Two Twins Cafe: Lincoln's hidden gem?

So Jon and I decide to go to lunch Friday at a totally new place we've never tried before.  Our go-to's are Granite City, Kinja, Green Gateau, and Venue for lunch and we were just in the mood for something different.  When we sat down to lunch we saw an advertisement for a Moroccan dinner that very same night.  When I read about the guest Chef I told Jon we should go check this out. 

This was on our table.

Chef Karim Chhibbane is from Marrakesh, Morocco.  He spent most of his formative years learning Moroccan cuisine in various kitches throughout his home country.  He then went to France to work as a chefin top hotels and prestigious restaurants.  With his passion for Morocco he returned home to further perfect his skill of Moroccan cooking.  He served as a private chef to top dignataries and celebrities including service as President Nixon'[s prviate chef.  He opened his own restaurant and served customers for 30 years.  He now teachs culinary arts at Santa Barbara College. 

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I should probably talk about the cuisine but I wanted to spend some time on the personality of the restaurant.  Anothy Ditton is the new owner.  He was walking the floor the entire night making sure people were enjoying themselves.  The turn out was not great but the restaurant isn ot being advertised.  It felt to us, like a hidden gem.  Anthony spent a large amount of time with us talking with us about the changes he'd like to make to Two Twins, his plans for more businesses in Lincoln and his background.

The new owner is a businessman and entreprenuer.  He's owned Connoisseur magazine and now owns a beauty and health company.  He began his entreprenuer path owning galleries.  He owned Anthonys Framing & Fine Art Gallery in Lincoln and began branches all over the world including L.A. where he currently resides and/or calls home-base where his wife and daughter currently live. 

Anthony got to know Chef Karim from his CA days and helped him with the business side of things when he went to open his restaurant.  Anthony said "he owed him a favor" and that is why Chef Karim came to Lincoln to be the guest Chef for two nights at the Two Twins.  It doesn't suprise me he would agree to leave California and come to Nebraska in the middle of March.  He is one of the nicest people you'll meet.  He truly cooks for people and enjoys cooking only as much as his connoisseurs enjoy the food and give him feedback.  He even invited us to call him if we ever come to Santa Barbara and he said he'll cook for us and take us to the best restaurants and to prove his sincerity he gave us his phone number!

Myself, Chef Karim Chhibbane, Jon

This conversation with both Anthony and Chef Karim is in part why we enjoyed our dinner so much.  Ah!  The dinner...

It began with a rose water wash for our hands and a choice from the special menu.  We went with the smorgasbord, give-us-all-you-got option.   We ate with our hands which is traditional in Morocco.  This was a treat for me because I lived in Sri Lanka for 6 months and always ate with my hands.  (I personally think food tastes better when you eat it with your hands).  First came the bread with sauce.  The sauce tasted a lot like salsa without the paprika, hot peppers or onions.  Two appetizers of lentil soup, which you drank or scooped up with your bread and a "wedding pastry" made with cinammon, powedered sugar and beef.  One entree each and of course, we got two different entrees and sampled each.  Chicken and steak kabob with cous cous which you could also scoop up with your bread.  To end we drank mint tea after another rose water wash for our hands.

During the meal we were entertained by not only Anthony's story and our own conversation but a belly dancer in traditional dress.  She went to each table to entertain for awhile with her dance.  All the senses were engaged!  My kind of eating experience!

Boiler Room in Omaha's Old Market features pre-prohibition style cocktails and so much more...

The Boiler Room 

1110 Jones Street

The Old Market

Omaha, NE

402-916-9274

http://www.theboilerroomrestaurant.com/

The Boiler Room is owned by Mark and Vera Mercer, the same couple who owns V. Mertz (named after Vera, Mertz was her maiden name).  Mark's father saved many of the warehouse's in the Old Market in the 1950's by buying them up, including the building where the Boiler Room is now from the Mayor of Omaha for $1.  Read more about the Boiler Room's history at http://www.theboilerroomrestaurant.com/history.html.

The Boiler Room has created a fabulous dining experience by paying attention to detail and doing everything they do with a purpose.  Their food source is mostly local when possible (see the end of this post for a listing of farms) so the quality of the food is impecable.  They have experienced and knowledgable chefs to prepare the quality food in an excellent and creative way.  Their cocktails are all pre-prohibition style so if you ask me, are well made!  The servers are experienced and thoughtful and they boast a sommelier on staff to advise a wonderful pairing of wine with your choice of food. 

An interesting tidbit: The Boiler Room's pasta chef worked for a few weeks at famous restaurants all over the world to add to his skills in an apprenticeship fashion and now wows patrons with his creations!

READ ON for more information on the meal...

Pasta Chef's Housemade Bigoli - Jon enjoyed this for an appetizer

pulled amish duck sugo, grana padano, olio nuovo

Parsnip Sformato - my appetizer

farm egg, house duck prosciutto, sage powder
Although amazing in and of itself, I had to dip bread into the egg yoke in the middle as it was all very rich.  My skilled and attentive server also brought me a sample of their Burgundy wine to pair with this appetizer as it was the perfect pairing.  And it was!  After, sipping the Burgundy I would take a bite of the Sformato and couldn't imagine eating this appetizer any other way.  Bravo!

