Tally’s Silver Spoon in Rapid City is a modern spin on the classic American diner, run by chef Benjamin Klinkel, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu and worked in Michelin-starred kitchens before returning home to South Dakota.
They serve modern cuisine in an upscale contemporary setting. The space itself balances casual and upscale, with sleek wood accents, big windows letting in natural light, and an open, welcoming layout that feels just as comfortable for a quick breakfast as it does for a celebratory dinner.
The menu leans into both diner staples and inventive twists, featuring hearty breakfasts like steak Benedict and biscuits with gravy, alongside refined dinner plates such as bison marsala, carbonara, and seasonal chef’s specials.
One of the most unique features at Tally’s Silver Spoon is the Indecision Menu, which is perfect if you’d rather leave the choices up to the chef. Guests can select how many courses they’d like—anywhere from three to seven—and the kitchen crafts a surprise tasting menu built around fresh, seasonal ingredients. It’s a playful way to experience the full range of the restaurant’s creativity, with dishes that might never appear on the regular menu, and it gives diners a chance to taste flavors and pairings they may not have thought to order themselves. Which is exactly why I ordered it.
My three-course dinner consisted of: Their Miso Sea Bass, a beautifully seared fillet that’s buttery and delicate, paired with asparagus, a touch of tomato relish, and a light miso-based sauce. It’s a dish that highlights clean, umami-rich flavors with a refined presentation.
Then there's a salad centered around a warm chunk of Brie cheese served with fresh greens, shaved vegetables, watermelon radish, and a crumble for crunch. A balsamic sauce adds a touch of acidity and sweetness to balance the richness of the cheese.
Duck Confit is one of the restaurant’s signature preparations. The duck leg is slow-cooked until tender, then crisped for a rich, savory bite. It’s served over a medley of vegetables—here you can see cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and greens—finished with a bright herb purée and topped with a generous snowfall of grated cheese. The result balances richness with freshness.
Grade: A
The future of Sergio's is a bit up in the air with the recent sale so I wanted to share my thoughts while I still can.
The Italian restaurant has a sister restaurant already established in Hurricane and is connected to the Guadalajara restaurant family. The one thing that differs here from the sister restaurant is that there's a focus on pizzas, as opposed to steaks.
Sergio's is located in Elk City - with some historical charm and minimal decor. Tall tin ceilings and a combo of booths and tables line the dining room.
Soft, warm breadsticks sprinkled with parm set the tone for the meal. These were gloriously simple.
I had to try their house pepperoni roll, which was a long, flat roll filled with lots of cheese and pepperoni and scored in the center. It was somewhere between a calzone and a classic pepperoni roll—soft, hearty, and satisfying, though it didn’t quite stand out as remarkable.
My main entree was a hearty seafood pasta dish featuring jumbo lobster-stuffed ravioli paired with succulent jumbo sautéed shrimp, all enveloped in their rich, house-made Alfredo sauce. The ravioli are generously filled, providing a substantial bite. The Alfredo sauce delivers a creamy and flavorful coating. Rich, and right up my alley.
Grade: A
Block 16 is a downtown Omaha restaurant known for its farm-to-table street food and rotating daily specials.
Owned by Paul and Jessica Urban, the restaurant opened in 2012 and quickly gained attention for its creative approach to casual dining.
The dining area is small, with simple wooden tables and chairs spread across two connected rooms. The walls are decorated with framed press clippings, awards, and photos. There’s a chalkboard displaying the day’s specials, and the ordering counter is the focal point up front.
The Croque Garçon burger, made with a beef patty, ham, fried egg, and truffle mayo, was famously praised by chef Alton Brown as the best burger he had ever eaten. I ordered the Frenchie - smash patty, braised short rib, gruyere, caramelized onion, sauce, pickle. The cheese adds a nutty, creamy richness while the onions bring a subtle sweetness that balances the savory meat.
I also had OMAHA FRIES - Topped with wagyu sloppy joe, griddled cheese curds, house ranch, Dorothy Lynch, scallion, and Doritos. Dorothy Lynch is a sweet and tangy salad dressing that originated in Nebraska and has become a regional favorite across the Midwest. It’s often described as similar to French dressing, but creamier and with a distinct flavor that combines tomato base, sugar, vinegar, and a blend of spices. This trash-tastic dish is everything I've ever dreamed of.
Grade: A
Archetype Coffee is a local favorite in Omaha known for its dedication to high-quality, small-batch roasting and community-driven vibe.
The shops feature a clean, minimalist industrial design with exposed brick, wood accents, and plenty of natural light, creating a cozy yet modern atmosphere perfect for both working and relaxing.
Their menu focuses on expertly crafted coffee drinks such as pour-overs, cappuccinos, and lattes, while also offering matcha, chai, pastries, and hearty brunch options.
While their coffee is exceptional, the hot chocolate is a standout -- rich, creamy, and well-balanced, it’s often praised as one of the best in the city.
