District 21 Restaurant

We made a reservation one week before the date of our event. We were a table of nine people, each person was charged $ 26.00. We waited over an hour before we received our entrees. Nine people, we got to pick six sides. A table of two received three sides, but a table of nine received six sides. We had to ask for bread, more jam. My Korean ribs were cold. The corn was cold with chunks of mayonnaise on them, cold like lards. When we passed the potatoes around, everyone got a little spoonful. The desserts were doughy, not cooked. When I complained to the manager, she said, «This is a student restaurant, not a regular restaurant.» I said I waited over an hour. Three tables who came after us got served.” The manager said she and chef decided that our table would only get six sides. Terrible service. We got there at 6:05; left at 8:50. Terrible service, mediocre food, long waits. Very expensive. Not worth supporting. Did not see students working. Chef Carlos the only cook.

When it comes to top notch dining at the best price you can find, District 21 has to be on that prestigious list. This place stole my heart at the first bite. I remember it like it was yesterday… The warm spinach, bacon and feta cheese salad changed my life. Now I can’t eat a salad without wishing it was this one. It includes toasted pepita seeds, caramelized onions and some glorious dressing. All these flavors together are harmony in my belly. I always feel good after devouring a huge bowl of yummy spinach :)
Once they pry the salad bowl away from me, there is nowhere else I could find comfort but in a perfectly seared meaty steak. It usually is accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and some amazing veggie. The menu description will leave a lot to the imagination if you are not used to simple explanations and want more details before ordering, ask the wait staff whom happens to be culinary arts students from Francis Tuttle! The fact that our local youth have something to do with this meal just makes it taste so much better. They are very smart and driven if you get them to open up. I always feel as if I want to make a connection with someone where I love to frequent so that in the event I come twice a week, they are less likely to judge.
Now for the finale, dessert! Order two and sharing is not an option. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Eat up and tell me what you thought!

We went back again last Friday and the meal and service continues to stand out. Head and shoulders above the crowd. The meal is delicious and presented in a manner that you would believe your in a 5 star restaurant. We are going again tonight ¹¹⁄₆ and I expect nothing less than a superb meal and atmosphere.

District 21 is one of OKC’s best kept secrets! The current menu (which changes periodically) has a choice of three wonderful multi-​course meals. The torchon (foie gras paired with a poppy seed cake) was delicious! The sweetness of the foie gras went perfectly with the cake. A scallop ceviche followed. The scallops were sweet, balanced perfectly with the citrus, carrots and cauliflower. Did I mention the juiciest pork chop you could ask for anywhere! Perfectly paired with a rib, pork belly and fresh, crisp slaw. As if that wasn’t enough, the strawberry and rhubarb tart was just the right amount of sweetness to finish the meal. You’ll enjoy this menu! Come down before it changes!

It was a really fun experience to attend the Guest Chef Series for March! The menu was like nothing I would normally order, but I loved every course! The staff was attentive and professional. The wine pairing expert was quite informative and enhanced the experience. I would definitely go back to try their normal service!

Best affordable nice restaurant. Service is slow, but food is amazing! I have never had anything bad there.

I am so glad I got a chance to try District 21, thanks to some guest chef dinner tickets from Julie. I live just down the street from Francis Tuttle, and my boyfriend and I have been wanting to try it.
We came for Guest Chef Kathryn Mathis, who just opened Pizzeria Gusto on 23^rd. I’d been wanting to try Gusto too, so this seemed like a great opportunity to sample some of Kathryn’s food.
Our first course/​appetizer was a tuna salad kind of thing, but MUCH better than any tuna salad I’ve had. It had good chunks of tuna, kalamata olives, garbanzo beans, green beans, tomatoes and a lemon dressing (probably more stuff that I’m forgetting) and it was really yummy. I love tuna, I love garbanzo beans, and it all went together really well.
Second course was a carrot and fennel salad with Italian sausage. This was reallllly good. The carrots were really flavorful and the sausage added a nice kick. The third course and our entrée were short ribs with a gnocchi and vegetables. This really blew me away. The short ribs were so tender and pretty much fell apart on the plate, in the best way possible. The gnocchi and vegetables were great too and it all went perfectly with the sauce.
The final course for dessert was a butterscotch pudding and a small chocolate tarte with cherries on top. I preferred the tarte, and my friend preferred the butterscotch, so that means they were both delicious. The tarte was tough to eat with the fork but was so good and I’m a sucker for chocolate!
I know I’ll be back in the future because this is a great restaurant, great teaching concept and great food.

Finally had a chance to experience #District21 at #francisTuttle #OKC for our NWOKC eClub #lions meeting. This affordable up scale restaurant is full state-​of-​the-​art equipment, innovated dishes and great service. We highly recommend this OKC gem to be featured on @whatsgoodoklahoma #chicmamas #chicmamaEats I’ll look forward to returning for more.

