Oklahoma for every taste
06/01/2003
By ELAINE WARNER / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
Texans have found lots of reasons to visit southeastern
Oklahoma: Beavers Bend State Park - the state's most popular - plus
beautiful scenery, great fishing and boating. What visitors haven't
expected is sophistication.
A new restaurant and inn that seem to jump from
the pages of Architectural Digest are expanding the opportunities
for visitors.
The newest eatery in the area is Abendigo's,
which opened in January. The family-owned restaurant hired Culinary
Institute of America-trained Lance Ifuku as executive chef.
One of the owners, Charlette Hearne, explains
the motivation to bring relatively upscale dining to the region:
"Food has always been my hobby. I traveled to France about
30 years ago and studied at La Varenne [in Burgundy, France]. I've
also taken classes under James Beard, Julia Child, all the big names."
Another family member, Chad Sargent, says the area is ripe for this
type of restaurant.
"We ran the numbers," he said. "We
wanted a restaurant with style which would appeal to a wide market.
We're upscale enough for visitors looking for an elegant meal, but
we're casual enough not to be intimidating."
The menu includes fresh fish flown in daily
and steak, which is cut on the premises. But it's not all upscale:
You'll also find hamburgers, chicken fried steak, Caesar salad and
pasta. Deserts range from Strawberry Romanov - fresh berries with
a creamy sauce hinting of rum and brown sugar - to Bananas Jubilee
flamed at your table.
Abendigo's, located nine miles north of Broken
Bow on U.S. 259 at the road to Lakeview Lodge. Current hours are
Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday,
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Summer closings will be one hour later. Contact:
580-494-7222.
As if Charlette Hearne weren't busy enough,
she and her husband are planning to open Rivers Bend Resort later
this week.
The three cabins have a prime location
- a mile of riverfront on the Glover River, considered Oklahoma's
last "wild" river. Each cottage has its own canoe, and
all units have full kitchens and decks. Two feature $10,000 shower
units with full body spray, back and foot massagers. |
