Can someone tell me what was at the Deep Fork Grill location before it became Deep Fork? It's really bugging me that I can't remember the name!

Portobello.

And before that, Two Pesos.

I know it was Portabello for a while. . .part of the Coach House brand at the time.

Thanks!

Looks like it switched from Portobello to Deep Fork in 1997.

Portobello.

And before that, Two Pesos.

wouldn't "Dos Pesos" have been more authentic?

wouldn't "Dos Pesos" have been more authentic?contini

wouldn't "Dos Pesos" have been more authentic?

Two Pesos and the name was as authentic as their mexican food was.

The Two Pesos story is interesting...

They started in Houston just as Taco Cabana was getting rolling in San Antonio. Ultimately, TC sued TP and the case went all the way to the supreme court before Cabana won a multi-million dollar judgment for stealing their "trade dress". The case is still taught in law classes.

Ultimately, TP just sold out to TC. Was an easy transition since all the Two Pesos were complete rip-offs of their concept; basically just painted and changed the signs.

Two Pesos and the name was as authentic as their mexican food was.
like ^

contini
custinos

I remember two pesos had 2 lines in the drive thru, which as a kid at the time thought was pretty amazing. Took another 20 years for McDonalds to copy

^

I did some consulting work in the 'quick service' industry and by far and away the biggest bottleneck in the drive-thru process is people parked in front of the menu, taking forever to order. So, the two lanes helps to alleviate that.

Also, several companies are experimenting with centralizing their order taking. Rather than have someone with a headset in the restaurant, the communication at the drive-thru menu goes to a centralized call center and then the order is transmitted back to the restaurant. It's far more efficient all the way around.

I haven't seen it yet but I bet Taco Bell soon goes to a two lane drive-thru. They have their food prep down to a very fast science but again, the bottleneck is the soccer mom parked at the menu, trying to figure out what Johnnie wants to eat.

I remember two pesos had 2 lines in the drive thru, which as a kid at the time thought was pretty amazing. Took another 20 years for McDonalds to copy

I'm fairly sure that you could order one of their fairly horrible frozen margaritas at the drive in window, too. Not sure how that's legal.

Not long after MidFirst acquired this property (and several others to the north) from Chesapeake, Deep Fork Grill is closed.

I was told their staff has already been reassigned and MidFirst chose not to renew their lease.

I also understand that Deep Fork (part of the Deep Fork Restaurant Group: Barrel, Drunken Fry, Drum Room, etc.) had spent time and money on rebranding / relaunching and that MidFirst just told them 'no thanks'.

BTW, MF paid CHK $875,000 after CHK and Aubrey had paid $4.5 million (!!) in 2008.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/deepfork070517a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/deepfork070517b.jpg

So is it closed permanently, or are they looking for a new operator ???

Not happy for people to have lost their jobs, but I'm so happy to see that place go. It was an homage to a terrible time in OKC and a picture of what happens when something falls from grace. There are too many good restaurants in OKC these days for people to still be going there and *glowing* about it.

Not happy for people to have lost their jobs, but I'm so happy to see that place go. It was an homage to a terrible time in OKC and a picture of what happens when something falls from grace. There are too many good restaurants in OKC these days for people to still be going there and *glowing* about it.

Agreed. I liked the space and the location, but the food was never all that great. I had a friend involved in the ownership group, so we went occasionally, but even when the food was free it was still pretty mediocre. Would be nice to see a different restaurant effort in that space.

was the building home to a two pesos restaurant/fast food place ?
some reason my memory thinks it was. They had a 2 lane drive thru as I recall

Yes, was originally a Two Pesos, then Portabello then switched to Deep Fork around 1997.

Yeah I ate at that place maybe twice, and it wasn't good either time. I can't say I'll miss it at all.

Portabello was underrated. For a while anyway.

Also, I think although Deep Fork had gotten long in the tooth, Deep Fork and DFG were important to the local food scene here. They grew out of a time when few cared about local, and they did some adventurous stuff for the time, for the city in question. Legitimately led the way toward the present local scene, and I know they trained a number of the people who are now killing it here with other places.

I heard that when Wade had his much-publicized troubles he and his partners started ways and he took some of the properties and they took others, which included the namesake restaurant. If that's true, I think it becomes fair to say that maybe Wade really was the driving force behind the group, as they faltered after. Which of course doesn't change the anything about the trouble he placed himself in personally.

You also have to take into consideration the passing of Aubrey McClendon who was one of the principal owners here.

Also, I think although Deep Fork had gotten long in the tooth, Deep Fork and DFG were important to the local food scene here. They grew out of a time when few cared about local, and they did some adventurous stuff for the time, for the city in question. Legitimately led the way toward the present local scene, and I know they trained a number of the people who are now killing it here with other places.
.

Absolutely agree. It used to be great, the go to place - and influenced many who are in the business today.

I miss two pesos -- had many cheap meals in that place -- hard to figure what Mid First will do with the property and why they didn't renew the lease.

Two Pesos was really pretty good food, especially their tacos. They were several steps above the normal Taco Bell type stores. We took some friends from Spokane to Portabello's and had an excellent dinner.
C. T.

