Jazz in June

In the month of June if you happen to be walking around Downtown Lincoln on a Tuesday night, you will find yourself in the middle of quite a music, people, and food filled event called "Jazz in June."  The website for Jazz in June says it is more than just a tradition, "it's a summer standard."   Judging from the large crowd and lawn packed with picnic blankets and collapsible chairs, I'd say Lincoln agrees with that statement.

Although I wish I knew enough of Jazz to speak with intelligence about the music, scene, and band, I'll stick with what I know--food.

Even if Jazz isn't your thing, come for the food.  I haven't had much of a chance to check out the portable food stall life of Lincoln's fairs, events, or outdoor shindigs, so coming to Jazz in June and seeing what types of culinary caravans show up was quite exciting.   The types of food carts that showed up to Jazz in June represent quite a smattering of food niches.

 For snacks, Stahl's Cotton Candy makes up freshly spun cotton candy.  Pop Art serves frozen popsicles, and the sounds of small popcorn explosions and the scent of butter and sugar wafts from Golden Kernel Kettlecorn.  Then, on the savory side, you can sample some of the 36 flavors of Smoky Gun's Jerky.  I tried the Honey Bourbon and it made my taste buds really happy.

For refreshment, you can try refreshing fruit drinks from Aloha Tea Room or get a bright smoothie made by Great Harvest Bread Co.  I went with what to me was the only logical route, a $1 glass of home-brewed root beer from the Root Beer Guy, aka David Stajner.  It has lots of vanilla, is nice and sweet, and is a great summer refreshment.

Nibbles and drinks aside, choosing a main course is hard when the selection is so wide and intriguing.  I was tempted by Greek fare at the Parthenon, crab rangoon from Manilla Bay, or "bombay sliders" made by Aloha Tea Room; all sounded intriguing.  Or, I could have had pizza from a portable wood-fire grill courtesy of Rolling Fire.  A  portable wood-fire grill, that is pretty unique.  After a couple investigative laps around the carts, two food options begged to be sampled. 

Food Stand Tasting #1: Shongaezee’s Native American Grill
Dough being tossed about in a deep frier will almost always catch my attention.  Who could be immune to such a combination?  Then, couple frybread with options of hot dog, taco, or burgers seems to take everything you love about fair food and put it in one ridiculously compelling taste argument. 

I have never heard of Native American Frybread.  So, this was a little food lesson for me.  According to the "Native American Frybread 101" poster on the stall, frybread came about from reservation living. The common rations where foods like flour, cheese, and lard.  So, frybread served a good use of those materials by frying discs of bread in lard.  Frybread isn't fried in lard anymore, but the recipe and prep have remained the same.

After snooping for a while to see what frybread option looked tastiest, Dennis and I went with the Native Burger: frybread, hamburger, lettuce, tomato, and cheese.  Frybread itself reminds you almost immediately of a doughnut.  It isn't sweet, but that combination of crunchy outside crust and ridiculously soft inside is exactly like a doughnut.  So, the experience of the Native Burger is like eating a hamburger on a savory doughnut.

In other words, heavenly.  The best part is the bit at the end when all the mustard and ketchup has run to the bottom and been soaked up by the bread.   

Food Stand Tasting #2: Daffodil Gourmet Catering
It is a rare thing to find Persian food in places other than metropolitan cities.  I've only had Persian once and that was in a trip to L.A.  It is a unique branch of food that isn't quite Greek, isn't quite Lebanese, and isn't quite Indian; instead, it is concoction of all three.  The dish I had in L.A. was Khoresht Fesenjan, a stew of pomegranate and walnut, and it was incredibly unique in flavor and texture.

Since I can always get Indian and Mediterranean, it seemed silly to pass up a chance at Persian.  After trying the food, I'd say that nobody should miss the chance to try Daffodil's food.  Dennis and I split a dolma, spinach pie, and a kotlet (a meat, onion, and potato patty).  The dolma has a hint of cinnamon and spice and so stands out from its tarter Greek counterparts.  The kotlet was moist and flavorful and worth eating repeatedly.  But, the spinach pie was the best.  So wonderful flaky and with a smooth spinach inside that was just what you want a spinach filling to be with the right balance of spinach, cheese, and seasoning.  I don't think you could go wrong with any of the items, but the spinach pie is a must. 

