One sunny HOT day in early July, after an afternoon of tanning, some friends and I decided that the best way to finish off the day would be to find some great Mexican food and drink some of the best margaritas Omaha has to offer. Luckily, there are plenty of options, but since we were out West, the first thought we has was Rivera's (www.riverasmf.com). I heard rave reviews of their pomegranate margaritas and their carne asada so there was really no question. I ordered the fish tacos--delicious. Just spicy enough and very filling. I tried some of the carne asada and it was Extremely tender and flavorful. The pomegranate margaritas did not disappoint either. As the wife of a bar owner and liquor connessuir, I was deeply impressed by their extensive tequila selection as well. I usually look for a tequila I was introduced to on my honeymoon in Mexico, called Casa Noble. Not many places have it so when I found it on their menu, it was a must have. Finally, we ended the meal with the lightest, fluffiness sopapillas I have ever had. Rivera's gets my vote for amazing Mexican food in West Omaha. Check it out.
One of the most important holidays takes place in July and that means food. No, not the Fourth of the July, my birthday. The older I get, the more likely I am to ask for time with my friends and family instead of gifts and that often translates into eating at restaurants around town. This year was no different. Laura and I started our celebration with a family lunch at Biaggi's. They have locations in 12 states around the country so it's not a local company, but their classic Italian food and upscale decor create an atmosphere that makes you feel at home. The meal begins with bread and oil to tide you over until your meal comes. Although the lunch menu is not quite as lengthy as the dinner menu, patrons have options ranging from salads, sandwiches, pastas, and other Italian entrees. Even more enticing, the lunch menu offers the option of half and half, allowing patrons to try multiple fares in one sitting. I had the Capellini de Mare--capellini noodles with shrimp and scallops and a half portion of the Messina salad, complete with capers, olives, feta cheese, and field greens. The half and half was the perfect size for lunch. Unfortunately I was too full to try one of the many Italian desserts offered, but I will be back to try some tiarami su and some cannolis. Here's the link to their menu: http://mobile.biaggis.com/menu/16.
Birthday celebrations continued through the next day. I was treated to a phenomenal lunch of Vietnamese cuisine at a local restaurant downtown by two dear friends from work. The restaurant, Saigon Surface, is just on the outskirts of Omaha's famous Old Market. It is small, but modern and crisp. Each table has its own iPad to tinker with throughout their meals. The staff was extremely friendly. We started off with vegetarian tofu egg rolls. The fresh flavors of mint and cilantro were very refreshing. Our waiter was very knowledgeable of the menu and helped give suggestions for our entrees. I had the grilled combo vermicelli bowl which included wild prawns, chicken, pork, and a Saigon egg roll. The bowl was extremely filling, yet the vermicelli noodles were very light. A perfect dish for a summer lunch. I was surprised with a dessert--Surface flan which is basically a creme brûlée flan. I HIGHLY recommend Saigon Surface. Support local cuisine. And right now, on their home page, you can print out a copy for a free entree anytime during the month of your birthday. Here's the link: http://www.saigonsurface.com/
Saigon Surface is modern, trendy, and delicious!
I finished off my whirlwind restaurant tour with my husband Chad. We ate dinner at Omaha's own 7M, 'an eclectic mix of Omaha's art, food and wine' located in Northwest Omaha. The modern restaurant has the feel of a trendy cocktail lounge. The bar has a great beer selection and I drank one of the best gin gimlets I had ever had. We were assisted by not one but two very knowledgeable servers who helped guide our selections. We were aided further as our waiter shared pictures of the evening's specials on his iPad. I am a sucker for fish tacos and although the specials looked amazing, I had to go with an old favorite and it did not disappoint. They were some of the best fish tacos I've ever had. Not to mention how aesthetically pleasing the plates were. I opted to take one taco home to save room for a piece of locally made Lithuanian Torte. The sweet crumbling crusts are layered with a citrus jelly and it's made at our own local Lithuanian bakeries. My biggest complaint was that there were too many amazing sounding dishes to choose from. We will be back. Perhaps to check out their VIP-style Chef's Table. Check it out on their web site: http://www.restaurantomaha.net/index.html
Omaha has the most restaurants per capita in America, so as you can tell, I have just scratched the surface with this inaugural dining out special, so be on the look out for future blogs dedicated to the food Omaha has to offer. And if you're a beer lover, check out Chad's new blog to learn more: www.beervanaomaha.blogspot.com Thanks for reading. And as my Italian grandmother always said at dinner, 'Mangia!'
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