Restaurants

Current

no



Address: 805 N. Hudson (http://g.co/maps/q4ggt)
Phone: (405) 778-6800
Hours: Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Development:
Status: Opened 2009
Links:
Official Website (http://ludivineokc.com)
Menu (http://www.ludivineokc.com/menus/)
Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/ludivineokc?fref=ts)
Yelp (http://www.yelp.com/biz/ludivine-oklahoma-city)
Urban Spoon (http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/46/1545387/restaurant/Midtown/Ludivine-Oklahoma-City)
Eat Around OKC (http://www.eataroundokc.com/restaurant/ludivine/)


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ludivinewiki1.jpg


Information & Latest News
Gallery

Is it going in where there was until recently a deli (sorry, can't remember the name)? Looks interesting.

When?

It looks to me like it is immediately northwest of the federal building:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/restaurants/ludevine.jpg

I checked out their website ... some of the videos linked there are awesome. Here is one:

0GmOloblR2g

More info is available on facebook http://www.facebook.com/ludivineokc?ref=ts

mmmmmm..... Jonathan Stranger.... mmmmmmm

The food may be fresh and local and that is a plus. But from what I saw on the menu on the website, there is little, with a few exceptions, that would appeal to me. Hopefully they will develop a following and be successful though.

I looked at this menu and thought...this is the kind of urban restaurant that goes gangbusters in St. Louis. Glad to see OKC is moving beyond the tacos and steaks of my childhood...

I looked at this menu and thought...this is the kind of urban restaurant that goes gangbusters in St. Louis. Glad to see OKC is moving beyond the tacos and steaks of my childhood...

I've eaten at restaurants all over the world and am far beyond steak and tacos. The menu just looks very limited to specific tastes and tries too hard to be artsy and chic. I'm sure there is an interest in what they serve but think they need to be a little more diverse to succeed.

I saw something called 'parmesan foam' on the menu. I'll have to try cooking that for my self one day and then try theirs to see whose is better.

I saw something called 'parmesan foam' on the menu. I'll have to try cooking that for my self one day and then try theirs to see whose is better.

The online menu actually says "parmesean" instead of "parmesan". I'm assuming that's a typo that they need to correct.

I thought to myself: that looks like the kind of menu that my daughters and I would try when I visit them in Chicago. Here, I won't be able to get my husband within a 100 feet of it. Parmesan foam is definitely not in his vocabulary. On the other hand, menus like that seem to do very well in Chicago and so it was only a matter of time until we had something like that here.

Looks very interesting to me. I should like it a lot if the food is up to the level of quality as claimed. This is an exciting addition to the food scene actually. Small, young, local, fresh, and ambitious. It could really be great. Im curious as to how the decore looks.

There is already an old thread on this. Anyhow they expect to open sometime in September. FYI, Jonathan was formerly with Table One, but this will be more of a local based food to table concept. They have tons of videos on youtube about their adventures to visit local farmers they are partnering with.

This looks very cool. What a great building as well.

This looks intriguing. I'll have to try it!

Their concept looks to go with the "slow food" movement. The products are grown locally and their menu will change with the seasons.

I thought to myself: that looks like the kind of menu that my daughters and I would try when I visit them in Chicago. Here, I won't be able to get my husband within a 100 feet of it. Parmesan foam is definitely not in his vocabulary. On the other hand, menus like that seem to do very well in Chicago and so it was only a matter of time until we had something like that here.

Betts, that's exactly when I meant when I said I am sure there is a market for their kind of menu but they need to be a little more diverse. I'm sure other families are like yours where one person is adventureous when ordering but the other wants something tried and true.

Here is the old thread discussing Ludivine. NW 7th will become the new NE 9th district. Especially if it gets its' own "Steve Mason."

http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=21907&page=1

I looked at this menu and thought...this is the kind of urban restaurant that goes gangbusters in St. Louis. Glad to see OKC is moving beyond the tacos and steaks of my childhood...

What he said...

This is exciting! I can walk to it. And great "viral" marketing.

From farms to feasts
Midtown restaurant to feature locally grown ingredients
By April Wilkerson
Posted: 07:42 PM Tuesday, August 31, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY – Farm to table – the concept of using as many locally grown ingredients as possible for a meal – is carving out a spot in Midtown this month.

