Are you freaking kidding me?!
I hate being reminded how little I know about some of the greatest spots in the city, and Urban Wine Works was kind enough to rub it in recently. I had fantastic service, the chance to try a few excellent wines, a relaxed atmosphere and some remarkable food. I tried enough of the wine to know that there you can't really go wrong with any of the reds, but the Mourvedre was the standout for me.
Fried quail was very interesting ... perfectly cooked and seasoned, a nice crunch from the breading and the exact balance of oil you need to avoid both a dry, gamey bird and a culinary grease ball. Truffle mac & cheese was a hit as well; I make a killer mac & cheese myself, but I am happy to report I am far outclassed by their excellent chef.
In both cases, the food was a prime example of something many places give lip service to and ignore in practice -- simplicity. Let's take the mac & cheese: Everyone does a mac & cheese, and they usually try to make it sound fancier by adding lobster (shrimp is actually a better choice), tomatos, etc., and almost always change up the cheese as well for something like fontina. In this case, they're just doing a cheddar/butter sauce that IS ALL YOU NEED when it comes to excellent cheese sauce, with a little truffle oil added to give it a more substantial flavor. Simpler really can be better sometimes, and it was great to see.
Urban Wine Works is instantly in my top tier of OKC spots. May have to carve out some room in the budget to eat here more often.
This is a lovely place in the plaza district that serves a variety of wine. You can buy by the glass or the bottle. Prices were very reasonable. What I liked was that they let you try as much wine as you want until you find one that suits you. I have very little experience with wine so that was great! After tasting several different flavors, I decided to get the Plaza White. It wasn't too sweet or bitter - juuuust right.
There were three food menus: brunch, lunch, and dinner. Portions were small, they were more like foods you nibble on while you drink your wine. I got two chicken salad sliders and the total for both was $10 just to give you an idea since prices weren't on the menu. The sandwiches were very good - highly recommended!
Service couldn't be better. Josiah was a sweetheart and did an amazing job! Give that guy a raise! I'm a sucker for great customer service since that can be hard to find. UWW has the nicest employees. Come check this place out if you haven't already!
Thanks to Julie P. for dropping off passes to an event at Urban Wine Works so that I had no excuses and was forced to finally stop in because this place is truly spectacular! Since that fateful night, I've been back in to UWW a few times and enjoy it always. I sampled a few of their wines and decided the Sauvignon Blanc was probably my favorite out of the ones I tasted although I definitely need to branch out and try some different wine.
Although I love the indoor atmosphere here, their patio cannot be beat and the location is wonderful! I have not yet tried their food but the menu looks quite appetizing and will hopefully get a chance to do so in the near future.
Okay, but most importantly, the #1 reason I love UWW is because you can come in and buy CHILLED wine after 9pm and on Sundays! I do not know how this is possible but it is TRUTH and it is fantastic!! Hooray! Screw you, liquor stores!
Urban Wine Works is one of the many reasons why I love OKC. We can have an amazing winery in the middle of the city. Several selections of wines that are all made by UWW. They aren't kidding with their slogan "Damn fine table wine." They have a lovely patio as well and their food is yummy! Great appetizers and tapas to go alongside your glass (or bottle!) of wine.
Review Source:A few evening ago, it was NICE out, and I wanted to eat outside. Â Of course, so did the rest of the city... so the first several spots JD and I tried were smash-packed, and I was on the verge of giving up and reheating some chili when I remembered that Oh! Â Urban Wine Works-- it has food!
And DOES it!
It's in the plaza, so there is a ton of parking around, and we managed to grab a spot directly in front. Â We went into the practically empty place, and said we were there for dinner and would like to sit outside, but I got a quick look at the decor, and I liked it-- a mix of real table set ups and couches perfect for dinner or lounging, and some nice goodies for sale, including some tea accessories! Â If it weren't so spendy, I'd try to get friends to come hang out here, but sadly, my pals are more the stella artois than apps and wine sort.
Anyway, the outside area is nice and open, and there were some hipster kids nursing wine and playing guitar, so we weren't TOTALLY alone. Â One of the waitresses came by to take drink orders, and seemed fairly aware of all their wines' styles. Â I got a red with a weird name, which was pleasant enough if a bit more sour than I like with low tannins, a very wet mouthfeel, and a bit of a strange wet wool flavor to it. Â Would drink again, because even if not a fave and rather young and thin tasting, it was certainly interesting.
