Strong Island "David" M.'s Profile

This review is rather long over do.  I started frequenting the N Zone a few years ago when I first moved to Lincoln.  The N Zone's unique location (not to withhold mention of the historic Haymarket) and obvious sports theme make it a great place to watch the game (Go 'Skers!) and devour wings til your heart's content.  Their choices of wing sauces are deep and the rest of the food has been more than agreeable while consuming my favorite draft beer.

However, a recent considerable run of bad experiences have forced me to remove a couple of stars from my rating.  First, service on a given weekend night is very poor due to the fact that one (or possibly two) server(s) is/are responsible for covering the entire floor's booths and tables including the rear section with the couch.  When the place packs out it is simply not efficient to rely on one server.  Not only does the food take too long to arrive but you end up thirsty because it is a waiting game to get your pitcher filled.  In addition, when you are looking to pay your check and leave you end up waiting around to pay your server as she struggles with every other table in the place.

Lastly, the N Zone is also a popular destination to catch UFC events.  On a recent UFC event night (BJ Penn vs. GSP) I and a number of friends were surprised and appalled to find out that a birthday party was taking place at the N Zone and that the party reserved ALL of the available table setting sans the booths on the perimeter.  I have no objection to a customer wanting to have a party at the N Zone even on a Saturday night.  But to have such a blanket reservation of all the table setting seemed a bit much especially since upon observation it did not seem as though all the seating was being used by the party goers.  This left the bar area and side booth areas particularly crowded due to all the standing.  So, for my group of friends, the prospect of having a few beers and possibly having some wings while watching UFC was a complete bust and left a bad taste in all our mouths.  :-(

D'Leon's Mexican Food Restaurants have become a guilty pleasure since moving to Nebraska.  With many locations open 24 hours, D'Leon's is not only convenient but delicious.  When I heard they were opening a new location in the former "Taco Bueno" location I was excited to have a D'Leon's in such close proximity to work and downtown.

As the place is still in their initial stages of operations (pre-Grand Opening) the menu is continuing to grow and I'm sure will become equal to the menus currently offered at other D'Leon's locations.  I stopped in on a Monday night late to check them out.  I decided to order a couple of shrimp burritos with a side of fries cause I like to smother them in the pickled jalapenos and carrots.  (Booyah!)  I basically built my own version of the shrimp burrito from the ground up which the counter person was happy to do.  As I waited for my order I liked the fact I could watch them prepare everything - FAST.  It should be noted that at the time of writing the location is not very crowded at all so even a larger order will get prepared really fast!  I like that they have a condiment counter so you can grab some extra goodies like pickled jalapenos with carrots, salsas, etc. as I mentioned earlier.

Food was delicious as I've come to expect from D'Leon's.  I am looking forward to frequenting them more often as a late night "quick bite" because I will enjoy having an alternative to Jimmy John's and Lazzari's Pizza.  Also, they have a cool deal where you get 5 Tacos (beef or chicken) for $5.  Not too shabby.

I gave them 4 Stars simply for the fact that they are so "new" that their menu isn't complete and that I have only frequented them once.  I'm sure in the future they will earn the fifth star!  ;-)

It's true that Lincoln has its fare share of Asian restaurants to choose from.  More importantly it has become a real venue for restaurants featuring Sushi and other Japanese-style cuisine.  The latest addition is the Tokyo Steak and Seafood House located in the former Grid Iron Grill on 27th St. just north of HWY 2.  For those who are experienced (and not-so experienced) with Japanese restaurants in the Lincoln area I think we have a true gem here.  I had the chance to have my first visit while celebrating a friend's recent promotion.

Rarely do you see restaurants similar to Tokyo Steak naturally offer the following combination of needs for the customer: ease of ordering, speedy AND timely service, expertly crafted dishes and competitive prices.  Tokyo Steak has all of these in abundance.  More often than not some sushi bars in town take an extremely long time to get orders to their customers. A form of staggered service takes place where you and your guest will slowly be given your entire order over time.  Obviously, this can be okay if you have planned a meeting over a lunch or dinner but for other customers this is not something particularly enjoyable especially when you have more planned for the evening.  While at Tokyo Steak I was pleasantly surprised by the prompt service.  Our party of three received the entire order within 15 minutes (that's pretty quick) and it didn't seem like the table was over-stacked with plates of food. Having an uncluttered table is very refreshing along with excellent food and drink.  And I cannot stress enough how good the sushi is at Tokyo Steak, plus they have a very wide selection of rolls!

