Rob P.
Yelp
Yes, Upstream Brewing is a brewpub. And, yes, brewpubs usually have elevated bar food. But, man, the chef at Upstream Brewery elevates the food so high that you'd swear you were eating at a fine dining establishment.
And, no, I'm not gong to talk about the drinks first (excellent though they were): I'm seriously having dreams about some of the food.
One thing I am still having dreams about is the tomato bisque. This is so much more than just a creamy tomato soup. It's savory and seriously robust, with chunks of tomato and flecks of seasoning throughout.
Now, let's talk about the salads. Some places serve a garden salad, where the greens come from a wholesale distributor. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but this garden salad is from THEIR garden: THEY grow the greens; THEY grow the blueberries and strawberries and raspberries. It's seriously unlike any salad you've ever had: you'll want to savor every leaf. They add toasted almonds, dried cherries, and goat cheese, and top it with a "white balsamic vinaigrette", which is less intense than the garden variety (ha...get it?) vinaigrette.
The fresh ingredients were so good that I almost forgot how amazing the grilled salmon was on top of the salad. I think this is the first time I've ever used 2 paragraphs to talk about a single salad. But, if you try it, you'll know why I felt so inspired.
The same absurdly fresh greens adorn the Greek salad, which was flawless, except for missing beets. I liked it enough that I forgot about that minor omission.
I got the jambalaya, which could have come straight from Bourbon Street. There's terrific flavor, but only a modest amount of andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp. The heat is just enough to remind you that it's supposed to be spicy, but not so much you can't taste it.
The chicken caprese sandwich is a cool interpretation of a caprese salad: mozzarella, tomato, and balsamic reduction with grilled chicken. The bacon was a welcome addition.
And now, the drinks. Part of the reason I saved this until the end was because the food was all so good. But, part of the reason was because we didn't get our drinks until after our entrees arrived. Just so I'm clear, it wasn't a major hardship. The service was incredibly fast. But, for whatever reason, the drinks were stuck at the bar.
No matter. The Moscow Mule was served with cucumber, which gave it a subtle freshness that you don't normally get. And, that mule had quite a kick. Bonus points for not only having a full bar at a brewpub, but also doing great things with it.
Then, there's the beer. How awesome it is that they grow their vegetables and fruits on-site, and also brew their phenomenal selection of beer here. I ordered a white stout (!!) which looks like an ale, but had a richness that belies the light coloring. Since they had "drinks to go", I ordered a Scotch Ale and a mimosa, both in colossal 32 ounce cans. Each only cost $11.
It was mid-afternoon, but it was already getting busy. The people of Omaha know they have a good thing going here. My only regret? That I don't live closer. This would absolutely become my go-to place for food and drinks, any day of the week.