The food menu is spendy. Â And I think that is the biggest flaw. Â I got the foie gras app and the brussel sprouts side as my dinner, and the foie gras is sixteen freaking dollars. Â That's right, $16. Â For a tiny little bit of foie gras! Â $16! Â Maybe Boston spoiled me, but even at Eastern Standard, it was only $10!! Â Not to go off on a side rant, but I find it utterly ridiculous that so many of the nicer places in OKC cost more than the nicer places in Boston-- I'm not talking L'espalier here, but more Eastern Standard, Regal Beagle, Stephanie's type places! Â At any rate, the foie gras was quite tasty, though a touch overdone, and it came on a fairly tasty biscuit.
The brussels sprouts were the bomb. Â Tasty, green, with the bitterness cooked out, tender half lumps mixed in with crisped leaves, and all coated in a butter that made me feel like I wasn't eating my delicious veggies made of pure, sweet, awesome deliciousness. Â It came with a dipping sauce, but whatever-- I didn't use it more than twice, because the sprouts themselves were so freaking good. Â Jd got a steak and fries. Â The fries were some of the best I've had in a long while-- thin cut, but with a great bite, and a nice exterior. Â I'm not sure what kind of oil they were fried in, but they were flavorful and just so, so, so awesome. Â His steak was great too-- the very center of it was too red for him, which meant perfect for me, so I got to have that one bite that didn't satisfy him, and it was just really good meat.
The ONLY reason I am giving this a 4 instead of a 5 is that I feel that many options on the menu are overpriced. Â The food is excellent. Â The ambieance is pleasant.
We stopped in late one night for a bite and a drink. My friend and I shared a sandwich, which was really good. The bread was crusty and chewey and mmmm.
We loved it. Truly loved it. The wine was spot on. The service was impeccable. I really wish I lived closer and had more of a social life, so I could go to Urban Wine works more.
I'm updating my review of @UrbanWineWorks, which has become one of my favorite spots in the city. My old review was written before the addition of Executive Chef Jon Turney, the most delightful addition to the OKC food scene in years. With affable manager Andrew Stanley at the helm and supporting cast of friendly, capable staff I feel like this is suddenly the little restaurant that can. As far as I'm concerned, all reviews written before this chef and team are background.
I always feel like the Plaza itself is this little phoenix that shouldn't really be as wonderful as it is.. that it has this weird cosmic thing, this mix of personalities and situations and timing that all came together to be something bigger than the sum of its parts. So it seems fitting that this unlikely star has emerged on the Plaza. How did this winemaker and this manager and this chef and this staff all converge here to make this food? There's something magical about the Plaza, and now this place is part of that.
Okay, enough philosophizing... onto the food. If it's on the menu, it's made in house with few exceptions. Infusions, dressings, aioli. If it's featured, it's likely heirloom, like the Fairytale pumpkins being featured right now in both a pumpkin soup with spiced creme fraiche and toasted hazelnuts, as well as in the seasonal risotto (which is vegan if you skip the cheese as it's made with vegetable stock).
Half the menu is tapas or shared plates. Of the 11 items on this side of the menu, 9 can be either vegetarian or in most cases, even vegan, but that wouldn't stop any carnivore with tastebuds from loving these dishes. In fact, I feel like this was almost an afterthought, or a cool bonus. Like, 'here, I made for you all these delicious things, oh and by the way, every single person in your party can find something out of this world that fits into their food lifestyle.' I'm a big fan of the Plaza White with the small plates because it is so versatile.
My tapas favorites are the warm almonds with chili flake fleur de sel, the cauliflower with housemade lemon-infused olive oil and pecorino, the artisan cheese plate. The mushroom tart with cherve, shallots and arugula is also a home run.
Soup: try the aforementioned Fariytale soup, but don't miss the corn chowder which is excellent (and comes with a delightful slice of coppa). All the salads are good, but I prefer apple and arugula.
Large plates: On this menu, I've only had the eye of the ribeye with confit fingerlings, mushroom cream and asparagus. $26, plenty to share (especially if you've had some small plates at your table). We ate every bite, sopped up all the sauce, and the Mourvedre, was perfect alongside. I'm looking forward to trying the seared duck breast with brussels sprout petals and orange jus + plaza red, as well as the venison osso bucco with creamy polenta.
I'm also really looking forward to trying brunch here, and I always look forward to seeing what kind of fun, easy food they make for each Live on the Plaza night. This is the place I plan on bringing by Napa Valley family when they're here at Christmas, and last year that place was Ludivine. That's how strongly I feel about the food here.
I took my daughter and granddaughter there for lunch. While the decor was early Thrift Shop, the place was clean and tidy and had an aura of friendliness. Waiting for the granddaughter , Robin and I ordered marinated mushrooms to nibble at.
