Tallgrass in the Blue Dome

[DTowner]

More good news on the downtown restaurant front, a new restaurant named Tallgrass is going into the spot formerly occurpied by the Blue Dome Diner.

Tallgrass restaurant to take over Blue Dome Diner space in downtown Tulsa
By SCOTT CHERRY World Scene Writer on May 17, 2013, at 1:55 AM  Updated on 5/17/13 at 5:22 AM


CONTACT THE REPORTER
Scott Cherry
918-581-8463


Hope Egan, owner of Hope's Table catering, said Thursday she plans to open a new restaurant called Tallgrass in downtown Tulsa.

She said the restaurant will be located at 313 E. Second St., taking up the east side of what used to be the Blue Dome Diner.

"It's a New York-style, shotgun space, about 35 feet wide and 100 feet deep," said Egan, who previously spent eight years as general manager of the now-closed Ciao! Baby restaurant.

"We are going to do Modern American cuisine and offer craft cocktails and live music. We are going to utilize all of the natural elements of the building - high ceilings, brick walls, concrete floors - and have a rustic, industrial decor."

Egan, who is hoping for a September opening, said she plans to serve lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

She will also serve house-baked breads, soups, salads, flatbreads and a variety of entrees, including such choices as shrimp and poblano grits, braised chicken and risotto, braised short ribs, Blakely Family Farms grilled bone-in pork chop, and Z7 Bar Ranch rib-eye.

Dinner entree prices are expected to range from about $14 to $40.

Egan said her partner in Tallgrass is Debra Zinke, owner of Z7 Bar Ranch near Pawhuska.

"We will raise our own cattle for our beef dishes," Egan said.

She said the name Tallgrass was chosen "because I wanted a name indicative of our landscape and heritage, and our beef will be raised on Tallgrass Prairie land."

"This is something I've been working on for a year," Egan said. "I'm still kind of in shock that it finally is happening."


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[Gaspar]

Sounds wonderful.  Good location, and the offering sounds like it will be a complement to the area.

[carltonplace]

Hope Egan = good luck.

[Conan71]

Hope Egan = good luck.

Trying to say she and Sager may be birds of a feather or are you simply wishing her good luck?

[sgrizzle]

There are renderings on the buildings. Looks like another Juniper.

[carltonplace]

Trying to say she and Sager may be birds of a feather or are you simply wishing her good luck?

"if you can't say anything nice...."

[Nik]

There are renderings on the buildings. Looks like another Juniper.

The rendering (too big to include here):
http://imgur.com/gjf6I5G

[Gaspar]

The rendering (too big to include here):
http://imgur.com/gjf6I5G

Opinions:

I like the design retaining the original ceiling and the drop chandeliers.

Not a fan of back-against-the-wall half booth seating, it gives the feeling of being crowded next to strangers.  I think they will find that people will consistently request not to be seated there, and they will eventually change it.

Hopefully the small arched door near the bar is not the service pathway with a swinging door just beyond and to the left of it.  If so, there will be lots of broken dishes, or the waiters will need to make several trips with smaller service trays.

I know it's just a rendering, but make sure you don't use that style of chair.  I want to be able to relax, lean back and enjoy a cocktail after dinner, and that's a terrible terrible chair style for that!  Also, based on the table design, those are 30" on the short side (2x6 slats) with block legs.  That's rather narrow, and block legs and knees don't mix.  I know it's limited space and a restaurant needs as many turns as possible, but don't make the mistake of trying to squeeze people to the point of discomfort. 

I'd like to reiterate, stay away from back-against-the-wall seating.  It sucks, and you will just end up changing it.

[RecycleMichael]

I hate that style of chairs. I am too fat to feel comfortable in them.

[rdj]

Opinions:

I like the design retaining the original ceiling and the drop chandeliers.

Not a fan of back-against-the-wall half booth seating, it gives the feeling of being crowded next to strangers.  I think they will find that people will consistently request not to be seated there, and they will eventually change it.

Hopefully the small arched door near the bar is not the service pathway with a swinging door just beyond and to the left of it.  If so, there will be lots of broken dishes, or the waiters will need to make several trips with smaller service trays.

I know it's just a rendering, but make sure you don't use that style of chair.  I want to be able to relax, lean back and enjoy a cocktail after dinner, and that's a terrible terrible chair style for that!  Also, based on the table design, those are 30" on the short side (2x6 slats) with block legs.  That's rather narrow, and block legs and knees don't mix.  I know it's limited space and a restaurant needs as many turns as possible, but don't make the mistake of trying to squeeze people to the point of discomfort. 

I'd like to reiterate, stay away from back-against-the-wall seating.  It sucks, and you will just end up changing it.

I'd tend to agree with you but The Tavern has this same style of booth seating and it has seemed to be okay for them.  In fact at lunch its the first area to fill up.  Maybe the food and other atmosphere cancel it out?

[Gaspar]

I'd tend to agree with you but The Tavern has this same style of booth seating and it has seemed to be okay for them.  In fact at lunch its the first area to fill up.  Maybe the food and other atmosphere cancel it out?

I've seen it work at bars, where people get loose and social, but not at a restaurant where you don't necessarily want to share your conversation with the nosy people next to you.

[rdj]

I've seen it work at bars, where people get loose and social, but not at a restaurant where you don't necessarily want to share your conversation with the nosy people next to you.

I wouldn't consider The Tavern a bar.  Especially, the area where the banquette seating is located.

[Conan71]

Opinions:

I like the design retaining the original ceiling and the drop chandeliers.

Not a fan of back-against-the-wall half booth seating, it gives the feeling of being crowded next to strangers.  I think they will find that people will consistently request not to be seated there, and they will eventually change it.

Hopefully the small arched door near the bar is not the service pathway with a swinging door just beyond and to the left of it.  If so, there will be lots of broken dishes, or the waiters will need to make several trips with smaller service trays.

I know it's just a rendering, but make sure you don't use that style of chair.  I want to be able to relax, lean back and enjoy a cocktail after dinner, and that's a terrible terrible chair style for that!  Also, based on the table design, those are 30" on the short side (2x6 slats) with block legs.  That's rather narrow, and block legs and knees don't mix.  I know it's limited space and a restaurant needs as many turns as possible, but don't make the mistake of trying to squeeze people to the point of discomfort. 

I'd like to reiterate, stay away from back-against-the-wall seating.  It sucks, and you will just end up changing it.

With their proposed price points, do you really need or want to encourage that many turns?  Seems you would want to make your customer comfortable where they would relax and you can up-sell them for two hours on apps, dessert, and cocktails.

[BKDotCom]

The rendering (too big to include here):
http://imgur.com/gjf6I5G

Done