I met Andy Lane for the first time when he walked through the doors of my cooperative commercial kitchen and wanted to talk about pasta. People do this every once in a while, and I always enjoy it.
Jill Rodger
However, this meeting was full of crazy coincidences. We were both from restaurant families; his great-grandfather fled Sicily in the late ‘40s and ended up establishing the longstanding downtown favorite called The Grand Café and Deli. My grandfather had a diner called Kent’s Café, and a fried chicken restaurant called The Drumstick. We both have a love of Italian food, and we had both studied linguistics. He grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a mere 75 miles from the Wyoming town I grew up in. It was pretty uncanny.
The other thing we had in common is the fact that he was opening up a Mediterranean Restaurant here in Lincoln, and many years ago, I had looked into doing something similar.
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Andy has now opened his own place downtown called Dammi Dammi – which is Italian for “give me give me.” The brightly colored spot opened July 26 at 126 N. 13th St., right on the corner next to the Rococo Theater. As the name suggests, there are dishes from Italy, Greece, Spain, France and more.
The menu itself isn’t extensive. In fact, aside from the drinks and gelato, it consists of only 17 items. The interesting thing is – it is easy to find multiple dishes to try, because they are so diverse with such different flavor profiles. There are soups, salads, protein bowls and breakfast items such as the eggy French clafoutis. Dammi Dammi also serves a rotating menu of incredible homemade gelato, with flavors such as fiordilatte (sweet cream), lavender honey and bacon mascarpone, along with dairy-free sorbettos, like dutch chocolate, prickly pear, and melon and prosciutto.
So far, I have tried the Apaki Pork bowl – a cured pork loin, which is considered a Cretan delicacy and is smoked using different combinations of woods and herbs. The harissa chicken bowl, currently the best-selling item on the menu, is made with tender chicken cooked in harissa sauce – a hot chili pepper paste from Tunisia consisting of roasted peppers, herbs and spices.
However, the shakshouka is probably my favorite. Shakshouka has many variations and is found in Palestine, Egypt, Israel and other parts of the Middle East. It consists of eggs poached in a sauce of stewed tomato chunks that have been cooked with onions, peppers, fresh garlic, olive oil and warm spices – like coriander, cumin and paprika. Few breakfasts are as satisfying as a warm dish of savory shakshouka, sopped up with a good piece of bread.
Dammi Dammi offers plenty of options for gluten-free and vegan diets, and the online ordering system is convenient and easy to use. It is currently open every day except Sunday, from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and it’s a great place to pop in for a healthy, satisfying meal, or a great cup of coffee.
Lincoln's most requested restaurants
Jamba Juice
Jamba Juice serves on-the-go freshly blended fruit and vegetable smoothies, made-to-order bowls, fresh-squeezed juices and shots, boosts and bites.
Einstein Bros. Bagels
Einstein Bros. Bagels serves breakfast and lunch. The chain boasts that bakers begin work at 2 a.m. and make bagels every four hours to ensure they are fresh.
Church's Texas Chicken
Church's Chicken is known for its fried chicken and biscuits. The chain began in 1952 across the street from the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
Jason's Deli
Jason's Deli says its food is free from high-fructose corn syrup, artificial trans fats and flavors, processed MSG and dyes. There are 250 deli locations in 28 U.S. states.
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is known for burgers, beer and cocktails and an atmosphere immersed in rock music and memorabilia. The chain has locations in major cities worldwide.
Peets Coffee
Peets Coffee began in 1966 and boasts hand-roasted and ethically sourced coffee beans. There are more than 300 Peets coffee bars, mostly in major U.S. cities.
Dave & Busters
Dave & Busters is an American restaurant that serves entrees from wings to steaks as well as beer, wine and cocktails. The restaurant is known as an entertainment destination for its arcade games.
Shake Shack
Shake Shack sprouted from a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in Manhattan, the company says. The restaurant serves burgers, chicken, hot dogs, frozen custard, beer, wine and more.
Bob Evans
Bob Evans serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner all day, every day. "A family restaurant dedicated to treating strangers like friends and friends like family," its Facebook page says. The chain has restaurants in 18 states.
Potbelly Sandwich Works
"A first-class dive with toasty sandwiches, extra-good salads, hand-dipped shakes, cookies baked daily and lots of good vibes," is how Potbelly Sandwich Works describes itself. Potbelly began in 1996 in Chicago and now has more than 250 shops.
