Omaha Magazine - June 2022 - Food in the 402

CHEF TAY WESTBERRY • ARTIST KATRINA SWANSON • SHUG'S COMFORT FOOD • 402 EAT + DRINK

J U N E 2 0 22

Hotel Edition

FOOD IN THE 402 COMFORT CUISINE TO CONTEMPORARY CHOICES ­— OMAHA HAS IT ALL

16th Annual

Nebraska Balloon&

Wine Festival Taste Award-winning Wines

featuring local wineries with over 70 wines.

Enjoy (5) Tastes of Nebraska Wines with a Souvenir Wine Glass (while supplies last) – OR – Your Choice of Beers with Festival Admission for just $17.00 per person ($21.00 at the Festival Entrance)

August 19th-20th, 2022

Friday 5 PM to 11 PM & Saturday 3 PM to 11 PM Order online at showofficeonline.com

showofficeonline.com

FROM THE EDITOR // LETTER BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN

BRUNCH, BURRATA, WINE Food Issue Indulges

in

Richness

S

everal years ago, while walking around the Old Market, I saw a man in a T-shirt that made fun of brunch. It made me pause. I love brunch, always have. My first memory of eating brunch is as a child. My family and I were dressed up, in Kansas City, at the top of the Hallmark Tower. There was a buffet with an array of muffins, danishes, egg dishes, a salad bar, and cantaloupe. There was also a dish of tiny bead-like things—they were black, and fishy-tasting, and I thought they were disgusting.

Caviar at brunch—welcome to the 1980s.

These days, brunch is less of a novelty. Avocado toast has (fortunately, in my mind) replaced caviar as the hot item on a lot of menus, and mimosas have replaced the bottles of champagne in ice buckets. While brunch can still be consumed as an elegant breakfast with a slice of fruit, there are less formal options, such as those at Backlot Pizza and Kitchen, where dishes range from Detroit-style pizza to chilaquiles. The main feature this issue brings readers several places to dine mid-morning on a weekend with friends—after all, brunch isn’t a meal, it’s an event.

The other feature has to do with ghost kitchens—a term not popular with several of the people who work out of these commercial kitchens made specifically to prep food for delivery-service restaurants. The trend started before 2019, but these kitchens have come into their own over the last two years, along with the rise of delivery-only restaurants.

Those who enjoy hopping wineries will appreciate the adventure article about the Nebraska Wine Passport. This concept started in the early 1990s, and as more wineries came into being, the passport program grew. It now has more than 20 wineries and almost 10 tasting rooms.

One place my husband and I periodically nosh is 712 Eat + Drink. I love the beet salad, with marinated figs and chunks of goat cheese, while my husband’s go-to at most restaurants is a Reuben. The people behind 712 are also in charge of 402 Eat + Drink, and reviewer Tamsen Butler and her dining partners enjoyed this restaurant as much as Wade and I enjoy 712.

Tay Westberry competed on Gordon Ramsay’s MasterChef in season 11. The Omaha DJ and home cook had a positive experience on the TV show and is now working at an Omaha restaurant.

How, and why, he got into cooking is the source of one of our A+C articles.

Several area restaurants now serve burrata. It’s made from mozzarella and filled with cream. One restaurant around the area I have frequented lately serves it with tapenade; another with Mediterranean salad. Those who have never tried this decadent treat can read about it in our Obviously Omaha section.

Welcome to the Food Issue 2022.

There’s a lot of great articles in this edition, and I hope you enjoy them all.

*Note: The hotel edition of Omaha Magazine has a different cover and does not include all of the editorial content included in the magazine’s full city edition. For more information on our city edition, visit OmahaMagazine.com.

JUNE

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2022

TAB L E of CON T E N T S THE USUAL SUSPECTS 03

From the Editor Brunch, Burrata, Wine

06

Between the Lines

08

Calendar of Events

077 Obviously Omaha Burrata

096 Explore!

103 Instagram 104 Not Funny

Capers, Cilantro, and Crazy

A R T S + C U LT U R E 016 Art

Katrina Swanson

020 Visual

084

Dave Nelson

024 Author

Michaela Kenkel

026 Music

DJ Tay

DINING 078 Feature

Shug’s Comfort Food

082 Profile

John Rea

084 Review

402 Eat + Drink

090 Dining Guide

020

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JUNE 2022

026

* Note: The hotel edition of Omaha Magazine has a different cover and does not include all of the editorial content included in the magazine’s full city edition. For more information on our city edition, visit OmahaMagazine.com.

read current and previous issues online at omahamagazine.com

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM/PAGES/SUBSCRIBE

Between

THE LINES A LOOK AT TH R E E OMAHA MAGAZINE TEAM MEMBERS

OMAHA’S

MAGAZINE

TAMSEN BUTLER—Contributing Writer Butler is an award-winning author of five nonfiction books.

A contributing writer to Omaha Magazine for more than five years, she fills her days by working as a senior marketing copywriter for Carson Group, teaching fitness classes, and spending time with her ridiculously clever teenagers, Monet and Abram. She also serves as athletic director for the Omaha chapter of the national veterans’ group RWB. Though she enjoys most types of writing assignments, she especially enjoys writing dining reviews and tackling local historical pieces that require some research—helping this California native learn more about the Omaha area.

SARAH LEMKE—Photographer Lemke is an Omaha native and a third-generation family member of Omaha Publications, contributing her discerning eye and technical savvy since 2013. After studying photography at Brooks Institute in Ventura, California, and journalism at the University of NebraskaLincoln, Lemke has continuously broadened her freelance experience with photo and video roles in Omaha, Los Angeles, and New York. She serves as first assistant at Sitzmann Photography, in addition to operating her own photography business. An FAA-certified drone pilot, Lemke has also earned credits assistant directing and producing for high-profile video productions. When not behind the lens, Lemke enjoys hiking, camping, and hitting the pavement on her motorcycle anytime the weather permits.

JOE MIXAN—Contributing Writer and Photographer A South Omaha native, Mixan is the youngest of nine boys, and he always loved playing and watching sports.

A graduate of Gross High (1984) and UNL College of Journalism (1988), Mixan’s photography passion began when he bought his first camera at age 12. He was the team photographer for Creighton University when they played in the 1991 College World Series, and was the team photographer for the Huskers when they won National Championships in 1994, 1995, and 1997. Mixan also covered the war in Croatia and Bosnia from 1992-1994 and his work was published in newspapers, magazines, and a book, titled As She Asks, which was published in eight languages. Mixan was an Omaha firefighter for over 20 years, retiring in 2018. Joe and his wife, Suzana, live in Papillion, where they raised three children who are now in college and beyond. // 6 //

JUNE 2022

THE

FUTURE

OF BUSINESS OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM/PAGES/SUBSCRIBE

On

Sal

JUNE 2022 VOLUME 40 // ISSUE 3

e No

On w!

Sal

e No

w!

EDITORIAL Managing Editor

DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN Associate Editor

LINDA PERSIGEHL Editorial/Digital Assistant

JULIUS FREDRICK Contributing Writers

HANNAH AMROLLAHI · J.D. AVANT · LEO ADAM BIGA TAMSEN BUTLER · KAREN CAMPBELL · CHRIS HATCH GREG JERRETT · SARA LOCKE · PATRICK MCGEE · JOE MIXAN JONATHAN OROZCO · NIZ PROSKOCIL · KARA SCHWEISS DOUGLAS “OTIS TWELVE” WESSELMANN · DAVID ZORKO

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JUNE 2022

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C A L E N D A R 8

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EVENTS

» EXHIBITS « FORTUNA: ROSITA RELÁMPAGO

Through June 16 at Amplify Arts, 1804 Vinton St. Relámpago is a multi-disciplinary artist based

in Oaxaca, Mexico, who will use the gallery as her studio, exhibition space, and a vehicle to collaborate with area artists. Her time in the city will culminate in an exhibition that examines mutuality and interrelation as praxis, opening at 6 p.m. June 10. 402.996.1092.

–amplifyarts.org

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH STREET SIGNS

Through June 25 at The Great Plains Black History Museum, 2221 N. 24th St. This exhibit will

focus on all the streets in Omaha that have been named after African Americans. The event also features QRC codes placed on the signs throughout Omaha. Advanced reservation required. 1-5 p.m.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. 402.932.7077.

–gpblackhistorymuseum.org

NEBRASKA: FLATWATER

Through June 26 at Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St. This is an immersive video installation

that will explore the natural beauty of the state throughout the four seasons. Admission: Free.

Open by appointment only. 531-375-6643 –gallery1516.org

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JUNE 2022

EN LINEA/IN LINE

Through June 30 at El Museo Latino, 4701 S. 25th St. The photographs in this series focus on

twisted identities and the scar of the border. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Saturdays. Advanced timed tickets required.

Admission applies. 402.731.1137 –elmuseolatino.org

FULL BLOOM

Through June at Modern Arts Midtown, 3615 Dodge St. This exhibition features ceramics and

paintings, with new works by more than eight artists. Viewings available by appointment, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 402-502-8737.

—modernartsmidtown.com

NELSON MANDELA

Through July 3 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Th is exhibition takes visitors on a personal

journey through the life of the world’s most iconic freedom fighter and political leader. Admission applies. Noon-4 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, Closed Mondays. 402.444.5071.

—durhammuseum.org

LYDIA CHESHEWALLA: BODY SPEAKING TO BODY

Through July 16 at The Union for Contemporary Art, 2423 N. 24th St. Cheshewalla is an Osage

woman and transdisciplinary artist from Oklahoma, living and working in motion throughout the ecological landscape. 402.933.3161 –u-ca.org

PARADISE ON EARTH

Through August 20 at El Museo Latino, 4701 S. 25th St. Marcel Mouly’s paintings depict col-

orful open fields, landscapes of countrysides and exotic locations he visited during his many travels.

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Advanced timed tickets required: Admission applies. 402.731.1137 –elmuseolatino.org

NAMASTE INDIA

Through Sept. 4 at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. Visitors will experience the won-

ders of India in this cultural exhibit. Admission applies. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 402.342.6164.

–ocm.org

MAYA DUNIETZ: ROOT OF TWO

Through Sept. 18 at Bemis Center, 724 S. 12th St. This solo exhibition by Maya Dunietz

engages the physicality of sound through a series of installations that become an ensemble. Admission: free. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays.

402.341.7130.

–bemiscenter.org

EARTH ELEMENTS

May 31-June 27 at Artist Co-Op, 405 S. 11th St. Duane Adams creates mostly polychromed

earthenware pieces, both wheel thrown and hand built techniques. Artwork and furniture crafted

by Kevin McClay are made from salvaged wood.

Opening reception June 3. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday. Admission: free. 402.342.9617.

—artistscoopomaha.com

KNOWING HOME

June 3-26 at Hot Shops, 1301 Nicholas St.

Michelle Daisley Moffitt and Dar VandeVoort explore the thought of “Home” in this visual exhibit. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. -5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission: free. 402.342.6452 –hotshopsartcenter.org

CARNE Y ARENA (VIRTUALLY PRESENT, PHYSICALLY INVISIBLE)

Starting June 9 at K ANEKO, 1111 Jones St.

Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Academy Award®-winning virtual reality experience explores the human condition of immigrants and refugees. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sunday. Admission: free. 402.341.3800.

–thekaneko.org

SUMMER SHOWCASE

June 10-19 at Split Gallery, 5261 Leavenworth St. Landlock is hosting this collection of work,

featuring 40 area artists. Opening reception 6-9 p.m. June 10. Gallery hours 11a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Admission: free. 402.415.7095.

