Restaurant closings

[TheTravellers]

...
Do you have any good recommendations in the metro where one could continue to get dishes like feijoada or coxinha? Would be happy to find new places to support.

Zarate's in Edmond used to be pretty decent for Brazilian food, but that was a long time ago, and we stopped going because they changed their menu and took away some of our favorite dishes. Not sure what they're like now, but they're about the only place I know of that serves feijoada (not sure about coxinha).

[PhiAlpha]

Went on Saturday night. Food was great but the staff’s admission, they’ve definitely stopped marketing and trying to promote the business over the last few years…which makes things tough when tons of new options keep opening nearby. They said the crowds have been pretty low until it was announced that they were closing. Case in point…Bossa Nova (the roof top bar) hasn’t been open (outside of private events) for at least a year, probably longer. I get it…27 years in the restaurant industry is a grind…especially given where midtown was over the first decade they were open…I hate to see it go but hopefully someone will either take over the business or bring a new concept because the restaurant and rooftop are great spaces in the heart of a booming midtown.

[barrettd]

Went on Saturday night. Food was great but the staff’s admission, they’ve definitely stopped marketing and trying to promote the business over the last few years…which makes things tough when tons of new options keep opening nearby. They said the crowds have been pretty low until it was announced that they were closing. Case in point…Bossa Nova (the roof top bar) hasn’t been open (outside of private events) for at least a year, probably longer. I get it…27 years in the restaurant industry is a grind…especially given where midtown was over the first decade they were open…I hate to see it go but hopefully someone will either take over the business or bring a new concept because the restaurant and rooftop are great spaces in the heart of a booming midtown.

I did enjoy the rooftop bar many years ago when I was more likely to go out for drinks. Didn't realize it hadn't been open for a while.

[Pete]

[Plutonic Panda]

Would any of your family want to start a Brazilian restaurant here?

Hearing that doesn't surprise me--whenever I have asked someone from the country of origin of a restaurant, be it places like Zambrano's, Ma Der Lao, Queen of Sheba, etc., I get a response to the degree of "it's okay, but nothing like home." Makes sense that places 1000's of miles away can't source the same ingredients, get the same level of freshness, or rely on a communal/generational cooking culture. That said, some of us aren't so lucky to have such a personal connection, so even if it is the equivalent of looking at a picture of the Grand Canyon versus actually visiting the Grand Canyon, getting some level of an experience of a different cultural cuisine is exciting--particularly for myself who grew up in a household where going out to eat was too expensive and the name of the game was cereal, PB&J, and casseroles! So for me, the bigger sense of loss is that a restaurant that has been a part of my "food discovery" chapter as a young adult is going away, without a clear successor to it--the other Brazilian restaurants I know in OKC are both Brazilian steakhouses, which come off as more "Americanized" to me (although I don't claim to be an expert by any means in my limited experience of the world). I do imagine as I get more grizzled and see more unique restaurants come and go, it won't be as somber of a moment.

Do you have any good recommendations in the metro where one could continue to get dishes like feijoada or coxinha? Would be happy to find new places to support.

They should. My stepmother is from a village in the Amazon and the food I had there was amazing. It’s just a matter of getting them over here.

[SEMIweather]

A few Norman closures that I don't believe have been mentioned in this thread:

- Blackbird Gastropub
- Brewhouse
- The Meating Place (last day 04/30/2023)

[HangryHippo]

Blackbird closed??

[FighttheGoodFight]

Blackbird closed??

In December I believe.

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

What was the name of the place across from the colcord? It's now called cafe delasie ?

Their menu was like salads, pizzas, pasta dishes etc

[Pete]

What was the name of the place across from the colcord? It's now called cafe delasie ?

Their menu was like salads, pizzas, pasta dishes etc

Cafe 7.

[PhiAlpha]

A few Norman closures that I don't believe have been mentioned in this thread:

- Blackbird Gastropub
- Brewhouse
- The Meating Place (last day 04/30/2023)

I was shocked to hear that Blackbird/Birds nest closed though the only time I ever went was on game days and they were of course always packed. That was a massive space…must have been tough to staff and fill the rest of the time.

[king183]

Holy moly. I had no idea Blackbird closed. I used them to hold several events in their event space and they always did a good job. The restaurant also seemed to be doing well every time I was there.

[Pete]

On Campus Corner, it seems only two types of restaurants & bars are successful: Those that operate as full-on clubs and fast-casual food service.

[FighttheGoodFight]

On Campus Corner, it seems only two types of restaurants & bars are successful: Those that operate as full-on clubs and fast-casual food service.

The rent is way too high. I've heard rumors for years about OU big wigs and others in the Norman community that they need to cut down on the high rent to lure some actual good shops in that area.

In a perfect world they would build a small garage near by and close all the streets in campus corner to make it walkable only. Everyone good and local is on Main Street now. Campus Corner is pretty lifeless except on game days and weekends during the school year.

[borchard]

My wife and I have been racking our brains trying to remember the restaurant that used to be where Starbucks is NOW in Nichols Hills Plaza? They also, for a time, had a place in Mathis Bros?

[khook]

Ground Floor cafe

[Mott]

In addition to the Mathis Brothers, I think there was also one in Edmond, were they run by the Metro Wine bar people?

[doctorwho]

My wife and I have been racking our brains trying to remember the restaurant that used to be where Starbucks is NOW in Nichols Hills Plaza? They also, for a time, had a place in Mathis Bros?

Mamasita's?

[Martin]

^
uggh... i've been racking my brain trying to remember what was in starbucks' *prior* location in nichols hills plaza on avondale.

for the record, i think that was ground floor cafe.

[MagzOK]

It appears that Dunkin Donuts has closed on Broadway in south Edmond. All the signs are taken down/removed. That place always had a line of cars in the drive thru and busy inside.

[Pete]

It appears that Dunkin Donuts has closed on Broadway in south Edmond. All the signs are taken down/removed. That place always had a line of cars in the drive thru and busy inside.

Very strange. That was a purpose-built DD and they have been expanding all around the area.

[MagzOK]

Very strange. That was a purpose-built DD and they have been expanding all around the area.

Exactly. It was always busy and we frequently stopped in. I wonder if it has anything to do with their expansion here of smaller buildings, more of a walk-up/drive-thru style as opposed to the big store. We stopped in at the one on N May one time and there were only two employees working there. Meanwhile the one here that just closed always had something like 5 or 6 employees at one time -- but there seemed to always be a supportive number of customers.

[borchard]

Ground Floor cafe

YES! Thank you

[Boop]

It appears that Dunkin Donuts has closed on Broadway in south Edmond. All the signs are taken down/removed. That place always had a line of cars in the drive thru and busy inside.

I talked to the owner and they said they increased the rent so owner could not afford it so the owner shut it down

[corntortillas]

Has it already been reported that City + State has a sign on door that says they have currently suspended full service?