For anyone out there who loves Omaha, hoping to rediscover old haunts and learn about new fun things to do--this blog is for you. Check out links for local restaurants, bars, music venues, attractions, local videos and upcoming events after you read about OUR take on Omaha!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Dining and drinks and music! O! My!
Hello to all of our fellow Omaha Stalkers! We have decided to add a new component to our blog. In addition to blogging about our experiences in Omaha, we are going to start pre-blogging about upcoming events we plan to attend. We will still feature direct links to web sites for upcoming events on the right hand column of our blog (since we certainly can't attend ALL of the amazing and fun events Omaha has to offer), but we figured that by previewing some events that only come around once a year or events that are only available for a limited time, you would all have enough information to decide if you want to attend while you still have the chance. Finally, we would ask that if any of you would like us to preview any events or at least give an honorable mention to something that we have neglected, please let us know and we'd be happy to spread the word about your favorite things to do in Omaha.
That being said, I will begin with a brief summary of some of my recent experiences with drinks and dining at LOCAL establishments and I will end with some previews of a few upcoming events.
Summer brings some of my favorite days of celebration including my birthday and my anniversary. As you already read, I celebrated my birthday for an entire weekend by eating and drinking my way across Omaha. Well, Chad and I followed suit as we celebrated our second wedding anniversary last week. Chad and I went on our first date four years ago. We started our evening at a quaint bistro in Omaha's own Dundee neighborhood (Readers--there will be a future blog dedicated solely to Dundee, so be patient.) and we have eaten there to celebrate our anniversary every year since. Mark's is located on the upper level of a two-story building, just east of 49th and Underwood. The first decision you're required to make when you get to Mark's is where to sit. You have the choice of their fabulous outdoor patio, complete with colorful landscaping and the cool shade of trees, or you can choose a seat in their cozy dining room which gives you a complete view of Underwood and the Dundee Neighborhood via the wall-length window on the south wall. Mark's offers an extensive wine menu, a full bar, local craft beers on tap (last week they featured Lucky Bucket and Hopaluia), and a lengthy choice of bottled beers. Chad and I often choose items off of their regular menu (I highly recommend the cheese plate, the hummus, or the bruschetta appetizers and the Pad Thai or their famous Macaroni and Cheese entrees). We started with the hummus which was light, served with veggies rather than bread, and refreshing with a lemon wedge adding a light citrus flavor. All in all a nice appetizer--just filling enough and the citrus cleansed the palate before our main course. For our min course, Chad ordered the burger (cooked to order) and when he asked for a steak sauce, the waiter went behind the bar and began mixing a few ingredients together. In moments, Chad was served with a ramekin filled with a delicious homemade steak sauce. I ventured into the unknown with one of their specials: venison stuff toasted ravioli on a bed of sweet tomato sauce, completed with heirloom tomatoes picked from their own rooftop garden. Being 1/4 Italian, I have a special place in my heart for good homemade ravioli and this definitely ranks above good. And nothing beats home grown tomatoes. The sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Needless to say, we were too full for dessert. The final important note about Mark's is the service. Our waiter perfectly timed our order, allowing us time to eat our appetizer without rushing us with our entree. When asked if we were celebrating anything, we shared the story of our first date at Mark's and before we knew it, our appetizer was comped as an anniversary gift. Mark's is the perfect place to go, no matter what you're in the mood for.
View from street
Chad and I have a few favorite haunts when it comes to drinks, depending on what we're in the mood for. Being a bar owner and a mixologist, when we want a cocktail, if we aren't drinking at The Lauter Tun, we have cocktails at The Boiler Room. And that's just what we did after we finished at Mark's. The Boiler Room is located at 11th and Jones in the Old Market. For those of you who are familiar with the Old Market, Jones Street marks the south edge and although it is a regular city street, it has a bit of an alley feel to it. The Boiler Room sign is in no way flashy--a classic black sign with white block lettering--so if you aren't looking closely, you might miss it. The first thing you will notice when you walk in is the extraordinary meeting of the industrial feel brought out by the exposed iron beams and brick walls and the modern feel brought by the wire banisters, local art donning the walls and the orchids which bring a delicate balance of color to the room. You enter on ground level, but you will quickly see that the two-floor restaurant was built downward into the old brick building. The bar is on the bottom level and has limited seating, but it is worth it if you can get a seat. Our bar tender immediately added to the ambiance, wearing a black vest, white button up shirt with sleeves rolled up, and a black tie, and more importantly, a deep knowledge of unusual and old-fashioned cocktails. I was in the mood for a light and crisp cocktail (given the 100 degree temperatures outside) and our bar tender guided me through cocktails on their menu. He encouraged me to order "...Something Borrowed, Something Blue" which boasts a host of liquors I was unfamiliar with including: Old Genever, Creme de Violette, lime and Prosecco. Chad was in the mood for whiskey, but after looking through their binder which includes several pages of aged liquors and wines (they have an extensive wine cellar too, for you wine fans out there), he asked our bartender for a suggestion. He made Chad a Rattle Snake, a cocktail popular in 1910, that included a blended whiskey, egg white, and a few other ingredients--this cocktail was not on the menu. If you are looking for a great cocktail, knowledgeable bartenders, and a nice evening out (and you happen to be downtown), check out The Boiler Room
View of the bar from upper level
Upper level dining area
Another successful celebration thanks to Omaha's fine dining and drinking options!
When: Saturday August 11, 2012 from Noon to Midnight!!
How Much: $35 for 12 hours of awesome local bands!
2012 Schedule
Noon
Gates Open
12:10
Centris Stage
The Seen
12:45
Weitz Funds Stage
Conduits
1:30
Centris Stage
Eli Mardock
2:05
Weitz Funds Stage
Frontier Ruckus
2:55
Centris Stage
Universe Contest
3:30
Weitz Funds Stage
Josh Rouse
4:35
Centris Stage
UUVVWWZ
5:10
Weitz Funds Stage
Dum Dum Girls
6:15
Centris Stage
The Mynabirds
7:00
Weitz Funds Stage
Delta Spirit
8:10
Centris Stage
Icky Blossoms
9:10
Weitz Funds Stage
Garbage
10:40
Weitz Funds Stage
Desaparecidos (featuring Conor Oberst)
Midnight
Show Over – See you in 2013!
This is Maha's 4th year-- the first two years were at Lewis & Clark landing, and then after the flooding, it was moved to Stinson park. Thanks the green space at Stinson Park, festival guests have lots of cool, cozy grass to sit on. There are two alternating stages: Main and Supporting. Main stage acts are the more 'big name' bands, and Supporting stage has more local acts from Omaha/ Lincoln. It is a non-profit festival and completely volunteer-run from street teaming before hand to day-of-show workers. There is free parking in Aksarben Village. TWELVE HOURS of music for $35?! Can't beat that.
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