Little Espana (Rockbrook Village)

The little sister of Benson’s Espana tapas bar, Little Espana (11036 Elm Street, Omaha) brings some Spanish flair to Rockbrook Village. They offer a variety of tapas (small plates meant to be shared), light entrees (like the traditional paella), cocktails, wines and housemade sangrias. The Rockbrook location also offers brunch along with happy hour. Their $5 Spanish HH runs Monday through Friday from 4p to 6p. Tapas include cocas (Spanish flatbread), fried calamari rings, chicken empanadas with spicy aioli and more. House red and white wines along with their red and white sangria are also discounted to $5. Five days a week Little Espana offers $5 House Specialty Drink of the Day specials including Tuesday Rum Night with discounted Cuba Libres and Mojitos and Thursday Champagne Night with Spanish Fleurs and Spanish Mimosas.

I can never decide if Little Espana is actually bigger, smaller or the same size as the original in Benson. It definitely appears more spacious, with the bar in it’s own corner, albeit smaller than its sister version, and a great patio area. The decor is warm with less family photos, opting for stylized Spanish murals instead. Generally service is prompt with no huge crowds during HH. The day I visited I was the sole patron until about 10 minutes to 7 o’clock. Little Espana has a more condensed menu making selection a bit easier for novices to the tapas concept.

I always get the house red sangria ($5) that’s a nice mix of wine and juice. It’s never overpowering so you could definitely sip a glass or three in one sitting.

This visit I tried out the Spanish meatballs ($5: slow cooked in sherry tomato sauce, Montalban cheese and peas). You get a good amount for the price and the texture of the meatballs were perfect. I love the addition of peas in many of Espana’s dishes despite not being a pea fan. One miss was the sherry tomato sauce not being hot. When it arrived you could see some steam from the meatballs but upon taking a bite the tomato sauce was room temperature. Disappointing as they bring soft garlic bread to your table that’s perfect to dip in the sauce.

Last for today’s review is my absolute favorite item at Little Espana: the solomillo fries ($5: house cute paprika fries, marinated sirloin, chorizo oil, spicy aioli, manchego cheese). This dish is amazing-- super tender sirloin cooked just right, hot and crispy paprika fries and super melty Manchego. The garnish also has a vinegary dressing that plays nicely off the dish. Every time I order this I 1) defeat the purpose of tapas because I don’t want to share and 2) immediately want to order seconds or thirds once done. If you try nothing else at Little Espana EVER, try the solomillo fries.

I give Little Espana 3.5 smiles. I like the location and LOVE the solomillo fries. Unfortunately I don’t have many other favorites on this location's menu and some of the carry over items just aren't the same (the potato omelette here is totally different from Benson’s and doesn’t have the cream sauce option). The fact that they offer HH and brunch does bring them up half a smile.

The Omaha Lounge

Located downtown, The Omaha Lounge (1505 Farnam Street) is a jazz and blues venue offering live music seven days a week alongside classic cocktails. Happy Hour is everyday from 4 pm to 7 pm and 10 pm to close. Specials include $2.50 domestic bottles, $3.50 import bottles, $4 well drinks and $5.75 glasses of house wine.

The interior is very intimate with cushy chairs throughout. The bar is located in the back with additional seating. A little dark which adds to the blues lounge vibe. On our visit both the waitress and bartender were new so I tried to overlook how long it took us to get a drink. The late night HH coincides with the last 30 minutes of the live music so there was a crowd when we arrived. The waitress didn’t actually come and id us or ask for our order until the last song of the set. It was another 10 minutes before she brought back my friend’s drink and verified what their well whiskey/bourbon was. Again as she was new I tried to be understanding, however by this point there were maybe six people in this lounge, four of which were already done drinking and didn’t actually need assistance.

Normally I stay away from well drinks but The Omaha Lounge’s wells aren’t the typical Barton’s you find at straight up bars. A whiskey sour with Jim Beam was worth the $4 even though I didn’t care for their sour mix.

The Omaha Lounge doesn't actually have food but you can "order in" from 801 Chophouse or Pickleman's. When we visited someone even had a Godfather's pizza. Would like to see them partner with Jazz Louisiana Kitchen as it seems like a perfect partnership.

Since the music was over and the crowd thinned out we only ended up staying for one drink. Didn’t really want to chance waiting another 10 minutes for another round in a near empty place. Overall I give The Omaha Lounge 4 smiles. Great after work stop for people and since the early HH doesn’t stop until 7 you don’t have to work downtown to catch it.

Also love that they offer live music seven days a week which makes it a great date night spot. Hopefully the service will get better as more of the staff adjust to the job.

Vino Mas (West Omaha)

Slightly beyond the hustle and bustle of 145th and Maple, Vino Mas (14450 Eagle Run Dr, Omaha) is a cozy wine retailer offering weekly tastings, over 16 wines and 20 beers and an impressive wine club. Happy Hour is Monday - Thursday and Saturday 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. House wines are $5 which range from Sauv Blanc and Riesling to Cabernet and Malbec. Small bites like pretzels and hummus or cheese plates are also $1 off.

Vino Mas has the cozy wine store feel downpat while also providing enough seating strategically placed for small groups to unwind with some wine. Their outside patio is slightly small but I blame that more on location, the complex they’re in has very little outdoor space. Wine “accessories” intertwine the wine racks and the checkout counter/bar is large enough for their wine tastings. The staff is very friendly and helpful in picking just the right wine for your enjoyment.

When asked if I preferred red or white I answered both, but I lean more towards white wines in warmer weather. We settled on the Loscano Torrontes ($5: Argentina- aromas of pineapple, peach and orange. Flavors profile: lychee, tropical fruits, jasmine and spice). This isn’t a sweet wine, so if you don’t like dry I’d recommend their Riesling. Very crisp and hints of the jasmine comes out on the finish.

I also tried the dip and chips ($5.95: creamy spinach dip with gluten free flax, quinoa, chia and brown rice popcorn chips). I was disappointed that the dip wasn’t my preferred oven baked melty cheese kind but the pop out of the fridge version. That being sad the brand they use is better than most of the ones I’ve tried. I also really enjoyed the popcorn chips, despite how healthy they were. Vino Mas doesn’t appear to have a kitchen so I give them a pass.

I also tried the Rotari Sparkling Rosé ($5: Italy- light touches of peach, cranberry and pink grapefruit segue to creamy foam and warm touches of baked bread). I enjoy rosé during the summer, basically the best of the reds I love with a lighter touch. This was by far the driest rose I’ve ever drank. The sparkling component was enjoyable and the cranberry notes hit me the hardest but I probably wouldn’t re-try.

I give Vino Mas 4 stars. I enjoyed the atmosphere and they had a good variety of wines to try. Would like a little bit more variety in the small plate offerings, especially since they have to compete with Blue Sushi being right next door.