Raven coming to nest in former home of VZDs, service planned to begin in April

Something new is in the works in the Western Avenue district of Oklahoma at the former home of VZDs Restaurant & Bar.

Chef-owner Timothy Abell, who did stints at The Jones Assembly and Red Prime Steak before opening his own operation, Burger Pig, in Parlor back in 2019, is set to launch a new concept called Raven into flight beginning with the first phase of service in April at the 4200 N Western Ave spot.

"Our intention is to make it a place for the neighborhood," Abell said. "Sometime in April, we'll have the coffee shop open, and then very shortly after that, the restaurant will start opening, and then we'll have brunch in a couple weeks after that. It's a big undertaking because we're talking about a restaurant that's going to be open, like, 17 hours a day, six days a week, so, it's 102 hours a week. So, we're going to open in tranches, basically, just to make sure everything's perfect when we start doing a new service."

The restaurant will feature coffee service in the morning with pastries and bar service that will include things like Irish coffees, before transitioning to a happy hour menu in the afternoon, featuring charcuterie boards and snacks. Full dinner service will run from 5 to 10 p.m. and the bar will remain open until 1 a.m. for drinks.

"It's gonna be open all day, and a great place to stop in if you live in the area or are driving through," Abell said. "I think that this is already considered a dining destination area in Oklahoma City, so it's gonna be great to be a part of that. And it's always good to have good neighbors, and be in a place where people are coming out to have a good time and go to dinner."

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Abell said Raven is something he's been wanting to bring to Oklahoma City for a while. Now, the timing and location feel right.

"It's really a concept that I had in my back pocket for the last 10 years," he said. "I'm doing a lot of the same techniques of open flame cooking and just real simple food. ... I just never found the spot that was right for it. This space to me is just, I'm so excited to have it because I think it's perfect for what I'm trying to do."

Along with a winning location, Abell said he is working to build a winning team for the restaurant, something he says comes down to making sure staff are compensated well and treated right.

"You can't cheap out. You've got to have clear expectations, and you've got to be willing to train younger people for how to do this job," he said. "I wasn't good when I started, and I was a liability and made mistakes. ... But I had people that brought me along and great mentors along the way, and just coworkers as well that would just give me tips. I think if you develop an environment where we care about doing a good job and we care about taking care of each other, then it's easy to find people."

Raven is expected to open for coffee service beginning in April, but Abell has not set an official date yet at this time.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Raven set to begin service in April at former VZDs space