Pig Head Monday

So the other day I came home to a pig's head braising in the oven. This wasn't just any old pig's head, rather, it came from a local farm (yaayyyyy, local!) and was apple fed. I don't know why it didn't come with an apple in its mouth, but whatever.

Some folks are elated to eat pig's head, others aren't. I fear we need to let go of that neatly-packaged, pre-skinned, pre-breaded, pre-sliced, pre-cooked, ground-two-weeks-ago, patty-fied, ready-to-eat preference most of us have. If we're that nauseated from the sight of a cooked pig's head, do we have any right eating meat at all? I recall a friend getting grossed out over one loose feather in her carton of farm eggs. Did she think they were manufactured at the Nestle factory?

After all, most hot dogs are made of a mix of mechanically separated meats -- a product known as "white slime" -- and the average American chokes down about 60 of those a year. We've gotten really, really good at forgetting where our meat comes from, wouldn't you say?

Don't worry, I'm not gonna be pigheaded and get all "nose-to-tail" on you. While I do agree it's a more common-sensical, gentile approach to meat eating, it's not that easy. I had to forego the snout and went solely for the cheeks. Still can't quite figure out what to do with the eyeball. Probably throw it in some soup.

...

Oh, and for those of you who were not aware of any other options other than meat and potatoes here in Omaha, here's one Chicagoans take on it.

Someone Spilled Beer on the Computer, and Zombie Burger Des Moines

It wasn't me. I don't even like beer. At any rate, that's the explanation for the lack of blogging going on lately.

In the meantime, here's a photo of some gnarly food (gnarly in a bad way) I ate at the Des Moines East Village hotspot Zombie Burger that was every bit as gross as it was gimmicky. Something as bad for you as a "Mac Dog" should taste good. I was overcome with disappointment when I found that I could do better at home with a box of Kraft and a package of Nathan's. I was served cold, bland macaroni and cheese, deep-fried bacon bits with and an off-putting fake taste, and a dog that seemed high-school cafeteria boiled. You might be attracted to the B-side gaudiness and glitz, but you should still pass over this place next time you're in the metropolis that is Dez Moynez.

Mac Dog ($5.49) and the highlight of the fat fest, a side of fries ($1.79)

Taste of Omaha 2012

Friday, June 1st to Sunday, June 3
Heartland of America Park and Lewis and Clark Landing
tasteofomaha.info

The only thing that really surprised me at the weekend-long Taste of Omaha event was that the lines at national chains like Village Inn and Fazoli's were rather long and lively. And then there were a few local booths who weren't finished with their prep at 11:30 -- when the event began at 11.

Still, it was a great chance to try places I will likely never make it to otherwise. Check it out:

Chicago Dawg House wins for best "booth," since it was a trailer. Fancy. 

The dawg itself was good. Not the largest wiener I've seen, but that's all right.

Poor people food: Kraut & Dumplings from Eddie's Catering.
The most calorie for your buck, this stuff will stick to your ribs and and everything else. 

The Guaca Maya restaurant on 33rd Street looks like a church, which has kept me out.

Pleasantly surprised by the Guaca Maya's beef taco.
About as honky as it gets with fried flour tortilla, iceberg lettuce,
nondescript shredded cheese, and ground beef.
But it worked.

A band about to rock out on the Rotella's Bakery Stage. Heh.

Cheese Empanada from España:
Fat fried in fat with a side of fat for dipping.
More seasonings and maybe a vegetable salsa instead of an aioli would have been better.

Did they jack up their prices during the festival? Did Benson stock skyrocket overnight? 

Andouille Gumbo from Jazz: A Louisiana Kitchen--
Can't say for sure, but this place might just be ok.

This Blue Raspberry Italian ice from the Cascio's Steakhouse booth was perfect after spicy gumbo in the hot sun.
Food coloring and high fructose corn syrup never tasted SO good!

Can't wait til next year... Thanks T of O.

M's Pub

422 South 11th Street
Omaha, NE 68102
(402) 342-2550
Open daily 11am to midnight, Sunday 5pm to 11pm
www.mspubomaha.com

Vegetarian Lahvosh:
"Hummus, spinach, artichoke hearts, tomato, red peppers,
Calamata olives and scallions, drizzled with a roasted red pepper-cracked mustard aioli."
At times a celebration of salt (the artichokes made my mouth pucker), but overall a great snack.

