Sometimes a dish just flat out speaks your language.
From the first bite, you know it’s something special. You discover each flavors with each chew as you try to balance your urge to wolf down the entire meal at once with your desire to make it last as long as possible.
That’s what this dish seeks to highlight. These are not the best restaurants in Omaha (those can be found here). These are dishes that stood out to me for their uniqueness, relevance to the city’s history, and, most of all, flavor.
1. Poutine Burrito
Block 16
I guarantee that, unless you’ve had this specific burrito, you’ve never had anything like this burrito.
And I highly recommend changing that.
The concept is wild, as Block 16’s mad scientist chefs wrap shaved steak, tater tots, cheese curds, brown gravy, and malt vinegar aioli in a tortilla, then finish it on the flattop.
It’s so crazy, but it works to perfection. The steak is the star, tender and lean, and the burrito is stuffed with it. The tater tots add a steak-and-potatoes vibe to the dish, only they bring a little extra crunch. The cheese curds provide creaminess and result in gorgeous, picture-esque cheese pulls, and the salty gravy holds everything together.
This sounds like too much, I know. It seems like it shouldn’t work.
Just trust me. It works.
2. Croque Garcon
Block 16
We’re going right back to Block 16, because I love it and it’s amazing.
In an age of tricked out burgers with loads of crazy ingredients, Block 16‘s Croque Garcon shines because of its simplicity. It’s just some ham and a sunny-side egg atop a burger patty. Nothing too wild, right?
But the flavors just work brilliantly together. The 1/3-lb. locally-sourced patty is delicious on its own, and it gets a nice punch of salt from the ham. The yolk from the egg adds creaminess to every bite and softens up the large ciabatta bun, while the scant amounts of mustard and truffle mayo add just the right amount of tang. There are a lot of flavors going on, but they’re all so well balanced. This burger is pretty close to Heaven on a bun.
3. Aburi Wagyu
Yoshitomo
The flavor of this dish assaults your tastebuds (in a good way!) Yoshitomo is known for its unique, carefully thought-out flavors, and this dish is the best example. The dish’s three layers just work so well together: the bed of tender rice brings the starch, the wagyu beef is slightly sweet and adds a touch of bitterness from its sear on the grill, and the uni butter infuses the entire bite with a fattiness.
There are few bites of food I’d pay more than $6 for. This is one I’d be happy to do so. It’s just phenomenal.
4. Brisket
Smokin Barrel BBQ
In a general sense, I judge barbecue restaurants in Nebraska on a different scale from the places I’ve tried in Texas and Kansas City. The meat may be quite good, but I rarely expect to find something as tasty as is offered in those barbecue hotbeds.
Smokin Barrel‘s brisket comes pretty darn close. That may be because the owner honed his craft in Texas and uses the same wood he did when he lived there. The thick-sliced pieces are a bit on the fatty side, but the juice infuses the meat with flavor. Every bit is delicious, but those with the smoky, salty bark are truly a treat.
5. Short Rib
Dario’s Brasserie
Few things are as American as meat and potatoes, making a bit ironic that my favorite version of the dish in Nebraska is found in a French restaurant. But the short ribs at Dario’s Brasserie will make you forget other meats. The consistency is perfect: tender enough to easily slice, yet solid enough to provide some chew without just dissolving in your mouth. The red wine veal jus adds a touch of sweetness and acid, ensuring the meat remains moist.
Though the short rib meat is brilliant on its own, it climbs another level when combined with a bite of the pommes puree, a creamier, more buttery version of traditional mashed potatoes. They’re somehow rich and airy at the same time, and they tie everything together. Even the sauteed vegetables, normally just a colorful garnish in a dish like this, are tasty.
6. Pepperoni Pepperoni Pepperoni Pizza
Virtuoso Pizzera
The normal pepperoni slice at Virtuoso Pizzeria is amazing, as the tiny pepperonis curl up into crispy bowls during the cooking process. But this specialty slice takes things to a whole new level.
Virtuoso employs the tiny cups, normal pepperoni discs, and elongated cuts, ensuring every bite contains an epic amount of pepperoni. The slice also receives a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey for just a touch of heat and some sweetness.
Every component you want is present: spice from the honey; saltiness from the pepperoni; sweet from the sauce and the honey. It’s just absolutely brilliant in every way. The only problem with this slice of pizza is the overwhelming sadness that consumes you when it’s gone.
7. The Whole Bird
Kitchen Table
This is the perfect chicken sandwich.
That might seem like a heavy claim, but once you sink your teeth into this masterpiece, you’ll understand.
Kitchen Table is masterful with both its use of local ingredients and its creativity, and both are on full display in the restaurant’s signature item. Chicken is utilized in four different ways: an incredibly juicy breast, a thigh confit salad, crispy fried skin, and a fried egg.
