The restaurant itself was beautiful. It had no need of the men in pressed suits or the women in autumn colored dresses. Nor would those few revelers who were passing by the broad windows have any effect on the ambiance inside. At a small table in the corner, I had been sitting; my eyes drifting between the awnings just outside to thoughts of a man getting ready for a date.

He would push up his tie in the mirror, and it would be just off center. A curse would follow as he would then adjust. All the while, he would try to envision what might a poet say when he sees Her before the date. The man would not know that a real poet would be in the same situation as he and, they too would worry over what a poet should say to the woman he was to meet at Clio’s.

From one poet to all the men deciding on where to take a part of their heart, they could easily do worse than Clio’s, and unless she shies away from Greek food, one could hardly do better. Like a spring garden above the tables, hanging from a trellis, a fresco of white flowers was complemented by smaller red-orange blossoms. The garden above flowed to the center of the room and surrounded a central and short pillar.

The short, but wide bar just around the corner is a perfect place for a more casual date. Being sat shoulder-to-shoulder makes conversation on the beautiful plaster arches behind the bartender and the flowers above easy, as a man can avoid letting Her see the truths which hang in his eyes… except for the mirrors behind the bottles opposite them, from which secret looks could be had. But for a date in which face-to-face is the end goal and the rest of the evening is an excuse to fall into each other’s eyes, then take the tables with a backdrop of downtown Omaha in the evening.

To order: the Crispy Potatoes might sound not-so-fancy, but pecorino cheese, za’atar, lemon aioli, chive, and Aleppo chili takes something close to hash-browns and elevates it without overwhelming the palette with flavors that are too strange. An easy recommendation, especially for someone concerned with whether or not they are into Greek cuisine. It had an excellent crunch, with a sort of salad-bowl aesthetic. Finishing it was easy and fast.

A side of cool Labneh spread served with two sourdough pita loaves makes a welcome addition to any Mediterranean meal. Served with a deep-forest-green cap of chives, the strained yogurt was a fun contrast to the warm bread. After combining both, eating it was like the moment just after stepping out of a cool ocean and onto a warm, sandy beach. If, however, a heavy cream is not for you, the hummus with roasted garlic, chickpeas, olive oil, and parsley is a classic and a favorite.

But if it is confidence one needs or simply a desire to feel like an ancient king, the Lamb Tajine is available and recommended. Burnished and braised lamb shank, dipped and glazed in a perfect pomegranate jus – the meat fell off the bone like snow off a roof. The meat was the perfect heat on a cool day. Being the most flavorful, but also a difficult cut of lamb, I was for a moment taken away to an older epoch. Boastfully, for the pita, being dipped in the leftover glaze elevated the whole dish. Combining the umami flavors of both was like coffee and the smell of autumn leaves. Neither sweet, but yet complimentary.

As a plus, the meal came with a plate of hearty Mediterranean rice and bright, healthy pickled vegetables. It was a cool end to a perfectly tempered lamb shank. Clio’s is perhaps the prettiest restaurant in Omaha, by a fair margin over most of the competition, too. No space in the restaurant goes wasted, yet nowhere would one feel cramped. For anyone looking to impress a date, it is hard to compare to eating under a sky of flowers. 

Austin Petak is an aspiring novelist and freelance journalist who loves seeking stories and the quiet passions of the soul. If you are interested in reaching out to him to cover a story, you may find him at austinpetak@gmail.com.