REVIEW: ThermoWorks Splash Proof Thermapen posted by snekse

It looks like someone at ThermoWorks saw my Review of the Original ThermoWorks Super-Fast Thermapen and liked what I had to say. They offered to send me their newest model ahead of it's official release date (June 1st, 2009). Um, hell yes, bring it on.

Introducing the all new and improved, been in design for 2 years...

ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen thermocouple thermometer

Yeah, they could have picked a smaller, catchier name.

So I'm not going to rehash all the things I loved about the Original Thermapen. I'll let you read that review first to get up to speed. Go ahead - I'll wait. Alright, now that you're back, let's talk about what's been improved, what's been messed up and what flaws were never addressed in this new design.

First let's go over what Thermoworks considers to be the highlights of their new Splash-Proof Thermapen:

• 3-second readings!
• Improved accuracy and durability
• Water-resistant design
• Biomaster anti-bacterial additive
• °F to °C reconfigurable
• 0.1° resolution full range to 572°F
• Auto on/off—no buttons!
• 1,500 hour battery life

If you're interested in the nitty-gritty spec details, you can check out their website. I'll cover what I think is important.

We'll start with the name. I wouldn't have felt the need to seal the case and make it splash proof until a couple of weeks ago when my mother was hand washing dishes and washed my original Thermapen. It came out fine, but I'd have been less worried if the case was sealed. It's still not meant to be submerged, but it's a good start. Now if they made it dishwasher safe, that would be really cool.

Speed and accuracy are next on my cool improvements list. This thing is even faster and more accurate than the original. It's usually in the ballpark in under 1 second and will have a pretty accurate reading in about 3 seconds. And by accurate, I mean within ±0.7°F with the digital display now showing the temperature measured in 0.1° increments, so you'll know if that 64°C for your perfect molecular gastronomy inspired soft boiled egg is really 63.6°C or 64.4°C. These are actually my favorite improvements.

Jumping back to the splash proof design, let me point out what's changed. There is now a rubber seal merging the front and back of the Thermapen. This seal makes rotating the pen into the "ON" position seem stiff at first, but I've read this should only impact new thermometers. The new case design has also made it almost impossible to stand the device upright. I have mixed feelings about this, but I don't think it will be something that will bother me at all in a couple of weeks.

The area around the digital display has also changed. The screen is now flush with the Biomaster anti-bacterial molding to prevent grime build up; it is also slightly larger and has been moved to the left. This makes the numbers a little easier to read, but I think it lacks the contrast that the original screen had, which makes it a little harder to read.

The opening for the battery compartment has also been re-designed. The new battery, which is expected to last 15 times longer than the original, sits in a round compartment on the back with a tethered cover. Unfortunately I think the plastic latches are too thin since mine either arrived with one of the latches broken or it broke soon after arrival. I'm sure ThermoWorks would address the issue if I sent it back to them, but still a spot for improvement. ***UPDATE*** ThermoWorks called me on the Monday after I posted this. They are sending me a new unit with a return shipment label so I can send the original back to them. I've heard from others they have great customer service; I'll concur.

Inside that battery compartment are a series of tiny switches. These switches allow you to customize some of the behaviors of your Thermapen. Are you like the folks at Cook's Illustrated and would prefer the unit to not automatically turn off? Just flip a switch. Want readings in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit? Flip a switch. Nice options to have, but I like the defaults.

The unit is still expensive, but again, there's really nothing else close on the market. The new Splashproof Thermapen is about $20 more than the original super-fast Thermapen. Is it worth it? Well if you have the original, I think there's no need to upgrade unless you work at Sea World or something. But what about those who don't have either? Is it worth the extra money to get the newer design? I guess it depends on what you plan on using it for. For me, the quicker I can get a ballpark temp, the better. And at this price point, an extra $20 doesn't seem like a whole lot more.

So I still highly recommend either of these Thermapens, I just can't flatly recommend one over the other. I've given them both the same score based on functionality and price. Now if I could get them to send me an Infrared Thermometer to review...

Rating: 90

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

RELATED LINKS:
REVIEW: The Original ThermoWorks Super-fast Thermapen Thermometer
BUY: The Original Super-Fast Thermapen from Amazon
BUY: The Original Super-Fast Thermapen from ThermoWorks
BUY: The New Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen from ThermoWorks

Tags || THERMAPEN | FATHER'S DAY | GIFTS | KITCHEN THERMOMETERS | GUIDE | PRODUCT REVIEW | more... | THERMOWORKS | REVIEWS | FOOD | GFC |

REVIEW: The Boiler Room Restaurant - Omaha, NE posted by snekse

Expectations

When we made our reservation, I had no intention of writing a review for a restaurant that had just opened it's doors. They had only been open for 2 days when we went, so we weren't expecting a whole lot. What we got is likely to be a our new favorite restaurant in town.

To be honest, I was worried about the Boiler Room before they opened. Being outside of the main Old Market quad blocks, I wasn't sure they would get enough traffic to keep their doors open. I no longer think that's going to be a problem. I think they set the bar high enough that people won't forget about it, and those not in the downtown area will be willing to make the trek beyond just those special occasion nights.

Unfortunately my first impression wasn't exactly favorable. Parking was difficult, even on a Thursday night. We ended up in the parking garage on Jackson Street. They might want to start offering parking validation if they're unable to find another solution.

As we stepped into the restaurant, I was reminded of how cool the inside is. One of the first things one will notice is the general layout. The main dining room is situated above the bar and kitchen with an open view to both. It provides great visual interest complemented by the exposed brick and support structures. I think they did a good job of mixing the historic patina of the original space with the more modern elements.

The other thing that is hard to miss is the gigantic photographic prints on the walls. The still lifes, altered to look much like paintings, feature various food items in various states of preparation. For example, our table was situated in front of a work displaying a pig's head on a table with some flowers. Though my wife conceded that it was a nice picture, she could have done without a large eye socket looking at her all night.

As we were seated, I was surprised by two things. First the chairs - which I'm still undecided about. When you first sit down, they tilt back very quickly and deeply. I felt as if I was going to get dumped on the floor, though no such thing was going to happen. Butt cheek muffin top, however, did happen. The actual seat is rather shallow and doesn't align with the back of the chair, so if you're sitting back all the way, expect some hang over. That said, the chairs were very comfortable for the almost 2 hours we were there.

The second thing that surprised me was seeing the white tablecloths. I was under the impression that The Boiler Room was going to be a little more casual. The dress and interaction of the wait staff confirmed I was a little misguided. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'm glad I didn't show up in a T-Shirt and tennis shoes. On the flip-side, I would have felt over-dressed in a suit.

The service was about what I would expect for a restaurant that's only been open for two days. Most of the issues we had were minor and were overshadowed by some pleasant surprises in how attentive the service was.

To help with the service, The Boiler Room has brought a Master Sommelier into the fold. The wine list is large with an emphasis on French producers. Having a sommelier to assist in navigating such a list adds an extra dimension that some diners will really appreciate. The wines that Jesse Becker picked for us were excellent and complemented our dishes well [2007 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling, 2005 Domaine De Fonsainte Corbières]. And though I didn't take a look at their cocktail menu, you may want to since I know chef Kulik is trying to do some interesting stuff in that area.

The Menu

We started off with the crudo of sablefish ($8). The buttery sablefish was laced with braised or grilled radicchio, shavings of a delicious piave de vecchio cheese and a drizzle of tomato oil. This was a nice way to start the meal. It was clean and light, though it took awhile to figure out the correct portion of radicchio and cheese to accompany the sablefish without overpowering it - thus loosing the delicate flavor of the fish. The most impressive thing about this dish was that it was one of the weaker dishes of this meal! I'd rate this dish about an 86/100.

Our other appetizer was probably the strongest dish of the night. The june farm honey glazed pork belly ($10) was cooked almost to perfection. I say almost because one of the bottom meat fibers was crisped so well that it almost pierced my tongue. I did like how the bottom was crisped though, while the fat layers had rendered and the other layers of meat were tender and succulent. It provided a nice contrast in flavors and textures. To further the complexity of flavors, pickled crimini were served atop the pork belly. The acid from these very tart mushrooms provided a great foil to the unctuous pork fat. I'd venture to guess this was a trick chef Kulik picked up while staging at Avec in Chicago. The dish was finished with an intensely flavorful cauliflower puree that is one of the best I've had. It wasn't overly creamy or mounted with obscene amounts of butter, so the essence of cauliflower was really all you tasted. And I have to also mention the sauce on the plate - it tasted exactly like the roast duck in Oakland's Chinatown - yumm. I'd rate this dish about 93/100.

About the only misstep we saw from the kitchen was my wife's risotto ($18), parts of which was undercooked. The kitchen re-made her risotto which came out much better the second time. In fact, it was one of the better risotto's we had ever had. Creamy, tender, but nowhere near runny. And surprisingly, they replaced the entire dish. It would have been easy, and possibly justifiable, for them to place her original brisket in the replaced risotto, but they sent out a new piece. The very large hunk of brisket was very beefy, and dare I say, briskety tasting, though the very outer layer seemed a little dry to me. My wife also noted that the 2nd bowl seemed to have more risotto in it, but less truffle oil scent. The risotto was finished with a fried egg and braised kale.

While the kitchen remade the risotto, my wife and I dug into the milk braised pork collar ($19) that I ordered. The generous section of pork was served with parsnips and charred Brussels sprouts swimming in a nice broth, while eggplant caviar rested on top of the collar. One of the first things we did was to try the eggplant caviar on it's own. It was bitter and not very enjoyable, but then we tried it with the pork collar. To my delight, I thought it actually enhanced the pork collar and made it more enjoyable. My wife didn't completely agree, but did find they went well together. Mixing the seeds into the broth and pulling apart the collar made a wonderful stew of sorts. Oh, and Brussels sprouts are just under utilized - period.

We decided to skip the cheese cart and head straight for dessert. Sadly, they only had one dessert on the menu the night we went. Funny enough, it was the one dessert that my wife has stated is too difficult to find in Omaha: panna cotta. The rendition for the night was a saffron panna cotta with jun farm prairie honey and blackberries ($6). This was an interesting dish. Again, neither of us cared for the flavors of the panna cotta on it's own, but with the sweetness of the honey, it was very enjoyable. It was also executed very well. Often panna cotta gets too much gelatin that turns it into something else entirely. The Boiler Room got theirs right, at least on this night.

Final Thoughts

I can honestly say that I was very surprised - on several fronts. As I said, the table settings and service wasn't quite was I was expecting, but that's not a big deal. The clientele will dictate the service down the line and from what we saw, the clients seem to want to keep the food upscale, but the vibe relaxed. Of course, relaxed is a relative term. The vibe I saw was coffee house with pan roasted monkfish.

The best surprise was the food. It was just their second day being open to the public - are you kidding me? Yes braising and roasting can be very forgiving techniques, but the execution of every dish was done very well. Even more impressive were the dishes put together by chef Kulik. Minimal basic ingredients combined with intelligence and prepared simply. Occasionally you'll see something slightly exotic thrown into a dish to add a needed unique dimension, but I doubt you'll ever see a laundry list of luxury ingredients for a single dish. Chef Kulik seems more focused than a lot of chefs are able to force themselves to be.

A final parting observation. My wife has a saying about Blue Sushi: "It's where all the pretty people go" - referring to the trendy label mongers that frequent the West Omaha location. She also came up with a similar saying for the Boiler Room: "It's where all the intelligent pretty people go" - referring to the smartly dressed young professionals and artistic types in the crowd. I think it fits and I can live with that.

DISCLOSURE: I knew both Chef Paul Kulik and Jesse Becker before this restaurant opened and they knew we were coming in that night, so it is possible our experience was not typical, but I do not believe that to be the case.

