12 Places Where You Should Go Eat in West Omaha

That's Annabel on her 1st birthday enjoying a bento box lunch at Maru

I've lived in Omaha for almost 5 years and often times I'll hear lifelong Omahans comment that they've never heard of a restaurant I mention. And it can be either a new place, an old one, a moderately priced restaurant or a dive.

When I moved here from New York City, I made it my mission to know Omaha inside and out. But like many who came from bigger cities, I really kept my knowledge to midtown and east. God forbid I go anyplace "out west" in the 'burbs.

But now that I live in "uncool" West Omaha, I've really found that there are great little places to go for a bite to eat that aren't necessarily chains (contrary to what midtowners and downtowners want to believe).

I've compiled a list of some great eats in Omaha -- most which are located in....yup, you guessed it, "uncool" West Omaha.

This is a list of unexpected places to go that are all west of 42nd Street...

French: Le Voltaire -- My husband is taken to this restaurant every year on his birthday. The last time we were there, we looked at each other and thought, "Why do we come here only on special occasions?" The prices are reasonable enough -- depending on what you order -- and you'll definitely be treated to one the best meals you can get in Omaha for any night of the week. Their specials are wonderful, although definitely more pricey.

Italian: Pasta Amore -- I have yet to find a true Northern Italian restaurant in Omaha. But if you want dependable Italian cuisine with a Southern bent, I recommend this place located in Rockbrook Village around 108th Street. Try their penne a la vodka or get any of their veal or chicken specialties.

Japanese: Sushi Japan -- Try to get a sushi bar seat and enjoy their omakase menu. I really like the sushi chefs there and they do sashimi and sushi very well. If you sit in the dining room, look at their specials and get something truly fresh and delicious. This is located out west too around 141st Street.

American: J. Coco -- I'm a big fan already of this new spot in Omaha. It has an edited menu with special dishes to cater to many appetites. Everything from bouillabaisse to osso bucco to wagyu steak. It's a jewel box of a restaurant, so you'll want to make reservations for sure. Or sit at the bar and wait for your table with a craft cocktail from Chris Engles, their bartender extraordinaire. Located in the old Wohler's building on Leavenworth around 52nd Street.

Korean: Maru -- At the very least, you can tell everyone you went to Omaha and had Korean food. People will raise their eyebrows thinking, HUH? For Korean novices, get a seafood pancake and pan fried dumplings to start. Kalbi is a must and the dolsot bibimpop is to-die-for good. Be sure to scrape all the crunchy bits of rice and savor all the yumminess. Maru is located south around 108th Street.

Mexican: Rivera's -- I cannot believe there are people in Omaha who have never eaten here! Rivera's is better than any other Mexican food I've had in NYC including Rosa Mexicano and the like. Their Sparky's nachos are unlike anything I've ever had and are so incredibly flavorful and spicy! And you cannot go wrong with their chicken mole enchiladas. Seriously good stuff. Rivera's is located around 120th Street and Blondo.

Asian Fusion: Hiro -- We had our rehearsal/out-of-towners dinner here and there isn't anything on the menu that does not please and delight. Start with the Asian short ribs, gyoza and avocado spring rolls and choose either the salmon plank, miso cod, peanut butter chicken or Mongolian beef for your entrée. And don't miss their crazy delicious gooey chocolate cake! Hiro is located near Eagle Run, off Maple and 129th Street.

Indian: Tanduri Fusion -- My love of Indian food goes way back to when I first moved to New York City in the early '90s. Tanduri Fusion hits the spot like no other place in Omaha for Indian food. It's another restaurant located way out in West Omaha and people just don't know about it enough. There may be better looking places or more "hole in the wall" joints, but this place can't be beat in my opinion. I love some of their special lamb dishes like safed maas and their chicken makhani or korma are some of my favorite dishes. Tanduri Fusion is located around 175th and Center.

Homecooking: Heartland Café -- It's located way, way out west, technically in Elkhorn. But it has a seriously amazing buffet brunch that is hard to beat. We had our out-of-towners' brunch here for our wedding and guests from California to Maryland to New York were delighted with the chicken fried steak, perfect pancakes, crispy bacon, made-to-order omelettes and mini cinnamon buns among other offerings.

