The former chef for the Oklahoma Governor’s Mansion, Nettle recently launched Venue 104, 10400 S. Western, as a catering business after having worked for hungry commanders-in-chief Mary Fallin and Brad Henry.
“I left on the best of terms,” said Nettle. “It was just time for me to do my own thing.”
He and his wife, Jennifer, wanted to bring fine dining to south Oklahoma City. They decided on a seasonal, farm-to-table concept. He changes some menu items based on seasonal availability.
“We wanted our comfort foods to stay on the menu, but we wanted the flexibility to do seasonal changes and daily specials,” Nettle said.
The lunch menu is more bistro than fine dining, and that’s by design. Nettle said he wanted lunch to be a take on the old-school diner style.
Menu items are similar to what one would find in a diner or deli, but with interesting twists. The standard meatloaf and potatoes are transformed into meatloaf with port wine ragout and sweet corn polenta.
“We make everything in-house,” he said. “We put a lot of thought into our menu. We went through 25 focaccia recipes to find the one we liked.”
Lunch is served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, while dinner is 4:30 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.
For more information, visit venue104bistro.com.
