Omaha's new underground kitchen has a secret dining vibe

You won't notice it from the street. There are no signs, large or small, and you cannot see inside the building.

There is an atmosphere of secrecy. When Jeff Pappas and Craig Page purchased the building in 2021, they decided to host weekly bootlegging as part of a new venture they called “The Bohemian Gardens.” That includes wedding and corporate event venues.

And now, it's home to Omaha's hottest new pop-up restaurant.

Fittingly, given its somewhat secretive nature, it's called the “basement kitchen.” And so far, hundreds of guests have discovered that behind its imposing walls lies an innovative and talented chef, serving up some of the city's most cutting-edge cuisine every Thursday. .

His name is Christopher Blazeski and he is living a dream.

“I’ve always wanted to open a restaurant ever since I learned what cooking was,” he said. “My parents opened a restaurant[in New Jersey]when I was nine months old. The party room was my playpen. When I got out of the playpen, the kitchen was nearby, so I stopped there and… It never left.”

Blazeski moved to Omaha about three years ago with another chef, Joel Hassanali, to work at the new Best Bison. Mr. Hassanali has lived here before, working as a chef at Crave in the Crossing in Midtown. But Blazeski had never even visited the city.

Best Bison closed, and Hassanali eventually became head chef at Salted Edge in Waterloo. Meanwhile, Blazeski ended up at the Proof whiskey bar and then Bohemian Gardens, where he became the top bartender, co-owner Page said.

One night, Mr. Blazeski was talking with Mr. Pappas and Mr. Page when he told them he wanted his own restaurant and suggested it would be a good fit for the retail space surrounding the 59-unit apartment complex next to Bohemian Gardens. The owners weren't ready for that, but said it made sense to try it inside a large brick event venue.

This building was built in the late 1800s (1890 according to realtor.com, 1895 according to thebohemiangardens.com). Originally a Czech dance hall, it later became a bar and restaurant and was designated as a residential area when the partners bought it.

An artist bought the building in the 1970s when it was still a commercial complex and turned the building into his home, turning the parking lot into a large garden.

“Where the living room was, there's a dining room,” Blazeski said. “The kitchen is right in front of you, so you can clearly see the food being prepared.”

He cooked his first meal there on Valentine's Day.

“It was a big hit,” Page said. “We went for the second time (March 7th). The food was incredible, very well thought out, very well made and very nicely presented on the table. I think we can get him into the James Beard Awards.”

The third pop-up was held on April 25, and Page said Blazeski posted the day before that there were still seats available, and they sold out within hours. There are 23 four-seater tables and can accommodate up to 70 people.

The restaurant is currently open every Thursday. Reservations can be made through the Bohemian Gardens website.

“People are interested in small venues that are romantic and unique, and that's what we're trying to bring to the table,” Page said.

Blazeski describes his cooking as “primarily Mediterranean-style.” Despite still being in his 33rd year, he has worked in all kinds of restaurants across the country as well as Canada and Australia, cooking in genres such as French cuisine, farm-to-table cuisine, and mom and pop cuisine. It offers. His family's restaurant was “Italian-style,” he says.

He grew up in Clinton, New Jersey, and attended the Culinary Institute of America, but did not graduate.

“I wasn't really interested in school,” Blazeski said.

He said the cooking school was opened for veterans after World War II and focused on the starched-jacket-and-shiny-shoes type of restaurants.

“I’m grateful for what I got out of it.”

Last Thursday's menu epitomized the trendy and innovative ingredients, spices and cooking methods he uses and the sophisticated cuisine he serves his patrons.

• Smoked oysters with hay, watermelon mignonette and green apple foam
• Fried polenta with mascarpone, pecorino and Calabrian chili aioli
• Beet cavatelli with black onion, crispy mortadella, orange cilantro crema and pumpernickel dust.
• Ember & Honey Ice Cream and Chocolate Chip Cilantro Cookies

The cost is $100 per person, including a glass of champagne. There is also bottle service and a list of premium whiskeys and tequilas.

“Guest feedback is that we are unique in Omaha because of our space, fine dining service and food,” Blazeski said.

Omahan Andrew Crow and his wife, Britney, said they were impressed when they dined there on March 7. Crowe said every element was top-notch and reminded him of other fine dining restaurants in the city.

What he liked most were the fall-off-the-bone braised spareribs, the dessert featuring lavender and Earl Gray macaroons, the wild rice with aged provolone, and the atmosphere.

“It has a homey feel. You feel like you're sitting at your mom's house or grandma's house and preparing a delicious meal,” Crowe said. “We will definitely come back.”

In the winter, when wedding season slows down, Blazeski hopes to host pop-ups several days a week other than Thursdays. He's also developed a snack menu for those who can't make reservations indoors but would like to enjoy a drink in the garden, and on Mondays he's leading a new bourbon, whiskey and cigar night.

Blazeski is having a great time with everything. He likes Omaha, saying it's “a lot like where I grew up,” and he's also very happy with his job.

“I love it. When you look at the property from the road, all you see is a brick wall and a door. I call it the door to Narnia,” he said. “It's Omaha's little secret, and people keep finding out about it.”