Ahmad's Persian Cuisine

1009 Howard Street
Omaha, NE 68102
402.341.9616
Open Tues - Sunday, 11:30am - 2pm and 5:30pm - 10pm; closed Mon
ahmadscusine.com

Potato and Peas Poloe ($7.95 lunch/$14.95 dinner):
Poloe means "rice with stuff," from what I can gather. 

Don't freak out, people. The stretchy, soft flatbread served with the hummus here isn't pita. It's lavash, which is basically the national bread of Iran and the surrounding lands. You know, they sure do have some silly political leaders -- but boy, can they make some flatbread.

Mast-o-kyar ($5.95):
Yogurt and cucumber sauce with mint.
Use the lavash bread as a spoon. 

Lavash might remind you of tortilla. The mast-o-kyar -- which is Farsi for "yogurt and cucumber" -- might remind you of tzatziki sauce. And the dolmeh appetizer is probably a bit like other stuffed cabbage dishes you've had in the past. But everything had its own subtle twist, as if it is made according to one dude's recipe book that he keeps in his head.

Falafel Sandwich ($5.95 lunch):
Three falafel balls, each drizzled with tahini, eat it with your hands.
(That's a haiku.)

I thought it a bit odd that the open-faced falafel sandwich came with lettuce dressed in something similar to Thousand Island, and the discs of falafel were heavier than some, possibly due to the fava beans in the recipe. The potato and peas poloe only had two pieces of potato and looked a lot like the mixed vegetable poloe I had the week before. Still, all was yum. The spiciness came on in a strong, even wave, and I got the sense they go through a lot of lemons around these parts, judging from the bright citrus flavors in many of the dishes. Perfect for summer. 

This Old Market fixture has been here a while, truckin' along quietly on a busy corner, a few wooden tables on the patio usually staying occupied. The "WC" sign over the restroom and the size and ambiance remind me of any and every falafel joint in Berlin. At lunch, the waitress handles the whole restaurant like a superstar, and I imagine Ahmad in the kitchen, plating the food he loves to share, and maybe even painting those beautiful grill marks on the lavash, one by one. This place is off the chain. Kinda makes me feel like going on a trip to the Middle East. Oh wait, nevermind... 

Dolmeh ($6.95):
"Cabbage leaves stuffed with beef, vegetables, lentils
and topped with tomato based sauce, delicately seasoned." 

Mixed Vegetable Poloe ($7.95 lunch, $14.95 dinner),
in a lemon garlic sauce.

Fat in Europe

Demented Hot Dog Man

Now that last month's Eurotrip is over, I can still taste the sausage, and am kind of still feeling the hangover. I invite you to salivate over my photos, mostly of street food. It's important to remember, though, that there is no good Mexican food in these countries; jarred salsa tastes like rancid ketchup. So, 'Merka is still better... specifically South O.

Amsterdam and Rotterdam

Those right-wing Dutch folk are trying to push out all the zillions of high-as-a-kite tourists with their new laws. But for now, the sweet smell of weed still lingers on the street. (Actually, I think it's kind of gross. Sorry.) I don't need the help of THC to get the munchies, and luckily there's an automatiek around every corner to soften the razor sharp edge of a hunger pang, offering mostly traditional handheld Dutch snacks. It's the fastest fast food ever. 

Smullers near Amsterdam Centraal Station --
insert coins, extract chicken burger.

There's loads of excellent Indonesian restaurants in the Netherlands, but if you're on the go, try a bami --
a breaded and deep-fried rectangle of thick, spiced noodles.

Giant warm stroopwafel --
sticky, caramel-like sauce sandwiched between two waffle cookies.

Remember that thing called "Occupy?" Still going strong here.

Kapsalon, a Rotterdam specialty (name roughly translates to barber shop):
fries, döner meat, melted cheese, salad and mayo.
ARE YOU SERIOUS? 

Erasmus Bridge connecting the north and south of Rotterdam,
and the typical spring weather.

Brussels

Two words: beer geek. That is what I was for the whole 24 hours in Belgium. 

Just your average convenience store:
Trappist ales, cherry lambics, and the go-to Jupiler (what you get around here if you just order "a beer").

Train stations have the best food. This waffle is no exception.

View from the top floor of the Magritte Museum

If I had any €€€, I would have dined here and had myself some fine Waterzooi -- traditional Belgian stew. 

Frites and mayo go together like peas and carrots.
Like peanut butter and jelly.
Like a beer and a cig.

Münster (and Enschede)

No, not like the cheese. That cheese comes from a little town in France with the same name. Münster is the town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that I called home at one point. Known for its rainy weather and throngs of bicycles, Münster isn't exactly full of culinary excitement. Or any kind of excitement, really. Which is why, on Good Friday when everything was closed, we went to the Dutch border town of Enschede, along with hordes of other Germans. 

