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

Wraps & Crepes

617A North 114th Street (Namaste plaza)
Omaha, NE 68154
402.505.4488
Open daily for lunch and dinner, closed in between meals, closed Sundays

#13 Chicken Dosa, side of Sambar and cilantro chutney ($8.99)

If you ask me, "wraps" might be the most overrated food to come out of the '90s, and their unwavering popularity generally bugs me. This generic restaurant name might at first lead you to believe they're serving up California-turkey-in-a-spinach-wrap-with-a-side-of-ranch-dressing-and-Sun-Chips. As it turns out, the proprietors of this tasty southern Indian fast casual concept were just really lazy coming up with their name. The tunes weren't strategically chosen, either: There was a very short loop of '80s hits on piano from the bottom of the Walmart bin, and that was it.

"Duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh," went the stereo. I couldn't quite place the song but I think it might be on TLC's A Baby Story.

Yes, the space feels a lot like Q'doba and Co., but at least it's clean and organized, if that's what you're into. Many of us will experience dosas -- a type of crispy crepe made with rice flour -- and uttapas -- the thicker pancake version -- for the first time here. They were out of mango chutney, but the cilantro chutney was a burst of flavor that tasted good poured on everything. The chicken in my dosa was served in large, juicy cubes, red with seasonings and smeared with creamy goat cheese. Spinach and roasted tomatoes rounded out the colossal monster of a crepe, which had more of a cracker-y texture due to the rice flour.

In the wrap, the tender lamb pieces blended well with the stewed green peppers and onions. The wrap itself was somewhat like a stretchy, high-quality tortilla. Still, I favor the more adventurous dishes and would probably ditch the wrap next time.

#1 Wrap with lamb ($7.99)

"Duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh." The same song was playing a fifth time. The neon green walls with informational placards about garlic were closing in. The rest of the lamb wrap was a soupy mess, and I had stringy okra from the Sambar (in this case a take on lentil soup) stuck in my teeth. I will go back to Wraps & Crepes if I'm in the area, especially to try the mango lassi drink and samosas appetizer. But I might opt to take it to go, since in my experience the atmosphere didn't have much to offer. In fact, it made me a little crazy.

Staring down the barrel of a dosa.

Dosa Unwrapped:
chicken, spinach, goat cheese.

Should you want to learn about garlic and other health foods on your lunch break,
this is the place.

FATMOBILE WANTED

Everyone knows that when your car tragically and suddenly breaks down, you're forced to slack a little on your food blog. Busses really only cover the well-traveled territories of our great town, and until the fatmobile is fixed, I have to stick to eating "local." Super local. 

However, I do sometimes borrow the roommate's car and pay him in Taco Bell. On the menu today was the Doritos Locos taco, a finger staining delight that combines two downright dirty pleasures. 

Here's to getting my car repaired before I get too skinny from walking everywhere:

...because an extra cardboard taco holder advertising the Facebook site really is necessary.

J. Coco

5203 Leavenworth Street
Omaha, NE 68106
402.884.2626
Open weekdays 11am-2pm, Mon thru Sat 5pm-close, closed Sundays
jcocoomaha.com

Wagyu beef burger, white cheddar, pretzel bun ($11)--
The most pleasurable jaw dislocation of your life

New restaurants are going to feel a little sterile. They need time, at least to acquire a few creepy old regulars. At lunch last week in this spankin' new establishment, no one knew quite what to expect, and from what I could tell, the servers didn't either. A few confusing moments regarding a bread refill and my entree order can be excused for now, though. Sure, the food took an exorbitant amount of time, but I'd be surprised if they didn't get that worked out within a few weeks.

The menu is "American," but more like what would happen if there was a cook-off on 19th century Ellis Island, since it pulls from several distinct cuisines but doesn't really attempt to fuse much. The closest thing to fusion would be the Korean Style Short Rib Tacos -- a dish that's oh-so-popular on the streets of L.A. The pulled meat was plentiful and tender, but the kimchee was far less pungent than some. In fact, a dip into the bold sweet chile sauce totally masked the subtle fermented cabbage flavor. Dip at your own risk.

Korean Style Short Rib Tacos ($11)--
Big trends, little tasty tacos

It just wouldn't be a restaurant in the 2010s without a burger on the menu, now would it? As much as I love the idea of a fried egg on my burg, I urge you to minimize the add ons, so as to experience the full flavor and texture of the exquisite Wagyu beef patty. I love trendy stuff as much as the next guy, but fans of authentic "pommes frites" will be disappointed by the herb-sprinked shoestring fries. Though they are tastier than the stragglers at the bottom of the McDonald's bag, they are nothing like the thick-cut and crispy potato dish indigenous to Western Europe.

Burger pre-assembly, and the "pommes frites"

Greek Style salad ($9)--
Missing the advertised heirloom tomatoes and meyer lemon.
Bitter arugula and creamy vinaigrette still a fantastic combo.

The interior, with its modern contemporary and quasi-edgy feel, might be better suited for western West Omaha, and thus it will be a challenge to feel very hip sipping on one of their ultra-hip craft cocktails at the bar. But like many others, I live within walking distance, and I look forward to more meals here. Once they get a little more comfortable in their space, we should expect more daring and creative dishes from Jennifer Coco and friends.

Omahype Exclusive: Localmotive Food Truck

Some words about the coolest new food truck on the block: here.

