OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Some call it a hidden treasure. But those who live in Ponca Hills know all about Finicky Frank's and the woman behind the restaurant's delightful dinners.
If you haven't been there, 3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole tell us it's worth the trip.
It's Ponca Hill's best-kept secret.
Finicky Frank's was named after owners Brian and Kesa Kenny's neighbor.
"We have a neighbor whose name is Frank. When we first got ready to open, he was persistent in asking what are you going to cook and I'd say something and he'd say, 'Oh God, don't make that,' and finally he said, 'What are you going to name the place?' and I looked at him and I said, 'Finicky Franks' and it just stuck, and we still refer to our neighbor as Finicky Frank," Kesa laughed.
Fifteen years later, Kesa Kenny is still whipping up plates of happiness.
"I love food. I love to see people happy, hearing everybody just 'mmm' and the plates going cling clink is the most rewarding job," she said with a smile.
During the winter, her soups are popular.
"People come for here for her soup. She's always creating soup and it's always fantastic. People call, 'what's the soup tonight?'" her husband and co-owner Brian shared.
All year long, Kesa comes up with new creations.
Her brown rice bowl is one of them.
It's packed with veggies and flavor from her chili crunch oil.
"It's got chilies and ginger and garlic and shallots and a little bit of sesame seed it in," she explained.
The rice is topped with salmon then a poached egg.
"It's so good. It's to die for," she admitted.
Kesa takes pride in making everything from scratch, like her truffle fries and onion rings.
They're seasoned, deep-fried, and served with their famous frank sauce.
You can get a slice of her mouthwatering meatloaf every Wednesday. It's served with cheesy au gratin potatoes and fresh broccoli.
The Thursday special is Walleye.
"If you don't have a Thursday reservation, you might not get walleye. It's very popular," she said. "And with that, we serve really nice baby red tomatoes. We like them nice and crispy with caramelized onions. They are so good. People love the potatoes," she added.
A side of freshly made coleslaw makes it complete.
Kesa's secret is simplicity.
"You can't go wrong with a few simple ingredients and fresh," she shared.
For her, food is art.
"It's the smells, it's the senses," she said.
Just like her paintings.
The self-taught chef is also an artist.
Finicky Franks is creative, charming and delicious.
Because the owners know there's nothing finicky about good food.
"It's love. Food is love," Kesa smiled.
By the way, their neighbor Frank is still around. Kesa and Brian say he still picks on them to this day.
Finicky Frank's is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner.
Here are the specials:
Wednesday: Meatloaf Dinner
Thursday: Walleye Dinner
Friday: Pasta Night
Saturday: Fried Chicken Dinner
The fried chicken is served with mashed potatoes and gravy, cream corn, warm dinner rolls and French vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Kesa suggests making a reservation at (402) 451-5555. Finicky Frank's is at 9520 Calhoun Road just north of Florence.
To see the full menu, go to finickyfranks.com.
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