The Sultan's Kite has finally answered my Mediterranean dreams

I commonly get into the Lincoln vs. Omaha battle with my sisters who all attended school in Omaha, while I chose to stay here in our great state’s capital city. Food and entertainment is always a topic of interest and I have never been a contender in the falafel dispute– until now.

If you are unfamiliar with what a falafel is, let me fill you in. Generally, a falafel is a croquette or patty made from mashed chickpeas and/or fava beans, mixed with spices and served in pita bread. It can be dressed to anyone’s liking, but is traditionally topped with salads, pickled vegetables, tahini-based sauces and even hot sauce. Put it this way, it is so popular in some Middle Eastern countries that McDonald’s has added the "McFalafel" to its menu in some countries.

A falafel can better be described as one of my favorite (and my sisters’ favorite) dishes! My sisters discovered a wonderful restaurant located in Omaha’s Dundee neighborhood, called Amsterdam Falafel, that serves a brilliant falafel sandwich. They cover their falafel patties in a cous cous topping along with a variety of vegetables and sauces. We have been known to stop in for their falafel sandwich multiple times in one week.

Just recently however, without any argument on my part, my sister Ally has found a restaurant in Lincoln that in her opinion, “is better.” I never thought I would hear those words come out of her mouth. In fact, I had to see it to believe it. I couldn’t wait to try out the Sultan’s Kite, a fairly new eatery in downtown Lincoln. My sister Anne and I headed there the very next day.

The Sultan’s Kite Mediterranean Grill is located on 1311 O St. It features a casual atmosphere that allows you to sit-down or take-out your meal to go. The friendly and charming employees prepare each dish in an assembly-line fashion, displaying the fresh ingredients for you to see and choose from. A seemingly simple, yet sophisticated menu gives you four different options for a dish, prepared four different ways, and finally dressed with three different sauces and vegetable toppings of your choice. That gives you plenty of room for creativity.

The Middle Eastern inspired dishes to choose from include gyros, falafels, chicken shwarma and chicken tikka korma. Once you choose your meat or falafel, you then choose a style (in a pita, a wrap, rice bowl or a salad) and finally a sauce (tzatziki, red tzatziki or green chutney). Finally, you can choose from a variety of toppings such as onions, tomatoes, feta cheese and black olives.

I must admit that Anne and I were so incredibly excited during our first visit that we forgot to try the falafel. She ordered the gyro and I ordered the chicken tikka korma- and both were outstanding. So we headed right back to the Sultan’s Kite only two days later to try this hyped-up falafel sandwich that we had originally intended to get.

I absolutely loved it! The outer, crunchy layer of the chickpea patty had just the right thickness and crunch without being too crispy or dry.

The spiciness and texture of the falafel was perfect, wrapped in the steam-pressed pita and dressed with onions, tomatoes, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce. It had a very different flavor than the chicken tikka korma and gyro dishes we had already tried, but it was just as delectable and fresh. As a longtime fan of the Mediterranean cuisine, I am thrilled to eat like a Sultan at the Sultan’s Kite. I highly recommend it to anyone who has also been feeling the void of falafels in Lincoln, Ne.

Peetz's Pizza Party with Piezano's

The thought of Spring is once again just a glimmer of hope as I sit here, stranded at home in another glorious winter advisory.

It was only a week ago when my sister and I were jogging outside in the fresh air, wearing t-shirts and shorts, and just yesterday, I ditched my parka for a light sweater as the sun crawled out from behind the clouds.

(Sigh) It didn’t take long for me to reach right back for my parka, but I refuse to let the winter blues get me down. I have had a great amount of experience in dealing with the setbacks of Nebraska’s spontaneous weather, so I wasn’t discouraged when I got snowed into this ‘dinner dilemma’…

It was dinnertime already, where had the day gone? My cupboards and refrigerator are bare. My car has turned into a snowball. I realize it will take me at least 30 minutes to drive anywhere, and my stomach is desperately growling. I have no choice but to reach for the phonebook.

My sister suggests Valentinos and Pizza Hut. Although pizza sounds delicious, I am not sure either will do the trick. I don’t consider myself picky but I love trying new places. After researching the web, gathering a few recommendations from some friends, I had made my final decision to try Piezano's. I was familiar with their name, but had never actually tried them. Located on 2740 South Street, they offer dine-in, delivery and carry out for pizza, pasta, specialty items, sandwiches, salads & calzones and beverages.