They were a definite taste treat, we were impressed with the marinade, and the serving was generous. Heather shows up and we order. I the Softshell Crab sandwich, Robin a Salad, and  Heather some other sandwich. Not driving today I ordered a glass of wine A-----.
I am not a wine buff, but the wine was robust  tangy and generously poured. Reminded me a bit of what we used to call Dago Red.
The food was well presented and delivered all at once. Everything was enjoyable, but what really stood out was the flavor of the Marinades and dressings, also the bread rolls were real taste treats. We were three happy campers
Try the Plaza White.. really one of the best local white wines I've ever tasted! Food was superb! Their new chef "Jon" was an outstanding surprise to an enjoyable evening of wine and tapas.
Really cannot go wrong with any small plates; local heirloom tomatoes for the bruschetta, pancetta wrapped asparagus with pecorino and a balsamic reduction, and roasted garlic as simple as it is.. but out of this world flavor.
Also one of the best tasting roasted glazed chicken over a potato cake and wilted arugula. Honestly, this chef is a gem! Culinary training from all over California including the Bay area, San Diego and Napa Valley.
Give it a try! Great patio too!
"Damn Fine Table Wine"
My wife and I checked out Urban Wine Works for a long over due date night. Â It turned out to be an unexpected gem and culinary delight. Â UWW is located in the up and coming 16th Street Plaza District. Â The area has several new bars, restaurants, and art galleries.
The service was top notch. Â Everyone was very nice and knowledgeable about the wine selection. Â They also have a section at the front that has everything from wine glass charms, wine racks, and wine glasses to spicy pickles and candle holders. Â There are two and four top tables with some couches and bar seating as well. Â There is also a large patio with a lot of umbrella shaded seating. Â Â
Unbeknownst to us, UWW hired a new chef in July 2012. Â After our meal the chef came out to ask us what we thought of the food. Â We then found out that he has worked in many restaurants in Napa County California and recently moved to Oklahoma. Â He also told us that he tries to focus on seasonal, fresh, and locally sourced ingredients. Â His culinary skills and focus are very evident in the flavors and variety of dishes. Â Â Â Â Â
We started with the roasted garlic and the asparagus with prosciutto and egg appetizers. Â Both were well prepared and presented very nicely. Â The garlic was perfectly roasted and very flavorful. Â The roasted garlic is served with crostinis. Â Â In regards to the asparagus, too many untrained chefs tend to over-cook it and it comes out as limp as a linguini noodle. Â Not here, the asparagus was cooked perfectly and had great texture. Â The asparagus was wrapped in prosciutto and topped with a sunny-side up egg. Â What a great combination!
For our entree, we had the balsamic glazed roasted chicken. Â It was served on a bed of wilted arugula and a seared potato round. Â The potato round is basically chunky mashed potatoes with cream, garlic, and spices which is then seared in a ring form. Â
Other choices on the menu included steak tips with a wine sauce, a salmon salad, and many other dishes that sounded equally delicious. Â The chef noted that the menu will continually change and always have a variety of proteins and locally sourced ingredients.
I recommend that you try this place. Â It is a great place for a date or a night out with friends. Â I also want to try it for lunch. Â The lunch menu had some great items.
I went to UWW with a group of 7 women from our neighborhood. Â We sat outside on the patio, it was a lovely day. Â We all ordered wine. Â Our server insisted that she bring a sample of whatever you ordered, which at first I found a bit annoying (I'm a wine drinker and I know what I like!) but I'm certainly glad she did. Â I ordered the Pinotage but it was WAY too fruity for me. Â I guess I prefer my reds drier. Â To me it tasted more like Japanese plum wine than anything else. Â No one else at the table liked it either, so I didn't feel too badly about it. Â I wound up having the Rose because someone else at the table had it and didn't like it. Â I thought it was okay. Â General consensus seemed to be that the Moscato and the Plaza white were the favorites at the table.
Now for the food. Â We decided to order a mix of appetizers so we could try lots of things. Â We got the pastry wrapped brie, which was fantastic. Â It's served with fig jam, 2 kinds of crackers, and smoked sausage. Â I love brie so this was what I ordered to share with everyone and I was not disappointed. Â We also got the crab cakes, which had an overwhelming mustard flavor (I'm not a mustard fan so this was not good for me!) and were probably frozen. Â We also got 2 trays of the toast samplers which were prepared 4 ways. Â They were overpriced for what we got: hard bread with cold, semi-melted cheese and tomato paste or onion and pear. Â Not worth the price by any means at all. Â The salads that a couple of the ladies ordered looked pretty good but I didn't try them.