–landlock.gallery

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2022 AWARD WINNERS SARPY COUNTY

DOUGLAS COUNTY

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY

Fontenelle Forest BEST ATTRACTION

Lauritzen Gardens BEST ATTRACTION

Union Pacific Railroad Museum BEST ATTRACTION

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bellevue BEST HOTEL

The Peregrine Hotel BEST HOTEL

Courtyard by Marriott Council Bluffs BEST HOTEL

Roma Italian Restaurant BEST RESTAURANT

M’s Pub BEST RESTAURANT

Chocolat Abeille BEST RETAIL BUSINESS

Nebraska Furniture Mart BEST RETAIL BUSINESS

PRESENTING PARTNERSHIP

Boxer BBQ BEST RESTAURANT Dusted Charm BEST RETAIL BUSINESS

SPONSORED BY

JUNE 2022

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OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

JUNETEENTH EXHIBIT

ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL

CASPIAN

will host a Black-artist focused art exhibition.

Admission: free. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

402.320.4769 –culxr.house

country band is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a new album, Half A Hundred Years. 8 p.m.

Tickets: $65 orchestra/$45 floor/$35 balcony.

402.342.1300 –scottishriteomaha.org

an atmospheric, primarily instrumental post-rock band. 8 p.m. Tickets: $17 advanced/$20 day of show. 402.345.7569.

–theslowdown.com

BEYOND VAN GOGH

PAUL CAUTHEN

Starting June 11 at CulXr House, 3014 N. 24th St. In honor of Juneteenth, CulXr House

June 23-Aug. 14 at Mid-America Center, 1 Arena Way. This limited-run exhibit shows Vin-

cent Van Gogh re-imagined as three-dimensional works. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Ticket prices vary. 712- 323-0536.

–vangoghomaha.com

» CONCERTS « SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

What would summer be without music? Omaha has plenty of places for family-friendly musical entertainment to keep people dancing in the street, and the heat.

• Saturdays@ Stinson Park, 67th & Center Streets –aksarbenvillage.com • Outdoor Concert & Movie Series, Central Park Lakes, 8305 Park View Blvd. in La Vista –cityoflavista.org • Music and Memories at Shadow Lake Towne Center, 7775 Olson Dr. –shadowlaketownecenter.com

PHOEBE BRIDGERS

June 1 at Waiting Room Outdoors, 6212 Maple St. Bridgers is a Los Angeles-based singer/song-

writer with dreamy and hook-filled indie pop. 7 p.m. Tickets: $50. 402.884.5353 –waitingroomlounge.com

PETE FUCINARO TRIO

June 2 at The Jewell, 1030 Capitol Ave. Fucin-

aro is a saxophonist and composer from Omaha, currently based in Kansas City. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15. 917.748.4337.

–jewellomaha.com

WHEELER WALKER, JR.

June 2 at The Admiral, 2234 S. 13th St. Th is

artist is known for his outlaw country sound.

8 p.m. $30 general admission/$59.50 premiere balcony –admiralomaha.com

BORN RUFFIANS

June 3 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave.

Born Ruffians are an indie rock band. 8 p.m. Tickets: $13 advanced/$15 day of show. 402.884.5707.

–reverblounge.com

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JUNE 2022

June 3 at Scottish Rite Hall, 202 S. 20th St. This

June 3 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Cauthen

is unapologetically “Country as F*&k.” His first album, My Gospel, made Rolling Stone's list of Top 40 Country Records in 2016. 8 p.m. Tickets: $35 advanced/$40 day of show. 402.345.7569.

–theslowdown.com

THE HEGG BROTHERS

June 4 at The Jewell, 1030 Capitol Ave. This duo

of brothers from South Dakota brings Omahans a night of the music of Steely Dan. 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20. 917.748.4337.

–jewellomaha.com

GO NOW! THE MUSIC OF THE MOODY BLUES

June 4 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Michael Krajewski, conducts the

Omaha Symphony in a faithful tribute to the classic rock band The Moody Blues.7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20-$89. 402.345.0606.

–ticketomaha.com

BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT

June 5 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Blackwater

Holylight is an all-girl band from Portland. 8 p.m. Tickets: $12 advanced/$15 day of show.

402.345.7569.

–theslowdown.com

ADELITAS WAY

June 5 at Barnato, 225 N. 170th St. Adelitas

Way has often been identified as part of the postgrunge movement. 7 p.m. Tickets: $30 general admission/$125+ tables. 402.964.2021.

–barnato.bar

DYLAN DOYLE BAND

June 5 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave.

This band has been influenced by musicians from Bob Dylan to John Prine. 8 p.m. Tickets: $10 402.884.5707 –reverblounge.com

THE WORLD FAMOUS GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA

June 8 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Th is 18-member orchestra,

along with vocalists, will perform hits such as “In The Mood,” and “A String Of Pearls.” 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $59.50. 402.345.0606.

–ticketomaha.com

June 8 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Caspian is

FAILURE

June 9 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.

Alt-rock band Failure is known for their grunge sound. 8 p.m. $25 advanced/$30 day of show.

402.884.5353 –waitingroomlounge.com

TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS

June 10 at Westfair Amphitheater, 22984 US-6 Council Bluffs. Turnpike Troubadours are known

for the single “Down Here.” 6 p.m. $59.50 general admission/$99.50 VIP. 712.322.3400 –westfairevents.com

KAMERON MARLOWE

June 10 at Barnato, 225 N. 170th St. Marlowe

made it to the top 24 on The Voice before being known for hits such as “Sober as a Drunk.” 8 p.m. Tickets: $25 general admission/$400 tables.

402.964.2021.

–barnato.bar

JOHNNY BURGIN

June 10 at The Jewell, 1030 Capitol Ave. Burgin

learned blues music from Chicago’s Tail Dragger.

6 p.m. and 9 p.m. shows. Tickets: $15, includes both shows. 917.748.4337.

—jewellomaha.com

THE RT'S

June 10 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Formerly The Rad Trads, this

group is known for their eclectic sound. 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $15. 402.345.0606.

–ticketomaha.com

WHISKEY MYERS

June 11 at Westfair Amphitheater, 22984 US-6 Council Bluffs. Whiskey Myers have been as

influenced by rock 'n' roll and country music.

5:30 p.m. $59.50 general/$99 VIP 712.322.3400 –westfairevents.com

CHRIS YOUNG

June 11 at Stir Concert Cove, 1 Harrah’s Blvd.

This multi-platinum artist has amassed nearly 5 billion career streams and 12 No. 1 hits. Tickets: TBD. 712-329-6000.

–ticketmaster.com

ASKING ALEXANDRIA

June 11 at The Admiral, 2234 S. 13th St. The

English metalcore band Asking Alexandria is known for their single “Alone in a Room.” 7 p.m.

Tickets: $39.50 general advanced/$45 general day of show/$75 premiere balcony –admiralomaha.com

OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

TECH N9NE

June 13 at The Admiral, 2234 S. 13th St. TechN9ne's 2021 album ASIN9NE, nota-

bly featured the rap debut of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. 8 p.m. $35 advanced/$40 day of show/$60 premiere balcony –admiralomaha.com

SHAUN CASSIDY

June 14 at Barnato, 225 N. 170th St. This former

teen heartthrob is known for hits such as "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Hey Deanie.” 8 p.m. Tickets: $85.

402.964.2021.

–barnato.bar

CHVRCHES

June 15 at The Admiral, 2234 S. 13th St. The

notable Scottish synth-pop group from Glasgow is known for the song “Screen Violence.” 8 p.m. $35 general/$70 premier balcony –admiralomaha.com

LIL XAN – THE BORN DEAD TOUR

June 16 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. American rapper, singer and songwriter Lil Xan

is best known for his song "Betrayed." 7 p.m. $22 advanced/$25 day of show. 402.884.5353.

–waitingroomlounge.com

ROGER CLYNE & THE PEACEMAKERS

Nebraska: Flatwater – Video Installation

April 29 – July 3, 2022

This exhibition explores the beauty of the Nebraskan landscape throughout the four seasons. A series of projectors around the gallery will surround you with the changing landscape, with scenes including blossoming spring flowers, autumn wheat fields, roaming bison, and more.

Gallery 1516 is open by appointment.

To learn more about this exhibition, visit gallery1516.org 1516 Leavenworth Street, Omaha NE, 68102 call 531-375-6643

June 17 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Th is band’s sound is a blend of punk rock,

country-western, and mariachi. 8 p.m. $25 advanced/$28 day of show. 402.884.5353.

–waitingroomlounge.com

AMERICA

June 18 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. This iconic group harmonized

their way to the top of the charts with their signature song “A Horse With No Name.” 7 p.m.

Tickets: $39-$79. 402.345.0606.

–ticketomaha.com

MAN MAN WITH PINK $OCK

June 22 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.

Man Man is a multiinstrumental experimental rock band. 8 p.m. $16. 402.884.5353 –waitingroomlounge.com

NEKO CASE WITH BENDIGO FLETCHER

June 23 at The Admiral, 2234 S. 13th St. 8 p.m. The notable David Byrne himself said he

is drawn to music by this member of New Pornographers. $36 advanced/$41 day of sale/$66 premier balcony.

–admiralomaha.com

BONE, THUGS, ’N’ HARMONY

June 24 at Barnato, 225 N. 170th St. This rap

group is most known for their song "Tha Crossroads." 8 p.m. Tickets: $100 general admission, $750 tables. 402.964.2021.

–barnato.bar

Five venues, five unique celebration experiences. Hosting events for 100 - 1,000 guests, Omaha Event Group boasts 15 years of experience with over 300 events each year, including Omaha Fashion Week. Schedule a consultation with our team of experts today. hello@omahaeventgroup.com | 402.819.8792 | omahaeventgroup.com Omaha Design Center | The Downtown Club | Empire Room | Omaha Palazzo | Anderson O'Brien Fine Art Gallery

JUNE 2022

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OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

RETAIL STORE NOW OPEN

BARNAKED LADIES WITH GIN BLOSSOMS AND TOAD THE WET SPROCKET

We offer product viewing, purchase, and curbside pick up.

June 24 at Stir Concert Cove, 1 Harrah’s Blvd.

Three bands from the 1990s will perform their hits such as “One Week,” “Hey Jealousy,” “All I Want.” 7 p.m. Tickets: $45-$153, VIP $205.

712-329-6000.

–ticketmaster.com

We will also ship to you!

THE DRIFTERS, CORNELL GUNTER’S COASTERS AND THE PLATTERS

June 24 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. This concert is sure to include

favorites such as "Under The Boardwalk," "Stand

By Me," "On Broadway," and more. 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $39.50-$69.50. 402.345.0606.

–ticketomaha.com

FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS

THE “TIFFANY’S” OF RECLAIMED HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCTS

June 25 at Stir Concert Cove, 1 Harrah’s Blvd.

WE FEATURE MODERN & TRADITIONAL:

This band's new album features singles “123456” and “I Just Wanna Shine.” 8 p.m. Tickets: $35$105. 712-329-6000.

–ticketmaster.com

High Quality Reclaimed Furniture Custom Doors • Interior & Exterior Design Lighting • Unique Character Pieces for Home or Business All items Curated

MOTHERFOLK WITH DURRY

June 26 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave.

Motherfolk has been described as having Avett Brothers-esque folk rock. 8 p.m. $15 advanced/$18 day of show. 402.884.5707 –reverblounge.com

THE FIXX

June 28 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.

English rock band The Fixx has held a 40+-year career. 8 p.m. $32 advanced/$35 day of show.

402.884.5353.

–waitingroomlounge.com

THIRD EYE BLIND

June 29 at Stir Concert Cove, 1 Harrah’s Blvd.

Th is 1990s band is most known for “SemiCharmed Life." 8 p.m. Tickets: $42-$168, $203 VIP. 712-329-6000.

–ticketmaster.com

TRAVIS DENNING

June 30 at Barnato, 225 N. 170th St. Th is sing-

er-songwriter and guitarist reached No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart for the song “After a Few.” 8 p.m. Tickets: $35 general admission, $150+ tables. 402.964.2021.

–barnato.bar

» PERFORMANCES « BUFFALO WOMEN

Through June 19 at Bluebarn Theatre, 1106 S. 10th St. The first Juneteenth. New lives and new

freedoms. True grit and good trouble. This show is a tale of hidden figures leading extraordinary lives on the frontier in 1865. 402.345.1576.

