Dining Out in Omaha, Nebraska

Some may think that Nebraska is just a State of cows and cornfields. But Omaha's finer restaurants offer complex taste from the simple to the simply elegant.

Lazlo's

Lazlo's is a restaurant that first opened in the Historic Haymarket in Lincoln. It's brewery the Empyrean Brewing Company pairs Lazlo's food with great locally made beers. A favorite of mine is the Collapsar Oatmeal Stout. It is a rich full dark brown that goes down surprisingly easy. Other favorites include the Burning Skye Scottish Style Ale, Chaco Canyon Honey Gold, and the Dark Side Vanilla Porter. The food itself ranges from tender steaks and succinct salmon to crisp salads and decadent desserts. Try the fresh baked Apple Dumpling paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and bring a friend- you'll never get through that yourself.

Rick's Café Boatyard

Rick's Café Boatyard sits on the historic Lewis and Clark Landing. It is a part of Omaha's river walk development and pairs elegant dining with it's beautiful location. This café is not for the faint of heart. Come in for a pleasurable food experience accompanied by local jazz. The menu focuses on seafood but offers tasty chicken, juicy steaks and savory pork chops as well. The chefs wear white here so dress up and bring your best date.

The Boiler Room

Don't let the name fool you. This is not a back alley burger joint. While this elegant restaurant is located in what was actually a boiler room in the 1970's, the fare is far from second class. The chef and sommelier take great pains to offer something bold, fresh and inviting each day both on the menu and with the wine pairing. When you come to call on your reservation expect to enjoy a fine dining experience with each course served. After enjoying such rich delights you will be lulled to satisfaction with decadent desserts paired with rich flavorful coffee.

Runza

No article about dining anywhere in Nebraska could be complete without mentioning Runza- a Nebraska tradition. A runza is a german style sandwich (similar to a krautburger), it's like a soft roll stuffed with a seasoned hamburger mixture. Favorite additions are cheese and mushrooms. The restaurant is more like a fast food place and offers crinkle cut fries or onion rings with a special dip. In the winter they are also known for their hot chilli and Miller and Paine cinnamon roll. Miller and Paine was a department store that closed decades ago. It's bakery was famous for it's cinnamon rolls. Runza acquired the famous recipe a couple of years ago.