Located on the Fort Campus of Metropolitan Community College’s Institute for Culinary Arts in Omaha, NE, the Sage Bistro is Metro’s talent showcase for up and coming food professionals. This bridge to the community offers invaluable experience and feedback to these future culinary giants, while offering a great experience (and value) to the people of Omaha.

Organized by the Gastronomic Fight Club, the event takes place on Thursday, April 16, 2009, starting at 6:00 PM with a meet & greet. However, those interested should move quickly to RSVP on either Facebook or the Gastronomic Fight Club RSVP form (one or the other, not both). A final headcount is needed by April 9th, so move quickly to secure your spot.

The intriguing menu for that evening is headlined by Student Chef de Cuisine Betty Gomez’s Lobster Thermador, but also features a Five Layer Dip starter, Coquilles St. Jacques and dessert. Of course, being a student bistro, Sage does not have a liquor license. However, those inclined to bring their own wine can do so and will have it served. Since this is a meeting of so many foodies, and the community that enjoys their musings, ‘who brought which wine’ is sure to be a lively topic of discussion.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday, April 16th, 2009
Time: 6:00 PM - Meet and Greet; 6:30 PM - Dinner
Cost: $28 plus tax (Non-alcoholic drinks included)
Place: Sage Bistro
Address:
N 30th St & Fort St. (map)
Metro’s Fort Omaha campus
Building #10
Omaha, NE 68111
Phone: (402) 457-2328

This would be the case with V. Mertz. Despite having been a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner every year since 2000 and a Wine Enthusiast Award of Unique Distinction winner every year since 2004, I had never had occasion to dine at V. Mertz. I am delighted to have corrected that oversight.

Located in Omaha’s Old Market district, V. Mertz is a bit off (or under…) the beaten path, in the cellar and passageway joining two old warehouses just off of Howard St. The passageway has a comfortable, old feel to it.

The soft gurgle of a fountain, practically hidden in the dark, recessed alcoves across from V. Mertz depicts the Greek Furies, standing an ever-vigilant guard over the restaurant.

Small, candle-lit tables line the walkway and a graceful, slightly arched brick entrance opens into the cozy, main dining area. Resplendent this time of year with tasteful Christmas lights and decor abounding, it’s somewhat hard to image how it might look without those festive, holiday accents.

Dominating the back wall is just a hint of the breadth and depth of their cellar, which comfortably loops the globe, and back again. Wine Director Matthew Stamp is the only Certified Advanced Sommelier in Omaha, and is only a few years away from testing for Master Sommelier. His dedication and love for his craft comes out in the small, personal notes found in the wine list.

While their tasting menus with wine pairings, were very, very tempting, my lovely dinner partner was anxious to try their Duck, which she had never had, so we decided to order a la carte from their dinner menu.

We had decided, before hand, to share everything that evening, so we started with the Truffle Risotto and Seared Sonoma Valley Foie Gras. The Truffle Risotto featured Oregon Winter Black Truffles with rich, earthy flavors and the perfect creamy texture. The richness was cut with the tart of the huckleberries and adding texture along with salt were chestnuts and Parmigiano Reggiano wafers.

The foie gras was every bit as good. My dinner partner was delighted with her first experience with foie gras, on this, a night filled with firsts. The soft, melt in your mouth, unique texture and playfulness of the decadent foie gras was complimented wonderfully by the sweet and tart pairing of quince and blueberry, with the added hint of hazelnut.

Knowing that she wanted the duck, I decided to try to find an entree that would allow us to share a bottle of wine. So I settled on something beef. Having figured that out, I turned to their extensive wine list and began perusing. While my taste buds were very excited by their phenomenal collection of Grand Cru Burgundy’s, my budget wasn’t quite on board with the plan. However, I did slot that away in my memory, because in my travels through 49 of our 50 states, it’s been my experience that a good selection of Grand Cru Burgundy’s is very hard to find.

Instead I flipped over to “Ye fair Spanish Ladies” to see what was available in a Temperanillo. I set my eye on a 2003 Fince Allende Rioja Allende, however, I asked our waiter to send the Sommelier over for a second opinion. When Mr. Stamp arrived, I explained that with her choice of duck, and my choice of the beef tenderloin, each of which was paired with fruit (raspberry for the duck and Fuji apple for the beef), I felt that the Finca Allende Rioja would be a good wine to sit nicely between those two selections and compliment both.

