Spezia

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Spezia

3125 S. 72nd Street, Omaha, NE

Where we went:

Wow! It has been so long since we have done a blog. There was so much going on around the holidays and during the new year. We even took a vacation to Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida, so we haven’t had a spare moment to enjoy the restaurants in Omaha. But we are back and ready to eat! We decided to kick off a new year of blogging by going to a great italian restaurant, Spezia!

What We Ate:

We went all out for this meal, for appetizers Eric chose the Mint Julep cocktail and the Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, while Kyle was excited to try the Hot Artichoke Crab Dip. Both Kyle and Eric wanted to have the Chicken Parmigiana, but in the end Eric decided to be the bigger man and try the French Acadian Chicken Linguine, allowing Kyle to get the Chicken Parm. Kyle wasn’t expecting to get desert, but Eric was so excited to try the Banana Foster Cheesecake, that Kyle decided to get the Molten Cocoa Cake.

The Food:

Kicking the meal off, the waitress brought us their complimentary bread, which was warm and soft and everything you would want in perfect little loaves of fresh baked bread. She also prepared a plate of parmesan cheese, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar to dip the bread in, and let us tell you- IT. WAS. DELICIOUS. It turned already amazing bread into mouth watering ecstasy. Eric helped himself to the various components and recreated the concoction as he devoured more bread than would be advised. And the waitress was always happy to bring more!

Kyle can’t say enough good things about the Artichoke Crab Dip, it was one of the best things he had ever tasted! The warm cheese with just the lightest hit seafood, on top of warm pita and french bread slices, both Italian and flat. The Chicken Parm was excellent. The angel hair pasta was cooked to perfection, while the chicken was hot and covered In delicious, house made, batter. It also came with a side of fresh, grilled vegetables.

Eric’s cocktail was brought early in the evening, but it took him nearly the entire meal to finish it because it was so strong! Never one to look down on a strong drink, Eric definitely got his money’s worth, but was hoping for a bit more mint in his Mint Julep- it mostly tasted like straight bourbon. Granted, Eric’s only other experience with Mint Juleps is from the non-alcoholic themed drink he gets in the New Orleans Square area of Disneyland, which, in retrospect, is probably not terribly representative of REAL Mint Juleps. So, if you are as much a novice as Eric, be aware that if you’re looking for a strong drink, this is the way to go, but if you’re in the mood for something more refreshing, keep looking.

Eric’s Beet and Goat Cheese salad, was a perfect light way to kick off the meal. Well, that is, except for the several loaves of bread. Actually, the light salad ended up being a pretty nice complement to the carb-loading that came before and after. The goat cheese and dressing helped prevent the beets from being overwhelming, and, well, goat cheese is just really damn good in general, so this was a winner.

The French Acadian Chicken Linguine was another hit for the evening. Eric loves a good cajun kick to his dishes, and this entree was all about it. The chicken itself was prepared well, but the cajun alfredo sauce and the delicious bell peppers were the stars of this dish. The sauce hit Eric’s sweet spot of spicy without going too far, and if you’ve been reading this blog at all you know how much Eric would just loves putting peppers on everything. The portion size was just right, though by the end Eric was really struggling to finish it, though that was almost completely due to being unable to stop stuffing the bread in his face at the beginning of the evening.

Despite the bread, appetizer, and meal, Kyle was not disappointed by his Molten Coca Cake. Three layers of rich, soft chocolate cake, separated by thick, layers of warm chocolate frosting made it the perfect way to end his meal. If only he had ordered a glass of milk to go with it, it would have been beyond perfect.

There was no way Eric would have been able to turn down a Bananas Foster Cheesecake, even after everything he had eaten so far. The cheesecake itself had a perfect cheesecakiness to it, the bananas and foster sauce were rich and delicious. It really was a shame that Eric was already so full that it became a bit of a slog to finish it off. He really should have just gotten it to go so that he could fully appreciate the decadence of it and savor every bite.

The Atmosphere:

From the outside Spezia doesn’t look like that much, just a brick building along a busy street. The entrance is even inset, so it isn’t easy to see. However, upon entering you are transported to a world of high class dining. From the dark wood walls, stone floors, dim lighting Spezia has everything one would need for a romantic dinner for two (or more!). Each table has either a lamp or candle, and one wall has large slanted windows that are a unique architectural feature of the building you can't see from the street. Despite there being several other parties dining, it seemed very quiet and subdued, the perfect volume for a deep conversation over dinner. There are even whole rooms you can book for larger gatherings.

Service:

The service at Spezia was excellent. We were sat immediately, though we venture to guess you would need to wait for a table on a weekend. Our waitress brought our drinks right away, and was very helpful with questions about the menu. Our appetizers were very prompt and our waitress came back and apologized when our food was taking longer then expected, although, at that time, I didn’t feel we had been waiting for our food that long anyway.

In the End:

There are a number of great reasons to dine at Spezia, and if you are looking for a special place to treat a special someone, you can never go wrong. Despite being right off of one of the busiest streets in Omaha, there is a feeling like it’s tucked away somewhere remote and cozy, away from a lot of the busy bustle of the city. Our only point of caution: the price. At the end of the day, this is a finer dining establishment, though it really doesn't seem that much more expensive than any other restaurant. However, if you aren't paying attention, you can easily spend over $100. We promise, though, you get what you pay for and you get a lot at Spezia. Between the atmosphere, the service, and most importantly, the food, Spezia is well, well worth the price.