–bluebarn.org

Shop with us online at www.ootbreclaimed.com 7401 Main St., Suite 300, Ralston | 303-669-9808

KINKY BOOTS

Through June 26 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Charlie Price has taken

over the family’s failing shoe factory. Inspiration strikes when he meets Lola, a drag queen in need of a sturdy pair of exotic boots. Tickets: $25-$45.

402.553.0800.

–omahaplayhouse.com

ANASTASIA

June 7-12 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Pursued by a Soviet officer determined to

silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a conman and an ex-aristocrat. Tickets: $35-$99. 402.345.6006.

–ticketomaha.com

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

June 3-19 at The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St.

Maria is dispatched from the convent to serve as governess to the seven children of the Von Trapp family, and helps them unite. Tickets: $27-$32.

402.345.4849.

–rosetheater.org

RESPECT

June 10-26 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. This show celebrates the divas who

dominated the music scene for decades with songs from Aretha Franklin, Carole King and more.

Times vary. Tickets: $35. 402.553.0800.

–omahaplayhouse.com

JUNE 2022

// 13 //

OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

BETRAYAL

25TH ANNUAL TASTE OF OMAHA

between Robert, his longtime best friend, Jerry, and Robert's wife, Emma. 402.502.4910 –bsbtheatre.com

over 50 restaurants in the area, live entertainment and activities. Admission: Free. 11a.m.-11p.m.

Friday-Saturday, and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.

402.346.8003.

–showofficeonline.com/TasteHome/

June 10-26 at Brigit St. Brigit Theatre, 421 S. 36th St. This play tells the tale of a love triangle

RIVERDANCE

June 15 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.

Winner of a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, this celebration of Irish and international dance has been completely reimagined.

Tickets: $43-$88. 402.345.6006.

–ticketomaha.com

SHAKESPEARE ON THE GREEN: THE TEMPEST

June 23-26 at Elmwood Park, 802 S. 60th St.

In this comedy, Prospero was Duke of Milan 12 years ago, but he withdrew more and more into his studies, leaving the management of his state to his brother Antonio. Tickets: free. 531.466.3122.

–nebraskashakespeare.com

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO

June 25 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. This comedian has produced

a Netflix original special called "Stay Hungry" and held a starring role in Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-nominated The Irishman. 402.345.6006.

–ticketomaha.com

SHAKESPEARE ON THE GREEN: OTHELLO

June 30 at Elmwood Park, 802 S. 60th St. In

this tragedy, Othello is a Moorish general in the service of Venice. Tickets: free. 531.466.3122.

–nebraskashakespeare.com

» FAMILY & MORE « FARMERS MARKETS

Farmers Markets are open. Here are the times and dates for the local markets. Attendees are encouraged to check with organizers for availability before attending any market.

• Council Bluffs (Bayliss Park) 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays.

• Old Market (11th and Jackson streets) 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays.

• Village Pointe (168th and Dodge streets) 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays.

• Baxter Arena (67th and Center streets) 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays.

• Papillion (84th and Lincoln streets) 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays starting May 29.

• Florence Mill (9102 N. 30th St.) 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays.

• Gifford Park (33rd and California streets) 5-8 p.m. Fridays starting June 7.

June 3-5 at 6232 Pacific St. This event showcases

TODD ’N’ TYLER’S BIG DEAL

June 4 at SumTur Amphitheater, 11691 S. 108th St. This show includes local comics, live music,

and zoom calls with Lewis Black and Frank Caliendo. Tickets: $20+. 402.597.2041.

–papillion.org

BENSON BEER FEST

June 4 along Maple Street and Military Avenue.

This festival will be filled with hundreds of new and favorite local and regional pours from the best breweries serving Nebraska. 3-7 p.m. Tickets: $50 early entry (1:30 p.m.) $40 regular entry (3 p.m.).

COUNTRYSIDE VILLAGE ARTS FAIR

June 4-5 at Countryside Village Shopping Center, 8722 Countryside Plaza. The annual

arts fair showcases a mix of styles, perceptions, and media. Admission: free. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. 402.391.2200.

–countryside.village.com

BELLEVUE ROCKS

June 9-11 at American Heroes Park

This annual event includes music, a carnival, food, a beer garden, and fireworks on Saturday night.

Saturday night includes headliner Sawyer Brown.

Admission: free.

–bellevuerockstheriverfront.com

ELKHORN DAYS

June 9-12 throughout Elkhorn. Th is festival

includes family-friendly entertainment from a cornhole tournament to a parade to a car show Times vary. Admission: free. 402.289.9560.

–elkhorndays.com

OMAHA FREEDOM FESTIVAL

June 18 at Malcolm X Birthsite, 3448 Evans St. This family-friendly festival and carnival will

provide cultural and historical celebrations, entertainment, and educational resources. Admission: Free to daytime festivities, $45 for general concert seating and $90 VIP. Noon-Midnight. Concert starts at 7 p.m. 402.686.8316.

–omahafreedomfestival.com

BLACKSTONE BBQ BATTLE

June 18-19 at Blackstone District, 3920 Farnam St. Friday night includes beer, bands, free entry,

and barbecue teams getting ready. The main action includes samples, live music, and more. Admission:$10. Friday 4-9 p.m. and Saturday 12-6 p.m.

–bbqblackstone.com

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES OPENING DAY

June 16 at Charles Schwab Field, 1200 Mike Fahey St. Opening day includes a full slate of

events such as Fan Fest, team autograph sessions, practices, Olympic-style opening ceremonies, a concert, and a fireworks finale. 9:10 a.m-10 p.m.

Admission: free. 402-554-4422.

–cwsomaha.com

TASTE OF NORTH OMAHA

June 17-18 at Eagles Nest Worship Center, 5775

Sorensen Parkway North Omaha food entrepreneurs (and others) will gather at this venue to give attendees a taste of the many businesses North Omaha has to offer. Admission: Free.

–tasteofnorthomaha.com

2021 NCAA MEN’S COLLEGE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

June 17-27 at Charles Schwab Field, 1200 Mike Fahey St. Omaha’s annual baseball festival is

back, and culminates with the best-of-three finals starting Saturday, June 25. Ticket prices vary.

402.554.4404.

–cwsomaha.com

OMAHA SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL

June 10-12 at Aksarben Village. The Summer

Arts Festival showcases 135 visual artists, a stage lineup of music performances, children’s area, and more. Admission: Free. 402.345.5401.

–summerarts.org

75TH PAPILLION DAYS

June 16-19 , locations vary. The celebration will feature the carnival, parade, Market in the Park, fireworks, live entertainment, and more. Admission: free. 402-331-3917.

–papilliondays.org

Event times and details are correct as of presstime, but are subject to change.

Omaha Magazine encourages readers to visit venues' websites and/or calling ahead before attending an event or visiting a museum.

// 14 //

JUNE 2022

OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

JUNE 2022

// 17 //

A+C ART

fter sitting down at a cafe, Katrina Swanson pulls out her phone to briefly check on something and shows off her phone cover, which is embellished with vintage candy.

“It brings back this memory of when you were a child and thought everything was great,” Swanson cheerfully said about her compositions. Tootsie Rolls, Pez, Dots, Big League Chew, and Smarties are a few of the sweets depicted in her paintings.

Painting candy is fairly new for the artist.

She remembers creating floral watercolors before portraying candy. “Some of it was about my grandma with flowers and what we used to do together, like gardening and talking about flowers,” she said.

Swanson briefly studied commercial arts at Metropolitan Community College, learning standard techniques for drawing and printmaking, but settled on painting.

Though, her passion for art started in her childhood, something she said she was always confident in.

The overarching theme in all her work is American nostalgia and beauty done in exacting detail, whether it be something edible or a sign.

Laurel Thiel, gallery director of Anderson O’Brien Fine Art who represents the artist, said, “Katrina's paintings are so precise that we can feel and hear the crinkle of the wrappers, and we want to dig into those piles and pull out our favorites.”

The painting process is time consuming, but also a labor of love for Swanson. Like many hyperrealistic artists, she works directly from a photo. Her process involves piling vintage candy in a mound, and taking up to 300 photos to get the perfect layout to paint. The composition has to be to her liking before she begins painting.

Wrappers with bright colors and fonts make her candy paintings alluring. During her process, she takes great care to only paint these tempting surfaces while avoiding barcodes.

Art aficionados would connect this style to the artist Richard Estes, a hyperrealist particularly known for his paintings of New York City made in the 1960s and 1970s that, to modern viewers, look vintage.

This kind of work takes hours. While she works, Swanson listens to podcasts and music to fill in the time.

Swanson is unashamed to say Estes is a major inspiration in her own work, and viewers can see that connection. She acknowledges the differences between the country’s biggest city and Omaha. “Omaha is a different feel, but if I had a subway to paint, I probably would,” she said.

Other paintings touch on iconic signage that only exists in Omaha, including restaurant signs such as Bronco’s Hamburgers’ Cowboy and La Casa’s squat man playing a guitar on Leavenworth Street.

“Katrina's paintings of vintage neon signs are snapshots of time and place,” Thiel said.

“Even though many of the restaurants are gone, the memories of meals eaten there remain. For many of us, the paintings remind us of our childhood and special occasions with family.”

Swanson’s technical abilities shine through when she paints people walking and eating in restaurants in the Old Market. Restaurants like Le Bouillon and La Buvette are among locations she has painted with people engrossed in their own worlds.

Overall, her paintings speak to idyllic childhood, even though perception of things being perfect in the past could be a little shortsighted. They also show what distinguishes Omaha’s cultural values and icons from other cities by showing its most popular restaurants.

That all being said, who doesn’t want to bite down on their favorite childhood candy or enjoy going to their favorite burger place?

Learn more about Katrina Swanson by visiting her website: katrinamethotswanson.com, and following her on social media (Instagram: @katrinaswanson).

Like her paintings of candy, they strike a sense of nostalgia for the artist, who said, “When you were young, you’d just wander around because you didn’t have any money.”

Other paintings capture touristy locations such as the Old Market Passageway, a place full of restaurants, shops, and galleries. Visitors are welcome to look and walk around as much as they are encouraged to shop.

Her paintings don’t look exactly like a photograph, but have a vintage aura to them.

They look like photos taken in the 1960s and give off a yearning for the past.

Other paintings touch on iconic signage that only exists in Omaha, including restaurant signs such as Bronco’s Hamburgers’ Cowboy and La Casa’s squat man playing a guitar on Leavenworth Street.

JUNE 2022

// 19 //

From left: Alison Hult, Dave Nelson, Miki Newhouse

20

// A+C VISUAL \\ STORY BY JULIUS FREDRICK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN | DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

SECRET PENGUIN’S DAVE NELSON e h t g n Masteri e c n a l a B Art of After 18 years on the Greater Omaha Chamber business registry, the listing ‘SecretPenguin’ has become something of a misnomer. Buzz around the branding collective has grown too conspicuous to be considered covert, and the agency’s talent is catching tailwind—and big-time commission— coast-to-coast, their pace far from glacial.

Every alias, however, has a story, and in the case of SecretPenguin mastermind Dave Nelson, sometimes a name just sticks.

“I used to hide ‘secret penguins’ in my artwork when I was bored drawing still lifes in high school,” Nelson said. “When I started traveling more for skateboarding, I had stickers made so I could hide them wherever I went. I started throwing them out to crowds, and my email was on the back, and pretty soon I was getting messages from all over the world…” >>>

JUNE 2022

// 21 //

// A+C VISUAL \\

f life is a record, setting the needle to Nelson’s reveals skateboarding and graphic design to be two sides of a cherished LP, one he can’t help but move to. However, synching the harmony Nelson enjoys today wasn’t without its wobbles, scratches, and feedback loops. Balance had to be learned, and more importantly, practiced—on the grind rail, on the drafting table, and on the tour bus.

