When Oklahoma City’s newest steakhouse, Symmetry, opened in the Nichols Hills neighborhood, it was designed from the start to stand out. It excels with steaks, global dishes and vintage cocktails, but its sleek and modern design is meant to be enjoyed leisurely.
Like everything else about the new restaurant – from the delicious cuisine to the curated yet comfortable atmosphere – even how the concept of the place was conceived is interesting – and a bit random.
“It’s kind of crazy,” says Dave Osborn, part of the leadership team behind Symmetry. “My wife and I were driving to the mall because I needed a new pair of shoes, and we saw the space.”
The property at 9203 N. Pennsylvania Avenue was the former location of Naifeh Fine Jewelers, but had been recently converted into a restaurant space. Upon seeing it, Osborn reached out to his friend and business partner Jason Pool.
“We had always liked the idea of opening our own spot. Every restaurant guy does, I think,” Osborn says. “They opened the space for us two days later, and Jason and I walked in and said, ‘We could really do something with this.’”
Two days later, both men quit their jobs and signed the lease. Soon after, they convinced chef Glenn Scott to join the adventure.
“We came up with the name Symmetry to pay homage to what was here for so long – Naifeh Fine Jewelers,” says Osborn. “If you look at jewelry, you think ‘symmetry,’ and that really stuck. Like jewelry, you have to have an exact cut for that diamond to shine. We liked that because the dining industry as a whole needs more symmetry.”
To get that uniformity, the partners knew the whole experience, from the greetings at the entrance to the bar to the service to the back of house operations, had to be perfect. Hospitality was the keyword.
“It seems like the restaurant industry is moving away from hospitality; it feels like they just want to get people in and out quickly,” Osborn says. “We learned back in the day that it is handshakes at the front door and making the guests feel welcome that matters. Hospitality should be in all the little details.”
With the help of interior decorator Tammy Barrett, Osborn and Pool created the space to encourage diners to enjoy a meal, relax and feel at home, evidenced in ample couches and lounge areas.
“We created these couches that become a fun seating area to hang out and have appetizers and cocktails,” Osborn says. “Everything is designed to have people come in here and just have a good time.”
Ultimately, though, people come – and return – to a restaurant for the food and drink. While Symmetry focuses on steaks, bison and wagyu, Scott also incorporates his years of experience to add global twists to the menu.
“Glenn … is not just stuck on one cuisine,” Osborn says. “He cooks Italian, and he likes German, Spanish and Mediterranean, so he’s tuned into all those flavors. We wanted the menu to encompass that.”
Coming from top-end steakhouses like Mahogany, the team knew they needed something special when it came to the main attraction. They found it with Meats by Linz, a Chicago-based meat company that sources cattle from a herd in Oklahoma. But the non-steak dishes are just as quality.
“You have to get the chicken. It’s just amazing,” says Osborn. “If you get the chicken, you’ll fall in love with it and come back and order everything.”
From appetizers like roasted bone marrow and salmon crudo to mains like Mediterranean lamb, black truffle scallop risotto and duck breast, everything is prepared with the same attention to detail as the top-end steak cuts.
The craft cocktails are also designed to sparkle. Bar manager Austin Greer incorporates touches like house-made syrups and foams, ice diamonds and specialty bitters to create drinks that truly shine.
“Austin developed the cocktail list with his girlfriend Jessica, and their cocktails are out of this world,” Osborn says. “They are just so forward-thinking in today’s society.”
Despite just recently opening, “we are packed out on the weekends,” says Osborn. “We are excited to see where we go from here.”