In between the appetizer and entree was the Cheese Board

sheep and cow milk cheese from France and Italy with smoked almonds

 and cranberry chutney

Honey Creek Farm’s Lamb - Jon's entree

potato gnocchi, winter carrots, braised shoulder, turnip

Majinola Ranch Wagyu Hanger Steak - my entree

acorn squash, spaetzle, roasted sunchoke, lobster américaine

Espresso with Steamed Milk to end 

I had to take a picture of it because it is the perfect example of how this restaurant does everything with purpose and pays attention to details.  They have truly "thought of everything."

Views of the Restaurant From Our Table

Wine Cellar

                                           

The blobs lit up on the brick wall are Terra Cotta masks created by owner Mark Mercer.  The bar boasts mixed drinks made exactly like pre-prohibition days.  The Manhattan was amazing and Jon's Bourbon sour was made with egg whites like back in the day.

Another view from our table, the dark mass in most of the right half of the picture are the stairs.  The upper level has seating and that is where you enter the restaurant as well.  We will try the upper level sitting next time.  This particular table was romantic and cozy but lacked in any kind of panoramic view of the restaurant.

Me

Jon

The menu changes daily at the Boiler Room. 
Below is the menu from the night we ate at the Boiler Room

January 21, 2012 at 4:44pm

Tonight’s Menu

˜house marinated olives

 house charcuterie

selection of house cured meats, pickles, mustard

housemade bigoli

pulled amish duck sugo, grana padano, olio nuovo

winter carrot bisque

oregon black truffle, bone marrow, radish

parsnip sformato

farm egg, house duck prosciutto, sage powder

crudo of lemon sole

lemon aioli, kohlrabi, english walnut, beet chips

braised wagyu shortrib

roasted polenta, red beet, cauliflower jardinière, “merguez”

     

main course

roasted pig’s head

cauliflower purée, roasted parsnips, shallots, house cured ham

florida golden tilefish

oregon white truffle, ricotta agnolotti, braised cabbage, fried cauliflower

plum creek farm’s chicken 2 ways

baeckeoffe, butter beans, confit leg, chicken liver sauce

 t.d. niche farms pork loin

silesian dumplings, boiled peanuts, oyster mushroom, braised leeks

honey creek farm’s lamb

potato gnocchi, winter carrots, braised shoulder, turnip

majinola ranch wagyu hanger steak

acorn squash, spaetzle, roasted sunchoke, lobster américaine

The Boiler Room proudly sources local meats and produce whenever possible and would like to give special thanks to all of our local grower/producer partners: squeaky green organics, rhizosphere, honey creek farms, shadowbrook farms, clementines p&p, bedford gardens, blooms organics, le quartier, madonna school, t.d. niche farm, majinola ranch, plum creek farms, sanders farms, birdsong farms, dakota harvest lamb.



One night in Omaha: a family holiday for the holidays

Omaha, NE can be a fun time around the holidays.  Especially for families.  Lots of stuff to do beginning Thanksgiving Day.  There is the tree lighting ceremony on Thanksgiving night and festivies the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the Holiday Lights Festival the second weekend of December where Dickens in the Market and Durham Museum festivities involve costumed characters and Santa visits.

Marley was scary!

"Not the gumdrop buttons!"

Unsure what kind of a face that is Jon!?!

Jon's favorite place to be, with a princess.

There is also the enchanted carriage rides at night.  Meaning, the normal horse drawn buggies are available as usual in the Old Market but dressed in Christmas lights for the season. 

We went to Omaha December 10th and got a great deal at the Embassy Suites in the Old Market and could have purchased the package which included a $25 gift card for shoppping in the Old Market and 4 tickets to the Durham Museum festivies.  We opted out ofthe package but still enjoyed the festivies in the Old Market that were free.  Like carolers, we sat at Wheatfield's in the Old Market and were visited by carolers inside the restaurant while we (Jeremiah and I) warmed up around hot cocoa, broccoli and cheese soup and cinammon rolls. 

 

Jon had the meatloaf and potatoes and said it was the epitome of comfort food.  Next, we went ice skating.  The Con Agra Foods headquarters has a large campus and hosts an ice skating rink for the Food Bank of Omaha where all proceeds from the ice skating rink go directly to the Food Bank.  Cost was only $5 per person and we ended up going both Saturday and Sunday because we has such a fun time.  Holiday music played while you skated. It was just like a roller skating rink and if you weren't that good you were in good company.

Dumb and Dumber...duh!! LOL

 Jeremiah's first attempt at ice skating.

He really got into it and ended up loving it!

JTK

Lincoln, NE boasts a great higher end restaurant in JTK which is located in the historic Haymarket in the old train station.



