Ma Der Lao Kitchen
Best Restaurant
Best Eastern Asian Restaurant
Oklahoma City is always ready to come through for a Jeff Chanchaleune joint, and Ma Der is no exception. “Ma der” is a Laotian phrase that means “Come eat” or “Come through.” That expression has become an encapsulation of Chanchaleune’s most personal venture to date. Rooted in the recipes his family has cooked and eaten together for generations, Chanchaleune’s unassuming style brings his family’s menus to the forefront without presumption. With two James Beard nominations tucked safely into his apron, it would be understandable for him to preach to us, to pontificate, to proselytize. Instead, he brings approachable fare to the young and old of OKC, to the hip and the tragically hip alike. His only goal? Shining a little more light on Lao cuisine and culture. From the laab gai to the seen hang and the different, yet oddly familiar moek paa, Ma Der is putting OKC on the map, by way of Laos. Find it at the intersection of cuisine, panache and street cred.
Scissortail Park
Best Local Park
Best Free Entertainment
Best Place for First Dating App Meetup
Best Beautification Project
The crown jewel of Oklahoma City’s outlandish renaissance, Scissortail Park is like the popular girl everyone loves who happens to be deeply deserving of the lavish praise. In addition to the ornamental gardens, woodlands and children’s playground one might expect, the space also includes a dog park, sport courts, interactive water fountains, a three-acre lake, a performance stage and great lawn, a picnic grove, a restaurant and a seasonal roller rink. Most recently, Scissortail served as the de facto spot for every local Thunder playoff game, culminating in her star turn as the heart of what Mayor Holt called, “unquestionably, the largest gathering in our city’s history”: the terminus of the NBA Thunder Championship parade on June 24. Talk around the Gazette water cooler indicates we might retire the Best Beautification Project category — at least for the next decade or two — as it’s hard to imagine anything else taking top prize anytime soon.
Craig’s Emporium
Best Place to Find Unique Gifts
Craig’s Emporium has been a welcome departure from OKC retail normcore for over 30 years. From the first blast of fragrant incense to the friendly team member welcoming you in before giving you time to wander, you’re reminded why Craig’s Emporium has been a local mainstay for a quarter of a century. Craig’s has also served as a rite of passage for a few generations of the metro’s young adults, who found their way out of the trappings of chain retail in search of something different. The treasures found during those expeditions take their place as some of the most memorable purchases in a lifetime of consumerism. In today’s age, where doomscrolling can only be counteracted by the dopamine hit of online shopping, it’s no wonder the emporium feels more like a portal to another world than ever before.
Oklahoma Humane Society
Best Place to Volunteer
Volunteering isn’t just about the warm fuzzies, although at Oklahoma Humane Society, the fuzzies are certainly very warm. In order to win Best Place to Volunteer, the entire experience needs to be best in breed. Just as you wouldn’t toss just anyone into an important role at work, the folks at the Oklahoma Humane Society take the volunteer program seriously. Applicants are screened; upon approval, they participate in an online orientation before being placed in a role that is appropriate to their skill set. Next up, they’re properly trained for their new post, learning to doggie paddle before being thrown in the deep end. Once on the inside, OK Humane volunteers have access to a robust tool for scheduling their shifts, receiving important messages and more. Community packs are also welcome to volunteer, and they come in droves. Don’t be surprised if your litter has to wait a beat — the waitlist for volunteer groups is best measured in dog years. But it’s still well worth it.