He agreed and offered some more insight into the flavors of that particular wine, moderate in acidity with dusty tannins and the expected Rioja tastes of tobacco with a leathery finish, it also boldly featured cherry and plumb.

That having been settled, the wine was expertly presented and corked, after a sampling I agreed with his recommendation to decant the wine. Over the course of our meal it opened up very nicely and, indeed, was a superb balance to our two meals.

An admission, for my entree I had been sorely tempted by their “Majinola Farms” Wagyu Beef strip loin, which was offered as a substitute to their Peppersteak, with a house brandy cream sauce and baby potato, asparagus and vegetable ragout accompaniment. However, the beef tenderloin featured Brussels sprouts. I had long had a disagreement with my dinner partner on the epicurean delightfulness of the properly prepared Brussels sprout. Obviously, I was contending that, when correctly prepared, they were amazing little explosive bites of flavor, whereas, I believe her opinion was best summed up as, “Yuck, no.”

Knowing that this would be an opportunity to have her partake of excellent Brussels sprouts, I couldn’t help but order the beef tenderloin (medium rare), with very lightly roasted, crisp julienned Fuji apple and a Fuji apple puree, house-cured bacon hiding among small, tangled nests of red cabbage, and yes, Brussels sprouts (which she reluctantly admitted were quite tasty).

Meanwhile, her duck was a full eight ounces. Canadian Mallard breast that had been seared a nice medium rare and was served with raspberries and a raspberry puree, as well as salsify, black radish and leeks. She was absolutely delighted that every bite was bouncing with raspberry.

Nearly stuffed, but with room to split a little something after, I knew that I intended to select a sweet course from a nearby European Bakery, Delice. So, instead I asked about their cheese course, another first for my dinner partner who had never come across the concept of a cheese course. Fair enough, since it seems to be a dying custom in many circles.

With just a half glass of our Rioja left each, I quickly settled on two selections of their cheese, a Spanish goat’s milk Garrotxa and a Spanish sheep’s milk Zamorano. The Zamorano was very akin to a Manchego and paired wonderfully with the Rioja. Also fitting well with our wine choice was the creaminess of the Garrotxa, resting atop a slice of fresh baked bread with fig and walnut.

The cheese course was a fantastic end to the meal, if not the evening. The evening saw us acquiring our dessert (a white chocolate raspberry torte), then finally settling in at home where we agreed it had been a wonderful night. Shortly thereafter, it was made more wonderful when she, enthusiastically said, “Yes!” to my proposal.

V. Mertz proved to be a great choice for that very important meal and that night of firsts. I look forward to our certain return for special occasions or, no occasional at all, beyond the desire for a great meal.

Photo courtesy of the V. Mertz website.

V. Mertz
1022 Howard St
Omaha, NE 68102
(402) 345-8980

Just getting to Bouchon is something of an adventure. A series of three moving walkways/escalators gets you into the front door of the The Venetian. From there, a jaunt through the Casino, down a long, intricately decorated marble hallway with very high vaulted, painted ceilings, up 10 floors in an express elevator and down another long, marble corridor with flickering, hooded gas lights and large display windows offering a view of the Las Vegas Strip, eventually brings you to a small domed crossroads. Immediately to your right is the open but elegant Bouchon Bistro.

Having reservations, highly recommended, we were seated within minutes. I knew that Bouchon carried a very well-stocked bar. I also knew that a number of my business associates were gin drinkers. Upon hearing my cocktail order, most of the group jumped on board with an “I’ll have what he’s having” response. Cadenhead’s Old Raj gin was stirred in a three to one ratio with premium Extra Dry Cinzano Vermouth and garnished with two Spanish Olives, to make one of the finest Martini’s I have ever had.

Cocktails in hand, we set about perusing the one-page, but far from simple, menu of faire offered that evening. While deciding on what to order, bread arrived. It was amusingly presented as a series of “turnover” shaped (triangular) segments of bread, all connected end to end, so there was a logical place to tear off each piece. After orders were taken, one member of the waitstaff produced a crumber, or Butler’s Knife, to make quick work of the crumbs we had accumulated from the crusty French Bread.

