LT Organic Farm Restaurant

32513 Ute Ave (Just north of I-80)
Waukee, IA 50263
515-987-3561

Open daily 11am – 9pm, May thru Oct, 11am – 8pm in Nov, closed Dec thru Apr

ltorganicfarm.org 

This is a REAL LIFE iPhone photo.
View from the parking lot.

In the wake of a wee bit of food poisoning from a fast food joint (it was the slightly off mini-tub of honey mustard soybean oil dipping sauce that did it, I think), I am reminded of just how important it is to plan your meals if you're gonna be on the go so you don't get stuck eating pink slime and partially hydrogenated reconstituted potatoes against your will. If you happen to be driving across Iowa on I-80, I think I've found the perfect meal to get you nice and full and not be in a position to offend your car mates with factory-manufactured flatulence.

Psst... The restaurant is in an old barn.

The story is something like this: Doctor Guy of Indian descent (or maybe he's actually from India, I don't know) decides to leave his practice in Chicago and move to a farm just west of Des Moines. Doctor Guy starts an all-natural restaurant, using ingredients from his honest-to-goodness, functioning farm on his property, and enlists his daughter as the service staff and son as the kid that's just hanging around and wants to tell you all about the chicken coup and show you how to tear leaves off of trees to hand-feed the goats. It was all maybe a little too tranquil and perfect. 

Masala chicken, jasmine rice, sauteed spinach,
cucumber yogurt salad, red beans in coconut tomato sauce,
potato chutney, seasoned chickpeas, falafel in pea sauce.
Nothing was extra heavily spiced or overbearing in flavor — this isn't "Indian food"
as we normally think of it, but a refreshing, balanced, seasoned dish. 

Lemon ginger herb drink crack

In addition to serving one hell of a plate of Indian-inspired treats, Doctor Guy also likes to paint his walls with adages that make him sound a little wacko when taken out of context. You should probably give him the benefit of the doubt when he says stuff like, "Cardiovascular work is life threatening." I'm sure he knows something I don't. I'm just going to gnaw on this perfectly cooked, succulent masala chicken thigh, spoon in another bite of super spicy potato chutney, and marvel over how perfectly cooked these chickpeas are. I'll be over here, trying not to think about my mediocre health, enjoying this delicious food that makes most farm-to-table restaurants look like a sham. 

Worth a day trip from Omaha just for the food? Maybe. Worth it if you add in the breathtaking scenery, friendly proprietors, and a slice of Casey's pizza on the way home for dessert? You betcha. 

Whatever you say there, buddy.
In truth, I'm just offended by the "Stress is good for immune health" quip.
Stress isn't good for anything but my relationship with snack foods. 

One dish is served daily based on what they've got.
I believe they can do a veg version.

Ohhhh God, it was so good!
Look at how the cucumber sauce drizzles all over the beans!

One plate of delicious, farm-fresh food? $18.
One meal I can trust won't give me food poisoning again? Priceless.
(Damn, that MasterCard campaign really got stuck in everyone's psyche, didn't it?)

Tanduri Fusion

2537 South 175th Street (just north of West Center Road)
402.505.9209
Open Tues - Thurs, Sun 11:30a.m. - 2p.m., 5p.m. -9p.m., Fri, Sat 11:30a.m. - 2p.m., 5p.m. - 10p.m.
tandurifusionne.com

Spinach Stuffed Naan and Mixed Appetizer

"Welcome to our real nice Family Restaurant," the website reads. Well, ghee, thanks. It was the last place I thought my friend'd pick for her 30-somethingth birthday festivities, but we didn't question it as we loaded into a couple of cars and hauled way out West.

The atmosphere, while "real nice" indeed, was also "generic strip mall," and I was turned off the music was turned off. Still, you don't see purple cloth napkins every day.

The Mixed Appetizer for four ($13.95) was an assortment of scrumptious fried things, although the coating of flour was much thicker and doughy than I'm used to on pakoras. The Malai Shish Kebab -- pieces of seasoned rolled lamb my dining buddies affectionately referred to as "butt holes" -- were the highlight of the first course.

Our minds might have been in the gutter, but our taste buds weren't. The Spinach Stuffed Naan ($3.95), akin to a chemical-free Lean Pocket, was adored by all. I was a hero for spontaneously requesting a side of Maah Dal ($4.25), a creamy and beany delight.

A few friends weren't in love with their biryani and tilapia dishes enough to marry them, but not every entree can be a winner. Make the trek here for Indian that isn't hyped up, like some other places in town. With lower expectations, you won't be disappointed.

Maah Dal --
As with most bean dishes, it's the beauty on the inside that counts.

Mulligatawny (served with entree, or $3.00) --
I found it rather limey. 

Tilapia, and more importantly, mint chutney

Chicken Vindaloo ($14.50) exactly what it should be --
piquant, rich sauce, but not too thick.
MAD PROPS for the chicken not being overcooked into the consistency of a baseball mitt.

