Visiting Memoir for the first time, I felt like I had stepped into a swanky 1920s Hollywood restaurant. The open floor plan lets you look right into a bustling kitchen and take in the stunning décor as you walk inside. The host station is strategically positioned right in the middle so you can do just that while the hostess looks up your reservation. Just beyond the entrance is a stunning bar that forms a rectangle in the middle of the restaurant.
Mixing a drink at the bar
Memoir opened last February and is one of the newest Flagship Restaurant Group concepts. I’ll get it out of the way right now: Memoir is a charming, energetic, warm and inviting establishment with the cuisine to match.
General manager, Jay Marquias, is a big reason why. He has more than 24 years of restaurant experience, starting as a server at Charleston’s and working his way to management. He helped open the Charleston’s at 74th & Dodge Street as senior kitchen manager and was eventually promoted to general manager at Mahogany. Now, he brings his fine dining expertise to Memoir.
The Memoir kitchen
“I really do feel like it is my duty as a general manager to not only give people a great experience and give them a great meal because we’re making memories,” Jay said. “I tell my staff that all the time. Go out and make a great memory for somebody. Make them forget about their day. Because that’s what they came here for.”
Memoir is a collection of several Flagship restaurant menu items, expertly blending memorable concepts from the company’s history. Hence, the name.
“What they really wanted Memoir to be, and what I feel like it should be, is they want you to feel like you’re in your own living room,” Jay said. “They want you to come in and feel like you’re just hanging out at home. Everything is more of a relaxed feel. But we wanted to make it feel nice enough that you feel elegant in your space too.”
Memoir hallway and party room
During our first visit on Sunday afternoon, we ran into a couple friends seated near our table. They had just finished their appetizer, and we asked them to join us.
For drinks, we ordered a little Italy, a blue mojito and a scofflaw. We went with a California roll from the sushi menu and the yellowtail sashimi for appetizers. Entrees were striped bass, prime flat iron, Scottish salmon and the seared tuna chop salad.
The little Italy was an intriguing play on a margarita, made with Lalo tequila, il tramontto amaretto (a limoncello and amaretto liqueur), lime and basil. The natural sweet spiciness of the tequila was a great complement to the lemon, lime and amaretto. The basil added a nice note to the aftertaste.
Memoir little Italy
The blue mojito is a blend of Bacardi superior rum, combier le bleu (a French blue curaçao), mint lime and soda. It’s a fun and playful spin on a mojito. If you like cocktails that lean to the sweet citrus side, this might be for you.
The scofflaw consisted of Templeton rye, dolin blanc (a gently sweet vermouth), pama pomegranate, grenadine and lemon. It’s a well-rounded drink in which the sweet elements nicely compliment the rye.
Memoir California roll
The rice in the California roll was executed perfectly – just soft and sticky enough to hold its shape. The crab mix and cucumber in the center was just right. Topped with avocado, these rolls were full of flavor and held their shape when dipped in the soy sauce and wasabi I had mixed.
The yellowtail sashimi came topped with orange, paper-thin serrano, cilantro, ginger shoots, white shoyu (a sweet and salty white soy sauce), olive oil and sea salt. The thin serrano added a decent, but not overwhelming, heat that enhanced the other flavors while highlighting the fresh yellowtail.
The seared tuna chop salad, served with sesame seeds, cucumber, scallion, carrot, snap peas, avocado, cashews, crispy wontons and a miso-yogurt vinaigrette was lively and vibrant. The tuna was a fresh, welcome addition of protein, and the vinaigrette added a complimentary tanginess.
Memoir Scottish salmon
Scottish salmon was cooked to perfection, topped a lovely risotto. The sear on the salmon was flawless with a flakey tenderness in the middle that nearly melted in the mouth. The risotto was creamy with the added snap peas and carrots bringing a welcomed, ever-so-slight crunch to the texture.
The striped bass had a fantastic crispy skin with the fish tender and flaky below. It was paired with charred tomato, kale, pickled red onion, herbs, croutons and a chili-hazelnut pesto. The vegetables, and their seasonings, balanced the bass. The pesto added a savory finish.