Belgian/Brasserie: Dario's -- In my opinion, they have the best brunch menu in Omaha. I love the variety of items including sweet and savory crêpes, quiches, salads and Belgian specials like mussels and frites. A delicious cocktail menu includes one of my favorites, "the Cocktail Aux Lillet, a classic spritzer turned head over heels in love with classic Elderflower Liquor." They have an amazing dinner menu as well, and you don't want to miss the frites with their special aioli. Dario's is located in the heart of Dundee at Underwood and 49th.

Gastropub: Lot 2 -- This newest addition to the Omaha foodscape scene is a well-needed and modern one. We love the look of the place and the food is great to boot. The brunch menu offers everything from croque madames and eggs benedict to ramen. Bloody Marys and a High Life are served post-noon for those who are looking to nurse their hangovers. Dinner service has an eclectic array of dishes ranging from bangers and mash to special fish entrées. Lot 2 is located in Benson on Maple around 62nd Street.

Chinese: New Gold Mountain -- If you want to have dim sum, this is the place to go. There aren't the traditional carts of food going around the room but it's a Chinese-owned joint that has mostly Asian clientele. My usual order includes Singapore noodles, shrimp dumplings, roasted pork, BBQ pork buns, lotus leaf wrapped rice, turnip cake, 1/2 order Peking Duck. And if you want Vietnamese, they serve a mean pho. This is also the place to get traditional Chinese dishes like moo shu pork, General Tso's chicken and a Szechuan shredded beef. New Gold Mountain is off 156th Street, north of Maple.

The BEST Bets in Omaha During Berkshire Hathaway Meeting 2012: Part Two

Hands down, the best steak in Omaha.

I came across this article about "What To Do In Omaha When You Need A Break From Next Week's Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meeting" in the Business Insider and as a former editor, I can't help but say I'm a tad disappointed with their picks.

Gorat's? Again? Really?

And including Berkshire Hathaway-owned Borsheim's really doesn't actually "give you a break" from the shareholder meeting when you're basically doing BRK stuff.

The Business Insider's Things to Do and See list isn't terrible but here are Trocadero's ideas when it comes to eating, recreational play and shopping. You'll see their options in red, and we've gone ahead and listed our counterpoints in blue.

So without further adieu, here are our counter-suggestions of what to do in Omaha when you need a break from this week's Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meeting:

1. Don't eat a steak at Warren Buffett's supposedly favorite steakhouse Gorat's. Instead, get an amazingly delicious Omaha-legendary "Whiskey marinaded" steak at the Drover (pictured above). You won't be disappointed.

Kara by Kara Ross drusy chandelier earrings at Trocadero

2. Don't buy a pair of earrings at Borsheim's, the jewelry store owned by BRK. Instead, get a pair of drusy earrings from Kara by Kara Ross at Trocadero, a boutique owned by the former Accessories Director of In Style.

3. Don't hit the links at Indian Creek Golf Course. Instead, hit the links at Elmwood Park, an easy 18 hole course that is a stone's throw (ok, more than a real stone's throw) away from Warren Buffett's house.


4. Don't check into the Hilton Omaha downtown where the conference is. Instead, check out and check into the Westin Group's Element Hotel, an-eco-friendly and modern option. 

The Boiler Room in Omaha

5. Don't eat beef stuffed pasta at the greenest restaurant in America, The Grey Plume. Instead, dine at one of the best restaurants in Omaha, The Boiler Room, or the newest, J. Coco. 


6. Don't pay homage to the oracle of Omaha's longtime home (that's creepy!). Instead, drive by the Omaha Community Playhouse, the theater home of Omaha natives Henry Fonda and Marlon Brando, and coincidentally see the current production of A Streetcar Named Desire.


7. Don't sample local microbrews at Upstream Brewing Company. Instead enjoy craft cocktails, bloody marys  and an amazing list of draught beers at Krug Park.


8. Don't visit the General Crook House Museum, a truly historical bizarre monument. Instead, well, actually I think this sounds pretty awesome! Never heard of it and love that it's something different. Go for it!

What's more Americana than Omaha and a baseball game?

9. Don't catch a baseball game at Werner Park and receive your own Warren Buffett bobblehead. Instead, I cannot really complain about this one either. Go get tickets to this Triple-A league because Omaha, baseball and Warren Buffett is as all American as you can get -- a true triple threat!









