Patrono

[ljbab728]

I posted this in the Avana thread also. This should be an interesting new addition to the Arts District dining options.

http://m.newsok.com/downtown-oklahom...rticle/5379535

When work wraps up on a makeover of an apartment complex that has long been considered one of downtown’s worst design misfires, it will also be anchored by a new upscale Italian restaurant being opened by two newcomers recruited to Oklahoma City.
The name of the restaurant itself is inspired by a word DeCoste and Yaun saw traveling town to town in Italy – “patron saint.”

“It will be authentic Italian, not American Italian,” DeCoste said. “There will be a lot of pasta, dry and fresh that we will be making in-house, and only Italian wines.”

[Pete]

They applied for a $65,000 building permit last week for 1,300 square feet, which is very small.

[kevinpate]

Evening service only. I can live with that as I mostly work elsewhere in the day. I imagine some in the area would appreciate a decent day offering for Italian as well. Looking forward to this.

[Pete]

Floor plan for this restaurant:

[gopokes88]

They're shooting for a late March opening.

[betts]

I can't wait. This is something we need downtown.

[gopokes88]

Very close to opening. Waiting on health, fire inspections, and ABLE license. Probably 2-3 weeks.



Last picture is the view from the patio.

[bchris02]

Totally cannot wait to try this place out.

[Pete]

Looks like they are getting close to opening:

[gopokes88]

Opening is hopefully Wednesday or Thursday. I'll update the thread when I know for sure. Once the business is up and running, they'll start adding patio seating-probably in the fall.

Good news if you live in the avana apartments, they are considering delivering to the apartments.

[Pete]

Officially opens tonight:

OKCTalk - Patrono restaurant and bar opens today downtown

[shawnw]

saw folks in there the other night enjoying a soft opening and I was jelly... was anybody there? have a review for us?

[OklahomaNick]

saw folks in there the other night enjoying a soft opening and I was jelly... was anybody there? have a review for us?

I'll be there tonight! The owner is a client of mine & I did the lease for him there.

[Pete]

This should go a long way towards filling the Italian / West Downtown hole left by Trattoria Il Centro a few years back.

[OklahomaNick]

This should go a long way towards filling the Italian / West Downtown hole left by Trattoria Il Centro a few years back.

It's also a really nice place to grab dinner or a glass of wine before a show at the Civic Center.

[soonerguru]

That menu looks superb.

[gopokes88]

It's really really good.

[CCOKC]

I met the owner and the manager Saturday while I was apartment hunting. The manager even invited me to the soft opening that night but I already had plans. I promised to come by this week for dinner. They did a fine job with the remodeling and I look forward to eating there. I will post a review after I go.

[shawnw]

I met the owner and the manager Saturday while I was apartment hunting. The manager even invited me to the soft opening that night but I already had plans. I promised to come by this week for dinner. They did a fine job with the remodeling and I look forward to eating there. I will post a review after I go.

Did you find a place? Looking forward to a review if it ends up being one of the new places.

[TeriOKC]

Husband and I know the manager well. He's an asset to every restaurant he's touched. A talented guy!!

[CCOKC]

I did go to Patrono last night with my husband. I had a very nice experience. They only had a few empty tables the entire time we were there. Just be warned that this is not a place that you will have a quick bite before a show. Not that the service is bad, quite the contrary, we had very attentive service for the night with a knowledgeable wait person. It is just a fine dining experience with separate courses and very good food. My husband and I split a cheese plate before our dinner. You get to choose the cheeses you would like between 5-6 different cheeses. He had the gnocchi special and really enjoyed it. I had the gazpacho. It was very flavorful and a little spicy which I really enjoyed. I also had to try dessert. I chose the almond cake with cherries and it was fantastic. We also had a few glasses of wine and my husband had a cappuccino. The final bill was around $65 before tip so it is not an everyday kind of place for us. The bar is very nice and had quite the crowd all night. The only downside of the restaurant is it was a little loud. And I would love to see them put a patio out front in the future. Not a few tables but a full fledged patio with flowers boxes and a railing. We will definitely be back.

[Pete]

^

Thanks for the detailed review! Sounds quite promising if things were that good and organized at this early stage.

The owner (Robert) told me they have tons of room for a patio and want to add that later.

[gopokes88]

^

Thanks for the detailed review! Sounds quite promising if things were that good and organized at this early stage.

The owner (Robert) told me they have tons of room for a patio and want to add that later.

The patio will actually seat as many as the restaurant does. (40+, and has a great view of downtown) He just doesn't want to overwhelm the kitchen while they are still getting their groove.

While $65 is a lot it's pretty reasonable for Italian food.

[CCOKC]

Great news about the patio. I don't disagree about the price point for the quality but it is more of a once a month instead of a once a week place for me.

[Pete]

Had dinner there tonight before the Thunder game.

Didn't think to make a reservation but they were packed so we just ate at the bar.

The service was excellent. Friendly, professional and well informed. A cut above most places in town.

I ordered the pasta special, which was fettuccine with sliced spicy sausage and vegetables. It was very well prepared and presented but not much flavor to any part of the dish. Pretty bland all the way around.

They have an extensive wine list but I noticed they had Coop Native Amber on tap so I had to have a pint. They also have Coop F5 IPA, another favorite and a few other local selections.

I really liked the place and it was great to see them so busy. My entree was okay but given the attention to detail and the sterling reputation of the chef, I will definitely give them another visit and try some different dishes.