Rating: 93+

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

The Boiler Room - Make a Reservation
11th & Jones St. (Omaha Old Market)

1110 Jones Street (Map)
Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (402) 916-9274

Hours of Operation
  Open Tuesday through Saturday
  Closed Sunday through Monday
  Kitchen ~ 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
  Bar ~ Open until 1:00 am



RELATED LINKS:
Chef Paul Kulik Video Interview
Jesse Becker joins The Boiler Room
OWH Review

Tags || OMAHA | RESTAURANTS | BOILER ROOM | PAUL KULIK | OLD MARKET | JESSE BECKER | more... | REVIEWS | RESTAURANT REVIEW | MARK MERCER | FOOD | GFC |

BOOK REVIEW: A Chef's review of 'Fat' posted by Paul Urban

This is a book review of Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes from a chef's perspective. Our featured chef for this review is Paul Urban.

Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes

Let's start this off with a big thank you to Jennifer McLagan. Thank you one hundred times over. Chef's, cooks, home cooks, foodies and people that just like to cook have been plagued at our local bookstores as of late with too many "20 Minute Meals," "Low Carb Cooking," and "Kid Meets Grill" type cookbooks. Not that these books should not exist, it's just that they should be banished to the basement of the bookstores and categorized as "books written by accidental celebrities." There should be a disclaimer that purchasing any of these books does not guarantee that any valid information lies within the book. So thanks again. Finally, a book on an ingredient that has been a staple in every form of cooking since the beginning of time, yet an ingredient that has been misunderstood, under appreciated and banished as though it were a tobacco company as of late.

From the beautiful front cover, to the ten or so page introduction, this book was pretty captivating. She covers it all in the intro. Why fat is good for you. Why it has been misunderstood. Why it's okay to like fat, even a few paragraphs on why she wrote a book on fat! The information that follows is no less intriguing. Riding a nice wave of interesting information such as the roots of foie gras, to a recipe that basically tells you to fry pork skin and eat it, I found it to be wonderfully balanced. The recipes are quite simple, using ingredients that are readily available and nothing too intimidating for the novice cook. Butter poaching, confit, rillettes and basic charcuterie recipes are found throughout which made me smile. Charcuterie is a lost art and it's sad because it is a part of all of us. Our ancestors practiced charcuterie. It was used as a way of storing meats with no refrigeration, using all parts of the animal so not to waste the sacrifice, a matter of survival in a sense, yet delicious, and simple.

My partner and I both read the book. (although she read it in one evening and it took me three weeks, but that's a whole other review on which one of us is more responsible, we won't go into that.) We tried a few recipes. We made butter, it seemed necessary based on the book we were reading. It was simple, it was fun and accurate. We made it, we froze it and we ate it over the next couple of weeks. We made rillettes per Mrs. McLagans' recipe. We made ours with quail that we had at home. It's basically meat cooked in fat, then stored in fat so needless to say, it was delicious. This was a pleasant recipe, I was happy to see it in there. Rillettes can seem daunting and intimidating yet they are so simple. The author came about it in a very non-pretentious way, explaining every step and why every step was taken. We did not try the roast chicken recipe but we have both made this in the past in the same manner. It's simple, it involves large amounts of butter and herbs, and it's probably delicious. We have lately switched to the Thomas Keller method. (the Bouchon cookbook) His method is much more simple and involves large amounts of butter, the only difference being that the butter is added only after the bird is cooked. He says to use butter for cooking if you'd like, he doesn't only because when the butter melts, it creates steam, causing the skin of the bird to be less crisp. The point is, they both impart fat, both recipes are simple and wonderful.

All in all, this book was great. Two thumbs up. Tons of interesting facts, myths busted and finally someone sticking up for an ingredient that has been misunderstood for far too long. Several quotes along the sides of the pages throughout the book can get a tad annoying but it's a great read overall with simple, detailed recipes. Thank you Jennifer, you scored one for the good guys. The next time I clean up a ribeye, save the chain to be grilled and shared with my fellow cooks, I'm going to feel a little less guilty........Who am I kidding, I never really felt guilty, kudos none the less!

Title: Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes
A Ten Speed Press Book
By Jennifer Mclagan
Photographs by Leigh Beisch
List Price: $32.50 (Published in September 2008) - Order

RELATED LINKS:
Three separate reviews of Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes
Alinea, Under Pressure and other cookbooks

Tags || FAT | JENNIFER MCLAGAN | RECIPES | COOK BOOKS | BOOK REVIEW | PORK FAT | more... | TEN SPEED PRESS | 0771055773 | 978-1580089357 | 1580089356 | PAUL URBAN | FOOD | GFC |

Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes posted by snekse

Something that I promised several months ago is finally coming to fruition - book reviews. And to start things off right, I've decided our first book is worthy of not one, but three separate reviews. It will be reviewed by a chef, an avid home cook, and myself (an occasional, semi-competent cook). This will give you various perspectives so you'll have a better idea about who this book is geared toward and if it suits your interests. We'll also be printing two recipes from the book so you can try it out yourself. Look for the first review tomorrow and the others to follow over the next couple of weeks.

Title: Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes
A Ten Speed Press Book
By Jennifer Mclagan
Photographs by Leigh Beisch
List Price: $32.50 (Published in September 2008) - Order

RELATED LINKS (INTERNAL):
BOOK REVIEW: A Chef's review of 'Fat'

RELATED LINKS (EXTERNAL):
RECIPE: Homemade Butter
RECIPE: Spicy Buttered Popcorn, Duck Rillettes, Grilled Steak with Red Wine Sauce and Bone Marrow, Cassoulet, Bacon Fat Spice Cookies
RECIPE: Salted Butter Tart
Jennifer McLagan's Website

Tags || FAT | JENNIFER MCLAGAN | RECIPES | COOK BOOKS | BOOK REVIEW | PORK FAT | more... | BUTTER | TEN SPEED PRESS | 0771055773 | 978-1580089357 | 1580089356 | FOOD | GFC |

The Drover Restaurant - Omaha, NE posted by snekse

And now for the most boring restaurant review ever. I have no pictures; no real insight; little to say.

So why bother doing a review? The story is typical. Friends or relatives are visiting from out of town and they want steak. And not just any steak. They want the steaks that Omaha, Nebraska is famous for. And like most locals, I find it hard to decide where to go because I'd rather just go to a local butcher and make my steaks at home. The big chains like Fleming's and Johnny's Italian Steakhouse might make a pretty good steak, but it's not very representative of the city. And unfortunately, the city is slowly losing it's old school steakhouses that helped build the reputation. Mister C's closed over a year ago, Gorat's just isn't that good, so what's next on the list? Well for me, it was the Drover based on recommendations from several people, and most recently based on a strong showing in our still running Best-ter-est of Omaha voting.

I now understand why it received so many recommendations. They make a good steak. They are famous for their Whiskey steaks, which adds a uniqueness that I really enjoyed. I'm not usually a fan of steak marinades, but this one was subtle and worked well. The steaks without the marinade were tender and flavorful as well, but if you're here instead of being at some other steakhouse, the Whiskey steaks are probably the reason why.

So great steaks are always a good thing; but what makes the Drover such a great place to bring visitors is it's Midwest character, both in decor and in the menu.

Let's start with the menu. It's boring. Seriously. This place is about steak and not much else. They make no apologies for that fact. Sure you can order salmon or pork chops, but the menu is dominated by beef. All dinners are served with soup or salad bar. The salad bar was one of the plainest salad bars I've seen in a very long time. Hard boiled eggs were about the most exciting thing I saw in it. You also get your choice of a baked potato, french fries, rice or vegetable with your dinner. The fries were barely average, but the potato was enjoyed, despite it being just a basic baked potato made gooey with lots of butter and sour cream. The wine list was nothing special, but respectable and priced reasonably - which was a bit of a surprise. So meat, potatoes, and not a lot of need for things that aren't needed. Midwest sensibility at it's finest.

You might make the same argument for the decor. It's worked for so long, why change it. The decor is not boring though. It's actually kind of fun in an old late 70's dark restaurant/lounge kind of way. It has a bit of a wild west cattle trail feel, which draws from the Drover name. The ambiance that is created is just another reason it's a popular destination place to bring your out-of-town guests. I guess for some, this is their vision of the Midwest left behind the times.

You could easily make an argument that the boring menu and cliche decor are negatives, but the Drover works both of them well. And for some, that's exactly what they're looking for.

So a boring review for a justifiably boring restaurant that is hard not to enjoy. They would have gotten a 90+ rating if they would just spruce up their salad bar a bit. Cutting a notch out of their prices could help too, but it's hard to argue with one of the best steaks in Omaha and a recipe that works.

Rating: 89++

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Drover Restaurant & Lounge
50th & Center

2121 South 73rd Street (Map)
Omaha, NE 68124
Phone: (402) 391-7440

Hours of Operation
LUNCH:
  Monday - Friday: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
  Saturday - Sunday: CLOSED
DINNER:
  Nightly: From 5:00 pm



RELATED LINKS:
Opinions on Yelp
Quality steaks drive Drover
Reviewed: Anthony's Steakhouse
A cut above the rest

Tags || THE DROVER | STEAKHOUSE | OMAHA | NEBRASKA | STEAK | RESTAURANT REVIEW | more... | RESTAURANTS | REVIEWS | FOOD | GFC |

REVIEW: Foodie Babies Wear Bibs posted by Foodie-E

We received a new board book for our daughter called Foodie Babies Wear Bibs. It is a small colorful book with 9 pages of easy to remember text and 9 pages of brightly colored drawings that include a diverse set of patterns.

When I flipped through the book, I thought it was cute and I enjoyed looking at the drawings of big headed babies with small faces. However, when I gave the book to my 1 year old daughter she preferred to chew on it or just carry it around with her. As I flipped the pages for her, she didn't seem all that interested in the pictures or what was in them like she has with other books. I'm not sure if the drawings are too sophisticated or intricate for her to really make high or low of them, but none the less, she was not all that interested in it.

Overall, I think this book is more for the foodie parents than the foodie baby. Would I buy it for myself? Maybe not, but it would make a great baby shower gift for the parents to oooh and aaah over before the baby comes and then the baby can drool and chew on it later. :)

Title: Foodie Babies Wear Bibs
An Urban Babies Wear Black Book
By Michelle Sinclair Colman
Illustrations by Nathalie Dion
List Price: $6.95 (Available in October 2008) - Pre-Order

Rating: 87

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Tags || FOODIE BABIES WEAR BIBS | MICHELLE SINCLAIR COLMAN | NATHALIE DION | BOOK REVIEW | URBAN BABIES WEAR BLACK | BOOKS | more... | BABY BOOKS | KIDS BOOKS | TRICYCLE PRESS | 1582462542 | 978-1582462547 | FOOD | GFC |

BEER REVIEW: State Pen Imperial Porter posted by beertopia_brent

State Pen Imperial Porter
By Santa Fe Brewing Company

Black. Very black. Impressive. I can't get light to penetrate it, even when backlit. Lovely brunette head, tightly compacted bubbles, at the apex the foam was a healthy two fingers tall. Head retention was excellent, the head slowly faded to a thin cap. Subsequent lacing was very impressive. Damn near solid sheets of lacing coated my glass. This is a great looking beer, rich color, healthy head and great lacing. This is everything I am looking for and more in a beer.

The nose is not as robust as I was expecting or hoping. I detect some roasted maltines, cookie dough, light spiciness, oak, smoke, coffee, chocolate, and some dried dark fruit notes. I do have to work at it a bit to pick up these aromas but it was rewarding looking for them. Low potency, not so chatty... the aromas I can pick up are lovely. However, what do I compare this to? Flying Dog Gonzo? Nøgne Ø Porter? Okocim Porter? This beer doesn't need to be the same as one of the aforementioned but I think those beers (which are similar style and ABV) have a better aroma. That was my only point.