    

We accidentally (but thankfully) ate there two nights in a row this week.  One was a friend's birthday dinner and they were in the mood for American Kobe Beef and one was taking people who work for us out to a special dinner with special steak as steak is their favorite.  So, of course, we had American Kobe Beef again!  It is priced at market value so be ready to spend a bit of money on a great experience!  You should try it at least once in your lifetime!  It is a great experience for birthdays and anniversaries.  The servers are knowledgable and excited to serve, they have a 91 and above rated wine selection and other yummy menu selections of steak au pourve, medallions, pork tenderloin, salmon and duck breast to name a few. 

For two days in a row, I had the cheese plate and kobe beef sliders both appetizers and Kobe steak one night and the pork tenderloin the next night.

The cheese plate: Three different cheeses that change up every two weeks or so served with baguette slices, raspberries and thick proscuitto slices.  The flavors intermingle well but not fabulously which I would mention as the only draw back to the plate.

The Kobe beef sliders: Served on polenta cakes and topped with truffle oil and carmelized onions were amazing because they were made with the best beef around however, a little bit over done.

The orzo pasta: served with the Kobe beef steak was creamy and delicious although not much flavor to it. 

Finally, the American Kobe Beef steak: Cooked to medium rare is not the reason for its melt-in-your-mouth consistency and perfect flavor.  The fact that it is Wagyu beef is the reason you are enjoying that steak so much!  No other cut or quality of beef could ever compare to this style of raising, feeding, caring for and butchering this type of cow.

V. Mertz with friends

Omaha, Nebraska boasts a great high end restaurant with crumb catchers, pallet teasers and cleansers and 4 course extravaganzas for your mouth. V. Mertz used to have Jennifer Coco, now at Flatiron.  Their menu changes often and includes wonderful delights of Wagyu beef, scallops, polenta cakes and gnocchi which all sound plain when read in black and white but when tasted at V. Mertz in all their colorful, spicy accompaniments are breathtaking at worst. Try it out!  If you live in the Midwest and are looking for New York style dining and variety look no further than V. Mertz in Omaha!

 

Things I do before Traveling: Play dress up!

Ummmm...no.

Nope.

Yes!

I like it! Mental note: Keep in mind for "a night out".

I think so. Perfect for a business trip.

Yes! Great traveling outfit.

Picnic Winery Bike Tour

So, we found this great bicycle rental shop Zoom Leisure, online before heading out to Niagara-on-the-Lake.  The reviews were all positive so we decided to book a Picnic Winery Bike Tour although attempted to book a Pub Lunch Winery Bike Tour.  That tour was all sold out but we happily picked Plan B.

You get a bike, water bottle, healthy snacks, lunch at a local market along the way, four winery visits and private tastings and if you buy anything, Zoom picks it up and brings it back to the bike rental shop for you to pick up after the bike tour.  It was well worth the $90/person charge.  It was so much fun.  We ended up friends with the people on the tour by the end of it (I think the wine helped with that) and we had a well balanced 6 hours of exercise and rest/fun.

Winery #1: Lailey Winery

Lailey Winery - a small "mom and pop" operation

Cheers to wine and biking!

The Market where we ate lunch

Enjoying a yummy lunch of great conversation, a sandwich, a fresh Canada peach and homemade ice cream!

      All our bikes outside the Market

                               

I caught a cute moment between a girl, her ice cream and her dog.

Winery #2: Reif Winery

Reif Winery - German founder/vinter and amazing Ice Wine found here

Handle bar mustache at Reif Winery

Private tasting at Reif Winery .  Our bike tour guide Michel is on the right.

Winery #3: Inniskillin

 

Inniskillin is a little more commercial than the "mom and pop" operations.  This only means they have to give their suppliers a certain amount of cases per year and if they fall below the quota could be dropped from that suppliers buying list.  If you were a winery who chose to be a small operation you'd sell at your own pace and have the time to create and age your wines to your standard of perfection.

Our private tasting included a tour of the winery.  Here is the cellar and we watched a video on how Inniskillin makes their Ice Wine from vine to glass.  *The wine boutique and cellar (wine storage) are all Frank Lloyd Wright inspired, including this table and chairs set.

The chairs wonderfully scream Frank Lloyd Wright

On to the next winery

Winery #4: Marynissen

A small "mom and pop" operation on purpose although they could go commercial because of their popularity.  You can only buy their wine at the winery or at some restaurants in town.  They want to stay small because that means more creative license and time to spend aging their wines.

    Private wine tasting with a comical fellow.  Michel tells him he missed his calling in stand-up comedy.      

 Crystals on every cork of their Cab Franc bottles but I forget why!

A hodge podge of bikes is an inspiring sight!

 Winery #5: Peller Estates

 Peller Estates coming into view

 

Private wine tasting at Peller.

Peller is a commercial winery boasting even a 5 star gourmet restaurant in the winery shop.  They are also very famous for their Ice Wines.  We concurred and bought a pack of 8 small bottles as gifts which we wrapped up in various clothing items and stowed in our luggage.  We however, have not received that piece of luggage back as of yet so would not recommend this practice.  You have to drive to and ship from Buffalo, NY if you transport purchases by mail because Canada cannot ship alcohol out of the country.