June 26th is your last chance to check-out the Jazz in June scene.  So, bring a blanket, sample some food, and have a great night of enjoying some jazz with friends. 

Green Papaya

 Next up on the Vietnamese food tour is Green Papaya.  Green Papaya was actually recommended to me when I first moved to Lincoln, but it took me a while to get around to trying it.  More recently, I was reminded that I need to go there and try their food when someone told me that they'll serve a whole shrimp (head and all) on one of their soups.  That clinched it for me as a must try place.

Green Papaya's menu offers a similar fare to Vung-Tao.  There are several Bubble Tea options, banh mi sandwiches, pho, other noodle soups, and rice noodle bowls.    There are also other fun drink options like Pennywort Drink, espresso, and ca phe sua da, or espresso coffee with condensed milk.  Two of the people I was eating with ordered the espresso and condensed milk, and it looked like fun.  You get a little metal container with the grounds and then you pass water through to make your own espresso at the table.

I got the Taro bubble tea.  I had sweet potato bubble tea in Korea and thought it was one of best bubble tea flavors I'd found.  I had heard that taro is supposedly the same thing; but, Taro was a little sweeter, almost marshmallow like, than sweet potato.  Even though it wasn't quite what I thought it would be, I still loved it.  The bubbles weren't at all stale and were squishy and chewy like they should be.   

For an entree, I should have made it a fair comparison to Vung-Tao by getting Green Papaya's pho. But, I was more in a seafood mood, so I went with the Special Rice Noodles with Crab, Shrimp, and Pork. It was  fantastic.  The broth was the rich, velvety quality you want from good stock, and the crab gave it a faint sweetness.  The meat was tasty, the shrimp really good (although there were only a few), and the crab (although imitation) a great vehicle for soaking up broth.

Dennis tried the Grilled Chicken with Egg Rolls bowl.  The egg rolls were unique with a hint of cinnamon and spice, and the chicken had a great flavor, but was a little dry.   I don't think he was that blown away, but his issues were what my issues with rice noodle bowls are.  They sound good, but are just kind of bland.  It is the only Vietnamese dish that I've come across that doesn't excite me.  I think it is because my noodle dishes from Asian restaurants usually have such full sauces, that rice noodle bowls just seem kind of straight forward in comparison; Plus, I also end up comparing it with all the flavor and nuance that you find in pho, which I will chose over rice noodle bowls any day.  

Between the tastier soup and fresher bubble tea, Green Papaya made a better impression.   

 

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Vung-Tau Deli

Vung-Tau Deli was the first stop on my Pho tour.  I drive by it all the time on my way to work and with every pass was increasing curious as to what a Vietnamese Deli entailed.  I also saw a sign for Bubble Tea, and I can't pass up a place with Bubble Tea.

I went for lunch on a Wednesday and the place was really well trafficked.  When I mentioned this to the waiter, he said that this was actually a slower day.  The place has about ten tables and those were rarely empty for long; so, if that is a slow day, I can't imagine the turnover of a regular day.

In overhearing the conversations at other tables (yes, I eavesdrop when eating on my own), I heard lots of oohs, aahs, and praises.  One table had three 20-somethings and one of them was orienting the other two on Vietnamese food, bubble tea, and how to eat the noodle bowls.  Another table contained four people visiting from Texas who liked the place so much that they had come two days in a row.

Over all the tables, the most common dish being eaten appeared to be a noodle bowl with pork and slices of small fried egg rolls.  I was going to try a banh mi, but they were out.  So, instead, I got a bowl of pho and a lychee bubble tea.

The lychee part was great; but, the bubbles were a little stale.  The bubbles weren't that jelly, squishy, and chewy texture so essential to bubble tea; instead, they were a little frozen tasting and a little hard.  I do give them props for offering lots of great bubble tea flavors, including durian, which I was a little too scared to try.  I'm working up to trying durian, but it is taking some mental prep.

