Star Deli

1319 South 50th Street (attached to O'leaver's Pub)
Omaha, NE 68106
(402) 614-9060
Mon thru Fri 11am-3pm and 5pm-11pm, Sat noon-5pm, closed Sun
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Star-Deli/101695776554954

Hmm. Did anyone go to this?

Star Deli sits in the shadow of the old Worker's Take-out location. For this reason, their similar menu of pressed sandwiches, salads and soups already had a lot to live up to on Day One. I grudgingly tried it for the first time six months ago. I think it was the Cubano, on toasty white baguette, with whole grain mustard and pickles sliced longways. And then I went the very next day, this time to satiate my Italian sub craving, which the "Don Rocco" did quite well. I thought about going for a third straight lunch, but I didn't want the counter dude to think I was weird. One time I tried a veggie sandwich on special that was a little sparse (mostly bell peppers), but I let it slide. The chicken cordon bleu special a few weeks ago really blew my skirt up, though. Oh, it was heavenly, hammy and cheesy.

Chicken Artichoke Soup--
What a bummer!

It seems a tad unfair that the day I decided to write about it, they were having a very bad day. As usual, I took the food to go, to heartily enjoy in front of an episode of Frasier. This day was different. The Chicken Artichoke Soup ($3) was mostly just the water that's left in the pot after boiling an artichoke, with a copious amount of oil added--so much that it separated after five minutes. The rest was just inedible outer artichoke petals, and some reject gray chicken meat. I tried not to let the soup bummer affect my sandwich experience, too. But the cheese on the Cubano ($7) wasn't even a little melted, and the beef on the French Dip ($7) was also ice cold and far too rare.

The Cubano:
Lovely baguette and mustard,
but cold ham, pork and Swiss.
Better luck next time.

The French Dip:
The au jus was very Worcestershire-y, not the actual "jus" from roasting beef like it's supposed to be.

Star, I know you're just a little counter sandwich shoppe. Maybe you like staying small. But I think you could be something big, even one of the best. Please, don't take your bad days out on us. Just cause you got in a fight with your girlfriend or whatever doesn't mean we should have to sip on artichoke water. Keep up the good work, and cut out the "off" days, especially the ones that make me feel that flushing a $20 bill down the toilet would have been more fun than eating your food. Got it? Good.

Gusto Cuban Cafe

7910 Harrison Street
Ralston, NE 68128
(402) 614-7800
Sun 4-8pm; Mon Closed; Tue-Thu 5-9pm; Fri 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-1am; Sat 1pm-2am
www.gustocubancafe.com

Ropa Vieja Sandwich on Toasted Cuban Bread
(Sandwiches served until 6:30pm only)

Ah, the Gusto Groupon. It seems Gusto has been the "Deal of the Day" more than once, the most recent bargain offering two mojitos, an appetizer, and two entrees for the measly--and suspicious--price of $15. Desperate times lead to desperate coupons, I always say. But before I assumed the worst about Gusto, I headed in, sans Groupon, to see the place for myself. The hours can be tough if you're not a 9 to 5er, so plan accordingly. We arrived at 1:20pm on a Friday; we were told we had to order right away, and that we had until 2:15 to finish our meals and then we had to leave. Egads! Suddenly it seemed easier to get into Cuba without a visa than to dine there. I quickly decided to go with the dish with which I was most familiar, the ropa vieja entree, which happened to cost as much as the entire Groupon deal. This version of ropa vieja, meaning "Old Clothes," came with a trio of sides. To taste the robust earthiness of the kidney beans next to the congri rice--most likely a family recipe--on one forkful was truly delectable. Along with the candied sweetness of chewy soft plantains, these side dishes could have been a meal for me. The stringy, shredded beef brisket, swimming in a boat of tomato-based sauce, was simply not as exciting and flavorful as its accompaniments.

The deep wooden booths were scribbled and Sharpie-d with all sorts of shout outs and tags; it reminded me of what a graffitied Havanan alley might look like (or maybe just your average bar bathroom stall), and we thought about defacing it with some crude image just for fun (but we didn't). If you'd like to try Gusto, I'd recommend snagging one of those Groupons, since it can be a bit pricey for what it is, and don't necessarily expect pleasant service. It's a rough around the edges family place that I hope to try once more.

Toasted Parmesan-dusted Garlic Bread (to start)

Congri Rice--White rice and beans with garlic, onion, pepper, etc.
Fried Sweet Plantains--Like a candied banana of sorts
Red Kidney Beans--Eat with a spoon

The main part of the ropa vieja:
"Shredded brisket steak in a Cuban creole sauce"