The restaurant Ludivine is scheduled to open in mid September in the Midtown Village area at Seventh and Hudson. The restaurant’s menu is anything but static – as Ludivine’s chefs scour Oklahoma’s family-owned farms and ranches for ingredients, the meals will vary according to what they find.

“Rather than having an idea of the dishes you want to do, then trying to find the ingredients to fulfill that, you just take what’s available from the farms, look and see what you have, then write the menu based on that,” said Russ Johnson, owner and chef.

“The menu will vary a lot from week to week, and dramatically from season to season,” he said. “Knowing where your food comes from and knowing the people who produce it – knowing what goes into it and what doesn’t go into it – is really nice. It’s something we’ve lost nowadays. People don’t know a lot where their food comes from, and it’s fun to try to change it.”

Ludivine – a female’s name in French – is the brainchild of Johnson, Jonathon Stranger, another chef and owner, and Tracey Leird, owner and manager. Joining them is bar manager Kyle Fleischfresser, who promises the same use of fresh, local ingredients in his cocktails.

Johnson and Stranger had farm-to-table experience in other states, and when they each returned home to Oklahoma, they vowed to offer the same. Johnson said they plan to buy from small Oklahoma organic, family-owned farms as much as possible. Seafood and spices may not be in abundance locally, but many other things will, he said. They plan to buy from farms at least twice a week and visit farmers markets daily. Some of their summer has been spent preserving traditional warm-weather foods for the fall and winter.

Oklahoma meat producers like Wichita Buffalo Company in Hinton and Clear Creek Monastery near Tulsa (where Benedictine brothers raise sheep) are among the local meat providers, along with others like Peach Crest Farms in Stratford and Wagon Creek Creamery in Helena.

“I think people will be surprised to see how much product comes from the state of Oklahoma,” Leird said. “People sometimes forget this is an agricultural state.”

Dishes listed on Ludivine’s inaugural menu reflect the state: Clear Creek Monastery Lamb Carpaccio, Wild Arugula, Potato Fondant, Parsnip Puree and balsamic “gum drop.” Other items include Braised Bison Short Ribs on Baguette with Roasted Elephant Garlic and Popcorn Shoots, and Truffle and Herb Potato Salad.

Johnson said the cost of buying local ingredients is comparable to a standard restaurant practice – some items will be less expensive, some will be more, but it probably will even out. But with the labor-intensive effort of obtaining the food, the restaurant’s focus is different. It is open for dinner only Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Leird, who has worked in small restaurants in New York City, said she wants Ludivine’s cuisine and atmosphere to create a neighborhood feel.

“I wanted that neighborhood restaurant that I would walk by every day on my way to the subway, with a husband-and-wife team who owned it,” Leird said. “They knew my name and I came in there every Thursday night for dinner. That’s the feeling I wanted to bring – a little neighborhood restaurant that is community-driven. It’s my job to know what you like and to remember it.”

Ludivine is a cozy area – the dining room will accommodate 44 people at 11 tables and six bar stools at the chef’s bar. The open-kitchen format allows those six people a view of the preparation without paying a chef’s table price. A tunnel takes diners back to the bar, which also has a separate entrance on Seventh Street.

The Ludivine team is leasing the historic building from Scott Smith and R.D. Smith, who have been developing the Midtown Village area in that block.

Ludivine is the latest of several new restaurants to open in Midtown, such as Stella Modern Italian Cuisine. Midtown developer Mickey Clagg said restaurants are a key part of the area’s revitalization.

“What you want when you’re reviving a neighborhood is reasons for people to be there at different times of the day, not just during the working day,” Clagg said. “It’s a place to live, work and have entertainment. We’re especially getting quality restaurants in the Midtown area. Oklahoma City is really blessed with some great restaurateurs.

“What happens is the local restaurants come, then the retail will follow that and you make it place where people want to live,” he said. “The housing is strong, and there already are a lot of strong employers in the area, especially St. Anthony, which employs people 24/7. It’s a tremendous economic engine. You see a lot of businesses thriving within the radius of St. Anthony Hospital.”

