Cantina Laredo

Hola! It's been a while!! I have been sooooo busy with school and life that I just haven't had a chance to blog - but no worries, I'm still here:)

The other night some friends and I decided to go out to dinner.  We wanted to try a new restaurant and also visit a new area of town.  So we decided to head out to Midtown Omaha and try out Cantina Laredo!
I was a bit nervous when walking into the restaurant because I thought that it was going to be super expensive and I wasn't going to be able to eat for a month afterwards, but to my delight, it was about an average priced menu!   The decor in the restaurant was a little different than I had imagined it to be - it was mainly "modern" art with a few fire places, and wooden tables.  I enjoyed the setting of the restaurant, but it just did not seem to fit with my typical "Hispanic" styled cultural likes.
As we sat down at the table, we were served with complimentary chips and salsa.  The chips were absolutely amazing as well as the salsa that was on the table.  I was pleasantly surprised and had high hopes for the meal!
To my guest diners, they thought that the menu was "un poco dificil de leer" (a bit difficult to read), but no worries, I helped them understand:) It was a nice sized menu with quite a few choices, probably about 25 options, which is good for a restaurant.  I've always heard that the more options you have at a restaurant, the worse some of the food will be; just because it is hard to cook so many different dishes in one kitchen; so more of the food is likely to be frozen or pre-cooked.
I was delighted to see that they offered a few Mole dishes - which are my favorite!! So I ordered the chicken mole dish which is a black chocolate pepper sauce atop chicken rolled in flour tortillas.  I know, it sounds a little strange to think that chocolate, peppers, and chicken would go together - but in Oaxaca, Mexico (where the dish originated), it works perfectly!  I also added a side of guacamole, just because Mexican restaurants cannot be fully critiqued without testing the guac!

The food was served in about 10 minutes after we ordered, which made me a little leery to begin with.  It just seemed really fast to have made three dishes!  I was so excited to try my chicken and mole because I had not had it in a looonnnggg time!  I have to say that the food portions were a bit small for what the price was, but my dish was pretty good.  It was not the best Mexican food that I have had in Omaha, but average of what you could find at restaurants around town.  The guacamole was probably my favorite thing that I ordered, although, once again, it was a small portion for a steep price (I don't know if this has anything to do with the Avocado shortage... but if it doesn't, I would not order it).  The picture that you see below is a side of guacamole, which cost me $3.50!  I was not very pleased when I got the check.

My guest diners ordered your basic enchiladas, one beef and one chicken.  I could tell that neither of them were into their dishes.  The one who ordered beef said that hers tasted like canned chili that was rolled in a tortilla - so I was curious.  I tried a bite, and confirmed, that yes, it was definitely some Manwich-type food.  Let's just say, neither of them will be returning, and neither will I.  

I was thoroughly disappointed when we left the restaurant, mainly because I had heard good things about it and there was even a "best of Omaha" sign in the restaurant.  I would have rather spent $6 at Lina's and had one of my favorite meals than gone to this place for $15.  But, you win some you lose some!

Overall, I would rate this restaurant a 4 out 10 stars.  It was worth a shot, but was just not on point.  

I would LOVE to hear from you if you have tried Cantina Laredo!! What were your thoughts on this restaurant?? Maybe we hit a bad night, I don't know, but I was overall not impressed, and I would not recommend this restaurant.  

Hasta Luego!! 

P.S. If you are still interested, here it their link!

http://www.cantinalaredo.com/

The Egg & I - Breakfast and Lunch

Hello! So I'm curious, how many people actually go out to breakfast on a regular basis? I BARELY ever go out for breakfast. One, because it's too early and I don't like talking to people before 9am.  Two, because I generally eat the same thing for breakfast and don't like to break routine! Ha.
But, this past week I did break both of my rules and headed out to breakfast with a few people!  I really wanted to try out this new restaurant that popped up around my house and was excited to have somewhere else besides Village Inn.  So, my companions and I headed out to The Egg & I for breakfast!  I was excited to try out a new place!
As we walked in, I was a little surprised at how quickly we were able to get seated.  It was a Saturday morning and I thought it would be a long wait.  But I was pretty impressed that we got in right away!  As we sat down and began looking through the menu I realized two things: #1 - Almost everything on the menu had some form of an egg in its dish.... and #2 - The restaurant is called EGG & I.... So why wouldn't it?? (My cousin made fun of me for wondering why there wasn't much to choose from besides eggs.)  Anyways, there were probably literally only 5 dishes that did not contain eggs.  I was expecting them to offer cinnamon rolls, breakfast rolls, or crepes; but the only options without eggs were literally, two choices of pancakes and a few choices of waffles!
I guess after eating at Village Inn, IHop, and Panera, I was expecting their menu to offer more choices.  But, I have always heard that the less restaurants offer, the better they are at creating their dishes because there is less that they have to experts at!
So, I ordered the strawberry and banana waffle with whipped cream and bacon on the side! I know, no eggs for me!  I just feel like if I order eggs at a restaurant I could easily just make them myself at home! I know, I'm strange.



