Louie's Wine Dive

Location: 16920 Wright Plz. - Shops of Legacy

Listening to: Sleeping Lessons - The Shins

Wine and bourbon on tap.  French food meets comfort food.  Say what?!  I'm so ready for this....

Roi des vins

Let's start with the décor.  The entryway is mighty tight, and no I don't mean "tiz-ight."  I mean, as soon as you walk in the door, there's the hostess stand.  No room to side step, dust off your feet, maybe take a breath before being asked "How many in your party?"  I'd say they need to re-work the design a bit, as there is absolutely no room for those on a wait.  The rest of the space was visually appealing with its mismatched chairs, graffiti specials wall and chandeliers made of frosted wine and Patrón bottles.  I particularly liked the tag on my table.

Brunch
The brunch menu had several intriguing dishes, including the Mac Daddy omelet, a mac'n'cheese stuffed omelet; breakfast flatbread with chorizo and eggs; and the Rise and Shine Burger, a patty encrusted in coffee grounds.  For those who want to nosh on the lighter side, I recommend The Boulder Way breakfast, yogurt, fruit and granola.  The name of that one certainly made me chuckle.  We started with a Zing Zang Bloody Mary and a glass of zinfandel.  I also wanted to try the Louiemosa, a champagne and grape juice cocktail, but then I remembered I don't like to drink alcohol in the morning.  The Bloody Mary was left to fend for herself....coffee with cream, please.

Dustin ordered the corned pork hash with potatoes, poached eggs, and toast.  It was definitely comfort food - salty, fatty, delicious - perfect after a night of drinking.  However, this hash came with sautéed mirepoix.  I didn't get the twist, but Dustin seemed to like it.  The sapidity of cinnamon or allspice added an unusual flair; but again, it worked.

Corned Pork Hash

My own croque madame was nearly perfect.  Louie's put in their own pizzazz, using spicy capicola, chewy ciabatta, and tangy swiss cheese.  Heck yes!  But here's the rub: a croque madame already comes topped with a fried egg, yolks still runny.  Why, then, would one pour hollandaise on top of that?  Way too "eggy."  The sauce came to my table at room temperature, with a skin.  I'll order the sandwich again and again; but I recommend, omit the hollandaise.  Or better yet, fry the egg over medium and top with a nice béchamel and nutmeg.  (To each her own, right?)
Last thoughts: my "seasonal fruit."  For once, I wasn't stuck with honeydew, cantaloupe and grapes!  Most restaurants seem to think these are the only fruits available in the Midwest.  I was ecstatic to see fresh berries on my plate, even if blueberries and strawberries are not in season in winter.  Perhaps I'm being too picky.  They were sweet and juicy and all those other things that make women crave berries.

Croque Madame

Dinner
Dustin and I chose to sit at the bar this time, mostly because our very good friend JP was working.  I inquired about the oysters, but JP said they are a bit dry (an oyster atop a wonton crisp with habañero aioli).  I would soon come to find, Louie's dinnertime kitchen staff is a little too frugal with their condiments.  Instead, we ordered the bruschetta sampler, four kinds of toppings on La Quartier ciabatta.

1. Margarita
This first toast point had my favorite sweet tang of balsamic reduction.  The smell of fresh basil and roasted tomato was nothing short of inspirational.  There's something about that fresh from the garden, herb-y smell that makes me want to go out and do something to change the world.  (Insert your own thoughts regarding la primavera, springtime renewal, etc.)  Beneath was a good amount of gooey mozzarella.  Oh, did I mention the tomatoes were marinated in Zing Zang before they were roasted?  It's a culinary shortcut, but I liked the juiciness and spice.  (All this from a tomato hater, by the way.)

2. Braised Short Rib
The rib meat was fall-apart tender.  Braising locks in loads of flavor and juice, which is great for layering over a crusty bread.  The "pinot noir infused" onions were perfect, not too sweet or sour.  Too often do restaurants put too much sugar (e.g. M's Pub) or too much vinegar (e.g. La Buvette) in their pickled vegetables.  You want the pickled veg to accompany the dish, not overpower it.  Using a red wine was a great alternative.  As for the Maytag blue cheese, I didn't taste it, which was fine by me.  Maytag is not my favorite, by far.

Bruschetta Sampler

3. Balsamic Portobello
The mushroom was of course meaty and earthy.  The roasted red pepper, goat cheese, and balsamic reduction all provided a piquant balance against the mushroom.  Simple, a bit predictable, but scrumptious nonetheless.  I can always be pleased with goat cheese and balsamic.

4. Pulled Pork
This last bruschetta did not come out as the menu described.  The menu said "Pulled pork, fontina, roasted butternut squash, balsamic onions, and lime sour cream."  Ours came garnished with shredded fresh apple instead of squash.  The pulled pork was rich, almost creamy.  Unctuous.  Paired with the apple, this one was definitely my favorite and probably better than what the original dish would have been.

Shrimp and Grits
This was my first adventure with grits, and I was impressed!  I expected a Cream of Wheat texture, but these were not so.  More like a finely minced hominy.  Dustin said these were the largest grits he'd ever eaten.  They were hot, creamy, not too grainy.  Loads of zippy white cheddar cheese and salty bacon lardons.  And some giant Gulf shrimp cooked to perfection.  The grits came with a slice of buttered ciabatta, but after all the bruschetta, I passed.  According to JP, the grits were also cooked with thyme and lobster gravy.  Talk about decadence!  I'm afraid these grits may have spoiled me, should I ever try them somewhere else.

Shrimp and Grits

Finally, how can I not order wine at a "wine dive"?  I had a glass of Joseph Drouhin "Laforet" Bourgogne Pinot Noir.  This red was light and smooth, very easy drinking.  I remember thinking it would go well with a spicy bleu cheese, gorgonzola perhaps.  Dustin was given a shot of Buffalo Trace bourbon from the tap.  It smelled sweeter than it tasted, and then came the whiskey burn.  Just the thing to complete the "full experience."

My first meal there was during the soft opening, so of course there are still a few kinks that need to be worked out.  But Louie's offers the perfect marriage of cuisines for Dustin and myself (perhaps this will spur another marriage in the future?)  Louie's Wine Dive may be one of the newest establishments in West Omaha, but I say "Vive la fête!"