Lincoln, NE: Classic Faux Pas, But Decent Italian And Reasonable Prices

Vincenzo’s Ristorante  

808 P Street, Suite 100

Lincoln, NE 68508

Phone number: (402) 435-3889

Website: vincenzos-ne.com

Prices: $$$$

First of all, if you are going to try to use Italian words on your menu, make sure they are the right words and are spelled correctly if you want to be credible. It is "Antipasti", plural of antipasto (Italian for appetizer), not "Aperitivo" (which is an alcoholic, pre-meal beverage intended to stimulate the appetite). Enough said.

We tried to make a reservation, but at first nobody answered the phone, then we were told they only take reservations for parties of five or more. Keith Urban was having a concert that night and parking was a nightmare, but we managed to find a handicapped spot right in front of the restaurant (I am 80% disabled by the VA if you are wondering).

Fairly empty at 5;15pm on a Saturday, the place quickly filled up. John, our server, was indifferent, yet friendly and efficient, but with poor timing. He seemed overeager to take our order, not giving us much time to peruse the menu. 

We ordered the Garlic Cheese Bread ($4.95) to start. He asked if we would like some marinara with the bread, not mentioning the $1 upcharge that I later found on the check, so I said "of course". The loaf of bread was hot, soft, and garlicky, but I found little if any cheese.

My wife ordered the Cavatappi Formaggio Al Forno ($13.95), spiral, tube shaped pasta and chicken (or shrimp) in a white cheddar cream sauce baked with breadcrumbs and Provel cheese. The breadcrumbs and Provel cheese were difficult to find and it barely appeared to be "al forno" (baked in the oven), but it was creamy, tasty, and rich. Not bad for Lincoln, Nebraska.

I wondered why the "veal parmigiana" ($12.95) was in a different section of the menu than the other veal dishes ($17.95), asking the server. He told me that the only difference was that it was "breaded" and "baked, not sautèed", so I decided to try the parmigiana. Well, I found out why there was a $5 difference. More soon.

We received our salads shortly after finishing the garlic no-cheese bread and they were decent. My wife had the house salad and I the Caesar ($1 extra), although they went a bit overboard with the anchovies in my opinion. Then came the classic server faux pas, my pet peeve, our entrees arrived before I was halfway done with my salad. Oh, John, get a grip. Normally, I would have sent the entrees back unti I was done with my salad, but I let it slide.

As I was saying, I was curious why the parmigiana was $5 less than the other dishes and found out when it arrived. Coming in a casserole dish, the "veal" was obviously a processed patty, likely from Sisco or another restaurant supplier, smothered in marinara sauce, covered with cheese, and baked. For some reason, the sauce was somewhat watery at the bottom of the casserole, like pasta that has not been strained properly, but for $12.95 (including a side of pasta and salad) I could not complain too much or be surprised by the processed veal. It actually was not that bad, but was not the "veal parmigiana" that was listed on the menu.

For Lincoln, Nebraska, I would have to say that Vincenzo's was not great, but not bad. The decor was pleasant, the service good (except for the faux pas), and the prices very reasonable for an "upscale" restaurant (according to reviews - by Nebraska standards).

CombatCritic Gives Vincenzo's Ristorante 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

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Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





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Title: Lincoln, NE: Classic Faux Pas, But Decent Italian And Reasonable Prices

Key Words: Vincenzo's Ristorante, Vincenzo, ristorante, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, Lincoln, Nebraska, pasta, veal, aperitivo, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

Translation for Civilians: G2G = "Good To Go"

Omaha, NE: Cold French Fries Left Me With Cold Feet About A Decent Recommendation

Jackson Street Tavern

1125 Jackson Street

Omaha, NE 68102

Old Market, Downtown

Phone number: (402) 991-5637

Website: jacksonstreettavern.com

Prices: $$$$

Located just south of Omaha's Old Market area, Jackson Street Tavern was selected for us by the coordinator of a conference we attended, otherwise we likely would not have chosen it ourselves. 

No IPA on tap and no Wi-Fi? Unheard of, but that was the case. Off to a bad start, particularly because the Dodgers were playing in the first game of the NLDS against the Nationals and I wanted to see the rest of the game.

The draft beers they had were $7 or listed "Market Price", slang for "too expensive to list on our menu", so I went with a local bottle of Zipline IPA for $4.50, the least expensive beer on the menu.  I also tried Zipline's Porter and both were cold and good.

"French Dip" ($16)

Also cold were the fries that came with my "French Dip" ($16). The sandwich was about the size of half a Subway footlong with about as much meat (the real thing, not the ones they show you in their commercials). The sandwich was OK, but for $16 a few more ounces of beef and warm fries would have been nice.