Memoir prime flat iron
The flat iron steak was exactly medium rare, tender and juicy with a fantastic sear and topped with a tantalizing red chimichurri. The steak was sliced and neatly plated on top of fried sticky rice cooked to perfection. The rice included a blend of mixed root vegetables with just enough crunch for texture. Occasional bites of garlic did threaten to overwhelm the dish as its naturally strong prominence punched through, but it’s not something that would stop me from ordering it again.
With a little help from our friends, were able to try all three desserts: the coconut tart, chocolate torte and berries and cream.
Memoir coconut tart
Each dessert was wonderful, but the coconut tart was the unanimous favorite at our table. The flaky crust was blended with coconut; the center was warm and tender. It came topped with a toasted meringue which only added to its elegance.
The chocolate torte was rich and moist with a fantastic hazelnut ganache, crème fraîche ice cream and raspberry coulis. Both the raspberry and the ice cream cut through the richness of the chocolate, helping make this a delectable dessert.
Memoir berries & cream
The berries and cream with vanilla panna cotta, little meringue cookies, mint and a verjus (the pressed juice of unripened grapes) simple syrup. The berries were refreshing, and the panna cotta added a velvety vanilla texture. The meringue cookies added a pleasant crunch.
On our second visit, a Tuesday afternoon toward the end of happy hour, we sipped three cocktails through the meal as well as a green tea iced tea (infused with hibiscus). The cocktails were the diablo, the men of the west and the Marco Island. We chose the creamed kale and bacon dip and the potato puffs for appetizers. Entrees were roasted chicken and the pork rib chop.
Memoir men of the west
The “men of the west” is an intriguing version of an old fashioned. In place of demerara is sarsaparilla syrup dashed with the usual angostura bitters. There’s an option to “upgrade” to the High West Cask Strength Memoir Edition bourbon, which I did. This bourbon is exclusive to Flagship, and this cocktail is only currently available at Memoir. Its sure to please many bourbon enthusiasts.
Memoir Marco Island
I wasn’t sure I’d get a chance to sample Jennifer’s Marco Island, because when she took her first sip she exclaimed, “Yes, please.” Followed by a cheerful, and somewhat ravenous, “Come to mama!” Thankfully, I did get a sample and I quickly understood her reaction. It’s an expert blend of gray whale gin, peche de vigne (a peach liqueur), vikre herbal, pineapple, lime and grenadine. I’m confident that happy hour will bring us back for a few more of these.
The creamed kale and bacon dip was a creamy, cheesy appetizer that wasn’t shy on flavor. The blend of parmesan, fontina, cream cheese and chive is topped with breadcrumbs and baked in a personal cast-iron dish. Memoir calculates just the right amount of grilled naan in this appetizer: We couldn’t help but rapidly devour both the naan and the dip.
The potato puffs resemble mozzarella sticks but only visually. The outside is a thin, fried batter that adds a tender crunch. The inside, a blend of potato and parmesan, is smooth, soft and silky. It dips and pairs well in the creamy, tangy chili-bacon aioli.
Memoir roasted chicken
Memoir’s roasted chicken is more than just a chicken entrée. It’s airline chicken (a deboned breast with the drumette and wing) cooked and seasoned to absolute perfection. The breast was tender and juicy and the wing meat practically fell off the bone. It was accompanied by ricotta dumplings, charred tomato and broccolini. The dumplings nearly threaten to overshadow the dish yet they’re a wonderful accompaniment.
Memoir pork rib chop
Finally, we tried a pork rib chop that came sliced next to the bone. It was fork tender and juicy. Below it was pecorino polenta, a honey-cider jus and an apple cabbage slaw. This is an elevated, elegant pork chop. The slaw added a great balance of bitterness from the cabbage and zesty sweet from the apples. The polenta was rich and creamy.
“I want people to come here and enjoy themselves and know that they’re going to be taken care of and that there’s going to be a friendly, helpful person that’s willing to walk them through their experience,” Jay said in our interview.
Memoir’s interior décor
Memoir is an exploration in culinary craftsmanship, inspired interior design and a crew motivated to make sure you have an experience to remember. I’d hasten a guess that many guests will become Memoir regulars, if not just for indulgence, to make memories with loved ones and friends.
To say that Flagship is on a winning streak is an understatement, and their addition to the Old Market is winning the approval of Omaha diners. Rightfully so.
Memoir
