Tasty Pastry

5423 Leavenworth Street
402.933.9392
Open Mon thru Sat 10am-2pm
http://tastypastryomaha.com

Tasty pastries, indeed

How I long for more places like the recently opened Tasty Pastry in Omaha. With my general aversion to cooking and disgust with brown-bagging it on a workday, I avoid starvation during daytime hours by frequenting places like this. There is nothing quite like gazing out the window, steaming bowl of scrumptious split pea soup in front of you, occasionally losing yourself in your Twitter feed while absentmindedly fashioning a spoon out of your hunk of bread. Three martini lunches are great, too, but I like my soup.

Spicy corn chowder with chicken ($5/bowl)

While not a full-service rest-runt, new sandwiches appear intermittently on the menu as they ease into their space. (Up until last year this was Come on into my Kitchen.) The chicken sandwich is fit for the finest: Lightly breaded chicken with the tang of garlic aioli, pickles, jalapeño, and crunchy slaw on an above-average ciabatta (?) bun.

Proprietor, chef, and baker Mary Dailey has a true knack for executing recipes that are not overly sweet, more reminiscent of Euro-style tortes and pastries than what the average 'Merkan thinks of cake. She's also more than happy to slice up a sample of anything you'd like. Try some chocolate ganache if you're in the market for a new addiction.

The only way you won't love Tasty Pastry is if you have a phobia of the 50+ female demographic, since they're strongly represented in the crowd there.

On a very unrelated note, I kind of wish the name didn't make me think of pasties — every time — but what can you do.

Chicken sandwich ($6)

Carrot cake

Behind the counter

Chowda

The Winery

741 North 98th Street (Clocktower Village, near JC Penny side of Westroads Mall)
Omaha, NE 68114
402.391.3535
Deli open Mon-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat 10am-3pm, closed Sunday
Wine Shop Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-5pm
thewineryomaha.com
See Facebook for info on Saturday wine tastings

BLT on white toast with mayo.
Protein, carbs, fruits and veggies all on one 'wich.

I'd rather not hide the fact that I know most of the people who work on the deli side, so attempting a proper "review" would be dubious. Here you've got one of the largest wine selections in the city, with beers and liquors as well. Forget shopping for gifts at the nearby mall; presents in bottle form are always preferred, don't you think?

I'd also advise you to steer clear of Panera Bread and the like when you rustle up a hunger from shopping/working/whatever it is you do around there. The Winery has daily soups, fresh breads, and an array of chicken, pasta and veggie salads, all for a very respectable price. That bulging-with-bacon-lettuce-and-tomato up there? Four bones. And that's all I have to say about that.

Santa Fe Chicken Salad on Marble Rye--
Crunch of scallion, mild chipotle spice and not dripping with mayo. Win. 

Aerial view, with Chicken Nood and Cream of Sherry Mushroom Soups

Le menu

Blue Planet Natural Grill

6307 Center Street, Suite 101 (next to Jimi D's)
Omaha, NE 68106
(402) 218-4555
Open daily 10:30am to 9pm
www.blueplanetnaturalgrill.com

Caribbean Jerk Pizza--
With vegan cheese, sans chicken

I'm an asshole. At heart, I'm a damn Yankee who doesn't like to meddle with superfluous friendly conversation with strangers. When the counter girl squealed to us that she just can't stop eating Sun Chips that day, I had to look the other way. And I conveniently forgot where I bought my shirt when she asked (I think it was from Target anyway). This girl had a few too many wheatgrass shots. Paltry complaints about the cheery counter staff aside, the food earned a solid "pretty good" in my book. My Honan Salmon sandwich was grilled well done, which isn't really what I fancy, but I can let that slide. The pizza isn't really pizza by any traditional definition, but a tasty assemblage of toppings and kinda spicy tomato sauce on sturdy wheat bread. It only took five minutes to come out, so we can assume they are made much like a college student might make a bagel pizza. Fine by me. There was some confusion, though, when my dining buddy requested vegan cheese only because she is allergic to regular cheese, and the pizza came without chicken. Interestingly, the bacon was still present... Bacontarian, anyone? Point is, this isn't gourmet shit. It's a good place to go after a workout, or sit with your laptop. A must try for anyone who made that "eat better" resolution this year, and a godsend for vegans in this carnivorous town --  not too shabby for celiacs either. They have a serious selection of organic ketchups, too, so next time you've got a hankering for fries this is your place.

