Wilson and Washburn Happy Hour Review (Omaha)

 Located in Downtown Omaha on 1407 Harney Street just a block away from the Orpheum Theater, Wilson and Washburn gives you low-key comfortable vibe. W&W resides in a 19th Century building that adds the charm that compliments the Old Market. What is remarkable about W&W, is the name its after, after the most successful female brothel owner Anna Wilson. Not only was Anna Wilson the real Supreme (aka Queen of the Underworld) in her day, but also a philanthropist who did a lot of charity work and giving. Kudos to W&W! 

W&W Happy Hour is Monday thru Friday 2pm to 6pm and all day Sunday. I live for an all day Sunday Happy Hour! W&W offers $1 off draft beers, $5.5 premium wells, $5.5 House Wine, and Select Apps at a discounted rate

Normally when I do a review I stay away from beer, take it that I'm a blogger and I need to try new things I decided to give it a try. W&W is proud to have 24 craft and import beers on tap. I tried the Vanilla Bean Blond. This beer is actually brewed in Nebraska by the Infusion Brewing Company. Yes, for the locals! When it comes to beer...I don't know much but what I know about this beer is that its all good in my book and I can drink it every day. It has a slight but noticeable vanilla note right at the end as soon as you swallow and goes down smooth.

 

When I saw Poutine Croquette on the menu I was sooo excited. I've been WAITING for ages to try the famous Canadian dish of French fries, gravy and cheese curds my mouth was savoring. I think I was a little too excited cause I didn't pay attention to the word "Croquette", when they brought the dish to me I was a little hurt. Only for a 30 seconds though. W&W Poutine Croquette ( mashed potato, Jisa Farmstead curds, and Newcastle Gravy) was absolutely delicious. The coating of the croquette was just right and not soggy. I could taste the cheese curds inside and the mash had the perfect consistency. I loved how they imported beer into the gravy and it wasn't overpowering. Could use just a little bit more salt for my liking.   Normally when you order this dish you get 5 pieces, I just wanted a sample. 

 Next on the list was the Fish and Chips( cod. Warsteriner beer batter, coleslaw, tartar sauce, fries). When it comes to coleslaw, I only could trust my mama's. Now I can trust W&W. Their way of making coleslaw to me changes the game. As I was devouring this small dish I kept asking myself what spice did they add to make it taste so good and smoky that I need to tell my mom? CUMIN! Yes, people cumin. I promise you it goes soo well together you have to try it yourself.

This fish it self was hot and fresh with big pieces. The batter was perfect and not soggy. Overall a good dish worth $7.50.

 

 

 

 

As I writing my notes down for this review, I had the opportunity to meet Executive Chef Travis. I told him about Happy Hour Happy Girl and how I'm a big foodie. I told Chef Travis how I loved the coleslaw and next thing you know he brings me something to sample (I felt all special and famous ) What he presented to me was the Smoked Pulled Pork Eggroll. Inside was the 18hour smoked pork and coleslaw. Hot, crispy, and straight out the press good! It was like Mexican, Asian, and American all in one. Tons of flavors but you get the smokey-ness and tender from the pork, the cumin from the slaw, and the Asian flavor from the dipping sauce. Overall A1.

 

W&W has amazing customer service. I love the imprinted newspaper-paper for the dishes that bring out the  charm of W&W.  To me if makes the food exciting and gives you an experience. I wish W&W had more food items to choose from but overall I have them 4 Smils.

Vega (Lincoln, NE)

Located on the second level of Lincoln's Railyard District, Vega (350 Canopy Street, Suite 220) is a gem among Nebraska’s live music venues. With ample space for local, national and international talent as well as a full service bar and restaurant focusing on high quality locally sourced food and drink Vega is also recognized as one of the best spaces for showcases and private events/fundraisers. Multiple screens let you watch sports on game days and an expansive stage and open layout makes it great for live music (I’ve even taken an early morning yoga class here). They have a daily Happy Hour from 5p - 8p as well as Reverse Happy Hour following every show. The special is a standard $1 off every drink. Vega also has daily specials on their menu items Monday - Thursday and other drink specials all day Friday and Saturday.