“I remember, my college professor told me I needed to choose between skateboarding or art, but then I left school and did art on the road,” Nelson recalled, the memory coaxing a grin. “I didn’t see a movie for eight years, I only skateboarded and…designed.”

While Nelson isn’t scoring any points in the cinema category come trivia night, the countless hours spent honing his craft have turned SecretPenguin from a web-based, indie operation into a nationwide branding blockbuster, with numerous restaurants filling the queue.

“About 40% of our clients are dining related,” Nelson said. “If you include developments that include dining, it may be closer to 60%.”

These figures led Nelson to introduce Undivided in 2016, a restaurant-focused division of SecretPenguin that promises to “create, refine, and manage restaurants brands,” per the company slogan.

“The logo represents how there are different divisions in a restaurant, and how we help them to become aligned; to become undivided.”

Omaha staples like Jams, Via Farina, and Westroad Mall’s Flagship Commons get Nelson’s undivided marketing attention alongside cross-country projects such as Williamsburg Pizza in Brooklyn, N.Y., and “cutting-edge food-hall and ghost kitchen” Le Fantome in Washington, D.C. “It’s fun coming up with unique ideas so that people walk away wanting to tell others about their experience,” Nelson said. “Often, people visiting restaurants are paying for more than the meal alone— they’re paying for an experience—and we consider all the angles of how to make it a positive, memorable one.”

// 22 //

JUNE 2022

“Often, people visiting restaurants are paying for more than the meal alone—they’re paying for an experience—and we consider all the angles of how to make it a positive, memorable one.”

-Dave Nelson A key hire towards refining SecretPenguin’s experiential approach to branding was Ali Hult, her client-side perspective a blast of steam for an owner looking to iron out creative wrinkles between brands and their agencies.

“I was previously a marketing director, so I was used to being on the client side,” Hult said. “I hired SecretPenguin and several other agencies…and when I would worked with the SecretPenguin team, the results were remarkable.”

While her decade-long tenure at SecretPenguin provides ample adulation, one concept in particular breaks the surface of Hult’s otherwise placid demeanor.

The concept? Top secret. Classified. Or at least heavily redacted—for now.

“The Iceberg Build comes from our realization that many people can create something beautiful, or visually intriguing, but unless it’s strategic it only goes so far,” Hult said. “The brand identity, that’s just the tip of the iceberg…it’s everything underneath; the culture, the experience.”

“For example, we worked with Plank in the Old Market, their attributes being: high end, approachable, and utilitarian,” Hult continued, “but even looking at their flatware, when you sit down it’s weighted to be heavier, it’s got a high-end feel, but it’s also utilitarian, no doilies or embellishments, and then it’s approachable—no fancy metals, just stainless steel. It’s exactly what you need.”

Nelson is reserved in sharing the finer details of his build, though he touts a 99% success rate over 200 clients nationwide, and the intellectual scrutiny of Creighton University psychologist Dr. Joshua Fairchild—in the midst of a study on SecretPenguin’s winning process.

Another benefactor of The Iceberg Build is hot-off-the-skillet restaurateur and Noddle Co. heir apparent, Sam Noddle.

His Aksarben cafe and cocktail bar, Sonny’s | Zone_6, has all the hallmarks of Nelson’s experiential approach to branding, serving small bites and craft cocktails from a converted Airstream camper, replete with greenhouse seating.

The two put their creative minds to work, with Noddle’s influences from hip, wellness-oriented Coconut Grove in Miami— plus some inspired scribbling from Sam’s dad, Jay—combining with Nelson’s exacting eye for design.

“It’s two weeks before we open and I don’t have a logo. My dad has this really ugly cursive handwriting,” Noddle jibed. “I call my dad up, and say, ‘Hey I need you to write out Sonny’s as much as you can.’”

Noddle sent over the drafts, and in less than an hour Nelson produced an image of a perpetually rising sun, a subtle yet inspired nod to the scrawl’s familial origins.

Noddle beamed at the recollection: “Working with Dave was like taking a graduate course in marketing,” Noddle said. “He’s just a great guy…he’s showing me how to get to where I want to be.”

“I hired SecretPenguin and several other agencies…and when I would work with the SecretPenguin team, the results were remarkable.” -Ali Hult

It took me years to figure out the exact recipe for this cake, an that cake brings back so many memories for people. "

Michaela Kenkel

A+C Author

M I C H A E L A K E N K E L ' S D I N I N G T A B L E E X P A N D S O N L I N E

Taking Her Family Affairs, & Recipes, to Heart Those who talk to Michaela Kenkel, the mind behind An Affair from the Heart food blog, will soon find themselves in a conversation about family.

“Everything that is on my blog we eat,” Kenkel said.

When she started blogging in 2011, Kenkel had four kids at home and six to eight people at every meal. Kenkel’s main focus was staying home with her children.

“I’ve always had a side hustle,” Kenkel said.

“Everything I’ve ever done had a creative outlet and cooking is definitely creative.”

An Affair from the Heart also started as a side project, born from her work as a party-planner for family and friends. Guests would ask for dip and dessert recipes after events, and she started posting them online.

“I was pretty new in the game when food blogging started,” Kenkel said. “Now it is saturated.”

Blogspot was then all the rage, and followers got every post in their timeline. Today, the landscape is competitive and social media is fragmented, while algorithms control what gets onto timelines.

“As the kids got older and were away more it just morphed into a full-time gig,” Kenkel said.

During this time, Kenkel moved her blog to Wordpress and diversified her social media. About four years into An Affair from the Heart, she started working with brands and the blog became a full-time career. It attracts 925,000 average monthly views, has 216,000 Facebook followers, and pages on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

“She is one of my favorite entrepreneurs,” said Janell Anderson Ehrke, CEO of Grow Nebraska. “You’d think she’s in Chicago or downtown New York. She has got it going on right here in Nebraska.”

Kenkel works with Nebraska companies and national household brands, including Dunkin Donuts, General Mills, Horizon Organic, and Bob’s Redmill. Her first partnership with Frank’s Kraut evolved organically from Kenkel sharing the recipe for Polish sausage and sauerkraut from her grandmother, traditionally served to their family at Easter. Katie Peterson, marketing manager for Frank’s Kraut, reached out to Kenkel asking to share the post.

“The feedback we get from our community is amazing,” Peterson said. “I know what she makes hits home for a lot of people.”

Whether working with large companies or helping Nebraska products get exposure, Kenkel works with brands she “uses in her own kitchen.”

Her most popular recipes often come from her family, such as her grandmother’s hamburger soup featured on the Today Show website. As with Frank’s, the morning staple reached out to Kenkel. In the past she has worked with booking agents, and over time, developed relationships to work with brands directly. Regardless of a project’s origin, Kenkel is proud to develop and eat with her family all the recipes on the blog, sponsored or unsponsored posts. For example, Kenkel painstakingly recreated the beloved Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake Mix from Pillsbury after it was discontinued.

“It was my husband’s birthday cake growing up,” Kenkel said. “It took me years to figure out the exact recipe for this cake, and that cake brings back so many memories for people.”

Kenkel developed all the recipes and does her own food photography and posts. She has virtual assistants to help re-shoot older posts or share-out to specific groups. She makes sure to touch everything associated with the blog.

“I couldn’t do it all by myself and do it well,” Kenkel said. “I found good people.”

Now cooking for an empty nest, her children all college-age or older, Kenkel is starting a series of recipes for two. She also sends extra food to work with her husband, Brian.

“My husband and I, we were very much about the family table,” Michaela said.

“Not to say my kids weren’t busy, but nine times out of 10 we sat here and ate dinner, even if someone had to rush out the door.”

When the Kenkels built their home, Michaela included a generous kitchen and dining room. Windows give the area great light and its renovation in 2020 updated the look and added a cocktail space.

Kenkel learned culinary interior design from growing up in a cooking family. Her grandparents would seat the entire family at a winding table that stretched from the back porch to the dining room. Her own dining room table is still where she shoots most of her dishes for An Affair from the Heart.

“No matter what, everyone gathers in the kitchen,” Kenkel said.

Visit anaff airfromtheheart.com for more information.

While her grandparents had signature recipes, whether it was Polish sausage for Easter or oyster stew for Christmas, An Affair from the Heart has a wide berth.

“I don’t know what recipe I’ll be known for because I have 11,00 recipes,” Kenkel said.

“If you can’t come to [An Affair from the Heart] and find something to eat, you must not be hungry.”

story by Hannah Amrollahi • photography by Bill Sitzmann • design by Derek Joy JUNE 2022

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O

TO

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REG JERRE T T

BY G // P

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TAY BE COME

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DJ

AM ASTER

N BY DERE KJ OY

RA TOG

PHY BY BILL SIT ZM A

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SIG / DE / N

A+C MUSIC //

West is

B e s e th t

// A+ C MUSIC //

ay Westberry is a man of charm, energy, and talent with a capital Tay. His main claim to fame: becoming a top 10 chef on MasterChef season 11. Tay did not win the competition, but he won over curmudgeonly chef and show host Gordon Ramsay.

Ramsay said on the air he felt bad seeing Tay go and offered him a chance to work in one of his restaurants for a week.

Tay was a fan favorite who won a bakeoff judged by celebrity chef Sherry Yard with a restaurant-worthy pineapple upside-down cake using canned pineapple against the warnings of Ramsay and Yard.

Westberry triumphed in that round, but was unfortunately disqualified in episode eight when he forgot his uni butter—a delicacy made from sea urchins—in a five-ingredient challenge.

While known as "Mr. West" behind the turntables, he is "Chef West" behind the grill and in the halcyon days pre-pandemic, he would light it up on the side or at after parties.

"We used to throw ridiculous barbecues where I'd make brisket, pulled pork, and jerk chicken," Tay said. "That was a time to experiment and find out what people like.

I didn't know what it was leading to, I was just having fun cooking."

Tay pointed to his father, Jimmie Lee Westberry, as his primary influence.

"My mom fed us to keep us from going hungry, but my dad fed us so that we enjoyed food," said Tay, who recalls how, in lieu of oatmeal one day, his father made Chilaquiles, a Mexican breakfast of fried corn tortilla pieces cooked in salsa, sprinkled with cheese and served with eggs.

"He cooked with different spices and took his time. I really got to experiment at a young age with taking food and having fun with it."

"I couldn't DJ any more and I wanted to switch gears into food," Tay said. "That was my break. It gave me a chance to make my transition."

After auditioning locally, Tay's star was launched on MasterChef. When filming ended and before his season aired, Tay started "Not Just Omaha Eats" on Instagram. He tries different local eateries with friends, eating and filming in one of Omaha's most entertaining locations: his car.

While competing on MasterChef, Tay caught the attention of folks across the nation, but also in Omaha. Joel Hassanali, corporate executive chef at Best Bison restaurant, said he was watching the show's second episode when he was first impressed with Chef Westberry.

"I saw 'Tay from Omaha' on week two of MasterChef when he won the pastry challenge with Chef Sherry Yard," said Hassanali, who worked under Yard for four years at City Perch in Bethesda, Maryland, and in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

"I saw something in him on the show, a unique passion that reminded me a lot of myself. And I knew there was so much more that I could teach him and collaborate on some things together."

"WE USED TO THROW RIDICULOUS BARBECUES WHERE I'D MAKE

BRISKE T, PULLED PORK, AND JERK CHICKEN. THAT WAS A TIME TO E X PERIMENT AND FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE LIKE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS LE ADING TO, I WAS JUST HAVING FUN COOKING."

y r r e b t s e Tay W

Before MasterChef, Westberry was already known throughout Omaha. Notable as a local radio and event DJ, Westberry rocks the mic at 106.9 FM The Power Wednesday through Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. with DJ Alyssa Siebken.