I love the long roasted, coffee-charred-chocolate maltiness. Upfront, there is a soft, sweet, chocolate milk vibe which morphs into a fig, raisin, cookie dough, spicy, woody taste. The finish is drier, more mocha coffee like with some warm alcohol notes. The total package is excellent, it is robust with and edge and yet not overdone. It is quite complex and enjoyable; great aftertaste, big maltiness with wonderful alcohol heat. My only knock is I wish the maltiness was fuller, richer, and "fatter" if you will. Maybe I am asking too much, I often do. When I taste really good beers I think of a similar beer with an attribute that would make the current beer I am drinking even that much better. For State Pen Imperial Porter I can't help but envision a 3F Dark Lord-like malt fullness. I talk crazy talk.

Slightly fuller then medium in body, smooth and fairly rich mouthfeel; low but natural carbonation. I like the mouthfeel, it would be even better if it was fuller in body but by no mean is it thin or lacking.

For a beer this robust and high in alcohol I am impressed at the drinkability. It isn't easy to drink, per se. I am sipping and savoring but it is so tasty (and not too sluggish on the tongue) I keep going back for more. Damn good. I was hoping beyond hope that this was a "hidden" world class beer. It isn't. But very, very few beers are. I think this is an excellent beer and as good as many higher echelon beers. I am very happy this beer is available in Nebraska. Cheers to Santa Fe and happy 20th anniversary.

look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4.5
OVERALL: 4.1

State Pen Imperial Porter
By Santa Fe Brewing Company
Rating: 82

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Tags || BEER | STATE PEN IMPERIAL PORTER | SANTA FE BREWING COMPANY | BEER REVIEW | BRENT UDRON | FOOD | more... | GFC |

BEER REVIEW: Sangre De Frambuesa posted by beertopia_brent

Sangre De Frambuesa
By Santa Fe Brewing Company

Slightly hazy, tawny-ruby in hue; off-white head, there is a tinge of pink in the foam like a white shirt would look if it was washed with a red sock. At the apex the head was two fingers tall, the foam quickly fell to a half finger cap. This smaller cap had good head retention, a thin collar lasted the entire consumption. Not much subsequent lacing, however. Still, overall, this is a good looking beer and quite fitting for the "style."

Sadly the nose isn't overly talkative; sure I get a suggestion of raspberry. Real raspberry... not artificial, not overly sweet; the raspberry smells like, well, the fruit. I notice some vague maltiness, light mustiness, oranges, and cherries with a soft Belgian-like funkiness. There are some characteristics of the nose that are so familiar to me, they remind of a Belgian ale I have had in the past (I'll be damned if I can remember the name). I like the nose but I wish it was chattier... I wish there was more bold aromas. Subtle can be good though. I can't smell the 12% ABV. So, overall, bouquet is nice but it lacks pizzazz.

It took a few sips before the flavors really resonated on my tongue. While the alcohol was hidden, aroma-wise, I can't say the same for the palate. This beer is hot. Musty raspberries, lightly woodiness, oranges, cherries, bread dough, vague spiciness... the finish is curt; it is interrupted by the arrival of the alcohol heat. My tongue feels slightly scorched. The finish is, frankly, disappointing. The first half of the beer is really well done, good flavor but it could use more maltiness and even more raspberry (dare I say!). Granted, I don't know what the intention of the brewer was and it is not like there are many beers of this ilk to compare it to. De Ranke Kriek and La Choulette Framboise are two similar beers which I'd prefer over this.

Light in body (surprisingly so), lively carbonation (which is nice), effervescent mouthfeel... pleasant if not a bit thin but the lack of body is not a deal breaker. This isn't really my kind of beer. I am not opposed to fruit beers; I've had some very good ones. If I age this beer will it get better? It should mellow if nothing else but will it improve? Maybe a tamer version would be an improvement. With all of this said, I am surprised (and pleased) this beer is available in Nebraska. Cheers to Santa Fe and happy 20th anniversary.

look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5
OVERALL: 3.6

Sangre De Frambuesa
By Santa Fe Brewing Company
Rating: 72

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Tags || BEER | SANGRE DE FRAMBUESA | SANTA FE BREWING COMPANY | BEER REVIEW | BRENT UDRON | FOOD | more... | GFC |

Chicago Dawg House - Omaha, NE posted by snekse

Chicago Dawg House

I'm not from Chicago, so I can't vouch for the authenticity of the "dawgs" at Chicago Dawg House. I can, however, vouch that it's a tasty dog. And the fact that they ship in most of their product from the windy city has to account for something.

Given the name of the place, the main draw is probably the TRADITIONAL CHICAGO-STYLE HOT DAWG. I can't say it reminded me much of the Chicago dog I had when we visited several years ago. The Omaha version is better and from what I can tell, more authentic. The sport peppers add something really unique - almost like a hot pickle. Of course the bright green relish is another signature of the famous Midwest frankfurters.

TRADITIONAL CHICAGO-STYLE HOT DAWG

Of the things I have tried so far, the traditional is my favorite. Everything else has been good, but nothing really unique that you couldn't find elsewhere. The traditional Chicago hot dog also seems to offer more value than the rest of the menu. I think $2.49 for a corn dog (CUBBY KID) or $4.99 for a polish sausage is a bit too pricey. Add $1.99 for fries and a drink and you're looking at a somewhat costly lunch for what is still just a hot dog. Though it is certainly cheaper than driving to Chicago.

And the prices haven't been keeping people away. Each time I've been there for lunch, the place was pretty packed. Granted the authentic "long bar" wall seating might make it feel more cozy than it really is. Or maybe not. The owner mentioned he'd like to expand if an adjoining bay opened up. Or maybe he'll just open another location since Omaha seems to enjoy the bit of Second City he has brought us.

Rating: 85

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Chicago Dawg House
108th & Maple

3113 N. 108th St. (map)
Omaha, NE 68164
Phone: (402) 504-1234

Hours of Operation (Call first)
  Monday-Thursday: 10:30? AM - 9:00? PM
  Friday-Saturday: 11:00? AM - 1:00? AM
  Sunday: Noon - 7:00? PM

RELATED LINKS:
GFC in Chicago
Good Dawg: A taste of Chicago you won't soon forget by the Omaha World-Herald

Tags || CHICAGO DAWG HOUSE | RESTAURANT REVIEW | OMAHA | 68164 | 108TH | MAPLE | more... | QUICK PICK | REVIEW | RESTAURANT | FOOD | GFC |

Beer Corner USA posted by beertopia_brent

Omaha has never been known as a beer destination let alone a craft beer friendly town. However, this perception is slowly changing...

While I admittedly harbor some bias I do believe "Beer Corner USA" is one of the beeriest spots in the country, let alone Omaha. On the corner of 36th & Farnam, in the heart of Midtown Omaha, resides the epicenter of all things beer in Nebraska. Three bars and a package beer store are the residents of Beer Corner USA, each is unique and yet they are all interrelated.

The anchor of Beer Corner USA is Crescent Moon Ale House. Since 1996 Crescent Moon has been home to Omaha’s best draft beer selection. With 31 taps, and the vast majority devoted to American craft beer, "the Moon" is one of the few bars in Omaha that does not offer one light beer on-tap or any Budweiser/Miller/Coors beers (ok, Blue Moon is on-tap).

Boulevard Brewing Company and New Belgium Brewing Company provide the foundation of the draft selection but seasonal beers and Nebraska brewed beers add depth. A few of the newest draft beers include Odell IPA, North Coast Old Rasputin and Sierra Nevada Summerfest.

Crescent Moon is the type of bar that feels like home, it feels used and enjoyed. It is not sterile or stuffy but it isn’t rundown and dingy. Crescent Moon is like your favorite pair of jeans, comfortable and reliable. With a knowledgeable staff, tasty pub grub and delicious beers in a friendly environment, Crescent Moon is a suitable destination for causal beer drinkers and beer geeks alike.

Crescent Moon is only 1/4th of the equation. In the basement of Crescent Moon is another world or better yet another country. Huber-Haus German Beer Hall has become one of Omaha’s hottest beer drinking establishments since opening in April of 2005. The walls are covered in rock and wood paneling; decorations are minimal and consist of German bier signs, cans, and neon lights. With eight German beers on-tap the variety rotates readily, there is always at least one Hefeweizen, Helles Lager and Dopplebock but rare styles show up to like Keller Bier, Rauchbier, and Schwarzbeir. Fans of German beer flock to Huber-Haus (and often join the Mug Club) as there is no other place in town to drink Spaten, Weihenstephaner, and Ayinger on-tap (let alone in bottles).

The newest bar to the "Corner" is Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern. Max and Joe’s opened in November of 2006 and also doubles as Crescent Moon’s party room. When not booked for a private party, Max and Joe’s is opened Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The featured beers are Belgian, five on-tap and another 35 in bottles. The two heavy hitters on draft are St. Bernardus Abt 12 and Delirium Tremens.

The décor is "1950s neighborhood bar" with vintage signs of long past Nebraska breweries like Falstaff and Storz. Max and Joe’s provides a totally unique drinking experience, in comparison to its sister bars. It is more laidback and, often, quieter. The identity of the three bars remains different and yet they are all under the same roof.

All told, Beer Corner USA offers 44 different beers on-tap in three distinct bars. No other bar in Omaha can boast such a quality selection.

Likewise, no package store can boast the bottle selection of Beertopia. This is where I enter the picture. I am the resident beer specialist at Beertopia which is a nice way of calling me a beer geek. Beertopia is home to some 560 beers and as the name suggests there is no wine or spirits sold here (we do carry 6 ciders). Our clientele enjoys craft beer and more obscure imports as such the store carries no Budweiser, Miller or Coors. Inch for inch Beertopia is one of the best beer stores in the Midwest.

However, arguably, the most special aspect of Beer Corner USA are the major beer events. Huber-Haus hosts Omaha’s largest, most authentic Oktoberfest in the fall. The two day event boasts live polka music, German food and lots of German Oktoberfest beer. On a slightly cool fall night nothing tastes better than a malty Oktoberfest beer. Really, there is nothing else quite like it in Omaha. The closest competition is Bockfest in the spring, replace Oktoberfest beer with Bocks and subtract 20 degrees from the temperature add a few fire pits for warmth and welcome to Bockfest!

Beertopia / Crescent Moon co-sponsor three large beer festivals a year, the Holiday Beerfest in the winter which features Christmas and winter seasonals, the Extreme Beerfest in early spring which features beers all above 7% ABV. This summer Sunfest is in its second season. This year the event is being held outside on July 12. Some 36 breweries are participating featuring 125 beers. Those who are attending (and tickets do remain) get unlimited samples from 3pm-8pm.

Frankly, the landscape of the Omaha’s beer scene would be so remarkably different without Beer Corner USA it would be unfathomable. Yes, the Omaha metro area is lucky to have two excellent brewpubs (Nebraska Brewing Company and Upstream) and a handful of bars and restaurants provide a solid selection of beer but frankly, nothing in Omaha compares to Beer Corner USA.

Clearly Omaha residents are becoming more aware of good beer and are demanding a greater selection and better quality. A year from now I expect Omaha’s beer scene to be even better with Beertopia and Crescent Moon leading the way.

For more information about Beer Corner USA visit: www.beercornerusa.com

RELATED LINKS:
Introducing: Brent Udron - Beer Correspondent
Bockfest 2007 @ Beertopia
Oktoberfest 2007 @ Beertopia

Tags || OMAHA | BEER | BRENT UDRON | CRESCENT MOON | BEERTOPIA | BEER CORNER USA | more... | BARS | GFC |

REVIEW: Tamron AF17-50mm F/2.8 Lens posted by snekse

So you just got your super cool Canon Rebel dSLR camera, but as every dSLR user learns quickly, the camera body is only half of the equation. If you want great pictures, you have to invest in great lenses. Unfortunately, the camera tends to be the cheap half. Those funny pieces of curved glass can get really expensive, really quick. Fortunately a good lens can last a lifetime, so over the long run, it's really worth spending more to get a durable high quality lens early on.