As for the pho, I also wasn't completely blown away.  They don't offer tofu as a pho option and tofu is my favorite topper; it soaks up all the broth and becomes a little pho flavor explosion when you eat it.  Instead, I got slices of beef, which were good, but just not as fun as tofu.  The broth itself had a nice richness, but was really cinnamon strong.  Instead of a subtle warmth, you got all the aroma and taste of the cinnamon, making the pho a little sweet.

In this experience, I have a pretty strong disjoint between my own impressions and the positive reactions of others.  So, I think it sort of comes down to preference.  The other customers and Urbanspoon reviews give Vung-Tau a lot of high praise.  Plus, the waiter, who must also help run the place, was really friendly and nice.  He knew lots of the people who came in, suggesting that Vung-Tau has a strong following.  I was really impressed by how many names he knew, how often he remembered what they liked to order, and how well he picked up on small clues.  Those qualities alone speak to a restaurant you would like to keep going to. 

As for the food, I think I would go back and try the banh mi or a noodle bowl; but, as a far as the pho, I'd keep looking. 

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Lincoln’s Pho Food Fight

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As I mentioned in my first “Ethnic Side of Lincoln” blog post, Lincoln has quite a large Vietnamese population.  The population is so sizable that in applying for a public library position, one of the application questions is if you speak Spanish, Russian, or Vietnamese.  

The prevalence of Vietnamese food in Lincoln makes me super happy.  The bulk of my Vietnamese food experiences have come from my friend Kathy's mother.  Kathy's mom loves to feed me and I love to eat her cooking.  When she found out I was moving to Lincoln, she was worried about where I was going to get Vietnamese food.  So, I am pleased to report to her that there is lots of tasty Vietnamese food to be had here, and I am slowly but surely trying it all out.   

The bulk of the Vietnamese restaurants are on North 27th Street.  Within 1/2 a mile, there are about three Vietnamese restaurants, and that is not counting the Vietnamese/Chinese duos.  Traveling north on 27th, you hit Pho Nyugen, Vung-Tau Deli, and Green Papaya.  There is a fourth restaurant, Pho Factory, which is coming soon, making North 27th fairly pho centric. 

Over the next week or so, I'll give you a three post series giving the pros and cons of each.  This way, you’ll know where to go for the best Vietnamese and Pho in Lincoln.

Ethnic Side of Lincoln: Czech Festival

On May 6th, I went to the 43rd Annual Czech Festival sponsored by the Nebraska Czechs of Lincoln.  Upon entering the Pla Mor Ballroom, my eyes had to adjust to the dim lights of the large room.  Even if I couldn't take in the visual right away, the sound of umpas and accordions and horns let me know, I was in the right place.  After making it past the orientation table and receiving flyers for the days events and other upcoming Czech activities, I finally took in the sight.  Traditional czech garbs dotted the room.  People dancing the polka and clapping along.  Little children tired from the "Chicken Dance" running back to find their parents.

But, I wasn't there for umpa bands and arts and crafts--those were a bonus.  I was there for the food.  The flyer for the festival had read, "ethnic foods • baked goods and kolace • hot food served from 11:00-till gone."  I'd heard rumors of Kolace ever since getting to Lincoln, but had yet to encounter one.  As for main dishes, I had Czech food when I went to Prague three years ago.  However, what specifically lay in store was a mystery; all I knew was that I was excited.

At first, there was dismay.  Food options where as follows: 1.) pork plate with rye bread, sauerkraut,and green beans, or 2.) hot dog with pickles, sauerkraut, and green beans.  I don't know what I was exactly expecting; I had thoughts of goulash and dumplings and exotic Eastern European cuisine.  Neither of these two options fit the bill.  Since I was there, I got the pork plate--coming all this way for a hot dog seemed silly. 

