Scowl, Nu?

Traditional AND Fusion?

Review of: Koo

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

I admit it – for years, I was a sushi purist. Sure, I would have spicy tuna rolls and the occasional California roll because they’ve become common in Japan, but when it comes to anything beyond that (especially those with the dreaded cream cheese), I would just turn up my nose and decline.

However, based on the great reviews of Koo and the pedigree of its head chef, we decided to take the long ride on the N-line into the inner sunset and give Koo a try.

The restaurant is cosy without being cramped – and the use of dark wood and heavily saturated earth tones combined with gentle, ambient music makes the space extremely comfortable.

The food is both traditional and fusion – the nigiri and maki offered are purely traditional – and the katsuo nigiri was so good, I had to order a second order. The ika-natto maki was also a highlight of the night. However, as traditional as the nigiri and maki are, the special rolls and appetizers take their inspiration from many cultures – a tuna and salmon tartare with guacamole and shrimp chips combines Hawaiian Poke with Mexican guacamole and chips… and a Tokyo Crunch roll was topped with ground bits of tonkatsu (breaded fried pork).

Instead of creating a mish-mosh of foods, Koo has pulled off the best of both worlds. If you’re in the mood for traditional sushi or Japanese inspired Fusion cuisine, make a trip to the inner sunset and give Koo a chance.

Not the worst beer… but certainly not the best

Review of: Eldo’s Grill & Microbrewery

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 1

Read review on Judy’s Book.

The space that now houses Eldo’s was once the Golden Gate Brewery – a decent brewpub that collapsed at the end of the dot-com bubble. Now reinvented as a tex-mex brewpub, Eldo’s has supposedly been getting a good reputation for it’s beer. Let’s clarify things – the only reputation it should have is for mediocrity.

It’s a sad, sad day when I can recommend the corporate brewpub offerings of Gordon Biersch before I can recommend these beers. I struggled to finish a completely pedestrian porter that lacked body, taste and aroma, while my wife combatted an overly carbonated pilsner that tasted nothing like the Czech archetypes from which this style of beer comes from.

At 10:30 on a Saturday, it was dead empty. Tells you something, eh?

Ugh.

Review of: Biaggi’s Ristorante

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 1

Read review on Judy’s Book.

It’s been a half hour since the meal ended, and I can already tell that it’s going to be a long night.

Let’s ignore some specific things about the place – such as me asking for my gimlet with only fresh lime (none of that phosphorescent bottled Rose’s Lime “Juice”), which was fine, but the two ordered for my colleagues coming with that telltale green sheen of Rose’s. Let’s forget about them bringing our main courses while we were still eating our salads and appetizers. Let’s also forget about the smudged still-damp wine glasses they brought for our overpriced bottle of white wine.

Even if you forget all of this, the food was still pretty darned bad. I mean, the pasta I had (with shrimp and ham in a cream sauce) is already starting a cramp – and I love rich foods. It’s barely more edible than the Macaroni Grille. That’s not an endorsement by any stretch.

Excuse me while I search the honor bar for some Alka Seltzer…

Excellent food and spirits

Review of: Prestige Spirits & Catering

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Living in San Francisco, sometimes you take for granted the quality of lunches available at a fair price. Here, it can sometimes be a struggle to find something better than Quiznos or Subway without paying an arm and a leg.

On my last trip to Omaha, I was introduced to the folks at Prestige Spirits and Catering – a small strip mall storefront that combines a spirits shop, catering operation and small restaurant.

Today, I had a very nice cajun shrimp appetizer – spicy well cooked shrimp on a slice of garlic toast. This was followed by a classic patty melt with bacon and pesto which goes down in my book as one of the top 10 burgers I’ve had in recent memory – well worth the $10 they charged.

If you’re in Omaha, it’s highly recommended.

Great steak with all the trimmings…

Review of: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

I’m back in Omaha for a quick business trip and was taken to Fleming’s, a small steak chain on the same scale as Morton’s.

Since it’s a steakhouse, there is one thing to talk about: the beef – and here it was very well done. I had a 22 ounce bone-in ribeye cooked just the way I like it – on the rare side of medium rare. The perfectly prepared beef was joined by two potato sides and two vegetable sides. For the potatoes, we went with a parmesan mashed and a “Fleming’s Potatoes” – an au gratin with jalapenos and cheddar. The veggies were sauteed spinach (not bad, but I have had much, much better) and some steamed mixed vegetables that looked a little limp and overcooked, so I declined to partake in them.

The highlight of the meal: the steak, hands down. The big miss: the “cappuccino” which was a barely passable cafe au lait (though I was warned that there were some problems with the cappuccino maker after receiving the coffee).

It’s a good steak – one of the better ribeye steaks that I’ve had in a long, long while.