Deep fork grill

[amandagall5]

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!

[Pete]

Portobello.

And before that, Two Pesos.

[foodiefan]

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

[amandagall5]

Thanks!

[Pete]

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

[RadicalModerate]

Portobello.

And before that, Two Pesos.

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

[Plutonic Panda]

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

contini

[Jeepnokc]

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

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

[Pete]

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.

[RadicalModerate]

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

like ^

[RadicalModerate]

contini

custinos

[OKCretro]

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

[Pete]

^

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.

[Buffalo Bill]

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.

[Pete]

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.

[jbkrems]

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

[Teo9969]

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.

[barrettd]

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.

[OKCretro]

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

[Pete]

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

[hoya]

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.

[Urbanized]

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.

[Pete]

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

[ksearls]

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.

[RustytheBailiff]

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.