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Home - Dish
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Benson Bongo - |
Restaurant brings new colors and flavors to
vibrant neighborhood
by Lainey Seyler
Mia’s Bongo Room opened quietly in December 2007 on not-so-quiet 60th and Maple. But with a colorful interior and a colorful menu, things didn’t stay hushed for long.
Drawing inspiration from Central and South American mainstay dishes, owner Mark Lund offers plates you can’t get anywhere else in Omaha. But if it’s authentic Salvadoran fare you’re after, you’d be better served heading to Costa el Sol on 84th and L.
“There are a lot of dishes where that [South American cuisine] creeps in with the variety of fruit that you’re not used to,” said Lund. “I use two or three varieties of pears for the pear salad with the aged cheese and different kinds of greens like fennel.”
Influences aside, Mia’s serves delicious, vibrant cuisine. Breakfast and lunch are the restaurant’s main meals. It’s open for dinner only Thurs.-Sat., while the Sunday brunch is a Benson favorite.
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Crumbs - |
Remember those 7UP ads that touted the soda as “all natural” despite the fact that it’s made with high fructose corn syrup, the calorie-laden additive found in everything from barbecue sauce to cookies to Snapple? Initially, the Food and Drug Administration, who oversee labeling standards, agreed. In May, an FDA spokesman told Natural Foods Merchandiser that HFCS fails to meet the criteria of the label “natural,” stating that, “If something is natural, it shouldn’t contain synthetic components.”
That didn’t sit well with the Corn Refiners Association and industry groups, which are embarking on a media blitz to tell consumers that the product is equal to sweeteners such as sugar or honey. The FDA now agrees, taking a position that falls somewhere between a reversal and waffling. Earlier this month they said manufacturers such as Archer Daniels Midland have a HFCS production process that fulfills the “natural” requirement when it comes to labeling food products.
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Chit-Chat Chew - |
Chatty Squirrel has
diners exiting the fast- food lane
by Lucas Schwaller
The Chatty Squirrel is one Omahan’s attempt to bring healthful fast food to America. It is M.J. Zaremba’s hope to right the heart-attack inducing triple-layer burgers and the mounds of mayo of McDonald’s and the likes. In her little corner of a La Vista strip mall at 96th and Giles, M.J. Zaremba’s café exists to prove that not all fast food has to be bad for you. Amidst a world increasingly characterized by convenience, this sweet and small redhead, hailing from Wales, doesn’t simply knock fast food, but rather dreams of transforming the way Americans think of it all together. It might seem silly or fantastic, considering the McWorld we live in, but she is doing it, one customer at a time, over at The Chatty Squirrel.
When I first met, Zaremba — the well-read, spiritual film enthusiast — wanted to know my astrological sign, like it was an extension of learning my name or something. She was sure to point out that, as a Sagittarius, it is no surprise she is driven to pursue ambitious, visionary quests. Her intrinsically perceptive and thoughtful nature has led her to notice that, while living and traveling all over the world, America is more reliant on fast food more than any other country. However, she doesn’t think it’s the idea of fast food that is flawed, but rather the American version of fast food: greasy, high-fat, high-calorie foods that provide very little nutritional value. |
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Crumbs - |
* The Taste of West O will be held this weekend, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, July 11, at the Shoppes of Legacy. It will run through 10 p.m. Sunday, July 13. Live music, a classic car show, and arts and crafts vendors are among the diversions, in addition to sampling food from over 30 vendors ranging from locally owned establishments like Le Voltaire, Blue, Roja, Upstream Brewing Company and 7 Monkeys, to chains like Maid-Rite, Kona Grill and Old Chicago. Food will be priced at less than $5 per sample, enabling visitors to get a taste of dishes from a variety of establishments before they’re stuffed. For more information, go to tasteofwesto.com
* Village Inn will host a pie-eating contest at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 12 and 13. The winner of the five-minute competition will get a $50 Village Inn gift certificate as well as a Taste of West O food and beverage package worth $25. And hopefully a nice, comfortable chair to sit in and let all that pie digest. Registration forms for the contest will be available at the event. For more information, go to tasteofwesto.com |
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Teaching Top Chefs - |
by Chris Aponick
Egg Day for Metro Community College’s culinary students is all about repetition.
That’s why first-year student Collin Gregg is on his third attempt at perfecting some hollandaise sauce so he can complete a tray of eggs benedict.
On his left, instructor Brian O’Malley coaches him on technique as Gregg whisks the melted butter and lemon juice emulsion.
“It’s about revision,” O’Malley said. “You’ve got to do it over and over and over again.”
