Daily Grub: Making Omaha Even Better

I'm happy to report that Daily Grub, the restaurant of Clean Plate's Elle Lien, is just as wonderful as the weekly raw brunches that I was lucky, and spoiled enough, to attend. After eating there multiple times, I find it very comforting to know that there is a vegan restaurant in Omaha that I can confidently recommend to anyone- vegan or not. The food and ambiance are fantastic and I can sometimes barely believe my luck to have this amazing restaurant in my own city.

When entering Daily Grub, you immediately notice the calm and clean aesthetic. This is a place that invites you to come in and relax, with sparse, beautiful and effective decor and delicious smells coming from Elle's tiny kitchen. The menu takes up most of a wall, and it is worth noting that Daily Grub is cash only, but eating there is absolutely worth hitting up the ATM.

And the food? Amazing, not that I expected anything less. I have sampled the green thai curry and two types of sopes, all with lovely, complex flavors in food that made me feel energized, rather than weighed down. I also was allowed a close-up look at a waffle, which I figured my mom would offer me a bite of. She didn't. I am 99% sure that this is the only time my mom has been so into her meal that she didn't offer me a taste. That's a big deal. The menu also features juices, smoothies, soups, hearty bowls, sandwiches and anything else Elle dreams up.

My one complaint with the restaurant is that I can't go there for dinner. Some days make it hard for me to squeeze a lunch trip over to Daily Grub in, and I would definitely stop there for dinner if the option was available, even for only a couple evenings a week. However, I will continue to buzz over for lunch whenever possible and will keep proudly recommending it to anyone who will listen.

What was on my Clean Plate this week: Burrito Brunch

There are few things I enjoy more in this life than burritos. Consistently delicious, easily eaten with a single hand and customization options are limitless. I normally hit up Chipotle for my burrito fix, so I was amped to hear that Clean Plate would be doing a burrito brunch.

That Sunday morning of the burrito brunch, I showed up about 26 minutes after opening, so naturally most of the food was taken by those ambitious enough to set their alarm clocks earlier than mine. Though I was slightly bummed to be lacking in burrito-related options, I was much more excited to see that Omaha has consistently welcomed an entirely vegan meal with such enthusiasm. And besides, there was Mexican Hot Chocolate left, so I couldn't be too upset, right?

What I did manage to get my hands on was grilled tortillas, beans, rice and grilled sweet potatoes in cilantro lime vinaigrette. There were also several kinds of salsas available, all of which I would buy if they were for sale. Everything was perfectly seasoned and cooked, and each flavor flowed together as if they were meant to be. Meant to be in my mouth.

Though I loved my burritos and sweet potatoes, I have to say that the highlight of the meal for me was the Mexican Hot Chocolate. Hot chocolate is something that I don't indulge in that often, so every time I have it, it is definitely a treat. This stuff was something special. It was more like a delicately spiced chocolate soup than a drink, and though I wound up sharing a good portion of it with Alaina, it was still the perfect start to my slightly chilly Sunday morning.

What I love about Clean Plate is that I know it will not only be delicious, but that I always know that it was prepared with care and passion. Chipotle is always good, but I rarely get the sense that these people live to prepare burritos. Clean Plate is not only about fantastic food, it is also about Elle being able to showcase her abilities and her genuine love for her craft. That being said, she is looking to get a more permanent spot going (other than her home) and is asking...

"If you know ANYONE that would be interested in helping me get it done, please put them in touch. I need plumbing and electrical advice, hand me down commercial kitchen equipment, moral support, hungry people, INVESTORS and everything in between."

So, far off vegan investor/plumber/electrical technician/purveyor of used kitchen equipment, if you want to make a huge difference in Omaha's vegan scene, please, please, please contact Clean Plate.

What was on my Clean Plate this week: Tex/New Mex/Mex Brunch

Let me start off by saying I love Mexican food. Let me follow that up by saying that it is hard to find good, authentic Mexican around here that doesn't contain lard or other such nonsense. I normally quell my cravings with Qdoba or Chipotle, but sometimes that just isn't enough. Lucky for me, Elle of Clean Plate caught my psychic cravings for good, vegan Mexican and responded with a Tex/New Mex/Mex brunch.

As always, it was an impressive spread and this week it consisted of tamales with mole, spicy beans, hard and soft tortillas, two types of flatbreads (both awesome, obviously), turnip and beet salad, lots of salsas, Mexican chocolate truffles and waffles. For me, the standouts were the tamales and the various types of salsas. The tamales had definite cheese flavor to them and were easily the best tamales I'd ever had. Take that, Whole Foods deli case! I was also in love with the salsas: a tomatillo salsa and a mango jicama salsa. Both were light and flavorful and managed to acheive spice without all that pesky heat. If they would have been for sale in jars, I definitely would have bought a bunch, and I'm willing to bet others would as well (hint hint).

