Restaurant memory: Jacques Orenstein

[Steve]

Tuck, you might be interested in reading the latest post at Welcome to OKCHistory.com about the man many say brought fine cuisine to OKC.

[Martin]

very cool... what's the location of the second photo in the article? -M

[Steve]

At 50 and Shartel - where the chinese restaurant was until last year. I'll add a current photo of the site later today.

[Martin]

cool! that's exactly what i thought i was looking at... that chinese restaurant was a regular lunch stop for our office until it closed down.

so... was that jacque's internationale?

-M

[Prunepicker]

At 50 and Shartel - where the chinese restaurant was until last year. I'll add
a current photo of the site later today.

Wasn't the name of it So Hai Gai?

[Martin]

wasn't the name of it so hai gai?

i've only known it as golden palace.

-M

[gen70]

My second wife took cooking classes from Jacque. She became quite a cook. Good stuff!

[kghnrh]

I have a booklet called "50 Famous Recipes from Jacque's" published in 1967. It says it is "first" of a collection. Does anyone know of others and where I could obtain a copy?

[jorenstein]

I am one of Jacques' sons, Jon. The cookbook "50 Famous Recipes from Jacques' Internationale" was the only one that was ever published.

[Achilleslastand]

If memory serves correct it was called Ho Sai Gai back in the day

[Prunepicker]

At 50 and Shartel - where the chinese restaurant was until last
year. I'll add a current photo of the site later today.

Steve, I couldn't find the photo.

[ljbab728]

cool! that's exactly what i thought i was looking at... that chinese restaurant was a regular lunch stop for our office until it closed down.

so... was that jacque's internationale?

-M

I believe from when I used to go there, it was on NW Expressway.

[Steve]

I am one of Jacques' sons, Jon. The cookbook "50 Famous Recipes from Jacques' Internationale" was the only one that was ever published.

Jon, I'd love to visit with you. I hope I did your father's story justice at OKC History. Please email me at slackmeyer@oklahoman.com

[Doug Loudenback]

I may be the only one, but I cannot find your article at okchistory.com, Steve. Help!

[Martin]

i may be the only one, but i cannot find your article at okchistory.com

here you go... -M

[corpsman]

i've only known it as golden palace.

-M

In the early 70's, on the west side of Shartel in the "L" of the shopping center there was a Golden Dragon Chinese restaurant, if my memory serves me right.

[skylubber]

I worked as a dishwasher at the French Revolution restaurant (it became Applewoods later) around 1975 or 1976. Mr. Orenstein personally hired me, and personally fired me later (I had the usual teenage lateness problems). One of the prep cooks started showing me how to prepare fresh spinach for salads, I still de-stem spinach as he taught me. The restaurant had the best crepes. I remember seeing Governor Boren eating dinner one night.

[capt_john_97]

OMG I remember the French Revolution they had a guillotine out front! I am not exactly certain of the location but seems like it was on NW Expwy