River CafÈ

There are restaurants and then there are restaurants with a view. Rick’s, open since 2002 and one of the very few Omaha area restaurants with a clear view of the Missouri River, is a big sprawling place seating more than 200 inside, but with a large deck area running along the river side of the building that seats another 200, plus a raised deck bar area outside that seats another 300 or so. This is one of the biggest outdoor seating areas in the city, approached only by that of Prestige restaurant in west Omaha.

Rick’s in Omaha has menu differences with its twin, Rick’s in Indianapolis. The menu has recently been “downsized … to be simpler, execution-wise,” said manager Eric Wilson, who added that the center panel of the three-page menu will change monthly (it just changed), so as to have a “seasonal fare” effect. Nautically themed, both restaurants have plenty of seafood, with the Omaha Rick’s offering South Pacific mussels, coconut shrimp, oysters on the half shell, King Crab legs, walleye, catfish, trout, North Atlantic salmon, mahi-mahi, sea scallops and Ahi tuna on the new seasonal fare menu, not to mention the best calamari in town, Maryland crab cakes, shrimp cocktail. sashimi tuna and shrimp scampi on the regular menu.

Chef Tony Graff, who worked at Bucca and has had a lot of California cooking experience, maintains a hearty menu with lots of steaks, chops, chicken choices and even a few pastas, in addition to all the seafood. Think of Rick’s as a seafood place with steaks, pork and chicken, too.

Among appetizers, we tried the coconut-battered shrimp with a dark red spicy plum sauce, Thai chili style – delicious ($13 for six). The fat, ropey tempura-fried calamari ($9) were tender, not at all tough or chewy as at most places, and served with an ancho-chili aioli that had a kick. The Boatyard Dip ($9), a variation on nachos, has a spicy, chili flavor, melding chicken bits with green onions, black olives, mushrooms, guacamole, sour cream and tomatoes with co-jack cheese and colored tortilla chips for dipping. A pound of Prince Edward Island mussels are saut»ed in a red curry and coconut milk sauce (another Thai touch) and come with a sourdough bread bowl – plenty of heat in this one for $13. The artichoke-crab dip was tasty, too – blue crab, Parmesan cheese and artichoke hearts – with pita dips. It has a bit of heat, too.

A loaf of bread comes to all tables. There are some big $12 and $13 salads, too, and you can add less expensive side salads, though a Caesar was underdressed, but with very crisp greens and shaved Parmesan ($4).

The entrees did not disappoint. The new seasonal pork tenderloin ($21) was first rate – medallions of pork coked to order with “Sharon’s sweet chili sauce,” referenced above – Sharon being Tony’s mother. Grilled salmon ($25) was tender and pink, but a little watery, probably because the cut was very thick, thus having more fat. A huge porterhouse steak ($35) was superb, cooked exactly to order, with a tender filet on one side of the bone and a denser strip steak on the other side – great texture and flavor in the latter, and the filet just as it should be. I mistakenly ordered a walleye sample saut»ed instead of lightly breaded and fried (or blackened), as on the menu. The fish had nice, tender flesh, but lacked the flavor grilling or frying would have provided. My bad.

All entrees came with crisp, el dente vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli), A side order of saut»ed mushrooms were salty, rich and dark from the pan.

Desserts are knockout big in size, with lots of flavor. A moist lemon cake had a thick layer of lemon cream filling, plus fresh blueberries, strawberries and raspberries with a whipped topping; a huge carrot cake had threads of carrot and a rich frosting; chocolate cake was fudgey and richly layered.

Our server, Annie Odinas, was very knowledgeable, pleasant and efficient throughout the meal.

Eric hopes that Rick’s will become a “night out destination” – not just a dinner spot. He hopes customers will linger outside and enjoy the spectacular view, listening to piano music Tuesdays and Wednesdays and outdoor live rock bands Thursdays through Saturdays (karaoke other nights). Happy hour offers wings, sliders, $2 Miller lights and a menu of its own. There is plenty of parking - plus a banquet room upstairs in this sprawling, nautically-themed castle of a boathouse, with enormous beamed ceilings, a covered deck with ceiling fans, lots of windows, white on white d»cor.

Rick’s is different and it is fun and you can spend as little (appetizers and beer) or as much (full dinners) as you like. On Saturday, Sept. 27, there will be and end-of-summer bash to raise money for charities.