Several of our group started with Soupe à l’Oignon, while I chose to order from the specials menu and went with a Sweetbread Ravioli. I will admit that the French Onion Soup looked superb. Served in a tall, crockery style container, it was crusted with a thick, very melty cheese that was capping a crouton and by all appearances was perfectly prepared. However, I would not have given up my ravioli for even the greatest of soups. Three, delicately prepared, savory, sweetbread stuffed ravioli were sitting on a small bed of spiced, thinly slivered baby carrots, which themselves were resting in a cognac-enriched veal broth. And yes, the taste even beat the description.

Entrees were had by all…well, almost. Sidenote: In many, fine, Prime Steakhouses, sides are ordered a la carte and generally come in a serving portion fit to serve two to three people. This is true of Morton’s, Fleming’s and numerous other Prime Steakhouses. It should be noted that Bouchon is not a Prime Steakhouse and as such, is not in this category. A side order, while a la carte, is really just a side order, intended for one person. So the well-intentioned member of our group who ordered a side of Butternut Squash, hoping to go lightly that evening, was indeed served a small tourine of butternut squash…a very small (in comparison to our entrees), side order portion of squash.

As large, lavish plates were set before us all, we kept coming back to his tiny boat of squash and asking, “Is that all you ordered?” In his defense, he did expect that it would have been larger. At our insistence he augmented his squash (which with great dignity he defended as being perfectly prepared, caramelized in butter and brown sugar) with an order of their Soup du Jour, a celery soup puree with a dollop of Creme Fraiche.

Two members of our group went with the lamb, a few more with the Steak Frites. Since they were all going with red meat, they settled on a nice Syrrah that was warmly received. Being the lone seafood eater that evening, I simply went with a glass of granache blanc, delicate enough for seafood but fortified enough to compliment the bold flavors of my order.

A large, deep oval bowl with a basket in it, was set before me, containing my Moule au Saffron. Along side in a standing cone were my frites. The Moule au Saffron were Maine Mussels that had been steamed in a Saffron Mustard broth, which itself filled the bottom of the bowl and was mixed with the liquor from the mussels. The frites themselves were perfectly prepared, crispy on the outside and silky on the inside. I will admit that after I had depleted my count of mussels, I did employ the French Bread to scoop through the Saffron Mustard broth in search of any mussels which had escaped the terror of my tiny fork.

After dinner drinks and desserts were ordered next. I enjoyed the Creme de Caramel and it was, as expected, exquisite. My after dinner drink was an old standby of mine, though it won’t be found on any drink menus, equal parts Godiva Chocolate Liqueur and Drambuie were topped off with half and half, shaken and served on the rocks in a lowball glass. One friend described this as “dessert in a glass”. The thick, sweet, spicy mixture makes for an excellent after dinner drink. If you can overcome the need to have to describe it precisely to the waiter, I highly recommend it.

While there are dozens of restaurants in Las Vegas that I would love to enjoy some day, if each visit to this desert food oasis involved a trip to Bouchon Bistro, that would be just fine with me. And, if you can’t manage to fit them into your evening dining plans, well, it should come as some relief that Bouchon is one of the few, very fine restaurants in Las Vegas that happens to be open for Breakfast or, on the weekends, Brunch.

Bouchon Bistro
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 414-6200

Was it a clandestine arms deal? Stolen merchandise? Pilfered, top-secret documents? No, I was buying fish. Really, really great fish, well, chips too, to be fair, at Red Fish, Blue Fish in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

This eco-friendly, fresh fish ‘n’ chips haven is only a tiny bit off the beaten path, even though you can’t see it from the beaten path. It is absolutely worth your effort to find if you are in Victoria and in the mood for fabulous fish ‘n’ chips.

The shipping container that serves as this restaurant has a window cut on one end for ordering, then an opening cut into the side with a wooden counter-top where orders are collected. Each order is made fresh, so there is a wait of about 10-15 minutes depending on the crowd.