10. Don't play a hand of Buffett's favorite game at the Omaha Bridge Studio. Instead, head across state lines to Council Bluffs, Iowa and go play some Texas Hold 'Em at the Horseshoe. (I can't resist, as I'm an ex-poker player myself.)


11. Don't see the fastest jet-powered aircraft in the world and other awesome planes at the Strategic Air & Space Museum. Instead, see some of the fastest moving fish at the newly renovated and reopened aquarium at the Henry Doorly Zoo.






source: The Drover

source: The Boiler Room

source: Omaha Storm Chasers logo

Overnight Luxury

I am all about adding bits of luxury into one's everyday life, so the news of Omaha's first and only luxury boutique hotel is all I have been able to think about lately. Hotel Deco XV opened its doors at 15th and Harney on May 20th. The 89 room development prides itself on high standards and elegant modern style for "the most discerning of guests".

With such amenities as in-room massage services, 37-inch flat screen HD televisions in each room, complimentary shoe shine service and indoor valet parking, and rooms complete with iPod docking stations as well as iPad rental, Hotel Deco is sure to become a relaxing getaway for in and out of towners alike. The rooms and suites are finished with a clean design. Plush beds adorned with fine linens are tucked away in each room-complete with hardwood floors, custom Belgium wallpaper, Italian bath tile and spa-inspired shower panels.

The building (formerly the Redick Hotel), was originally built in 1930 as an office building with interior parking and later converted to a full service hotel in 1989. In 2010, under new ownership, upgrades and renovations began, and now Hotel Deco XV is among those in the Preferred Hotel Group's collection of 650 worldwide luxe properties.

The hotel also houses Encore, described as "the heartbeat of the hotel", an in-house lounge with a focus on classic handcrafted cocktails. Local Chef Ryan Gish, of West Omaha's Ryan's Bistro, was enlisted to head The Zin Room an on-location dining site. The two-story, Americana Fusion restaurant is also open to the public. The menu features tasty morsels like stuffed dates, gouda chicken mac and cheese, mango shrimp, and Chilean sea bass.

Fine linens, good design, superb service, and delectable food. What more could you ask for? With a build-up this good, hopefully it will not disappoint. Check out what all the talk is about at Hotel Deco's Grand Opening Gala on Saturday, June 11, 7PM.


Photosource: Hotel Deco
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Hotel Deco XV
1504 Harney Street Omaha, Nebraska 68102
402.991.4981 (t)
402.991.4982 (f)
Hoteldecoomaha.com

Omaha in the air...

Last week with all the Berkies in town, the CNN crew came with the rest of the world's media to cover the annual event. But this year, the CNN team wanted to do a little B-roll coverage about Omaha and its relatively stable economic position in the U.S. during this whole recession. I was lucky to be a part of the video package in part because I happen to know the CNN photojournalist whose mom is a good friend of mine back from my New York fashion days and more appropriately a native Nebraskan herself! Walter Imparato enlisted me to help with doing this piece on Omaha to talk about why I chose to leave NYC to open my boutique in Omaha and what it's been like basically opening in the middle of a recession and staying in business throughout the rough economic downturn. Additionally I was asked to help come up with a business that has been around for many years for them to interview and speak about their ideas of why Omaha has retained so much of its wealth and high economic and low unemployment numbers. I instantly thought of a couple businesses in the Old Market and the one that they chose was Ron Samuelson's M's Pub and Vivace restaurants. I'm so proud to have been able to be a part of this CNN video because it really hits home the core reason of why I came to Omaha and why I continue to love about being here. The piece aired live on CNN all day yesterday and today as well and was on CNN International. It's also available online here.

One lesson learned from this was about how life is about the relationships you make, the ones you continue to nourish and the networking that you can apply to connect those all around you. I try and teach this to my interns both past and present as they venture to look for jobs outside Omaha and within it too. I'm glad I've been able to use my past experiences as a journalist to connect and be part of this story and also include new relationships that I value in the new home that I have made for myself.

Speaking of Omaha, Southwest Airlines' Spirit Magazine did their city profile on Omaha this month. It's a great little feature story on all the aspects of why Omaha continues to thrive and prosper. It covers the arts, the education, the business, the sports and the recreational high points and we're really thrilled again that our city is being highlighted on a national and international level.