I visited Vega on a Monday before MNF had a chance to kick off so it was just me and the staff for a while. They were pretty attentive from the start even after two other patrons arrived about 45 mins into my stay. As there were no shows that night they even had “A Year Without Santa Claus” on the big screen on stage (I love Christmas movies). I decided to take advantage of their Monday special while I was there (½ off their gourmet burgers with a side) and ordered The Fleetwood Mac ($5: mac’ n’ cheese, parmesan, smokey bacon & fresh basil) with a side of fries. I was very excited as Vega uses organic grass fed local beef and other locally sourced ingredients. The burger and fries were presented very well. The fries were hot and crispy, but I do wish they would have had a bit more sea salt. The burger was a bit dry which I attribute to it being well done (I rarely order burgers anything but medium well but wasn’t asked or given that option) and the actual beef didn’t seem to be seasoned. I was disappointed that the mac and cheese wasn’t “gourmet” but more Kraft boxed. I could barely taste the bacon which was another let down. As basil isn’t the strongest flavor in the pantry it didn’t do much to save The Fleetwood either.

I also ordered a Jamie & Ginger ($4.59: Jameson whiskey & ginger ale) which is nearly impossible to mess up. I did appreciate that Vega had actual ginger ale and that it was a tall. I also appreciated that the HH special includes everything, not just rails or beers.

Overall I give Vega 2 smiles. I would definitely come back to catch a live show or for a private event. The drink specials would probably peak my interest again but I’m not sure how many other menu items I would be apt to try after my burger experience. I did thoroughly enjoy the venue however.

Twin Peaks (Lincoln, NE)

A new addition to Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket, Twin Peaks (800 Q Street, Lincoln) offers “eats, drinks and scenic views”. A restaurant bar that’s basically a manly man cave incarnate (wooden everything? check. Antlers and plaid? double check) it’s a great place to watch ball (football, basketball, golf balls) while drinking a “man” beer (everything here is denoted by gender. A girl is the smaller version of anything they offer). Happy Hour is Sunday - Friday from 2p-6p and 10p to close. Specials include $1.99 Busch Light, $2 girl and $3 man sized Dirty Blonde & Knotty Brunette drafts, $3 wells, $3 party shots and $4 select teasers (including mozzarella bites, fried pickles, chips and queso and single soft pretzels).

Twin Peaks doesn’t apologize for what it is. From the language on the website and specials, to the events they throw this place is for the guys. Both times I stopped by I was one of maybe 3 or 4 women in the establishment that wasn’t there for a check. The dress code for bartenders and servers ensure patrons get the scenic view they were promised (some more scenic than others) and the vibe is brief vacay in the cabin in the woods. I get it, I’m not judging and I’d probably go back, but I do wonder about the sustainability of this concept in a place like Lincoln NE. The same place that ran out a Hooters, had questions about The Tilted Kilt and boycotted Twin Peaks moving into the Haymarket in the first place. But Nebraskans and Lincolnites are sportspeople & this being a conveniently located “ultimate sports lodge” maybe, just maybe it has what it takes.

Sadly (and maybe understandably in a universe with no women) it seems that the overt attention from the gentlemen frequenters to Twin Peaks distracts the bartenders from serving the few women who don’t mind boobs and booze adequately. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say my second visit (solo this time, the first was with a guy) my bartender wasn’t totally forthcoming with what the HH specials were (had I not prompted her I would have only know about $1.99 Lites .. then after another prompt the well specials. I had to ask specifically for the girl Knotty Brunette and she didn't know all the teasers that were on special) then forgot to put in my full food order. I’d like to attribute it to the fact that it was a busy MNF evening, or that she requested to be the only bartender that night but the two other women together at the bar, didn’t seem to get checked on as much as the group across the bar (men who obviously just got off work).

