Trini's

1020 Howard Street
402.346.8400
Open Tues - Sat, lunch from 11:30am and dinner from 4pm
$1.99 Margs on Tues and Thurs, Happy Hour 4-6 Fri and Sat
trinisoldmarket.com

Enchilada de Jocoque (single lunch serving, $6.50):
Chicken in a sour cream sauce with monterey jack cheese,
and a side of "refritos" and rice.

Whether or not you choose to like Trini's shouldn't depend on its mainstream location, or the claim by fans that it's "pretty authentic." I would bus to the end of the Earth (West O) for Trini's, if I happened to be in the mood for supremely honk-ified Mexican-ish cuisine. There's nothing unique about this place, except maybe for the fact that it shares a wall with one of the most expensive restaurants in town. Despite this -- can I just sound like an upper middle class homemaker for a moment? -- the bathrooms, located a hallway and some stairs outside of the restaurant, were atrocious. On the other hand, if you're wandering around the Old Market and want to do something illegal, this is the bathroom for you.

One blackened tilapia fish taco in a deep-fried "puffy" taco shell ($6.95):
In case you're wondering, yes, I felt puffy afterwards.

The Spread

There was something nostalgic about the food in that this is the Mexican I ate as a child. I couldn't quite tell if the chips were made in-house, or whether the mild cilantro salsa was doctored up from out of a jar, but who cares. On the fish taco, the "house chipotle sauce" seeped into the "puffy" taco shell nicely, but didn't offer much of a chipotle flavor. Luckily, the "specially prepared greens" kept things light (kidding). I was impressed by the simple black beans and white rice, which they managed to turn into a rich, buttery treat. Ditto for the Enchilada de Jocoque and the accompanying refried beans. I imagined Julia Child's ghost in the kitchen, whispering, "If you're afraid of butter, use creeeeeeeeeam."

Trini's is great for indulging on standard Midwestmex, especially if you're looking for a nice, secluded restroom where TP isn't necessary.

Soft shell beef taco ($3.35):
Get your Taco Bell without all the late night drive thru hullabaloo.
(I'm looking at you, 38th and Dodge.)

The Market Basket

911 South 87th Avenue (in the Countryside Village shopping center)
Omaha, NE 68114
(402) 397-1100
Open early for breakfast, closes at a different time every day, see website
www.marketbasketomaha.com

Lobster Tacos Special:
"Corn tortilla, garlic butter and sauced lobster, basil sour cream, avocado and tomato slices,"
as described on the menu

I usually have little to no idea what I'm getting into when I visit a restaurant I've never been to before. Usually it involves me swerving my vehicle into the closest place at the first hunger pang. But this was a semi-planned excursion, driven by my desire to check out another "Omaha staple," a place known for its throngs of rich old folk and rows of sticky buns. I didn't partake in the pastries, but I did order straight off the specials list, ignoring the $15 price like some bourgeois honky. The Lobster Tacos were filled with tender meat, cradled in real corn tacos (not Sysco brand) and topped with creme fraiche that was... fresh. The brown-ish guacamole was another story. Add a pile of cabbage (you know how Grandma feels about cabbage) and you've got yourself an entree fit for the finest of retirement homes. Here there was attractive plating with a variety of ingredients, but a curiously bland flavor. I don't want to harp on it too much, but in this case the food really did fulfill the geriatric genre of stereotypes. The restaurant is proud of its use of fresh and local ingredients and draws on a wide range of culinary styles prepared by chefs who give a crap, but they seem content appealing to a limited demographic. And for this reason I would advise you to go elsewhere, my fellow young-and-hungrys.

The youthful servers were all kind of milling around with those familiar dark circles under their eyes that say "I've been studying/drinking all night and this lunch rush couldn't be over fast enough." And then it was over, and I exited into the bright sunlight, wondering what we'll all be eating when we're 80.

Half a "Deli" sandwich and a cup of Turkey Mushroom soup--
Baked ham, turkey, swiss, tomato, lettuce, mayo, mustard, on rye.
The Thanksgiving-style turkey was tasty, and the bagel chip in lieu of soup crackers was a nice touch.

Orange slice garnish:
You can't really tell from the photo, but it looked like it had been pre-chewed,
perhaps for the denture-packing crowd.

Fat in San Diego

The Pacific Ocean

Don't worry; I didn't go on a diet. Rather, I've been absent from posting the last week because I'm on vacation. 

Here's some of the stuff I've been getting fat on:

El Indio Mexican Restaurant, Mission Hills

"Mordititas"

A crazy concoction of a couple of beef taquitos cut up and smothered in nacho cheese and jalapeños. This is basically nachos with tacos instead of chips, people. The "mord" in the title becomes more understandable once this is in front of you. Still pretty damn tasty though, and you won't find this dish anywhere else, period.  www.el-indio.com

Mona Lisa Italian Foods, Little Italy

Capicola Sandwich on Torpedo Roll with Everything--Perfect with a Peroni

Informed by an insider that this place has the best sandwiches in San Diego, and we have no reason to believe otherwise. Truly foodgasmic. Huge and under $7, a Mona Lisa's sandwich will make Subway and everything else taste like barf. www.monalisalittleitaly.com

Order Your Sandwich on the Deli Side and then Enjoy Outdoors

Bahia Don Bravo Mexican Restaurant, La Jolla

Fish Tacos 

Ok, Omaha, the only bad thing about these is that once you've had fish tacos a couple of blocks from the ocean, you can't go back to frozen. This is one long strip of fresh crispy fish, not the minced white stuff found farther inland. This is a warm tortilla that was born earlier that day--not in a factory six months ago. Plus, salsa bars are fun! ("Should I get hot-hot? Or just kinda hot?") Get your happy hour on after some beach time, when tacos are 99¢ each. Unbeatable. http://bahiadonbravo.net/

Pacifico on Tap

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria, Mission Hills

Thin or Deep Dish?

Loaded Fries with Bacon, Scallions, Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream

You may or may not know that I am constantly dreaming about that floppy, greasy New York slice. For your information, the thin-crust pepperoni from Lefty's is on the right track. The deep dish is legendary, if that's your thing. If you're very drunk or have at least four hungry friends with you, try the Loaded Fries, which you will find to be very intense in all of their thickly sliced bacon-ous glory. We caught a glimpse of the Chicago Dog at a nearby table and had total plate envy. www.leftyspizza.com

And that's all for now. There's more on the menu for tomorrow, though.