Needless to say, it was very delicious!!! I was pretty impressed.  I also like the fact that all of their waffles are whole wheat waffles! That makes it a bit more healthy for me, as the customer!
This restaurant has the nice homey feel that almost anyone would enjoy!  It is a very kid-friendly restaurant that is not quiet by any means.  It was busy on the Saturday morning that I went!
I will say that although the food was good, it was a bit pricey.  I think it was about $13 for my meal in total, with a water.  Although it was nice not to have to cook my own meal, it is something that I could have made at home without too much effort.
I will definitely go back here when I go out again for breakfast sometime!  I would like to try their lunch menu sometime because I have a feeling it would be good, quality food!  I would also like to see what the atmosphere is like on a non-weekend day.
If you have any questions or comments about this restaurant, lemme know!
Here's the link to their restaurant, enjoy!

http://www.theeggandirestaurants.com/

Twisted Fork Grill and Bar

I love the unique names that people come up with for their products and restaurants!  Well, most of the names are pretty awesome... Some are a little strange, but hey, to each their own right!?
I was a little leery about trying out the Twisted Fork because of the reviews that I had read online.  I do research sometimes before venturing out and trying new places and this time it had worked negatively in me trying out the Twisted Fork.  The reviews had been rating this restaurant as just "okay" and no one seemed too thrilled about the restaurant.  But I decided to give it the go and head to the Twisted Fork!
I have to say, the atmosphere of the restaurant and the decor is awesome.  I love the quirky things about places and the interesting details.  Even if each of the items in the restaurant did not quite "go together," it created a good atmosphere with a lot of flavor!
I went on a Saturday for lunch so it was not too busy.  But there was a nice steady flow of customers.  The staff was extremely nice and very informative about the dishes that they were serving!  I love it when the staff knows what is going into their dishes; it makes them seem more "put together."

So after some contemplation and advice from the waitress, I decided on some blackened salmon tacos with black beans and rice on the side (gotta keep that Mexican flavor alive people).
The wait time for the food was average and when I received the food I was more than pleased!
The dish was very delicious! My guest diner ordered the Smoke Gouda Mac 'N Cheese and loved it as well!  So both dishes were good, which was a little surprising to me considering the reviews I had read.  Lesson learned: don't always follow the reviews!!
I will say that I can imagine that on a Friday or Saturday night this restaurant could be packed with people; Because of this I would not recommend bringing children.
The only other thing that I was a little taken back by was the cost of the food.  It was a bit expensive for the meal plus a drink (about $16 + a tip).  For this much money, I would have maybe expected a complementary appetizer or something of that nature.  But then again, it is located downtown where people go specifically to hang out and spend money... so they are probably in a winning situation!
Overall, I would recommend this restaurant for you to try! The menu is not too large, but they do have some unique dishes listed that would be fun to go back and try if you have the funds to do so!
Here is the link to their restaurant and their location if you would like to try them out! Good luck!

1014 Howard Street

Omaha, NE 68102 

http://restaurantsinc.net/twistedfork/

Resources: http://www.gotime.com/omaha/places/274322-Twisted-Fork-Grill-Bar-Old-Market-Omaha

Green Belly

EW! A green belly!? I bet that's what you're thinking... You're thinking that either this is going to be a blog about someone getting sick from something they ate, or that someone has some terrible disease.  Actually, quite the opposite! I found this restaurant out in West Omaha; the name just happens to be Green Belly!  There's actually more meaning to the name than what your probably think.  Everything in the restaurant is said to be completely fresh and natural ingredients! The tables are even recycled! Crazy huh?? I thought they looked kind of cool, and I was excited to try their food!
I went one day for lunch; I was happy to find a restaurant that sold healthy foods!  I ordered a chicken pesto sandwich... Which seemed like it would be good; But then I was shocked that one of my choices for a side was either a bag of sun chips or potato chips... Wha?!!?  I just thought a "fresh" restaurant could do better than Subway sides... I also got a drink with my meal and decided on the usual; Diet Coke (which isn't really that healthy for you)!

