Omaha Driver Entertainment Guide » Midtown

Ingredient Restaurant

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:10:00 +0000

Located at 3201 Farnam Street is Ingredient Restaurant, a recent addition to Midtown Crossing‘s growing list of business tenants. Ingredient serves gourmet pizzas, hot off the grill sandwiches, various wraps and soups. Alternatively, customers can “create their own” salad or pizza. Guests simply complete an order card identifying their desired ingredients, and place their order. Ingredient has several house salad dressings from which to choose. I selected the raspberry basil vinaigrette for my salad creation. All of the toppings were fresh and the portion sizes generous. Salads are served with warm artisan bread rolls – delicious. Ingredient’s service was prompt in spite of a steady stream of lunch time visitors. In my opinion, Ingredient is going to be a stellar performer in the Omaha market. I’ll try the pizza on my next visit, but am happy to report that I now have a “favorite” salad stop in the city. Visit Ingredient on a Thursday evening before attending a Jazz on the Green concert at midtown. Happy Motoring!

The Radial Cafe

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:26:37 +0000

Located at 817 N. 40th Street, just north of St. Cecilia’s Cathedral, is Lisa’s Radial Cafe. A family owned business, the Radial Cafe, touts itself as “Omaha’s Oldest Cafe.” My friends and I visited for breakfast. We were initially ushered to a small waiting room, but were seated within 5 minutes. The inside of the diner is small and cozy, with an interesting assortment of Omaha photographs and artwork adorning the walls. The diner was packed, but the customers were diverse and friendly, making the experience enjoyable. I had ”The Works” breakfast that included scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast and bacon. The portion sizes were large and tasty. I had a minor spill, but the wait staff was on-the-spot to clean things up. The Radial Cafe is on the “Omaha’s Best” list, and it easy to understand why. It is an Omaha “must try”. Happy Motoring!

St. Cecilia Cathedral

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:43:10 +0000

Located at 701 N. 40th in midtown Omaha, is St. Cecelia Cathedral. Begun in 1905 and consecrated in 1959, St. Cecilia Cathedral is one of Omaha’s most historic and recognizable architectural achievements. St. Cecelia’s is also the seat of the Omaha Archdiocese. The church’s website says the architectural style is “Spanish Renaissance Revival”, and it is easy to see the Spanish and Mexican influence in the design. Every winter, St. Cecilia’s hosts one of most spectacular floral displays in the Midwest, that it is open to the public. The 2010 event will be held the weekend of January 30-31; with Saturday hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday hours: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is a donation. Mass times may also be found on their website. Happy Motoring!

Vue Lounge

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:05:21 +0000

Located inside the Marcus Midtown Crossing Theatre (3201 Farnam Street), on the fourth level mezzanine, is Vue Lounge. The Vue provides a spectacular, open, lounging space with an unobstructed view of the midtown. It is the ideal place to gather for drinks and conversation before or after a movie. Buy a glass of wine or a drink and carry it wherever you wish inside the Marcus facilities. For a real treat, try the CineDine experience, with private menu and drink service at your movie seat/table inside the theater. You can order your tickets on the web, and pick them up at one of the convenient kiosks in the theatre lobby. We love the Vue, the Glo, and Marcus Theatres. Happy Motoring!

Dinker’s

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:31:05 +0000

Located at 2368 S. 29th Street, just west of I-480 at the Martha Street exit, is Dinker’s Bar and Grill. The marquee out front says “Omaha’s Best Burger” and, in my view, the signage is spot on. The helpful, friendly wait staff immediately recognized I was a first time visitor and directed me past the bar area to the order counter. I ordered the “Haystack Burger” that had been recommended to me former Husker, Dave Rimington. The Haystack was delivered promptly. It is a giant burger on a kaiser bun topped with American cheese, honey smoked ham, and a fried egg over easy. The garnish was fresh and the burger delightfully greasy. I’d been trying to cut back on my calorie consumption and immediately found my brain and my stomach locked in a WrestleMania challenge match. Ultimately my brain “tapped out” and the entire Haystacker was consumed. Dinker’s is a terrific neighborhood bar and grill, and I am already planning my next visit. Dinker’s is open Monday through Saturday from 10:oo a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Happy Motoring!

