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Review: At Omaha Bagel Co., from-scratch takes on new meaning
Around 9 a.m. on a recent weekday morning, I met a friend in the parking lot of the Dundee Theater on a secret mission: collecting a dozen bagels from the Omaha Bagel Co. The cottage bagel bakery, which has been around for almost a year, only accepts orders via text message until farmers market season…
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Review: At Isla del Mar, fun seafood comes with pops of bright flavor
There is no shortage of fun at Isla del Mar. Whimsical, colorful under-the-sea themed murals decorate the walls. The music is loud and the place always seems packed. And the food is a medley of popping pinks, reds and greens, bright with citrus, herbs, sauces and spice. During two recent visits to the South Omaha…
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After almost 150,000 votes, we have a Nebraska Beer Bracket Champion
We have a champion! Kinkaider Brewing, based in the Nebraska Sandhills with locations in Broken Bow, Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha, has taken the bracket. Almost 150,000 individual votes got us here. Thank you all for coming along on this journey, and thank you in large part to the Nebraska Craft Brewery Board for awarding…
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Nebraska’s largest kombucha brewer, Ensign Beverage, is fermenting in a new direction
Nathan Hoeft wanted nothing to do with the jar of kombucha his wife, Jessi Ensign, had been making for years “It was this weird looking liquid under the counter,” he said. “I didn’t like it.” Fast forward seven years, and Hoeft and Ensign are now the state’s biggest kombucha brewer through Ensign Beverage, a sister…
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Review: At Heavy Brewing, the beer and pizza names are quirky, but the food and drink are both solid
The pizza at Gretna’s Heavy Brewing, which opened last November, could be throwaway, or boring, or not that tasty. But here’s the good news, beer lovers: it’s none of those things. The super casual brewery, located in an industrial area that’s certainly off the beaten path, has already found its fan base, if the crowds…
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Review: At Kros Strain, it’s all about figuring out what’s next
When you’re already the maker of one of the most well-liked beers in the state of Nebraska, you start asking the big questions: What’s next? What else can we do? How do we stay relevant? After a recent visit to Kros Strain’s west Omaha tap room, it sure seems like that’s what the team of…
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Voting is now open in the 2023 Nebraska Beer Bracket
Let the games begin! Voting is now live in the 2023 Nebraska Beer Bracket! Round one starts today and runs through March 16. Read on for round one matchups and more.
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Help us choose 64 breweries for the statewide, 2023 Nebraska Beer Bracket
Editor’s note: Hey everyone! Thanks for all your great comments! I’m going to close the comments in this post, as they don’t count as votes. If you want to vote in the contest, please go to https://nebraskabeerbracket.com/ and cast your ballot there! — Sarah Baker Hansen *** Welcome back to bracket season! My team has been scheming…
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Review: At Omaha’s Ota, find the best sushi experience between Chicago and Los Angeles
Today is all about bold pronouncements. I am now prepared to make several, starting here: two-time James Beard semifinalist David Utterback, who has just opened a new, upgraded omakase experience in Benson called Ota, is making the best sushi in the Midwest. Period. I’ve been writing about Utterback’s restaurant and his omakase since 2018, when…
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Review: At Tous les Jours, a wide array of interesting, unusual pastries await
Omaha has no shortage of great local bakeries — trust me, I’ve tried many. But I’d been curious as of late about a national newcomer to Omaha: Tous Les Jours, described as a French-Asian inspired bakery, something that, as far as I know, our city hasn’t ever had. Walking through the bakery’s self-serve line, as…