I sat down at the table to enjoy my sandwich and was a little surprised to find out that the food wasn't all that impressive.  It tasted just like a typical sandwich that I could have made at home in about 10 minutes.  My guest diner that came along also was not very impressed.  As the meal continued and we began to take a few sips of our sodas I thought to myself, "man, this tastes watered down..." Sometimes though, it's just the diet pops that seem that way.  But as I kept drinking I asked my guest diner if hers tasted the same way... She replied, "I thought the same thing!!!"  SO, needless to say, they even tried to make the soda healthy by (we're guessing) watering it down... This did not please me one bit.

Maybe I just didn't order the right items here??? Or maybe it was just a bad day; but neither my guest diner or I was impressed and I don't think I will be returning to Green Belly.  I feel like their "green" and "healthy" ideas were good, but the outcome was jumbled and not up to par.
Let me know if you have tried Green Belly and had a different experience!  I would love to hear from you to see what your take on this restaurant is!  Here is the website link if you would like to check Green Belly out:

http://www.thegreenbelly.com/Greenbelly_Site/Greenbelly.html

Happy Eating!

Vivace: Contemporary Italian

                                     
I love trying new restaurants... It's one of my favorite things to do - especially when the food is great!  I was able to try this new place over the weekend and absolutely loved it!  If you're near the old market in Omaha sometime I would definitely recommend stopping by after a nice stroll around downtown.  I actually went on a Saturday after I visited the farmers market (which is really great as well)!  Here's a little more information about Vivace!

                                       

So from the outside Vivace doesn't look like that big of a restaurant. But looks can be deceiving!  This restaurant could probably seat about 100 people inside and then (as you can see) another 15ish outside.
I'm not going to lie, but when I first entered Vivace I was expecting the "typical" American-Italian food that we normally think about eating.... pizza, spaghetti, alfredo... etc.  They did have all of these things on the menu, but they were usually a bit spiced up from what you would consider a typical pizza.  I realized after dining here that Italian food is probably way more complex than we consider it to be.  It is nothing like Valentino's or Fazolis, surprise surprise.
I ordered a basil pesto with grilled chicken on top; which was amazing!! They serve complimentary garlic bread at each table at the beginning of the meal with some small chopped herbs and veggies to go on top, which was delicious!  With my meal and the garlic bread; I was fully full by the time I walked out of there!
I did not take any pictures while I was inside the restaurant because I thought that may have been a little awkward... It was a nicer restaurant haha.
In the money department, it was actually rather cheap, for the quality of food that we were served!  My bill ended up being about $15.00; With a soda and the meal; for quality food and service I would say that this is about right!  The restaurant was super clean and the waitress was fantastic!  I have to say, I would much rather go to this restaurant than Olive Garden just because they offered really unique dishes loaded with flavor!
I would say steer away from bringing your children to this restaurant.  It is a little nicer and I would reserve it just for adults.  I can also imagine that the atmosphere of downtown at night is mainly for adults anyways; maybe make it a date night or a "girls night out" restaurant!
I would give this restaurant 10 out of 10 meatballs.  I will definitely be going back sometime!
Here's their website if you want to check them out!

http://www.vivaceomaha.com/

Questions or comment?? Feel free to leave them!

Lina's vs. Abelardo's Mexican Food

  VS. 

As you have probably noticed by now, Mexican food is my all time favorite style of cuisine!! I LOVE everything about Mexican food, the flavors, the colors, the spicy, the sweet... You name it!  One of my all time favorite Mexican restaurants is Lina's Mexican Restaurant.  They are always quick and fresh; and they are probably one of the cheaper restaurants out there that gives you both a good quality and quantity of food for your buck!  I also love how Lina's is open 24 hours a day!! I mean, who doesn't have 2am cravings for Mexican food?? 