Malai Shish Kebab detail

Moonlighting

...as a freelance writer. Check it:

Much More Than Curry at Curri

Now That's What I Call a Drink

German Food Galore

Curri

1028 S. 74th Plaza (Shopping center just west of 72nd and Pacific)
Omaha, NE 68114
402.614.0009
Lunch buffet Tues-Sun til 2:30pm, dinner every night from 5pm, closed Mondays
http://curri.biz

Round One

Buffets are kind of scary, don't you think? I'm not talking about how the guy in front of you could have just been scratching his butt before he handled the bread tongs. What's really scary is the "all-you-can-eat" factor, the suggestion that if you don't have thirds you're not getting the most out of your money. However, at Curri, my quest for over-satiation was finished early: the food, although tasty, was less exciting than I hoped it would be.

Most of the dishes were very tame with the spices, particularly the black lentils, and nothing was found to satisfy my masochistic need for something fiery hot. About half of the spread involved chicken, and the popular Chicken Tikka was one of the better choices. The chickpea and eggplant dishes were also favorites. (Apologies for the lack of proper names. As the dude behind me in line said, "I don't speak Indian.")

Biryani, chickpeas, lentils

Appetizer-wise, the potato pakora scored in flavor, but try to catch them right out of the kitchen before they cool off. Baskets of naan were brought to the table -- thicker and greasier than I've sampled before, but still quite good. The pala payasam rice dessert was worthy of that last bit of space in my stomach cavity: fluffy and not too sweet, I could eat this stuff for breakfast.

Despite the simple, elegant interior, black cloth napkins, full bar in the corner, and hovering, eager-to-please servers, the lack of tunes managed to make the place feel like a cafeteria. If there was any music on, it was on low, because all I could hear was the sound of folks happily chomping away. I shouldn't be surprised. This is a buffet, and I suspect their dinner service offers much more in terms of menu items and atmosphere. Check out Curri for one of the better buffets at feeding time (just $9.95 a person), but don't expect them to break out the fancy stuff til you go for dinner.

Never-ending naan

Pala Payasam dessert

The Line

Wraps & Crepes

617A North 114th Street (Namaste plaza)
Omaha, NE 68154
402.505.4488
Open daily for lunch and dinner, closed in between meals, closed Sundays

#13 Chicken Dosa, side of Sambar and cilantro chutney ($8.99)

If you ask me, "wraps" might be the most overrated food to come out of the '90s, and their unwavering popularity generally bugs me. This generic restaurant name might at first lead you to believe they're serving up California-turkey-in-a-spinach-wrap-with-a-side-of-ranch-dressing-and-Sun-Chips. As it turns out, the proprietors of this tasty southern Indian fast casual concept were just really lazy coming up with their name. The tunes weren't strategically chosen, either: There was a very short loop of '80s hits on piano from the bottom of the Walmart bin, and that was it.

"Duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh," went the stereo. I couldn't quite place the song but I think it might be on TLC's A Baby Story.

Yes, the space feels a lot like Q'doba and Co., but at least it's clean and organized, if that's what you're into. Many of us will experience dosas -- a type of crispy crepe made with rice flour -- and uttapas -- the thicker pancake version -- for the first time here. They were out of mango chutney, but the cilantro chutney was a burst of flavor that tasted good poured on everything. The chicken in my dosa was served in large, juicy cubes, red with seasonings and smeared with creamy goat cheese. Spinach and roasted tomatoes rounded out the colossal monster of a crepe, which had more of a cracker-y texture due to the rice flour.

In the wrap, the tender lamb pieces blended well with the stewed green peppers and onions. The wrap itself was somewhat like a stretchy, high-quality tortilla. Still, I favor the more adventurous dishes and would probably ditch the wrap next time.

#1 Wrap with lamb ($7.99)

"Duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh." The same song was playing a fifth time. The neon green walls with informational placards about garlic were closing in. The rest of the lamb wrap was a soupy mess, and I had stringy okra from the Sambar (in this case a take on lentil soup) stuck in my teeth. I will go back to Wraps & Crepes if I'm in the area, especially to try the mango lassi drink and samosas appetizer. But I might opt to take it to go, since in my experience the atmosphere didn't have much to offer. In fact, it made me a little crazy.

Staring down the barrel of a dosa.

Dosa Unwrapped:
chicken, spinach, goat cheese.

Should you want to learn about garlic and other health foods on your lunch break,
this is the place.

Fat in Chicago

Van Gogh, The Drinkers, Art Institute of Chicago

Just like my 27 hours in Chicago, we'll make this quick:
The bus plopped me down in the middle of downtown on a Friday night. I thought about joining the cluster of ragtag "Occupy" protesters, but the numerous restaurants, still brimming with patrons after 9pm, seemed more inviting. Once again, my hunger eclipsed my punk sensibilities.