"Local Wagyu Burger" ($15)

My wife had the "Local Wagyu Burger", coming with caramelized onion, cheddar cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, and "aioli" on a brioche bun as well as more cold fries. The burger was decent, but not worth $15. A similar burger at Dempsey's or The Burger Stand at The Casbah back in Lawrence would top out at $10 for example.

Read Chris S.'s review of Dempsey's Burger Pub on Yelp

Long and narrow, the space has brick walls (in an old building) and tall ceilings, making the obnoxiously loud patrons even louder and impossible to carry on a conversation with the person next to you. The short blonde hostess who failed to even greet us on arrival was impersonal and unfriendly, showing us to our table with barely a word. Our server was semi-friendly and fairly efficient, the highlight of the night and that is not saying much. Our server did manage to have the nearest TV changed to FS1 so I could watch the end of the Dodgers vs Nationals game, which the Dodgers won 4-3 by the way ... one down and ten to go to the 2016 World Championship ... HOOAH!

"Chloe" - Joe's Collectibles (Behind Jackson Street Tavern)

CombatCritic And Chloe Give Jackson Street Tavern A Measly 3 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Three Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





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Read Chris S.'s review of Jackson Street Tavern on Yelp

Jackson Street Tavern
Title: Omaha, NE: Cold French Fries Left Me With Cold Feet About A Decent Recommendation

Key Words: Jackson Street Tavern, Chloe, jackson, street, tavern, Omaha, Nebraska, Old Market, old, market, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

Translation for Civilians: SNAFU ="Situation Normal, All Fucked Up"

Lawrence, KS: Up High, Down Low ... Pie Five Is A No-Go

Pie Five

2500 Iowa Street

Lawrence, KS 66046

Phone number: (785) 551-7170

Website: piefivepizza.com

Prices: $$$$

On September 11, 2001, I was sitting in my office in Saudi Arabia at 5pm when my assistant told me to turn on the TV. As I did, the second plane hit the twin towers and I knew our lives would never be the same.

Fifteen years later to the day, I decided we had to try Pie Five because I had never heard of it and it looked interesting. In this case, my life would in-fact be the same. Great idea, so-so execution. Skimpy with the "all you want" ingredients and small (10") pizzas for $7.50, about the size of my outstretched hand and we all know what Donald Trump says about the size of a guy's hands.

For an extra $3, I got a salad which was decent, but also skimpy on the carrots, onions and tomatoes, and a fountain drink. You can get dessert or cheesy breadsticks ($1 extra) instead of salad if you like for a $3-$4 upcharge.

A cheap meal, do not expect to be too impressed by the quality or quantity. As my Italian grandma would say, it was "mezzo-mezzo" (so-so). Lawrence's KU students will probably love the place because they can eat for cheap and quantity, rather than quality, is more important when money is in short supply.

CombatCritic Gives Pie Four 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs are Better!

Four Bombs Equates To:

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Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





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Read Chris S.'s review of Pie Five on Yelp

Title: Lawrence, KS: Up High, Down Low ... Pie Five Is A No-Go

Key Words: Pie Five, pie, five, pizza, pizzeria, KU, university, Lawrence, Kansas, Iowa, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

Translation for Civilians: BOHICA = "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again"

Lawrence, KS: Mighty Tasty Tex-Mex ... And Reasonable Too!

Mighty Tamales

1801 Massachusetts St

Lawrence, KS 66044

Phone number: (785) 218-6948

Prices: $$$$

We stopped by on a whim after learning of the existence of this new Mexican eatery on the LFK for DUMMIES Facebook page. 

Located in the VFW Post building across from the Dillons supermarket on Mass Street, the owners, Justin and Christi, opened this location after outgrowing their popular tamale delivery business.

The menu is limited for the time being, including pork and chicken tamale dishes as well as roasted, stuffed Poblano peppers that are TO DIE FOR. They offer rice and beans as well as daily specials (street tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and so on), but word has it that their menu will soon be expanding to include guacamole and more traditional Tex-Mex entrees. The adjacent VFW bar has a full assortment of drinks, beer, and wine to accompany your meal.

Their prices are extremely reasonable and I felt a bit guilty for paying so little for such an abundance of delicious, quality, well seasoned food. They could probably raise their prices a couple bucks per dish and still offer an exceptional value.

I will return soon to try their new menu and update my readers in more detail as this new restaurant grows and flourishes.

CombatCritic Gives Mighty Tamales An Initial And Very Solid 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Seven Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





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Read Chris S.'s review of Mighty Tamales on Yelp

 


Mighty Tamales

Title: Lawrence, KS: Mighty Tasty Tex-Mex ... And Reasonable Too!

Key Words: Lawrence, Mighty Tamales, Tex-Mex, Mexican, University of Kansas, KU, Kansas, University, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

Translation for Civilians: S&G = "Shits & Grins"