Twisted Cork Bistro

Twisted Cork Bistro

 www.twistedcorkbistro.com

10730 Pacific Street

(402) 932-1300

On a recent occasion generally celebrated as romantic, my beau took me to a charming little place called Twisted Cork Bistro.  I do mean little- they couldn’t have had more than a dozen tables.  I do mean charming- the staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the owner checked on all the tables and bussed them himself.

Living in the Midwest, I have lamented before about being able to find decent seafood.  TCB focuses on local food, but their Seattle influence is obvious.  The menu is concise and 70% seafood.  Plus, I have to love a place where the wine list is longer than the menu.  (Don’t be intimidated by that.  The staff knows their stuff.  Get a recommendation.)

On this particular Hallmark Holiday night out my beau and I both ordered the Northwest Salad.  Pears are my favorite and I rarely pass up a chance to have a pear salad.  Mixed with pistachios, white cheddar, craisins and apple vinaigrette on a bed of mixed greens, the salad was a generous portion for a starter.  Thankfully, it was not overdressed.  Twisted Cork also offers a salad of greens, red onion, Kalamata Olives, goat cheese, and a basil balsamic vinaigrette or a choice of corn chowder, mulligatawny, or fire roasted tomato soup, all for $5. 

Reading over the entrées, the descriptions hint at not only the Pacific Northwest, but also the Pacific Islands.  There seems to be a bit of Hawaiian influence as well, evidenced by the use of macadamia nuts, coconut, mango, ginger and miso in some dishes.  I ordered the Shell Fish Duet: wild jumbo sea scallops & shrimp, mango-curry, coconut, cream, carrot, jasmine rice.  The seafood was well prepared and my first two scallops were perfect in doneness and texture.  My third scallop was slightly undercooked.  Surprisingly, the shrimp were just a bit overcooked, but I’m really nit-picking here.  They were plump and delicious.  They were generous with the mango and the curry provided a nice bite.  I wish there had been a little more of the curry to cut the sweetness of the dish but that didn’t stop me from gobbling it all up.  The scallops had a lovely sear and the rice had great texture.  Being able to execute a dish well is something I don’t take for granted.  The meal was wonderful. 

My beau ordered the Sockeye Salmon which came crusted with ginger and served over Jasmine Rice with corn, miso-sesame vinaigrette, and basil oil.  Again, the salmon was perfectly prepared, well seasoned and the flavors of the dish were balanced.  I enjoyed the combination of basil with ginger and miso flavors, something I wouldn’t have expected.

The dinner was really quite fantastic.  The entrées alone would have been enough to recommend this restaurant.  Then, we had dessert.  The balance of ingredients, bursts of flavor and just overall experience was even better than the meals.  It has been some time since I’ve had a dessert that good.  I ordered the spice cake.  I am not afraid of strong flavors and you shouldn’t be either if you order this.  It was strongly spiced and topped with candied ginger.  It was fantastic.  And when paired with the rich vanilla ice cream topped with orange zest… even better!  The rest of the world ceased to exist while I ate that cake.  When I came to, and remembered I had a boyfriend sitting across from me, I tasted his chocolate cheesecake sitting on a pool of ganache and topped with sugared raspberries.  Pretty freaking good also.

If you are a fan of seafood and interesting flavor combinations, make a reservation for the little restaurant right away.  If you prefer beef, they serve a couple beef and chicken entrées, not the least of which is the Twisted Cork Burger, chosen by Food Network Magazine as the #1 Burger in Nebraska for their 50 States, 50 Burgers selection. 

McFoster's

McFoster’s Natural Kind Café

www.mcfosters.com

302 S. 38^th St.

Omaha, NE  68131

(402) 345-7477

My return to blogging is with a farewell* to an Omaha gem.  McFoster’s is unique in Omaha from its décor to its food.  The exterior is sort of miniature Swiss Chalet while the interior is peppered with Jerry Garcia memorabilia.  The booths are cracked and the tables are worn, but you are always welcomed with open arms and made to feel right at home.  Every time I visited, I felt it was a place I could simply relax and enjoy a good meal.  That sounds simple, but oddly, an experience that isn’t often the case at many restaurants.  The clientele was diverse, encompassing college students, health conscious yuppies, new granolas, some original flower children, and everyone in between.  I could never be certain who my dining companions might be.  Sadly, on too many occasions, there would be only one or two tables in use.  Probably part of the reason they will be closing the end of this month.

