Myriad Gardens

[Dustin]

Additionally, a seasonal restaurant called The Ice House, will open in September. The Ice House will be located in the smaller building just north of the large restaurant building. It will be open eight months a year and will be closed during ice skating season. The Ice House will serve, get ready for this, authentic Nic's burgers along with fries and shakes.

You're ####### me right now, right? Authentic? Like, he will be cooking them?

[CuatrodeMayo]

link?

[DelCamino]

According to the Myriad Gardens office, the press release will be sent out "shortly." Only because I already have seen it, I'm assuming that means later today.

[ErnestA]

Great news for the restaurant:
Additionally, a seasonal restaurant called The Ice House, will open in September. The Ice House will be located in the smaller building just north of the large restaurant building. It will be open eight months a year and will be closed during ice skating season. The Ice House will serve, get ready for this, authentic Nic's burgers along with fries and shakes.

I'll believe it when I taste it.

[soonerguru]

This is great news! Interested to see the new concept.

[Pete]

You can trust DelCamino's word and sources.


This is fantastic news!!

[HangryHippo]

Great news for the restaurant:

Negotiations have completed for a five-year lease with Peter and Sheree Holloway, owner/operators of Boulevard Steakhouse, Cafe' 501 and the Martini Lounge for a restaurant to be called The Park House. Estimated opening by November 1. The Park House will serve lunch and dinner and will have a full bar. Project architect is Elliott+Associates. Specific menu is on-going.

Additionally, a seasonal restaurant called The Ice House, will open in September. The Ice House will be located in the smaller building just north of the large restaurant building. It will be open eight months a year and will be closed during ice skating season. The Ice House will serve, get ready for this, authentic Nic's burgers along with fries and shakes.

Wow, this is badass!

[Urbanized]

You can trust DelCamino's word and sources.


This is fantastic news!!

Agreed on both points. Also, I heard the same operator's name mentioned a couple of weeks ago in association with the larger restaurant, for whatever that's worth.

[Chicken In The Rough]

What are Nic's burgers?

[Pete]

Wow, is the momentum rolling downtown...

Among everything else, consider these very recent additions to the Central Business District dining scene:

• Park Avenue Grill (Skirvin)
• Vast
• Flint
• Nebu
• Kitchen No. 324
• Cool Greens
• Myriad Gardens Restaurant #1
• Myraid Gardens Restaurant #2
• Proposed restaurant in the under construction Parkside Building
• Mahogany Steakhouse rumored to be going into the soon-to-be-remodeled Century Center

Combine all that with Bricktown, Deep Deuce, Film Row, Midtown and Automobile Alley/9th Street, and we now have an absolute ton of great dining choices where just a few years ago there was very little.

[CuatrodeMayo]

What are Nic's burgers?

Nic's Grill - Inner City Northside - Oklahoma City | Urbanspoon

[Pete]

What are Nic's burgers?

Generally regarded as the best in OKC:

Nic's Grill - Inner City Northside - Oklahoma City | Urbanspoon

[mcca7596]

Wow, is the momentum rolling downtown...

Among everything else, consider these very recent additions to the Central Business District dining scene:

• Park Avenue Grill (Skirvin)
• Vast
• Flint
• Nebu
• Kitchen No. 324
• Cool Greens
• Myriad Gardens Restaurant #1
• Myraid Gardens Restaurant #2
• Proposed restaurant in the under construction Parkside Building
• Mahogany Steakhouse rumored to be going into the soon-to-be-remodeled Century Center

Combine all that with Bricktown, Deep Deuce, Film Row, Midtown and Automobile Alley/9th Street, and we now have an absolute ton of great dining choices where just a few years ago there was very little.

Don't forget Cafe 7!

[Pete]

Don't forget Cafe 7!

Right!

Too many to keep track of.

[mcca7596]

Two Restaurants Planned for Myriad Gardens | News OK

[Dustin]

Two Restaurants Planned for Myriad Gardens | News OK

Wow! So Nic will be cooking! Yay!