For information about Ludivine, visit www.ludivineokc.com.

This sounds awesome! That article makes me hungry.

I know there are 2 unofficial threads on Ludivine, but since it's about to open, thought I'd go ahead and start it's own official thread in the Food Court.



From farms to feasts

by April Wilkerson

Published: August 31st, 2010

Workers prepare the new Midtown restaurant Ludivine for opening later this month. Restaurant owners are creating an open kitchen and a tunnel leading to the bar. (Maike Sabolich)

Workers prepare the new Midtown restaurant Ludivine for opening later this month. Restaurant owners are creating an open kitchen and a tunnel leading to the bar. (Maike Sabolich)
OKLAHOMA CITY – Farm to table – the concept of using as many locally grown ingredients as possible for a meal – is carving out a spot in Midtown this month.

The restaurant Ludivine is scheduled to open in mid September in the Midtown Village area at Seventh and Hudson. The restaurant’s menu is anything but static – as Ludivine’s chefs scour Oklahoma’s family-owned farms and ranches for ingredients, the meals will vary according to what they find.

“Rather than having an idea of the dishes you want to do, then trying to find the ingredients to fulfill that, you just take what’s available from the farms, look and see what you have, then write the menu based on that,” said Russ Johnson, owner and chef.

“The menu will vary a lot from week to week, and dramatically from season to season,” he said. “Knowing where your food comes from and knowing the people who produce it – knowing what goes into it and what doesn’t go into it – is really nice. It’s something we’ve lost nowadays. People don’t know a lot where their food comes from, and it’s fun to try to change it.”

Ludivine – a female’s name in French – is the brainchild of Johnson, Jonathon Stranger, another chef and owner, and Tracey Leird, owner and manager. Joining them is bar manager Kyle Fleischfresser, who promises the same use of fresh, local ingredients in his cocktails.

Johnson and Stranger had farm-to-table experience in other states, and when they each returned home to Oklahoma, they vowed to offer the same. Johnson said they plan to buy from small Oklahoma organic, family-owned farms as much as possible. Seafood and spices may not be in abundance locally, but many other things will, he said. They plan to buy from farms at least twice a week and visit farmers markets daily. Some of their summer has been spent preserving traditional warm-weather foods for the fall and winter.

Oklahoma meat producers like Wichita Buffalo Company in Hinton and Clear Creek Monastery near Tulsa (where Benedictine brothers raise sheep) are among the local meat providers, along with others like Peach Crest Farms in Stratford and Wagon Creek Creamery in Helena.

“I think people will be surprised to see how much product comes from the state of Oklahoma,” Leird said. “People sometimes forget this is an agricultural state.”

Dishes listed on Ludivine’s inaugural menu reflect the state: Clear Creek Monastery Lamb Carpaccio, Wild Arugula, Potato Fondant, Parsnip Puree and balsamic “gum drop.” Other items include Braised Bison Short Ribs on Baguette with Roasted Elephant Garlic and Popcorn Shoots, and Truffle and Herb Potato Salad.

Johnson said the cost of buying local ingredients is comparable to a standard restaurant practice – some items will be less expensive, some will be more, but it probably will even out. But with the labor-intensive effort of obtaining the food, the restaurant’s focus is different. It is open for dinner only Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Leird, who has worked in small restaurants in New York City, said she wants Ludivine’s cuisine and atmosphere to create a neighborhood feel.

“I wanted that neighborhood restaurant that I would walk by every day on my way to the subway, with a husband-and-wife team who owned it,” Leird said. “They knew my name and I came in there every Thursday night for dinner. That’s the feeling I wanted to bring – a little neighborhood restaurant that is community-driven. It’s my job to know what you like and to remember it.”

Ludivine is a cozy area – the dining room will accommodate 44 people at 11 tables and six bar stools at the chef’s bar. The open-kitchen format allows those six people a view of the preparation without paying a chef’s table price. A tunnel takes diners back to the bar, which also has a separate entrance on Seventh Street.

The Ludivine team is leasing the historic building from Scott Smith and R.D. Smith, who have been developing the Midtown Village area in that block.

