Mickey Mantle's adds new menus, private dining options

Bricktown Merchants, Food & Drink, Oklahoma City No Responses »
Oct 282011

Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse has been a hot spot for Oklahoma City locals, visitors, and celebrities for over a decade. We recently visited with their Director of Events & Marketing, Brittany Leemaster, about how it all got started and what’s new at the award-winning restaurant and bar.

Maryland Style Crab Cake

How did Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse get started?

Our restaurant is owned by Kirby’s Steakhouse, which has four Kirby’s locations in Texas. The Kirby family and the Mantle family were close friends, so when the opportunity came to open up in Oklahoma City, our owners decided to honor the sports legend and family by opening up in Bricktown.

Why did you choose Bricktown as a location?

Our owners saw there was potential in a very young Bricktown and, with the ballpark across the way on a street named Mickey Mantle Drive, it was just meant to be. We opened the doors in 2000 and celebrated our 10-year anniversary last year.

What are some of your favorite items on the menu?

Nothing beats a 7oz Filet with a side of Béarnaise and Sautéed Mushrooms. I could eat it every day. However, our Mesquite Smoked Steaks with a side of Bourbon Sweet Potatoes comes close. Other favorites would include our Maryland Style Crab Cake, Pepper Steak, Rosemary Zucchini, and Chocolate Cake.

Chocolate Cake

What do customers say they love most about the restaurant?

Service. We pride ourselves on nothing but exceptional service by going above and beyond for our guests. We make sure everyone is treated like a VIP.

Can you tell us more about your bar and #7 Lounge?

Our bar and #7 Lounge has become one of the hottest spots in Bricktown to visit before and after downtown events, especially NBA games. Guests can enjoy a full service bar where they can sip on our signature martinis or a glass of wine from our award-winning wine list, while listening to popular local bands on Friday and Saturday nights. We are cigar friendly and carry a premium selection of brands such as Oliva and Ashton. We also run one of the best happy hours in Oklahoma City. Monday through Friday, we offer $2 longneck domestics, 1/2 priced appetizers, and a complimentary buffet that changes daily.

What awards has Mickey Mantle’s won recently?

I am proud to say that every year we have always won some type of award. Recent awards include: Wine Spectator Award; Oklahoma Magazine’s Best of the Best for Bartender, Seafood, and Wine List; and Oklahoma Gazette’s Best of OKC for Pre-Event Dinner, Romantic Restaurant, and Upscale Restaurant.

Mickey Mantle’s recently added a gluten free menu and small plates menu. Can you tell us more?

Having a gluten free menu is a must! We get asked about our gluten free menu almost on a daily basis and our customers truly appreciate us having a menu that meets their dietary needs.  Our small plates menu is offered in the bar and lounge and has really taken off. Our favorites are the Spring Rolls and Tenderloin Skewers, but the Kobe Beef Sliders are very popular as well.

Have you had any celebrities dine at Mickey Mantle’s?

We have had numerous celebrities visit our restaurant such as Mel Gibson, Fergie, Josh Duhmal, Chris Kattan, Ron White and Holly Hunter, along with several musical artists and a large list of professional athletes, especially NBA players.

Do you have special events coming up?

We are working with So6ix magazine and high-end retail stores by putting together a Fashion Show & Wine Dinner this November 20th. It will be something new and different we have never done before. Tickets will go on sale the beginning of November. We also help raise money for Oklahoma LifeShare every year with a wine dinner each February. It is a great organization the Mantle family is involved with. It’s our way to pay tribute to the Mantle family and those in need of transplants in Oklahoma.

Mickey Mantle's New Boardroom

Anything else you’d like to  add?

We have recently remodeled our private rooms and added a smaller intimate room called our Boardroom. The Boardroom seats up to 10 guests and is ideal for the person who seeks that extra step in service. A perfect setting for business and strategy meetings, the room is fully equipped with private food and beverage service, a top-of-the-line audio visual system, and wireless Internet. All rooms are now equipped with top-of-the-line A/V systems and screens.

 

 

Written by: admin on October 28, 2011
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Local jazz legends open nightclub in Bricktown

Bricktown, Bricktown Events, Bricktown Merchants, Development, Food & Drink, Music, OKC History, Oklahoma City No Responses »
Oct 202011

Purple Martini owner Charles Burton.

Local jazz legends Charles and Barbara Burton have launched a new stage in life as proud owners of an upscale nightclub in Bricktown.

The Burtons first opened the doors to the Purple Martini in September and are planning a grand opening celebration the weekend of October 28-30.

Their previous life on stage includes being the house band for the Waterford Marriott Hotel for the past 25 years. Charles was also Gladys Knight’s guitar player and toured with Tom Jones. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 2001.

Their skills at entertaining a crowd were also honed during many years working in public education. Charles is a retired elementary school principal and Barbara is a retired science teacher.

Located at 315 E. Sheridan, the Purple Martini features a nonsmoking environment, a stage for live entertainment and, of course, a variety of purple cocktails.

“Oklahoma City is growing,” Charles said. “ The city has a great atmosphere, pro sports team, new park, and new hotels. We think it will be a great place to start out and grow as the city grows.”

The Purple Martini’s grand opening celebration will include Look at OKC’s Halloween Party on October 28, a Ghouls Gone Wild after party on October 29 and live music from the band Casino on October 30.