This was not the case on my last visit.  Every table was full, perhaps of people looking to get one last meal at this joint.  The food of course is the draw.  McFoster’s puts its own spin on favorite dishes.  Everything had a little tweak.  Fries?  How about sweet potato fries.  You want ketchup with that?  How about Banana Ketchup?  The food is primarily vegetarian with a few free-range chicken and fresh seafood dishes.  The sautéed Brussels Sprouts are a top seller and one of my beau’s favorites.  Ordinarily I order a salad topped with items you don’t find at a typical salad bar, and much more delicious for it.  On this occasion however, I wanted all-American, McFoster’s style.  I had the “BLT” with Sour Cream and Chive Fries alongside a Date Shake.  The McFoster’s BLT is the exact way I want a BLT.  The tempeh bacon is smoky and crisp and there is plenty of it.  The tomato and lettuce are crisp and in perfect proportion.  The slightly sweet and nutty bread is generously spread with veganaise.  I could eat a dozen of these sandwiches.  My sour cream and chive fries were the best I’ve had at McFoster’s.  They were hot and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, just the way a fry should be.  My beverage was one of the best shakes I’ve ever had and it wasn’t even a shake.  Of course, I love dates so I couldn’t really go wrong with this.  Blended with frozen bananas and cocoa almond milk, it was a fantastic treat. 

I will very much miss McFosters but I am glad I was able to have such a delicious farewell meal there. 

*McFoster's is hosting a fundraiser dinner Sunday, Feb. 26th to try to stay in business.  I am hoping for the best.

Mark's in Dundee

My return to blogging coincides with a return to Mark’s Bistro.  This summer, Mark’s had a change in Head Chef and I was interested to see what changes he has made and how he has made his stamp on the menu.

The first thing I noticed was how much smaller the new menu is.  Many of the favorites that regular customers expect from Mark’s are still there, including their signature dish: Macaroni and Cheese, with or without embellishments.  The embellishments on this particular visit were nothing to get too excited about. 

The new chef has added a handful of new dishes, one of which we tried for our appetizer.  The Roasted Brussels Sprouts caught our eye and I am glad we tried it.  The sprouts were well prepared with just the right amount of tenderness.  The combination of honey and the mustard “aioli” were a perfect contrast.  The mustard had some eat behind it without the tang of vinegar.  This was perfect as the sprouts provided enough tanginess.  The sprouts were cooked with honey and it had a warmth and fullness behind it that made me think of maple syrup.  The dish also comes with bacon lardons which would give you the complete package of sweet and salty.  For crunch, torn croutons were tossed with the honey and Brussels Sprouts.  I could have devoured the whole plate. 

For our main entrees, my Beau and I ended up ordering dishes we have had at Mark’s on previous visits.  We found the Pad Thai and the Tempeh Reuben to be largely the same as before.  Gone, however, are the sweet potato waffle fries, replaced with roasted fingerling potatoes, served with a malt vinegar aioli.  I did not care for this mayonnaise mixture as the combination called out for another ingredient to tie it together.  The potatoes themselves were average.

We were uninspired by the dessert selections and chose not to order any this time.

Mark’s is still a lovely environment.  Our waitress was the worst of the lot that night as she didn’t even tell us about the specials and largely seemed uninterested in us.  The other wait staff were pleasant even as they struggled to remember all the details of the night’s specials.  The menu has room for improvement and I hope the new chef spreads his wings a bit as he does show promise.  At this point, Mark’s is not on my list of “Must Visits” but still is a good bet for a nice place to dine and watch Dundee.

Just as Important

Ingredient

www.ingredientrestaurant.com

3201 Farnam St., Omaha (402) 715-4444

As I have discussed before, the service at a restaurant is just as important as the quality of the food.  This point was emphasized to me at my recent experience at Ingredient. 

I have dined at Ingredient before and found the concept charming and something I was interested in tackling again, especially at breakfast.  I called ahead to find out how late they served breakfast and was told they served until noon.  Perfect!

