Food and drink hold the body and soul together. Don’t believe me? Take a trip to WheatField’s EXPRESS located in the Old Market at 11th and Howard streets and look at the elegantly stenciled German quote “Essen und trinken hält Lieb und Seele zusammen.” After my Sunday afternoon visit, I learned the phrase is more than just empty words.
Open Sunday through Tuesday 6 a.m.- 9 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday 6 a.m.-10 p.m., WheatField’s EXPRESS is part bakery and part restaurant. The entrance leads into the bakery, which provides a variety of baked goods, including various breads, pies, cinnamon buns, cakes and cookies. Everything is decently priced, from one large cinnamon bun costing $2 to medium-sized cakes costing $10-$15. Free samples sit next to the register as WheatField’s buzzes with activity.
The seating area has a nice atmosphere with brightly painted yellow walls and tasteful décor. The menu was impressive with a large variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items. From warm to cold drinks, waffles to quiche, sandwiches to salads, and chocolate fondue to slices of pie, there was an item for everyone. The prices ranged from about $6.99-$13.99 with hearty portions, leaving no one hungry.
Locally owned by RADopp Enterprises Inc., WheatField’s EXPRESS is the newest addition to the chain of three restaurants in Omaha. The other locations are full-scale restaurants, while WheatField’s EXPRESS is slightly smaller and emphasizes take-out, with the bakery approximately the same size as the seating area.
The menu used excessive fonts and colors, making it too busy to read. Although the variety and descriptions of the various dishes are commendable, several of my friends expressed that they would prefer the menu to be in a booklet form to make it easier to read.
The waiter arrived quickly with our drinks and proceeded to take our orders. These included the WheatField’s Stratta (a deep-dish of eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and onions with a hollandaise drizzle and a side of baked apples), the Stuffed Tomato Trio (chicken salad, egg salad and albacore tuna salad individually stuffed inside three tomatoes), It’s the Berries Brulé Waffle (waffles smothered in berries, bananas and cream) and the Five Alarm Turkey Wrap (turkey breast, jalapenos, herb cream cheese, lettuce and a whole-wheat wrap).
Business sophomore Chelsea Christensen, attempted to order a chicken breast sandwich, but the waiter informed us they were out of chicken, which seemed unusual for a midday meal. The food came relatively quickly and revealed plates piled high with food. After twenty minutes, every plate was nearly licked clean.
“It was a pleasant experience despite the chicken fiasco,” Christensen said. “The waiter was very nice about it and actually charged me for the cheaper sandwich instead of the Stratta I ended up ordering.”
We all agreed this would not be the last WheatField’s experience. The reasonable prices are a major plus for every college student seeking a heaping serving, and the friendly atmosphere helped add to the locally-owned bakery. After this visit, I wholeheartedly believe food and drink hold the body and soul together.