For more information, visit http://purplemartiniokc.com/.

 

Written by: admin on October 20, 2011
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Purple Bar shines in Bricktown

Bricktown, Bricktown Merchants, Chevy Bricktown Showcase, Food & Drink, Music 1 Response »
Oct 172011

Located on the second floor of Nonna’s Euro-American Ristorante in the heart of Bricktown, the Purple Bar offers visitors a cosmopolitan atmosphere, creative cuisine and some of the best live music Oklahoma City has to offer.

“The original Purple Bar is located in the Sanderson Hotel in London, England,” said owner Avis Scaramucci. “I took a few of their great ideas and combined them with my own to create a bar that has a spectacular view of Bricktown, a warm and inviting atmosphere and an LED lighting display that’s unique to Oklahoma City.”

Some of the Purple Bar’s signature drinks include the Purple Bar Tini, Nicole’s Volcano, Nonna’s Margarita and a house limoncello — each of which pair perfectly with a gorgeous afternoon on the Purple Bar patio and half-priced appetizers from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday through Saturday.

Customers can also enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Popular acts include Miss Blues, Stephen Speaks, Jamie Bramble and more. The Purple Bar was recently featured alongside local folk band O Fidelis and singer-songwriter Daniel Walcher in an episode of the Chevy Bricktown Showcase, a mini documentary series highlighting Oklahoma City’s growing music scene.

Whether customers visit for the live music, a special celebration, a pre- or post-Thunder game cocktail or just to relax and enjoy the atmosphere, there’s a lot to love about the Purple Bar.

“Customers love the décor, the fact that it’s a fun place to be seen, our large cocktail and wine selection, and that we offer our complete menu throughout the bar area,” Scaramucci said.

 

Written by: admin on October 17, 2011
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Zombies unite in Bricktown TONIGHT!

Bricktown, Bricktown Events, Music No Responses »
Oct 142011

The music will be live, but the performers and audience members will appear quite the opposite as the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO) hosts its first annual Zombie Walk TONIGHT in Bricktown!

The ACM@UCO invites the community to join in a mile-long march.  Participants will gather at 6 p.m. in the Bass Pro Shops south parking lot and walk through Lower Bricktown to the Bricktown Centennial Plaza in front of the Harkins Theater.  The plaza is the site of an outdoor concert featuring local bands Gum, David Goad, Moon, Giraffe Massacre, and Chateau – all featuring ACM@UCO students.  Music is expected to start at 7 p.m.

Both the concert and participation in the Zombie Walk are free, but all are encouraged to dress up in their “zombie best.”

 

Written by: admin on October 14, 2011
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OKC arena reopens with new name and renovations

Bricktown, Bricktown Events, Bricktown Merchants, Development, Music, Oklahoma City No Responses »
Oct 122011

Wayne Coyne and Richard Dreyfuss on their way to the Chesapeake Energy Arena on Monday night.

The Chesapeake Energy Arena showed off its new name and renovations last night by reopening its doors for the WWE Raw SuperShow — an event so big even Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne and Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss showed up.

And the arena, formerly known as the Oklahoma City Arena, will keep the big events coming this week with Chris Brown in concert on Wednesday and Taylor Swift in concert on Saturday.

Ryan McGhee, communications manager for Chesapeake Energy Arena and Cox Convention Center, said visitors will notice a lot of changes to the arena now that it’s reopened.

“What will be most visible to people who come to the arena for the first time since we closed for the summer is the remodeled main concourse,” McGhee said. “It’s brighter and more vibrant.”

They’ve redone the ceiling, adding new way-finding signs and 20 wedge-shaped video boards. A new terrazzo floor has been installed, which has a similar look to the floor installed in Loud City during the previous rounds of renovations. Also, new video boards have been added to the northwest and northeast entries.

McGhee said the new grand entrance, which is currently under construction, is scheduled to be completed June 2012. It will feature a three-story atrium, new food and beverage options and a family fun zone.

Outside, the arena has added new Chesapeake Energy Arena signs and a 74-foot wide by 20-foot tall video board that faces Reno Ave. Chesapeake signed a 12-year naming rights deal for the arena in July.

So what renovations is McGhee most excited about?

“I’m looking forward to seeing what the grand entrance looks like when it’s finished, but among what fans will see now, it’s definitely the new video board in the northeast entry. It’s a 306-degree video board that was specially made for the arena and doesn’t exist anywhere else.”

In addition to this week’s lineup of events, Larry the Cable Guy will be at the arena on October 22, Women of Faith on November 11-12, the Rock and Worship Road Show on November 17 and Trans-Siberian Orchestra on December 10.

McGhee said the arena updates will be a key factor in continuing to attract big events to Oklahoma City.

“The renovations give us a more attractive facility to lure sporting events, concerts, family shows, and other special events to Oklahoma City,” McGhee said.

Another key factor? The arena’s proximity to Bricktown.

“One of the arena’s best assets is its location,” McGhee said. “The proximity to I-40 and I-35 is a plus and being within walking distance of Bricktown means there’s plenty for people to do before and after a show. Our relationship with Bricktown really is a symbiotic one. The more there is to do near the arena, the more people will be willing to come downtown for an event and that puts more people into Bricktown.”

 

 

Written by: admin on October 12, 2011
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