Restaurants in Chalco

Born and raised in France, chef Cedric S. Fichepain carried his family recipes and passion for traditional French fare across the pond in 1997. Four years later, Cedric cut the ribbon at Le Voltaire Restaurant, which serves up classics such as croque madame sandwiches and coq au vin stewed in white wine. The cellar's 1,000-bottle inventory of French wines has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence eight years in a row, and the eatery was also recognized as one of the city's best French dining experiences in _Omaha Magazine'_s Best of Omaha 2012. The restaurant's lemon-yellow walls and rough-hewn wooden door create a rustic feel, and beneath a unique glass bar top is a display of carefully arranged dried flowers.

The light from 10 plasma-screen televisions illuminates the autographed NBA jerseys covering the walls of Blue Jay Bar and Grill. The downtown-area watering hole draws in more than sports lovers, though—cheerily belted tunes fill the air during karaoke on Thursdays, tickling the eardrums of guests playing Keno. A spacious outdoor deck juts out into the summer air, overlooking a bustling volleyball court, as servers dole out Jose Cuervo margaritas or voodoo punch from a tap. Inside, comfortable couches cradle patrons in an Irish-style poker room nestled together near an old-wood oak bar.

A menu of pizza, wings, and libations sustains patrons as they flit from one room or activity to the next, clutching pints of Fat Tire or buckling down to feast on two-for-one burgers. Live music, played by live people or self-aware robots, occasionally wafts in from the street next to the bar.

Eddie Morin has fond memories of swinging his feet in a B&G Tasty Foods booth as he and his dad shared the Bee Gee, the eatery's signature loose-meat sandwich. During college, Eddie would craft his own Bee Gees as a B&G cook, cementing his love for the venerable restaurant, an area staple since 1953. So it's no surprise that in 2009, when the then-owner of B&G Tasty Foods considered closing, Eddie volunteered to take over ownership.

Since then, Eddie and his crew have undertaken extensive renovations of the space, expanding the dining area and increasing seating by half. As an homage to the restaurant's birth year, they had the logo redesigned in a retro style, and red-framed '50s-era advertisements now line the sage-green walls. Five antique Schwinn Stingray bicycles perch above tables, so diners who bring their own xylophone mallets can tap out their favorite Big-Bopper hits on the spokes.

Though the team also streamlined and updated the menu—adding items such as salads and a vegan hot dog—they opted to retain the original Bee-Gee recipe, which has remained the same since 1953, when Eddie's father developed it. Breading made from ground cornflakes crisps up the Cheese Frenchee and Bee Gee Frenchee. In addition to these, there is also a unique frenchee featured each month. Past iterations have included Nutella and banana breaded with graham crackers as well as a Thanksgiving-Day special with turkey and cranberry sauce breaded in stuffing.

Chefs spin classic American dishes with a touch of gourmet flare. The "Americana fusion" technique, which yields such comforting cuisine as smoked-chicken-enhanced gouda mac 'n' cheese, helped Zin Room earn a spot on the Omaha World-Herald's list of Top 8 Restaurants in 2011, as well as ongoing usage in love songs written by foodies.

Located inside the luxurious Hotel Deco, the restaurant features sleek lights and chandeliers that softly illuminate diners' artistically arranged plates and rough-hewn pillars that support two floors of seating. Behind the stocked bar, bartenders mix drinks and use the wine wall's sliding ladder to allude to former lives as librarians.

The chefs at Okinawa Sushi elegantly compose plates with an eye for diverse color and minimalist design. They arrange triangular slices of raw tuna like upright dominoes down the middle of the plate and flank them with a verdant vegetable garnish. Traditional sushi and sashimi rolls share space on the menu with exotic hand rolls, classic Chinese entrees, and tempura appetizers. Diners can cleanse their palates with a specialty martini, boba milk tea, or Kirin sake bomb, which packs more punch than Mike Tyson before an extended road trip.

Named business of the year in 2010 by Heritage Nebraska, patrons sit down at the Heartland Cafe for breakfast and lunch amid traces of local history inside a building constructed in 1919. In this setting, diners dig into fresh-made pancakes and made-to-order omelets, conversing and creating new memories. The quiche florentine brims with bacon, spinach, and mushrooms baked in a housemade pie crust and covered with hollandaise. For lunch, the cooks whip up reuben sandwiches, fish ‘n’ chips, and elk burgers. Heartland Cafe's owner, Sharon Janovsky, was also named 2012 business person of the year by the Western Douglas County Chamber of Commerce for the cafe's active role in the community, such as hosting the annual tree lighting ceremony.