My beau and I arrived around twenty or quarter till noon and grabbed the menus by the front door just to confirm the order I already knew I wanted to make.  Good thing we checked because much to my surprise, the list of ingredients has changed.  Now before you go rushing to the website to check their offerings, I can tell you their breakfast menu, at least, is not updated.  Now I was feeling the pressure, we were nearing the cutoff time and the pancakes with specifically chosen ingredients were not an option.  I had to make new choices and fast.  My back-up choice of a delightful omelette no longer offered the desired ingredients either.  Quick! Come up with something!  My disappointment was nearly insurmountable, but we managed to make a choice and head to the register to order. 

Plates piled high with delicious smelling, large, warm pancakes floated by.  Oh! How I love breakfast!  A second register opened and with a smile I stepped forward to place my order only to be told “We’re not serving breakfast anymore” just as another plate of pancakes left the kitchen.  “But I thought you served until noon,” I replied.  The employee was adamant.  No more breakfast.  It does not matter that it is before noon.  The kitchen said no more breakfast. 

No more breakfast?  Now what do I do?  I feel the pressure of people waiting behind me in line.  I have to order.  Quickly.  I throw together a pizza, feeling disappointed and unsatisfied.  The service after this was subpar as well.  Tables were not cleared or cleaned.  We had to wait for a clean table.  Our orders were brought out incomplete.  Nobody seemed to care.

So… a few comments about the food. 

The pancakes “looked” good but I thought raw Granny Smith apple sliced on top is not what I would want if I ordered apples on my pancakes.  The pizza was again tasty even if I was a bit sullen while eating it.  The Grilled Veggie and Hummus wrap was a surprisingly well balanced combination of ingredients, the vegetables being slightly crisp with feeling to “raw” and the hummus, feta cheese, and tatziki sauce played nicely off each other.  The wrap was stuffed full without being over filled. 

I was later told that the extensive ingredient was too costly and a bit too much to handle so they had to cut some items.  Unfortunately, the more exotic ones seemed to get the axe, which was the best part of having options. 

The worst part is that even though the food is enjoyable, if not mind blowing, I do not see myself returning anytime in the near future.  With unexceptional service and average ingredients, I might as well go to any salad bar.

Risotto Fail

Other than the half a day I worked at a Hardee's when I was fifteen, I have no restaurant experience.  While enthusiastic about trying new dishes and techniques, I really have no foundation on which to build.  Enter my risotto experiment.

I have made risotto before and it has turned out lovely.  Creamy, delicious, spreads on the plate just as it is meant to.  So I feel I have a decent handle on making the dish.  My beau and I have been talking about having a dinner party and I got it in my head I wanted to make this wild mushroom risotto.  Not wanting to ignore our guests for half an hour to make the risotto, I concluded I would have to make it ahead of time and finish it just before serving.

Realizing my limitations, I thought it best to practice on my beau ahead of time.  Thank goodness I did.  This was an epic fail.  I did a little Googling about pre-cooking risotto and mostly the advice was to never do it.  Some places did suggest that restaurants cook risotto about 2/3 of the way and then finish to order.  It was recommended to cook it to that stage, then put it in the fridge to cool and stop cooking.  I happily cooked up my risotto, checking it regularly, and reached a pre-al dente stage that I guessed was right.  I put it on a cookie sheet and directly into the fridge.  About 90 minutes later when we were ready for dinner, I pulled out my risotto. 

Epic fail.  I put it back on the stove to finish cooking and heat through.  The final result was overcooked and thick.  Basically, it was nothing I would ever serve guests.  My only consolation was that the flavors were good.  The texture was nearly too much to overlook.  Needless to say, our dinner party menu has been revised. 

What's the big deal?

Indian Oven
Old Market, Omaha

This will be a short review because I will admit upfront that before dining here I had already had more than a couple cocktails.  It is possible my perception was impaired.  However, I have to say I don't understand what the big deal is.  I enjoy Indian food from time to time and I have had several locals say to me, "If you like Indian, you should definitely try Indian Oven."  So... I did.

The atmosphere is nice.  The service was pleasant.  The food was underwhelming. 

My favorite part of the meal was the rice. 

Several items were served lukewarm at best.  The spice level was bland and the flavors a bit muddled.  the menu disclaimer was off putting.  It was not the worst meal I've ever had but certainly not something I would rave about.  Except for the rice.  The rice was really good. 