What can be said about the venerable M's Pub that hasn't been said a thousand times before. It's not a genius idea, really, it's more like common sense: Classy atmosphere, a menu with something for everyone, well-trained staff with attention to detail, a wine list that doesn't make you yawn, and hours that cater to midnight snackers. It's no wonder they're in a constant state of "busy." The fact is, I knew it would be good, so I waited an entire year of living in Omaha to check it out. When there's nothing to pick on, sometimes dining out isn't as arousing. To be clear, the food is no adventure in flavor. Pardon my cynicism, but with such an expansive menu, there's no way everything can be a total hit. But I feel comfortable in the hands of M's. When M's tells me that Caesar dressing is supposed to be super-anchovy-y, I trust them, and make sure I bring along my Altoids™. M's knows to serve their grilled juicy hot dog with all of the condiments in little ramekins on the side, because, HELLO, not everyone likes ketchup on their dog. M's also realizes that not everyone loves meat, as illustrated by their tempting selection of solid vegetarian options -- think "Carrot Dog" and "Black Bean Cakes."

If M's says it's ok for the hostess to wear jeans, then by golly, it is. Just because they're popular doesn't mean they're too good for jeans. In fact, M's is kind of the "jeans" of the Omaha restaurant scene; they both offer a comfort and familiarity, and can be at once fashionable and utilitarian. I think they should open an "M's West," along with "M's Midtown," and "M's on Maple" in Benson. Heck, put one on every corner. I want more places with upscale pub grub at a fair price, so I don't have to hurt my poor brain trying to think of a place I know I can rely on.

Classic Caesar Salad, small--
Bold anchovy flavor, freshly grated cheese and house-made croutons set it apart from the rest.

Hot Dog, with all the fixins, and outstandingly firm toasted bun.
Real grill marks to tide you over 'til next springtime's cookouts.
Small bowl of lettuce with poppyseed dressing reminiscent of what you'd get with an airplane meal.

Marylebone Tavern

3710 Leavenworth Street
Omaha, NE 68105
(402) 341-3232
Open daily for lunch and dinner

...But it was Monday, not Tuesday. 

You've seen the giant shamrock painted across Leavenworth. Maybe you've even been drunk here before. I won't argue that this is a great place to get loaded, but there's considerable "best burger" buzz swirling around about the Marleybone too. As a pub food aficionado, a devoted lover of all things served in greasy baskets without silverware but with plenty of napkins, I had to investigate.

The menus were crusted with grimy fingerprints, the mark of patrons past throwing burgers down their gullets and washing them down with pitchers of piss beer. There were also some charming grammatical errors on the menu, but it's not about spellin', it's about cookin', right?

My appetizer Drummies were a chicken product that somewhat resembled hot wings. They were heavily breaded with something mildly spicy, and kind of uncomfortable to eat, as they were very well done and overly crispy, so much that my Rumple Minze aperitif couldn't dull the pain. Even more distressing was paying $7 for them. Fortunately, the Boner Dog provided much more cheerful amusement, mostly due to the novelty of ordering a bacon-wrapped deep fried hot dog with a goofy name. So what if our stomachs "felt weird" for the rest of the day; we ate a Boner Dog! The favorite was indeed the burger, a patty with so much girth it was almost a round ball of beef. It came cooked through, but still juicy, and with melted pepper jack that made its way into every molten crevice. The Marleybone burger can stand up to some of the city's professed tried and true favorites, and is totally worth a try. My friends were fans of the fries, but I found them a little soggy and saltless, which isn't a huge deal.

Some things were a hit, and some were a miss. Take comfort in the cheap drinks and the friendly faces and you'll forget your food wasn't that great. I do believe that's the beauty of pub food.

Drummies with Ranch--
Ow.

Marleybone Burger with Pepper Jack--
A hit

The Boner Dog:
Bacon-wrapped, deep-fried hot dog with lettuce and tomato on poppy seed bun.
I guess it was kind of sexy. 

"Grill Cheese"