The food here is standard bar fare. I started with the mozzarella cheese bites ($4: fried cheese bites with a side of zesty marinara and ranch). A mozzarella bite is a mozzarella stick is a mozzarella bite. Pretty hard to mess up as long as they come out hot (mine were just warm). I liked that you had the option of marinara or ranch since these are one of the few things I actually like with ranch. They were good sized chunks and there were enough to share with a buddy. As this isn’t a “foodie” restaurant I didn’t expect for the breading to be anything but breading.

Next up was the chipotle queso & chips ($4) which I was most hesitant about after my last queso fiasco. Twin Peaks didn’t disappoint on the flavor side which brought me joy. The right amount of spice from the chipotle and the chips being warm and not from a store bag made up for the fact that like the bites, this didn’t come out piping hot. Should I have cause to return this is definitely what I’m ordering.

I decided to try a well whisky and ginger beer, mainly because I was already tipsy from the Jameson ginger beers I had while waiting for HH to start and partly just to see what the wells were. It was Bartons whisky, it was drinkable, I probably will stick to my no non premium wells rule more closely (what’s an extra $3.75 anyway).

This visit my accomplice had the man sized Dirty Blonde. I didn’t care for this beer & there was no way I would drink that much of it. He thought it was ok but ended up regretting the size later.

My second visit I got the “girl” (maybe can we change this to lady .. or woman) sized Knotty Brunette. While I like this much better than the Dirty Blonde I can’t imagine I’ll ever get the man sized. I’ll just chalk this up to my recent affinity for Infusion Brewing Co’s Butcher Block Brown.

I’m giving Twin Peaks 2 smiles. As I’m used to being one of the few girls who are around watching sports the atmosphere doesn’t bother me. I encourage showing off your boobs or flat belly if you have them. And the queso was really good. But I don’t like to think I will always get second rate service during busy times because I will always be outnumbered by the grandpas with nothing to do, the frat boys here to cheer on the Huskers or the suits stopping by before they have to go home & deal with their wives. 

National HH Day spotlight: The Starlite Lounge (Lincoln, NE)

One of my favorite parts of Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket: The Starlite Lounge (247 N. 8th Street, Ste. 101, Lincoln) is basically the basement of Buzzard Billy’s (same owners). It’s definitely a blast from the past evoking visions of the Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe. This “hidden” gem offers classic lounge music, top shelf hooch and a quirky atmosphere. Reverse Happy Hour is Tuesday and Wednesday from 10p-midnight with $2 domestic draws, $3 micro brews, $2.50 premium rails and $2 off all martinis. They also offer a Friday Happy Hour from 4p-7p with the same drink specials (Friday bonus: free appetizers from 5p-7p).

I absolutely LOVE Starlite. Whether it’s the fact that it’s a basement so phone service is iffy at best, forcing you to interact with your friends or the loners at the bar; the fact that they stay true to their 50’s/60’s theme (I love me a good themed anything) from the decor, music and waitstaff uniform (all black dress shirt and pants, cool colored ties for men and women); or their amazing (and strong) cocktails this is the perfect place for a midweek late night date or to catch up with friends at the end of the work week. Friday’s HH is definitely their busy time but you can normally still snag a table or spot at the bar. I like to go on Fridays to blow off a bit of steam and to get free apps! And while they aren’t much to write home about (think freezer aisle bites you can cook in your oven) they are 1) free and 2) great at offsetting the super strong drinks Starlite serves. Trust me, you should eat the apps.

I always start and recommend getting an Audrey Hepburn ($4.50: Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, Rangpur & St. Germaine. And ALWAYS get it with champagne) one of Starlite’s most popular martinis. I have recently converted to the “martinis shouldn’t be flavored” camp but I can’t give these up. I don’t know if its the champagne or just my lingering love for “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” and “Roman Holiday” but an Audrey is always a winner. You can’t talk Starlite without talking about this drink. It is also the strongest “flavored” martini I’ve ever had.