Found this gem from a local foodie’s blog. As we weren’t in the mood for steaks or Asian food (which seems to be what dominates the list of top-​rated restaurants in the OKC area), this place jumped out, especially as the menu we saw online looked appealing and the prices looked quite reasonable.
Service was very attentive, and the student servers (all part of the culinary arts program at the VoTech school the restaurant is a part of) were quite friendly and fun to talk to. The menu was simple: drinks on one side (nothing alcoholic, as they don’t have a license), and on the other side, several salads, several mains, and three desserts.
To drink, I chose a locally-​brewed root beer (my dining partner opted for a locally-​brewed orange crème soda that had a nice, gingery bite to it, not at all like most orange crème sodas).
Several different breads, some of which were made in-​house by student bakers, arrived, and we feasted on too many of these delicacies before our meals arrived.
I settled on the burrata salad, which was like a deconstructed caprese salad made with slightly-​creamier burrata cheese and balsamic caviar, and for the main course, the ramen. Our server complimented me on the choice of ramen, saying the noodles were hand-​made in-​house. The ramen arrived also in a sort of deconstructed presentation, with ramen noodles and broth in the bottom of the bowl and the other components – pork shoulder and various shredded vegetables – laid carefully around the edge of the large, wide-​brimmed bowl. The shoulder was perfectly cooked with just a touch of a sweet glaze, and the noodles were extremely tender and definitely tasted fresh. The dark broth started out fine, but as I delved deeper into it, I got an odd sense of a bitter, almost dish-​soap-​like taste that I thought overpowered the broth. (Not sure what caused it – I don’t find cilantro tastes like soap like some people do, so that wasn’t it.) Between the oversized salad and the
My dining companion, who hails from Alaska, was intrigued by the halibut on the menu but – as Alaskans typically are – was skeptical of the quality of the fish. Our server quizzed the chef, who said he had ordered it the previous day from Washington state and had it show up at 2pm that day. That boding well for the quality of the fish, the order was placed and a *huge* platter of fish arrived cooked perfectly (not too dry – easy to do!) and without the tiniest hint of fishiness. This was some of the best fish we’d tasted outside of Alaska!
Between the oversized portions (no danger of leaving hungry here!) and the overflowing (and replenished) bread board, we had no room for dessert.
Between courses, we chatted up the servers about their studies, their plans to continue on in culinary education, and their experiences working in the restaurant. It brought a fun and human touch to what could otherwise be an aloof experience.
All in all, it was a fun experience, and I would definitely return next time I am in the area!

Outstanding food at great prices. On the campus of Francis Tuttle VoTech. A part of the Culinary School… under the watchful eyes of some of the best Chefs in the southwest… soon to be chefs learn by doing. I’ve invited friends several times… they’ve always been amazed at the service, food quality, and experience. No wine here. This is officially a school.

I am thoroughly impressed by the concept and execution of District 21. For those who don’t know, this restaurant operates out of the culinary school at Francis Tuttle. Therefore, the chefs are students at the school and some of the proceeds (mostly tips) go to them. The restaurant is well-​designed, clean and modern. The menu is neat. 4 – 5 small plates, 4 entrees and 4 desserts. I believe it changes, but I’m not sure how often. Tonight, we had the pork, which is a pork dish 2 ways: pork belly and pork chop. The flavors were fantastic. The meat was tender with a nice crisp on the outside. It came with greens, cauliflower and sweet potato casserole. I literally scraped the bowl for all of the sweet potatoes. That was my favorite part of dinner. It is indulgent like a dessert. They even brûléed a layer of sugar on top! The ribeye was okay considering that it is a fattier cut of beef that we don’t usually buy. It was a bit undercooked for a medium, but they brought it back and made it right the second time without hesitation. I almost forgot about our salads. The Bibb and Burrata salads were fresh and delicious like they came right out of a garden. The tomatoes were so sweet and obviously vine-​ripen. We wanted the apple dessert, but they were already out. This obviously means that we have to come back again!
FYI: they do not serve alcohol and are only open from tues to Friday.

What a gem. This place is a difficult to find, but keep following the signs for District 21 and you’ll find your way eventually. You can tell that this is a cooking school because the service is a little lacking, but overall I was very impressed with the quality and quantity of food for such an affordable price.
Hits:
— Lovely décor and ambiance. This place is good for date night, girls’ night out, or a family dinner.
— Freshly baked olive bread (note: there was only 1 olive in my loaf, and I wish there were more!) in a Dutch oven on every table. What a creative use for a Dutch oven!
— The $ 16 rib eye steak and $ 15 rack of lamb with sides were ENORMOUS and delicious, albeit slightly too char-​happy for my taste.
Misses:
— Service was a little awkward. One girl, who wasn’t our server, came and plopped silverware in front of us without uttering a word. That said, our main server was personable and attentive.
— I’m not a fan of the butter served in a Chinese soup spoon. The vessel is too small and too awkwardly shaped to be used as such.
— Dessert ($ 7 for a tiny cheesecake) was unimpressive, although it wasn’t terrible.
— The salmon rillettes appetizer was dry and lacking in flavor, although the capers it came with were salted. I don’t understand why capers need more salt.
I understand that the menu changes seasonally, and I can’t wait to come back and try something new!

