Omaha Restaurant Week - Blue Sushi Sake Grill

With all of the great restaurants in Omaha, we knew Omaha Restaurant Week would be just as delicious as our Restaurant Week here in DSM. So we were very happy when the folks from Visit Omaha contacted us and, here's our full disclosure, offered to set up some complimentary meals for us! We were given comped meals at two Omaha Restaurant Week restaurants and the meals were fabulous. The set up is a bit different than Des Moines, there are several price points, but the concept is similar with an appetizer, entree, and dessert all offered for one price.

But first, just wanted to thank the Omaha Visitor's Center for the great maps, guides, and info -  it is located at 1001 Farnam, on the north edge of the Old Market area, and is a fabulous resource for all things Omaha.

Our first meal of the day was lunch at Blue Sushi Sake Grill. Located in the Old Market area of Omaha at 416 S 12th St, Blue Sushi has a couple of additional locations in Omaha, as well as one in Lincoln, NE. A very popular happy hour happens daily in the Sake Bombers Lounge next door.  

It's a nice, open space, with abundant natural light - there are plenty of tables for seating, plus seats at the sushi bar.  

They also have a small patio with tables available there - it was gorgeous the Saturday we were at Blue, and these tables filled up fast.  

The menu at Blue Sushi Sake Grill is fresh and inspired, offering a creative mix of sushi and other menu items for the adventurous (Grant), and the not so adventurous (me). The large menu features maki, sashimi, nigiri, and sushi, and is complemented by a very nice selection of Asian hot and cold plates, entrees, salads, soups, and even desserts. They offer sushi lunch specials Monday - Friday, and carry out is also available starting at 11am.

The high quality seafood is definitely the star at Blue Sushi, and with experienced sushi chefs, you can expect all of your favorite rolls, plus a few you may not have seen before on a sushi menu. 

We loved this huge aquarium high up on the wall - just beautiful. 

We were seated at our table right away and had a chance to peruse the Restaurant Week menu. Many of the menus are also available online at the Omaha Restaurant Week website.   

Grant has always been a fan of sake, and Blue has an extensive sake menu. He wanted to try something new and ended up choosing tozai 'snow maiden,' one of their premium cold sake. It is described on the menu as junmai nigori rice, banana and soft melon, with a crisp, lightly sweet finish. He said it was very good, slightly sweet, and properly chilled. A nice start to his lunch.

We also ordered a bottle of wine to enjoy with our lunch. I selected the Sileni Sauvignon Blanc as it usually pairs well with Asian cuisine, not over powering the more delicate flavors. This was an excellent choice, it was not overly dry and had a nice fruit finish. 

For Grant's starter, he chose the House Salad - mixed greens, pickled carrots, cucumber, red onions, and cherry tomatoes, all tossed in a carrot ginger vinaigrette. The flavors were popping out all over this salad - the vinaigrette was just so delicate, but the ginger flavor was so good. I had more than one taste, yes. That good.

I ordered the edamame for my starter - always enjoy this appetizer and these were perfectly steamed and salted. The beans were so creamy, it was hard not to eat them all, but we knew our entrees were yet to come. 

Grant had a hard time choosing what two maki to select from the many offered - he decided on the negi hama (yellowtail, scallions) and the spicy tekka (spicy tuna) from the classic maki menu. Both were incredibly fresh tasting, he really loved the combination of textures and the flavors of the fish. Not to mention the presentation is beautiful.

He also decided to add an order of nigiri and chose the sake toro (fatty salmon) - this was his favorite as he thoroughly enjoys the clean fresh taste of raw salmon. 

Grant had the sushi side covered, so I felt free to order the crispy coconut chicken for my entree. And seriously, is this not the most gorgeous plate? I'm a nut for presentation and this plate was simply fabulous. The coating on the chicken was crispy and so crunchy, yet the meat was juicy and flavorful - it was served with grilled asparagus and a wasabi potato gratin that was creamy and delicious. And the sesame honey mustard sauce was truly one of the best flavors on the plate - it was rich and just a bit sweet, a perfect complement to the chicken. This was a stellar entree.

Dessert was a choice of 'today's homemade ice cream' or green tea ice cream, so we decided to get one of each. The ice cream of the day was raspberry and it was excellent. Extra creamy, the raspberry flavor was sweet and tart at the same time. Loved this. 

Grant loves green tea and had never had a green tea ice cream - let's just say he really enjoyed this dessert. Served with fresh strawberries, it was the perfect texture and you almost got a tannin taste from the tea as it was so nicely blended. A great dessert.

We were seated at 12 noon and the restaurant filled up quickly - this is certainly a popular spot in the Omaha dining scene. Still, our service was impeccable - from answering our many questions on the menu, helping Grant select from the sake menu, timing our meal so we weren't rushed - our server was definitely a pro. The team at Blue Sushi Sake Grill gets top marks for making sure you have a spectacular dining experience.

For our first Omaha Restaurant Week meal, we really made the right choice in choosing Blue Sushi Sake Grill. We'd like to thank the restaurant for providing our meals - we'll be making a return visit as soon as possible! Wonderful atmosphere, the freshest ingredients, inspired presentation, all added up to a great meal in Omaha. On your next trip to the Old Market area, please stop in at Blue Sushi - it fast became an Iowa Foodie favorite.

Blue Sushi Sake Grill

416 S 12th St
Omaha, NE68102

402.408.5566

More information, hours, menus, and more at www.bluesushisakegrill.com.