The two-week, intensive version of Metro’s cooking methods class takes place at Lake Point Plaza, 24th and Lake. The college rents the commercial kitchen to take a little pressure off its facilities at the Fort Omaha campus. |
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Crumbs - |
*After a little more than a year, Lucky’s ten-O-one, which occupied the space formerly known as Angie’s steakhouse at 1001 Pacific Street, has closed.
* Diners up north will soon have a new option: Tussey’s Casual Grill plans to open by mid-July at 9229 Mormon Bridge Plaza (near 48th and McKinley). Chef Mark Tussey plans to offer an assortment of soups, salads, burgers, steak and ribs, as well as vegetarian dishes. The eatery can accommodate 90 diners, has a party room for 50, and will offer catering. For more information call 884-2288. |
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Diner Hopping - |
Around town with Food Network star Guy Fieri
by Bryan Cohen
Guy Fieri insists he’s not a T.V. guy, but you would never know it. The 34-year-old California dude and host of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” can gab with eccentric chefs, gobble huge helpings of Americana and crack jokes in between gulps with the best of food-celebrities.
Last week, Fieri and his production team visited six Omaha eateries recommended by viewers.
“Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” isn’t a wholly new concept in food-reality. Shows like Rachel Ray’s “$40 a Day” and Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” are based on the adventurous hosts rolling into town and sampling local fare. But “Diner’s” gets into the kitchen and talks to the faces behind the food.
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Crumbs - |
*By the time you read this, the Summer Kitchen Café will be open in its new location in the Southport development east of Interstate 80 between Giles Rd. and Harrison St. It was formerly located on south 83rd St. in La Vista.
* McKenna’s Blues, Booze & BBQ has opened a summer location inside the Anchor Inn at 2499 Freedom Park Rd. Offering a limited version of the barbecue restaurant’s menu with a few extras thrown in, the Anchor Inn location is open through September.
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The Diner Guy - |
Food Network bellies up to Omaha’s favorite eateries
by Bryan Cohen
Some of Omaha’s favorite eateries will be getting their 15 minutes of fame as the Food Network begins shooting for the show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” this week.
Host Guy Fieri will be cruising around town to viewer suggested spots in his signature 1965 red Corvette convertible, sampling menu favorites and getting tips from the kitchen.
The spiky-haired host (who is also the latest face of “Fridays” restaurant) first received national attention after winning the Food Network series “The Next Food Network Star.” Soon after Fieri began hosting “Diners, Drive-in’s and Dives” with the aim of finding the greatest greasy-spoons around the country. Restaurants are selected by viewer recommendations for the best diners and dives in their town.
The production crews have booked at least six local restaurants to shoot and three will be selected to air. Here‘s a quick preview if you haven’t been and want a chance to stuff your cheeks on national television. |
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Crumbs - |
Despite all the gloom and doom we’ve been hearing about rocketing food costs, there may be some positive change coming. In a recent issue of Food Arts, a restaurant trade magazine, agriculture policy and World Bank veteran August Schumacher Jr. reported that consumer demand for fresher foods with shorter travel times may be having an impact on American foodservice companies like Sodexho and commercial suppliers like Sysco and U.S. Foodservice. For these large companies, buying produce and other items locally cuts transport costs. Local farmers benefit from larger orders and consumers wind up with fresh, local food. Here’s hoping that trend continues.
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Taste of New York - |
Pizzeria serves up an
authentic slice of Brooklyn
by Chris Aponick
After Joe D’Elia first visited Omaha, he knew he would have to import a bit of New York to make this his new home.
The Brooklyn native did that in 2003, when he opened Frank’s Pizzeria, an authentic New York City-style pizza place located just off Dodge at 132nd Street.
Now, D’Elia draws in fellow New York expatriates from all over Omaha at his Linden Market plaza restaurant.
“Everyone from New York is here,” D’Elia said, adding that Friday nights feel a little bit like a dinner scene from the HBO show, "The Sopranos." |
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Caffe, Not Coffee - |
An Italian coffee house concept is at the heart of L’Evento Caffe
by Chris Aponick
Try launching six coffee shops simultaneously. That’s the challenge facing L’Evento Caffe as they work on opening six Omaha-area stores. The first, a full-service, walk-in shop, opened at 71st and Pacific streets in May. Three other walk-in locations and two drive-through kiosks are slated to open within the next month, according to Adrian Suarez, marketing director for the Omaha-based chain.
The chain is owned by Jaime Suarez and his two sons, who also operate several Omaha-area Subway and Taco del Mar restaurants. The trio was planning to expand into coffee, and the move was accelerated with the closing of Caribou Coffee.