Then, there was elation.  The pork was moist, rich, and juicy, the sauerkraut appropriately sour.  All combined on a slice of mustard and butter smeared break, quite fantastic.  The beans where ho-hum, but everything else was really fantastic.  Plus, while eating, I got to watch more of the people and I noted all the laughing and joy and enthusiasm.  Also, over dinner I got to hear the "Queen Talent Performances," one of which was a little comedy skit about cooking Czech food. 

Although too full to have dessert there, I did wander over to the baked good table to get a treat for later.  There were the usual options of cakes and things, but when in a Czech Festival, eat what the Festival champions--the Kolache.  A kolache looks  a lot like a pastry.  According to SlovakCooking.com, you take sweet leavened dough and top it with a fruit or nut topping.  I tried three: peach, cherry, and poppy seed.  The overall effect, whichever fruit topping, is a dough that is a little sweet, but not heavily so.  It isn't rich and buttery like pastry.  It's not airy like donut dough.   It is more like dense rolls.  

Of the three fruits, the first two were okay--they tasted like pie filling.  The poppy seed one was great.  It was gritty and grainy and had fun textures and flavors.  It reminded me a lot of fig preserves.  Overall, as dessert, a kolache wouldn't quite live up to a post meal challenge; however, as a breakfast treat or mid-day sweet snack, it would really hit the spot. 

I left the festival with a feeling of contentment.  The exploration into a new niche of Lincoln, NE, culture was rewarded by a savory meal, a tasty snack, and a Jiternice for the grilling season.

Ethnic Side of Lincoln: El Rancho

For the next installment on The Ethnic Side of Lincoln, I'm continuing by exploring Hispanic food in Lincoln by reviewing El Rancho (27th and O).

I found out about El Rancho when a co-worker, whose Mexican, recommended it to a couple people as being the most authentic Mexican food in town.  From the outside and inside of the building, it does have the aura of being a dive.   But, the things that rallied optimism was a busy outdoor taco cart and a large sign announcing that they serve pozole and menudo.

Both Dennis and I started with $4.50 double shot margaritas and munched on fresh salsa with tasty (slightly spiced) tortilla chips.  Then, because I wanted to try a couple of things, I got the "Fiesta Plate," which includes a taco, quesadilla, and enchilada with a side of refried beans and rice.   You can choose between beef, chicken, pork, and vegetable, and I went with vegetables.  Although this can translate into just onions and green peppers, all the dishes had those two plus bright red peppers, making everything look bright and colorful.  Plus, instead of large dollops of sour cream, there were nice little swirls that helped makes things creamy without over-powering.

Dennis got the Pollo en Mole, which was chocolaty and a spicy red, and served with a side of really fresh flour tortillas.  The sauce was great and I found myself stealing tastes from Dennis's plate--one of the hazards of eating with me.

So, if you are looking for an authentic Mexican food experience, go to El Rancho.  Next time, I'd like to try either the tamales or the pozole, and, maybe, work up to trying menudo.

Pies and Pints

 Over the summer, Dennis and I were driving through Charleston, WV, and decided to stop downtown for lunch.  One of the places I noticed was a restaurant called, Pies and Pints.  The menu featured lots of foodie driven pizza options--Grape Pie, Thai Pie, Mediterranean Shrimp Pie--and great microbrews on tap.  Unfortunately, at the time, Dennis and I were looking for something a bit cheaper and easier, so we opted for a more traditional Italian pizza place down the street.

When I moved to Lincoln and saw that there was a Pies and Pints, I was a little excited to get the chance to finally try one.  So, on Thursday Dennis and I had a date night and went to the Haymarket area of downtown to give it a shot.

Yuppied, trendy pizza place this Pies and Pints is not.  Catering to UNL college students, they offer reasonable pizza and cheap beer.  Students always gets 10% of regular prices with idea; lunch specials feature two slices and a soda for around $5.00; another special features a pint of Sam Adams and a personal pizza for $7.50.  On Thursday, we were able to get a pitcher of Miller for $6.00 and a large Supreme Pizza for $2.00 off.  Ultimately, not a bad deal.

