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Home - Dish
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Mango A-Go-Go - |
Red Mango opens first local shop, offers healthful treats
By Jesse D. Stanek
In this age of expanding waistlines, over-processed foods and disgustingly calorie-laden desserts, Red Mango brings its bountiful menu of fresh fruit, non-fat gluten-free frozen yogurt, parfaits and smoothies to the Metro area. It plans four stores in Omaha and one in Lincoln.
The first Omaha location is at The Shops of Legacy. Other locations are planned for One Pacific Place, near the North Downtown stadium and on O Street in Lincoln. Regional Franchise Owner Brett Cain says the chain will have one additional Omaha store with a yet-to-be determined location. Cain will also open shops in Johnson County and Lawrence County, Kan. The Millard North graduate got the idea to bring Red Mango to the region while traveling with his wife.
“My wife and I were celebrating our 20th Anniversary in Hawaii and we went to a Red Mango and really liked it,” Cain said in a recent phone interview. “The flavor was awesome and we also really liked the feel of the store. I had a legal tech business that I sold last year to Mutual of Omaha and was trying to decide what to do next when my wife said, ‘Why don’t you check out Red Mango?’ I looked online and did some research and then we both flew down to Dallas and met with some people. We really liked what they had to say and we decided to bring it to the Midwest.” |
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Crumbs - |
You could call “crop mobs” a modern day barn-raising. Brian Smith of Bennington’s Black Sheep Farms is inviting one and all to a crop mob at his family farm, Saturday, July 31, 8 a.m. to noon, to help the Smiths reclaim their acre-plus from weeds.
“We had 14 days of rain in June and quite a few in July, and we have to wait a few days for the ground to drain before we can weed or plant,” Smith said. “We did the Omaha farm tour in May and lots of people came out, but this is a different way to get involved.”
Smith said Black Sheep gets bombarded with people interested in seeing the farm and helping out, so here’s a way for interested parties to dig in (literally). Visit blacksheepfarms.com and RSVP by emailing Smith at farm@blacksheepfarms.com. |
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Keeping Up With The Joneses - |
Cafι and cupcakes score at Aksarben Village
by Steve Brewer
Bill Jones is no absentee owner. During a 45-minute lunch at Jones Brothers Cupcakes, my wife and I saw the restaurant’s namesake operator at least five times.
He served smoothie samples to customers waiting to order. He gave advice to a cook behind the front counter. He chatted with every table. He inquired about my sandwich then returned to ask if I had any feedback. (No, he didn’t know I was doing a review.)
This attention to detail seems to be paying off, because Jones’ restaurant in Aksarben Village is a good choice for lunch and desserts anytime. |
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Crumbs - |
* How did Petrow’s Belgian Waffles with black walnut ice cream and maple syrup snag Nebraska’s entry on Food Network’s “50 States, 50 Breakfasts” list, a gastronomical trek across America that features some of the best ways to start the day?
“I was contacted by the Food Network out of the blue a couple months ago and they asked if I could get them a photo of our Belgian Waffle with black walnut ice cream,” said Nick Petrow, who with his wife, Shelly, owns the legendary spot near 60th and Center; Nebraska’s oldest continuously operating family-owned restaurant.
“The funny thing is that we’ve run that maybe a dozen times as a special. It’s not even on the menu,” Petrow said, adding that the dish would now join the regular menu. |
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Lucky 88 - |
Hiro gets lucky with downtown expansion
by Lainey Seyler
My dad has a few clichιs up his sleeve. “He who hesitates is lost” came out when I learned to drive. But my favorite is “You make your own luck” commonly used as a pre-game morale booster. But Hiro and Hiro 88 owner Milton Yin isn’t taking any chances with lady luck. Eight is a lucky number in Chinese, so adding 88 to his original restaurant’s name is double the good fortune.
Yin took the chance (lucky or no) to expand his sushi/pan-Asian expertise to a new location in the Old Market. Hiro 88 opened May 26 in the jLofts complex at 13th and Jackson. Over the years Hiro, at 120th and Maple, attracted quite a following of sushi lovers for its creative and finely executed rolls. |
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Crumbs - |
Beer and wine are now available for movie-goers at Films Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater, 13th and Mike Fahey. In addition to popcorn, soda and other snacks, the snack bar is selling some local brews from Lucky Bucket out of La Vista and Empyrean out of Lincoln, pinot noir and viognier, Blue Moon and Miller Light.