Welcome to the world of dSLR

Almost every first time SLR camera buyer has a decision to make: Do you buy the package that includes the camera body with a lens, or do you buy just the body and buy your own lens? If you're thinking long term, the answer is usually pretty easy. Though the kit lenses have been getting better, in general they are inferior to a lot of the other products available. Now your decisions get a whole lot harder - what lens do you buy?

Since I didn't want to do a lot of lens switching, I knew I wanted a zoom lens. I also wanted something in the 35mm equivalent range; so a basic standard zoom lens. My next criteria actually narrowed my selection down quite a bit.

As I stated in my Canon Rebel Xsi review, I like to take photos using only the available light. The easiest way to get sharp pictures in low light is to open up the iris on the lens really wide to let in as much light as possible - just like your eyes. So the lens had to have a maximum aperture of at least f/2.8. And since I didn't want to worry about what aperture was available to me at different zoom magnifications, it needed to maintain that maximum aperture through the entire focal range. That left me with just a handful of lenses to choose from.

The Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens with hood for Canon DSLR Cameras

Yeah, that's a mouthful. And don't ask me what all of those cryptic letters mean, because I have no idea. All I know is this lens is sa-wheet. With an 'H'. Like Ca-hool h-Whip.

Cupcakes

Sure I could have bought the drool inducing Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM. But where's the fun in just buying your way to great photos with a 5-star rated lens? Okay, really I'm just a cheap bastard and wanted the same results for half the cost. So does the Tamron deliver the same results? I don't know, since I don't have the Canon lens, but if someone want to send one to me, I'll let you know :-)

Actually, that's one of the greatest things about this lens. It's a great value. It's almost the perfect "walk-around" lens. It has a very usable zoom range, it's lightening fast, it's fairly light weight - yet has a solid construction, all for about half the price of the comparable Canon lens. It also includes a 6-year warranty and lens hood to reduce lens flare.

Some other minor things that I appreciate are not so obvious. The 7 diaphragm blades is relatively high, so your images will come out nicer with less distortion. The labeling is large and bright, so it's easy to read info like your focal length. The hood is designed so you can flip it when not in use, so you always have built in storage. And related to that, when the hood is on and in use, the lens cap is designed to easily be used by pinching a two tabs in the center of the cap. A lot of lenses require you to take the hood off before you can put the cap on. It's those small touches that I really enjoy.

Depth of Field

And even though I'm just starting out, so far I really enjoy the images that this lens has been able to provide me. The large aperture allows me to use faster shutter speeds, so I have far fewer blurry pictures. This is useful for taking pictures in dark restaurants. It also allows me to be more creative and artistic with my shots. When shooting with the lens wide open, you force a shallow depth of field, so the subject you focus on will be nice and sharp, while the background and/or foreground will be blurred. This draws the viewer's eye where you want it and gives your photos a more professional look. This can be especially valuable in food photography since you can add a level of interest by focusing in unexpected places when your subject matter may not always be that interesting.

So what sucks...

Well... ...nothing really...

Honest...I haven't found anything yet that really bugs me about this lens. Some people complain that the zoom ring turns in the opposite direction as the Canon lenses, but since I don't have a Canon lens, that doesn't bug me. And I do know that one of those descriptors in the full lens name means this lens will only work on cameras with "smaller imagers", meaning entry and "prosumer" level dSLRs such as the Canon Rebel and the Canon 40D. So if you move to a multi-thousand dollar professional camera, you won't be able to use this lens. Again, who cares.

sans-Macro lens

It's true that the Tamron doesn't have the fancy USM or IS features like the Canon lens. Both are things I'd love to have; they would be especially nice for restaurant shoots. The USM would almost guarantee that I don't bother other tables, but honestly I've never felt the Tamron was all that loud. The IS would be for those times when I want more items in my shot to be in focus. To get more items in focus, I'd have to bump the aperture to something like f/4.0, but to keep the image sharp, I need to maintain my shutter speed or stabilize the camera. The only way to maintain my shutter speed (without degrading the photo quality) is to ask the restaurant to turn up there lights. That's probably not an option, so we look to stabilize. The only way to do that is with IS (or a tripod). That said, those features aren't usually cheap and I'd rather have the cheaper price tag.

Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 Di-II Aspherical Lens

Rating: 95

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

RELATED LINKS:
Official Tamron product page
Popular Photography Review
Bob Atkins Review
The Digital Picture Review
Sample Shots: Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 Lens
Foodies Guide to Father's Day Gifts

Tags || TAMRON | CAMERA LENSES | REVIEWS | LENS REVIEW | F/2.8 | TAMRON 17-50MM | more... | TAMRON LENSES | FOODPORN | FOOD | PHOTOGRAPHY | GFC |

REVIEW: Canon Rebel Xsi 450D dSLR posted by snekse

Some of you may have noticed a slight improvement in the foodporn pictures posted here over the past month. There's a reason for it. Say hello to my little friend...

The Canon EOS 450D / Rebel Xsi Digital SLR

We'll, not so little compared to my previous camera, the Sony CyberShot T-9, but fairly compact for a dSLR. And I've bonded with my Xsi in a way that I never did with the T9.

Remember when you first got your point-and-shoot (P&S) digital camera? Remember how great it was that first time. Snapping away all day long, never having to worry about running out of film. It changed the way you took pictures and looked at photography. But there's still that one nag almost every small digital camera user has; wait - everyone hold still...click - wait...snap. Shutter lag. It's fine for posed portraits, but it sucks royal when you're trying to take candid shots. You either miss the shot completely, or they are over/under exposed because the flash fired and it was too strong/weak, or they come out blurry because the camera isn't sensitive enough to shoot with the available light.

So your dad has an excuse for lusting after this new toy to add to his collection. He wants to use it to get better pictures of his grandchildren as they grow up, even if they did break his new Super-cool, super-fast Thermapen last week. Oh, and if he can just happen to also get much better food shoots because of the better sensor technology and faster shutter speeds available in the many different lenses he can choose from, well that's just an "unexpected" bonus.

Alright, so we've established that digital SLR (dSLR) technology is the bomb digity, but what makes the Canon Rebel Xsi 450D so special? Why not the Nikon D60, the Sony Alpha 350, or the Olympus E-520? Or for that matter, why not the older Canon Rebel Xti 400D? For me it came down to a couple of things.

Lens Selection: I didn't want to buy a camera and then be limited when it came to buying lenses. It's kind of a PC vs Mac thing. Sure Macs are great, but when you have 10 times the amount of software to choose from on a PC, why cripple yourself from the beginning. With that in mind, I narrowed my choices down to Canon and Nikon.

Low Light Performance: Whether it's taking pictures of a squab risotto in a dimly lit restaurant or a smiling child sitting on the floor at home, I often like to take pictures using nothing more than the natural available light; that means no flash, so your camera better be sensitive enough to pick out the difference between black and gray with what you give it. Canon has a strong reputation in this area, often getting applauded for the low noise at high sensitivities (AKA high ISO ratings).

User Friendliness: In the epic ongoing battle between Nikon and Canon, two truths seem to hold true. The Nikons have a slight edge in picture quality and the Canons have a slight edge in usability. For me, the picture quality of the Canon EOS line was more than sufficient for me, so I went with the ease of use. I put the Canon's self-cleaning sensor under that umbrella as well.

Autofocus (AF): Coming from a P&S world, I was looking for something that would make my transition easy. The Canon Rebel had a fast AF system that performed well. That's good. The Nikon D40 (which was the most direct competitor at the time) lacked an internal focus drive motor. That sounded bad. And it was. It meant that you were limited on which lenses you could buy if you wanted AF capabilities.

Asian Apple Pears

That settled it, I was getting a Canon Rebel. Now the question was, do I get the Xti or the Xsi? To make the decision harder, the Xsi wasn't even announced, so I had to guess when they were going to release it and what features they were going to add. I'm glad I waited because the Xsi kicks ass. Canon threw everything they could at the Rebel update just short of stepping on the toes of the EOS 40D, their next model up the chain from the 400D Xti.

Here's a list of just some of the features they added:

12 vs. 10 megapixel
Smaller SD/SDHC vs. CF Card
Live view (to preview your shot on LCD)
3.0" LCD
Larger viewfinder
High ISO noise reduction
14-bit A/D converter
Improved 9-point AF system
Larger, higher capacity, battery

My main decision to buy the 450D Xsi over the 400D Xti was the Live View. Again, coming from the P&S cameras, I was used to seeing what I was shooting on an LCD before I took the shot. The thought of not having that LCD terrified me a bit. It turns out I didn't really need it and the Live View implementation by Canon sucks. It's the most disappointing thing about this camera. It will not show you what the resulting picture will be when you press the shutter, so really, what's the point.

The other shiny new features, however, are the bees knees. Sure pixels aren't everything, but when you want to crop a photo and print an 8x10 from that crop, they're nice to have. The 14-bit processor, high ISO sensitivity and new AF system helps in that department too. The large view finder, mongo LCD and amazing battery life allows me to shoot comfortably for days on end (at 3.5 fps). And using SDHC cards just allows them to cram all those goodies into the camera body.

Party!

The things you can't put on a spec sheet are how easy this camera is to use. I put it in my mother-in-law's hands, and she took great photos. The only instructions I gave her were "look through here and push this button. Turn this ring to zoom in and out." It's really almost a point-and-shoot camera. Sure you can tweak the settings until the cows come home to get the exact shot you want, but you don't have to. And the buttons and menus are laid out well enough that you can gradually learn those things without needing to study the manual.

What you might need the manual for, is to figure out what to do with the Live View. I know it has a purpose, it's just not immediately apparent to me, so it tops my nag list. Followed similarly by the Depth-Of-Field preview button. It's supposed to show you - through the view finder - what will be in and out of focus before you snap a picture; Instead, it just makes everything darker. The final item under the predictability motif is the autofocus(AF) point selector.

When you have multiple objects in frame at different depths, the camera's AF system will, at times, pick the wrong object to focus on. This happens more frequently than I deem acceptable, so I often leave the focus at the center of the frame and manually select a different focal point when I want a different composition. You won't always have time to do that, so you'll either miss some shots or have to compromise on how the shot looks. If you always shoot with your subject front and center, this is not an issue.

Finally, it would be un-American of me to not complain about the cost of something that's cheaper than it should be but more expensive than it could be. The Canon Xsi is not cheap, but honestly, if you really think about it, it's not very expensive and should probably cost a lot more. I'll leave it at that.

Fruit Bowl

As you can see, the flaws I've found are minimal, especially when compared to the highlights. So now you just have to ask yourself, "Am I..err, I mean is my dad, ready to make the jump to a dSLR"? For me, moving to a dSLR was almost as big as moving from a film camera to a digital camera. The small, compact digitals will still have a place in my bag, but it's hard to shun the reliability of the dSLR. And if you're ready to make the move, I'd recommend the Rebel Xsi to most users. If you know you want to make the switch, but are still not sure which camera is right for you, I suggest checking out the Related Links below. Be sure to check out the foodporn down there too under the Sample Shots :-) Next up...lenses...