Another thing that struck me about Tokyo Steak was the steps they took in creating a reasonably quiet yet vibrant ambiance.  From where we were seated we never felt like we were tucked in a corner but didn't feel as though we were sitting beside a busy highway of servers, customers, etc.  Having not frequented the former Grid Iron Grill, I have no comparison between decors.  However, Tokyo Steak's furnishings including a Koy pond looked excellent.

All in all Tokyo Steak and Seafood House is a dining experience that cannot be beat for lovers of Japanese cuisine.  And it's not that hard on your wallet to boot.  Sadly, they are not open for lunch but this could change in the future and did not make me hesitate to give them all five stars.  Plan the start of your evening at Tokyo Steak and Seafood House real soon.  Enjoy!

After hearing considerable buzz and reading a few articles in Lincoln publications, I decided to have dinner at Crabby Bill's Seafood Shack and Tiki Bar upon a final recommendation from a good friend.  I was excited at the prospect of another seafood restaurant (other than Red Lobster) in the City of Lincoln.  It should be noted that Crabby Bill's Seafood Shack IS a chain claiming to give you a "taste of Old Florida."

Being that it's Winter the Tiki Bar could not be enjoyed.  When you enter the restaurant you get a feel that a few themes are being combined to give the dining area a unique ambiance.  I noticed a combination of brightness, color and a seaside theme (obviously) presented in a typical fashion as you would get at a chain restaurant but in stark contrast to the dark and cozy feel that other restaurants in the area have.  This was a pleasant breath of fresh air.

My guest and I decided to order a number of their appetizers because the choices were quite good and because we felt like getting into the seafood spirit in a major way.  We decided on the fried oysters, steamed mussels and the tuna tar tar with sesame oil/soy sauce reduction served on crisp tortillas.  I'll admit I am partial to sushi and the tuna tar tar was very good.  I would have liked the chunks to be a tiny bit smaller cause they kept falling of the tortillas as I ate.  But that didn't take away that much from the great taste.  Steamed mussels are really a "no-brain-er" of sorts because barring any differences in seasoning cooking them is pretty simple making sure you do not over or under cook.  The steamed mussels at Crabby Bill's were nothing to write home about but were cooked right to the point before they get too chewy which was appreciated.  As for the fried oysters, they were a complete miss.  Crabby Bill's opted to chop and deep fry the oysters in a fashion similar to the way KFC does their extra crispy chicken.  Basically, the crispy coating of the oysters completely took over the flavor.  What is more common in "Mom and Pop" restaurants in areas that have access to oceans (like my home state of New York) is to prepare fried oysters using a far lighter coating and a frying method that will not over cook the oysters.  Also, more often than not, the oysters are shucked straight from the shell and then battered and fried en lieu of being chopped.  For all intents and purposes, one might have been eating a completely different fried meat/poultry/fish as it was very hard to discern using merely your palette.

We opted for the Clam Chowder as our Soup of the Day which was New England style (my preferred style, in comparison to both Manhattan style which uses a clear broth with tomato paste for color and flavor or Rhode Island which is clear) and pretty straight forward.  I noticed my guest adding extra salt to the chowder as I realized the broth could have been prepared using rinsed canned clams thus eliminating much of the natural brine (and saltiness) associated with clams.  This also might have been the reason the clam chowder was mild in flavor over all.

For my main course, I decided to go with the Chilean Sea Bass.  Again, growing up on Long Island I have consumed a ton of sea bass and consider it one of the tastiest of all sea catches whether raw or cooked.  In my mind, sampling Crabby Bill's sea bass would give the restaurant a formidable test.  The sea bass featured a pineapple sauce which intrigued me as I have never had sea bass in that fashion whether at home or at a restaurant.  I'm not sure how the sea bass was prepared because it was difficult to make out by sight whether is was grilled or poached.  In either event, the sea bass was rather obliterated.  Obviously, whether poached or grilled the sea bass should simply "give" at the slightest pressure from the fork.  Tenderness is key.  Here, the sea bass fell apart under the fork.  In other words, the sea bass was over-cooked.  Also, the texture of the fish itself was compromised because it seemed very frail and stringy.  The flavor of the fish itself was not present as the pineapple sauce (while quite good) over-powered an otherwise tasty fish by itself.  This perplexed me as I tried to think where they went wrong in the preparation.  Freshness of fish also has a lot to with flavor and texture.  I have a feeling that Crabby Bill's does not import the sea bass fresh opting for frozen alternatives.  I chose not to inquire instead my guest and I simply skipped dessert, paid the bill and left.