The menu does have some pretty playful pizzas.  I'd like to try the double entendre ridden pizza, the  "Flaming Head," a pizza topped with chicken, sausage, Tabasco, jalapenos, mushrooms, and optional habenaros.  There is also "Wisconsin Best," bacon, macaroni, cheddar sauce, mozzarella, and cheddar.

So, though not the Pies and Pints experience I thought I was going to get, it was overall a success.  Nothing fancy, it is what it is--a nice college hangout with tasty food, pool, skee ball, and beer. 

Omaha Cupcake Taste-Off

Before I moved to Nebraska, a student told me about a cupcake place, Jones Brothers, in Omaha which she had seen on Cupcake Wars.  So, when a couple of weeks ago I went in to Omaha for a job interview, I figured I deserved a treat.  

During the interview, I mentioned that I planned on going by Jones Brothers afterwards.  Although one of my interviewers responded with enthusiasm, the other said she was more of a Cupcake Island fan.  

Thus began the Omaha Cupcake Showdown.  

Truth is, I liked them both but for different reasons.  Although the two interviewers had very definitive feelings and loyalties, after trying three from each I was undecided.  Ultimately, here's my evaluation of each.  

Jones Bros:

Jones Bros is more of an overall package.  A very trendy style cafe, they offer food, desserts (homemade marshmallows, cookies, etc), wine, yogurt, and coffee.  So, you can go, hang out, and eat a wide range of sassy foods.  To give you a stronger sense of the place, it was voted an Omaha "Hot Spot" just shortly after it opened.

As cupcakes go, there is a great range; they take bolder risks with flavors.  I tried the "Salty and Sweet," "Caramel Apple," and "Strawberries and Cream."  All where really moist and decadent tasting.  The "Caramel Apple" towered with frosting and pieces of apple cooked inside, making it almost muffin like.  The best was the "Strawberries and Cream" which had real strawberries.  Overall, it was just the right amount of sweet and fluffy.  

Cupcake Island:

Cupcake Island, in comparison, is a simpler affair.  It is located in a less trendy strip mall, and is more a traditional bakery.  Instead of spreading themselves over many food arenas, they focus on cakes and cupcakes. 

The three I tried was the "Pink Champagne," "Chocolate Covered Cherry," and the "PB Cup."  In comparison, I think the cake was a little denser (although still moist), but the frosting was more satisfying.  Jones Bros has a slight aftertaste that Cupcake Island didn't have. 

 

Cupcake Island had my least and most favorite between both cupcakeries.  My least favorite was the "Pink Champagne."  It was light, but had no real definitive flavor.  The best was the "PB Cup."  The cupcake was a chocolate cupcake with a rich peanut butter center and cream cheese frosting--all three things that I'd want in a cupcake. 

The Bottom Line:

• The final ranking was 1.) PB Cup; 2.) Chocolate Covered Cherry; 3.) Strawberries and Cream; 4.) Salty and Sweet; 5.) Caramel Apple; and 6.) Pink Champagne.  
• For creative cupcakes--Jones Bros.
• For sweet and decadent--Cupcake Island
• For trends and atmosphere--Jones Bros.
• For classic bakery--Cupcake Island
• Best Frosting--Cupcake Island
• Best Cake--Jones Bros. 

Blue: Sushi Sake Grill

Dennis had an audition in Omaha on Sunday, so I went with him to enjoy an afternoon out.  To find a place to eat, I went onto Urbanspoon, Restaurant.com, and a couple “10 Best” lists.  What I ended up picking was a sushi place, Blue, which several people had mentioned as the best place to get sushi.  That recommendation, plus all day food and drink Happy Hour specials was all I needed to know.

To start, Dennis and I both had Sapporo Sake Bombs.   I’ve had Sapporo and I’ve had sake but never at the same time.  I know you are supposed to chug them, but that always seems like a waste.  When you sip them, then they end up with a rather tasty combination of beer with a little bit of a rice-like finish.  For the second drink, I had their cold sake, which, to my surprise, was unfiltered  (my favorite).  

