Manna - Cuisine of India
A Restaurant for Travelers
“What made you want to be a chef?” is a question I’ve received more times than I could possibly count. For a long time, I’d say something like, “I love the creativity and energy of the kitchen.” Before pursuing a career in the culinary arts, food already meant so much to me, yet I didn’t know why. Only recently did I learn the real answer.
Growing up, at times, was a bit of a mess. I went to multiple schools and universities (my fault) and always felt in a state of flux. Early professional life took me to Europe, New York, and the Pacific Northwest. Change was my normal even though I tried, in vain and for years, to control the uncontrollable variables contributing to it. But, no matter how chaotic family life felt, my grandmother's table was a place where life was stable and everything was delicious. My fondest memories center around her kitchen and around her table. All of my favorite memories are around the table. The table itself, at one time my grandmother’s but now also others, is my calm, loving eye of the storm. One of my most loved tables is at Manna. Jimmy craves it, too.
Jimmy Paxson and I met through a mutual friend. I was promised we were going to hit it off because we both “love food” but given how many people “love food” it was difficult to imagine that would be sufficient. But, it turned out Jimmy has countless stories. If there’s one thing I appreciate, it is a person who’s lived a life of stories. As a drummer, Jimmy’s lived and traveled all around the globe, extensively. He’s toured with Stevie Nicks, Ben Harper, and the (Dixie) Chicks, among others. His best stories, however, aren’t about touring life or the artists. They recount where and what he ate.
He can tell you far more about each hidden gastronomic gem in every city visited than venues he’s played. Although we arrived via different routes, we both truly love and sometimes plan our personal and professional lives abroad around meals. When we’re both at home in OKC, we schedule meals together. We know the power of a great meal in a new place with new people and how it catalyzes connection and learning between us. We cook, eat, and learn with each other. Differing languages and life experiences be damned! More importantly, we love it because it always brings us back to center and to a feeling of belonging. This is why Jimmy and I love Manna.
Manna is hands down the best Indian food I’ve had in OKC and nearly the best of all Indian meals I’ve consumed, to boot. But, you should prepare yourself. Like many good things in OKC today, it’s nestled between a dispensary and a Christie’s Toy Box. When you walk in, you will not see subway tile, industrial lighting, or the current, most popular tone of gray. You will find a humble interior and a TV often screening a Joel Osteen knock off. This is where you will wait. Not for a table, those have been plentiful, but for service and food.
I don’t see the long wait as a negative. In a time where high table turnover rates and quick service is often the norm, a leisurely wait provides space, a time to reconnect, make new friends, and laugh over each other’s stories. We come to the table not to consume calories and move on, but to be together.
The main reason for the wait is that everything is made to order. I don’t mean they start cooking when you order. I mean they start chopping ingredients when you order. At every restaurant I’ve opened in OKC, we constantly push to make sure diners get the best food to their table as soon as possible. We prep as much as possible so that you get a meal within 10-20 minutes. OKC customers expect and demand it most of the time. This isn’t how everywhere works, though. I’ve spent significant time cooking in Europe and the Pacific Northwest and they don’t rush. But here, it is a thing. At Manna, it is not. I love them for it.
When the food does come, everyone lights up with the smell of spices. One evening, Jimmy and I started with their garlic naan with a chili spread. They have multiple spicier options, but we didn’t want to punch ourselves in the face right away. Cooked fresh, the naan is light and warm and the chili spread is hot but full of flavor. Creating heat is easy, but balancing flavor and heat perfectly is a skill that must be honed. Next was the Goat Biryani. Goat is an incredibly versatile meat that can be prepared in a very refined way and pair with most any flavor or simply butchered and stewed. The flavor is this perfect blend between a healthy farm-raised animal and a wild one. Then came the Tikki Masala. The kitchen has developed great depth and layers to each dish. It’s spicy, but once again so well balanced. For my palate, most restaurants hold back to avoid challenging anyone’s taste buds, but Manna does not. It’s as if this wonderfully unusual place says, “This is how we eat, so this is how we cook.”
The simplicity and power of this approach is refreshing. It feels honest and direct. There’s no showmanship or distractions. In all of our combined travels, Jimmy and I think this approach is our favorite. Almost everything about the meal makes me feel like I’m traveling.
The unique (and a little chaos) is something I seek. I crave travel to break the pattern. Manna transports me, even if just for a few hours. I became a chef because it provides the two, complementary pieces of life I crave: change and a connection to the safe, warm, and comfortable table of my youth. Manna, with its unique approach, wonderful flavors, and opportunity to pause and connect with those who now or will soon mean something to us, is my chosen path manifest.
Jonathon Stranger runs One Table Hospitality which operates Bar Cicchetti, Osteria, and the recently opened El Coyote in the Britton District.
> Manna, 7908 N MacArthur Blvd, Oklahoma City, (405) 470-7099.