Honan Salmon:
"Sweet chili glazed salmon filet, cucumber, cilantro, organic spring mix lettuce,
tomato, onion and carrot relish on whole wheat bun."
Add sweet potato fries for $.99, and dip them in a side of chipotle mayo. Do it. 

My soup, sandwich, iced tea, and tip jar offering ran me a full twenty. 'Twas worth it. The chocolate macaroon I grabbed on the way out provided an excellent unbalanced breakfast the next morning, still chewy and moist. Blue Planet, I will see you again. Just stop being so damn chipper.

Corn Chowder--
Lots of fresh scallions on top.
Average Keebler crackers with long ingredients list. Whoops.

Petrow's Restaurant

5914 Center Street
Omaha, NE 68106
(402) 551-0552
Open breakfast, lunch and dinner, 6am to 9:30pm, closed Sunday
www.petrows.com

Pecan Pie--
Glorious gooey center

One time when I first moved to Omaha I found myself in the backseat of a vehicle in which the operator of said vehicle had just smoked a lot of weed. Without much of a choice I found myself in the parking lot of Petrow's, while the driver procured a slice of pie to go. The pie, he said, was bangin'. I nodded, checking again to see if my seatbelt was fastened. The only thing worse than Omaha drivers are Omaha drivers who are high.

This memory clamored at the back of my mind every time I thought about trying this place: Pie that feels good in a cottony mouth, sliding like velvet over recently burnt taste buds. But as it turns out, the pie is a worthy sober snack as well. In fact, it was the last thing I ate in 2011, trading my champagne buzz for a sugar rush. The clientele was actually not quite as old as dirt, and the vibe was jovial.  I ordered the Seafood Chowder, despite the fact that "seafood" is usually synonymous with "scraps of fish that are about to go bad." In this case I found the thick, creamy base and bits of clam (?) quite enjoyable. The fried fish sandwich only dripped a little bit of grease, and was coated in a fluffy tempura-like batter. The hot beef sandwich, with pliable white bread drenched in gummy brown gravy, made my dining buddy remark that if he was 65, he'd be "totally into it." I imagine it'd be good for denture wearers.

Our server gloated that everything, including the pie and ice cream, is made in the basement. I will be hitting up this place again, now that I know you don't have to be high as a kite to enjoy it.

Seafood Chowder--
Exactly which "seafoods" it was remains a mystery, but tasty nonetheless.

Oddly-shaped Fish Sandwich

Would you like some hot beef sandwich with your gravy?

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.

Lithuanian Bakery & Kafe

7427 Pacific Street
Omaha, NE 68114
(402) 391-3503
Open Monday thru Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm, closed Sundays

Get your spätzle, your Black Forest cake mix, your mustard. And no old European ladies butting in front of you in line, it's fantastic.  

Giant loaves of fresh and day-old rye available for purchase. 

Bread N Butter

Lunch time comes, and many Omahans flock to their burger and barbecue joints. The Lithuanian Bakery & Kafe, nestled in a parking lot eclipsed by McKenna's BBQ and with the bustling BrewBurgers nearby, holds its own during this hour. Nearly every table was full with an assortment of families, business dudes and hausfraus by the time the clock struck one. And then there was us. Service was slow and dishes were served in a curiously staggered manner, but it allowed us a chance to sample each other's grub. Unlike the plates served by L B & K's neighbors, expect portions you can actually finish. The pastrami and Swiss sandwich was not of the towering NYC deli variety, and the cup of soup may have actually been a proper eight ounces of liquid. $7.50 will get you a Kielbasa, a Bratwurst or a Knackwurst, a scoop of potato salad and a serving of sauerkraut, which may seem like a hefty price, but guess what guys: This is the real deal. My complaints are trivial; I wished I didn't have to settle for Gulden's mustard when there was perfectly good Löwensenf on the supermarket shelf across the room. The famous Napoleonas Torte was just a tad dry, and the sauce (an extra 50 cents) was extremely sweet, but what the heck, it's chocolate raspberry sauce after all. Overall this is a Must Try for anyone wanting an authentic taste of Eastern Europe, which is obviously everyone, right?

P.S. I did some research and found that about 1% of Lithuanians are vegetarian. This is represented on the menu with the veggie sandwich. Just FYI.