For Nigiri, we ordered the Hawaiian Roll (tempura fried, salmon, crab, mango, and mirin mango puree), the Snow White (crispy seabass, avocado, burdock root, bibb lettuce, soy paper, and spicy cream sauce), and the South Pacific (eel tempura, cream cheese, pineapple, scallion, and eel sauce).  My favorite was the South Pacific because the way it was constructed was cream cheese and pineapple in the center, and then the eel in a separate roll above.  It was crunchy, creamy, and sweet, making for a complete bite. 

 Just to top things off, we also split an order of Crispy Crawfish with tempura pickle and miso mustard sauce.  This was Dennis’s favorite.  The crawfish was crunchy and spicy, the pickle was tangy and crunchy, and the sauce was the icing on the cake that brought it all together.

 

In making future plans to see a show in Omaha in a couple of weeks, I was excited to see that this same Happy Hour special is available late, starting at 10:30 on Fridays and Saturdays—a perfect post show treat.  

Panda Garden

It is now about 8 months since my trip to Korea, and I’ve been keeping my foodie sense alert to the chance of getting Korean food.  In July, I gave it a good shot with Fancy Hill Korean Diner, but, alas, it just wasn’t what it could be.  Other than that, the opportunity to have Korean food hasn’t come my way. 

Last week, though, the food gods smiled on me.  Tucked away, in a very nondescript looking Chinese restaurant in Lincoln, NE, is the closest I’ve come to getting satisfying Korean food in America. 

Panda Garden is a place that on my own, I probably would have never gone to.  It is in a strip mall between the Super Saver Grocery Store and a Target.  Also, a name like “Panda Garden” speaks more to mass cooked and generic Chinese food.  Although a place I might have checked out on a night when I was looking for low key Chinese, there is a strong chance I would have just passed on by. 

Luckily, a new colleague introduced me to the place.  Not just luckily, that is food karma at its best. 

Though Panda Garden does offer a long line of reasonably priced Chinese food, it is worth the extra money to splurge for the Korean.  There is a long list of the classics—Kim Chee soup, short rib soup, Bhim Bahb, and sweet potato noodles.  Plus, all the dishes come with four different kimchi.  The first time I went, the kimchi assortment had broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, and eggplant.  The second time, it was daikon, cabbage, potatoes, and  cucumbers. 

On the visit I made with my colleague, I got a vegetable and tofu soup that was spicy, red, full of lovely tofu, and what almost looked like chopped up mung beans.  It was so satisfying on a cold day and hit the spot beyond words.  On my recent visit, I went with Korea nostalgia and got the Kim Chee Chi Gae, kim chee soup with mung bean sprouts.  Probably not quite as good as the vegetable and tofu soup--it was a little too tangy.  However, even though not as strong, it is still a soup that I would order again.

Sure not exactly like what I got in Korea, but the spirit of Korean pride in the food was there.  Panda Garden is run by a friendly, happy looking couple.  When the food comes out, the wife stops in to make sure that you are happy and that the food is pleasing.  With me, she also brought out a to-go cup just in case I couldn’t finish the soup.  And just like the restaurants I enjoyed in Korea, if you want any more rice or kimchi, they are happy to give you more.  That is such a gracious gesture and really makes you feel welcome. 

With Panda Garden right on my way home from work, I expect there are many cold Lincoln nights that will be warmed with a large steamy bowl of Korean soup.  

Southwest Pit BBQ

Before moving to Lincoln, NE, I went to Restaurant.com’s website while they were having a Christmas sale to stock up on gift certificates to restaurants I wanted to try.  The first one on my list to try was Southwest Pit BBQ on P and 16th. 

Given that Lincoln is the home of Ribfest, I figured any bbq places in town have high standards.  So, I was pretty excited to get to load up on all the different smoky options that Southwest has to offer.  Because of having to spend $35 to use the gift certificate, Dennis and I got an excuse to try a lot.  Given the very reasonable prices on the sandwiches and sides, getting to $35 was a little tricky to do.   To get a full sample, we ordered a full slab of ribs, 10 wings, one brisket sandwich, one pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw, and potato salad. 