***UPDATE***
Though I still love my Canon Rebel Xsi, there's a new bad boy on the market.

The Canon EOS 500D / Rebel T1i Digital SLR

The Canon T1i is about $200 more than than the Canon Xsi. It's your call if the bump in price is worth the features upgrade. Here's what's new in the Canon Rebel T1i vs. the Canon Rebel Xsi:

• Record 1080p HD Video! (However, mono-sound and 20 FPS @ 1080p
• 15 megapixel CMOS sensor like the professional 50D
• Digic 4 processor
• Auto Lighting Optimizer (Not sure what this is, but it sounds cool)
• Extended ISO range to ISO 3200
• Better High ISO noise reduction
• Face detection in Live View (cool, but I wish it wasn't just in Live View)

The video is a great upgrade, but don't expect much other than basic performance from it. I also read that the kit lens starts to show it's flaws more when it's expected to resolve images at 15 Megapixels, so you might consider buying just the body and investing in better lenses. I believe the current price of the Rebel T1i is about the same as the release price of the Rebel Xsi when I bought it about a year ago. That makes it a pretty reasonable buy, but the cheaper Xsi is still tempting. I'd say the decision boils down to how badly would you like to be able to shoot video without having to pull out a different device and/or how much would you like those higher ISOs for those less than ideal shooting conditions? Here are some reviews for the Canon T1i to help you make your decision. Good luck! And don't forget to check out the related links below for more information.

Canon Xsi

Rating: 94+

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

RELATED LINKS:
DPReview.com reviews the 450D
Gizmondo dSLR Shootout
Sample Shots: Canon Rebel Xsi 450D
Foodies Guide to Father's Day Gifts

Tags || DSLR | CAMERA REVIEWS | CANON REBEL XSI | CANON EOS 450D | NIKON D60 | SONY ALPHA A350 | more... | PRODUCT REVIEWS | CAMERAS | REVIEWS | CANON | CANON REBEL | XSI | 450D | FATHER'S DAY | FOOD | GFC |

REVIEW: ThermoWorks Thermapen Super-fast Thermometer posted by snekse

My fingers just aren't sensitive enough. And timing only works when all the variables are the same. So what's a dad to do when he's tired of the Thanksgiving turkey or the 4th of July steaks come out raw or over-cooked. Sure you can buy one of those Polder kitchen thermometers, but come on - this is your dad. Show him you love him and get him something he'll be proud to show the neighbors. Get him the Super-Fast Thermapen by ThermoWorks!

So I first heard about this device on CookingForEngineers.com. But after I saw the Cook's Illustrated review, I decided it needed to go on my wish list. How's this for a glowing review from the folks at Cook's Illustrated:

Highly Recommended
Simply the best: fast, accurate, and easy to use. The Thermapen also has the widest temperature range (-58 to 572 degrees).

Luckily for me, someone loves me and shelled out the $80+ for what has become one of my favorite kitchen gadgets.

So what makes the Super-fast Thermapen so special? It's fast. Really fast. It can be in the ballpark in about a second and be accurate to within 1° in under 4 seconds. Most thermometers aren't even in the ballpark in under 4 seconds. This can be very useful when you want to take the temp of something without pulling it out of the oven or items that change temperature quickly. Also handy when you need to take the temperature in several spots on something like a chicken. The small probe helps keep fluid loss to a minimum when you're doing those things. The large digital read out is a nice feature. And the whole thing just looks pretty cool.

It's not perfect, however. First and foremost, it's expensive when compared to the basic kitchen thermometers. But the technology is far different, thus the disparity in cost. The other annoyance is a bit of a design flaw or feature, depending on your point of view. When vertical, the housing lacks a flat bottom that would allow you to stand the thermometer upright in a stable manner. I think it was designed this way to discourage that practice. You'd be pretty upset if Johnny bumped your grill and your Thermapen fell to the ground and shattered. Not that I think that would happen. The casing is pretty durable, but I guess if you left the pen extended, the probe might snap off. Which leaves me to my next gripe.

This is a pen, not a corded probe or one of those newfangled wireless devices. There is no "stab it and leave it, we'll alert you when it's ready" feature on this. So if you want to know when that turkey is done, you have to check it yourself. ThermoWorks does sell a model with interchangeable plugs which includes a corded version, but even that one still lacks an alarm. Not to mention it's the same price as the Super-fast pen, and comes with zero probes in the box.

So if you want to treat your dad this year, consider the Super-fast Thermapen or the grand-daddy of them all plug-mount pen. If you are on a budget, or you just don't like your dad that much, consider getting the CDN ProAccurate Quick Tip Digital Cooking Thermometer DTQ450 which was also Highly Recommended by Cook's Illustrated, but is less than $20. Either way, you should be eating better food in no time.

***UPDATE***
ThermoWorks has replaced this model with a new, faster, more accurate splash proof Thermapen. Check out our review of the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen.

Original ThermoWorks Super-Fast Thermapen

PROS:

• Very fast read times
• Very accurate
• Thin probe
• Very cool

CONS:

• Expensive
• Beveled bottom
• Fixed probe
• It's not the über-cool plug-mount model

Rating: 90

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

RELATED LINKS:
ThermoWorks
Pictures of the super-fast ThermaPen
Foodies Guide to Father's Day Gifts
The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings

Tags || THERMAPEN | FATHER'S DAY | GIFTS | KITCHEN THERMOMETERS | GUIDE | PRODUCT REVIEW | more... | THERMOWORKS | REVIEWS | FOOD | GFC |

Korea House - Santa Clara, CA posted by snekse

Korea House

I'm a big fan of Korean food. I became a bigger fan after eating at Korea House near San Jose. I've only eaten at a handful of places, so my exposure to the cuisine is a bit limited. Almost all of them have been good, but never have I been to one that executed as well as Korea House.

Now I'm sure there are debates that rage on about what makes a great Korean restaurant. Is it how well they prepare the star dishes found in every restaurant, such as Bulgogi, Galbi and Bibimbap? Or is it the lesser known dishes that you can't find at most other restaurants? Or is it the Banchan - those addictive side dishes that come out in swarms and keep coming as you ask? And if so, is it because of the sheer number of different dishes that crowd your table, or is it because this place does Kimchi better than that place?

I'd argue all of the above in almost equal importance. How disappointed would you be if there was no Banchan? And is it worth going to a place that can't deliver good Bulgogi? And I'd also argue that a place that doesn't have some harder to find dishes probably doesn't make the easy to find dishes as well as other places in town.

So where does Korea House fall into this spectrum? I'd say they lean on their Banchan. Some of the best and most interesting I've had so far; not to mention the most. And even the common side dishes tasted better than I'm used to. The menu also had several dishes that I've never seen before, mostly of the seafood variety. Of the classics, I can't say they blew me away, but they were no worse than I'd find elsewhere, so as a whole, that puts them a notch above every other Korean restaurant I've been to so far. So that puts it in both the top and bottom 5 :-)

Rating: 87

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Korea House
Santa Clara, CA (El Camino Real/San Tomas Expy)

2430 El Camino Real (MAP)
Santa Clara, CA 95051
(408) 249-0808

RELATED LINKS:
Korean Side Dish (Banchan) Recipes
The characteristics of Korean food
Yelp Reviews


Tags || KOREA HOUSE | SANTA CLARA | KOREAN FOOD | SAN JOSE | KOREAN CUISINE | SILICON VALLEY | more... | RESTAURANTS | RESTAURANT REVIEW | BANCHAN | FOOD | GFC |

Silicone Cupcake Cup Molds and National Devil's Food Cake Day posted by Foodie-E

Silicone Cupcake Cups and National Devil's Food Cake Day

National Devil's Food Cake Day

Today is National Devil's Food Cake Day and in honor of that, I planned to make cake to bring to work. Since I was making cake anyways, I decided to try my new silicone cupcake molds. I mean, why not kill two birds with one stone? :)

I got these as a gift from my mother along with a cupcake carrier so I didn't have to cover a shallow cardboard box with foil. Don't act like you've never done it or at least SEEN that trick before. It works, but it's kind of ghetto. So, now I'm all cool with my silicone cups and carrier.

I have other silicone products, 8x8 cake pans, standard muffin pans, and mini muffin pans, but nothing with the ridgey texture of these cups. The instructions said not to spray them with non stick spray, but all of my other silicone products told me to do it on the first use, so I was a bit leery of not spraying them. Being the research junky that I am, I did a test. I sprayed them all, but the yellow ones. I had 24 of them and luckily that is the exact number of cupcakes a box of cake mix makes. Don't judge. When you make cake as often as I do for my team at work and have a 10 month old just starting to crawl, then you can judge. Besides, I happen to prefer box cake mix to made from scratch chocolate cake as made from scratch chocolate cake tends to not be as moist or as chocolaty. I realize that is a very general statement, but they are my true thoughts for what fits into my lifestyle. Besides, we are not here to talk about how I cheat on my cakes, we're here to talk about my cool silicone cupcake molds.

Silicone Cupcake Cups

After the cupcakes were done, I let them cool so I could put frosting on. When I was frosting them, I realized that the cups were already starting to come away from the cupcake on the sides! I looked to see what color it was, blue. Okay, it was one that I sprayed. So I tried a yellow one and it did the same thing! From the looks of it, spray or no spray seemed to be about the same. When I was done, I decided to set aside the 2 ugliest cupcakes to sacrifice; one sprayed and one not sprayed. (We all have them, don't lie. :) ) The one that was sprayed came out very easily. I just put some pressure around the edges (imagine squishing the cupcake a little like you would to test a cake to see if it bounces back) to loosen it from the mold and turned it upside down. It fell out! Just like that. I did the same thing with the yellow one (not sprayed) and turned it over. It didn't fall out. So, I tried the pressure thing again to loosen it and make sure I didn't miss any spots and turned it over. It still didn't fall out so I kind of pulled the cupcake out and it finally came out. I didn't have to pull hard, but I did have to convince it to come out.

In the end, they both left a little bit of cake inside the mold, but all in all, I thought they worked really well. I won't be getting rid of those metal cupcake pans that require the paper liners, because those definitely have their place like bake sales, neighborhood barbecues, or gift baskets. But if you're making them for a small group or for someone you know will give them back to you, these are great. I'll have to see how well they do on the second run with none of them being sprayed with non stick spray, so stay tuned for the update!

Rating: 89+

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Tags || SILICONE CUPCAKE CUPS | NATIONAL DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE DAY | WILTON EASY FLEX SILICONE BAKING CUPS | PRODUCT REVIEW | SILICONE MOLDS | BAKING | more... | SILICONE CUPCAKE LINERS | SILICONE CUPCAKE MOLDS | FOOD | GFC |

A Foodie's week in the San Francisco Bay Area posted by snekse

I just spent a week in San Francisco doing almost nothing but eating and taking pictures of it with my new camera (the wonderful Canon Rebel Xsi dSLR with the amazing Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 lens). So this whole next week is going to be spent sharing the things I found there that aren't in Omaha, but should be. If you want to bookmark this page, I'll update this post with the links to the related articles, or you can just keep checking back.

RELATED LINKS:
Chocolate Mousse Cake AKA Chocolate Butter^TM @ Au Coquelet Cafe
Taqueria Ramiro & Sons - Alameda, CA

Previous Foodie in California items

coming soon...

Tags || FOODIES | SAN FRANCISCO | THE SLANTED DOOR | BERKELEY | CHEZ PANISSE | CANON REBEL | more... | XSI | 450D | THE FERRY BUILDING | FARMER'S MARKET | OAKLAND | SAN JOSE | ALAMEDA | FOOD | GFC |

Gorat's Steak House - Omaha, NE posted by snekse

Gorat's Steakhouse

With the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder's meeting coming up, I figured I should finally write a review about Warren Buffet's favorite steakhouse: Gorat's.

Gorat's Steakhouse bills themselves as serving the finest steaks in the world. In Omaha, where the city's motto was once "Rare. Well done.", that's a common claim. But Gorat's is one of the few old school steakhouses left and one the the richest men in the world counts it among his favorites, so maybe there's something to the claim. We decided to find out for ourselves and it was certainly an interesting dining experience to say the least.