It was so great to spend my Sunday morning in Elle's backyard with my friends, and it was set off by being able to enjoy a delicious, vegan Tex/New Mex/Mex brunch. I will be dreaming of those tamales and salsas for a long time to come.

What was on my Clean Plate....two weeks ago: Middle Eastern Brunch

I'll admit it. This little blog hasn't been my number one priority. I've relocated to a new city and started two new jobs, so I've been a little busy. However, now that my wonderful life is a little more settled (I have a sofa bed now!), I can return to the important things in life: talking about eating.

What could be more appropriate for a return to form than reminiscing about the Clean Plate brunch I ate two weeks ago. It was Middle Eastern themed and it was wonderful. I apologize for the shoddy photo, but I was seriously excited about digging in, and I was talking about cats, so you know nothing good can come of that combo. I was especially excited about the return of the best tofu scramble I have ever had in my entire life. Other players were hummus, baba ghanoush, dolmas (I love dolmas so much), a minty watermelon fruit salad, pita, halvah and the classic waffles, this time with the addition of a super tasty orange sauce. The surprise favorite for me were the coconut date balls. I'm sure there is a more formal term for these, but all I know is they were delicious and I could have eaten them for days.

I am most definitely looking forward to Elle's upcoming Tex/New Mex/Mex brunch. It has been far too long since I 've been able to enjoy the culinary work of Clean Plate. Yay!

What was on my Clean Plate this week: Picnic Brunch

Ah, picnics. That seasonal outdoor dining that so many of us have an idealized version of that we can never seem to achieve. Lucky for me, I was finally able to experience my ideal picnic this week at the Clean Plate brunch.

Elle opened up her lovely backyard to host her picnic brunch, with a menu that was easily the most gourmet picnic I've ever experienced. From raw sloppy joes to carrot-peanut salad to a mint melon smoothie to a rhubarb tart, it was the picnic of my dreams. There were even raw onion rings, and they were delicious. There were also the weekly waffles, which are the only things currently giving any order to my chaotic life. It was a perfect meal, with my personal highlights being the ultra refreshing mint melon smoothie and the pesto pasta salad. The pasta salad was raw and was even better than that wonderful live pasta at Portland's Blossoming Lotus.

Each week, I go in with high expectations and they are always not only met, but exceeded. I definitely suggest giving Elle's brunch (or her restaurant in August) a try, vegan or not. Don't you deserve the best? I thought so. Elle's food is the best. You should eat it. Next week's brunch is going to be Middle Eastern foods, and I am amped to stuff myself with dolmas, halva, spinach scramble and date rolls.



Flower photo by Alaina Hickman, President of the Nebraska Vegetarian Society

Nebraska Vegans May be Spoiled: Part One

Nebraska. The word conjures up a vegan wasteland, often prompting questions along the lines of "can you even eat there?" However, Nebraskan vegans have a lot going on, from our $6 Vegetarian Platter at Omaha Ethiopian Restaurant (25th and Leavenworth) to Taj Mahal's two page vegan menu (located in Lincoln) to the aforementioned TLTs from McFoster's, we have quite a bit to choose from.

In fact, I thought it was pretty darn good.

But it got better. Much better. Mind-blowingly better.

I found out about Clean Plate brunch. Clean Plate is the brainchild of Elle Lien, who creates some of the best food I have ever eaten. Each Sunday, she is kind enough to invite people into her home for a $5 all you can eat, mostly raw, vegan brunch. I wasn't sure what to expect the first time I went there, but after inhaling about a billion pieces of onion bread with asparagus pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, I knew my culinary life in Omaha would never be the same.

Each week, Elle outdoes herself with amazing creations that have me thinking about brunch all week long. Here are some photos from this week's raw crepe feast:
























Highlights included raw sweet crepes, to be topped with peanut butter sauce or chocolate sauce, raw savory crepes to be topped with lemon hollandaise or a concoction of basil, tomatoes and mushrooms, asparagus pesto scrambled tofu (best I've ever had), ONION BREAD (totally obsessed with this), delicious croquettes made with sunflower seeds, waffles, leeks, a walnut and (I'm guessing) nectarine salad and fresh berries. To drink, there was a strawberry-type smoothie (delish), coffee and water. All for $5. All I could eat. Seriously. This is what my dreams are made of.

In short, I already knew that Nebraska was secretly awesome. Elle really hits this point home with her amazing brunches where she consistently outdoes herself by creating absolutely incredible food. I am most definitely looking forward to when she opens her Clean Plate restaurant in August during the Empty Room series. That's right, a raw, vegan restaurant in Nebraska. Nebraska Vegans may be spoiled.