In addition to great recommendations and reviews, I thought their menu sounded delicious and I was delighted that they deliver! I ordered two pizzas for myself and a few friends- one was half hamburger and half pepperoni, and the other was the specialty Chicken Tuscany.

I was pleased that it took them less than 30 minutes to deliver the pizzas right to my door, and their service was prompt and friendly! I dove into the pizzas for the final test. The Chicken Tuscany was by far my favorite, decked with Italian Seasoned Chicken, chunks of cream cheese, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and mushrooms (which I traded in for the green olives). I am always a big fan of lots of vegetables, and with the cream cheese and seasoned chicken, it created a perfectly balanced flavor combination.

Piezano's pizza is prepared on a medium crust, unless requested on a Sicilian thick style or Neapolitan thin style crust. While I thought the hamburger and pepperoni pizza lacked pizza sauce, I felt a scarce amount of sauce worked well for the Chicken Tuscany. It didn't take much to fill me up with a hearty crust and generous amount of vegetables- just the way I like my pizza! I can't wait to pay a visit to their South Street location to try different crusts, toppings and specialty dishes. Although, I might have to wait for my car to thaw first.
All in all, it was a delicious experience and triumphant conclusion to an unexpected winter day. Thank you Piezano's. With an 87% liking on urbanspoon, you just got my vote too.

Ideal Grocery and Market: an ideal spot, even for the experts

My claim to culinary fame is that my older sister, Katy, is a chef in Brooklyn, New York. She is a true Nebraska girl at heart and when she comes home from the big city there are two things I can guarantee. The first is that my twin sister, Anne, and I will be emailed a grocery list and sent to find a long list of fancy things that we can’t pronounce. The second is that she will be serving undoubtedly the best steak dinner imaginable.

After wasting hours of time, driving around town and walking aimlessly through Lincoln’s grocery stores, Anne and I finally discovered the ideal stop for shoppers on every level of the culinary spectrum. Thanks to Ideal Grocery and Market, we now love to run her errands (and it isn’t just because she lets us lick the spoons).

Located on 27th street between Capital Parkway and Randolph, this charming grocery store offers gourmet, ethnic and specialized items that you can’t find at most grocery stores. Relatively humble in size, their shelves still offer a variety of brands ranging from Kraft macaroni and cheese to specialty pastas straight from Italy.

Ideal Grocery and Market is known for a deli and meat department where their knowledge matches their superior quality. If you don’t believe me, ask the expert. Chef Katy won’t work with anything but the best. Any Ideal employee will be willing to offer a wine or beer suggestion to compliment your selection.

However, the staff’s friendly demeanor is the cherry on this sundae. You quickly learn that carrying your own groceries to your car is not the norm, something my grandmother and I can both appreciate. The 1960’s ambiance may take you back, but don’t be deceived, they are well-up-to date with a website that offers online shopping and helpful hints. Locally owned, Ideal Grocery and Market is a true Lincoln treasure with its small-town appeal and spectacular quality.
(Below is the final product: a beef tenderloin cut from Ideal Grocery and Market, seared on the stove-top and finished in the oven)

http://www.idealgrocery.com/

The Grateful Bread: Lincoln is grateful indeed

Grate·ful/ˈgrātfəl/: Feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful.

Tucked away just south of Nebraska’s state capitol sits a curious, yet fascinating restaurant that Lincoln can truly be grateful for. The Grateful Bread’s menu is just as fun and unique as its décor. Don’t be fooled by the vintage trinkets and toys displayed on the countertops and walls. They don’t play games behind their kitchen doors.

Completely owned and operated by the Flotree family, the Grateful Bread has been providing Lincoln with healthy, satisfying and flavorful vegetarian soups, macaroni dishes and breads–all from Catherine Flotree’s own, original recipes.

Their menu changes daily, but most always offers the (melt-in-your-mouth) cheese scones and French rolls. Their other bakery items include apple butter muffins, cinnamon scones and focaccia. The Moroccan Tomato soup is another regular item on the menu, unless it has already been devoured by its eclectic crowd. Some of my personal favorites are the Santa Fe Chowder, Moroccan Tomato soup and of course the cheese scones! (Below: A lunch date with my sister is a good excuse to try them all)

If you are craving a meal that is as delicious as it is exciting, be grateful– and be bored no more. The Grateful Bread has a unique dish for you.