While seating arrangements leave a bit to be desired at this walk-up, open-air eatery, the ambiance perfectly suits the very hot, very fresh fish served up in recycled paperboard cartons, with disposable wooden spoons and forks and an emphasis on “Green”. Offering a crate to sit down on, and a view of the Victoria docks, I can’t think of a better place to tuck into some battered, fried Halibut, fresh slaw and thick, wide cut chips drowned in malt vinegar. A few high, bench style tables are available, but most of the seating is small stools or crates right by the water’s edge.

Should your daily craving run contrary to fish and chips, you’ll find a few other tasty offerings on their menu. All of the fish offered up meets the Vancouver Aquarium Conservation Ocean Wise requirements. Essentially meaning that the fish is a good fit for those waters, is fished using approved methods, in appropriate quantities and the correct season.

On our visit I went with two pieces of the battered, fried Halibut, while my lovely lunch companion tried their crispy, tempura battered cod. Both were served with twice fried, “Kennebec chips” (wide cut, English style fries), and fresh made slaw.

Both the Halibut and the Cod were excellent. They were extremely fresh, very hot (right out of the frier), sprinkled with salt, thick-cut, moist and essentially perfect. You will find fancier places to enjoy fish ‘n’ chips, but I defy you to find a better place.

Clean-up is a bit more involved than your typical lunch out, since you have to pick-up after yourself then dispose of each item in the clearly marked recycling/diposal containers in the corner of the docks, adjacent to the restaurant.

While I don’t normally associate lunch with “doing my part to save the planet” I suppose if you were to twist my arm, I would go back here time and again, just for Mother Nature mind you. If I get a great meal out of it too, so much the better.

If you have any trouble finding this off-beat dining spot down on the wharf, there is a Tourist Information Center nearby, just ask them. You’re right around the corner from it at that point.

Red Fish Blue Fish
1006 Wharf Street
Victoria, BC V8W 1T4, Canada
(250) 298-6877

They make their own ketchup … That was my way of starting this off with a shock & awe campaign, did it work? I know when I first found out that Blanc Burgers + Bottles makes their own ketchup, my response was just, “Wow!”

As the name suggests, the stars on the menu are burgers and bottles. However, going beyond that, a lot of places make the claim that they serve “homemade” food, but how many of them take the approach to the extent that they even make their own condiments? I am normally a Heinz 57 man, but I’ll take the ketchup offered up at Blanc Burgers & Bottles any day. Not to be overlooked, their whole grain mustard and chipotle mayo are also a treat.

Going with the flow, we settled on keeping it simple and straightforward. I went with a Classic Burger topped with a slice a aged white cheddar and made from a custom blend of coarse ground tenderloin, NY strip and ribeye. It was served up medium rare on a bun baked fresh that morning from a nearby bakery with the usual suspects of vegetables, including slices of their homemade pickles and a half of a homemade pickle on the side.

However, my lovely lunch companion managed to one-up me by ordering the Au Poivre Burger. Crusted in peppercorns it made for a great texture and tons of flavor, it is served with a creamy green peppercorn sauce, grilled onions and watercress. Needless to say, it was outstanding, I know because I got to finish what she couldn’t eat because it was so big (I love it when a plan comes together!).

Of course, let’s not forget the bottles. She went with a Stewart’s Key Lime Soda, while I had a Mexican Coca~Cola. For those not familiar, in Mexico they bottle Coca~Cola with sugar instead of Corn Syrup, it’s a rare North of the border treat to find one.

Almost as important as your burger, is what you have with it. The sides are served a la carte, amusingly so, since they are literally served in a miniature, paper-lined shopping cart.

Each order of sides is about enough for two people. We decided on a mix of the fries and rings, and both proved to be excellent. The rings were the real stand out though. A small tray of each of their three homemade condiments was served up with the fries and rings. The onion rings dipped in the spicy chipotle mayo was my favorite combo.

Having a long drive in front of us, we skipped out on dessert or shakes, but they had several choices. We also decided against any beer with lunch, but they had a great selection…you guessed it, in bottles.

This KC lunch and dinner spot is absolutely worth your time, I highly recommend it when you want a burger and something in a bottle.

