Twisted Fork

1014 Howard Street
Omaha, NE 68102
402.932.9600
Mon thru Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri and Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm
Happy Hour every day from 3-6 and 9-close
restaurantsinc.net/twistedfork/

Appetizer Sampler:
That's chicken fried bacon in the foreground,
waffle fries, fried pickles and hot wangs.

The glitzy chandeliers, turquoise vases with oversized feathers, and plush red wall tapestry -- combined with the rather bright spotlight lighting motif -- reminded me a lot of Urban Outfitters Home section. The decor is definitely fancier than the food, which follows more of a stripped down "Texas cowboy" theme. I was disappointed to see they must have taken their venison Frito Pie off the menu, but forgot all about it when the Appetizer Sampler platter came. Our server did a run through of the sauces; good thing I already had my pen out to take notes, since they were all white and creamy. I quickly decided that no one should eat Chicken Fried Bacon, ever. It looked like deep fried jerky and tasted like a salty clogged artery. Still, I appreciated the novelty of something so shamelessly unhealthy, and the white gravy dip sure was zesty. The wings, fried pickles, and waffle fries were all of good quality. The BBQ Beef Sliders had smoky meat, sweet sauce and toasted buns. Mmmmmm, toasted buns... no complaints there. The only thing was, as the only customers of the hour, we caught a strong "we don't really want you to be here" vibe from the employees. In their defense I bet they were just preoccupied getting ready for the dinner rush.

I didn't get to try any of the entrees, but I'd only go back here if I felt like getting all fat about it. Though they have salads on the menu, it's not the kind of place where you order one. You know the saying: "Everyone's fatter in Texas."

BBQ Beef Sliders--
Blurry photo due to the cocktail pictured below.

Mango Mai Tai--
It's true, I ordered a girly drink, and I liked it.

Jack and Mary's Restaurant

655 North 114th Street
Omaha, NE 68154
(402) 496-2090
Open Monday thru Friday lunch and dinner, Saturday dinner, Sunday brunch 10am-2pm and dinner til 8:30pm
www.jackandmarysrestaurant.com 

Fried Chicken and Waffles

Fried chicken is something I'm only really "getting into" now, in my late twenties. Kind of like how people my age are getting into having kids. But I guess it's a little different. Anyway, I've figured out that there are a few things that make great fried chicken: It must be served hot, right out of the fryer; no heat lamps allowed. It shouldn't be overly greasy, sliding around on your plate like a possessed Ouija board planchette. The meat should be of good quality, which means more edible than non-edible parts. The batter should be seasoned with spices, but not too salty, and kept to a thin coating, so as to not cover up the flavor of the actual chicken. The first bite should be of meat, not just of fried matter. At Jack and Mary's, they know the fried chicken formula well. The waitstaff of old veterans and fresh faced newbies wore t-shirts that read "Giving Omaha the Bird For Over 30 Years," a claim they can definitely back up.

We went for brunch, where my leg and thigh adorned a Belgian-style waffle. Incorporating some vanilla into the waffle recipe could have made it less bland, and it could have been crispier on the outside, but the whipped butter and giant ramekin of syrup made it all work out. Jack's Plate was the typical two eggs/bacon/hash browns/toast, except it was atypically large, and overall very well executed. Neighboring tables were guzzling gizzards and giblets, iceberg and ranch from the salad bar, and mashed potatoes with extra gravy, in such a way I swore the retirees had been saving their appetites all week. In a West Omaha strip mall, the interior pulls off the country kitchen feel. I get the sense not every dish on the menu maintains the homemade-from-scratch model, so choose your items carefully. Flyers advertised a special Thanksgiving dinner for $12.95, where you'll probably find me, imbibing at the bar and polishing my plate.

Brunch entrees served with fresh fruit, and cinnamon rolls, which were heavy as heck.

Dark Rye Bread

Jack's Plate:
At least two industrial spatula-fulls of hash browns, two extra large eggs, and a bouquet of bacon

Lisa's Radial Cafe

817 North 40th Street (Just south of 40th and Cuming)
Omaha, NE 68131-1828
(402) 551-2176
Open for breakfast and lunch, closes at 2pm most days; check out the "worker's special" weekdays before 8am. 

Lisa's has a lot of fans, and on this Saturday morning I was expecting greasy diner perfection. We sat under a wall decorated floor to ceiling with photos of different folks. Regular customers, perhaps? Staff family members? Don't really know. The vibe is very homey, nearly trashy, but friendly enough. The service was prompt, and my coffee and water was refilled often. As a former diner waitress used to waiting on hungover douchebags, I know how important these things are. I got a ham and tomato omelette--ham was sliced, not the cubed kind--and somehow it was missing something (cheese next time?), but I was pleased to see it wasn't bigger than my head. My dude got the eggs/bacon/toast combo (known as The Works), as you probably should too when you go here. Lisa knows her bacon, thick-cut and salty. I hear the french toast is good too. Hash browns just like the frozen kind I fry up sometimes, which isn't a bad thing. Cash only, and at 7 bucks a plate I've seen cheaper places.

Ham and Tomato Omelette with Wheat Toast and Hash Browns

The Works