Across the street from a year-round Christmas shop and a purveyor of sheepskin coats, cowboy hats, and cowhide rugs in the Old Market District of Omaha, Twisted Fork Grill & Saloon looked like it would satisfy my craving for some beef and comfort food. As I stepped inside and took a seat, I was a bit perplexed by the décor. The long bar conjured up images of the Wild West, but the skylights were completely modern. The crystal chandeliers and the red velvet on the backs of the booths hinted at a brothel, but the brick floor harkened back to the building’s history as one of the area’s many wholesale and warehouse establishments. I pondered how to categorize it. In the end, I decided to forgo a handy catchall and just call the whole place “delicious!” If you’re in the mood for a meal that channels your inner child and provides some carb-heavy consolation, Twisted Fork is a terrific choice.

Try This: I started with the most unusual of the appetizer offerings—house-made apricot cream cheese on crostini topped with tomato and balsamic glaze—and I definitely was not disappointed. A long list of comfort food—a roast beef plate with mashed potatoes, meatloaf with brown gravy, chicken pot pie, smoked-gouda macaroni and cheese—didn’t deter me from my original craving, so I went directly for the apple-wood smoked-bacon burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ranch spread, with sweet potato fries on the side. Going off an abstemious diet was never so gratifying.