Dining Out Here and There – Omaha Nebraska

During our visit last May with our family in Omaha, the weather wasn’t the greatest so much of what we did for entertainment was at the family home.  Upon arrival, it was ‘taco night’.  However, our son and daughter-in-law do it up right!  We construct our own tacos…working from grilled skirt steak, chicken and ground beef along with a plethora of add-ons.

From a fun activity viewpoint, my favorite activity was when Laurie and I played the original version of Trivial Pursuit with David II and our 21 year old grandson, David III.  Frustrating for David III, to say the least!  Old sporting events and athletes, world happenings and entertainment…were all pretty much foreign to him…but great for yours truly…da winner!

Other than our adventure at Lauritzen Gardens, most of our ‘outside’ activities revolved around dining out…

One of our first dining stops was for lunch at Block 16.  The couple that started this restaurant met in a college culinary program.  Much of the food they feature was learned/passed down from family members.  This restaurant likes to combine items not usually combined…therefore the menu is always fresh and different.  They own a 100 year old family farm and the majority of their ingredients are preservative free and come from local producers.

This is the big menu board at the service counter at Block 16.  As has become more common wherever we travel, customers place their orders at a counter and then the food is delivered by a server or is picked up by the customer.

A close look at the big menu verifies that the owners of Block 16 are willing to take risks and mix food items that sometimes seem contrary.  Not too many casual restaurants offer Salmon Tartine or a “3-Happiness Burger…with crab Rangoon cream cheese, stir-fry slaw, sweet and spicy chili glaze and wontons…   

The first photo shows the service counter where customers place their orders.  It’s sort of organized chaos when it’s busy…and I felt rushed when trying to figure out what to order.  The family didn’t have that problem as they’d been there before.  The second photo shows the primary dining area, certainly basic or 'bare bones with minimal décor, which works for a sandwich shop, even a fancy one.

This was a special menu item on the day we visited.  This is the “Breakfast Burger”.  The sandwich was constructed with half Wagyu beef and half Berkshire pork, maple and brown sugar, grilled onions, Nashville hot bacon, a fried egg, jack cheese, pickle and sago mayonnaise.  It came with a side of French fries. ($14.95) All taste buds were engaged!

This was a Blockburger.  It consisted of 1/3 lb. of ground beef, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle.  With fries and a drink, it cost $13.50.  No complaints on this sandwich…but then again, it wasn’t exactly ‘out there’. 

Now this creation…not a great photo as you can't see the ingredients in the wrap…is quite creative, if 'not my cup of tea'.  The Dragon Wrap is made with grilled naan wrapped around pickled vegetables, spicy slaw, hummus and arugula, with French fries and ‘dragon sauce’ on the side, along with a drink. ($14.00) Amy seemed quite happy with her choice.

This one was a dandy!  It’s Brooke’s ‘Chickenwich’.  This large hunk of dill pickle marinated fried chicken was seasoned with house-made Tajin seasoning (chili peppers, lime and sea salt), house pickle, lemon-honey aioli and dill slaw on a sesame bun… It was $14.45 with fries and a beverage.

Block 16 is located at 1611 Farnam Street in Omaha Nebraska.  Phone: 402-342-1220.  Website: https://block16omaha.com/.

This is the “Mouth of The South”.  It's described as a Southern Restaurant and scratch kitchen which is bringing southern flavor to Omaha…ranging from Southern Cuisine per se to Cajun Food.

The bar at Mouth of the South was attractive as was the dining room…with simple but eye catching décor and a semi-industrial look, warm without the ‘cold’ and sterile look that is so common these days.

We talked ourselves out of ordering appetizers, mainly because not everyone liked mussels, gizzards, Boudin balls or crab cakes… However, we didn’t have any problem selecting our entrees for the main course!   

I went for the Kickin’ Chicken Pasta as my entrée. ($17.00) It was a relatively simple dish with blackened chicken in a roasted jalapeno sauce over pasta with a bit of parmesan sprinkled on top.  I asked for more parmesan and Tabasco sauce and, for a little while, all was right with the world.

There was a lot more food with this entrée than was expected!  This was the Smokepit Sandwich…created by combining pulled pork with beef brisket, adding Abita turbo BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, house slaw and ‘comeback’ sauce…with that stack of onion rings on the side. ($15.00) Just that side of onion rings would more than satisfy the appetite for most diners!  That sandwich required 2 hands and a number of napkins…

Then there was the Cajun Burger with an optional up charge for Gumbo as a side. ($16.00 + $2.00) This Angus beef burger was topped with Tasso, (a slice of fatty smoked, spiced and cured pork from the hog’s shoulder), andouille sausage, gruyere cheese and rémoulade sauce.  The gumbo was house made with chicken and andouille sausage.  Another fine meal!

Well, we were all stuffed after all this food…but I’ve never passed up a chance to find and enjoy a nice slab of bread pudding. ($10.00) Although I was stuffed and $10.00 seemed a bit pricy for bread pudding, my bride knows my affinity for this dessert and she encouraged me to order it.  I agreed but only if it could be shared.  FYI, it was a very nice version of this popular southern dessert item…

Other Southern or Cajun offerings at Mouth of the South included: Jambalaya, Chicken Fried Chicken, Voodoo Shrimp and Grits, Crawfish Etouffee and Andouille Crusted Redfish…along with a plethora of Po Boys.

Mouth of the South has 2 locations in Omaha.  This particular suburban restaurant is located at 16909 Lakeside Hills Plaza.  Phone: 531-375-5399.  The menu is found at https://www.motsomaha.com/main-menu and this location for Mouth of the South is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mouthofthesouthsoutherngrub/.     

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave