BRINGING OMAHA TOGETHER OVER BURGERS
Recapping the First Omaha Burger Battle
Five sliders in, our group was just about ready to throw in the towel.
To that point, we’d consumed over 14 ounces of meat, not to mention buns, veggies, and condiments. We’d baked for three hours in 90 degree heat and that beloved Nebraska humidity.
But we picked our calorie-laden bodies off the bench and got in line for the final station. Part of it was pride; part was stubbornness (we’d come this far!). But mostly, we were having too good of a time to leave.
Such was the brilliance of the first Omaha Burger Battle, staged at Stinson Park in Aksarben Village on May 28, 2022. Six restaurants/concepts were invited to create sliders, and attendees voted for their favorites after consuming each.
With live music, yards games, and coolers stocked with plenty of water and adult beverages, this would’ve been a fun party even if burgers hadn’t been present.
But it was the beef that brought everyone together, and the flavors didn’t disappoint. While four of the six sliders stood out above the others, they were all very good. But my favorite part was how they each seemed to have a unique backstory.
When this event was first announced, I expected Omaha’s well-known burger behemoths to be included: Block 16, Dario’s Brasserie, Charred Burger + Bar, Nite Owl, and the like. But this event created an opportunity for some great establishments to introduce Omaha to their burger-making prowess maybe the first time:
- The Double Cheeseburger at Fizzy’s Fountain & Liquors is one of my favorite burgers in the city. But given that Fizzy’s opened just days before the COVID shutdown in 2019, many diners are still unfamiliar with this beauty. After getting a taste of the buttery, dijoinaise-topped, American cheese-draped slider, I’m guessing burger sales are about to skyrocket at this soda fountain/ice cream parlor for adults.
- Wonton Jon’s has become a well-known food truck, but this event let Jon Stastny stretch his wings further. His Certified Piedmontese/chorizo patty was the best of the day, and he slid these pucks of spicy, savory goodness into his signature baked wonton shells for the most unique presentation.
- Barchen Beer Garden, a bar best known for its gorgeous patio and roster of German brews, got to show it makes a darn good burger, too.
But the best example of the burger battle’s power of exposure was The 4th Station, a pop-up that began operating at nights at Dandelion Pop-Up in May. Owner Nicholas Joubert, a cook at Block 16, hopes to someday have his own establishment. This was a chance to get his food out of front of a new audience, and did he ever make an impression.
The slider version of his Big Kahuna burger, with smash patties, melted American cheese, and a tangy Big Kahuna sauce, was a big hit, and that’s what made the Omaha Burger Battle special. I’d bet that maybe 10% of the attendees had heard of The 4th Station coming into the event. It provided a deserving entrepreneur a stage and a spotlight to show what he can do, and I’d imagine his business is going to pick up in the coming weeks (he’ll certainly be seeing me at some point).
Omaha Burger Battle accomplished another important achievement; it created community and brought people together. Events like this evaporated during the COVID era, and it was wonderful to simply be around a lot of people in a festival setting once again. I got the chance to meet several foodies I’d interacted with on social media for years for the first time in person at this event. That’s special.
Burgers brought us together.
Even our group of five people bonded at this event. My wife and I invited another couple and a friend who didn’t know one another, yet by the end thy were chumming it up like old acquaintances.
I think that’s why we picked ourselves off that bench, loosened our belt buckles a notch, and got in line for slider No. 6. Sure, we wanted a few more bites of delicious beef. But mostly we wanted to savor time together, in a community with other food lovers. How many chances do you get to do that?
Barchen ultimately took home the victory, with Wonton Jon’s and Fizzy’s finished a close second and third. But to me, the real winner was Omaha’s food community. Not only did this event create a great space for us to gather and share in a unique experience, but it also opened our eyes to new restaurants and concepts we’ll certainly visit in the future.
I don’t care about the calories I consumed. I’m already looking to the Omaha Burger Battle 2023.