Worth It

Mark’s

www.marksindundee.com

4916 Underwood Ave. Upper, Omaha  (402) 502-2203

Every time I go to Mark’s my boyfriend and I seem to end up having an argument.  I’m not really sure why this happens.  It could be the food brings out some deep emotions, or the environment allows us to feel relaxed and say what is really on our minds, or maybe it is just coincidence.  Fortunately, our arguments are over something silly, but there is nothing frivolous about the food at Mark’s.

(I know that was cheesy.  Gimme a break, okay?)

Anyway…  The food!!

On my first visit to Marks I was already enchanted.  We climbed the stairs and passed the hidden outdoor patio which I am eager to enjoy in warmer weather.  The converted building has modern conveniences yet retains elements of older charm.  The wood floors and waiting area wingback chairs are warm and welcoming.  A heavy dining table invites you to stay and linger with friends for hours with a bottle (or three) of wine.  The bistro tables pressed against the glass wall draw you like a moth to flame with the twinkling lights of Dundee just below you. 

I was impressed with the menu with its ranging variety of selections.  The cuisine is spirited American.  They dapple in Asian, French , and Italian but it feels as if it is because someone had these dishes and loved them, not because they are trying too hard.  Mark’s also has a wide selection of gluten free and vegetarian dishes. 

My first time at Mark’s, we were in the mood for something lighter and decided to order sandwiches.  We had our choice of sides and each picked the sweet potato fries, a waffle cut fry with spice to counter the sweetness and a house-made remoulade for dipping.  I could have filled up on these crispy treats but managed to save room for the sandwiches.  We went vegetarian and ordered the Tempeh Reuben and the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich.  The flavor of the Reuben was spot on.  Unfortunately, I don’t really care for Reubens, but if you like them, these are really well prepared.  I was even more skeptical about the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich which boasted of smoky carrot “bacon.”  I have eaten my share of bacon in my life and found the idea of a carrot replacement unimaginable.  Surprisingly, it served quite well in the context of a sandwich.  It is not something I would alongside eggs and toast, but in a sandwich it did indeed provide that smoky salty flavor one expects from bacon in a sandwich. 

The real treat at this meal was the lemon basil cheesecake with balsamic macerated strawberries.  Unfortunately, bowing to some seasonality, this item is not on their menu now, but it is one of the best things I have ever eaten.  Ever. 

Our second trip to Mark’s we received the same level of top notch service.  The wait staff seem to struggle a little to remember all the complicated details of the nightly specials, but are well versed in the regular offerings and the wine selection.  Bread and butter begin the meal and are brought quickly.  We choose from the entrees this time and went international.  My beau had their take on Indian food with the Spinach, Paneer and Pasta; I chose the Pad Thai Pasta.  I was warned the Pad Thai was spicy, but it was as spicy as other Pad Thai I have had.  Mine came with a choice of Tofu or Shrimp.  Tofu seems to be a tricky ingredient and often has an odd texture but this was well prepared and fully marinated.  The portion was enough for two meals.  It could have used more vegetables proportionately and the garnish seemed to be an afterthought.  I had to ration my crunchy peanuts.  The Spinach Paneer dish was an interesting Indian/ Italian hybrid, not really evoking either. 

For dessert we tried the Pumpkin Butterscotch Cheesecake and the Whisky Bread Pudding.  The cheesecake was light and fluffy and tasted of all the best of pumpkin pie.  The ginger crust and butterscotch ship topping were nice complements.  I am a sucker for bread pudding and couldn’t resist.  I was disappointed in the dish.  It was served piping hot and had a good amount of the whiskey caramel sauce.  The pudding itself however had not soaked into all the bread and tasted as if it had been reheated, perhaps more than once.  It had crunchy and burnt pieces and one corner was hard.

Part of an enjoyable dining experience is of course, the experience.  Mark’s delivers.  This is an experience you will enjoy.  It feels like going to a friend’s house and if you don’t have some there, you might make some new ones.  Every time I have been greeted and welcomed by managers and patrons.  The menu is varied enough that you will find something you want to eat and probably something you want to try next time.  Even if you have an argument with your boyfriend every time, dining at Mark’s is worth it.