Caffeine Dreams

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:12:55 +0000

Located at 4524 Farnam Street, just across the street from the Medical Center is Caffeine Dreams, a delightful little coffee shop in the Midtown. The coffee is pretty good, and they offer a wide array of flavor choices. They have board games for guest entertainment, and the staff is very friendly. Caffeine Dreams also has free WiFi hot-spots nearby, making it a convenient place to sit and surf the web. Caffeine Dreams is open Monday through Saturday at 6:30 a.m. and at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Bring your laptop computer, a book or the newspaper and enjoy your stay. Happy Motoring!

Crescent Moon (Beer Corner USA)

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:20:01 +0000

Located at 36th and Farnam Streets, the Crescent Moon Alehouse, the Huber Haus (a German Beer Hall on the lower level), Max & Joe’s (next door) and Beertopia (two doors down) , make up “Beer Corner USA.” Four unique beer experiences in one midtown Omaha location. At the Huber Haus you can enjoy a Bratwurst sandwich or an imported Bavarian pretzel from their food menu, with your choice of several German draft or bottled biers. The Crescent Moon has daily lunch and drink special offerings. Max & Joe’s provides a Belgian Beer Tavern experience, while Beertopia is a store that sells hundreds of bottled beers and keg beers from around the world. The Moon is a fun place to spend Oktoberfest, Fat Tuesday, and most other celebrations. Be safe. Take a designated driver and don’t over indulge. Happy Motoring!

Marcus Midtown Crossing Theatre

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:38:13 +0000

Located at 3201 Farnam Street, the Marcus Theatre at Midtown Crossing is a wonderful new addition to the city’s entertainment scene. With 5 digital cinemas and in-cinema dining, the Marcus midtown theatre has alot to offer. The theatre facilities include two cocktail lounges, the Glo and the vue. Both have couch and lounge chair seating with scenic views of the midtown redevelopment. The city lights are gorgeous after the sun goes down. Matinee movie pricing is available, and there is abundant ramp parking for guests. Use a trip to the midtown Marcus theatre as an opportunity to stroll the midtown business district and see all of the exciting things are happening. Happy Motoring!

McFoster’s Vegan Veggie Burger

admin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:13:40 +0000

Located at 302 S. 38th Street, McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe serves a spectacular Veggie Burger. I did not think it was possible to duplicate the taste of beef using soy vegetable oil, soy flour and soy protein; but I was wrong. The Veggie Burger at McFoster’s is in a class of its own. The burger came with a choice of cheeses – I chose the soy cheese. The burger was huge, with a lightly toasted whole wheat bun. The burger was topped with caramelized onions and peppers and bacon tempeh. Naturally (no pun intended), the burger was moist but not greasy. The burger comes with a side salad. The Veggie Burger food presentation “wow factor” will receive a high score in my final ratings. If you want to eat a healthy meal, add McFoster’s to your Omaha destinations, and Happy Motoring!

Smoke Pit BBQ & Lounge

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:26:00 +0000

Located at 230 S. 25th Street, the Smoke Pit BBQ can be a quick and reasonably priced place to grab lunch, or to hold a short business luncheon. The menu includes a choice of meat with two side dishes. The smoked brisket or smoked ham are my typical meat choices. Many people find the Smoke Pit’s barbecue sauce flavor tangy rather than smokey, and I agree with that assessment. Others think the ribs at the Smoke Pit are top notch. Despite the mixed reviews, it is still on the Omaha Driver’s list of favorite Omaha destinations. Happy Motoring and enjoy the Pit stop!