This is one of the best places I have eaten in the metro area!
So, as someone who has worked in a restaurant, this place is a dream. Think about it. They are NOT there to make money, but to learn and perfect their craft! Basically when you eat there, you will notice they are not stressed, there is no manager breathing down their neck to push the fish that’s about to spoil AND the portion sizes will shock you!
We made reservations «just in case» and it was the right call. The place was packed right after they opened and the service was great.
The appetizers could be split between 2 people easily and the deserts… well… I should have split it but yoloswag420.
GREAT for 2 — 8 people at a time, be ready to drop about $ 30 a person.
No booze, so pregame if you HAVE to… but foreal the food is astounding.
And remember, these are students. Don’t be a dick!

District 21 is kind of an odd duck, being a culinary school restaurant … on our visit, we were there for the guest chef series with Chef Fleischfresser. So it’s a little tricky rating the food, since there’s both concept and execution to consider. As far as the food goes, it was the best of entrees and desserts; it was the worst of apps and soups. We started with salmon tournadoes, and while the fish was properly cooked and the crust added some needed crunch, the dish was covered with hidden salt bombs that would make you cringe and chug water. It was proof that it is difficult but not impossible to over-​salt your food, and so it was a «some bites were good and some bites were unpalatable» dish.
Course two, a sweet potato bisque, was an excellent idea that suffered a bit from a lack of proportion. The sweet potato bisque itself was rather sweet (shocker, I know), but it needed something salty to balance it out. The blue cheese/​bacon crostini certainly fit the bill, but despite careful rationing, there was simply no way to make it last long enough to work with the entire serving of soup. So the first half of the course tasted great as it all worked together, and the second half failed because we all simply ran out of crostini.
But thank goodness we ended on a high note. I was impressed and charmed by the faux filet, a bacon-​wrapped chopped beef dish masquerading as a cut of steak. You’d have been hard pressed to tell it wasn’t a filet without cutting into it, and it tasted great paired with the smoked chard. The chocolate fauvet dessert was quite impressive as well, as they used filo* dough to mimic a party favor, encasing an excellent chocolate and raspberry mix** that was quite impressive.
But you probably won’t get those dishes if you go back, so let’s see what to say about the restaurant itself. It’s a restaurant staffed by culinary students, and the space is exceptional, a wonderful spot for dinner with comfortable seats, an inviting atmosphere, and some variety in the dining room. The staff on our visit were working hard and in some cases almost trying too hard, as they actually checked on us a little too often. That’s a good problem to have, of course, and you’d prefer they err in that direction than to swing too far the other way.
Overall, District 21 gets a 3.5 if it were a normal restaurant. For a place like this, training folks who will do great things, providing exposure to some of the best chefs in Oklahoma City, and turning out solid food in the process, I’m very happy to round up.
* Phyllo? The internet is not good at handling topics when people disagree!
** Oh, I don’t know the term for it. I want to call it a ganache over chocolate cake. At a loss on that one.

We had a wonderful time dining here last Friday as part of the Guest Chef Series. Chef Russ Johnson of Ludivine planned an excellent menu that the Culinary Arts students executed under the training and supervision of Russ, Chef Chris Becker and Chef Marc Dunham. The passion for cuisine was evident, and the students did a wonderful job carrying out some really impressive feats.
Our first course consisted of a Holy Trinity Duck Egg, with foie gras, a slow scrambled egg, local paddlefish caviar and pea shoots. This has to be a tricky dish, but ours were perfect.
The second course was a potato wrapped scallop with tomato braised bacon, grilled pea shoots and sea beans. This might have been my favorite course. Scallops are so hard to get right, and these were perfect. The potato wrapping and the bacon were excellent accouterment. Sea beans are growing on me after having them at a few recent meals.
Course Three was my husband’s favorite, and I enjoyed it very much as well. Roasted lamb loin with mushrooms, spring root vegetables and a Sunchoke purée. The lamb was perfectly roasted, and the variety in taste and texture of the mushrooms was perfect. The beets were lovely, as was the purée of Sunchoke that underscored the entire dish. I have to say I’m not a big turnip person. I know they’re in season and local so they’re a part of any localvore menu right now, but I’ve just never gotten into them.
Finally, the fourth course was a chocolate torchon with a side of what can only be descirbed as pine nut brittle, Regina blu cheese, a candied fig and a port reduction. I loved the torchon and the fig, and I just feel like I’m not cultured enough to do blu cheese with my dessert (see what I did there)?
Overall, this was a wonderful experience and I plan to go back again very soon for a regular meal at d21. Will report back!

5 Stars for the FOOD! The Chefs are amazing and talented! We have been twice and will go again on Friday for VDay. The place is really nice. Décor and feel is upscale. The students are blessed to have such an amazing opportunity. Be prepared for awesome food and come in prepared to be served by students. The service style is decent but not par with normal restaurants. These kids are just learning. They do accept tips too!