Lainey Seyler
Venue Restaurant in Lincoln will host a beer-based dinner Wednesday, July 21. For $40, diners will be treated to a five-course meal paired with beers from Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing. |
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Crumbs: Food News - |
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Ingredient, one of several new restaurants taking space in the Midtown Crossing development, opened its doors last week. The restaurant out of Lawrence, Kan., will please lunch crowds with pizzas, sandwiches and salads made with fresh ingredients and served on the quick. The location at 33rd and Farnam marks the enterprise's sixth location and its second outside the Kansas City metro area. Ingredient is open for breakfast lunch and dinner, dine-in and carryout, and its patio is set to open in the coming weeks. For more information, visit ingredientrestaurant.com or call 715.4444. |
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Prost! - |
Cheers to Bellevue’s
Zum Biergarten
by Lainey Seyler
I dragged my Austrian friend Simon Schoepf to Bellevue to test the authenticity of Zum Biergarten a German restaurant co-owned by Otto Helbig and to satisfy his craving for schnitzel. |
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Crumbs: Food News - |
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Eric Stamp, general manager and sommelier at V. Mertz, passed on to the next round toward certification as a Master Sommelier. He passed the advanced sommelier examination and is now a candidate to join the 170 elite masters of fine wine. Candidates for the Master Sommelier diploma go through years of rigorous testing; Stamp is one meticulous exam away from the court of MS. V. Mertz will be celebrating his achievement by offering wine by the bottle at steeply discounted rates this fall. Keep on the lookout. Visit vmertz.com or call 345.8980. |
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Tropical Tastes - |
Tropics boasts amazing burger bar, drink menu
by Camille Kelly
Three trips to Tropics have given me three different experiences, from pretty mediocre to “Hey, pretty fun place” to “I’ll be back soon” outstanding. But not exactly in that order.
That first visit was for a birthday party on a Saturday night. Getting there was half the battle; you have to be traveling northbound on 168th Street to get into the strip. |
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Crumbs - |
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Omaha has its second Ethiopian restaurant. Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant opened near Saddle Creek and California and serves a small menu of slow-roasted meat and injera, a pancake-like traditional bread. The restaurant is just down the street from Sudanese restaurant, Juba, another of the city’s few African eateries. Lalibela boasts consistent hours, which it hopefully sticks to, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Owner Tsehau Retta is applying for a liquor license. Call 321.3027 or 991.5662 for more information. |
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Crumbs - |
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As the city transitions into summer, it seems the world tossed up the salad bowl and we’re all settling into something new: new relationships appear daily on my Facebook feed, while others disappear and the great restaurant shuffle continues. |
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Parking Lot Gourmet - |
Tailgating chefs prepare to say goodbye to Rosenblatt
by Lainey Seyler
A quiet buzz hangs over Rosenblatt Stadium in the days before opening day of the 2010 College World Series. Journalists get their last days off before the two-week series. Cops case the grounds and set up security stations. Groundskeepers tidy bleachers and parking lots before a wave of exuberant attendees hit the hill en masse. Fans stock up on supplies, ready the grill, plot a path to the field and stake a claim on space for their SUVs.
Eric Cheshier and family are among the thousands to set up a tailgate for the series. He, like so many others, has been attending the College World Series for decades. He attended his first CWS games in 1981 with his dad. Cheshier and his wife, Kelly, and their kids, along with his sister Abby Goranson and her husband, Andy, share the season tickets and a tent under which they throw a mean tailgate party. |
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Today's Special - |
Benson’s Today Cafι searches for its niche
by Steve Brewer
The Today Cafι in Benson is a work in progress. It’s been open since December, but gives the impression that it’s still seeking its niche in the market.
There is a lot to like right now, along with a few contradictions and inconsistencies.
My wife and I visited the Today Cafι on a Friday night. We brought along my cousin and her husband, because they live nearby and her husband is a former chef.
It’s called the Today Cafι because the menu is somewhat variable. There were 11 choices during our visit, including three salads and several sandwiches. Owner David Breitenfeld said in a later interview that the majority of the menu remains consistent, with one or two items rotating on or off during a typical day.
My wife ordered the Ultimate Sirloin Steak and Cheese Sandwich ($9.95) featuring marinated steak topped with mayonnaise, lettuce, onions, pico de gallo, olives, cheese and even onion rings. All of those toppings made it unwieldy to eat, and the steak was slightly chewy.