Photos courtesy of the Blanc Burgers + Bottles website.

Blanc Burgers + Bottles
419 Westport Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 931-6200

The Crazy Frog, as it might be known in English, is located just north of downtown in a building that, from the outside, mostly recalls to mind images of a ~1976 Coin-Op Laundromat. In other words, it’s not much to look at from the outside. Inside the tables are tightly packed in a manner that might generously be described as cozy, or otherwise described as downright cramped. However, there is definitely enough elbow room to enjoy the feast you are about to receive. So amuse yourself with the ubiquitious French kitsch covering the walls and settle in for a dining adventure.

The menu changes often at Le Fou Frog. They offer an online sample, some of which will be found on the menu when you dine there, possibly with some variation. The appetizer and salad menu is static enough that they actually print that one out. However the dinner menu changes often enough that when you are seated they hand you a small, neatly hand-written chalk board tablet. That’s your menu. Each table gets one.

If you arrive later in the evening, you can expect that a few things will have been erased from the menu, or your server might update you on a few items they are out of already. The emphasis on fresh ingredients is such that they try hard to keep on hand only what they will need.

For those in an adventurous mood, ready to tackle something they don’t often get a chance to taste in the U.S., some of the game items on the menu might include: Ostrich, Kangaroo, Elk or the like. When I return, and oh yes, I will be returning, I might go a bit farther afield of normal in my ordering. But this night, I had my eyes on a KC Strip.

Overall though, my lovely dinner companion and I were looking for a complete food adventure, the whole package. We started the evening with a half dozen helix snails, prepared Provencal style in the shell. While we were sorely tempted by the Prince Edward Island Mussels, we wanted a smaller appetizer to get us started.

The Escargot were expertly prepared, and the remnants of each shell, cleaned out with a tiny fork, pooled on the plate in a circle of melted butter and herbs, ready to be attacked by the crusty french bread close at hand.

Soup came next. I went traditional with a French Onion Soup, veal stock and port wine enriched sweet onion broth, covered in melted gruyere cheese, divine. Meanwhile, looking for something cool and refreshing, my dinner companion went with one of the Soup du Jour selections, a chilled, pureed soup of cucumber and avocado, infused with a jalapeno vinegar and a touch of cream. Both soups were outstanding.

The wine list was almost exclusively French, and the Premier Cru Burgundy we chose to accompany our entrees struck a perfect balance between the two dishes, steak and lamb.

Hers, the lamb, was a slow cooked shank resting on a bed of couscous, beside a very well prepared vegetable medley. The lamb shank was moist, tender and full of flavor. It had been prepared Provencal style with thyme, rosemary, parsely, sage, etc. This was the first time she had ordered lamb in a restaurant, having previously only ever had it at home, and she was not disappointed in the least.

Meanwhile, again, I was looking for that elusive, perfect, KC Strip Steak. The strip was prepared au Poivre style, crusted in peppercorns on one side, drizzled with a thickened pan sauce made from the drippings. The strip was thick, juicy, as tender as one might hope for from that cut of meat. I could not have envisioned it being better prepared or seasoned. It also rested atop a veritable mountain of frites. Together the very large strip and the frites occupied about 60% of the large platter they were served on. The remained 40% was a mixed mesculin greens salad, lightly dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette.

As much as I want to impress upon anyone that the steak was outstanding, I will be the first to admit, the real star on my plate were the frites. Such a simple item, so perfectly prepared. Even those frites which had been resting beneath the steak and, at the end of my meal were soaked in the steak juices, still had that crisp, crunchy exterior with a silky interior. The frites were lovingly cut such that each one was thick enough to have that silky interior, without being so thick that you run into that bland, unseasoned center of the frite. If, like myself, you love great steak fries, you need to find your way to Le Fou Frog.

Wrapping up our meal, we finished with two desserts. Both of us were mostly full and needed something rich, but light. So we split an order of chocolate mousse, which was predictably outstanding, and Banana Charlotte, which was special on the menu that evening. The bananas had been roasted with brown sugar and cinnamon, then whipped into a mouse. A “cup” was made out of lady fingers standing on end in a circle and the cup was filled with the banana mousse creation.

