Choctaw Nation debuts five new food and drink venues in Durant
Nov. 16—DURANT — Five new restaurants inside the Choctaw Casino in Durant are now open after two years of planning and construction.
The District Food Hall offers something for everyone with options ranging from smoked pit BBQ to flatbread pizzas and gourmet tacos.
"We're excited to open the five new venues here at the Sky Casino.," said Choctaw Nation Director of Marketing Kaley Green. "It's conveniently located to the parking garage, so you can come straight downstairs. It's easy access."
Green said the venue is conveniently located near The District, the casino's family friendly entertainment venue, and allows the families to come and enjoy a different restaurant to suit the tastes of each family member.
"It's completely changed the landscape of this building and we're just excited to have it open," Green said.
District Hall's flagship venue is Velvet Taco, a Dallas based restaurant "set out to elevate the taco through globally inspired recipes and the freshest ingredients."
The Velvet Taco in Durant is the state's only location, with other locations scattered throughout Texas, Atlanta, Chicago, and Charlette, North Carolina. The chain is known for its inventive menu items such as the Nashville hot tofu taco and the Korean fried rice taco. Velvet Taco's menu also includes a new taco each week, known as their '"WTF" or Weekly Taco Feature.
Other restaurants inside District Hall are operated by the Choctaw Nation and include South Hot Chicken serving chicken fingers, Slush'd for frozen daiquiris, Italia Kitchen for Italian dishes and The Pit for smoked BBQ.
The opening of the five new venues brings the total number of restaurants inside the Durant casino to 20 and the number of bars to 21.
With the space to seat 125 people, the hall will be open Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. — 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. — 12 a.m. It is located in the non-smoking Sky Tower near The League.
"We are thrilled to announce the District Food Hall as part of Choctaw Casino & Resort — Durant's incredible dining and nightlife offerings," said Jeff Penz, Senior Director of Gaming and Hospitality for the casino. "We are committed to continuing to elevate the experience for our guests with new food and drink options and look forward to our partnership with Velvet Taco."
The tribe says the District Food Hall was designed as a modern, communal space that's "warm and inviting" with artwork showcased in the food hall courtesy of Choctaw tribal artists. Artists featured in the hall include four large pieces created by Dylan Cavin, Steve Paul Judd, D.G. Smalling and Antonio Belindo.
More information about the venue can be found online at www.choctawcasinos.com.
