Article originally published in May/June 2015 edition of Omaha Magazine.
To say that Omaha is not known as a seafood town would be a huge understatement. In fact I can count the local restaurants that specialize in “fruits de mer” on one hand. It could be because we are so far away from bodies of water that produce good seafood? It could be because so many midwesterners don’t really appreciate good seafood and that could, in turn, be because it is so hard to find good seafood in the Midwest? Regardless of the reason, In the spring of 2013 the quest to find good seafood in Omaha got infinitely easier with the opening of Plank Seafood Provisions in the Old Market.
The restaurant is operated by the same people who brought us Blue, Roja and Blatt, so you already know it will be good. Located on Howard Street, the restaurant itself has a modern yet comfortable look to it. Bright orange chair cushions, iron fixtures, and distressed wood paneling combine to make this a very attractive but casual restaurant. The bar features a full oyster bar where you watch your fresh fare be hand-shucked before sliding them down your throat. Fresh, live oysters are a big part of what makes Plank so inviting, and many people go there to just have a beer and some fresh oysters. I can’t say as I blame them.
On a recent visit I started off as I usually do with a half-dozen fresh Oysters on the Half Shell ($19.64). Many people think the Gulf Coast is where choice oysters come from, but that’s not really true. The very best come from the cold, clean waters of the Pacific Northwest or the icy East Coast bays of Massachusetts, Virginia, and Connecticut. Plank features top-notch varieties from both coasts. On this night they had six different varieties, and I tried one of each. All of them were extremely fresh and tasty. I like trying them one by one and noting the difference in texture, salinity, and flavor. The raw oysters on the half shell are served as they should be—on ice with cocktail sauce, horseradish, and mignonette. If raw oysters aren’t your thing, they will also cook them grilled BBQ style, baked Rockefeller style, or fried in Anchor Steam beer batter. To me it seems like a shame to cook them, but I have tried all of their prepared oyster dishes and can tell you they are all worth a go.
There is more to plank than just great oysters. On this night we also tried the Shrimp Cocktail ($11.50). These perfectly cooked, flavorful white shrimp are boiled with creole spices and served with creole mustard and a housemade cocktail sauce. We followed that with a cup of Lobster Bisque ($7.00), which was expertly prepared and very enjoyable. For dinner I had the Diver Scallops ($28.00), which were pan-seared with braised bacon, creamy farro, braised kale, sherry reduction, and a carrot ginger purée. This was a truly stellar dish and the combination of ingredients worked perfectly together. My dining partner had the Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich ($15.00). This was the best example of this classic cajun sandwich that I have sampled in Omaha and, at least for a moment, transported me to the French Quarter. The bread was crisp and perfect, and the fried shrimp, tomatoes, dill pickles, lettuce, and creole mustard sauce were all spot on. I will be sure to have this the next time I come in for lunch. What perhaps most surprised me was the fantastic desserts at Plank. We tried the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding ($8.00) creatively presented in cubes on a banana brulee sauce with homemade brown sugar rum ice cream, and salted caramel sauce. Possibly the best dessert I have had this year. We also tried the Chocolate Torte ($8.00), which was also presented beautifully and featured chocolate ganache with a hazelnut wafer crust, homemade coffee ice cream cardamom, and crème anglaise. Yum!
If you are getting the impression that I liked Plank, then you’re not far off the mark. I have not yet even mentioned how good the service was or talked up the impressive draft beer list, the creative craft cocktails or the seafood-friendly, curated list of wines. To learn more about those things, you will just have to the dive into the waters of Plank and find out for yourselves. Cheers!