CATTLE CALL

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★

Bar with dumplings and elevated late night bites

Perfect For: Casual Dining; Drinks; Date Night

Standout Dishes: Chicken Thigh Roulade; Morgan Ranch Short Rib; Pochinki

When the owners of Kathmandu Momo Station announced they were opening a bar that would serve late night food downtown, it was met with great excitement. Kathmandu’s plump, delightful dumplings have become beloved in Omaha, and the ability to get them in a different part of town (and late night) was an exciting proposition.

But while the momos are great at Cattle Call (located off 14th and Farnam), there’s a lot more than dumplings coming out of this kitchen. In addition to an impressive cocktail and wine lineup, Cattle Call is serving some of the best food in downtown Omaha.

Head chef Dom Gurciullo gained a wide variety of experiences working in some of Omaha’s best restaurants, including Dante and V. Mertz, and he and his team thoughtfully bring together cuisines from all across the globe.

“This is a place for everyone,” Dom said on the Restaurant Hoppen podcast. “We wanted to use world flavors and have these notes that remind you of something your parents or grandparents would make… When you get those flashback memories and you’re pulled into your grandma’s kitchen, it makes you feel comfortable and at home.”

The result is a fusion menu that blurs the line between Eastern and Western cuisines, but in a way that pays respect to both. For example, the Hope Ranch Mussels incorporate the momo pork sausage and Nepali tomato sauce, beautifully combining Nepalese and Italian flavors.

The Chicken Thigh Roulade (picture in the header photo) is another great example of cohesive fusion. The chicken is moist and juicy with a perfectly crispy exterior. It’s joined by an aloo chop, a Nepalese potato cake that’s essentially a puck of fried mashed potatoes, a smoked gouda mornay sauce, and kohlrabi kimchi. Flavors and techniques from Italy, Nepal, Korea, and France all come together beautifully in one dish.

You don’t need to understand the combination of cultures to enjoy this food, however. The fish in the Morro Bay Black Cod combines a flaky flesh with a crispy exterior, and the calabrian puree brings a nice heat that slowly creeps up as you devour the fish, chickpeas, and fresh vegetables. The Morgan Ranch Short Rib is so buttery tender it practically melts on your tongue, and Cattle Call pairs it with a creamy, smooth risotto that still allows each grain of rice to have a slight bite. The rich, deep beef jus ties it all together.

And if you want momos, Cattle Call has you covered there, too. You can get them stuffed with pork, chicken, or vegan filling, and they can be steamed or fried and paired with a variety of house sauces. These plump, tender parcels are a great snack to share among friends or have as a meal.

If you’re looking for a downtown Omaha spot to share several plates tapas-style, Cattle Call’s small plates menu is perfect. Options like the Longwalk Beets, which pairs wonderfully tender roasted beets and a creamy labneh, and the Crudo, with its cuts of silky salmon and an umami-forward miso creme fraiche, are perfect to split among a group, allowing you to explore more of the diverse menu.

While there are other bars around town that serve elevated food, few specialize in desserts as well. Cattle Call may as well has a full-time pastry chef in the kitchen. If all they served were Pochinki, a cinnamon sugar-dusted cross between a churro and a donut hole, that would be enough. The heavenly soft offerings are a perfect pairing for the luscious, bitter dark chocolate cremeux. But this kitchen is also cranking out a melt-in-your-mouth, sweet, vegetal Matcha Panna Cotta and a Puff Pastry with layer after layer of flaky goodness and an airy, sweet passion fruit diplomat cream crown.

Alongside Cattle Call’s terrific menu is a strong drink program, with craft cocktails, draft beer, and dozens of wine offerings, which can also be ordered by the bottle for retail. The Old Fashioned is ridiculously smooth with just the right amount of smoky, bitter notes.

Whether you’re looking for a meal in downtown Omaha or some drinks before or after an event, Cattle Call’s dark, moody interior matches the occasion. The dining room is well spaced, and giant plate windows offer great downtown Omaha people watching. You can also watch your food be cooked thanks to Cattle Call’s open kitchen, which has chef Dom and his team’s hard work in full view.

Cattle Call is something completely unique to Omaha. It’s a bar with delicious cocktails, but it also has a kitchen putting together flavors and techniques you won’t find anywhere else. Oh, and the kitchen is open until midnight, providing late night bites beyond nachos or a sloppy burger.

By all means, you can come into Cattle Call and have a great time with just a plate of momos. But if you open your mind and explore this menu, you’re going to experience one of the more unique and delicious menus in Omaha.