/ CULINARY / THE GREY PLUME, OMAHA Black Cow Fat Pig 702 W. Norfolk Ave., Norfolk 402-316-4315 • blackcowfatpig.com If you see Michael and Amber Behrens at the Norfolk Farmers Market, watch what they buy—it could end up on the menu at the couple’s restaurant, Black Cow Fat Pig Pub & Steak. These native Nebraskans put a special emphasis on local. Much of their pork comes from Norfolk’s own Kuper Farms; produce is gathered from area growers. The results are seasonally inspired, farm-fresh and scratch-made whether you’re craving something casual or more refined. Specifically, look to the rotating selection of flatbreads and macaroni-and-cheese dishes, sometimes studded with brisket smoked in-house. Watch for specials from a turkey-and-bacon melt sweetened with local pear chutney to steaks hand-cut and aged onsite. Pair your meal with a Nebraska craft beer or cocktail—maybe the Nebraska Mule, mixed with vodka and ginger beer from Omaha’s Brickway Brewery & Distillery. And don’t leave without dessert—the homemade carrot cake and seasonal cheesecakes here have earned their own following. —Editorial staff “ THE MIXING BOWL IS A GEM IN THE GERING/ SCOTTSBLUFF AREA— IT’S QUAINT, ADORABLE AND HAS THE BEST FOOD. BREAKFAST IS GREAT, BUT LUNCH REALLY SHINES! THE VICTORY HILL BURGER IS PROBABLY THE BEST BURGER I’VE HAD.” —Sande G., via TripAdvisor slice at The Chocolate Bar: almond butter rainbow cake and carrot cake babies, cream cheese-frosted cake squares. What started as a historic building renovation to give Grand Island a downtown coffee shop has grown into this community gathering spot that Willy Wonka would approve of. It’s not a straight-up candy shop, though you can take home a house-made chocolate bar. To keep this description short and sweet, expect a modern setting with chocolate for any mood and time of the day—from chocolate-hazelnut French toast and tiramisu lattes to chocolate martini cocktails—along with a light café menu. —MeLinda Schnyder The Grey Plume 220 S. 31st Ave., Suite 3101, Omaha 402-763-4447 • thegreyplume.com Inside The Grey Plume, the scene is cozy and contemporary from top to bottom: Eye the sources of Chef Clayton Chapman’s ever-changing menu—think Morgan Ranch beef from Burwell and George Paul Vinegars from Cody—on the collaged map of Nebraska that spans one wall. White tablecloths topped with dinnerware, sculpted in Omaha using Nebraska clay, contrast The Chocolate Bar 116 W. 3rd St., Grand Island 308-675-0664 • thechocolatebargi.com From-scratch cake so moist, you know it starts with real butter. Rich, homemade chocolate frosting with hints of vanilla and almond, topped with a drizzle of hazelnut ganache and a sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings. This family recipe—simple but well-executed— for Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake leaves you screaming, “Worth it!” as do other desserts available daily by the THE CHOCOLATE BAR, GRAND ISLAND 20 VisitNebraska.com CREDITS: THE GREY PLUME
Nebraska Official State Travel Guide The Official 2019 Not-At-All What You Thought State Travel Guide: Page 24
