Each year, I think it’s important to look back and take stock of the blessings in our lives.
What professional advancements did you make? How did you improve as a person? Did you accomplish your goals?
And most importantly, what were the best things you ate this year?
(I’m only joking.)
(Sort of.)
While food should probably not be at the top of your 2019 evaluation, it’s fun to examine what the past 365 days brought to the table. For me, it was a host of delicious meals, this website, awesome interactions with hungry readers, and a new podcast. What more could a guy ask for?
Here’s the best (and worst) of what 2019 delivered to me from a food perspective.
Best Meal: Sushi & Sashimi for Two (Umami Asian Cuisine)
I’m a huge sushi fan, and people have been telling me to get out for Umami for months. This experience should’ve happened far sooner, but I’m a lazy Omahan who didn’t want to make the arduous (heavy sarcasm font) trip out to Bellevue.
How dumb I was.
I traveled 25 minutes for this meal. I’d travel 3 hours to have it again, if that’s what it took.
The presentation of Sushi & Sashimi for Two is just beautiful, and the flavors are so fresh. You’d never expect tuna, salmon, and yellowtail (just to name a few) to taste fresh in the middle of the country, but they do here. The sushi is the best I’ve had in Omaha, as the rolls are tightly packed and bursting with flavor.
But the real joy lies in the sashimi, which are chosen daily by the chef’s based on what’s most fresh. This is just a fun, inventive, diverse plate that few restaurants in Nebraska can top.
Runners-up: Smokin Barrel; Au Courant
Best Single Dish: Poutine Burrito (Block 16)
Let me start this review by listing all the things I didn’t like about the Poutine Burrito.
Ummmm….
No, just wait, I’ll come up with something…
Racking my brain…
Nope, I got nothing.
This is my single favorite food item in Nebraska. I love everything at Block 16, but this stands just a tad taller than the rest of the menu.
Stop me at the ingredient that doesn’t sound amazing:
- Shaved steak
- Cheese curds
- Tater tots
- Gravy
- Malt vinegar aioli
*twittles thumbs while waiting*
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
This burrito is everything that’s right with cuisine. It’s inventive, adventurous, and beyond delicious. The steak is phenomenal on its own, and it plays so well with the creaminess of the curds, the saltiness and crunchy texture of the tater tots, and the unctuous gravy. It’s packaged in a tightly-wrapped tortilla and finished on the grill to trap all the deliciousness.
One of my biggest regrets of 2019 is not ordering this in the first 29 years of my life. It’s that good.
Runners-up: Brisket (Smokin Barrel); Squid Ink Pappardelle Pasta with Jumbo Shrimp and Crab (Au Courant); Burnt Ends Pizza (Copps Pizza Company); Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (Barchen Beer Garden)
Weirdest Item Tried: Modern Cheeseburger (Modern Love)
When I use the word “weird” in this case, it’s not meant in a bad way. Modern Love‘s meatless take on the cheeseburger is weird because it shocked me how close it was to the original product, and how much I enjoyed it.
The Modern Cheeseburger‘s patty is made of seitan, not beef, but the texture is shockingly similar. It has a hearty meatiness that plays with the brain a bit. The flavor isn’t quite on par with a normal cheeseburger, but it’s not too far off. The seasoning is great, but it just needs that hit of fat and grease that beef provides.
I also have to give some love to the cashew cheese, which admittedly sounds very suspect. Yet I found myself dipping fries in it again and again and again. It’s a viscous sauce, more like queso, but the flavor is pretty accurate.
Honorable mention: Escargot (Jamaican resort during honeymoon); Monkfish Liver (Umami Asian Cuisine); Wagyu Tartare (Dario’s Brasserie)
Best New Restaurant: Copps Pizza Company
Copps Pizza Company didn’t arrive until the fall of 2019, but it immediately made its mark. The restaurant’s calling card is its cream cheese sauce, which is delicious. While I initially worried the cheese would overwhelm the other flavors, it actually works very well and just adds a pleasant creaminess.
But what really put Copps on the map was its Burnt Ends Pizza, which became one of my favorite slices in Omaha the minute it hit my taste buds. The burnt ends add a touch of smokiness and fattiness, and the sweet BBQ sauce drizzle plays so well with them.
Don’t get me wrong—the other pizzas here are fantastic as well, as are the enormous wings and decadent desserts. But no visit to Copps is complete without at least a bite of this pie.
Honorable Mention: Porky Butts BBQ; Forno; The Sojourn Cafe; Krab Kingz
Worst Customer Service
I’m not one to publicly shame restaurants, so I’m not going to name the offender here. But I will say my wife and I have not been back to this establishment, and there’s a reason.