BUT there is another restaurant that I have found to be very similar to Lina's that I would like to mention; Abelardo's Mexican Food.  Just like Lina's they are open 24 hours a day and offer a lot of the same menu items.  So I thought I would let the two battle each other out and see which one won my vote!! 

I will say that Abelardo's has a better selection of the "Mexican" drinks, where as Lina's just has the basic Horchata and Mexican Coca-Cola and fountain drinks!  Making the score Lina's: 0, Abelardo's: 1. 

Although Abelardo's has a good drink selection, they are lacking in the sauce department.  I absolutely LOVE Lina's sauces that they offer to their diners.  They have three sauces: Hot, medium, and mild.  I actually prefer the mild sauce at Lina's because of the flavor; and the hot isn't really all that hot!  At Abelardo's they didn't have quite the selection of sauces that I would have liked, and the sauce that I did try didn't have such a good flavor.  Score: Lina's: 1 - Abelardo's: 1... Looks like we have a tie!

Although, the final point will go to the restaurant that has the best grub.  As I mentioned before, they both have very similar menu options.   I love Lina's "Carne Asada Burrito," it tastes JUST like something you would eat in Mexico!  Last time I was at Abelardo's I tried the "Pollo Asado," I have to say I wasn't impressed.  The flavor was good, but the ingredients didn't seem as fresh... 

So, my verdict: Lina's wins!! 

You may have a different opinion, and I would love to hear it; Good or bad!  But I definitely recommend trying out Lina's Mexican Restaurant!  Get the Carne Asada Burrito and you will feel like you are chewing on a piece of Mexico! :) 

Websites: 

Lina's: http://www.linasmexicanfood.com/

Abelardo's:  http://abelardosmexicanfood.com/

Jazz - A Louisiana Kitchen

Heyyyyyyy:) So, it's been a while, I know.  BUT, when life gives you stuff to do, deadlines to make, and places to hang, the internet world sinks to the bottom of that "to do" list!! So, needless to say, it's been a while.  Anyways, I thought I would rate a restaurant for you since I haven't done that in a while either!!

There's actually a funny story behind this one: While on recent trip to Kansas City, some friends and I decided to try out a new restaurant.  We saw this place called "Jazz" while we were driving around and decided it would be something new and exciting to try since we were in a new state!!! Little did we know that there is actually one in Nebraska but we had never heard of it until we got home!!! So, we thought we were branching out, but we were closer to home than we knew!

As soon as I walked into "Jazz" I instantly loved the atmosphere of the place!!! It felt very southern to me and I loved the decor!! I came to realize that the place offered Cajun and Creole type food and I was very excited to try it!! I don't think I've ever really tried a whole Cajun or Creole meal!  When we were seated (which was right away) I began to look at the menu.  I immediately knew that finding a meal was going to be a tough choice for me since I was SO outside my comfort zone!! I barely knew what anything was on the menu!! I'm usually familiar with the ingredient lists below the item, but this one left me up the stream without a paddle (which is good in this case).
I finally chose a lunch item and then.... dun dun DUUUUHHHH, an appetizer, FROG LEGS! I had to pull out the mantra - Go big or go home, on this one!  I have never experienced so many emotions before trying something to eat... I was excited, nervous, angry (at myself for ordering them), scared, confused, speechless, and many, many more things to be exact.  If the thought of eating frog legs doesn't gross you out enough, wait until they are sitting in front of you - total mind game!  They look JUST like frog legs, except fried.  Maybe if the meat had been off the leg and I didn't have to pick up the leg and eat off of it, it wouldn't have been so bad.  But the fact that it looked like the real thing had me going.  But to wrap it up: I tried it. We tried it. Let's just say it tastes like a cross between fish and chicken... with a slime coating.  Yea... I can officially say I will not be eating those again... But it was an experience!! Here's a look:

Ribbit Ribbit....

Let's do this!!

Grrrrrr... 

Let's not do this again... good try though!

Okay, so the frog legs were a bust... Let's take a look at the other food I actually slightly enjoyed!  I love restaurants serve complementary starters; Personally it makes them seem more friendly and less-stingy; Because let's all face it, a burger and some french fries does not cost $12.  ANYWAYS, Jazz served some bread with their own style of buttery spread; which I really enjoyed.