After sampling everything, I had rather mixed feelings. All the meats are incredibly tender.  The ribs and wings just melt off the bone and the brisket and pulled port are incredibly moist.  There is a nice touch of smoke and that helps give the meat a little depth. 

The con is the sauce and flavor.  Everything felt a little under seasoned.  The sauce, that was on all four meat options, simply lacked depth.  Even so basic as a tad more salt and pepper and spice would have gone a long way to bring out more of a savory quality. 

All in all, a good deal and not a bad place to pick up a pulled pork sandwich in a pinch.  However, for the most have bbq in town, I think I’ll keep looking.      

Day Off in Omaha

After spending a couple of days unpacking, I wanted a day off to explore.  Because I had to be back in Virginia to teach, I only got a couple weeks to visit. So, Dennis and I put boxes and arranging and setting up the apartment on hold and headed to Omaha for the day. 

The first adventure was to the Omaha Zoo.  Omaha Zoo is probably the best zoo I’ve ever been to.  I’ve never really seen a zoo that so embraced exhibits that allowed you to feel like you were getting up close to the animals.  In the Bio Dome, roadrunners darted around my feet.  Then,while in the Lied Jungle exhibit, Dennis noticed a bat flying around loose.  I squealed (yes, squealed) and rushed out of the cave.  Thinking one had gotten loose, we then noticed several flying around.  Come to find out, fruit bats are allowed to fly around unencumbered by a cage, but tend to congregate near a hanging basket of cut up melon and other fruits.  You can walk by the area and duck as the fly right over your head. 

Besides watching the fruit bats grazing, another moment of watching the animals enjoying their food was in the Big Cat exhibit.  As we got to the Leopard cage, I noticed it gnawing on something meaty.  It took half a beat to discover a jawline and about two more beats for the leopard to paw it over to reveal a set of eyes.   Yes, the Omaha Zoo gets you up close with the nitty-gritty of the animal kingdom.  

Since we had so much fun at the zoo and it was getting so close to dinner, Dennis and I decided to check out Downtown Omaha.  It was hard to choose a place to eat because there were several good candidates.  After getting the gist and trying to debate, I mentioned to Dennis how I had just done a whole series of posts about finding a place to eat and one of them was “go with the microbrewery.” Since there was one we had just walked by, Upstream Brewing Co., it seemed like I should put my assertion to the test and give it a shot.

I hadn’t planned at all to do a post about eating out in Omaha.  I was so behind in my blogging and wasn’t in much need of another post.  But, the meal was so fantastic and so perfect for the evening, that I had to mention it. 

For beers, I had the Raspberry Lager and the Dundee Export Scotch Ale.  I was leery of the Raspberry, but my reserve was unwarranted because it was bright and refreshing and just what I wanted after a day of walking around in the sun.  The Scotch Ale (have I mentioned lately how much I love scotch ales) was also a fantastic beer to sip; it has all the body of a dark beer and none of the heaviness. They also have seasonal beers that I hope I can catch at some point: "Tree of Life: Toasted Coconut Porter," a Chocolate Stout with guajillo chilies, and a "Lemon Blueberry Haze Wit."  

Both main dishes came with an options of sides, so I had the "Tomato Basil Parmesan" soup and Dennis has the soup of the day, a spicy sausage and pepper combination.  The tomato soup was so rich and creamy and deeply satisfying.  It tasted more like a delicious cheesy marinara and was so much fun to heap on bread: kind of like deconstructed pizza. 

For the main, Dennis had a blackened "Half-Pound Brewer's Burger" with guacamole and pepper jack and I had the "Omaha Steak Cold Roast Beef Sandwich."  Both the meat on mine and his hamburger was flavorful and moist and mouthwatering.  The avocado and cheese gave the hamburger creaminess and the tangy horseradish cream for the roast beef sandwich gave bite and pizzazz. 

Sitting in the outdoor seating area, enjoying the great food and beer, and taking in the casual and communal feeling of Omaha, made for a much needed night out.