The second reason I gravitate towards Starlite are their premium wells and the fact that they stock ginger ale! (If I have to drink another Jameson/Jack/Bulleit and Sierra Mist/Sprite/7-Up I will scream.) I can get a strong Beam and Ginger for just $2.50. If you don’t think that’s a deal well I need to come hang where you hang. Thank you Starlite for not making me drink bottom shelf bourbon/whiskey just to get HH pricing.

I can’t give Starlite Lounge anything but 5 smiles. This is the place you take someone on their first visit to Lincoln. This is where you get the best HH prices for the quality drinks they serve. This is where you can admit you like the little tacos from the freezer aisle that you warm up in the oven. This is the best Haymarket HH I’ve been to since moving here in 2009 (although I couldn't "legally" drink until 2011).

*Note: While it isn’t “technically” a HH Starlite also has Throwback Thursday with drink specials ($2 domestic draws, $3 micro brews, $3 premium rails, $3 margaritas and $3 drink specials), free appetizers beginning at 8p, and Retro 50’s and 60’s trivia at 9p.

Pig & Finch Happy Hour Review

One of the new additions to Pacific Plaza Pig and Finch (10387 Pacific Street Omaha) prides its self serving the best pork and fowl in town. Pup atmosphere combined with quality good and company is what makes Pig and Finch special. P&F offers Happy Hour everyday 3:30-6:00pm and Saturday and Sunday 2:00pm-6:00pm. $4Well drinks, $5 Specialty Cocktail, $6 Martinis, $6 glasses of wine, $2 off Draft Beers and last but not least $3 Pub Snacks.

 

P&F is the place where you can dine with your love, or hang out with your pal and watch the Cowboys murder the Jaguars! With the dining area on one side and the bar on  the other and a wall separating the two, P&F caters to both. The dining area is nice and spacious, and the bar is a nice size as well with high tables and booths. The interior is bold with royal purple walls, and dark wood for furnishings. Through out the dining area you see gold accents that compliments the décor well. I think P&F is trying to let you know that they are Kings of Pork and Fowl.

 

One thing to note is that when it comes to the $3 Pub Snacks, there isn't much to offer, only four selection's First thing we tried was the MayTag Blue Cheese Potato Chips (Blue Cheese Cream/Chives) The chips sliced thin with a drizzle of cream on top and what seemed to be a pool on the bottom. The chips were good on its own, but overall all I was expecting more. Blue Cheese  is very flavorful, high in acid content, and a crumb like texture. In this dish you can hardly taste it. They did so happen to put 2 little crumbles on top of the chips. The cream had the consistency of queso with parmesan-asiago flavor than blue cheese.  I was expecting the saltiness from the chip to complement the tang of blue cheese and what we experienced the taste of nachos.

 

 

 

 

Next we had the Pretzel Bits (Salt, Caraway, Poppy Seed Ale Cheese, and Stone Ground Mustard)  The pretzel bits were a little hard for my liking. I like soft pretzels like pillows. The cheese that was paired tasted very bland, almost like nothing. The consistency is what you get from Easy Mac sauces, gritty and lack of flavor. What I did enjoy was the mustard. The mustard was the only thing you can taste on the platter.

 

During my visit I decided to go with a cocktail. I had the Blue Berry Lemonade Vodka ($5). Absolutely my new favorite. It reminded me of Blue Lemonade Kool-Aid mixed with Ciroc and that was okay with me. If you like sweet drinks like myself, this drink is for you. I like how the mushed up the blueberries, it gave the drink life and color.

 

Overall P&F Happy Hour is slight bit disappointing. With only four options for pub snacks, I wish they offered at least two more. The flavor was lacking in each dish and I was expecting better.  I will however go and dine off their main menu. Grilled Pork Chop is amazing and their Sunday Brunch is worth it. Overall I give P&F 1 Smile.