Tay started on the night shift in 2013 and catapulted to local radio popularity, doing The Blackout with Ivan Alvarez from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. In 2018 he became the station’s morning DJ. Tay would also sometimes DJ at events until 2 a.m. "I'd have to be up at the radio station by 4 a.m., so sometimes I'd just sleep there." // 28 //

JUNE 2022

Jimmie Lee remembers introducing Tay to unique flavors while making French toast one Sunday.

"I decided to make them African, doing a couple things a little different, modify a batter, give it a name and have fun with it," Jimmie Lee said. "Tay's eyes just lit up, and he was hooked from there. He learned that one of the great ways to make people feel special is through cooking. It's a great way to entertain, and it's a great way to communicate our appreciation for people."

The pandemic shook up everyday life enough for Tay to give his first love a try.

After connecting through Instagram, the two met, and Tay officially became Chef West. Westberry is now lead prep cook at Best Bison, 163 N. 78th St. Omahans can expect great things from him in the future.

Find Chef West on multiple platforms, from Instagram to YouTube, by searching "Not Just Omaha Eats."

Hip, Hip, Burray!

// OBVIOUSLY OMAHA // STORY BY LINDA PERSIGEHL DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

SOFT CHEESE BECOMES FUN FOOD FAD

B

URRATA IS NO NEWCOMER TO FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENTS, BUT IT IS HAVING A MOMENT. Eateries all over Omaha have added the delicious, creamy appetizer—a mozzarella cheese shell made of cow or buffalo milk, filled with a soft stracciatella cheese and cream created more than a century ago in the Apulia region of southern Italy—to their appetizer menus, with variations on presentation, condiments, accoutrements, and portion size. Here are a few Omaha establishments where you can sample this trendy, tasty treat.

1

GATHER IN OMAHA

1108 Howard St. gather-omaha.com

Guests at Gather in Omaha downtown can enjoy their Mediterranean burrata cheese served with grilled turmeric naan, a mediterranean salad, fig jam, and Gather’s own urban farm basil hummus. $15

2

VIA FARINA

1108 S. 10th St. viafarina.rest

Located in Omaha’s Little Italy District, Via Farina seems the perfect place to try burrata for the first time. Their traditional version is served with olive oil, Italian bread, and ’nduja—a spicy paste made from cured pork and peppers. $16

4

SADDLE CREEK BREAKFAST CLUB

1540 N. Saddle Creek Road facebook.com/SCBCOmaha

A different, fruity take is SCBC’s burrata, listed on its Toast menu. The cheese is served with fresh rustic bread from Le Quartier Bakery and a slightly tart strawberry rhubarb jam. $11

5

STIRNELLA

3814 Farnam St. stirnella.com Blackstone eatery Stirnella serves their burrata with a host of flavors and textures, including with roasted grapes, aged balsamic, brown butter walnut puree, arugula greens, and peasant bread. $16

6

PITCH PIZZERIA

17808 Burke St. 5021 Underwood Ave. pitchpizzeria.com Pitch’s locations in Dundee and Village Pointe both feature a Caprese salad on their menu, with burrata, heirloom cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and a balsamic reduction. Patrons can add a form of protein—a meatball, chicken, salmon, shrimp, crab cakes, or even Angus beef filet—if they wish for a few dollars more for a complete meal. $16, or $19-$30 with protein.

3

UPSTREAM

514 S. 11th St. upstreambrewing.com Upstream Brewery in Omaha’s Old Market serves a savory burrata with olive tapenade, long stem artichokes, oregano vinaigrette, and toasted sourdough bread.

It’s the perfect sidekick to a locally crafted brew. $15

JUNE 2022

// 77 //

BRANDON DAVIS MAKES SOUL FOOD. MORE THAN THAT, THE YOUNG CHEF/ ENTREPRENEUR/ RESTAURANTOWNER WITH DEEP TIES TO HIS NORTH OMAHA NEIGHBORHOOD AND HIS CITY IS SOUL FOOD.

DINING FEATURE // Story by Chris Hatch Photography by Bill Sitzmann // Design by Matt Wieczorek

Shug's Comfort Food Welcomes All

JUNE

// 79 //

2022

DINING FEATURE

“I

n the history of being Black people, that’s predominantly what we eat, that’s what I enjoy,” Davis said at his restaurant, after he briefly appears from the kitchen, where he’s doing what a multi-hyphenate does: a little bit of everything.

“I try all different kinds of food, but I found out that soul food is what I love to do,” Davis said.

“You can do so many spins on it, put whatever you love in it. Any food, I guess, can be soul food if you’re putting love and time into it.”

“Any food can be soul food”? That depends on the soul making the food. Davis certainly seems to have the key ingredient down.

Somewhere along the way, before he made his mark at the corner of West Mission Avenue and Jefferson Street in Old Towne Bellevue, he found the kind of flavoring that one can't find on a spice rack; the kind of seasoning that doesn't come canned or bottled, but feels lived in.

Whether it was his short-lived stint at Metropolitan Community College's culinary school or the myriad jobs he worked before finding deliciously spiced clarity, it’s the food.

Those prior jobs were merely a collection of non-food-industry occupations—it’s always been the food.

The oldest of seven kids, a younger version of Davis often found himself in the kitchen, watching his mother, the eponymous Shug, create that gilded magic that has entranced him ever since. “Watching her trial and error, she was always the person cooking in our family.

Holidays, special events.”

Even though she passed away more than 11 years ago, the matriarch has somehow managed to flip the script, and now she watches her son do the cooking.

With a smile as warm as the gleaming plate of food that she holds, Davis’ mother looks down from the wall—her painted throne on high, as present in the décor as she is in the very food served at the restaurant that bears her name.

and having my friends over eating and I was like, ‘Ummm…I might need to start charging y’all!’

One thing led to another, people were posting on Facebook. A lot of people were hungry.”

It wasn’t only family that was instrumental in his journey to restaurant owner and soul food chef.

His five years at Quick Bites Soul Food, under the kitchen tutelage of the recently deceased Justin Epting, the former owner of the restaurant that resided where Shug’s now serves people, had a profound impact on him. “Justin, he kind of mentored me,” Davis said. “Taught me a lot of things you don’t learn in school, a lot of things I didn’t know about cooking.”

“The first time we met Brandon, he came to the restaurant and he brought us both enchiladas that he made,” said Epting’s widow and coworker at Quick Bites, Carolyn Epting. “That was pretty much his job interview and he was hired right then.”

Davis always had a knack for tantalizing the five senses with his cooking, but began to learn from Epting about how exactly to craft food that opened customers to a sixth sense. A kind of alchemy where people don’t just taste the food created, they feel it.

“Our saying in the South is that he ‘Put his foot in it,’” Carolyn said. “That’s the type of cook he is, he puts his whole heart into whatever he does.

He’s a natural at putting seasonings together... that’s the kind of cook Justin was, too, so it was perfect that those two worked together.”

After Epting died, the end of Quick Bites appeared imminent. Davis had a decision to make—stay with Epting’s restaurant or let it close. He took the crossroads laid before him, and chose to give it his own twist. Suddenly, the two paths converged before him, looking more like an X marking the spot.

over-pouring of support. Some Fridays and Saturdays we have lines around the side of the building,” he said. “I literally get here at 6 to 6:30 in the morning and don’t leave until 9 at night.”

Throughout it all, the family spirit hasn’t left him. Davis has seen his restaurant take off, making sure to point out that he’s teaching his younger siblings how to cook, and watching glowingly as his grandma—a woman who has her own name on the menu, featuring her legendary sweet potato pies—tidies up around the restaurant in a most grandmotherly way.

“The thing about him is, he lost his mom at 18, right when he was about to graduate,” Epting said. “She passed away, and he has made sure his little brothers have been taken care of.”

“I watched him grow, make little mistakes here and there, I watched all of it, and he’s just an awesome man.” she continued. “I’m so proud of him. I know his mom is proud, I’m definitely proud, and I know Justin is proud. Couldn’t ask for a better person doing the job that he’s doing and being part of a community, doing something that he loves, carrying on what my husband started.”

Davis isn’t sure what the future holds. He’s got people to feed, food to create, and the local community clamoring for more.

“I wasn’t looking for a certain demographic, or anything. I want to fill everyone’s stomachs and make everybody happy,” he said. “So far, that’s what I’m doing. I get so many people from different walks of life, different cultures.

Everybody comes, the people that have never had soul food—they’ve never had greens or they’ve never had this or that—and it puts a smile on my face.”

Davis’ grandma, Cathy, sweeps her way toward the table at which Davis sits. She leans over, with her daughter above and her grandson seated beneath her, smiling so big that one can see her grin from behind a surgical mask as she softly speaks.

“Hopefully she’s very, very proud,” Davis said.

“It’s been a long road for me, coming from all over the place. Being a young teenager who lost their parent but growing up to have my own restaurant. To having the support of my family, my siblings, things like that. It would make her very proud.”

“He ended up passing away and I was like, ‘Well let me go ahead and take this over.’ I had been here from the start, I had seen it grow, and I just kind of hated seeing it go by the wayside,” Davis said. “I had to kind of get my stuff together and say ‘this is what I’m going to do.’”

“Can I interject something?” she asked. “All the paintings. All this stuff,” she gestured to the homey, warm décor and the pictures of African American leaders who adorn the walls of a new generation’s restaurant.

As he continued to hone his craft, he quickly discovered that his food was too good to give away for free. So, the young chef started cooking for cash.

He put his foot in the food, then he put one foot in front of the other. Before long, Davis had a plan.

“This was Brandon’s work,” she said, her voice as warm as her grandson’s cooking. “This is Brandon’s dream.”

“I used to cook at home. Just make stuff out of the house,” he said, grinning with a sly entrepreneurial spirit. “I was always cooking on Sundays // 80 //

JUNE 2022

“It can be very, very overwhelming. Especially with it being my first restaurant, first time doing this. I knew it would do good, because I can cook good. But I didn’t expect the

Visit facebook.com/shugscomfortfood to learn more.

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WITH A SMILE AS WARM AS THE GLEAMING PLATE OF FOOD THAT SHE HOLDS, DAVIS’ MOTHER LOOKS DOWN FROM THE WALL—HER PAINTED PERCH ON HIGH, AS PRESENT IN THE DÉCOR AS SHE IS IN THE VERY FOOD SERVED AT THE RESTAURANT THAT BEARS HER NAME. JUNE 2022

// 81 //

Chef John Rea Drafts His Own Path

Building a Craft

Chef Profile STORY dave zorko

PHOTOGRAPHY bill sitzmann DESIGN matt wieczorek

J

ohn Rea was going to be an architect, seeking to create structure and visual presentation in buildings. However, as Rea reached the end of high school he realized the storied profession wasn't for him, and instead found himself rather lost, not knowing where he wanted his life to go. He realized his dreams didn’t involve sitting behind a desk all day.

Rea didn’t want to “hemorrhage money at a college just because that’s what you’re supposed to do after high school.” That’s where his guidance counselor, Tom Barber, was helpful. Rea recalled Barber saying, “Have you thought about culinary school?”

He placed in Rea’s hand a packet to Le Cordon Bleu in Minneapolis and told him, “Go be a chef.” Rea took that suggestion, applied, and was accepted. Unfortunately Rea assumed, incorrectly, that he would receive financial aid after succeeding in running the gauntlet of the application process. No monetary assistance meant a job at Domino’s pizza would need to pay the bills.

Rea said he was one of two recent high school graduates out of roughly 50 students in his group at culinary school. The rest ranged in age and paths. Unconsciously, or actively, Rea realized he “[couldn’t] be like the nervous small town kid. I kinda [had] to come out of my shell a little bit, otherwise [I was] going to pass up a lot of opportunities to learn.”

After culinary school and several early jobs, including working with a tightly bonded group of chefs, Rea took a position in the clubhouse at the Field Club of Omaha.