It might seem that Lincoln has another welcomed seafood restaurant in the area but there's a catch.  For people who have never consumed much seafood outside of the selection from Gordon's Fisherman or had it prepared correctly, Crabby Bill's will appeal to them simply because their taste will not know the difference.  For people who have ever lived near an ocean or who have been exposed to a higher quality seafood cuisine, Crabby Bill's will leave you wanting more!

The State Theatre (or "State" as its known locally) is the last historical movie theater left in Lincoln's "downtown" still showing movies.  The State consists of one main auditorium and a single wide screen.  It's location on "O" Street is very convenient as there is close parking as well as close access to other night spots, taverns and eateries.  State offers an art-house and (in my opinion) more mature cinema experience compared to other cinemas and multiplexes.  State features your usual movie theater-style refreshments like popcorn, candy and soft drinks.  In addition, mixed drinks, beer, wine and pizza are also available at very reasonable prices to be enjoyed as you watch your movie in their large, historical auditorium.  Seating consists of couches, love seats and La-z-boys toward the front (a cozy touch), as well as cafe-style tables and chairs filling the rest of the auditorium.  This promote a social experience for enjoying featured movies and events.  Overall, the seating design is comfortable, informal and quite enjoyable.  However, I would personally request they provide even more couches and love seats toward the front, because they fill up too fast sometimes.  ;-)  Depending on the movie or event, I would suggest coming early.

General Admission is 21 and over OR under 21 if accompanied by an adult.  The State maintains a mature atmosphere while still being extremely family friendly.  I particularly enjoy the fact that I can hit the theater with a group of buddies and enjoy three things I love: great movies, beer and pizza!  I also appreciate being able to take a special someone to State and not be bombarded with kids running all over the place (and the noise) while watching a film.  As patrons travel to and from their seats frequenting the bar to order drinks and refreshments, they do so in a very courteous manner.  As I said earlier, I definitely recommend showing up early and snagging a love seat if you take that special someone to a movie at State.  You'll never want to sit in stadium-style seating again!  ;-)

In addition to movies, State also features live bands, comedy and specialty events on a frequent basis.  Admission for events like Comedy Shows, Concerts and Husker Games is usually 18 and over or younger if accompanied by a parent or guardian.  This past Fall, I enjoyed watching a few Husker games at State.  i had fun all three times!  Think of it as taking the experience of having a bunch of friends over to watch the big game and multiplying it a couple of hundred times.  There are no fans like Husker fans and to have a couple hundred in a cozy setting like The State Theatre is oh so sweet.  While Husker Stadium still is the best experience for catching home games, the State is a very close second as well as being a great bet for away games or when the weather gets rough.  Plus, at State you can have a refreshing adult beverage during the game.  Lot's of fun!

And I have yet to mention the #1 reason why The State Theatre is such a great time - general admission for movies is only $3.95 per person.  Now that's a great deal!

Screen Ink (http://www.screenink.com) is the premier screen printing and embroidery company serving the Lincoln-Omaha metropolitan areas since 1984.  In the years since it's inception as a home based screen printing business, Screen Ink has expanded it's capabilities offering not only printing but print design, embroidery design, full color embroidery, photo editing and photo reprinting and all sorts of specialty items for print.  Screen Ink is truly a full service graphic design company.

I first learned about Screen Ink through my friend, owner and chief operator J. Davis.  As an accomplished artist and professional, I knew he was the one to go to for my personal project in cooperation with Tomac Bicycles.  With permission I was able to have a set of custom tees created just for me using the Tomac licensed logo and company badges.  Screen Ink's expert attention to detail not only resulted in a truly beautiful garment but an excellent fitting one as well.  As a Tomac enthusiast and longtime rider, having my official garments put the icing on my cake.  Soon I will be working with them again to create custom jerseys!

Screen Ink's versatility and individually tailored approach to its customers has allowed them to provide ultra high-quality service to businesses and individuals alike.  I highly recommend Screen ink for all your custom printing and design needs.  I must also mention that all of their printing materials and production are Eco-friendly from using 100% soy based inks to printing all invoices on 100% recycled paper.

Check them out in town and on the web today!

The Blue Orchid restaurant is the best value for Thai cuisine in the city of Lincoln.  I have frequented the restaurant many times now and have been satisfied every time.  Their selection of seafood is especially good.  I find myself looking forward to eating their to satisfy my craving for seafood.  i particularly love their prawn cakes.  Sometimes I stop by at lunch, sit at the bar and have a few orders - yes, I love them that much!  I also enjoy the many wines they have available.  I can always find the perfect match for both dinner and my mood.

