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.

Grane at Midtown Crossing

One of the newest additions to Midtown Crossing, Grane (120 South 31st Avenue, Suite 5105, Omaha) offers all the comforts of a modern day speakeasy. A whiskey dispensary that also offers a number of craft cocktails and small plates, this concept bar is brought to us from Brix, incorporating their tasting machines (you buy a dispensing card, then sample whisky and scotch to your heart or wallet’s content). Happy Hour is all day Monday and Tuesday (the whiskey machines are also half price all day Monday) as well as Wednesday - Saturday from 3p-6p. Their House Old Fashioned and Amaro are both on tap and $2 off as well as their other house cocktails and featured whiskey classics. Wines are $5 a glass and all draft beers are $2 off. All small plates including whiskey charcuterie (meat & cheese plate) and a chocolate whiskey bundt cake are 25% off.

I immediately loved Grane when I walked through the doors. Dimly lit and all brass and wood really makes you feel like you’ve walked back into the prohibition era. The bar is massive and I got a kick out of the rolling library style ladder the bartenders have to use to reach some of the bottles. I enjoyed that the walls were decorated with news clippings from Nebraska about prohibition and bootlegging as well as Capone-esque pictures of bootleggers and bartenders. Everyone was super helpful and attentive from the moment I arrived (both of my visits were on Mondays and their were only a few other patrons, but I get the feeling the service is the same even with a packed house). The GM even greeted me personally, remembered me upon my second visit and left me his card (great place Joel). Grane is the perfect place if you enjoy history, escapism and whiskey even half as much as I do.

My first order of business was to try the House Old Fashioned ($7: Wild Turkey 101, orange, sugar, angostura). I was a bit skeptical at first since this is “on tap” and how can a mass produced Old Fashioned really be good? It can if it’s from Grane. The drink was perfect and if you’ve never tried an Old Fashioned before this is a good place to start.

I also ordered the warm goat cheese fondue ($8.25: rustic country loaf, Shadowbrook Farm Chevre, roasted cippolini onions, Banguls vinegar reduction). The fondue came out promptly and piping hot. The reduction and onions were very nice compliments to each other as they were both sweeter.I do wish the onions had a bit more of a fine chop to them as currently you’re eating a whole clove at a time. The country loaf was fresh and soft but for this it may have served a better purpose by being toasted. Overall the fondue was a bit sweeter than I expected. I love the slight tanginess of goat cheese and it was definitely missing from this fondue.

I ended up getting a dispensing card, putting $10 on it and sampling three of the whiskeys Grane currently has. First was the George Dickel Grane 9 Year as the bartender had told me this was bottled for Grane (they even have the barrel it was aged in). It’s a Tennessee Style whiskey with notes of maple syrup and caramel and a smooth finish that lingers. Next was my favorite of the bunch, the Green Spot Single Pot Still. An Irish Whiskey comprised of pot still whiskeys aged between 7 to 10 years and matured in bourbon or sherry barrels, this whiskey is a spicier whiskey in tandem with green apple, leaving behind barley and clove notes (yes I just nerded out about the “nose” and “finish” and blah blah blah. I’m becoming a snob with these things). Last was the Greenore Single Grain Irish. This small batch Irish whiskey is also aged in bourbon barrels and made from corn instead of barley, lending it a sweeter taste. It’s not made in a pot still so the finish is smoother. I would recommend the dispensary machines to anyone who 1) likes whiskey or scotch 2) likes learning or tasting new alcohols on a budget 3) someone who just happens to be in Midtown on a Monday and wants something to do.

I ran out of time on my first visit so I returned to try the chocolate whisky bundt cake ($6: scotch raisin compote, bourbon caramel, irish cream ‘air’, coffee powder). The cake is really really dense and the coffee and whiskey is evident immediately. The irish cream ‘air’ (whipped cream) was delicious as was the scotch raisin compote. I would probably would just eat a bucket of it had it been available. I’m not a huge fan of chocolate cake but the raisins and irish cream air made me finish it. The bourbon caramel sauce was a little bit lost with everything else that was going on and I wish the cake had been warmed.

I give Grane 4.5 smiles. It is exactly what I imagine a speakeasy would look like with modern adaptations. The focus is where it should be, on the whiskey, so I only took away half a smile for the food. If you’re looking for an interesting date idea, want to sample something before buying it for a gift, or just want an excuse to dress up a little nicer and enjoy an Old Fashioned Grane in Midtown is the place to be.