The decor is a little drab, boring and cheap with the exception of the lounge, which is just plain loungey looking. Run down, off the strip, Vegas lounge looking. But who really cares. It's a steakhouse and an old one. It's part of the charm I guess. Along with the crass waitress who took our order, but not our gruff. She had attitude, but she was actually a lot of fun. And if the steaks are good, nothing else really matters. Because of that, I give them points for explicitly stating on their menu "Gorat's is not responsible for well done steaks." Amen.

A little rant here. Why is it that so many people from the Midwest insist that their steaks be gray in the middle? This is supposed to be the land of beef. Shouldn't they we know better? Is it because they prefer it that way or is that just what they were taught and grew up on? Did they only eat cheap cuts of meat that are tough and chewy when cooked rare, so they think all steaks need to be cooked for a long time to make them tender? I'd really like some feedback here.

Anyway, so our table pretty much ordered Prime Rib and Steaks. I mean why else would you come here? Warren Buffet's favorite thing to order is the T-bone steak (cooked rare, thank you very much) with a double order of hash browns and a (diet) cherry coke. I opted for the bone-in strip steak and my wife got the small prime rib. Each entree came with a small side salad, pasta or vegetable and choice of potato. Pretty standard for the American-Italian steakhouses here. The salads and pasta are pretty much a joke. Pretty standard for the American-Italian steakhouses here. The hashbrowns were pretty good. Nice and crispy and what really goes better with steak? My steak looked pretty nice (while I could see it - more on that in a bit), but didn't taste near as good as it looked. It might have something to do with the griddle they cook it on. Yes, Gorat's cook's their steaks on a griddle - at least according to Wikipedia. For some that may be a draw, for others, a huge turn off. I'm a bit in between leaning more towards the negative. I'd imagine it can be done right, but Gorat's just doesn't pull it off. It's a bit boiled or steamed tasting. A juicy steak that is flavorless. Luckily, the prime rib was much better. Really cooked to perfection with good flavor and tender the way prime rib was meant to be.

Then the lights went out. I'm not being poetic here. The lights went out. Right as we got our food, the entire place went pitch black save a lone emergency generator light. It seems tornado season isn't the best time to go eat in the older parts of town with exposed power lines. Unfortunately, that was probably the most memorable part of our meal. I can't say I have any desire to return. I'm glad I've been, and if you're a disciple of the Oracle of Omaha, you should probably pay homage to the spot at least once, but other than that, I'd have a hard time recommending the steaks here over the many other options in Omaha.

Rating: 74

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Gorat's Steak House
50th & Center

4917 Center St (Map)
Omaha, NE 68106
Phone: (402) 551-3733

Hours of Operation
LUNCH:
  Monday - Friday: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
  Saturday - Sunday: CLOSED
DINNER:
  Monday - Thursday: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
  Friday - Saturday: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
  Sunday: CLOSED



RELATED LINKS:
I'm not alone in my opinion
PHOTOS: Gorat's Steakhouse

Tags || GORAT'S | STEAKHOUSE | WARREN BUFFET | BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY | OMAHA | STEAK | more... | NEBRASKA | RESTAURANTS | RESTAURANT REVIEW | FOOD | GFC |

Omaha Restaurant Reviews posted by snekse

So our current list of Omaha Restaurants has grown quite massive. The fact that we were integrating in links to restaurant reviews just made the matters worse. So I present to you, a separate list of Restaurant Reviews. Hopefully this will make perusing the lists a little less daunting. As an added benefit, in order for me to make this possible, I had to write a lot of code that also just happens to make it really easy to filter these lists. In the future you'll be able to filter this list by review site. Not a huge deal, but nice to have. The better use will be on the other list where I hope to allow users to filter by cuisine, location, and who knows what else. Hope you enjoy.

Omaha Restaurant Reviews

I've compiled a list of restaurant reviews in the Omaha area. I'll be constantly updating this list, so you may want to bookmark this page. Simply click on one of the links below to view the list with or without notes. I'll also be adding filtering features so you can select restaurant reviews by location and/or cuisine. In the mean time, if you can't find what you're looking for below, try the search box in the upper right corner of the site.

Current Page: List of Omaha Restaurant Reviews
Other Options:
List of Omaha Restaurant Reviews with Notes
List of Omaha Restaurants without Notes
List of Omaha Restaurants with Notes



If you know of any restaurant reviews that are missing from this list or find duplicates, please .

This is an experimental filter that isn't fully implemented yet. Please be paitent as we try to improve this site.

All SourcesGastronomic Fight Club (GFC)Omaha World-Herald (OWH)Omaha Weekly Reader (OWR)Omaha City Weekly (OCW)Food & Spirits Omaha (OFS)geeks.review(food) (GRF)The Omaha Critic (TOC)Greater Omaha Barbecue Society (GOBS)Miscellaneous

Legend...

• GFC = Gastronomic Fight Club
• OWH = Omaha World-Herald
• OWR = Omaha Weekly Reader
• OCW = Omaha City Weekly
• OFS = Food & Spirits Omaha
• GRF = geeks.review(food)
• TOC = The Omaha Critic
• GOBS = Greater Omaha Barbecue Society
• MISC = Miscellaneous

FILTERED BY: OMAHA,restaurant_review,FOOD

ARTICLE: 10 Hot Spots; Restaurant standouts of 2008...(OWH)

ARTICLE: 7 Places Your Grandparents Ate...and You Should Too! (FSM)

ARTICLE: A look at dining in 2008 (OWR)

ARTICLE: Affordable Favorites (OCW)

ARTICLE: Best Pork Tenderloin Sandwich in Omaha (OWH)

ARTICLE: Best of 2008 (OWH)

ARTICLE: Europe has food flourishes worth copying (OWH)

ARTICLE: Most memorable meals of 2007 (OWH)

ARTICLE: Omaha Restaurants - 2007 Year in Review

ARTICLE: fixed price menus in Omaha (OWH)

ARTICLES: Best ‘O’ 2007 (OCW)

ARTICLES: Omaha Brunch Bunch: Part 1

GUIDES: 2008 KETV A-List

Our top five local Mexican joints - Omaha Weekly Reader

PREVIEW: Ryan's Bistro (GFC)

RESTARANT REVIEW: Big Mamma's Kitchen (OCW)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: 360 Steakhouse (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: 7 Monkeys (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: 801 Chophouse (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: 801 Chophouse (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: 94/95 Sports Grille (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Amarillo Barbecue (OWH)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: American G.I. Forum Restaurant (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Americana Bistro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Amigo's (MISC)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Anthony's Steakhouse (FSM & GFC)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bailey's (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bailey’s (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Barley's - OWH

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Biaggi's - Omaha, NE (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bianco (OCW)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Big Horn Mountain Barbeque (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Big Mama's House

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Billy Frogg's Bar & Grill (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bishop’s Bar & Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bistro 121 (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Blue Line Coffee (OWH)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bohemian Cafe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bohemian Cafe (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bonefish Grill (MISC/WFOTT)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bonefish Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bonefish Grill (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Boyd & Charlie's BBQ (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Boyd and Charlie's (GOBS)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Brother Sebastian's (MISC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Brother Sebastian's Steakhouse (MISC/WGE)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Brother Sebastian’s (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Brother Sebastian’s (OWR)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Buffalo Wild Wings (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Burger Star (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Burger Star (OWH)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Chicago Dawg House (GRF)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Chicago Dawg House (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Chicago Dawg House (OWR)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Darwin Bistro (GFC)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Darwin Bistro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Dinker's Bar & Grill - Omaha, NE (GFC)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Doc & Eddie's (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Doc & Eddie's BBQ (OWH)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Dundee Dell (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Dundee Dell (OCW)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: El Aguila (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: El Basha Mediterranean Grill (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Espana Tapas Bar (OFS & GFC) - FIXED LINK

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Genji Japanese Steakhouse

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Greek Islands

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Gusto Cuban Cafe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Gusto Cuban Café (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Han Kuk Kwan (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Han Kuk Kwan (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Han Kuk Kwan Korean Restaurant (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Harkert's BBQ (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Harkert's Bar-B-Q (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hartland BBQ (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hartland Bar-B-Que (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hawaiian Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hawaiian Grill (OWR)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hiro (MASP)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hiro (OCW)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: India Garden (OWH)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Indigo Joe's (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jack and Mary's Restaurant (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jaipur (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jaipur Brew House (MISC/WFOTT)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jams (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jazz, a Louisiana Kitchen (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jim & Jennie’s Greek Village (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jimi D's (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Jimi D's (OWH)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Julian's Tex Mex (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: King Fong (OWR)

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Kona Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: La Buvette (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: La Buvette (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: La Buvette (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: La Casa Pizzaria (OTHER)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Laos Thai Kitchen (FSMO)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Le Kilimandjaro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Le Peep (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Le Voltaire (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: LiT Tapas Bar and Lounge (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Liberty Tavern (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Liberty Tavern (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lighthouse Bar and Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lil' Burro (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lil' Burro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lil' Burro (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lisa's Radial Cafe (MISC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lisa’s Radial Café (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lithuanian Kafe and Bakery (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Los Compayes (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Los Girasoles (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Los Portales (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Los Portales (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Louie M's Burger Lust (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Louie M’s Burger Lust (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lucky's Ten-O-One Restaurant & Lounge (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lucky's Ten-O-One(CLOSED) (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lucky's ten-O-one (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lucky’s 1001 (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: L’Evento Caffe (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: M's Pub (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mai Thai (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mai Thai (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Malara's (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mama's Pizza (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mandarin Fusion (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Margarita's Mexican Restaurant (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Margarita's Mexican Restaurant (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mark's Bistro (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Market Basket (FSM)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Marks Bistro (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Marks Bistro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Matsu Sushi (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Matsu Sushi (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Matsu Sushi (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: McFoster's Natural Kind Cafe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: McKenna's Blues, Booze & BBQ (GOBS)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: McKenna's Blues, Booze, and BBQ (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: McKenna’s Blues Booze and BBQ (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mediterranean Bistro & Wine Bar (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mediterranean Bistro (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mia Latte Cafe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mia's Bongo Room (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mia's Bongo Room (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mia's Bongo Room (TON)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mia’s Bongo Room (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mia’s Bongo Room (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mister C's Steakhouse (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mo Fish (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mother India (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mother India (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Nebraska Brewing Co. (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Nebraska Brewing Company (Foodaphila)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Nia's Chicken & Waffles (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Nicola's Italian Wine & Faire (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: O Dining & Lounge (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: O Dining & Lounge (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: O Mai Vietnamese (TOC) - CLOSED

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Old Chicago (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Old Mattress Factory Bar & Grill (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Old Mattress Factory Bar and Grill

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Olive Garden (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Ozark Smoked Meat Co. (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Paradise Cafe

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Pasta Amore (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Paxton Chop House (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Peep This (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: PepperJax (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: PepperJax Grill (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Petrow's Restaurant

