by Kyle Tonniges

Welcome to this special Lenten edition of Crumbs. Midtown sweets-lovers have two new options with last week’s opening of the shared Cold Stone Creamery/Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory space in Midtown Crossing, both offering rich, high-calorie goodness sure to tempt those who've decided to reacquaint themselves with fruits and vegetables until Easter. Venue Restaurant at 70th and Pioneers in Lincoln will host a four-course chef’s dinner on Wednesday, March 23 featuring fish sourced from south Pacific waters. Ahi tuna three ways, grilled squid salad and grilled marlin are just some of the featured dishes. The event starts at 7 p.m. and is $50 per person. For more information or to reserve a seat, call 488.8368. If you can’t make it to Lincoln or prefer tequila over fish, swing over to Cantina Laredo in Midtown Crossing. The upscale Mexican restaurant will be hosting a three course dinner featuring Herradura tequilas on March 23 at 7 p.m. Dishes like a Cowboy Rib Eye Steak with wild mushroom sauce, a mango and goat cheese salad with honey vinaigrette and shrimp sautéed in garlic butter will all be accompanied by a tequila-based drink. There’s dessert, too: chocolate cake with vanilla flan and caramel sauce. The cost is $49 per person, and that covers your cocktails as well. To make a reservation or more info, call 402.345.6000. Nebraska Brewing Company in the Shadow Lake development in Papillion is introducing a handful of fish and Lent-friendly dishes. Featured Lenten items include Italian Roasted Cod, Pistachio Crusted Salmon Fillet, Chipotle Quinoa & Shrimp, a Black Bean Veggie Burger and a Salmon Burger in addition to the traditional fish and chips. For many, Lent is a time to give up something that’s close to their heart. For some, it’s chocolate. For others, it’s red meat. For J. Wilson of Prescott, Iowa, it’s food altogether. For the 46 days of Lent, he will only be consuming water and beer. An avid home brewer, he got the idea from Paulaner monks, who allegedly created a beer high in calories and carbs in the 1600s to sustain them through Lent. Wilson’s recreating both the famed dopplebock beer and the experiment. "Right now, the plan is to drink four 12-ounce beers a day ... and lots of water in between," he told the Des Moines Register. You can track his progress on his blog at diaryofaparttimemonk.wordpress.com/. You can also drink along with him. The beer he’s drinking — Illuminator Dopplebock — is available at (and brewed by) the Rock Bottom Brewery location in West Des Moines.

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