If you prefer authentic, mom-and-pop type dining to slick, national chains, then a trip to Harold’s Koffee House is worth its out-of-the-way location. Located at the corner of 30th and State in Florence, Harold’s has served up homey breakfasts, hearty lunches and homemade pies and coffee since Harold Halstead opened it in 1958. It has remained a family enterprise, with his children and grandchildren working the dining room. Now deceased, Halstead’s son, Tom, and daughter, Nancy Bohnenkamp, run the Florence institution.

Even with ample wood paneling, kitschy decor, a bar in the shape of a boat and an overwhelming amount of blue-haired patrons, Joe Tess Place isn’t dingy. Co-owner Dan Falt said the place got a fresh coat of paint and a bit of a revamp in anticipation of its small-screen debut on the Food Network show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” which came to Omaha in 2008 to film segments at six local eateries. Joe Tess Place was featured in an episode called “Longtime Legends.”

In the English language, few words have the breadth of “love,” ranging from lifelong devoted affection (typically reserved for significant others) to mid-range enthusiasm for things like the early work of Bon Jovi or pancakes. It is fitting that its holiday, Valentine’s Day, is presented as simultaneously encompassing confessions of undying affection and bulk packs of cartoony, rhyming, animal-themed Valentines.

Now, with the help of the organizers of the For the Love of Haiti benefit, the scope of love’s holiday is about to expand.

The last time Willy Theisen opened a pizza joint, it became a national chain and made the owner   a rich man. The Godfather’s founder unveiled his new Pitch Coal-Fire Pizzeria in November, and Theisen may be on his way to a second success.

When it comes to the Ethnic Sandwich Shop a few blocks south of the Old Market, forget the name, focus on the food.

Ethnic implies a variety of cultural fare that really isn’t offered at this red wooden shack with the yellow sign out front. Italian is the only genuine ethnic food found there. It makes sense when you know an Italian family started the joint in 1977 in a former Dairy Queen.

What’s the hot trend in the local restaurant scene? Surprisingly, it seems to be burgers. Perhaps diners crave comfort and familiarity in a confusing world. Several chains have recently come to town, competing with longtime local favorites.

It’s January in Nebraska. At this point in winter, some of us have been snowed in up to our elbows and haven’t seen the sun lately, aside from stolen glances through frosted windowpanes. And let’s not start on the produce aisle at the grocery. The only things that are really in season right now are winter squash and root vegetables. Farm stands and markets are an ever-distant memory when faced with temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit. But on 156th and Center, some farmers have put up their meat, produce and other offerings for customers eager for a taste of warm weather offerings.

There aren’t many places in Omaha to get Malaysian cuisine, and even fewer restaurants serving it alongside Korean, Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese specialties. Steve Yau and his wife, Shirley Sieng, opened Crystal Jade in October 2008 to fill that niche. The restaurant lies in a completely unassuming space under the shadow of the Omaha building near 72nd and Cedar (across from College of St. Mary’s) that clearly formerly housed a Village Inn. Even the restaurant’s interior reminds diners of its previous dweller. Though passing it by would be a mistake considering its cheap eats, full plates and diverse menu.

It seems restaurants open and close with the changing seasons, and Omaha has seen its fair share of turnover. A few trends have sprung up during the last year. HereÕs what happened in Omaha's dining scene in 2009.

If your travels take you downtown around the courthouse, chances are you’ve driven by the unassuming Bob’s Grill & Café, possibly downtown’s best-kept breakfast and lunch secret.

As sections of east Omaha have evolved into a mosaic of taquerias and small Mexican eateries, finding new favorites has become something between a hobby and obsession for me.

Various south Omaha taco haunts have fascinated me over time, but none feel as right as La Casita, the humble, homey Mexican restaurant at 1328 Park Avenue.

Hundreds of cookbooks are published every year, and not all of them get the attention they deserve. Here’s a handful worth considering this holiday season, whether as a gift for someone on your list or for yourself.

When Mike Schall, owner of Greenbelly restaurant, brought items from his catering company's kitchen off West Center Road to a sales counter in the same location, he thought Omaha was ready for the healthful metropolitan cuisine he previously got in New York City.

Nearly invisible to foot-traffic, aside from that of the Hooter's parking lot, and without a single fried item on the menu, Greenbelly is a diamond in the rough: providing healthful, environmentally sustainable food that tastes great.

In August, Toyota sponsored an event at the Saturday Old Market Farmer's Market, showcasing its hybrid fleet and partnering local farmers with 12 area chefs. Paul Kulik of the Boiler Room fried squash blossoms and stuffed them with goat cheese. The UpstreamÕs Donald Buscher served a salad of beets and arugula with a mild, creamy dressing. Ryan Gish of Ryan's Bistro stacked a caprese salad on a toothpick. Elle Lien, representing the Clean Plate project made a curry, carrot and coconut soup. All of the chefs' small samplings were inspirational, creative and tasty, but I was totally blown away by Chef Clayton Chapman's rare Wagyu beef tenderloin served atop corn polenta with a tomato sauce and a sprig of greens. The dish was complex but completely complementary. It was the best thing I've eaten all year.

It seems like you can't go to a restaurant these days without playing a part in the industry's ongoing psychology experiment. The paint colors are scrutinized to evoke a certain mood and the decor, lighting, music, menu layout, temperature -- all the way down to the server's attire -- is designed to make consumers want to stay a while, eat and leave, eat more, eat less, pay more, or tip more.

Aroma's Coffeehouse owner Jeff Milewski stopped by the table where I was interviewing Cultiva Coffee Roasting Co. owner Jon Ferguson about his company. I asked Milewski why he decided to change over all his coffee to Cultiva just hours before my interview. His answer was simple, "Fair trade and deliciousness."
To Ferguson, the two go hand-in-hand.