He received money, benefits, and responsibility, but lacked the ability to create, change, and grow. In early 2010, Rea was introduced to the owners of M’s Pub, and, as Rea puts it, “that’s kind of when everything changed. That was when most of my growth happened…on the professional side—on the cook side—on learning the admin. side of things…learning how to manage a staff.”

The M’s staff included industry veterans, some with more than 20 years of tenure.

That level of experience within the staff put Rea into an environment where, he said,

he was part of an “absolute machine.” The people there knew their role, job, and what they were supposed to do, and he learned to “manage around that.”

Included among the staff was general manager Jay Bock. Rea told me that Bock was “this larger than life person. He knew everything about the place.” Bock asked Rea about his goals, to which Rea said he “want[ed] to eventually be able to run M’s Pub without needing the safety net of…the executive chef [or Bock].” Rea expressed his desire to be an executive chef and that he intended the role at M’s to be the last milestone prior to becoming that executive chef. Through Bock, he learned the ordering system and added leadership skills in organization and communication. The training occurred in a couple of whirlwind weeks. The intent was to allow Rea to perform a trial run as head chef while Bock was at the 2010 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The trial run soon turned into trial by fire. Bock was one of four people killed in a much-publicized motorcycle accident on the return trip from Sturgis. Rea went from being anxious for the leader’s return to assuming that leader's position.

He stayed in the role until January 2016, when an explosion, brought on by a gas leak, destroyed M’s Pub. Following the nearly two-year closure of M’s Pub, Rea worked at Paragon for about a year, then Mula for a few months. He enjoyed cooking the tacos, tortas, and other Mexican street foods served at Mula, but it was not his passion. Jeremy Hunter was an M’s bartender who worked with Rea at M’s and events such as Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen. Hunter had moved on to Via Farina and found out, through talking with co-owner Paul Kulik in 2017, that Rea had been hired there.

“John’s food is absolutely amazing and his palate is spot on,” Hunter stated, continuing, “John is calm [and] explains why he does [what he is doing].” Rea has been at Via Farina ever since, working with handmade pasta and sourdough wood fired pizza, which were new dishes to him.

Rea is driven to learn, grow, and help others succeed. He has seen people who were his sous chefs become leaders in their own right, such as Oscar Hernandez of 402 Eat + Drink. His daughter, Charlie, who was born shortly after the M’s fire in 2016, shares this passion for food. Other children might know how to make a peanut butter sandwich, but Rea said his daughter is “the only kindergartner [making] arancini.”

Rea’s learning, teaching, designing, and constructing results in beautifully presented food. Perhaps he is an architect.

Visit viafarina.rest for more information.

REA IS DRIVEN TO LEARN, GROW, AND HELP OTHERS SUCCEED. HE HAS SEEN PEOPLE WHO WERE HIS SOUS CHEFS BECOME LEADERS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.

JUNE 2022

// 83 //

Crab Rangoon Tots

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

DINING REVIEW

An Exciting

Culinary Area Code Story by Tamsen Butler

[

402 Eat+Drink

Offers Craft Drinks, Global-Inspired Food

JUNE

//

85 //

2022

]

One friend ordered the flat iron steak and was tickled to find the meat so tender she could cut it with her butter knife.

// 86 //

JUNE 2022

DINING REVIEW

T

ucked into the Village Pointe storefronts on Davenport Street is 402 Eat+Drink, a restaurant offering a diverse menu of their interpretation of global foods. I recently dined there with friends.

A prominent sign advised guests that, like most restaurants, they were understaffed so please be patient. The hosts seemed a little flustered, but we were seated promptly thanks to our reservation and quickly greeted by our server, Patrick.

The menu is indeed diverse, offering flatbread, salads, sandwiches, and entrees like Creole Salmon Pasta, Korean Stir Fry, and a Braised Short Rib. My friend ordered an Old Fashioned and declared that the restaurant wasn’t stingy with the alcohol. Her husband drank a strawberry lemonade, which he said was not too sweet. He frequently encounters strawberry lemonades that he believes are too sweet.

Everyone enjoyed eating the Crab Rangoon tots we ordered as an appetizer, although there seemed to be some variation in each piece. My husband said his had ample crab Rangoon filling while my tot was basically a big tater tot with some sweet and sour sauce drizzled over it and a couple of wonton strips. Regardless, it was tasty.

We also ordered the fried pickles and were delighted by the portion size; it was a heaping plate of fried dill pickle chips with a homemade ranch sauce that was more than enough for the four of us. A good number of the pieces were just fried breading, with no pickles inside. We saw another plate of fried pickles pass our table a few minutes later that seemed to feature plumper fried pickles. Perhaps we received the bottom layer of a batch.

My friends asked if they could split a wedge salad. The answer was yes, and it was delivered on two separate plates, each featuring an impressive presentation. We expected to have the salad appear at the table on one plate, perhaps sliced down the middle with extra plates.

Steak + Fries (a new menu item)

One friend ordered the flat iron steak and was tickled to find the meat so tender she could cut it with her butter knife. She also praised the accompanying potatoes and said she really enjoyed the bordelaise sauce.

DINING REVIEW

Reuben and fries

M

y husband made the bold proclamation that the 402 Reuben he ordered was the best Reuben he’s ever eaten. He said the cabbage had a delicious flavor as though it had been marinated beforehand, yet still retained its crispiness.

My friend’s husband ordered the birria torta dip and traded one piece for a piece of the Reuben. While he enjoyed the birria and said the spices were tasty, the Reuben caught his attention. “Sometimes you have to fight corned beef, but this is really tender and good,” he said. This is the same man who has exacting strawberry lemonade standards.

My tofu burger featured a sweet, slightly smoky barbecue sauce and a patty that was reminiscent of falafel. The ciabatta bread

tasted fresh and the arugula was the perfect complement to the sandwich. The accompanying French fries were crispy and nicely flavored in a reasonable portion.

My husband and I split the roasted apple cheesecake for dessert, which featured a caramel drizzle and a spiced apple compote for topping. My friends split the creme brulee and remarked how the fresh fruit on top added to the overall flavor.

After the meal, when my friends asked for decaf coffee, our server said they would brew some since there wasn’t any ready at that time. We were all impressed by how calm and accommodating our server was despite the obvious crunch of guests throughout the restaurant. We never felt rushed, which is an impressive feat for a busy restaurant.

My husband made the bold proclamation that the 402 Reuben he ordered was the best Reuben he’s ever eaten. // 88 //

JUNE 2022

I suggest making a reservation before visiting 402 Eat+Drink, especially on the weekend. You can expect tasty food and good service in a space that somehow manages to look industrial and blatantly colorful. The dichotomy of the interior décor didn’t take away from the overall dining experience, especially since all the food was masterfully plated.

402 Eat+Drink has a children’s menu, too.

I think this makes for a great opportunity for families who are at Village Pointe to stop in for a good meal to escape the typical fast-food trap of shopping with children.

The bill, before tip, was $56.68. This restaurant will be added to my list of good options at Village Pointe. The food is good, the menu is varied—and the staff is exceptional.

Visit eat402.com for more information.

402 EAT+DRIN K 7305 DAVENPORT ST. - 402.619.5474 FOO D S ERVICE AM BIAN CE PRICE OVERALL

$$$ 5 STARS POSSI B LE

Mango coconut cheesecake

- Sponsored Content -

Omaha

- SPONSOR ED CONTENT -

DINING GUIDE AMERICAN BARREL & VINE- $$ 1311 South 203rd St., Omaha, NE 68130 -402.504.1777 Barrel and Vine’s restaurant is an elevated food experience that is made from scratch daily with love in our kitchen. Our menu combines a mixture of Chef driven creative dishes, crave-able comfort meals and premium Nebraska steaks. Barrel & Vine also doubles as a live music venue and offers a rooftop bar, outdoor patio with firepits, and dozens of high end bourbons, scotch, and over 100 wine selections. Come check out an experience that is like nothing else in Nebraska. Open 7 days a week.

—bvomaha.com

DJ’S DUGOUT SPORTS BAR - $ Seven Metro Area Locations:

Bellevue - 10308 S. 23rd St. - 402.292.9096 Miracle Hills - 777 N. 114th St. - 402.498.8855 Downtown - 1003 Capitol Ave. - 402.763.9974 Aksarben - 2102 S. 67th St. - 402.933.3533 Millard - 17666 Welch Plaza - 402.933.8844 Elkhorn - 19020 Evans St. - 402.315.1985 Plattsmouth - 2405 Oak Hill Rd. - 402.298.4166 Voted Omaha’s #1 Sports Bar, DJ’s Dugout is locally and Vietnam Veteran owned. DJ’s Dugout features delicious burgers, wings, wraps, salads, sandwiches and an impressive drink menu. Plus, DJ’s has huge media walls full of HD TVs and projector screens. Catch all the action at DJ’s seven Omaha-area locations.

Dig In... At The Dugout! —djsdugout.com

JAMS- $$ 7814 Dodge St. - 402.399.8300 17070 Wright Plz, Ste. 100 - 402.810.9600 1101 Harney St. in the OldMarket - 402.614.9333 Jams is an Omaha restaurant legacy, an “American Grill” that offers a melting pot of different styles and varieties. The dishes are made with high-quality ingredients that pair well with award-winning wines or creative cocktails. —jamseats.com

DJ’S DUGOUT is locally and Vietnam Veteran LE PEEP - $ 69th & Pacific - 402.933.2776 177th and Center St. - 402.934.9914 156th St. & W. Dodge Rd. - 402.408.1728 120th and Blondo St. - 402.991.8222 Le Peep puts a wholesome perspective on your favorite neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot. Fresh. Simple.

Elegant. Inviting. We put the emphasis on people, both patrons and staff. We focus on providing each of our guests the fresh food and friendly service that they have come to expect. Open daily 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. —lepeepomaha.com

STELLA’S - $ 106 S. Galvin Road, Bellevue - 402.291.6088 Since 1936, we’ve been making our worldfamous Stella’s hamburgers the same way.

The family secrets have been handed down to each owner, ensuring that your burger is the same as the one you fell in love with the first time you tried Stella’s.

And if it’s your first time, we know you’ll be back! Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Sunday. —stellasbarandgrill.com

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

7 OMAHA METRO AREA LOCATIONS | DJSDUGOUT.COM | JUNE 2022

Owned. Since 1993, DJ’s Dugout has been a gathering place for sports fans and families.

Today, DJ’s has 7 Omaha metro area locations and is famous for providing an ultimate sports bar experience with its delicious food and massive media display walls.

The food at DJ’s is absolutely delicious!

You’ll find a menu packed full of variety that includes “Fresh… Never Frozen” half pound premium Angus beef burgers, wings, nachos, sandwiches and so much more. DJ’s also has party rooms available, perfect for groups, business meetings, and celebrations.

Voted Omaha’s #1 Sports Bar. Dig In… at the Dugout!

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

WELCOME BASEBALL FANS!

// 90 //

OMAHA’S ICONIC SPORTS BAR!

DJSDUGOUT.COM

Omaha

DINING GUIDE TED AND WALLY’S - $ 1120 Jackson St. - 402.341.5827

Get a Little Saucy.

Appetizers

CHANGE 2022 Winner

yH Happ our

an Dining Itali

2022 Winner

2022 Winner

SPEZIA SPECIALTIES

WOOD FIRE STEAKS & SEAFOOD INNOVATIVE PASTA—RISOTTO—GNOCCHI FRESH SALMON DAILY

Open 7 Days a Week for Lunch & Dinner

NOW HIRING

APPLY IN PERSON Catering

Take Out & Patio Dining Available!

. Private Party Rooms . Walk-Ins Welcome 3125 South 72 nd Street

(Easy access off I-80, take 72

nd

Street Exit)

402.391.2950 . Call today to make your reservation

Hamburger

thanks to our customers for voting us the “BEST BURGER

IN OMAHA 2022 First Place

“Serving World Famous Hamburgers Since 1936”

106 GALVIN RD., BELLEVUE, NE • 402-291-6088 • OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY, 11 AM - 9 PM

Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market.

Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites, plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday.

Noon-10 p.m. —tedandwallys.com

VARSITY SPORTS CAFE - $$ Ralston - 9735 Q St. - 402.339.1944 Bellevue - 3504 Samson Way - 402.932.1944 Millard - 14529 F St. - 402.505.6660 Ralston, Bellevue, Millard and Dundee.

We are truly grateful to have been welcomed into each of these communities and welcome you in for good food, a cold drink and a comfy seat to enjoy the sport of your choosing! Determined to bring only the freshest ingredients, homemade dough and our specialty sauces to the table, we have worked hard to perfect our craft for you. Our goal is to bring the best food service to the area and show the best sports events that you want to see. Pick up and Delivery availalble. Please check website for hours of operation.

—varsityromancoinpizza.com

I TA L I A N LO SOLE MIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO - $$ 3001 S. 32nd Ave. - 402.345.5656 The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by charming homes. Everyone is greeted with homemade bread, a bowl of fresh tomatoes and basil, a bowl of ovenroasted garlic cloves, specially seasoned olive oil, and (at night) a jug of Chianti!

The menu includes a large variety of pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, and even a delicious New York steak. Traditional dishes such as lasagna, tortellini, and eggplant parmigiana are also available.

Lunch offerings include panini, salads, and one of the best pizzas in town.

Patio seating, full bar, and a great wine list complete the atmosphere. No reservations, except for private rooms.

—losolemio.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

JUNE 2022

// 91 //

Nacho Typical Family Restaurant! xican Dining Me

ichanga Chim

2022 Winner

2022 Winner

4 METRO LOCATIONS! www.romeosOMAHA.com

// 92 //

JUNE 2022

Omaha

DINING GUIDE Breakfast

day Brunch Sun

Staff & Servi ce ait W

2022 Winner

2022 First Place

2022 First Place

156th & Dodge • 408-1728 177th & Center • 934-9914 120th & Blondo • 991-8222 69th & Pacific • 933-2776

Thanks for Voting Us # BREAKFAST YEARS in a Row!

14

1

Drive-Thru Open (Center St. Only) Open Daily 6:30am-2:00pm Serving Breakfast & Lunch All Day!

LEPEEPOMAHA.COM | @LEPEEPOMAHA

Two Locations: 2505 S. 133rd Plaza 531-213-2724 HOURS: 7AM-6PM

2504 Farnam St. 402-452-3085 HOURS: 7AM-6PM

PASTA AMORE - $$ 11027 Prairie Brook Rd. - 402.391.2585 Pastas are made fresh daily, including tortellini, fettuccine, and capellini. Daily specials and menu items include a variety of fresh seafood and regional Italian dishes, such as linguini amore and calamari steak, penne Florentine, gnocchi, spaghetti puttanesca, and osso buco. Filet mignon is also offered for those who appreciate nationally renowned Nebraska beef. To complement your dining experience, the restaurant offers a full bar and extensive wine list. Be sure to leave room for homemade desserts, like the tiramisu and cannoli. Monday-Thursday 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 10 p.m.

Reservations recommended.

—pastaamore.com

SPEZIA - $$$ 3125 S. 72nd St. - 402.391.2950 Choose Spezia for lunch or dinner, where you’ll find a casual elegance that’s perfect for business guests, get-togethers, or any special occasion.

Exceptional food, wine, and service, with a delectable menu: fresh seafood, certified Angus steaks, innovative pasta, risotto, gnocchi, cioppino, lamb, entrée salads, Mediterranean chicken, flatbreads, and fresh salmon daily.

Enjoy a full bar, Italian and California wines, Anniversary/Lovers’ Booth (call to reserve), private dining rooms, and wood-fired grill. Open MondaySunday. Cocktail hour 4-6 p.m., when all cocktails, glasses of wine, and beers are half price. Evening reservations recommended.

—speziarestaurant.com

MEXICAN FERNANDO’S - $ 7555 Pacific St. - 402.339.8006.

380 N. 114th St. - 402.330.5707 Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily. Catering and party rooms also available. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m.

—fernandosomaha.com

Order Online zencoffeecompany.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

JUNE 2022

// 93 //

Omaha

DINING GUIDE

MODERN COCKTAILS MIXED WITH AMERICA’S MUSIC

3825 N. 30 TH ST., OMAHA, NE @JOHNNYTSBARANDBLUES

n Sandwi ube ch Re

2022 First Place

Try Omaha’s Favorite Reuben!

Omaha’s largest selection of craft beers.

3578 Farnam St • 402-345-1708 www.beercornerusa.com

LA MESA - $$ 158th St. and W. Maple Rd. - 402.557.6130 156th and Q streets - 402.763.2555 110th St. and W. Maple Rd. - 402.496.1101 Fort Crook Rd. and Hwy 370 - 402.733.8754 84th St. and Tara Plaza - 402.593.0983 Lake Manawa Exit - 712.256.2762 Enjoy awesome enchiladas, fabulous fajitas, seafood specialties, mouthwatering margaritas, and more at La Mesa. Come see why La Mesa has been voted Omaha’s No. 1 Mexican restaurant 18 years in a row. Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

—lamesaomaha.com

ROMEO’S MEXICAN FOOD AND PIZZA - $ 90th and Blondo streets - 402.391.8870 146th St. and W. Center Rd. - 402.330.4160 96th and L streets - 402.331.5656 Galvin and Avery roads - 402.292.2028 29th and Farnam steets - 402.346.1110 Romeo’s is your friendly, family Mexican food and pizza restaurant.

We take real pride in serving our guests generous portions of the freshest, most flavorful dishes made

ek Dining Gre

2022 First Place

Family Owned Since 1983 CATERING / PARTY ROOM AVAILABLE HOMEMADE, FRESH FOOD, ALWAYS.

3821 Center St. / 402.346.1528 GreekIslandsOmaha.com

// 94 //

JUNE 2022

with the finest ingredients available.

Zesty seasonings and the freshest ingredients combine to ensure the ultimate in flavor. Our savory taco meat is prepared every morning at each location. Make sure to try our chimichangas; they’re the best in town.

—romeosomaha.com

SPECIAL DINING CRESCENT MOON ALE HOUSE - $ 3578 Farnam St. - 402.345.1708 Founded in 1996, we’ve grown into Beer Corner USA with the additions of The Huber Haus German Beer Hall, Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern, and Beertopia—Omaha’s Ultimate Beer Store. With more than 60 beers on tap and Omaha’s best Reuben sandwich, we are a Midtown beerlover’s destination. Hours: MondaySaturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight.

Closed Sunday.

—beercornerusa.co

RATHSKELLER BIER HAUS-$$ 4524 Farnam St. - 402.991.7724 Rathskeller Bier Haus celebrates daily with German beer, wurst and many other menu items. Within arm’s reach of the Blackstone District and historic Dundee. Rathskeller Bier Haus is our German castle and designed to bring the storied traditions of Bavaria to the beating heart of Omaha’s metro area.

Come enjoy our large outdoor beer garden and four legged friends are welcome. Prost! Open daily 11 a.m.-Late.

—rathskelleromaha.com

GREEK ISLANDS - $ 3821 Center St. - 402.346.1528 Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. We are well-known for our gyro sandwiches and salads. We cater and can accommodate a party for 65 guests.

Carry-out and delivery available.

Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

—greekislandsomaha.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

Omaha

DINING GUIDE STEAKHOUSES CASCIO’S - $$ 1620 S. 10th St. - 402-345-8313 Fascio’s is Omaha’s No. 1 steakhouse.

We have been serving Omaha for 69 years. We feature steaks, chops, seafood, and Italian specialties. We have seven private party rooms, seating for up to 400 people, and plenty of parking.

—casciossteakhouse.com

THE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE - $$$ 2121 S. 73rd St. - 402-391-7440 Famous for the original Whiskey Steak.

Truly a one-of-a-kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service, and value. Rare...and very well done. Open Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Dinner nightly at 5 p.m.; Special Hours: June 17June 27 Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 4 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

—droverrestaurant.com

Home of the Whiskey Steak

@The Drover Restaurant & Lounge | Gift Cards Available 2121 S. 73 St. | (402) 391-7440 | DroverRestaurant.com Open Mon - Fri 11:00am - 10:30pm | Dinner nightly from 5pm h Steak ouse

2022 First Place

WELCOME BASEBALL FANS Special Hours

June 17 - June 27

Mon-Fri 11:00am - 10:30pm, Sat-Sun 4:00pm - 10:30pm

JUNE 2022

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explore.

come and

LE T’S PLAN A ROAD TRIP!

DAYTRI PS I N NE BRA SK A , I OW A , K AN SA S, AN D M I SSOURI

RENT June 9-26 at the Tada Theater in the Historic Haymarket District in Lincoln The Tony Award and Pulitzer

NEBRASKA

NEBRASKA ROD AND CUSTOMS ASSOCIATION’S “TOUR NEBRASKA 22” June 3-5 in North

Prize-winning theatrical sensation comes to Lincoln’s Tada Theater. The musical traces a year in the lives of an eclectic group of artists and friends in their JUNE efforts to stay true to their dreams under in the face of harsh realities, and the sacrifice necessary when choosing love over fear. 402.438.8232 —tadaproductions.info

Platte Vintage vehicles and hot rod

classics go on parade, covering 600 miles over two days, starting in North Platte, with a themed celebration held Saturday night.

—nrca.wildapricot.org

12

27TH ANNUAL DOG DAYS OF SUMMER BIKE SHOW June 4 in Steele City

Midwestern bikers show off their choppers, hogs, and scramblers in MYSTERY AT THE MANSION June JUNE Steele City’s annual ode to all things 4 and 11 in Nebraska City The motorcycles with competitions, Arbor Lodge Mansion hosts two food, and entertainment throughout nautical nights of “murder and the weekend. For those looking to be a mayhem,” with plundering afoot in part of the show, registration is “ride in” Murder Among Mateys June 4 and from 11a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. 402.442.2233 luxury meeting homicide on the high seas in —visitnebraska.com/steele-city/events/ Cruising for Murder June 11. 800.546.5433 steele-city-bike-show-ride —nebraskacity.com

04

MAKIT MARKET June 5 at the Makit Takit Craft

Studio in Lincoln Over 25 vendors exhibit their

local, handmade wares including gifts, food, jewelry, clothing and more at Makit Takit: Lincoln’s Craft Studio. Entry is free. 402.483.4232 —makittakit.com

FORT MARKET June 11 at Fort Robinson

State Park in Crawford A multitude

of vendors bring arts, crafts, and other unique items to Crawford’s more than a century-year-old Fort Robinson State Park with live music and other activities for

BEING OUTDOORS IN LINCOLN IS PRETTY TOUGH TO BEAT. Whether it’s soaking

in a live music event, navigating over 130 miles of walking and biking trails or just enjoying time with friends and family, Lincoln delivers on summertime fun. In the middle of it all, come enjoy Lincoln this summer!

—Lincoln.org/omahamag SPONSORED

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JUNE 2022

attendees to enjoy. Entry is free, but vehicles require a park entry permit. 402.471.0641 —visitnebraska.com/crawford/events/ fort-market

JACK WHITE WITH THE DEVION LAMAR ORGAN TRIO June 12 at

the Pinewood Bowl Theater in Lincoln Alt-rock titan Jack White

graces Lincoln’s Pinewood Bowl Theater with special guests the Devion Lamar Organ Trio. The White Stripes and Raconteurs frontman will set the stage alight with his unique blend of bluesy, galvanic purling and high-octane riffs, with new hit single “Taking Me Back” sure to electrify concert-goers. 402.904.4444 —pinewoodbowltheater.com

NEBRASKALAND DAYS FEATURING TIM MCGRAW AND MIRANDA LAMBERT June

12-25 in North Platte Organized by the

Nebraska Games and Parks Commission and billed as “the official state celebration of Nebraska!” NEBRASKAland days kicks off with the Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageant June 12-15, the Buffalo Bill Rodeo June 15-18, Nebraska Craft Beer at Taps and Tunes June 23, and headliner performances by country stars Tim McGraw on June 24 and Mirdana Lambert on June 25. 888.313.5606 —nebraskalanddays.com

SWEDISH DAYS 2022 June 17-18 in Holdrege This festival is a weekend

of fika, Swedish meatballs, and live music in Holdrege at the town’s annual Swedish Days event with a “Grand Parade” taking place Saturday morning. A beer garden serviced by JB’s Sports Bar & Grill will keep the poslka dancing going until midnight Friday. 308.995.4444 —holdregechamber.com

! h g o g n h va

s a e l

Uncover the unforgettable Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience at the Mid-America Center, unleash the beat at Stir Concert Cove, and browse our unbelievable gallery at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center.