“We had been looking for something new,” Adrian Suarez said. “We took it as a sign.” |
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Crumbs - |
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Last winter it was reported that Hydrox cookies, sometimes referred to as the poor man’s Oreo, were discontinued, prompting thousands of black-toothed devotees to moan, wail, bitch and complain. Well, it worked. After fielding over 1,300 phone inquiries and an online petition with over 1,000 signatures, Kellogg recently announced the cookies will reappear on store shelves this summer with one small change: no trans fats. |
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Just Like Home - |
Sweet Magnolias’ still offers simple, Southern-styled baked goods
by Chris Aponick
The from-scratch baked goods at Sweet Magnolias Bake Shop just might make you feel at home.
Proprietor Amy Chin hopes so.
Chin and her niece Amber Mausbach whip up Southern-style treats in a cozy shop space, 813 N. 40th St., right next to the Radial Café. The goal isn’t delicate creations, but rich, hearty desserts.
“We’re going for flavor more than appearance,” she said.
On a recent visit, Mausbach and Chin worked on pies and cupcakes as Sharon Jones’s rock ‘n’ soul filled the shop. The space could easily be mistaken for a country kitchen, both in décor and by looking at the humble, but hearty pies being prepped on the center island. |
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Crumbs - |
The cooking section of bookstores is largely devoted to cookbooks, which is as it should be. But if you have some time, dig a little deeper and you’ll find some interesting essays and studies on the limitless topic of dining.
Taras Grescoe toured the world for nine months studying how seafood is farmed, harvested and prepared. He then wrote Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood. The comparisons to Tony Bourdain and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) are obvious, but Grescoe is less polarizing than either of them. His book will give you pause before buying farm-raised salmon; and you’ll ask a lot more questions next time you’re at the grocery store or fishmonger.
If sushi’s your thing, read Trevor Corson’s The Zen of Fish: The Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket. Corson traces the evolution of the cuisine as well as a class of sushi chefs as they learn their trade. You’ll learn all sorts of arcane fish-related trivia as well as the art and skill that goes into the cuisine, how sushi culture has changed America and vice versa.
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Outside Eats - |
Local restaurants share wisdom on making the most of patio dining
By Chris Aponick
Outside dining is not just a menu of burgers and cold cuts, which is why Omaha is filled with plenty of restaurants that offer patio seating.
And now, spring weather and blooming flowers have restaurants hoping customers will find their patio sections.
“This is the best time of year to be on the patio,” said Tom Foster, co-owner of McFoster’s.
With a little awareness and forethought, a patio dinner can be the center of an evening out done right. Pick the wrong spot and things could just blow away.
Luckily, The Reader has tips from some of Omaha’s premier patio purveyors.
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Crumbs - |
Darios Brasserie, 4920 Underwood Ave., recently updated its menu for spring. Featured dishes like the classic Frisee Aux Lardons salad, a mustard-crusted salmon with lentils, pepper-crusted Ahi tuna over white beans and lemon confit, and a softshell crab club sandwich with avocado, arugula, and chili aioli have been added.
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Taco Lite - |
Los Compayes offers authentic, evolving Mexican food
by Neal Obermeyer
When Eduardo Torres would look for a place to eat in south Omaha, he was always looking for the same things — authentic Mexican food, friendly staff, and a good, clean atmosphere.
When the opportunity came to open a restaurant, Torres saw the chance to create exactly what he always wanted as a customer. Los Compayes, 3302 Q St., is the result.
“That’s why we are here,” Torres said. “We’re trying to do something that we would like to see in south Omaha.”
Torres’ goal for the atmosphere is evident with the bright, open dining area. An exposed kitchen gives a clear view of the food as it is prepared. Torres said it allows customers to see how clean the kitchen is, while recreating part of the Mexican experience. |
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Urban Wine Company, 1037 Jones St., will host its first Urban Wine Festival Saturday, May 17. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. Attendees will receive a wine glass and a dozen sampling tickets redeemable for tastings. Should you run out of tickets, additional tastings will be available for $1 each. Wines by the glass will vary in price. Events include live music, wine and food seminars and art vendors. The program, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., will be held near the store on Jones Street between 10th and 11th streets. For more information or to buy tickets, call 934.0005. |
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All Up In Your Grill - |
Grilling trifecta hits bookshelves
by Kyle Tonniges
Humankind has prepared food over hot coals for time immemorial, and we’ve seemingly been reading about it for just as long. A casual trip through the cooking area of any large bookstore yields dozens of tomes about grilling.
Three new titles offer distinct variations that will give grill enthusiasts plenty to choose from when the weather’s right and there’s a fresh bag of charcoal in the garage. |
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