[jn1780]

Wow! So Nic will be cooking! Yay!

Lol, he will supervise and design the menu anyway. A Sous-Chef does most of the work.

[Dustin]

"Nicholas will bring his samurai-like burger skills to the Ice House". Sure sounds like he will be head chef. Although, I don't see how he will be able to leave his current location from March to October, so you're probably right.

[kevinpate]

Nice!

[ErnestA]

That's awesome. We'll have the actual Nic at least supervising an operation (the smaller cafe) I thought was lost cause, complementing some great local operators for the full restaurant. This is such a coup for downtown and the Myriad Gardens.

[Pete]

Every time I'm in town, I can never get to Nic's when they are open... Or when they are, the line is daunting.

So, maybe this is how I'll finally get my first Nic's burger. I know they will be a little different, but I'm sure they'll still be amazing.

[TAlan CB]

Only if you want to believe a one-sided tale from a disgruntled ex-employee.

Yes, that was my initial thought, until I got the same story from 3 different people on seperate occasions. Of-course, this was 'second - hand' from retiring employees and volunteers. They could have misunderstood a story passed around. When I passed on my observation on the poor state of maintaince - as a question - to the Myriad Gardens web-site, I was met with indignant hostility. Like, this was something that people have been mentioning for months - and still do. I heard the stories from professional horticulturist from other gardens and decided to check it out myself (professional jealousy?) I could'nt believe that after this multi-million dollar make-over, private (Yeah!) foundation take-over, and professional brought in from the 'outside' (again horray!) That such a fundamental mistake of poor maintaince in the 'jewel' of the complex would be allowed to happen. It was worse than what I've heard - surely a temporary mistake (still may be). But after a year it has only gotten worse - all of those 'stories' have a basis in fact - the evidence is extreme (horticulturally speaking). Horticulture is such a large field - like medicine, lots of specialities - that it is impossible to be an expert in all areas. That's when you hire someone who specializes in areas that you are not as familiar with and 'let them do their thing' - that is what good directors do. There has been an 'open hostility' to anyone wishing to help or give their expertise. Many things - most in my opinion - that the gardens is pursuing is 'spot-on' and very encouraging. - the care of the Crystal Bridge botanical collection is the major exception - here 'the ball has really been dropped'.
So far, the only one-sided opinion has been coming from the current administration - all of us who have worked in the profession half our lives, horticulturist, botanist, other garden directors see what is happening - even members of the foundation board have expressed this. I no longer live there, and care only because I gave so much time and energy - these are stories that have sought me out. A single source is a 'disgruntled employee', a torrent of voiced, written, concern from dozens of different people in all areas of the city and gardening community is a problem. To me it is sad, I keep up with 'home' on this form, by personal visits, and talking to friends. I enjoying being proud of my old home and what it accomplished and is accomplishing, but at the end of the day it's yours. If the current staff wants to live in self-rightous denial, that's up to them. There is a shortage of horticultural staffing, that is completely obvious. I am sure that is due to a shortage of funds, but it is also do to a shortage of proper use of funds and will. As to the rest, it is self-evident.

[TAlan CB]

Great news for the restaurant:

Negotiations have completed for a five-year lease with Peter and Sheree Holloway, owner/operators of Boulevard Steakhouse, Cafe' 501 and the Martini Lounge for a restaurant to be called The Park House. Estimated opening by November 1. The Park House will serve lunch and dinner and will have a full bar. Project architect is Elliott+Associates. Specific menu is on-going.

Additionally, a seasonal restaurant called The Ice House, will open in September. The Ice House will be located in the smaller building just north of the large restaurant building. It will be open eight months a year and will be closed during ice skating season. The Ice House will serve, get ready for this, authentic Nic's burgers along with fries and shakes.

Once again, in most areas the progress is a win for the MG - this is another good example..... now it is time to 'step it up' inside the Crystal Bridge.

[Pete]

Certainly having revenue from two successful restaurants will help with the maintenance budget.

[Pete]

Rendering of the Park House (Rand Elliott design):