If you live near Kansas City, travel there on business or just need a roadtrip to the midwest, take the trouble to make your way to Le Fou Frog…and enjoy.

Le Fou Frog
400 E 5th St
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 474-6060

I am certain the air conditioning had a little something to do with it, but the cool blue surroundings, complete with interesting art and tropical fish, certainly set the right mood to feel cool and relaxed. Having just come from Malaga Wine & Tapas Bar, Saba’s next door neighbor, my lovely dinner partner and I decided to skip straight to the dinner menu, well, once we had cocktails in hand of course.

My Classico Mojito was served Havana styled and made with a classic golden age tine of Matusalem rum. Meanwhile, this being my dinner partners first trip to Austin, she enjoyed a local favorite, a martini made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka. For those unfamiliar with Tito’s, this Texas made Vodka earned the Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. One reviewer once said of Tito’s, “We can’t think of any reason, barring two broken legs and a restraining order from the liquor store, why we won’t always have a bottle of Tito’s in our cabinet.”

Drinks in hand, but hunger on our minds we turned to food. Specifically to seafood, the specialty of the house at Saba, and no dish features it quite so spectacularly as their Paella.

Mussels, steamed perfectly, provide the trim on this golden, red saffron laced rice creation rich with Scallops, Shrimp, Calamari and Mahi.The saffron broth, nearly completely absorbed by the rice, makes for a consistency just a bit lighter than what you would find in a risotto, which is to say, perfect.

Each bite carries the hint of spice and an abundance of flavor, rich with the broth of the shellfish and mahi and again, that undescribable something extra from the saffron.

Each of the mussels, still in the shell as shown, tends to fill up with a bit of the rice, absorbing the liquor from the mussels and making for an adventure as you plunge in with your fork in an effort to get the perfect bite of rice, sauce and shellfish.

My dinner partner meanwhile enjoyed the U-10 Scallops, perfectly seared and buttery soft, served on a bed of baby greens with just a hint of aged balsamic vinaigrette. The center of the plate was decoratively dominated by a cylindrical towering creation of Goat Cheese Polenta, creamy, tangy and dense while still managing to carry a light enough flavor and texture to compliment the scallops.

To those who aren’t “in the know” a dish called U-10 Scallops may seem somewhat strange. However, the U-10 refers to the fact that these truly jumbo sea scallops are “under 10 per pound.” So, 10 of these monsters will have a pre-cooked weight of more than a pound. That’s close to an ounce and a half each and they are absolutely worth the price you pay for these big guys.

In the end, we both enjoyed our trip to Austin and specifically enjoyed our culinary adventures at Saba Blue Water Cafe. Not every trendy restaurant can live up to the reputation created by its own popularity, but this is one Austin hotspot that can walk the walk.

Photo courtesy of the Saba Blue Water Cafe website.

Saba Blue Water Cafe
208 W 4th St.
Austin, TX 78701
www.sabacafe.com

Indeed, India Garden does not disappoint. While you will find the obligatory Mint Chutney, Naan, Basmati Rice and the like. You will also find items like Paneer Saag, Goat Curry, Crab Masala and more. This willingness to step a bit astray from typical Indian buffet offerings and embrace less commonly seen cultural favorites, sets them apart.

Drawing from the cookings of both North and South India, their authenticity speaks volumes about their dedication to great food. Weekdays (except Monday, when they are closed) they set a 21 course Lunch Buffet, which swells to 35 courses on the weekends. However, they also offer a full menu of Northern and Southern favorites.

One more thing that they do at India Garden to earn my respect is vary their buffet offerings day in and day out. While this means that you can’t be guaranteed to find that favorite item on the buffet any given day. It means you do get a nice variety. Additionally, while mantaining this variety, they are sure to offer a few different kinds of meats (chicken, lamb, seafood) and a few very well prepared vegetarian dishes.

On my recent visit, I had an outstanding chicken makhani. Chunks of chicken floating in a thin, red cream sauce. Crab masala, with large pieces of crab and fish were great and the lamb curry, as always was aromatic, spicy and very well prepared. Dessert was a mango custard, that was probably 80% pureed mango, with bits of fruit in it. Watermelon slices accompanied it on the side and together they made a cool, sweet ending to a great meal.

