OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — We all have our favorite Italian restaurant. Now, you have another option. There's a new Italian eatery in the metro called Capri. It features eight different types of pasta and more. In this week's Cheap Eats, 3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole takes us inside the place that says they take their Italian food seriously.
It's only been open for two months, but the word is out about Capri.
"It's quaint for sure, it's cozy and it's fun," said bar manager Lucas Ehly. "The food is phenomenal. It's exquisite and it's delicious."
The restaurant is tucked away on the back of Tanners Bar and Grill on 173rd and West Center.
"It's a cool spot back there, a little hidden gem," Ehly smiled.
Lucas says they make Italian food the way it was intended.
"Italian food is very filling, it's very comforting, it's warm," Ehly said.
Dylan Foster agrees. He's the chef at Capri.
"What's the key to making good Italian food?" asked Serese.
"A good stove, good quality food and time. You can't rush it," said Foster.
Foster makes all the traditional favorites and flavorful appetizers like bruschetta and arancini.
"These are ricotta cheese balls on top of our bolognese sauce that we make in-house. It's drizzled with some romano," the chef explained.
It's crispy on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside.
"It's like a mac and cheese ball," Foster added.
As for the pasta, the carbonara is a Capri classic.
"It's one of those kinds of rustic Italian staples. It just has some of everything. You've got cheese flavor. You got the cream flavor, it's a nice peppery sauce, and then we top it off with some romano and some bruchotto on top and a little garnish," Foster detailed. "It's amazing, it sells like hotcakes."
The chicken piccata is a Capri favorite.
"It's a nice chicken breast dredged in flour," Foster demonstrated.
The chicken is served on top of angel hair pasta and comes with capers, tomatoes and asparagus. The sauce may be the best part.
"The Beurre blanc sauce is the money maker. The cream stays at room temperature, but it will slowly melt because the rest of the dish is hot," Foster pointed out.
The pasta and entrees are all served with salad and buttery baked bread.
"It's basically a lot of herbs, a lot of oregano, a lot of garlic. We soak it in butter, and it comes with our sauce," Foster described.
"The herb butter is wonderful. It pairs with that sauce so well. In fact, we get a lot of people to ask for it to go," Ehly added.
And don't forget the wine.
"We have a phenomenal cocktail list, and our wine list is pretty hopping too," Ehly said with a smile.
Appetizers, pasta, plus wine all add up to what Ehly calls an incredible Italian experience.
"You either do Italian food right or you do it wrong and we're definitely doing it right here," Ehly said confidently.
The best bang for your buck is the Capri trio. You get three of the pasta offerings of the day and it's unlimited servings. The trio is served with salad and bread for $18. By the way, customers compare the bread at Capri to the old Grisanti's bread.
Capri is open every day. It's on the back of the Tanners near 173rd and West Center Road. To see the full menu, go to capriomaha.com.
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