UNleashCB.com

E XPLORE CAL E NDAR

29TH ANNUAL TESTICLE FESTIVAL June 18 at Round the Bend Steakhouse in Ashland Attendees will have a ball

Great things for the whole family, and Mom too!

Gems

•

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•

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8487 Frederick St. | CustomGemsOmaha.com | 402-397-9606

(or two) at Round the Bend Steakhouse’s time-honored annual Testicle Festival over Father’s Day weekend, though more traditional dining options like cheeseburgers and chicken strips are available for those not interested in the signature “Bull Fries.” The marquee Ball Eating Contest is rounded out with live music by the DJ Jake & Sheila Greenland Band. $10 entry (free with military I.D.). 402.944.9974 —roundthebendsteakhouse.com/festival

LINCOLN DRAG BRUNCH June 19 at Longwell’s in Lincoln The Historic

Haymarket’s Longwell’s bar and grill hosts this event in commemoration of Pride Month, where drag royalty take “Eleganza Extravaganza” to new JUNE heights over mimosas and Bloody Marys. 402.904.5283 —nebraskadragbrunch.com

19

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW June 20 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln

WWE brings the smackdown for a night of pile-drivers, choke-holds, and high drama as professional wrestling’s stars take center ring. 402.904.4444 —pinnaclebankarena.com

25TH ANNUAL WAHOO COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW June 21-25 in Wahoo The

THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT YOU IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

LI NC O L N . O R G / O MAHA M AG

Fall in love for the first time or fall in love all over again. Lincoln looks good on you!

largest traditional country music festival in Nebraska, the Wahoo Country Music Show promises five days of traditional country, bluegrass, gospel, with guests Fiddlin’ Jake Simpson, Nashville’s Lisa Layne, Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys, and more. 402.936.0638 —wahoocountrymusicshow.com

MARVERICK RODEO TURN N’ BURN BARREL RACE June 22 at the Lancaster Event

Center in Lincoln Spectators can watch

contestants run blistering clover formations in this dust-kickin’, barrel-roundin’ rodeo spectacle free of charge. 402.441.6545 —lancastereventcenter.org

SANTANA TRIBUTE OYE COMO VA June 24-26 in Brownville Tribute band One

Como Va does legendary artist Santana proud with a full lineup of congas, timbales, drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, and singers. Lead guitarist Marcos Mora strums good vibes and smooth Latin riffs throughout the event. 402.825.3331 —visitnebraska.com/brownville/events/ santana-tribute-oye-como-va

JUNE 2022

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E XPLORE CAL E NDAR

FOURTH ANNUAL SHADY TREE BBQ CONTEST June 25 in Red Oak Chicken,

IOWA

pork spare ribs, pork butt, rib roast will all hit the judge’s table during Red Oak’s Fourth Annual Shady Tree BBQ Contest with samples available for $5 per meat. 712.623.4821 —redoakiowa.com/ event/4th-annual-shady-tree-bbq-contest/

ART AND WRITE NIGHT June 3 at the

Iowa Museum of Natural History in Iowa City Professional, aspiring,

and amateur artists alike gather in the hallowed halls of the University of Iowa’s Museum of Natural History for inspired sketching and scribbling. 319.467.3130 —pentacrestmuseums.uiowa.edu

KANSAS

SCANDINAVIAN DAYS 2022 June 3-4 in Story City With performances by def

ANNUAL CHINGAWASSA DAYS June 3-5 in Marion The sleepy town of Marion

MISSOURI

FESTA ITALIANA June 3-5 in Kansas City

UNICO KC presents Festa Italiana, with live entertainment—including Motori in Piazza (Italian Motorsport Show)—authentic Italian food, beverages, and desserts, historical information booths, and a kid’s zone with bounce houses and other kid-friendly activities. Free admission throughout the weekend. —unicokc.wordpress.com/home-3/ festaitaliana/

springs to action with three days REO SPEEDWAGON AND STYX June of food, drinks, and family fun, 14 at the Starlight Theater in JUNE including a horseshoe pitching Kansas City For the first time in contest, three-on-three basketball, four years '70s rock sensations REO inflatables, “rhino-sized Jenga,” Speedwagon and Styx join forces to and a headliner performance deliver melding hard rock guitar riffs,

by Billboard Hot Country Songs enthralling synth percussions, and sigcharting artist Tyler Farr Saturday. nature power ballads outdoors at Kansas —chingawassadays.com City’s historic Starlight Theater. 816.363.7827 —kcstarlight.com

electric, Kenny Frette Band, Fahrenheit, and The Punching Pandas, this year’s slogan of “Better Than 2021 & Way Better Than 2020" is no idle boast, complete with a craft and vendor show on Saturday. 515.733.4214 —storcycitygcc.org/scandivavian-days/

3-5

KINDERFEST June 18 in Manning Family fun awaits in the town of Manning with a 5K road race kicking the event off in City Park at 8 a.m., a BEER FEST 2022 AT STRANG HALL JUNE parade down Main Street at 11 a.m., June 4 in OverlandPark A $60 and a petting zoo, blowup castles, ticket includes four hours of games, prizes, and plenty of food unlimited tasting, live music, endless to round out the day. 712.267.3038 select appetizers, and a tasting cup —manningia.com for regional brewers like Boulevard, KC Bier, FreeState, and Sandhills. Event runs Saturday from 2 -6 p.m., offering words of AMANA COLONIES WURST FESTIVAL encouragement to attendees: “don’t worry, June 18 in Amana Named the “best be hoppy.” —visitkc.com/event-detail/ new event of 2015” by the Iowa Tourism beerfest-strang-hall Commission, the Amana’s Wurst Festival gets bigger and better every year.

Handmade, small-batch sausages available FOOD TRUCK FRENZY June 4 in Lenexa accentuated by wine, beer, and live music.

Food trucks descend on Old Town Lenexa, The festival promises “the Wurst time offering a variety of local cuisines. Live you could possibly have.” 319.622.7622 music throughout the event with main —amanacolonies.com/event/wurst-festival/ act The Suburbans hitting the stage at 6 p.m. Most vendors accept cards but cash is appreciated. 913. 477.7100 DUCK RACE AND BBQ June 23 on Broad —lenexa.com Street in Story City The feathers fly during Story City’s annual duck race as quacking competitors waddle for SUNFLOWER MUSIC FESTIVAL June 17-25 glory and the checkered flag, starting in Topeka Nine consecutive nights of 6 p.m. Choice cuts will be served from orchestra, chamber ensembles, and 5-7 p.m. during the Broad Street BBQ, jazz fill Washburn University’s White with family-friendly activities planned Concert Hall in Topeka. Sponsored by throughout the evening. 515.733.4214 the National Endowment for the Arts —storycitygcc.org/event/duck-race (among others) this week-and-a-half long symphonic event is free of charge.

No dress code enforced. 785 .670.1396 ANNUAL EDGEWOOD PRO RODEO DAYS June 23-26 in Edgewood This four- —sunflowermusicfestival.org day, rootin-tootin’ festival includes three nights of Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association-endorsed rodeos and a demolition derby on Sunday. Festivities include a children’s carnival, a golf tournament, live music, a parade, and plenty of food and beer to go around. 563.928.7036 —edgewoodrodeo.com

18

BOULEVARDIA June 17-18 in Kansas City

This two-day street festival features craft beer and food samplings (Taps & Taste) with Omaha’s Brickway Brewery a part of the vast lineup of breweries and vendors. The event includes live performances by local, regional, and national acts, along with interactive activities and shopping opportunities.

—boulevardia.com

AIN’T TOO PROUD- THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS June 21-26 at the

Municipal Auditorium Music Hall in Kansas City Written by three-time Obie

Award recipient Dominique Morisseau, and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff, this Broadway hit musical traces the Temptation’s journey from humble beginnings in Detroit to Rock and Roll stardom. Set to classics like “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” Get Ready,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” the performance is sure to electrify long-time Temptation’s fans and theater lovers alike. Ticket prices vary.

—kansascitybroadway.com

EVENT TIMES AND DETAILS MAY CHANGE. Visit omahamagazine.com for complete listings. Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.

JUNE 2022

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NOT FUNNY // COLUMN BY OTIS TWELVE // PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL SITZMANN

CAPERS, CILANTRO, AND CRAZY

I

used to enjoy grocery shopping—remember, back when the country was only half crazy?

I loved the doors that opened automatically with a little hiss, carts that rolled without a wobble, the smell of deli chicken, page announcements for Carl in dairy, and the sound of supermarket Musak that featured the Four Tops followed by Joe Jackson, Herman’s Hermits, Herb Alpert, and Aretha Franklin drifting from the ceiling.

I liked running into friends in the produce section. We would exchange greetings while I pretended that I knew how to tell when a cantaloupe was perfectly ripe by poking my thumbnail expertly into the melon at its stem and making that “just so” facial expression that experts make when melons are “just so.” We would then exchange knowing nods, and chat about the weather, which, we would agree, had never ever been so odd—back when we thought the odd weather was just odd weather and years before we found out it was apocalyptic. Those were the good old days.

I’d wander the aisles on the lookout for that occasional elderly lady who might need help reaching a jar of capers stocked on the impossibly tall top shelf in the condiment section. And when I discovered her, gazing wistfully upwards at that tragically unreachable necessity—I mean you can’t make Puttanesca without capers—I smiled. There was a small tear of frustration in the corner of her eye, when suddenly out of nowhere, I—a tall mysterious man—would appear to save the day. I would casually retrieve the delicacy from its lofty perch and hand it to the no longer frustrated, but still diminutive, woman with a modest bow and a heartfelt, “you’re welcome.” Then, I would be off towards the soft drink aisle with my squeaky wheeled cart without waiting for any reward other than a grateful smile. Hi ho, Silver, away!

I knew the guys behind the meat counter and they knew how much fat to leave on the chops I ordered, because good fat is every good cook’s secret.

And they understood that chicken breasts belong on the bone—something that is nearly impossible to find these days. Our whole culture has gone boneless, it seems. All our meat is cut anonymously. And my cardiologist doesn’t appreciate fat like I do.

I would banter with the checkout clerk as she rang up my purchases. I’d joke about how much the price of asparagus had increased—this was back before every price increase was treated as evidence of some bit of an evil political conspiracy or litmus test for who you could like or who should be ostracized. You know, back when we knew how to write checks, in cursive.

Nowadays, my meals mostly are delivered to my front porch in an insulated cardboard box every Monday. Every meal on the weekly menu is individually bagged within. Each needed ingredient is measured out and ready to be prepped—low-fat and boneless. The instructions are clear and the time apportioned so dinner can be ready on time, every time. It’s the modern way.

But I miss, my friends, the tiny ladies, real live butchers, and the checkout lady who verified my personal check with its mysteriously inscribed signature.

And I hate the fact that no matter how much I complain, that box on my porch always, always, always includes cilantro and poblano peppers.

The world has gone completely mad.

Otis Twelve hosts the radio program Morning Classics with Otis Twelve on 90.7 KVNO, weekday mornings from 6-10 a.m. Visit kvno.org for more information.

JUNE

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2022

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