View from my friend's window. Sure ain't no bustling metropolis, but I guess it's ok.

Don't let the modest helping fool you, for I had three plates of
homemade schnitzel, salad with fluffy yogurt dressing and pan-fried potatoes.
Thanks to the Gorkes.

Pretzel roll with prosciutto. Everyday bakery items are divine.

Pommes Spezial --
curry ketchup, mayo, onions.
Can possibly curb your hunger til the next sausage fest.

This is what you get when you order coffee in Dutch. 

The oliebol is a Dutch doughnut that weighs the same as a baseball.
Wear all black on a windy day for the total effect.

Cologne

My second favorite city in Deutschland, home of the biggest gay pride parade around and the most annoying/crazy Karneval street parties. On Easter morning I walked across town to the city's crowning glory, the Cologne Cathedral, where the rising sun was poking out from behind the church's gothic spires. Then I caught a train to Berlin. 

At Engelbät, the cozy creperie with endless possibilities.
Mine was filled with broccoli, almond slivers, tomato sauce, cheese, and pesto.
Wash down with a thimbleful of Reissdorf Kölsch.
And if you don't like Kölsch beer, don't say so too loudly around these parts. 

I once lived by the adage:
"A tomato-sauce-poppy-seed-stick a day will keep the doctor away."
Aka Knusperstange.

The Rhine river --
And a bridge with a bunch of "Love Locks" attached to it.
Who decided that a padlock was a good symbol of love? 

Berlin

The sacred döner sandwich:
All hail to the spinning meat in the window, especially after a night of slamming Beck's.

This is not another NYC, despite all the flawed reviews from tired hipsters that say so. Berlin is unique. Berlin is magical. Berlin might as well be its own country, an aberration compared to the straight-laced complacency of most of the Fatherland. Even the color of the subway trains -- a hideous yellow not even fit for a limited-edition crayon -- is like nowhere else, not to mention the little Brandenburg Gate etchings on all the windows. 

East Side Gallery, where Smart cars and Coca-Cola trucks pass colorful remnants of the Wall. 

Bratwurst at Alexanderplatz, and the iconic Fernsehturm (TV tower). 

Waffle with Nutella, sandy sitting area of a Sunday flea market.
Makes total sense.

Beef Brisket from White Trash Fast Food, and a fish tank--
it was marginally cool. 

Street food fav, the Noodle Box --
bean sprouts, crispy onions, sometimes chicken. 

They like to eat arugula on pizza. Weirdos.

They also like to eat spicy salami on pizza. 

Shrimp tacos from Santa Maria in Kreuzberg --
they also have a Taco Tuesday with €1 tacos.
I think this place was specifically designed for Americans needing their Mexican fix.

Berlin is a falafel mecca.

The typical meal at home: tortellini with pesto and mozzarella tomato sandwiches,
and a tasty Rothaus Pils.

And with that, I headed to Tegel airport, a tiny building where you can still say goodbye right at the gate like in the movies, for the last time. In a few months it will be no longer in operation, and the new Berlin Brandenburg airport will take over. Yes, there are so many expats in this city that they actually need a new airport to handle the influx. With fingers crossed (or thumbs pressed, as they say), I smuggled a bunch of pretzels through security, which I froze and ate later. Catch ya later, Berlin. Try not to get too cool. 

Victor's Gyros Falafel & Mediterranean Food

4007 Farnam Street

Omaha, NE 68131
402.341.7347
Open lunch and dinner, closed Sundays

Falafel Sandwich

Victor, the man, wears many hats. Owner, chef, and server. We can assume he also had a hand in the restaurant design, that he places the daily orders for the tomatoes and pita bread, and that he mops the floors after each busy night. During our dinner, every single customer that came and went seemed to know him personally. He even heroically shoveled out my friend's plowed-in car last winter, just to be nice. Ah, yes, Victor and his restaurant. It's about as locally owned and mom-and-pop (or in this case, just "pop") as it gets, but, does this mean we have to love it?

First, Victor nonchalantly crushed my dreams to try fava bean dip, stating that he was fresh out. Fortunately, the hummus served as a fine standby; it was coarse and garlicky, suiting my personal taste. The falafel was an almost buttery, beany goo with sesame seeds adorning the crisp exterior, and a complex spice blend that would probably puzzle the dudes at Amsterdam. The presentation of the falafel, however, was anything but complex: Spring mix, store-bought pita, chopped tomatoes, and a tasty tzatziki-like sauce that will give you some mean breath. There is no doubt that Victor serves some quality stuff, but seriously, what's up with the price? One hummus and one falafel sandwich came to $18.50, which is extremely steep, let's admit it.