Ludivine is the latest of several new restaurants to open in Midtown, such as Stella Modern Italian Cuisine. Midtown developer Mickey Clagg said restaurants are a key part of the area’s revitalization.

“What you want when you’re reviving a neighborhood is reasons for people to be there at different times of the day, not just during the working day,” Clagg said. “It’s a place to live, work and have entertainment. We’re especially getting quality restaurants in the Midtown area. Oklahoma City is really blessed with some great restaurateurs.

“What happens is the local restaurants come, then the retail will follow that and you make it place where people want to live,” he said. “The housing is strong, and there already are a lot of strong employers in the area, especially St. Anthony, which employs people 24/7. It’s a tremendous economic engine. You see a lot of businesses thriving within the radius of St. Anthony Hospital.”

For information about Ludivine, visit Ludivine (http://www.ludivineokc.com).

when is it opening?

Mid-Sept last I heard.

Their signs are up on their building and they are fixing to announce their grand opening. Click here for pic of the sign.

http://ow.ly/i/498S/original

Just walked in through the space. There were people in the kitchen. I didn't disturb them. The restaurant has a great, intimate interior! If you like the intimacy of Cheevers, you'll like Ludivine. The bar was cool to and the L shape design of the space opens it out on both Hudson and 7th with entrances on each. Very cool and I am very excited.

Weekend tables are going to be difficult to come by at this place for some time to come. An instant success.

Pickles... what did you order?

Pickles... what did you order?

House-cured salmon, foie gras and scallop ravioli, braised berkshire pork leg, pan roasted trout, dessert foursome.

House-cured salmon, foie gras and scallop ravioli, braised berkshire pork leg, pan roasted trout, dessert foursome.


Ive looked at their menu online, and it sounds like you had almost everything. Are the servings small, compared to most OKC restaurants?

onthestrip, their menu changes almost daily, it's all about the local slow food movement, whatever they picked fresh for the day, etc.

Aware of the concept metro. Even though they change the menu frequently they don't offer many entrees, which is why I asked pickles if he tried everything. If you actually want to be informative metro, answer the questions that are asked.

Ive looked at their menu online, and it sounds like you had almost everything. Are the servings small, compared to most OKC restaurants?

I think it's fair to say that in most instances the portions will be smaller than what you might expect from most OKC restaurants.

Anyone heard any rumors about this place going under? Was there last night around 7:30pm and there was only 3 tables - prime time on a Friday. Asked and they said they had several opening for New Years Eve - this when everyone else is packed. Add to that the food was not par with previous visits. Kinda worried about this place. Hopefully it's unfounded concern.

I hope not, because I haven't made it there yet. Maybe I'll try to go tonight!

packed last night.

packed last night.

What time? Was dead at 7:30.

I love the concept, but it has been a little too inconsistent for my liking. I will keep going back though as it is a good eating option for OKC and should be supported. I hope it can stay busy.

They're doing a New Years Eve special deal, like a lot of other restaurants, but then they're closing all of the first week of January, to give their employees time off. I can understand not being open on Monday, but if they really want to keep business, they should not be closing the entire first week of January for their customers. I also think they have been doing a lot gimmicks to gain business the past 3 months, and they need to seriously define their concept if they wish to stay open. I also agree with the comment above regarding their inconsistencies.

I don't live too far from there. Sometimes, I will cut down Hudson to go to the downtown YMCA. Everytime I drive past it is always very busy. Granted I'm usually going through the week.

I go pretty frequently and it's been busy every time. It's just in an area that slows down significantly traffic-wise in the evenings. As the area develops, they should be in a great position. I am pretty picky about where I eat and I think it's great that OKC has a place like this. It would be a shame for it to fail.

They're doing a New Years Eve special deal, like a lot of other restaurants, but then they're closing all of the first week of January, to give their employees time off. I can understand not being open on Monday, but if they really want to keep business, they should not be closing the entire first week of January for their customers. I also think they have been doing a lot gimmicks to gain business the past 3 months, and they need to seriously define their concept if they wish to stay open. I also agree with the comment above regarding their inconsistencies.