Cafe Rio
Cafe Rio is largely located in western states, with dozens of locations in California, Arizona and Utah. However, there are 10 locations near Washington, D.C. The restaurant bills itself as "home of the original sweet pork barbacoa."
Portillo's
Portillo's is a Midwestern chain with 50 locations serving Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef, burgers, salads and chocolate cake.
Giordano's Pizzeria
While it may be coming to Omaha soon, Journal Star readers repeatedly asked for Giordano's Chicago-style pizza to be offered in Lincoln as well.
P.F. Chang's China Bistro
P.F. Chang's brings an Asian fusion approach to Americanized Chinese food, serving dumplings, entrees, crab rangoons and things of that nature. Readers repeatedly asked about the restaurant coming to the Capitol City.
Uno Pizzeria and Grill
After opening a location in Boston in 1978, Chicago-style pizza staple Uno Pizzeria has been seen in places far outside the Windy City. The chain has more than 140 locations in 24 states, as well as 160 Uno Express locations and fast-casual eateries, serving thick-crust pizza, sandwiches, salads and more. Many Lincolnites are waiting when they'll be able to get a taste of Chicago a little closer to home.
Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits
Boasting more than 600 restaurants, Bojangles is a key purveyor of fried chicken, biscuits and southern sides. However, the chain is only in 11 states, mostly in the Deep South, with a few international locations. That hasn't stopped Lincoln readers, however, from craving the company's chicken, signature seasoned fries and Bo Sauce.
Joe's Crab Shack
Lincoln diners want more seafood options and Joe's Crab Shack might be just the solution with a menu filled with variations on crab and other New England favorites.
Jack in the Box
Famous for a diverse menu including an all-day breakfast, Lincoln diners would love to see a Jack in the Box come to town.
Bennigan's
Despite the restaurant filing for bankruptcy in 2008, Lincolnites still would like to see a Bennigan's in the capitol city. Unfortunately, this one might not be in the cards.
Big Mama's and Papa's Pizzeria
You can't buy better publicity than Big Mama's and Papa's Pizzeria received for free. When the restaurant delivered pizza to the Oscar's in 2014, they became a viral phenomenon and the owners have expressed a desire to expand. It looks like some Lincoln diners are interested in trying the pizza that was once served to the stars.
Taco Cabana
Similar to fast-casual Mexican food like Qdoba and Chipotle, Taco Cabana focuses on freshness and hand-made dishes that have been pleasing fans for years.
Hardee's
As well known for their often controversial commercials as their burgers, Hardees, or Carl's Jr. in some regions, was a frequently requested restaurant by local diners. Their Frisco Melt, as pictured above, just might be one reason why.
California Pizza Kitchen
The supposed originator of the now ubiquitous barbecue chicken pizza, California Pizza Kitchen has steadily become a recognized brand far beyond the west coast. While some of the company's products can be found in the grocery store freezer aisle, Lincoln diners are still clamoring for one of the company's restaurants to open locally.
A&W
A classic-diner themed burger joint famous for its root beer, A&W has expanded steadily in the last few years. If a location can open in Germany, as pictured above, where's the Lincoln location?
White Castle
A burger place with a true cult following, White Castle's iconic sliders are some of the most recognizable sandwiches on the market today. Inspiring movies, pop culture and much more, many readers want to see White Castle set up shop locally.
Tastee Inn
While the iconic restaurant may have closed its doors in Lincoln in 2014, many of our readers want to get another taste of Tastee Inn.
Whataburger
What In-N-Out is to the west-coast, Whataburger is to Texas. It's fans are obsessive and Whataburger pays attention to them. Here, Whataguy serves cake to Whataburger super fans Karl and Carol Hoepfner, who have been trying to visit every one of the restaurant's locations.
In-N-Out Burger
A west-coast burger phenomenon, In-N-Out has gained national attention online for its not-so-secret secret menu and commitment to freshness. Even former California Governor and occasional action-star Arnold Schwarzenegger is a fan.
Waffle House
There are 1,500 Waffle Houses spread across 25 states, as far west as Arizona and as far north as Illinois, but the chain is still rooted deeply in the South and retains a distinctively down-home, blue-collar aura. Our readers think Waffle House would be right at home in Lincoln as well.
The Cheesecake Factory
By far, the restaurant that was most requested, The Cheesecake Factory is mostly known for a massive dessert menu and a large, varied list of entrees. While locations mostly are in larger areas, the exclusivity hasn't stopped Lincolnites from wanting the restaurant to come to their hometown.
