friday night from 6 to 10 at the Chesapeake Central Boathouse, 725 S Lincoln Blvd.
The evening promises a night of salsa flavors and dancing with live music and a cash bar. Participating restaurants include Chelino’s Mexican Restaurant, La Oaxiquena Bakery and Restaurant, Iguana Mexican Grill, Hacienda Tacos, and Medio Tiempo Sports Cantina and Grill.
Whether you want to learn how to make or dance salsa, this event promises both plus plenty of good food and drink.
Cost is $45 for members and $50 for members. For more information or tickets, call 616-5031 or go online okchispanicchamber.org.
Happy Halloween
There will be ample opportunity to celebrate Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve, or the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) across town in the next couple of weeks.
I’ll be at Iguana Mexican Grill, 9 NW 9, 8 p.m. Saturday, helping judge a costume contest. I’ll be the one drinking a Oaxacan Dead. The Plaza District will celebrate Dia de los Muertos with a festival from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday. Food trucks will be on hand as will face-painters, live music, traditional dance performances, kids activities, a group art show and a Catrina procession.
The fun continues into the following weekend when Fandango Event Center, 2823 S Agnew Ave., will host a Day of the Dead Festival. The festival will include mariachi music, folkloric dancing, Catrinas contest, an art installation, live music and traditional foods from 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 3; 7 p.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 4; and 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 5. Admission is free.
Tree-to-Table tickets nears
The Tree Bank’s Tree-to-Table event is getting closer. The Nov. 6 event happens at the Farmers Public Market building, 311 S Klein Ave. It will include a chefs competition with celebrity chef, television star, author and Oklahoma City-native Rick Bayless as head judge.
Competitors must create a sweet or savory dish that highlights ingredients that grow on trees. The requirement is in support of the fundraiser’s beneficiary: the Oklahoma Orchards and Tornado Re-Leaf programs of the Tree Bank Foundation.
Bayless will lead a panel of judges who will award Best Savory Dish ($250), Best Sweet Dish ($250) and the Tree to Table Champion ($750). The Fan Favorite wins $500.
Bayless, a Northwest Classen and University of Oklahoma graduate, lives in Chicago, where he owns and operates nine restaurant concepts, including Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, Xoco, Fonda Frontera, Lena Brava Cruz Blanca Brewery & Taqueria, Tortas Frontera, Frontera Fresco and Frontera Cocina. The star of public television’s “Mexico: One Plate at a Time” and author of eight cookbooks also was champion of 2009’s “Top Chef Masters” on Bravo.
Other judges will be chef Marc Dunham, of Nashbird, and yours truly.
Festivities begin at 6 p.m. for the VIP entry, with the main event starting at 6:30 and awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $75, $125 for couples, and those who wish to attend a meet-and-greet with chef Bayless can buy VIP tickets for $150. For tickets, go online to thetreebank.org.
Small bites
Rockford Cocktail Den,
317 NW 23, has changed hands. It was purchased by Patrons Hospitality Concepts, the umbrella company that just opened Hopscotch and soon will launch Hudson Park at the old Foodies location, 1220 N Hudson Ave., in Midtown. Patrons purchased the 1970s-themed lounge from Anna Levy Mains, who closed Dekora earlier this month . ...
Big thanks to the East Oklahoma County Rotary Club for having me out last week for its weekly meeting at Old Germany Restaurant in Choctaw. As always, Mike and Sammie Turek were gracious host, and it was great to make new friends. Pro tip: Try the pepper steak with potato dumplings with a glass of red wine. You won’t be sorry . ...
McClintock Saloon and Chop House, 2227 Exchange Ave., started lunch service this week. The concept opened dinner service earlier this month.