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Petrow's Restaurant (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Pizza King (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Prestige World Class (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Prima 140 (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Prima 140 (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Prima 140 (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Pudgy's Pizzeria (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Quaker Steak & Lube (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Quaker Steak & Lube (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Quaker Steak & Lube (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Rapini (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Red Zone BBQ (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Rick's Cafe Boatyard (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Rick's Cafe Boatyard (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Rivera's Mexican Food (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: RoJa (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Roja Mexican Grill (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Roman Coin Pizza (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Romeo's Mexican Food & Pizza (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Runza (MISC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Ryan's Bistro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Ryan's Bistro (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sage Bistro - Fall 2006 (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sage Bistro's Prime Rib Brunch Buffet (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sage Student Bistro (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sage Student Bistro (OMAG)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Saigon (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Saigon Resturant (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sakura Bana (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Senor Matias Mexican Restaurant (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shirley’s Diner (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shuck's Fish & Oyster Bar (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shuck's Fish House and Oyster Bar (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shuck's Oyster Bar (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shucks - Legecy (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shucks Oyster Bar & Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shucks Oyster Bar & Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shucks Oyster Bar (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shucks Oyster Bar (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Signatures (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sinbad's World Cuisine (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sinbad’s World Cuisine (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Smoke Shack BBQ (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: SmokeShack BBQ (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Spencer's (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Spencer's for Steaks and Chops (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Stavie's Restaurant (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Stella's Bar & Grill (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Stokes (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Stokes - Old Market (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Stokes Grill & Bar (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Stokes Grill & Bar (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sukura Bana (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sullivan's Steakhouse (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sullivan’s Steakhouse (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Surfside Club (Roadfood)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sushi Japan (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sweet Magnolias (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: T-Bones Grillhouse (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Tanduri Fusion (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Tas's Thai Pepper (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: TasTe (FOOD)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: TasTe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Taste of Thailand (MISC/WFOTT)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Taxi's (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Ted's Nebraska Grill (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Ted's Nebraska Grill (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Thai Kitchen (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Thai Pepper (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Amazing Pizza Machine (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Boiler Room (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Boiler Room (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Boiler Room (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Cellar (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Chatty Squirrel (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Dining Room at Union Pacific (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Drover (GFC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Drover (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Drover (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Drover (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Drover (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Flatiron Cafe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The French Cafe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The International Cafe (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Market Basket (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Market Basket (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Melting Pot (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Nines (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Pizza Gourmet Co. (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Pizza Gourmet Co. (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Taj (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Taj (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Taj Kabob & Curry (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Twisted Fork (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Top of World Buffet (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Tussey's Casual Grill (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Twisted Cork Bistro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Twisted Fork (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Twisted Fork Grill & Bar (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Twisted Fork Grill & Bar (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Urban Wine Company (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Urban Wine Company (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: V. Mertz (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: V. Mertz (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Victor's Mediterranean Food (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Vietnamese-Asian Restaurant (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Vincenzo's Italian Ristorante (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Wave Bistro (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Wave Bistro (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Wave Bistro (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: WheatFields Eatery & Bakery (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Wheatfield's Eatery and Bakery (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Wing Stop (TOC)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Worker's Take Out (GRF)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Worker's Takeout (OWR)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Zio's Pizza (OCW)

RESTAURANT REVIEWS: Omaha World-Herald

RESTAURANT REVIEWS: Pizza Shoppe Collective (OWH)

RESTAURANT REVUIEW: Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar @ Legecy (OWH)

Tags || OMAHA | NE | NEBRASKA | RESTAURANTS | RESTAURANT_REVIEW | LIST | more... | BEST OF | RESOURCE | FOOD | GFC |

2007 Year in Review posted by snekse

It's that time of year when everyone does a year in review or a preview/prediction of the upcoming year. I'll keep with the theme with a bit of a twist. I'm going to give you a Year in Review from your prospective. Here are the most popular items on GFC for 2007. These are in no real order and a lot of factors play into what appeared on this list, so don't read to much into the results.

Lucky's ten-o-one
Cuba Linda
Espana Tapas Bar
Mai Thai
Le Peep
Jazz
Wave Bistro
The Cellar Wine and Dine
Bistro 121
Bailey's
Shucks Oyster Bar
Gusto Cuban
Dario's Brasserie
Darwin Bistro
Sushi Japan
Bianco, Roja and blue (in that order)
Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob
Liberty Tavern
Sage Bistro
V Mertz (Review coming soon)

That list was for all of 2007. To get an idea of what people have been interested in recently, here are the popular items for December 2007. Please note, this list excludes all of the places GFC has done a review on, some of which were very popular.

Lucky's Ten-O-One
Brew Burgers
Bonefish Grill
Espana Tapas Bar
Fatburger
Bones Brew & BBQ
Prima 140
Nestle Toll House Cafe
Sullivan's Steakhouse
Jazz
Prestige World Class
Cascio's Steakhouse
Genji Japanese Steakhouse
Kobe Steak House of Japan
Seven Monkeys
Brother Sebastian's Steakhouse
Urban Wine Company
The Cellar Wine and Dine
Confluence Bookstore cafe
Old Mattress Factory
Pizza Gourmet
Los Portales
Bailey's
Stokes

RELATED LINKS:
Food for Thought: A look at dining in 2008 (OWR)
Our restaurant critic's most memorable meals of 2007 (OWH)
Best ‘O’ 2007: Delmont’s favorite dining experiences from last year (OCW)

Tags || 2007 | YEAR IN REVIEW | OMAHA | RESTAURANTS | FOOD | GFC |

Shuck's Fish & Oyster Bar - Omaha, NE posted by Foodie-E

Shuck's Oyster Bar

Do you ever suddenly get a craving for a certain type of food? I do and when I do, the craving is so strong that I can't think of anything else until I get it. So, what's a California girl transplanted to the middle of the country supposed to do when she has a gigantic seafood craving? Answer: Take a drive to Shucks and indulge in the fresh fishy goodness. I've only been there a couple of times since it's a bit out of my way, but I think for a treat, it's well worth the trip.

Shucks is attached to Absolutely Fresh Seafood Market and looks like a little bar you'd find in a FISHING PORT. It's not very big, so depending on what day you go, show up fairly early. We heard about their oyster special on Wednesdays, so both times we went, they were Wednesdays and we showed up early. :)

For their special, they offer a list of different oysters on a half shell at a very reasonable price. When we went, they had Clue Points, Chesapeakes, Malpeques, Canada Cups, and Quanset Points. Each ranged from $0.75 to $2.05 and you could order singly or you could get what they call a Roundabout which is 2 of each type of oyster for $13.95. We got the Roundabout and they were delicious. I'm not a huge raw oyster fan if it doesn't have a fancy schmancy mignonette sauce on it, but I tasted one of the Malpeques and it was quite tasty. Small and meaty that was Very clean and crisp with the flavor of the ocean.

If raw is not your thing, they have many different fried items like calamari, shrimp, clam strips, oysters, and baby potato cakes - all which can be found as separate appetizers or on a sampler platter. I would like to say that all of it was cooked very well - no rubbery calamari or shrimp here - but the breading was inconsistent each time we went. The first time we went, the breading was thin and crunchy with a slight kick of seasoning. The second time we went, the breading was still thin and crunchy, but it was extremely salty and pretty spicy. Enough to the point where I thought it ruined my fish and chips (they use the same breading) so I pulled it off of my fish pieces.

Between all the people who went with us both times, we got to try a lot of the dishes at Shucks. Since there were so many, I'm just going to breeze through most of them until I get to my favorites. :)

San Fran Cioppino - very flavorful, but not a traditional cioppino with big chunks of fish and shellfish in it; it had small pieces of misc fish. Clam Chowda - very creamy and tasty; would order again. Fresh Fish Chowda - so buttery that it was all you could taste and was like drinking a melted stick of butter; not sure if they didn't stir it before serving or if an extra pound of butter made it into the pot. Halibut O'Boy - they use the same breading as on the fried seafood items, pretty tasty. Jambalaya - had good flavor, but was a dry jambalaya; don't expect the traditional juicy stew poured over rice, this stuff kind of looked like Zatarans. Grilled Salmon - Eh, it was grilled salmon, but it was cooked well. Green Bean Risotto - trust me and take a pass on this.

And now my favorites. I really enjoyed the fish and chips made with cod and the seared ahi tuna salad. For me, it's usually pretty hard to mess up fish and chips, but it's also pretty difficult to make fish and chips that make you say 'WOW!' I said wow the first time I went to Shucks the first time and someone had it and the only other time I've had wow quality fish and chips was in Redwood City, CA at the Old Port Lobster Shack. The fish was so juicy and had a light flavor and silky texture that only cod can have.

The seared ahi tuna salad was probably the best seared tuna salad that I've had in Omaha. It was a healthy sized tuna steak marinated in what seemed like a sweet soy marinade, seared for probably 30 seconds on each side, sliced and placed on top of salad greens. You get your choice of dressing, but I recommend what the waiter recommended to me - the house Vidalia onion dressing. In the words of the toothy FoodTV personality, Rachael Ray, YUM-O. The tuna was firm and fresh and honestly, there was so much of it, I may even get that salad again the next time I'm craving sushi. That's how good it was. And at $9.95, it's a steal! You can't beat that with a stick.

If you're looking for some fresh seafood in the Omaha Metro - go to Shucks! It's a hidden little gem that serves great fish on Styrofoam plates and has excellent prices.

Rating: 87+

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Shuck's Oyster Bar
120th & Pacific -or- 168th & W Center Rd.

1218 S. 119th Street (Map)
Omaha, NE 68144
Phone: (402) 827-4376


16901 Wright Plaza (Map)
Omaha, NE 68130
Phone: (402) 763-1860


Hours of Operation
  Monday - Thursday: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
  Friday - Saturday: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
  Sunday: 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm

RELATED LINKS:
Shucks Photos
WINNERS: Best-ter-est of Omaha 2008

Tags || SHUCKS | OMAHA | RESTAURANTS | REVIEWS | RESTAURANT REVIEW | ABSOLUTELY FRESH | more... | SEAFOOD | OYSTERS | NEBRASKA | FOOD | GFC |

REVIEW: The Gourmet Next Door posted by snekse

This past weekend I happened to catch the premiere episode of The Gourmet Next Door, hosted by Amy Finley: the winner of The Next Food Network Star ~ Season 3.

I have to say, I was kind of impressed. Or at least happy that it wasn't a complete disappointment. So here are some of my random thoughts about her first episode, entitled "Nod to the Bistro".

Over all I liked the content. I liked the style of food that was prepared and the way it was presented. I was also pleased that they didn't shy away from recipes, techniques or terms that might "scare away" the their Sandra Ray demographic. Personally I don't think they give their audience enough credit. That's not to say Finley's bistro menu was all that scary. The only thing I was really surprised to see was the fact that she made a pâte à choux.

I also appreciated that the show was done mostly in real-time with very little "TV magic". She prepped and cooked almost the entire menu on-air and only used pre-made ingredients when it made sense -- though she could have easily melted some chocolate for her dessert instead of using a jar of chocolate sauce.

For the most part Finley was very comfortable on camera. I think the rehashing of some phrases, like mentioning her husbands birthday like 3 time in 5 minutes, was simply nerves and will get better with experience. I was a bit surprised when the first words out of her mouth were "When I lived in France", considering she was criticized by producers during The Next Food Network Star competition for constantly referring to her time in France and possibly sounding condescending when doing so. I didn't watch the competition enough to comment on that, but I still found it interesting that was how she chose to start off her new show.

Another bit of interesting reading was this little tidbit from an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune and her MySpace page.

"She hadn't seen a reality show before her Food Network experience because she doesn't own a television."

"We download programs off my mother's cable onto our computer using a SlingBox"

Tags || THE GOURMET NEXT DOOR | FOOD TV | FOOD NETWORK | AMY FINLEY | THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR | TELEVISION | more... | FOOD | GFC |

Roja, Bianco and Blue posted by snekse

What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than to celebrate our nation's diversity? After all, what is America if not a melting pot of different cultures and flavors. And since we have a group of locally owned restaurants with a red, white and blue theme, what better way to cover the Omaha food scene this 4th of July than to check out cultural diversity of Roja, Bianco and Blue?

