Crab cakes with pickled vegetables and sweet chile
aioli at M’s Pub. Photo by J. Michael McBride
but it is a braised carrot, with gourmet mustard and sauerkraut, and
having sampled the way those veggies on the pizza are slow roasted
for perfect flavor and sweetness, I can tell you it is certainly not just
a carrot on a bun.
“We make sure everyone
is happy: first to last.
And we treat everyone
equally as well.”
Ann Mellen
Old Market developer and friend to Omaha visionary Sam
Mercer, Mary Vogel, started M’s Pub 40-plus years ago, and some
of her original items are still served there. Yet this restaurant is an
up and comer after decades. So how does this balance between
Deliciously fun!
new and old coexist? Ron says, “I have never worked harder to
find that balance between tradition and change. We don’t want
change for change’s sake. But continued success is never a given.
Ann and I consider ourselves caretakers of this business. To do our
jobs well, we have to trust others to do theirs. It’s about developing
relationships and talent. We’re not the flashiest place, but we have a
certain spirit and energy.”
Wow, and that’s about as far from a business-class, lackluster
mentality as you can possibly get.
I was still somewhat skeptical. It’s a character flaw of mine. But
like a child staring at a cuckoo clock, and being told all about Swiss
engineering and loving craftsmanship, I kept thinking, yes, but
how does it work? How does Vivace’s regional Mediterranean food
(which was new to Omaha when it opened 20 years ago, and now
is in our vernacular) stay current, and how does M’s hold up the
weight of tradition without being stodgy? Maybe Chef Bobby told
me that when he said that Ann and Ron run the whole show like
Our passion is Omaha’s thriving culinary scene and
we can’t wait to share it with you! Join us for a tour
and get to know the “Big O” – one bite at a time.
TASTING TOURS
• Steakhouse Tour
• Old Market Tour
• Midtown Tour
PRIVATE EVENTS
• Cooking Classes
• Private Walking Tours
• Pairing Dinners
GREAT GROUP RATES AVAILABLE!
TOUR INFO & BOOKING ONLINE AT
www.omahaculinarytours.com
402-651-0047 | [email protected]
14