La Madeline's coming to OKC, Tulsa??!?

[SoonerDave]

All,

Heard a rumbling today that some previously shelved plans for the nice La Madeline's eateries from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to expand into Oklahoma have been revived. Heard that Tulsa was going to be the first stop, followed by a location here in OKC. No locations nor specific timelines were mentioned.

Does anyone have any information regarding this? Would be a fantastic addition to OKC if its true.

[OKCisOK4me]

Never heard of it...

[Questor]

I'd love to see them expand to this area... Great food.

[Debzkidz]

That would be great. Used to eat lunch there frequently when I lived in Houston.

[Easy180]

Chain haters will cringe but this would be a nice addition

[foodiefan]

All,

Heard a rumbling today that some previously shelved plans for the nice La Madeline's eateries from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to expand into Oklahoma have been revived. Heard that Tulsa was going to be the first stop, followed by a location here in OKC. No locations nor specific timelines were mentioned.

Does anyone have any information regarding this? Would be a fantastic addition to OKC if its true.

heard same rumor. . .just wish it was OKC first!! maybe with all the new Boeing jobs, they will reconsider?!

[jdcf]

The Tulsa location is on Cherry Street; should be opening fairly soon I would think. I had not heard about an OKC possibility, and this is good news. We fairly regularly eat at La Madeleine's when we are in the Dallas or DC areas and actually ate there last week. Love the soup and the bread.

[oneforone]

I went to one in Baton Rouge. It was not a place I would go back to or refer to anyone. Then again that was ten years ago so things may have changed for the better.

[RadicalModerate]

I just reviewed the menu, online.
Has the old Marie Callender's location on Memorial been leased yet?

(Gotta admit, though . . . The Tilapia and Shrimp Provincal looked tasty. =)

[Skyline]

Once again Tulsa is first with most national chain restaurants and retail.

[OKCisOK4me]

Still... never heard of it, lol.

[betts]

La Madeline is a nice place to go for lunch. They have good salads and quiche. It would probably do well downtown or in NH Plaza, as the restaurant that was in NH Plaza where the Starbucks is now was a local version of La Madeline and we ate there frequently.

Tulsa gets everything first because their annual income is about $2,000 a year higher and also because they've got existing buildings in place in which stores can locate. But I just heard that NH Plaza is now going to be remodeled and all the businesses are being told their leases will not be renewed because Aubrey wants it to be strictly retail. I assume restaurants are still acceptable.

[SoonerDave]

Still... never heard of it, lol.

OKC, best thing I can suggest is to think of La Madeline's as an upscale Panera with a broader menu, probably a higher overall quality of food (and that's not a knock on Panera, either - I like them very much) and a "cozier" atmosphere. Very nice IMHO. Kept trying to think of "better" descriptions but that's probably pretty fair.

[RadicalModerate]

Ah weesh to mak eet clear that I have no . . . 'ow you say . . . connection(?)
weeth thees restahraunt . . .

. . . naur do I 'ave ahny responsibility ahn how you enterpreet le word, 'mad'.

[RadicalModerate]

It would probably do well downtown or in NH Plaza, as the restaurant that was in NH Plaza where the Starbucks is now was a local version of La Madeline and we ate there frequently.

I hear tell that the former Falcone's location in Bricktown just "opened up" . . .

[SoonerDave]

I hear tell that the former Falcone's location in Bricktown just "opened up" . . .

Oh, really? Falcone's finally gave it up? I never understood how that place lasted as long as it did. Greasy, nasty stuff. When my 15-year-old football-playing constantly-hungry son, who would probably eat pizza three meals a day if I let him, won't eat it, that told me plenty.

[OKCisOK4me]

OKC, best thing I can suggest is to think of La Madeline's as an upscale Panera with a broader menu, probably a higher overall quality of food (and that's not a knock on Panera, either - I like them very much) and a "cozier" atmosphere. Very nice IMHO. Kept trying to think of "better" descriptions but that's probably pretty fair.

Thanks for the description. I know i could probably look it up online but i had more important things to do.

[MikeOKC]

Thanks for the description. I know i could probably look it up online but i had more important things to do.

Like post here about how you never heard of it. Just joshin' with 'ya. It's a pretty big deal in several cities. It's been a while since I've been in one of their restaurants, but they're all very nice and you hear people still rave about their food.

[dankrutka]

Thanks for the description. I know i could probably look it up online but i had more important things to do.

Like make this post?

[dankrutka]

Tulsa gets everything first because their annual income is about $2,000 a year higher and also because they've got existing buildings in place in which stores can locate. But I just heard that NH Plaza is now going to be remodeled and all the businesses are being told their leases will not be renewed because Aubrey wants it to be strictly retail. I assume restaurants are still acceptable.

If you go to Cherry Street or Brookside you'll understand why Tulsa gets everything first. OKC does not have any comparable districts with that much character AND money in the same area. It's very attrative for nice restaurants. For example, a Mi Cocina just moved into Cherry Street and a Wolfgang Puck's just moved to Cherry Street. Everything is so spread out in OKC that they have not developed such dense areas that are as attractive, but they are starting too. I'm glad to see both OKC and Tulsa on the up and up.

[jbkrems]

I know there is a Wolfgang Puck's on Peoria in Tulsa. Did they open a 2nd restaurant on Cherry Street too ???

[Oil Capital]

Puck's is in Brookside. There is not a second one. And for the record, the Wolfgang Puck's is a franchise opened by a local person. If someone in OKC wants a Wolfgang Puck's, they could get themselves a franchise too.

Not sure if it would be as successful in OKC. In general, Tulsans are far more desperate to prove to themselves that they are a worldly, classy city, so they will flock mindlessly and obsessively to anything they think demonstrates such.

[Pete]

La Madeleine is franchised as well.

[SoonerDave]

La Madeleine is franchised as well.

Seems like I remember reading that they keep exceptionally tight reigns on franchises, especially locations and capitalization requirements, think in an effort to control the name brand. Think there are only one or two outside Texas, but i won't swear to that.

[BG918]

Not sure if it would be as successful in OKC. In general, Tulsans are far more desperate to prove to themselves that they are a worldly, classy city, so they will flock mindlessly and obsessively to anything they think demonstrates such.

Thought you would probably chime in....