Even before Taco Bell invented Fourth Meal, humans everywhere were predisposed to late-night pig-outs. Fast food drive-thrus have been happy to accommodate this behavior for many years. But now, Omahans finally have the late-night fodder they deserve. Localmotive, a food truck specializing in made-from-scratch seasonal cuisine that also happens to be inexpensive, is here.

The staples are the Rounders, a third cousin twice removed of the Hot Pocket. The reuben version (pictured above) has crunchy kraut, braised corned beef, and Swiss cheese encased in a round layer of fluffy dough, crispy on the outside, with a remoulade dipping sauce. The only thing missing is the overdose of sodium most reuben sandwiches have. Three of these little balls of joy will run you only $5, making them a prime rival for tacos.

Egg Rounders, Whole Grain Mustard Hollandaise

Though you might have to dine in your car or standing on the street, you don’t have to wonder what you’re eating. They roast whole Plum Creek natural chickens for their sandwiches. Full of rich flavors, but not colossal in size, mine had plenty of pulled dark meat. My only gripe was that with some bites, the bacon dominated all the other flavors. Bacon does that. Still, a chef friend of mine bestowed it with the title of Best Sandwich Ever.

Plum Creek Farms Pulled Chicken, Crispy Bacon, Provolone, Caramelized Onion-Green Chile Jam, Chipotle Aioli, Focaccia ($7)

Another contender is the meatball sandwich. The house-ground meat with a healthy dose of herbs mixed in really gave it an edge over other similar subs. The thin, hand-cut fries came hot and crispy, and I rounded up little bundles to submerge in aioli.

Menu items will rotate with the seasons, and desserts are offered by local company the Chocolates Bar. While they’re committed to feeding late-night diners, the truck will be open for lunch soon, too. The Localmotive mission of seasonal and locally sourced is not usually what we’re thinking about when we’re foraging the streets for food at 2 a.m., but it’s definitely a bonus. Now, if only food trucks could be more like ice cream trucks and cruise by my house…

Originally appeared on Omahype.com, March 29, 2012

The French Cafe -- RIP

Old Market, Omaha
thefrenchcafe.com

"Croque Monsieur ($12) A French classic!
Grilled ham and Gruyere cheese topped with sauce Mornay,
served with pommes frites"

Fingers are pointing every which way, trying to determine the guilty party responsible for the French Cafe abruptly closing its doors forever. It wasn't the mayor and his nominal 2.5% dining tax, and it wasn't Old Market parking issues. It was the food and service, which in my opinion were mediocre at best. If you're going to stick to textbook French for over forty years, you damn well better know how to make sauce Mornay. Sadly, the key ingredient on the Croque Monsieur sandwich tasted not like smooth, cheesy velvet, but more like sticking my tongue into a bag of flour. Really, the whole dish was a mess. But thou shalt not speak ill of the dead.

Crusty Roll and Butter

At brunch last week, the warm rolls with fancy whipped butter were absolutely delectable, and I wished I could have avoided the disappointing oeufs dishes and just sat there, in front of the giant tacky photographs of Parisian street life on the wall, and stuffed myself with carbs. Perhaps an informal Euro-style bakery would be a more fitting use of the space, instead of a $30 a plate shit show. It is sad to see an Omaha institution close, but the owners were smart to know when to bow out of the game. Now, I wonder if they'll be auctioning off their flatware...

Omelette au Saucisson with house-made sausage ($12), definitely just "ok."
I think I'd rather have a McDonald's hashbrown than these unseasoned fried cubes. 

Blueberry Pancakes with a Runaway Frite

Red Zone BBQ

UPDATE: IT'S CLOSED! GONE! 

2056 North 117th Avenue (shopping center at northeast corner of 120th and Blondo)

Omaha, NE 68164

402.431.9663

Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri and Sat 11am-10pm

eatredzonebbq.com

"The Big Memphis ($7.49):
Pulled pork with Memphis slaw and real Memphis BBQ sauce,"
pork nacho warmer in the background

Most of what I know about Memphis-style barbecue is from dudes who have passed through the hot and sticky city in the mid-South and gorged themselves, time and time again, on real Memphis "Q." Driving along the other day, my gut involuntarily pointed to Red Zone, and I pulled helplessly into the parking lot. Fortunately I had a barbecue buff in tow to help me pick apart the place. 

"Now THAT'S a sandwich!" The lady behind the counter made no attempt to disguise her pride as she set the meat mountain right on the tray. Just like in Memphis, no need for plates out here in Northwest Omaha. The pile of pulled pork wasn't extremely tender, and the first bite was a hard chunk of fat. Be that as it may, the slaw was crunchy and a little creamy, and the sauce was spicy like it's 'sposed to be. The ultra-white bun was "Wonder"-ful. Though the Big Memphis sandwich was enough to satiate the two of us for snack time, a comparable item would be about half the price in the Barbecued Pork Capital of the World. Still, the buff said it was better than at Tops, the big chain in Memphis. 

The interior design couldn't be less "authentic Memphis," but numerous televisions and red painted walls should be good for Huskers devotees. Their logo was so prominent throughout, I wondered if this was a national chain that had somehow eluded me my entire life. It's not. I may return to Red Zone to sample some of their more interesting creations, like the Pork Nacho Boat and Rubbed Cheesy Balls, especially since they've recently added a few draft handles. Next time I think I'll try a Bud and a brisket.