I ended up ordering some kind of shrimp Jumbalaya, which I was not real impressed with to be honest.  I guess I didn't expect there to be HUGE chunks of crunchy celery and mushrooms.  As I mentioned before, I had never really tried a Cajun or Creole meal before, so I had no idea what it was like going into this.  I have to say, I wasn't a big fan of the food in general; but maybe I was ordering the wrong thing??? But I also find it funny that I had never heard of the restaurant here in Omaha even though I have lived here my whole life... So maybe this kind of food isn't all that popular?? I don't know, but it was definitely worth a try!!

I did have some diners with me that day as well, and they pretty much all felt the same way that I did about it... But then again, we aren't Cajun or Creole experts.  I will say that the overall feeling of the restaurant and the staff was all very nice!! I loved the atmosphere in general.  I can't speak for any of the other locations; but the one in Kansas City was very nice!! So, maybe next time you're in KC and are up for something new, give Jazz a try! Maybe you will like it!! By the way, the also serve gator:)

Btw: Here's the website for Jazz; Just a side note: They are all owned by separate owners, so they may be slightly different.

http://omaha.jazzkitchens.com/ - Omaha, NE Location
http://www.jazzkitchens.com/wb/ - Kansas City, MO Location (the one I visited)

TGIF

Thank God It's Friday!! Wait... What?? No, it's only Tuesday, 4 more days people, 4 more days...
Even though it may not be Friday yet, you can sure hit up a TGIF near you! Maybe for a little while you can feel like it's almost the weekend in the middle of your hectic life!
The funny thing about TGIF (the restaurant of course) is that I had only been to one of the restaurants once in my lifetime; and it was in an airport in Texas!  Even though there is one somewhat close to my dwelling, I had just never stopped in!  So I decided to give them a try here and see what they were all about!

On this particular day I was in the mood for a burger.  Not one of those Burger King or McDonald's Burgers that aren't real meat and are half fat; but a BURGER.  You know, the typical Nebraskan beef that makes you feel like you doubled in weight after you're done eating it.  So that's what I ordered! BUT, I didn't want to just order a burger; because that would be boring, so I ordered the Sedona Black Bean Burger; which is part bean, part beef.  Add avocado and onions to this little delight and you have yourself one of the best tasting burgers around! No joke.  I was super surprised at how much I enjoyed this burger and even the fries that came on the side!

My guest diner decided to order a plate that had shrimp, mashed potatoes and chicken with a red sauce!  It looked delicious as well and she enjoyed it quite thoroughly!  Needless to say, TGIF!

My rating:

Cleanliness: Puurrrrfffffeeecccttt.

Care: Good, although the waitress was not as delightful as she could have been, I understand what it's like to be "behind the counter."  Let's just say some people are not as talkative as others.

Cost: Cheap! This actually really surprised me about TGIFs!  It was a little cheaper than most other places and their burger was better than a lot of places!  I would much rather prefer this burger than any that I have had at Red Robin, especially for the cost!  I believe my bill was just under $10, which is cheap for a sit down place!  

Atmosphere: Great! I loved, loved, loved the decor of the place!  I like the places that have the theme where they stick a bunch of random stuff on walls! Haha... Nah, it was great!

Anyways, I think you should definitely give TGIF's a try!  Maybe if we keep eating there they'll put more of them around town! And by the way...  I can't wait till it's FRIDAY! 

Here's more info if you want to visit their site or give them a try!

http://www.tgifridays.com/

10000 California Street

Omaha, NE 68114

402-965-8443

Guaca Maya Mexican Restaurant

Hola! Como estas?!  As you have probably noticed, I LOVE Mexican food... Actually, not just food, anything Mexican for that matter! Anyways, I was able to try out Guaca Maya Restaurant about a year ago; and since then, I have been back multiple times!  When I first pulled up to the restaurant I was shocked at just how big the building was from the outside!
When I walked in I realized that it was not only a restaurant, but also a place that groups come and perform and play music!  Usually their events only occur on the weekends, but if you check out the website (link posted at the bottom) there is a full schedule of events available.

The food itself is really good!  If you visit I would highly recommend the guacamole!  They have some of the best guacamole I have tried in the Omaha area; Not too chunky, not too oniony (yes, "oniony" is a word)... Just right!
Most of the time I order a taco, enchilada or burrito, and they have been good as well; But I may try something different next time I visit.  They also have a buffet available at some times, but I have never eaten off the buffet, only ordered specific dishes.