We only had occasion to visit Deep Fork once for an anniversary dinner for my aunt and uncle several years ago, and enjoyed it very much. As much as we liked it, and wanted to return, the location is just kinda "out there" and was easy to forget when thinking about a special or different place to eat out. Same thing applied when it was Portobello's.

Sounds to me like MidFirst has other plans for the property, and the building may not be among them...

MidFirst likely has another restaurant tenant.

They have longer term plans for all the property but i don't think anything is going to happen there soon.

I didn't eat at DF that often but when I did, I was pleased. I booked a private table there once for an anniversary dinner for my wife and I. When we got there they told us the previous party was still finishing up. They ended up staying much longer than had been anticipated so they apologized profusely and gave us free drinks and appetizers while we waited. They offered us another table and I said I really wanted to wait. When we were finally seated our waiter told us our meals were comped so order anything we wanted. They didn't have to do that. It really wasn't their fault. But I always appreciated the customer service that I got there.

Portabello was underrated. For a while anyway.

I heard that when Wade had his much-publicized troubles he and his partners started ways and he took some of the properties and they took others, which included the namesake restaurant. If that's true, I think it becomes fair to say that maybe Wade really was the driving force behind the group, as they faltered after. Which of course doesn't change the anything about the trouble he placed himself in personally.

I don't think this is accurate. Wade's issues extended far past the restaurant group, and Deep Fork was his baby. It had started going bad several years before he left the DFG. I am not even certain Wade took any properties with him, as he was in no position to run them when they parted ways. He hasn't even worked at a DFG restaurant in several years, much less owned one, that I know of.

^^^^^
I acknowledged that his troubles extended past the group. This was much-publicized. I could be wrong about him taking anything in the split, but what I was TOLD was that he still had Drum a Room and maybe another. None of this I'm sure of, and I could be completely wrong about it.

The point I was making was that this particular restaurant seemed to start faltering about the time he left.

Portabello was underrated. For a while anyway.

Also, I think although Deep Fork had gotten long in the tooth, Deep Fork and DFG were important to the local food scene here. They grew out of a time when few cared about local, and they did some adventurous stuff for the time, for the city in question. Legitimately led the way toward the present local scene, and I know they trained a number of the people who are now killing it here with other places.

I heard that when Wade had his much-publicized troubles he and his partners started ways and he took some of the properties and they took others, which included the namesake restaurant. If that's true, I think it becomes fair to say that maybe Wade really was the driving force behind the group, as they faltered after. Which of course doesn't change the anything about the trouble he placed himself in personally.

Yep. It was great at one time, but not recently.

The point I was making was that this particular restaurant seemed to start faltering about the time he left.

And I'm just saying, for me, the restaurant's food quality started lacking a while before he left. The service was always outstanding, though.

I was told they did more business from catering than dine-in.

Lackmeyer said today in his chat that there's been a permit filed for demolition.

Yep.

Hasn't been issued yet and I went by there yesterday and nothing is happening yet.


I don't think there is any kind of deal working there. Midfirst still owns the property and will likely continue to sit on it as they have all the property to the north which they also bought from Chesapeake several years ago.

it'd be a shame to see it go... i would've liked to see another restaurant taking up the space but that's not likely in the cards in the current environment.

the county assessor shows a 1987 construction date with the front part being a 1992 addition. my earliest recollection was portobello's in the early 90's. other than that and deep fork grill has there been anything else in this space?

edit: nevermind! i went back and read the first page. : )

The old Deep Fork building is being demolished today.

There have been no plans filed to build anything new on that parcel. Midfirst bought this property and everything in the triangle north of here from Chesapeake a few years ago, but hasn't done anything with it.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/deepfork081320a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/deepfork081320b.jpg

lots of good memories eating in that building, kind of sad to see it go.

I hope someone saved the Western Bridge "sculpture" that hung in the bar.

lots of good memories eating in that building, kind of sad to see it go.

=^

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/deepfork081420a.jpg

Just doesn’t take long for a track hoe to make a building go away.

Oh no, Two Pesos is history.
C. T.
p.s. Sorry, I guess I'm on the wrong thread.

Oh no, Two Pesos is history.
C. T.
p.s. Sorry, I guess I'm on the wrong thread.

LOL C.T. i remember this started as a two pesos and i remember the 99 cent margaritas :)

LOL C.T. i remember this started as a two pesos and i remember the 99 cent margaritas :)

If there were a place selling 99 cent margaritas I certainly would not remember it or much of anything.

If there were a place selling 99 cent margaritas I certainly would not remember it or much of anything.
They did. Never went to that one but the one on NW Exp was a regular stop after softball games when they were there.

They did. Never went to that one but the one on NW Exp was a regular stop after softball games when they were there.

I was trying to be funny lol

I was trying to be funny lol

Sorry. Missed that!

Sorry. Missed that!

All good. There's a reason I don't do HBO standup specials.

Had many a lunch-and-learns there. Although they always seems to pop the breakers with the electric load in that room (which really was far too small for the events). So is something else going in? It's a good location, but definitely needed a new, more modern and capable building.