The poor experience stemmed from a simple misunderstanding. We arrived at this restaurant during happy hour, though only certain drinks were discounted. My wife decided on a Moscow Mule and specifically asked our server if the one she was looking at was included in the happy hour prices. Our server confirmed this, chopping the drink’s price in half.
Or so we thought.
When the bill arrived, we realized we’d been charged full price. I brought it up to our waiter (who had been very friendly throughout the whole meal), and she cheerfully agreed to change the price.
But after going to reprint the ticket, she returned to inform us that she could not give us the happy hour price because the Moscow Mule wasn’t part of the special. When my wife and I tried to point out that the server had specifically told us it was included, she not only denied doing so, but blamed us for ordering poorly.
In the end, it wasn’t the mix-up that bothered us. We paid $9 for a drink we thought was $4.50—not great, but it’s not exactly breaking the bank. But the fact that the restaurant chose that extra $4.50 over providing a good customer experience, along with the server’s accusing attitude, left a bad taste in our mouths.
Coolest Restaurant Happening: Muchachos Becomes a Full-Time Food Truck
I truly admire Nick Maestas’ ambition and bravery.
He’s been operating the Muchachos food truck, a wonderful mash-up of BBQ and New Mexican cuisine, since 2016 as a side hustle, something he did on nights and the weekends. But in mid-2019, Maestas took the plunge, quit his job, and committed to operating the truck full-time.
So far, the bold decision has paid off handsomely. The truck, which serves brisket and pulled pork tacos, hatch chile mac & cheese, and breakfast tacos, has been a huge success in Lincoln. In addition to feeding hungry patrons in the Haymarket, Muchachos had catered weddings, rehearsal dinners, and other events. Maestas’ creativity and passion have caught the eye (and taste buds) of Nebraskans, and our state is better for it.
Maestas has big plans for the future of Muchachos (including a potential second truck in Omaha!), and I’m all for it. Here’s to more success for this awesome food truck and its brave owner moving forward.
Saddest Restaurant Happening: Lippy's BBQ Closes
I will never forget the day Lippy’s BBQ announced it was shutting its doors. This gem in tiny Malcolm, Nebraska (only about 10 minutes outside of Lincoln) had become my spot over the years. I’d taken countless people there, none of which had 1) previously heard of it and 2) had a bad word to say about it. I could write songs about the wondrous ribs and cake-like cornbread.
I became a regular at Lippy’s, that customer that the owners didn’t even have to ask my order (half rack of ribs and cornbread, please and thank you). I grew close with the owners/chefs and developed real bonds.
But then the main owner ran into some health problems, and the restaurant struggled to adjust with his absence. He’s committed to reopening the restaurant—albeit in a different location—and if he does, I’ll be the first customer in line.
But more importantly, I hope he gets his health in order. That’s priority No. 1. As much as I love Lippy’s, I want the owner to get well. If he’s not able to open Lippy’s again, I’ll be sad, but I get it.
Either way, I’ll always dream of the meaty spare ribs and good times. RIP, Lippy’s (though, fingers crossed, not for forever).
Honorable mention: Closings of Petrow’s and Amato’s
Largest Restaurant Ranking Change: Charred Burger + Bar
As I revisit restaurants and have new experiences, they can move up and down the ratings scale. I’d had Charred a few times previously and enjoyed it, but its rating of 7.7 nestled it in the “pretty darn good, but not must try” category for me.
Then good friend and burger expert Mike Schaefer came on my podcast and said Charred was his current favorite burger in Nebraska. That caught my attention, and I knew a return visit was in order.
And my eyes were opened.
Previously, I don’t think I fully appreciated the use of Wagyu beef, a highly-marbled blend that has quickly gained popularity in recent years. I quickly realized why: the extra marbling (aka extra fat) makes the patties juicer, more tender, and more flavorful. I fell in love the moment I sank my teeth into the restaurant’s signature Charred Burger, complete with a healthy dose of bacon and balsamic tomato jam. This experience was excellent in every way and made me, like Mike, an advocate for Charred.
The Wagyu beef, combined with Charred’s fun, wide-ranging menu options, bumped its score up to 8.7, a massive but well-deserved jump.
Honorable mention: Porky Butts BBQ; Barchen Beer Garden; Blatt Beer and Table
There you have it, folks—my 2019 Nebraska restaurant superlatives. As many new places as I tried this year, there are so many more I cannot wait to sink my teeth into.
Thank you all so much for reading and/or listening to the pod. Ultimately, this website is for you, dear readers. I just want to help you find the best meals in Omaha, and if it’s helped you out at all this year, mission accomplished.
Here’s to more happy eating in 2020!