OCTOBER BUSINESS: Covell Park

East meets west at Covell Park in Edmond, where Asian influences are fused with American dishes to create a menu without rival in the north metro area. Located in the rapidly expanding Covell corridor, Covell Park provides diners with unique options for any taste.

“Being a restaurateur has always been something I’ve wanted to do.  We are first generation Vietnamese-Americans, so our culture is deeply instilled in us.  It was only natural to combine the two cultures within the dishes,” explains Truong Le, who operates the restaurant with Nam Nguyen and Jocelyn Tran.

Imagine the flavors: mussels, paired with Chinese aged sausage in a lemongrass butter sauce; a pan-seared filet served with Chinese broccoli; the popular Covell Roll, which combines shrimp tempura, lobster, scallops and crawfish with an in-house spicy mayo. These items are just a few examples of this synthesis found throughout the menu The presentation alone is worth the visit, thanks to the creativity of Executive Chef Daniel Pham. “He is full of energy,” Le remarks. “He pushes himself daily and cooks with love.”

Combining the culinary influences of his native Vietnam with contemporary American fare gives Le tremendous satisfaction. “The food incorporates the history behind how our family arrived here from halfway around the world,” Le explains. He was first introduced to the Covell area by Hank and Susan Binkowski, who own the popular Uptown Grocery Co., which is a step away from the restaurant. “We felt Edmond needed something not so ‘cookie cutter’ and knew the area was going to embrace and appreciate what we were offering.”

Covell Park’s sister restaurant—Uptown 23rd’s Guernsey Park—is similar to the Covell location’s Asian fusion concept, although the menus are very different. “About 85% of the menu at Covell Park is different from Guernsey Park and soon it will be even more different. We want each one of our chefs to really express themselves through the menu.” The menu also changes with the seasons. “As we continue to grow, we want to use the freshest ingredients, and we can only really do that by using produce that is in season,” Le notes. “No one wants to eat the same thing over and over. We want our guests to have the option of indulging in one of our staple items or to try something new. It is truly satisfying to know that our clients trust us to continue to create great dishes.”

Covell Park is located at Covell and Kelley Ave. in north Edmond. Find out more at covellpark.com.