The Omaha Newspapers

August 2010 Articles:

Shucks Nets Followers Seeking Fish During Lent

By: Michelle Leach

If Greg Lindberg had his way (and pull with the Pope) Lent would be twice as long, as this holiest of seasons is such a boost for his restaurant, Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar, that he does not offer specials on Lenten Fridays, to contain the line of customers that already stretches out the door without the help of a featured menu item.

"The last thing we want to do is to have a flood of people that we can't handle," Lindberg said, noting the importance of good service. "I hate making people wait.

"I tell people to come to dinner by 5:00 on Friday evenings during Lent for the best service."

With that notable exception, Shucks' two West Omaha locations have a full plate of specials throughout the Lenten season.

"Shrimp cargo is a new one -- a take off of Escargot, served in ceramic plates with shrimp and melted Muenster cheese instead of snails and Havarti cheese," Lindberg said.

Bacon wrapped scallops have precedent on their side; they are a "hit" with the Lenten crowd, according to Lindberg.

"Daily specials vary with availability of different species, but we like to run as specials different fish sandwiches, seared fish plates and char-grilled as well," he said.

In addition, the Shucks crew is featuring discounted Happy Hour appetizers, with most options for $4.

The tinsel is barely off the tree when Lindberg and his staff, which includes Parisian-trained chef Jon Dye, begin preparing for Lent. This preparation comes down to knowing the availability and expense of each species. For example, shrimp is at historically low prices, while halibut is harder to come by as it is out of season in Alaska and must be shipped in from Norway. That means the cost of shipping in the halibut is passed on to the already cash-strapped customer.

"We try to give people more bang for their buck," Lindberg said.

Affordability is another Shucks' specialty, no matter the season.

Glancing at the menu, swordfish, rice and veggies cost just under $13, with most meals, including a grilled salmon sandwich and an entree of shrimp tossed with veggies and pasta are in the $10 range.

"We're cheap and that's been a huge advantage in a down economy," Lindberg said.

Another advantage is the sheer novelty of the place -- at least in a landlocked state like Nebraska.

"There is no oyster bar closer than the couple hundred miles to Kansas City," Lindberg said, noting a chain in the K.C. area.

The next closest spot to tame one's hunger for oyster bar (translation: restaurant specializing in oysters) fare is Chicago, he said.

"But even in Chicago there are very few oyster bars that have [Shucks'] selection," Lindberg said.

When Lindberg talks "selection" he means customers can get their oysters raw or fried, on in-between two slices of Louisiana-style French bread to make a Po'Boy sandwich, or in a stew. Other times oysters are on special, served "Rockefeller" style in the half-shell, topped with ingredients like spinach, bread crumbs, butter and cheese, which is then baked or broiled. If a customer opts for "Bienville"-style oysters, the half-shell is topped with a cream sauce flavored with bell pepper, white wine, mushrooms and cheese.

Aside from a selection rivaling far bigger metro areas, Shucks' other differentiator is its breading.

"We have the very thinnest breading possible," Lindberg said. "Never have I seen any thinner."

That makes it a strong option for any part of the meal; as the entire meal itself, an appetizer or on a sandwich, he indicated.

Seafood may be in its official name and dominate its logos, but it does not overrun the menu, according to Lindberg.

In other words, one does not have to like fish or seafood to like Shuck's. Its non-fish offerings include a Hereford beef patty smothered with barbecue, red onion and cheddar, pork tenderloin, teriyaki chicken and vegetarians can be satiated courtesy of Boca patties (which may be swapped in for any meaty sandwich).

These fish and not-so-fishy offerings have gone over so well that Shucks was in a strong enough position to expand at a time when other businesses were contracting. It was 2008, and Shucks looked further West than its existing oyster bar and fish market at 119th and Pacific streets by opening Shucks Legacy in the Shoppes of Legacy development.

Lindberg said the new restaurant was not part of a grand plan.

"If I have a talent it's that I listen," he said.

And what he heard was customers wanted a place that was closer to their "backyard," and that meant continuing the migration west.

It was Lindberg's "ear" that resulted in his first foray into the seafood business -- Absolutely Fresh.

A Nebraska native, Lindberg was exposed to seafood for the first time when he moved to the New Orleans area. He decided to expand other Huskers' palates by selling fresh oysters and shrimp out of a refrigerated truck at 70th and Dodge and later 120th and Pacific streets.

As one might expect, it was quite an adventure getting the seafood to the Great Plains. Lindberg would troll the Gulf Coast looking for fare.

"This was before fax machines and e-mails, and I would drive around and talk to people face-to-face," he said.

If an individual was not available when he showed up for the fish, Lindberg would have to come back the following day. He would kill time by going to small fish houses and oyster bars in the area, the inspiration for Shucks.

Three decades after he began selling fish out of a truck, Lindberg boasts both markets and restaurants and gets more than 50 different types of fish shipped to the business every week. Each day, new shipments of fish and frozen seafood arrive, he said. But it is not the numbers (business ventures, inventory, customer base) that resonate with Lindberg; it is the stories behind the people who show up at Shucks craving a Po'Boy or oysters in the half-shell: "Our biggest fans are transplants from coastal areas, and that is always rewarding, since they know what the good stuff is."

You do not have to be a transplant to discover or rediscover fresh fish and seafood. Stop by Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar at 1218 South 119th Street or Shucks Legacy at 16901 Wright Plaza. For more information, visit www.absolutelyfresh.com.