Let's get to the rating:

Cost: The good thing about Guaca Maya is that you can go and just order a taco or two, or you can order a whole meal.  I would expect on paying about $10.00 per person for a full meal; unless you plan on getting a specialty item.
Care: Great service! The staff was really knowledgeable about the food and they were extremely friendly!
Cleanliness: Very clean! Nothing out of the ordinary in this category!
Atmosphere: The cool thing about Guaca Maya is that it is such a different restaurant!  The place is huge!  It's a very open building, I could imagine that if there were a lot of people there it would be very noisy.  But whenever I have gone (lunchtime) it has been very pleasant.

Overall I would give Guaca Maya Mexican Restaurant a 9 out of 10 rating.  The only reason why I would dock Guaca Maya points is because of their menu.  Their menu is a little difficult to read and it is very large; making picking a meal a little difficult.
I would have no problem bringing children to this restaurant.  It is very family friendly; although I would double check before going on a weekend night since they may be hosting events.
Here is the link to the restaurant's website if you would like to check out their menu or learn more about the restaurant:

http://www.guaca-maya.com/index.html

I hope you get to try this restaurant out, it's very good and has a great atmosphere!  Here is the address and the phone number if you would like to try it out!  Enjoy!

5002 South 33rd Street

Omaha, NE 68107

402-733-3440

Espana: Tapas Bar Paella Sangria

So, it's raining/snowing... It's MAY! The April showers are supposed to be done now! C'mon!... Well, as I sit here gritting my teeth about the weather, I thought it would be the perfect time to tell you about something to enjoy indoors!
When I got back from my trip to Guatemala about a year ago (wow!), my friends from the Guatemala trip and I decided to go out one night. One of the people from the trip suggested that we try this restaurant; a Spanish restaurant. As far as I know, this is the only/closest you can get to Spain in Nebraska!

Epaña Restuarant is a nice, small restaurant/bar located on Maple street in Benson; It's on the same street as the Waiting Room (if you're familiar with that area of town). When I walked into the restaurant I was surprised at how small it was; which is not a bad thing. The decor is very nice with paintings hung around the room.
I had never been to a restaurant where they served Tapas before; so I was a little confused on how to order at the restaurant. BUT for your information, I found out what Tapas are; they are basically small versions of meals... Mini meals! You order a bunch of different Tapas so that you can try a bunch of different items! If you were in Spain, the Tapas may be ordered with a drink and may vary based on region. At this restaurant in particular, they have special Tapas days where you buy a certain amount of them, and then you get some free!

When the Tapas arrived I was very interested in seeing what they looked like and how they were served. To my surprise, they come served on plates placed on a semi-tall fixture-type thing.... I don't know if this is how they actually serve them in Spain, but it was very interesting. Although I did not order a one-dish meal; the mini-meals filled me up completely! It was also nice because the table was able to sample a bunch of different foods instead of everyone just ordering one dish. Here's my rating on España restaurant:

Care: Great! Nothing to complain about in this department! The waitress was very friendly!
Cost: A little pricey; but it is something unique and different that is well-worth the money! I would plan on spending about $20 per person if you want to try a bunch of different things.
Cleanliness: Very clean! A very nice restaurant overall.
Atmosphere: Very nice setting; I don't know what it's like in Spain, but if it was like the restaurant, I can't wait to visit someday!

Overall, the restaurant was very nice! I would not recommend bringing children to the restaurant; I would definitely consider this a "girls night out" or "date-night" place to go. Although, I think there was a table that had children and they did just fine, it just might get a little pricey.
I also found out that it may be best to make reservations if you decide to go on a weekend night, luckily we went there during the week and did not have a problem being seated.
All in all, this was a great restaurant to visit and I would definitely go back sometime! I am an adventurous eater so the menu was very intriguing to me as they had a lot of different items to choose from!
The good thing about this restaurant is that they have a GREAT website to visit! Check it out and take a look through their photo gallery as well! Here is the website and the address of the restaurant if you would like to check it out yourself! Enjoy!

6064 Maple St.

Omaha, NE 68104

Phone: 402-505-9917

http://www.espanaomaha.com/