Are we paying for the vibe? There are neat posters of Egypt to gaze at, but no music whatsoever makes me self-consious. I'm a really loud chewer! (Or do I just have thin cheek skin? I can't figure it out.) And halfway through the meal, I started giving my dining buddy the "I'm-still-going-to-be-hungry-after-this" look. I want to support Victor and his one man show, especially since his falafel patties are heavenly, but I think I have to wait for my tax return to go there again.

Hummus

Amsterdam Falafel

620 North 50th Street (Just south of Underwood Avenue)
Omaha, NE 68132
(402) 504-3223
Open every day for lunch and dinner, extra late on weekends 
http://www.eatafk.com/


I sometimes feel left out when ordering at Amsterdam, like I'm not cool enough, in the incestuous heart of Dundee where everyone knows each other anyway. I guess it depends on who's working, but on my most recent visit I was subjected to loud indie crap music and my order was messed up. But alas, the food is pretty good, and fast, and cheap, and it's open late, and this is why I will go back again and again. The döner--yes they call them döners--and the falafel sandwiches are both served on pressed Turkish style bread just as they are in... Amsterdam. The sauces are pretty legit (spicy, herby, garlicky). I do think the meat has a bit of a spongy quality, and they really do put too much on the sandwich. (Bigger isn't always better.) Also, I think it's odd to add chickpeas to the döner, and I don't fancy tabbouleh in the mix either, but this is NOT Amsterdam OR Turkey and I get that they're doing it their own way. Here's to more independently owned, quality street food places in Omaha, snotty counter dudes and all. 

Döner Sandwich

Döner close-up--Meat, Red Cabbage, and Tabbouleh Salad with Tomatoes

Chickpeas 

Hummus plate:
Warm pressed bread, side of tabbouleh salad, carrot sticks, and a HUGE serving of hummus

Casablanca Moroccan Cafe

3025 Farnam Street

Omaha, NE 68131

(402) 884-3362

Closed Mondays and between lunch and dinner

Lots of raving about this place, including the recent feature in the Reader, allowed our expectations to soar. Unfortunately, I'm still a little confused about the hype. Gratis hummus and salad were served immediately, both in large bowls with no side plates or serving spoons, so let's hope your dining mates don't have cooties or Hep C. The chef then came out and dissuaded us from ordering off the menu, promising to "take good care of us" if we just let him make us something. We didn't really have much of a choice. 

Half hour later out came the big ole bowl of rice, rice, and more rice, topped with grilled meats, potatoes and veg. Another twenty minutes later and the falafel arrived--three patties cut in half on a plate, dry and overcooked as could be, which was a shame because though the spices were flavorful, it was difficult to swallow, seriously. Sliced strawberries and grapes at the end helped to quench our thirst from all the dry food. All this for only $11 per person, but we left kinda scratching our heads, vowing to maybe try the sandwiches some day, if the chef will let us. 

Chef's Special with Rice, Grilled Peppers, Sweet and Russet Potatoes, Beef, Chicken and Shrimp

Falafel

El Basha Mediterranean Grill

7503 Pacific Street (in the shopping strip with Spirit World)
Omaha, NE 68114
(402) 934-6266
Open Monday thru Saturday, 11am to 9pm, closed Sunday
http://elbashagrill.com

Do you know about döners? The sandwich made with the meat that spins on the big thing in the restaurant window and is shaved off by a dude with a big knife? Yeah, those. Most of my experience is with the Turkish version in Germany, but they come in all shapes and sizes, different breads and different meats from different animals and they're called different things. Gyro, shawarma, kebab, etc. In my opinion the best way to end your night out is by shoving one of these down your gullet. I think I must have had hundreds of döners in the past couple of years. The search has been on for the best döner (or döner-like meal) since I arrived in Omaha. The winner, so far, is to be found at El Basha. The Gyro, an open-faced version served on (mediocre) pita covered in tzatziki sauce and topped with fresh onions, tomatoes and herbs, was tasty, but the real star is the Beef Shawarma Wrap. Big enough for two, and filled with thinly sliced meat, grilled tomatoes, pickles, onions, and tahini sauce, this is very close to the "real deal" shawarma I often ate in Berlin. The pickles are key.

We both made our sandwiches combos by adding (mediocre) fries and a drink, and it wound up being way too much food for two people, so I suggest splitting. They are constructing more outdoor seating off to the side of the building (they currently have three tables overlooking traffic-y Midtown Pacific Street), and you can also partake in some hookah, if that's your thing. I only regret ignoring the baba ghanoush, hummus, and falafel in favor of the fleish-filled dishes. Next time, next time (perhaps tomorrow).

Gyros

Beef Shawarma Wrap

Second visit: 

Fresh and filling. Enough for two to have as an entree, really. 

Mezza Mix Plate with Hummus, Baba Ghanuje, Falafel and Taboule