Their Sweet Corn Coffee Cake balances natural corn’s gentle sweetness with a moist crumb - offering a creamy, subtly grainy texture, without leaning overly sweet.
Their coffee philosophy highlights small-batch roasting, meticulous flavor profiles, and craftsmanship -- led in part by notable baristas like Isaiah Sheese, a U.S. Barista Champion and world finalist. Their space is clean yet vibrant. And it all led to one tasty cuppa.
Grade: A
The Freefolk Brewery is owned by husband and wife, Jeff and Sarah Edwards. Freefolk is nestled in the heart of the New River Gorge and celebrates the Appalachian vibe and culture. Jeff began experimenting with fermentation in his Morgantown, WV backyard in 2014. He started with a 15-Gallon system that he cobbled together from a few garage sales. What started as a hobby soon progressed as he fell in love with the process of creating beer.
After spending a lot of years in Morgantown raising their son Seth, Jeff and Sarah decided it was time for a change and moved to Fayetteville and opened the brewery in downtown Fayetteville. With the help of Freefolk’s co-founder, WV artist Jamie Lester, they filled the space with handcrafted steel features, wood, and concrete and covered the walls with painted murals. The original brewhouse was 3.5 bbl and some of the first brews were Moondog’s Blonde Ale, Trucker Speed IPA, and Orange Oswald SMaSH IPA.
The Freefolk brand and team quickly grew and in the fall of 2022 they upgraded to a 20 bbl brewhouse. The production brewery found a second home in Hico, WV - 9 miles north of the original location.
I had previously visited the Fayetteville location, which is now shuttered. So, I was excited to visit the Hico location and have been here a few times over the last couple years.
During my first visit, there was a cryptid festival going on, and the entire space was opened to vendors, artist and food trucks.
They had limited food and drinks, but I still enjoyed both. I was especially pleased to see a West Virginia pepperoni roll served with a side of marinara. These were cut on a bias and warm. Topped with parmesan. Tasty.
I returned recently now that they have an on-site pizza shop: Ample Pizza.
There were a handful of pizza options available: margherita, pepperoni, cherry tomato & ramp. I went with the fig, prosciutto, and goat cheese pizza.
It had caramelized onions and a balsamic drizzle, as well. There was a ton of goat cheese and not quite enough fig.
Overall, I enjoyed the pizza and would like to try some of the other options.
Have you been?
Grade: A
Crawford’s Bar & Grill is the location of one of the first butchers in Sioux Falls, Louis Bauch, Bauch’s Meats in 1896. If you look closely you will see the wood beams throughout the quartzite walls used as scaffolding when building the massive walls for the Bauch’s pMeats property.
Bauch’s son and son-in-law’s names are signed and dated “May 1936″ on the back of the bar under the first shelf of wine glasses. Behind the second shelf of wine glasses there is an original piece of cork from the butcher’s cork lined cooler. Black soot runs up the men's bathroom brick wall from where the butcher's meat was smoked, the blood trough still runs along the north cellar wall and a rusty old nail hangs in the quartzite wall under one of the large gilded mirrors.
When restoring the building to its original beauty, Bauch’s meat cleaver was discovered, hidden neatly away for almost a century, it is displayed in a special spot in Crawford’s today.
Moroccan chandeliers, antique Indian columns, jeweled wallpaper, cowhide-barrelled seats, and a quartzite bar top decorate the space. The mix of masculine and feminine touches—like iron footrests and vintage tiles—adds to its layered aesthetic.
I ordered Parmesan Walleye - Parmesan-crusted walleye served with mash potatoes and grilled asparagus, finished with lemon beurre Blanc. And French Onion Tart -
Flaky tart filled with caramelized onions and boursin cheese topped with gruyere.
The walleye had a mild, clean, and slightly sweet flavor and the lemon beurre blanc added a bright, buttery finish that tied beautifully to the creamy mash and smoky asparagus. The tart featured sweet caramelized onions and tangy boursin wrapped in a delicate pastry, topped by the nutty depth of melted gruyere.
Grade: A
Wurst Bier Hall is a German-style restaurant and beer hall with locations in Fargo and West Fargo, North Dakota. It opened in 2013 and quickly became known for serving classic German fare like bratwurst, schnitzel, and giant Bavarian pretzels, alongside American bar favorites such as burgers and poutine. The beer list features a mix of German imports and regional craft brews.
The space is set up with long communal tables, modeled after traditional beer halls, and guests can also take part in games like hammerschlagen. I placed a to-go order to stuff my face in the privacy of my car.
The potato salad at Wurst Bier Hall is tangy, with a mustard-based sauce. The Spaetzle Mac & Cheese takes a German twist on comfort food, with chewy little dumplings in place of pasta covered in a homemade beurre blanc cheee sauce, toasted breadcrumbs and topped with parsley. A side of sausage added a nice salty level to the whole dish.
I had to try the beer cheese and curry ketchup. Both bangin'.
Grade: A
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