One negative (despite the many positives) is their inconsistent service.  In the many times i have been there, both on busy and slow nights, it seems the service can be up in the air.  Entrees can come out fast one night when it is busy and then take forever on a relative calm evening.  Most recently while dining I was told by a friend of mine who was serving my party that they were having issues with the kitchen staff which I'm sure will be corrected.  In light of this the food was still top notch, which makes it more of a mystery.  Above all, I have never had a bad lunch or dinner entree and I have practically had everything on their menu.

I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone who loves great Thai food and delicious wines.  Check it out, the food will not disappoint!

The Dry Cleaning Station is a family run cleaners in Lincoln who provide excellent service.  Whether I need suits pressed, shirts laundered or specialty items like polyester track jackets cleaned, they can tackle it all.  Plus, the service is very prompt.  If you drop off on a Monday you can expect your order to be done by Wednesday or Thursday (depending on the size of your order).  You can always ask for rush service but I have never needed to because they regularly scheduled service is so consistent.

There are other cleaners that are just a bit cheaper and closer to my home but I would not do business with them because the level of service and quality cleaning at Dry Cleaning Station far out weighs the few bucks I would save.  You cannot put a price tag on trust and I trust Dry Cleaning Station.

Not only do they do clothes but they also do comforters and upholstery items so they are truly and one stop shop for cleaning needs.  Check them out.  You won't be disappointed!

Bricktop is THE premiere cocktail bar and night club experience in Lincoln, NE.  Bricktop is also Lincoln's hub for the local electronic dance music scene.  On any given night, Bricktop offers a great time for those looking to make friends, enjoy quality beers and mixed drinks expertly crafted as well as dance to some of the best DJs.  The one thing that separates Bricktop from other bars is the variety of music you will be exposed to, each night offering the patron something different.

First and third Mondays offer reggae while second and last Mondays offer 60's soul and R&B.  Tuesdays is Bricktop's Hip-Hop night featuring special performances by local acts including Lincoln's prodigal duo The Awkwords.  Wednesdays are Bricktop's Healing Sessions featuring down-tempo and chill house music.  The music is both dance friendly yet relaxing, just the thing you need to get through the midweek.  Thursdays kick it up a notch bringing in the sounds such as breaks, tribal as well as electro.  Fridays keeps the vibe going with excellent house, trance and underground sounds to send dancers into a frenzy.  Saturdays bring The Beat House hosted by Lincoln's own Garrick Michaels featuring special guest DJs, great dance music and an awesome club vibe.  Last but not least are Sundays which brings Bricktop's famous 80's night spun by Lincoln's own DJ Casio.  If you love eighties music then this is the night for you as it never disappoints!

Besides great music Bricktop offers an excellent drink selection served by bartenders with great attitudes and attention to detail.  A few house favorites I'd recommend are the Satori Tea featuring Zen's Green Tea Liquor (a refreshing summer drink), the Strong Island Iced Tea (a unique twist on the favorite from L.I.) and the Pear & 7 (Absolute Pear Vodka and 7Up, sweet and delicious).  Bricktop also has 9 different beers on tap with something to suite every palette.

I highly recommend Bricktop for the friendly vibe, great music and the delicious drinks!

Bike Pedalers is the quintessential example of a neighborhood bike shop run by real bike enthusiasts.  All too often, bike shops have this air of elitism as they try to position themselves as a shop for elite racers.  This leaves the layperson often feeling out of the loop.  You won't feel out of the loop at Bike Pedalers.

Bike Pedalers is a great shop to not only purchase a bike from but also have services done on your favorite ride.  During the Spring, Summer and Fall months I ride three different rigs.  I guess you can say I am biking fanatic - it just makes me feel like a kid.  No matter which rig needs a cleaning, adjustment or overhaul I am in safe hands.  The prices for the services mentioned are very competitive.  When I weigh the quality of service I consider both price and the quality of craftsmanship.  Bike Pedalers provides both in abundance.

Most recently, I had a Tomac Taos built from the frame up with the help of one of Bike Pedalers' head mechanics, Matt Harnley.  Through all the stages of the build, I never felt as though he were trying to oversell me - load me up with a lot of expensive parts that i didn't need for my style and level of riding.  When all was said and done the build turned out excellent!  Not only is the bike pretty as hell but it is extremely functional and will actually bring my level of riding up a few notches!

It's expertise like this along with quality service that you will come to expect at Bike Pedalers.  Their salesmen are not into pressure sales and their mechanics are all sound.  They have one of the best wheel builders in the state of Nebraska on staff, someone I will be taking advantage of when I decide to have custom wheels built for any of my rigs.  Check them out, you won't be disappointed!