dudesndivorce.com

Good afternoon gentlemen!  I hope this finds everyone doing well.

As Russ mentioned in his earlier post; he and I got together in Omaha this last weekend and held what we jokingly referred to as DudesCon!  The first ever, global, Dudes N Divorce Convention!  We had a huge turnout this year probably close to TWO people there!! (counting Russ and myself)  WOW!  ~:?)  We did get a lot of work done on the site as you can no doubt see and we’d love to hear your input on the new look; either in the comments section or at divorced-dudes@dudesndivorce.com .

You’ll notice that we’ve added some new categories including some for reviews, household stuff and finances.  We decided to add these new categories because we want to address all of the concerns of divorced or divorcing “dudes”.  Not just emotional or relational stuff.  The reviews will be done not as professional reviewers but simply as men talking to other men about stuff that we think is either worth the time and money or maybe not so much so.  Hopefully that will help our readers stretch their dollars a bit  further by finding good products and services.  Likewise the posts on household management and finances will be focusing on those important portions of men’s lives.  We want this blog to be a source for divorced men to get the information they want about topics that are important to them.  I hope you let us know how we can improve in that effort.  We’re still busy recategorizing some of our older posts so please hang in there

NOW ON TO THE FOOD! – Russ did a great job covering a couple places we went to this weekend and enjoyed some great food.  The third and final establishment we visited was Jim and Jennie’s Greek Village  at 3026 N. 90th St Omaha, Ne.  Now I really enjoy Greek food - probably one of my favorite cuisines – and so when I walk in a Greek Restaurant I have high expectations and Jim and Jennie’s certainly did not disappoint.  The decor is bright, clean and casual without coming across like a cheap diner.  The service was prompt, attentive and friendly without being overbearing (I believe strongly that an overly friendly waitress or waiter can be just as bad as a rude one).  The food was VERY good!  We ordered an appetizer of Saganaki (a fried cheese dish w/ lemon) and I have to say it was one of the best I’ve had.  not over done and the cheese was sharp but not so much so that it overpowered the citrus overtones of the lemon – EXCELLENT!  Next came the house salad which I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in.  The dressing was very good but the salad was purely iceberg lettuce and rather skimpy on the olives and feta.  Our main course came next and was superb!  Portions were hot, generous and very nicely presented,  Russ and I opted for combo platters in order to sample a wide range of foods.  While it was all very good for purposes of space I’d like to focus on what I felt were the best two - First were the Dolmades; these are probably my favorite Greek dish.  Basically it is a mixture of rice, onion, beef and seasonings wrapped in a grape leaf and cooked.  The grape leaf imparts a strong, tart/sour flavor that contrasts very nicely with the savory meat/rice mixture inside.   Jim and Jennie’s does a great job with these!  I almost hated to give one up to Russ so he could try it!   The second dish was Mousaka; this is a casserole Containing eggplant, potatoes, onions, ground beef, oil, cinnamon, and a flour, milk and butter topping. If done poorly the flavors come out bland and flavorless.  But Jim and Jennie seem to know the secret because their’s was excellent, every bite was a pleasure.  All in all a very good dinning experience and one that I highly recommend to anyone who finds themselves in the Omaha area.

And that wraps up this post – again I hope you enjoy the changes we’ve made and find Dudesndivorce.com an even better source of information and community than you did before.

Until next time – Be Well!

Billiopolis

Hello dudesndivorce.com readers!

Bill and I got together this past weekend in the Omaha, Nebraska area and shared some good times, good food, laughs, and even a road trip!

We thought we’d share with you some of our thoughts on some of the culinary delights we experienced!

First off, Friday’s dinner entailed a stop at a little restaurant called The Korean Grill in Bellevue, Ne. Located at 1408 Harlan Drive in Bellevue, it is relatively easy to find. As a matter of fact two gentleman arrived shortly after we sat down with a map in hand exclaiming, “We found the place!” They had driven down from northern Iowa just to eat at The Korean Grill. Needless to say, I don’t think they were disappointed, we were not.

I had steamed rice with BBQ pork ribs (Korean style, naturally), chop jae (an almost translucent noodle dish made from sweet potato), cucumber kim chee, and a summer salad type dish (I am sorry, the name escapes me at the moment).

The ribs, you get 3, were excellent. Aside from good old American BBQ ribs, the cultures of Korea and China are next best at this food! The sauce was tangy with a hint of heat and the meat was tender. The chop jae also has chunks of meat and vegetable in it and has an incredibly mild yet satisfying taste to it. While I also enjoy the usual kim chee with its more “lavish” spices, I also enjoy the flavor of the cucumber kim chee. It is a much “cooler” dish, so goes well in contrast to a warm summer afternoon or evening. Has also did the summer salad type dish I had.

As always when I have visited The Korean Grill, the service is excellent. Both warm and friendly. Henim Stemson, who is co-owner and Head Chef (with her husband, Scott) also often serves her customers. She personally enjoys cooking for others and seeing people enjoy her food. You can almost taste it in the food and feel it in the atmosphere of this little restaurant. If your ever in the Bellevue, Ne. area I heartily recommend stopping in to The Korean Grill!

Sunday we chose to eat the The Texas Roadhouse. Since we were celebrating both Bill’s birthday and the recent improvements to dudesndivorce.com we splurged and each of us had the 16 oz. Rib-eye with a baked potato. I also chose green beans and washed it all down with a frozen Margarita.
After we chose our steaks from the display case, we were seated and were brought a basket of fresh baked rolls with a butter concoction that included cinnamon and a small bucket of peanuts in the shell. Customers are encouraged to toss the shells on the floor, giving the place that old fashioned roadhouse feel. But let us get to the real “meat” of the matter, the steaks. I have often been disappointed in restaurant steaks, even at so-called steak houses, but let me say that disappointment was dissipated at The Texas RoadHouse! My steak was cooked to perfection, medium rare, and was accompanied by one of the best baked potatoes I have ever had. Perfectly complimenting the meat. The steak needed no enhancements (steak sauce) whatsoever, it was perfect the way it was! The potato had been rubbed in spices that made the skin very tasty, and I like to eat the skin too.
Here also the service was great, attentive and friendly without being overwhelming. Our server, a pleasant young man, engaged in casual challenge with me regarding my ability to eat all of the enormous steak and potato. He, like many other challengers, found themselves on the losing end of that proposition!

More later. I know Bill would like to share his expertise regarding our stop at another local ethnic restaurant, Jim and Jennie’s Greek Village 3026 N. 90th St Omaha, Ne. so I will leave him room to do so.

Russ