Knowing full well I was stumbling into the tourist-iest of touristy tourist joints (totally not punk!), I headed into Giordano's, hoping to God I could get one of their "world famous" stuffed deep dish pizzas in a size I could handle, or maybe just bum a slice from someone. Sadly, the very smallest would have run me $20 after tax and tip. Happily, this led me to order the Italian Beef sandwich instead. Just think: A toasty roll filled with tender beef sliced a millimeter thick, dipped in beef gravy, which was more like a salty, herby jus. The bartender asked if I was in town to run the Chicago Marathon. I chuckled, shook my head, and took another giant bite.

Eye-talian Beef sandwich at Giordano's

For lunch, I couldn't help but try an Indian fast casual restaurant with a Qdoba-like assembly line. Look, I watched a whole season of "America's Next Great Restaurant" hoping the Indian guy would win so I could someday experience this very thing. Chutney Joe's Indian Diner is a budding chain with two locations so far, and more coming soon. I tried the Red Bean Rajma, with a yogurt, tomato, roasted cumin and ginger sauce. The beans were suspiciously canned and smushy, but the sauce, garlicky naan and basmati rice were right on. At under $6, it was the one affordable thing I found in the whole city.

Red Bean Rajma at Chutney Joe's

Chicago's famed deep dish pizza is apparently only good if you have friends to share with, as I couldn't find a single place that sold by the slice. With two hours to go, I got desperate and tried a regular crust at State Street Pizza Co. This pizza was heavy, yo. I think it weighed double your average. The crust was dense and had a hint of honey. I sat at one of the window barstools, watched some freaks and families stroll by, and felt rather at home in a big city. This place could be a prime spot to stop and re-fuel mid-evening.

Slice of Pep from State Street Pizza Co. 

The Big Three

There were also the Gin-Gin Mules at the Whistler and the beers at some Wicker Park bar. At the Art Institute, my Art History minor made me feel majorly smart. It was a good day.

Kurry Xpress

10841 Q Street (Southwest corner of 108th and Q, tucked inside a strip mall)
Omaha, NE 68137
(402) 934-5054
Open for lunch and dinner, closes in between, closed Mondays
www.kurryxpress.com

Navratan Korma--
"Mixed vegetables cooked in a kurry sauce and topped with cream," kutting too many korners with the frozen veg.

Chicken Vindaloo. Or something like that.

I'm not afraid of so-called "hole-in-the-wall" places. Bare bones, no frills and inexpensive, sometimes with questionable cleanliness and suspicious service. It's no secret that these kinds of locations often serve up the best-tasting, most authentic and interesting cuisine. That said, it wasn't the lack of music or unexciting atmosphere at Kurry Xpress that bothered me. It wasn't the disposable plates and cutlery, though I do wonder if they are properly equipped to wash their cooking utensils somewhere in the depths of the curtained kitchen. It wasn't the 20 minute wait for my food at this "Xpress," or the extra charge for charging it to your credit card, or the curt counter guy. The problem with this place is the sucky food. There, I said it. This place has fans, and I don't know why. The frozen vegetables in the Navratan Korma were drowning in the extremely thick cream sauce, so much so that it took me a while to figure out which vegetables I was actually eating. The sauce was bland to my taste buds, just a hot and heavy mess of calories I ultimately couldn't justify ingesting. The Chicken Vindaloo was marginally better, though it did remind me of cheap Chinese food, as if the salty sauce came from a packet full of MSG. For a dish known for its spice, it had my tongue tingling about as much as a packet of Taco Bell Fire sauce. The basmati rice was remarkably dry. The star of the meal, and the only thing I finished, was the portion of fried onion strings that came on my styrofoam plate.

The Indian hot bar at Whole Foods blows the socks off this place. And so, the search for the best Indian cuisine in Omaha continues... Please don't make me stock my freezer with Tandoor Chef and Ethnic Gourmet!

Mother India

3572 Leavenworth Street
Omaha, NE 68105-1908
(402) 763-2880
Open most days for lunch and dinner (closed in between), Sundays just for dinner, Mondays closed
http://www.motherindiarestaurantomaha.com/

I love Indian food. I think I could eat it everyday. I think I did eat it everyday at one point. And so I've noticed the lack of Indian cuisine in Omaha. Only a handful of places, and they seem overpriced and kinda out of your way.  Located in a chic little shack way too close to the street, I guess Mother India did remind me a little of a curry house in London, but minus the charm. We went on your average Tuesday and it took 40 minutes from the time we sat down to the time we got our food. So as the clock ticked along we got more skeptical of the food, thinking it would obviously be crap. Well, it wasn't. The Vegetable Samosas were expertly fried, and the mint chutney was delicious. The Vegetable Curry had just the right amount of heat and spice, and the rice was soft and flavorful, and not dry like some Indian-style basmati can be. So this place gets a D in ambiance and service and an A in flavor... though I do wish they'd beef up their choice of vegetarian dishes and chill out on the beef. Guess we are in Nebraska huh.

Vegetable Samosas Filled with Potato, Mint Chutney on the Side

Samosa Interior View

Vegetable Curry

Rice