Omelet & Viet Cuisine

16808 Audrey Street (168th and Harrison) 
(402) 657-3269
Open 8am to 7:30pm daily, Sundays 'til 5:30pm, I'd call to confirm before driving way the hell out there
http://vietcuisine.webr.ly
-OR-

Just look at that cute logo, woudja?

All right, I've had it. This is me, throwing my hands up in exasperation, because this is not effing fair. Listen, I'm not a West Omaha hater. I have never once uttered that line about not wanting to go west of 72nd Street. Westies are people, too; who are we to judge? They eat, work, and live just like the rest of us, except their existence takes place inside the hastily planned celebration of sameness we know as the McMansion. Regardless of what your stance is, I think we can all admit it's a great place to raise (sheltered) children. 

Clearly, I have a beef with the concept of urban sprawl, and would implore those in "power" to focus on strengthening our core neighborhoods, preferably in such a way that doesn't reflect wildly misplaced sub-suburban sensibilities (I'm looking at you, Midtown Crossing). 

Egg rolls

When Vietnamese and breakfast collide:
Sausage fried rice, complete with large bits of fried egg, charred corn,
and forgettable specs of peas and green beans,
provide a cheery dish to grease you up any time of day.

The point I'm bemoaning is that some of the absolute best, most adventurous, and most reasonably priced food in Omaha can be found only in the far corners of our city limits, suffocating in an unbecoming strip mall, while meanwhile, famished urban dwellers get to rely on the likes of Jimmy John's when jonesing for something quick, cheap, and fast. 

What I wouldn't give to have Omelet & Viet Cuisine in my backyard. 

Sharing a parking lot with a gas station in the bustling neighborhood of Chalco HIlls, this restaurant used to be called The Omelet Factory, a mostly takeout breakfast place that, up until it changed hands three months ago, garnered some flagrantly mediocre reviews. Do not be confused. While the new guys have mostly preserved the standard egg-centric menu for now -- with routine items like French toast and even a meat lovers omelet dominating its pages -- they've also made a major move in the direction of Vietnamese cuisine.

Beef pho and its typical vegetable accompaniments

The result is a slightly strange and yet delicious new addition to our small collection of go-to places for Vietnamese. Though admittedly I am not a diehard expert on the topic, the pho broth certainly seemed more flavorful and somewhat thicker than most. We didn't leave until every drop had been drank, every noodle slurped. One bite into the banh mi, when the slightly sweet earthiness of the pate -- which had nearly melted into each crevice of the toasted, crusty baguette -- hit my taste buds, I attained a sense of well-being only akin to the serotonin boost of a thousand psychedelics. Wild spurts of A Very Jazzy Christmas from the stereo only heightened the mood. 

BBQ Pork Banh Mi:
If you look closely, you can spot
a crumb of pate resting atop the elongated cucumber slice,
and a chunk of crispy pork in the foreground,
elegantly reposed amongst the julienned carrots.

I'll continue to lament the half-hour travel time and gallons of precious gasoline involved in experiencing such quality in comfort food. I believe this type of place belongs just a stroll down the block from people who are willing to stand in a line that circles that block just to get it. In my dreams I'll frequent this clumsily named ethnic food gem, but in reality I will only get to go twice a year or so. I can only hope Chalco Hillsians know how good they've got it. I think they do.  

The three entrees, appetizer, and three soft drinks came to about $26 pre-tip,
a value that may offset travel costs for many of us. 

Saigon Surface

324 South 14th Street

Omaha, NE 68102

(402) 614-4496

Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 5pm-9pm, Happy Hour 4pm-6pm

www.saigonsurface.com

Grilled Wild Prawn Vermicelli Bowl:
Bean sprouts, pickled carrots and daikon, lettuce, cucumber, roasted peanuts, herbs.
There's also one Saigon Egg Roll in there, just for good measure.

The signage urges us to "Eat. Drink. Relax." Boy, never heard THAT one before. Doesn't Applebee's use that catchphrase too? Honestly, I can't see myself relaxing too much in their straight-backed, bright white chairs. The decor is sparse and angular, a few degrees from what you'd find at IKEA. Ambient electronica -- or was it downtempo trip hop? -- floated through the air. I've heard they have iPads at the tables, but they must not bust 'em out until dinner. That's ok, I've seen an iPad before. I just wanted lunch. 

It wasn't long before the bell dinged and our semi-awkward young server brought out our app: Three lightly crunchy Saigon Egg Rolls, filled with glass noodles, kurobuta* pork, and shredded shrimp. Unlike the usual chunky mix, these ingredients melded together into a proper filling, forsaking their individual identities for the good of the egg roll. Dip in some of the unobtrusive pepper-flecked oil for a smidge of extra flavor on the flaky wrapper. Dee-lish. The Banh Mi bread was crusty and buttery, and the slightly fatty, crispy-on-the-outside "signature grilled pork" was coated in a sweet soy-esque sauce. What's not to love? As for the Grilled Wild Prawn Vermicelli Bowl, the crunchy veggies and dusting of crushed peanuts over room-temp rice noodles were a nice compliment to the other more "fat person" dishes at the table. 

In the tiny one-person booth barely big enough for my butt, let alone my embarrassingly large purse, I came very close to foodgasm that day at Saigon Surface. Maybe I held it in on purpose cause I was nervous. At least now I know I don't have to fake it at other Vietnamese places around town anymore. 

*Not your average schwein. Known for its juiciness and tenderness. 

Saigon Egg Rolls--
Foodgasmic

Signature Grilled Pork Banh Mi

I'd have ordered a cocktail if the water wasn't so damn tasty,
with craft ice cubes and intricately peeled cucumber slice.
Gonna hit up happy hour soon. 

Check out this article on comfort food where I mention SS's Oxtail Pho.

Shang Hai Garden

3118 South 24th Street (in the shopping center just north of Vinton)
(402) 342-2244

A Chipotle, a Tomatillo, and a Tomato Salsa,
Paired with Corn Chip Strips

Shrimp Egg Rolls--
More like big spring rolls, with sweet and sour sauce

I dipped my egg roll into the spicy tomatillo salsa. Just because I could.

This isn't fusion, this is a fight: Chinese vs. Mexican, happening now, in a South O strip mall next to No Frills. Tablecloths with Chinese characters. Wall posters exclusively in Spanish. Kikkoman, Sriracha, AND Tapatio on the tables. To be clear, if I wanted either one of these cuisines on its own, I wouldn't come here, but there's something about the wacky combo you should experience at least once. Sure, the tables were sticky, and I preferred not to think about the grime that must be living in the kitchen. Just sweep the dirt under the carpet in your mind and you'll be fine. The highlights were the salsa trio, house-made and hotter than Helen's house, and the shrimp egg roll, which was ready to take any unlikely dip you could throw at it. The meat in the tacos had a hint of Chinese spice, like what would happen if you stored your al Pastor with your Kung Pao in the same tupperware for a few days, and the tortillas were no bueno. Our entree, Snow Pea Chicken, was so-so, but a few heaping spoonfuls of delicious chili sauce made things more interesting.

I can't vouch for Shang Hai in terms of culinary mastery, but it is a novel idea carried out by folks who aren't aware of their "concept;" they're just eatin' what they like to eat.

Pork Tacos

Snow Pea Chicken

Chili Sauce