Meet Borscht. It's better than it looks. You might expect it to taste like chalk and be good for upset stomachs and diarrhea. But in fact, this chilled beet soup is perfect for Omaha summer, in all its dill-y creamy glory. 

Big fan of Split Pea, y'all. This one is pretty good.

Kielbasa, Kraut, and Potato Salad. 

Boiled Bratwurst with Chips, cuz, why not? Best Brat around. 

Pastrami and Swiss on Rye with that creamy potato salad with hints of vinegar and slivers of boiled egg.
Legit as sh*t. 

Chocolate Raspberry Napoleonas Torte with Chocolate Raspberry Sauce--
Just woke up from the sugar coma. 

Napoleonas Torte with Apricot Amaretto Sauce--
"I'm not a cake person," says one of us as he shovels this in his mouth.

The Pastry Case with a rare view of... Me. 

Ritter Sport chocolates. Take me back to D-land. 

Really Fat in San Diego

Di Suvero's Tumbleweeds in Balboa Park

Del Taco

At the risk of cheapening the blog, I'm going to include the national chain Del Taco, which you should know does not exist in Nebraska, or Iowa, or where I'm from. In fact, there's more in California than anywhere else, making it a fast food vacation must. Early on a Sunday morning I was able to get a "BIG FAT" taco with fries along with a breakfast taco that was trying to pretend it was from the street, wearin' a foil wrapper and all. To the Taco Bell at 38th and Dodge: Now you look grosser than ever. http://www.deltaco.com/

How could I not get the BIG FAT?

I'm all about fast food trying to mimic real street food.

Red Sails Inn, Shelter Island

And so we decided to go to a non-fancy seafood place. Not to belabor the point, but in Omaha this means Red Lobster. In San Diego it means checkered tablecloths outdoors with the water and yachts right there, and a waitress that may or may not have graduated high school some forty years ago. There was no innovative plating and no deluxe drink list; it was kinda like a seafood diner with crabs. Here we go: http://www.theredsails.com/

Mini Crab Cakes Appetizer with Lemon and Remoulade Sauce 

Crab Louie Salad--aka the King of Salads--Invented in San Francisco

Above Average Clam Chowder

Crab Sandwich--yep

California Sea Bass with Steak Fries and Veracruz and Tartar Sauces

D. Z. Akin's Restaurant and Delicatessen

My appreciation of the Jewish deli is somewhat newfound, and basically formed when I realized I couldn't have it whenever I wanted it. (If I'm wrong and there is a good Jewish-style deli in Omaha, now would be a good time to let me know.) At D.Z.'s, there were some fat folks literally dancing their way from the parking lot to the entrance, they were so excited. We sat down in one of the many ugly blue booths and skimmed the heavy six page menu while noshing on house-brined pickles from a bucket on the table. It was all over when the soup came. Please, let the pictures do the talking... I'm too full to think about it right now. http://dzakinsdeli.com/

Mish Mash:
Matzo ball, kreplach meat dumpling, noodles, carrots and chicken broth

Kishka with Gravy:
Made with matzo meal, potatoes and carrots, stuffed in a casing and fried,
a sort of vegetable sausage

Blinzes:
A crepe filled with a sort of cream cheese, with sour cream on the side

Potato Latkes:
Shredded potato pancakes fried and served with sour cream and applesauce

The Number 2:
Corned beef, pastrami and chopped liver on seeded rye with potato salad.
It's number 2 on the menu because it's popular, not because the liver looks like poop.
And yeah, you kind of have to dislocate your jaw to eat it.

Osteria Romantica, La Jolla

Sometimes you just want some good Italian food. Sure, the portions were more American than European, but at this point in the trip we said to hell with authenticity. Besides, our friend the Waiter showcased his exaggerated Italian accent beautifully. On the patio shaded by trees with the ocean a few steps away, I sipped on (chugged?) pinot grigio and nibbled on hot bread with a'spicy marinara. At one point the busser spilled a bunch of sauce on the table and didn't bother to wipe it up; I guess he figured we had tongues. http://www.osteriaromantica.com/

Calamari Fritti:
With fried zucchini and marinara sauce

Linguine Mare:
Mussels, Shrimp and Clams in a White Wine Sauce

Iforgetthename-i:
House-made penne with sausage and porcini mushrooms in red sauce

Back to Omaha for now, where the AC is kicking, the corn is shucking, and there are still like 600 restaurants I need to try. Woot.