If for no other reason than to see what they offer next time, I will surely be returning to India Garden soon.

India Garden
2819 S 125th Ave
Omaha, NE 68144
(402) 697-0101

ta·pa
n. pl. ta·pas (-päs, -päz)
Any of various small, savory Spanish dishes, often served as a snack or with other tapas as a meal.

Tapas are a wonderful thing, and at Malaga Wine & Tapas Bar in Austin, Tx, they are wonderfully done. Any of the small plates of brilliantly conceived and artfully executed bits and bites offered up on the menu at Malaga is worthy of exclaim.

Malaga is a blend of different, distinct styles that, in the context of this trendy, downtown Austin hot spot, work well together. Located on the edge of the Warehouse district on 4th Street, you walk up three stairs into the entrance and are treated to a long, narrow, deep establishment stretching out before you.

The wooden bar stretches the length of the room, along the right wall. Behind the bar are tiers of premium alcohols, broken in regular intervals by diamond shaped wine bins that stack to the ceiling, The far wall is similarly adorned with wine bins. After all, it takes quite a bit of storage to support the extensive Wine List at Malaga.

The pride of this seven page list is extensive selection of Tempranillo and Tempranillo Blends. For our brief, pre-dinner stop at Malaga, we went straight to this section of the list. After brief consideration we settled on a 1998 Montecillo Gran Reserva. While the wine could have benefited from about a half hours worth of decanting, it was still excellent as-is. Enjoyed slowly over the course of our stay, it opened up in the glass and took on notes of elegance as the mature tannins softened.

However, what is an excellent wine, without the right food to enjoy alongside it? Piquillos Rellenos de Queso or as my dinner partner liked to refer to them, stuff stuffed with stuff…always a good choice. Four bright red, fire roasted Spanish piquillo peppers are stuffed with a mixture of fresh goat cheese, capers and chives, drizzled with olive oil and served with fresh baked herb bread squares. The peppers themselves were both tangy and sweet, with a soft texture. The warm, soft goat cheese with the added kick of capers really filled the entire palette with just the smallest bite. The flavors, colors and textures of this dish were playful and excellent.

With this we enjoyed the Plato de Chorizo, Queso y Fruta. This essential little of this, little of that fruit and cheese plate, proved a cool, aromatic contrast to the stuffed peppers. Red seedless grapes, thin sliced green apple and thin sliced pear were joined on the plate with Pamplona Chorizo and a trio of three Spanish cheeses, Mahon, Cabrales and Manchego.

While we only stopped in for a snack and a great bottle of wine, you could easily enjoy a full meal at Malaga. If you consider that two Tapas plates will generally equal an entree, order accordingly. They have great desserts as well, including such traditional Spanish favorites as Manchego Cheese & Quince Preserve.

Malaga Wine & Tapas Bar
208 W 4th St
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 236-8020

Inside of Rosenblatt Stadium itself there is typical concession stand faire: Hot dogs, cotton candy, funnel cakes, hamburgers, Polish dogs, nachos, etc. However, you can also find Omaha Steaks, Subway and Famous Dave’s BBQ.

However, no trip to the CWS would be complete without a stop at Zesto’s just outside the stadium, also near the Henry Doorly Zoo. Known for their great cheeseburger’s, shakes and all around comfort food, Zesto’s is commonly the fondest non-baseball memory of attendees.

Also nearby is King Kong Restaurant. With a few locations in the Omaha area, this local favorite serves up gigantic hamburgers and authentic Gyro’s.

Meanwhile, when your team is not playing, there are numerous places to eat near the stadium. However, a short trek towards downtown will bring you to the oasis of local fine dining, Omaha Old Market District, home to about 30 different restaurants and pubs.

Regardless whether you are in search of a quick snack for the 7th inning stretch or out celebrating advancement to the next round of games. Omaha has the food for you.

Zesto’s
(402) 932-4420
3901 S 13th St.
Omaha, NE 68107

King Kong
13th & Rosenblat
3362 S 13th St
402-934-8988

Rosenblatt Stadium
1202 Bert Murphy Ave.
Omaha, NE, 68107