Almost all of those "gimmicks". Have been in the bar to get more bar business

Well, if Ludivine is suffering for bar business and has to resort to bar gimmicks to get it... that says a lot about their business plan, right there. If they even have a business plan.

Well, if Ludivine is suffering for bar business and has to resort to bar gimmicks to get it... that says a lot about their business plan, right there. If they even have a business plan.

That's a pretty cynical statement. Maybe the restaurant is doing okay and they're looking to increase their profits by increasing bar business. Why the need to be so negative?

Yes, I am cynical about my statement. If a restaurant is trying to increase their business by increasing bar business, that says to me that something is not great about their restaurant business. If you are a really top notch restaurant, you should not be depending on bar business to improve your business. You should be able to deliver top notch food and top notch service, and that should be enough to increase your business.

Your statement is riddled with so many assumptions that it's silly to argue with you. Just keep being negative, I guess.

i didn't want to respond .. but ..

take monday nights for example ... the "restaurant" is closed on mondays (and has been sense day 1) ... at some point they saw a bar demand for monday nights and opened up the bar for that evening ....

later they saw that the monday night crowd was interested in food ... so they created a blue plate special bar only for monday nights at a lower price point that the "normal" ludivine meal ...

if you want to be a success you shoudl try to grow all aspects of your business ... and IMHO that is what ludivine has done

Bar business should never be ignored as the profit margin far exceeds food.

Every time I have been to that bar (including week nights), it's very busy. Due to the configuration of the place (the bar is basically in a separate - but connected - building with its own street frontage and door with a very different feel than the dining room itself), it makes sense that they would work to cultivate a bar crowd that wasn't necessarily the same group as the restaurant patrons. The bar to me feels very neighborhood, while the dining room feels more like a citywide destination.

Every time I have been to that bar (including week nights), it's very busy. Due to the configuration of the place (the bar is basically in a separate - but connected - building with its own street frontage and door with a very different feel than the dining room itself), it makes sense that they would work to cultivate a bar crowd that wasn't necessarily the same group as the restaurant patrons. The bar to me feels very neighborhood, while the dining room feels more like a citywide destination.

Well said.

Not to mention it is a tiny restaurant, like 10 tables, so they need to turn tables and make money where they can. Ludivine is truly a gem in OKC

Yes, I am cynical about my statement. If a restaurant is trying to increase their business by increasing bar business, that says to me that something is not great about their restaurant business. If you are a really top notch restaurant, you should not be depending on bar business to improve your business. You should be able to deliver top notch food and top notch service, and that should be enough to increase your business.

I don't think there's a bar around that doesn't use gimmicks. Happy Hour? Appetizer specials?

As Brian noted, the margins at the bar are much higher. Even at the best fine dining restaurants, it's the wine and cocktails that make the money.

As also noted, the bar is a very distinct separate of the restaurant.

Happy hours and appetizer specials are not gimmicks.

Happy hours and appetizer specials are not gimmicks.

then what are the "gimmicks" you are talking about?

then what are the "gimmicks" you are talking about?

Tuesday's Topless Bar Maids & Marrow Sucking Competition!

BoulderSooner, the gimmicks that were in your earlier post.

Surprised there isn't more talk about this restaurant
This is my our favorite restaurant to eat out at and my wife and I frequent most of the nicer restaurants in town.
We went here again the other night before the Thunder game and remembered just how amazing the food is at this restaurant. The sweet potato gnocchi with braised brisket may have been my favorite thing I've ever eaten. This may come across as an advertisement but I assure you its selfish in nature. I'd hate for something to happen to this restaurant as I think OKC would lose a truly unique dining experience.

Surprised there isn't more talk about this restaurant
This is my our favorite restaurant to eat out at and my wife and I frequent most of the nicer restaurants in town.
We went here again the other night before the Thunder game and remembered just how amazing the food is at this restaurant. The sweet potato gnocchi with braised brisket may have been my favorite thing I've ever eaten. This may come across as an advertisement but I assure you its selfish in nature. I'd hate for something to happen to this restaurant as I think OKC would lose a truly unique dining experience.

And their bar, along with the Lobby Bar on Western, has some of the best, inventive cocktails in town.

It is great. What their chefs concoct frequently rises above everything else in OKC, if not the state.