The ensemble plays together like a symphony, each element adding a unique flavor and texture. Everything at Kitchen Table is fantastic, but this sandwich truly takes the cake.
8. Burnt Ends
Porky Butts BBQ
Flavorful. Fatty. Succulent. Tender. Gorgeous.
The only complaint I have with Porky Butts BBQ‘s burnt ends is the extra time they make me spend on the elliptical.
But every minute is worth it for these little bites of Heaven. Porky Butts uses Wagyu beef for its brisket, a highly marbled beef that basically bastes itself during the smoking process. It results in incredibly tender burnt ends, which receive a wonderful bark from the extra cooking. These are the best burnt ends I’ve had outside of Kansas City and are alone worth a visit to Porky Butts.
9. Wagyu Burger
J Coco
We touched on the beauty of simplicity in the Croque Garcon, and that theme is carried out even further on J Coco‘s Wagyu Burger. It has just one ingredient listed other than the patty: special sauce.
No, seriously. That’s it.
There are many different add-ons available for 50 cents apiece, but you’re best-served keeping it simple. The patty is crafted with Wagyu beef, a highly-marbled cut taken from a Japanese cattle breed. It’s well-known as being a higher standard, as it retains the delicious, fatty flavor of beef without descending into a greasy mess. The special sauce is similar to a chipotle mayo, adding a creamy, slightly spicy element that works really well with the brioche bun.
If you want to customize, I highly recommend adding bacon. J Coco heaps several crispy, greasy strips atop the patty, and it’s seriously some of the best bacon I’ve had on a burger. If you’re a fan of avocado, adding it is well worth your 50 cents, as J Coco throws about half of the creamy fruit on top. But even with no toppings, this burger is a masterpiece.
10. California Burrito
Burrito Envy
We all agree tater tots are delicious, right? The crispy texture provides a nice crunchy bite, and each bite brings a salty punch.
So… why aren’t we putting tater tots in more traditional dishes?
This is the question Burrito Envy asks with its California Burrito. The crispy tots bring a nice texture contrast to the flour tortilla, which is finished on the flattop and adequately contains the precious innards from spilling everywhere. The carne asada is both flavorful and tender, the guac is a creamy coolant, and the Envy sauce adds just the right amount of heat. Everything about this burrito is great, but the tots are really what makes it special.
11. Bang Bang Shrimp
Bonefish Grill
I hate to include a chain restaurant on this list, but Bonefish Grill forced my hand. The Bang Bang Shrimp are seriously that good.
Seriously, just glance around at your next visit. I can almost guarantee that nearly every table will have this appetizer.
These healthy-sized shrimp are coated in a light, flaky batter and tossed in a creamy sauce that delivers just a bit more heat than sweet. The shrimp by themselves are plump and tender, and the the tempura batter makes its presence known without being heavy-handed. If you’re not careful, you’ll ingest 15 of these delicious crustaceans before the entrees arrive.
12. Bacon & Gouda Pizza
Tasty Pizza
There’s a good chance you’ve never even heard of Tasty Pizza, much less tried it.
This pizza alone should make you change your mind.
Small and humble as the restaurant is, it’s personal-sized pies are absolutely delicious. The dough has a nice chew and develops some charred spots on the crust as it moves through Tasty Pizza’s conveyer-belt oven. The mild, slightly sweet taste of the gouda plays perfectly with the salty, plentiful bacon, while red onions add a nice bite.
13. Big Daddy Chocolate Cake
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
I’m not sure there are two better words to sum up this dessert other than “sinful” and “delicious.”
A chocolate lover’s dream, this behemoth is best shared amongst a small group. This dense, moist cake is roughly the size of an infant’s head, complete with chocolate icing, drizzle, and even chocolate shavings on the exterior to add some texture.
As if the chocolate avalanche isn’t enough, Firebirds pairs it with a creamy vanilla bean ice cream and a raspberry coulis on the side, allowing diners to add a little tang and tone down the chocolate if they please.
This cake is the thing of dreams, which is ironic, because it will either put you into a beautiful food coma or induce a bouncing-off-the-walls sugar rush.
14. Carnitas Puffy Taco
Maria’s
Maria’s isn’t the only Omaha restaurant serving puffy tacos, but no one does it as well as this Ralston institution. Maria’s deep fries flat-pressed balls of masa, which “puff” up a bit and produce both an airy texture and pleasant crunch. The restaurant somehow pulls this off without the shells becoming and oily, greasy mess, and they actually hold together quite well.
Of the proteins provided, none beat the carnitas. The marinated pork is juicy, succulent, and has just the right amount of salt. If you need an introduction to the puffy taco concept, you won’t find a better version in the Omaha area.
These are but a sampling of some of the best dishes Omaha has to offer. Let me know your favorites over email or by tweeting @danhoppen.