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BLUE SUSHI LOOKS SOUTH, WAY SOUTH
Flagship Restaurant Group has Blue Sushi Sake Grill locations in northwest Omaha, southwest Omaha and the Old Market. But the Omaha-based company says its fourth Blue will be considerably farther south, as in Texas.
Anthony Hitchcock, co-owner and director of operations for Flagship, said Thursday that the company has secured a lease in Fort Worth for its first non-Nebraska Blue.
“We’re extremely nervous because we’ve never been outside of Omaha,” Hitchcock said. “But I’m from Austin, so it’s really cool to be able to go back to Texas.”
Hitchcock said that the Texas Blue will be in a 5,000-square-foot space in a wedge-shaped “flatiron” building in a new development in Fort Worth and that it should open late this fall, possibly in October.
The group, formerly known as Progressive Enterprises, recently closed Bianco Ristorante Italiano to focus on its other ventures. It also owns Roja Mexican Grill in southwest Omaha and is working to finalize plans for a second Omaha Roja.
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GOOD NEWS FOR THE GLUTEN AVERSE
Valentino’s recently added gluten-free pizza crusts at its pizzerias at 132nd Street and West Center Road in Omaha and South 84th Street and Park Drive in Ralston.
Anthony Messineo, vice president of operations, said the pizza company is testing demand for the crusts in the Omaha and Lincoln markets and may expand the gluten-free option throughout its 40 Midwest locations, depending on demand.
He said a Colorado company makes the crust with a gluten-free flour and ships it to the stores to minimize the risk of cross-contamination with wheat flour during preparation. He said a Lincoln store manager with celiac disease helped spearhead the company’s efforts and draft its training materials. Those with celiac can’t tolerate the gluten in typical wheat-flour pizza crusts.
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VIVACE'S SWEET NEWS
Katie Murphy has succeeded Caryl Dumaine as pastry chef at Vivace Contemporary Italian. A native of the Omaha area, Murphy attended culinary school in Denver and joined the restaurant in November.
She recently introduced baked-to-order soufflés and affogato, an Italian sundae-meets-milkshake made with chocolate and vanilla gelato, candied nuts, chocolate ganache and espresso. — Nichole Aksamit
Got restaurant news, questions or tips? Call food writer Nichole Aksamit at 444-1069, or e-mail nichole.aksamit@owh.com. Dining Notes runs Fridays.
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