  

Longwell's '76 (Lincoln)

Located in The Railyard, Lincoln’s new(ish) addition to the Historic Haymarket, Longwell’s ‘76 (350 Canopy St., Ste. 100, Lincoln) offers a variety of slow smoked bbq dishes, burgers, sliders and sandwiches as well as over 190 varieties of beer. Everyday is Happy Hour at Longwell’s from 4p-6p offering $1 off appetizers (from loaded fries to pretzel braids) and sliders, as well as all beers on tap.

Longwell’s is the perfect place to catch your favorite team playing. With multiple big screens throughout the bar and restaurant area, you won’t have to miss out on anything. If it’s a (relatively) nice day you can sit outside and catch the game on the Railyard’s Cube (a 14x40 feet behemoth that can be seen throughout the Railyard’s open pavillion). Dependent on how busy they are or what team is playing seating can get a bit cramped, but the outdoor seating option seems to still be viable, at least till the first snowfall. The interior is what most people have come to expect from a modern bar/restaurant of this elk; a dual bar, one with seating that gives you a front row glimpse at the many many beers on tap, (surprisingly, Longwell’s doesn’t actually brew its own beer, instead opting to provide many Lincoln staples like Empryean and ZipLine), lots of high tops and a glass encased party room. I was a bit disappointed that they play music instead of audio from the game on the big screen but it only slightly affected the experience.

I started out with the Wasatch Pumpkin Ale (pumpkin ale, Utah Brewers Cooperative, ABV 4%) as it’s October and I felt like being seasonal. Liked that there wasn’t an overpowering pumpkin flavor, the ale was very mellow. Would get this over many of the Oktoberfest brews I’ve tried lately.

My friend and I decided on three items to share: a half order of the Fries Rule add pulled pork, Spinach and Artichoke Dip and the BBQ Bacon Cheddar Sliders. The Fries Rule w/ pulled pork ($6: natural cut fries layered and topped with green onions, bacon & cheddar cheese over and over again) are Longwell’s super delicious version of loaded fries/potato skins. The half order was so big that even after splitting it with my friend there was leftovers for my lunch the next day. At first I liked that the pulled pork didn’t come pre sauced, but as with most loaded fries it needed a little bit of moisture so I ended up topping it with bbq sauce. The fries were super crispy, although I do wish they were lightly seasoned.

The spinach and artichoke dip ($6: served with tortilla chips) was really creamy and didn’t separate into an oily mess when it got cold. Would have liked more spinach or artichokes in the actual dip but that’s my complaint with most restaurants dip. Would have also liked 1) handmade and 2) warm tortilla chips as the side. Overall pretty decent but you should definitely eat this first unless you want to battle with a top layer of cheese to get to the dip underneath when it does cool off.

The last thing I tried and certainly my favorite of the night were the BBQ bacon cheddar sliders ($7.5: Angus beef, crispy bacon, melted cheddar and Longwell’s BBQ sauce). We got three nice sized sliders on pretzel buns, not too much sauce, not super small burgers patties in comparison to the bun and shredded cheddar which I like a bit more on sliders (no worries about cutting a slice of cheese to fit). Also no bacon skimping which was a plus. Would order these little guys again.

The last two beers I got were an old fav and a dare. I love the Stella Cidre they have on tap (Belgian recipe cider with apples, Stella Artois, ABV 4.5%) which is super crisp and refreshing. Not hoppy at all and a good neutral drink compared to the other two I had that day.

The Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout (milk stout brewed with milk sugar and milk chocolate, Odell Brewing Co, Fort Collins, ABV 8.5%)  was basically a dare because I have yet to reach a level where stouts are things I want to drink. Also not a huge fan of chocolate anything (except me…. never mind). I did enjoy that it was similar to a glass of milk chocolate. I full glass of this would have been too much however so I opted for a 5 oz pour. A nice little finish to the night, like dessert.

Longwell’s ‘76 gets 4 smiles. I can see myself returning to watch a Broncos, Bulls or JayHawks game this season and trying more beers and menu items. Nice staff and atmosphere and it’s not too far from where I work. Would like to see them switch over to game audio but other than that Longwell’s is a great place for sports and beer fans.

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.