The service was....okay, I guess. The server seemed like she had better things to do than take care of a party of 7 mature women (who tip well!). Â There was one other table occupied on the patio...I don't know how many customers were inside but I think we only saw a couple of people go in while we were there. Â It took a long time to get our wine when we ordered it, we had to ask multiple times for water, napkins and flatware once the food came, and the food was cold when she brought it out.
Will I go back? Â Maybe. Â But I'll only order the brie.
I checked out Urban Wineworks after a Thunder game and have since had their wines at an event. Â I love that we have a winery in OKC, and love the location. Â The owners and employees are lovely and very helpful, the tastings are reasonably priced. Â I have found that when I'm in Napa I am a red drinker, but I LOVE the Plaza White.
I have heard a rumor that if you have an Urban Wineworks logo tattooed on your person, you will receive free wine for a year. Â I'm not sure they have taken into account how much wine people like me drink, but I also don't get tattoos so they are probably safe. Â The next time you are in the Plaza, check out the awesomeness that is UWW!
Visited UWW with a good friend last week. As someone who has drunk a little wine in the past (for professional reasons, of course), I found myself excited at the prospect of an edgy little wine-friendly stop.
The interior is urban rustic meets tchotke mart strained through a Provencal waitress' apron. Lots of wine and gourmand related goodies from the purchase inclined among you. Me, I'm an "eat and drink it there" kind of guy. I'd consider going back if I needed a gift for someone who appreciates the tastier side of life.
When my friend arrived, we decided to sit outside. There was a dedicated patio area overlooking the Plaza District. We were there relatively earlier on a Wednesday night, so there wasn't a whole lot going on. It was nice, with the exception of the typical lovely Oklahoma winds nearly upending our table several times. I know that's par for the course, but it seems like the establishment should STILL be able to secure their equipment a little better.
My friend got the Plaza White (her usual), while I decided on the Petite Syrah. I like big fruit bombs that treat your tongue like a punching bad, and I wasn't disappointed. Excellent wine, especially at the price point. Our waitress was very attentive (I asked her name, but now it escapes me...oh well, she was good).
Now, the next part of the review could be a deal breaker for some. We were going to order something off the food menu, and we were out of a few things. That was incorrect: they were out of a LOT of things. However, she told us what was 86'ed, and we moved on. She stated that the chef/owner was going to market, and had simply run out of some things. If this place had been open two years and this would've happened, I would've raised holy Hell. However, they're new, they're honest, and what we had (a platter of cheese toasts done four different ways) was good. As a former restaurant guy and as a current entrepreneur, I understand how tough it is to stock food without waste. They get a pass...THIS time. Here's hoping they're around long enough to fix this issue. So, WARNING: if you're going for the food, just call ahead to see what they have/don't have. If that doesn't work, there are three/four other dining choices on the Plaza, then come back for the wine.
Oh, yeah...back to the wine. One of the great things about wine for geeks like me is that it provides opportunities to geek out. We got into a discussion with the waitress (curly dark hair, young...what WAS her name?!?) about some of the reds, and she brought us samples(!!!) of their Pinotage (a nice bright red for those of you who don't like BIG reds; very juicy and easy drinking), and an Italian-based red whose name escapes me (you'll know it when you see it on the menu; it would be a great pizza/burger wine). We wound up spending close to 3 hours talking and enjoying our beverages.
That's the strength of a place like UWW: it's an easy place to hang. Now, if they're not careful, that could also be a downfall, because if they get busy, table space could become an issue. Overall, I really like it, and I'll return. I scored it three stars, but that's a very soft three. They could get to four stars in my book by fixing their outside tables and getting a handle on their menu situation - neither of which should be particularly difficult. I'm definitely rooting for them. Visit, and you'll root for them as well.
Went there last night with the girlfriend. We were seated and had to wait for our friends to meet us. For starters, the seating is incredibly uncomfortable. The only seating that looked remotely comfortable was a pair of couches that were occupied by a group of drunks. We were left waiting for 15 minutes without looking at a menu or even a glass of water. When they finally brought water out, it was a disfusting cucumber-flavored water. Sorry, I was just hoping for regular distilled water.
After our friends showed up and were ready to order, we were completely ignored. The two servers on staff were willing to help everyone but us. After 45 minutes of being completely ignored, we walked out. The servers didn't even acknowledge us.
I have been to Urban simply to buy bottles of wine before, and the wine is fairly good. However, I will not be returning to sit in their restaurant.
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