Two well-established restaurants have used a concept-within-the-concept approach to attract new customers this year, and while one of those looks set to go away after a successful run, the other continues to improve and attract new business. The pop-ups in the lounge at Vast began last year when Guthrie-based WanderFolk Spirits approached general manager Evan Askey about doing an event in the space. 

“We countered with ‘Why not make it a whole weekend?’’ Askey said. “They told us they’d be interested in something longer to make the investment in personnel, product, and decor worthwhile, and we landed on a two-month pop-up. We did another in conjunction with Thunder games, and now we have the Amalfi Coast pop-up.”

Sponsored by the Campari Group and Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, the Aperol-themed pop-up features original cocktails by Vast bartender Jacob Arvin, and a special menu from Executive Chef Paul Langer. There is a $10 fee for access to the lounge, a space adjacent to main dining that has been utilized as a cocktail lounge and private dining with mixed success over the years.

“The $10 gets you into the space, as well as access to the special menus,” Askey said. “We can accommodate a request for a by-the-glass wine from our Vast list, but everything else is restricted to the pop-up menus. A complementary pour of our house-made limoncello is included with entry.”

Langer has created a focused, beautifully executed and plated menu of lamb lollipops, burrata with an nduja sauce that is worth the price of admission, sun-dried tomato arancini, clam flatbread, and bruschetta. The portion sizes are share-able, and two options are roughly equivalent to a meal for two, making the pop-upa very affordable introduction to Vast. We tasted through the menu, and it’s clear Langer is enjoying the assignment and the opportunity to be creative outside Vast’s normal offerings.

“We’ve been a successful restaurant for more than ten years,” Askey said, “but the question we’re answering with the pop-ups is can we be a successful cocktail bar?”

Given the quality of the food and booze – get the Summer Thyme for sure – the answer is clearly yes. No need to be daunted by fine dining pricing, and while the same Vast dress code – no athletic attire, flipflops, etc. – applies, the vibe is far more casual with multiple seating options, including soft lounge furniture and a high-top, all with a stunning view oriented to Bricktown and East OKC. The pop-up will run until at least the end of August, but Askey said they’re considering extending it.

The Den, the soon-to-expire concept inside Nonesuch, has introduced many local diners and travelers to Nonesuch’s unique and delicious approach to showcasing local ingredients in an elegant setting. Not only is The Den stunning from an interior design perspective, the use of negative space – -as in main dining – creates a neutral canvas to allow the beautiful food, plating and glassware to shine. 

Featuring an a la carte menu of Nonesuch dishes, The Den’s menu has been a lovely addition to main dining’s tasting menu, allowing new and curious guests to get a preview of what the full experience might look like. Choosing items between $8 and $20 is far less intimidating for the uninitiated than pulling the trigger on a ten-course tasting menu. It was a stroke of marketing genius from new owner Kelly Whitakers, whose Denver-based Id Est Hospitality, purchased Nonesuch in May. 

Beginning in September, though, Nashville’s Chef Brian Baxter (The Catbird Seat) will begin a residency. The company’s press release announced it thus: 

“Nonesuch Presents: Chef Brian Baxter will be a complete takeover of the restaurant from September 5 to November 2. Guests will experience a multi course tasting menu with optional supplements, celebrating the highly anticipated release of his cookbook, In The Catbird Seat: A Nashville Chef’s Journey at the Convergence of Art & Cuisine. This menu, inspired by Chef Baxter’s journey to find his culinary voice, is an exclusive opportunity for guests to experience the evolution of his career, from its beginnings to what the future holds.”

Reservations are now open on OpenTable for the dinners, which will be available during normal operating hours Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Whitaker talked to us briefly about the future of The Den and Nonsesuch, focusing especially on the process of getting to know the space, the city, and the clientele. An Oklahoma native, Whitaker made his culinary name in Denver, including a Michelin star for Bruto, and this year a James Beard Award for Best Restaurateur, but he’s excited about a creative project in his home state.

“Getting to know the space was why we activated The Den,” he said. “We wanted to see how and what made sense. All of this feedback and learning will go into the relaunch, reimagine of Nonesuch. Not sure if it comes back as the dining room or what, but I needed to shake things up and grow from it.”

Ever the cerebral chef and restaurateur, Whitaker approaches the tasks methodically without being restrictive, and Nonesuch presented a unique challenge: how to take a once “best restaurant in America” and help it grow and evolve, not just to survive, but contribute meaningfully to the culinary landscape. He was very open about the outline of his process.

“Step one was get to know the space,” he said. “Step two was meet the community where they are. Who is growing/producing what? What is needed and how do we fit in? Step three: Turn the lights off for us to grow and develop. Learn new things, try new ideas, say goodbye to the old. It’s time to evolve but what does that look like? Step four: Find our new identity; launch new Nonesuch with new brand/new menu format and a new way of thinking. This happens in late/mid October. It’s not necessarily the business plan I came in with but it’s been how I am making sense of it all. How can we have impact on the people that work there and be a part of elevating the city and be a positive contributor to local food movement? I wake up with this and go to bed with this.”

To quote the great Lloyd Christmas: So you’re saying there’s a chance (that we see The Den again)?! Here’s hoping, but whatever emerges from this nested period is sure to be exceptional because Whitaker has earned our trust and confidence, and he’s working a remarkable staff led by Chef Garrett Hare and GM Chad Luman.