So we have our theme, but checking out 3 restaurants can get expensive very quickly. Never fear, we have that problem solved. Roja, Bianco and Blue have some of the best Happy Hour specials to be found anywhere in Omaha. Besides the standard and not-so-standard drink specials, they have half price appetizers with almost no restrictions on which apps are available. You can quite easily get your fill for little more than it would cost you to get a combo meal at a fast food joint. So lets find out just how good their food is.

Roja Mexican Grill

Chicken Flautas @ Roja

Our least favorite of the three. How hard is it to make Mexican food? Especially when your kitchen staff is comprised mostly of Mexicans. Nothing was horrible, but nothing was really good enough to make me want to come back. We've been to Roja before and didn't really care for their food the first time, but their parking lot is always packed. We thought maybe we were wrong. We weren't. The taco - bland and boring. The nachos - I just don't understand the point of nachos and these were greasy and unappetizing. Now the Achoite Chicken & Spinach Flautas - those were good, but only because the serrano ranch sauce carried them. I'd imagine the food tastes a whole lot better with a Margarita in hand, but you really shouldn't need a drink to enjoy the food your eating. There are too many restaurants in Omaha, and too many good Mexican restaurants to waste my time eating here.

Bianco Ristorante Italiano

Bruschetta @ Bianco

A stark contrast to Roja. Bianco was our favorite of the three restaurants. The food had a touch of refinement to it that was sorely missing from Roja (yes, there is such a thing as refined Mexican food) and better execution than found at Blue. Everything about the food was just a welcomed surprise. Lots of bright, yet homey comfort food flavors. I think the weakest dish we ordered was the Cozze Marechiare and even that was in the good to very good range. I was impressed with the free bread and white bean dip served to us. It was a unique freebie that I've never seen in a restaurant before and it was delicious to boot. The Bruschetta was better than most thanks to the heirloom tomatoes, as was the Calamari which was perfectly cooked on a skewer. Even the 4-cheese pizza was a delightful surprise with a rich sauce and complex array of cheeses with a little bite to counterbalance. I will definitely be going back, maybe even outside of happy hour.

Blue Sushi Sake Grill

Gyoza @ Blue

It seems as if everyone in Omaha has been to Blue (Anyone know why they didn't call it aoi?). This is another restaurant that we had visited before and never bothered to return. In this case, however, it wasn't because their food was bad, it just wasn't good enough to justify the drive and the higher (at that time) sushi prices. The prices have come down, but the food's about the same. Everything is good, but nothing is excellent. I applaud their effort with the Spinach/Shitake Potstickers, but the night we went, there was no stick to the pot. Despite the lack of crunch, the flavors were decent and the honey garlic dipping sauce paired really well. The mussels were prepared in a pretty basic manner, but I was hoping to see more of an Asian flair to them. Also, the quality of some of the mussels seemed a bit questionable. The very large crab cakes would disappoint the true connoisseurs in the crowd. Shredded crab meat is mixed with a spicy stuffing, pan seared and served with a miso remoulade. I'm not a hard core crab caker, so I didn't mind the preparation and enjoyed the remoulade. And finally the Sake Maki was just a basic salmon sushi roll. Nothing special. But a $3.50 Sake Maki, well that's a little special (at least here in Omaha). For that reason, I would return to Blue, but probably only for happy hour.

Finally I should talk a little about the ambiance for those of you who have never been to any of the three restaurants discussed above. It should tell you something by the fact that you rarely hear someone talk about Roja, Bianco or Blue and not talk about the decor, the wait staff, the clientèle, the logo designs, etc; AKA, the vibe. You can quickly get an idea of what they're talking about by clicking over to the respective websites. That glossy, slick, sleek, sexy, modern feel is the same you'll find in their restaurants. Some people adore it, some people abhor it. I just wanted to make you aware of it.

That's it. Happy Fourth of July Hour! Now go out and celebrate the Red, White and Aoi. See you next year when we do our fondue review of The Melting Pot :-)

Roja Mexican Grill
168th & Center

Rating: 78

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

17010 Wright Plaza (map)
Omaha, NE 68130
Phone: (402) 333-7652

Hours of Operation
Monday — Sunday:
  11:00 am — Close
Happy Hour
Monday - Friday:
  3:00 pm — 6:30 pm


Bianco Ristorante Italiano
132nd & Maple

Rating: 89

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

13110 Birch Drive (map)
Omaha, NE 68164
Phone: (402) 884-9500

Hours of Operation
Monday — Saturday:
  4:00 pm — Close
  4:00 pm — 9:00 pm
Happy Hour
Monday - Friday:
  4:00 pm — 6:30 pm


Blue Sushi Sake Grill
144th & Maple

Rating: 84

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

14450 Eagle Run Drive (map)
Suite 240
Omaha, NE 68164
Phone: (402) 445-2583

Hours of Operation
Monday — Saturday:
  11:00 am — 10:00 pm
  5:00 pm — 9:00 pm
Happy Hour
Monday - Friday:
  4:00 pm — 6:30 pm (? - Call First)
Friday - Saturday:
  10:00 pm — 12:00 pm


Tags || ROJA | BIANCO | BLUE SUSHI | OMAHA | NEBRASKA | SUSHI | more... | MEXICAN | ITALIAN | HAPPY HOUR | FOOD | GFC |

WBW 34: Washington Cabernets posted by snekse

WBW 34: Washington Cabs
2002 Hurricane Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon

2002 Hurricane Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon

It's time for another Wine Blogging Wednesday. It's been a couple of months since I've participated in a WBW event, but with this month's theme, Washington Cabs, how could I resist. Our host for this month is Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine™.

I really wanted to like this wine more because I thought it had great potential when I bought it. Granted I drank it about 5 years before I was expecting to. When I first tried this upon release, it had lots of acid and massive tannins, so I thought it would be an ideal bottle to lay down. There was a good amount of sediment adhered to the bottle and I needed a Washington Cab to drink for WBW #34. So I opened it.

Now on with the wine!

2002 Hurricane Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon
750ml ~ $21.99 (wineaccess.com)

Legs of the Hurricane Ridge Cabernet

Vintage: 2002
Type: Red
Producer: Hurricane Ridge
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation: n/a
Vineyard: n/a
Country: USA
Region: Washington
SubRegion: n/a
Appellation: Washington

Tasting Notes
Currently it still has lots of acid and tannin, though the acid seems to be more prevalent than the tannin. You get a brief attack of tannin up front, but the middle and finish are dominated by the acid. Definitely need food with this. Luckily I had an 8oz. ribeye steak to stand up to it. Tried straight out of the bottle, through a Vinturi speed decanter and a regular decanter. None of them produced the results I was hoping for. It was difficult to find the fruit in this wine. As such, my notes are a little vague.

Gorgeous blackberry juice color. Very oaked with a charred vanilla bouquet. Darker type nose of chocolate, dusty leather with a touch of barn. Taste profiles of raisin-y fruit, blackberry, black cherry.

Rating: 85

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

I'm still pretty new to aging wine, so I'm not sure if this was aged too long, not long enough, if it was going through a "dumb" phase or what. Anyone have any insights?

***UPDATE***
If you'd like to see then entire WBW round-up, you can find it on the Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine ™ website.


Vote for GFC as one of your favorite Food, Wine, Beer and Spirits blogs.

Tags || GFC | FOOD | WINE | TASTING NOTES | REVIEW | WBW | more... | WBW34 | WINE BLOGGING WEDNESDAY | CABERNET SAUVIGNON | WASHINGTON | HURRICANE RIDGE | ANDRAKE CELLARS |

Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob - Omaha (Dundee) posted by snekse

Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob

Welcome to our first "quick pick" restaurant review. These reviews are meant for restaurants the typically cost under $10 and are basically meant for quick meals. Nothing fancy, but still worth going out of your way for.

Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob

I looked for the plaque that said "Give us your hungry, your poor, your stumbling masses", but never did find it. Located in the heart of Dundee, Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob serves the late night crowd looking for fuel to get them on to their next destination (be it the next bar, bed, or someone else's bed). Dundee is the perfect location for such a place; downtown being the possible exception, I don't believe this place could survive anywhere else. With minimal seating, foot traffic is a necessity.

The space they do have is a cool mix of cozy and trendy. And the menu reflects the same feeling. There are just 3 items on the menu. Two sandwiches for under $6 and curry fries for about $2.

The Döner Kabob beats a gyro in my book. The slight gaminess of the lamb matched really well with the seasonings and garlic sauce, though I could probably do without the vegetables. The curry fries weren't addictive, but the last few were fought for (in a civilized manner). Both of these would be worth a trip back if I were anywhere East of 90th Street. I wish the same could be said for the Falafel. I'm not a falafel connoisseur by any means, but this was by far the driest I've ever had, rendering it almost inedible if it were not for the sauce and marinated vegetables.

Despite their limited menu, the place seems to be a hit. It was packed just after we arrived for lunch around 1pm, filled with us less insomniacal folks (or those just rolling out of bed at noon).

That's it. Quick pick. We're done. Score, contact info, and other info is at the bottom.

Rating: 85

Extraordinary (95-100 points)
Outstanding (90-94)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)

Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob
Dundee at 50th & Underwood

620 N 50th St. (map)
Omaha, NE 68132
Phone: (402) 504-3223

Hours of Operation
  Monday - Wednesday: Noon - 11:00pm
  Thursday - Saturday: Noon - 2:00am
  Sunday: CLOSED


Okay, one last thing. To go with our first "quick pick" review, we have a picture slide show. These are just the pictures. If you're interested in reading the descriptions and/or comments, I suggest clicking the picture at the top of the post to take you to the corresponding Flickr photo set.

RELATED LINKS:
Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob is a hit
Paul Kulik opening 2 new restaurants
AFK on geeks.rate(food)

Tags || AMSTERDAM FALAFEL AND KABOB | RESTAURANTS | OMAHA | DUNDEE | 68132 | PAUL KULIK | more... | REVIEW | RESTAURANT | QUICK PICK | FOOD | GFC |

WBW 31: Box Wines posted by snekse

Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs Box

It's time for another Wine Blogging Wednesday. This month's theme is Box Wines & Non-Traditional Packaging hosted by Box Wines.

Unfortunately I was unable to locate a box of DTOUR Macon-Villages, the first boxed wine I've wanted to drink. The "D" in DTOUR is for it's creators: Dominique Lafon (vigneron), Daniel Johnnes (sommelier) and Daniel Boulud (chef). If Daniel Boulud is willing to put his name on it, I'm willing to pay $36+ to try it... if I could find it.

So I set out to find the most expensive box wine I could find, or at least the one that sounded the most interesting. I was a bit surprised to see how wide the selection of box wines was, but didn't find anything that I wanted to try. Then I remembered I had snapped up a 4-pack of Sofia Blanc de Blanc cans on sale a couple of months earlier. This would be the perfect time to crack open a cold one :-)

For those of you who haven't seen the shiny pink cans, it's a clever marketing gimmick to grab some of that younger, hip, trendy money. Single serving cans of champagne each with their own straw for drinking. As a confessed sucker for marketing, how could I not buy some?

Now on with the wine!

N.V. Francis Coppola Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs

187ml ~ $6.00 $3.00 On Sale (The Tasting Room)

Vintage: N.V.
Type: White - Sparkling
Producer: Francis Coppola
Varietal: Pinot Blanc Blend
Designation: Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs
Vineyard: N/A
Country: USA
Region: California
SubRegion: Central Coast
Appellation: Monterey County

Tasting Notes
A pale straw in color. Not much of a nose, or at least nothing really out of the ordinary for a blanc de blancs sparkling wine. Lots of acidity in the form for green apple, balanced with a slight sweetness and a dry grassy yeast flavor. The effervescence was almost startling, accentuated by the straw. The bubbles actually added some complexity to this wine as what you tasted bounced back and forth between the flavor profiles listed about. The finish skewed a little more towards the sweet end with a kind of peach/apri