I enjoyed the Cheddar Burger ($8.95), which came on a big powdery ciabatta bun and was dominated by garlic mayonnaise. It’s a good choice for garlic lovers like me. |
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Crumbs - |
CandyWrappers temporarily closed its doors May 28 to relocate from 132nd and Center to Westwood Plaza on 123rd and Center. The store, slated to reopen in mid-June, sells handmade salt-water taffy, licorice, jelly beans, caramels, fudge and chocolates. Its popcorn is from Nebraska and comes in a variety of flavors including the expected butter and kettle corn and Cajun, cinnamon, tutti fruiti and vanilla walnut, among others. Visit omahacandy.com.
Taste of Nebraska will be held this year June 3, at the Ozone Lounge 72nd and F. The event will feature Nebraska wines, catering from Metro Community College’s Institute for the Culinary Arts and music by jazz group In the Gruv.
Lainey Seyler |
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Midtown Market - |
Farmers markets abound in Omaha, including new Midtown Crossing offering
by Adam Payson
“We’re coining the term ‘Urban Farmers Market’,” said Katie Dischler, event and vendor manager for Plan-It Omaha. “It’s traditional, but with a fresh twist.”
It seems this “traditional-with-a-twist” concept is the theme for many of the new and expanding farmers markets popping up across Omaha and surrounding communities. With so many locations to choose from, Omaha residents will have a hard time deciding where to spend Saturday mornings.
Opening this week is a new one at Turner Park, adjacent to the new Midtown Crossing development. Dischler, along with Plan-It Omaha’s Amy Lackovic are at the center of the new Outdoor Market. But in a location just several blocks west of the large and historic Old Market Omaha Farmer’s Market, is another farmers market really necessary?
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Crumbs - |
Hot and fast Indian cuisine is now available at Kurry Xpress, 108th and Q. The restaurant opened a few weeks ago with Indian food on the go. Its fare includes wraps, northern street food and southern biryanis, plus the all-time favorite, naan bread. The restaurant also boasts catering service. Visit kurryxpress.com or call 934.5054 for more information.
Lainey Seyler
Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer and unofficial start of the grilling and barbecue season. Cruelly, it’s also now okay to wear white pants and shorts, which are not compatible with barbecue.
If you’re new to grilling, there are plenty of books and shows on the subject, all of which will help you avoid charring the holy hell out of whatever you’re trying to cook. If you need a recommendation, may I humbly suggest Steve Raichlen’s excellent How to Grill, an all-in-one that covers barbecuing as well as grilling (yes, there’s a difference) virtually all cuts of meat as well as seafood, vegetables and sides. |
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Nebraska Nibbles - |
Nibble for NAP is the new Dining Out For Life
by Lainey Seyler
All it takes to raise funds for HIV/AIDS awareness and treatment in Nebraska is to eat out May 18, at one of 18 metro area restaurants involved with the Nebraska AIDS Project’s annual fundraiser, Nibble for NAP. Participating restaurants donate a percentage of their revenue from meals to NAP, and customers will be able to give more at each location plus learn about NAP and how to get involved.
The 26-year-old organization, which provides free and confidential HIV and STD testing, case management and support groups for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Nebraska, southwestern Iowa and eastern Wyoming, changed over to Nibble last year from the national Dining Out For Life in an effort to raise more money. It’s estimated that 2,000 to 2,500 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Nebraska; NAP serves more than 500 clients statewide. They do a lot to educate the public about the virus by visiting schools and businesses and by hosting citywide events such as Nibble. |
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Crumbs - |
Dundee’s 1020 restaurant, 5013 Underwood Ave., will host a wine tasting Tuesday, May 18, at 6 p.m. The evening includes five wines paired with appetizers for $25 per person. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 991.1020.
If you’re an obsessive foodie you’ll want to swing by FiddMe.com, a new social networking site designed to let you share your “food experiences” with the world. If that sounds like Chowhound, Yelp and Foodspotting sites that already exist you’re right. But FiddMe has an easy-to-use interface, allows you to post photos of notable dishes quickly and easily, and is available online as well an iPhone application.
Kyle Tonniges |
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Visit DishOmaha.com! - |
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Look for future dining reviews and features on The Reader's comprehensive dining site DishOmaha.com. |
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