Flat iron steak tapas with chimichurri and romesco (foreground)Â Â and charred octopus and chorizo are among the tapas options at Sebastian's Table.Â
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Eleanora offers craft cocktails and beers, but its signature drink is sangria, red or white.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Dessert options at Sebastian's Table includes a chocolate stone, comprised of shortbread, almond sponge, dark chocolate and hazelnut mousse with a sherry reduction.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Sebastian's Table, 8340 Glynoaks Drive, is brightly lit with high ceilings and features a number of two- and four-top tables and an open kitchen.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Eleanora offers craft cocktails and beers, but its signature drink is sangria, red or white.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Among the choice of tapas at Sebastian's Table, 8340 Glynoaks Drive, is charred octopus and chorizo, pictured with red sangria.
Sebastian’s Table and its signature tapas and sangria are back after a three-year absence from Lincoln’s dining scene.
Yay!
I was among those saddened when Sebastian’s closed its downtown location near 14th and P streets in November 2015. Part of the Ground Up Restaurants family, which also owns and operates Honest Abe’s Burgers & Freedom, Sebastian’s not only made eating Brussels sprouts enjoyable, but, well, kind of cool.
Though the original place was hopping on Friday and Saturday nights, Erik Hustad, who co-owns Ground Up with Gabe Lovelace, said the rest of the week was not. That’s why he and Lovelace converted the space into another Honest Abe’s, which now has four locations in Lincoln and arguably serves the best burger in town.
“We found our main demo was having to drive a long way (from south Lincoln) and didn’t want to park in garages,†Hustad said. “For the long term, it was bad location for a nicer restaurant like this.â€
Hustad and Lovelace didn’t give up on the concept, however. Instead, they spent the next three years looking for the right location to bring back the Spanish appetizers and small plates. They found it on 84th Street in GlynOaks Plaza, which is between Pioneers Boulevard and Old Cheney Road. They first opened their fourth Honest Abe’s in November before reopening Sebastian’s Table next door a month later.
Adjoining Sebastian’s is Eleanora, an upscale, ornate cocktail bar -- think The Other Room in the Haymarket, but bigger -- that Sebastian’s uses for overflow and walk-in customers. When Sebastian’s closes at 10 p.m., Eleanora serves a limited Sebastian’s menu until 1 a.m.
Food
The fun in eating at Sebastian’s is trying and sharing a variety of small plates. Some items -- such as the Brussels sprouts and duck confit -- carried over from three years ago, but Hustad said much of the menu is new. Of course, the menu contains Sebastian’s twists on favorite Spanish dishes such as patatas bravas (crispy potatoes in a tomato sauce) and paella.
Having tried the sprouts and duck confit at the old Sebastian’s, my wife and I sampled four dishes new to us: stuffed peppadew (sweet peppers filled with spinach and smoked gouda), $8; patatas bravas, $9; short ribs with a toasted walnut puree, $19; and a veggie paella, $23. A mix of three or four tapas is enough to feed two.
The stuffed peppadew is a must-try and, according to Hustad, a patron favorite. It’s Sebastian’s version of the spinach artichoke dip, but what sets it apart is the sweet, sweet peppers. We also enjoyed the patatas brava, which my wife found comparable to those she had eaten recently on a trip to Barcelona. Our favorite dish was the short ribs, with meat that was so, so tender. My wife liked the paella, but it was too salty for my taste. I liked the veggie variety and the mushrooms in the paella.
Sebastian’s and Eleanora offer craft cocktails and beers, but the signature drink is sangria, red or white. The red sangria is sweet with a hint of spice thanks to the cinnamon, while the white sangria, featuring lemon and lime, is more citrusy. Sangria is $7 per glass or $3 on Tuesdays, which is a heck of deal. It’s also available by the pitcher. Grade: A
Atmosphere
Hustad and Lovelace have created two distinct rooms for Sebastian’s Table and Eleanora. The restaurant is brightly lit with high ceilings and features a number of two- and four-top tables and an open kitchen. Eleanora, meanwhile, is dark with low ceilings and eye-catching wallpaper. It’s much more intimate, with booths, tall tables and couches. Those familiar with Honest Abe’s know the pair have an eye for making rooms interesting, attractive and fun. These two are no different. Grade: A
Service
One of the advantages to eating tapas is your hot food arrives hot (cold food is cold). Unlike a regular, full-service restaurant, where courses are served at the same time, regardless if one dish takes longer to prepare than another, Sebastian’s brings the food out as soon as it’s ready. That’s why during our visit we saw at least four different servers, who grab whatever food is ready and get it out promptly. The servers also are quick to bus tables because, as you can imagine, dirty dishes can pile up if you order several small plates. On our visit, Sebastian’s operated as a well-oiled machine. We never waited long for food or drinks. Grade: A
Specialty diets
Sebastian’s offers an impressive lineup of vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan dishes, labeling each. The petite menu, for instance, included two dishes noted as vegetarian, two as vegan and two as gluten-free. The vegetarian portion of the menu listed all five dishes as gluten-free and two of them as vegan-friendly. The restaurant strives to be inclusive, making it a destination for everybody. Grade: A+
Mouth-watering dishes from Lincoln restaurants
A selection of the most delicious dishes at Lincoln restaurants
Cook's Cafe
Tavern 180
Dish
Muchachos
High Peak Asian Restaurant
Meztli
UnbeWingable
Good Evans
Mughil's Indian Cuisine
Nitro Burger
Rutabaga's
Boitano's Lounge
Toast
N Zone
Yia Yia's
Shokunin
Seyo Thai
Koen Japanese BBQ and Sushi
The Normandy
Leadbelly
McAlister's Deli
Blaze Pizza
Mi Tierra Family Mexican Restaurant
Sultan's Kite
Screamers
Vung Tau
Hacienda Real
Phat Jack's BBQ
The Parthenon
Piedmont Bistro by Venue
The Rabbit Hole
Valentino's
The Hub Cafe
Perfect Diner
Copal
Asian Buffet
Ninja
Ginger
Lazlo's
Jeff Korbelik is tasting room manager at James Arthur Vineyards, former Journal Star features editor and author of “Lost Restaurants of Lincoln.†He’s been writing restaurant reviews for Ground Zero since 1998.
DINING OUT
Sebastian’s Table & Eleanora
Address:8340 GlynOaks Drive, Suite 100
Specialty: Tapas
Atmosphere: Casual to upscale
Payment: Cash, major credit cards
Cost: Tapas, $3 to $23; paella, $23 or $27
Hours: Sebastian’s Table (11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily); Eleanora (11 to 1 a.m. daily)
Phone: 531-500-5402
Web: , Facebook, Instagram
Notes: Parking, alcohol, reservations recommended through , takeout, catering, outdoor seating, party room (coming soon)
Dessert options at Sebastian's Table includes a chocolate stone, comprised of shortbread, almond sponge, dark chocolate and hazelnut mousse with a sherry reduction.
Sebastian's Table features tapas: a chocolate stone dessert (L), flat iron steak and charred octopus and chorizo are among the menu choices, along with white and red sangria.Â