OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The final restaurant at Blackstone's Kamp Food Hall is officially here. Nice Rollz opened a few weeks ago. It's primarily a fried rice shop, but this Asian restaurant also fuses Korean flavor into its cuisine.
As 3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole reports — for the creator — the restaurant and the food they serve is personal.
Nice...is how they roll.
Serese: Nice Rollz is your baby.
Kristina Lee: It is my baby.
Nice Rollz was created during the pandemic.
"It's got some cabbage, carrots, onion spices and beef," Kristina shared as she prepared her popular egg rolls.
Kristina Lee started making the appetizing egg rolls out of her house.
"The second week - I was averaging 150 a day," she recalled. "And then the third week it got back to Hastings where my parents started - and we sent one thousand to Hastings!"
"It was insane," Kristina laughed.
Kristina learned how to cook by watching her parents — who are from Korea.
"My parents came over not knowing any English. They learned how to make Chinese food," she shared.
They opened a Chinese restaurant in Hastings.
"It was times they would try to fuse in Korean food but 20 years ago people were like no way," she recalled.
That was then.
"Now I feel like Korean street food is one of the most popular foods in the world," she said happily.
Nice Rollz customers crave her Korean fusion.
"About a month ago, we did a pop-up here. We had a line for almost two hours for the Korean Corn Dogs," she remembered.
"So, this part when you bite into - it is mozzarella and the bottom part is a hot dog," Kristina demonstrated. The biggest misconception is that it's like an American corn dog - but this has no corn meal in it at all...It tastes like a funnel cake."
Serese: What goes on top?
Kristina: Ketchup, mustard and mayo.
While those are a favorite, the most popular dish at Nice Rollz is the Crab Rangoon Nachos. It's basically Wonton Chips smothered in a house-made Rangoon dip, topped with sweet and sour sauce and green onions.
Kristina also makes "Nice Chicken." The Sweet and Sour Chicken is loaded with veggies, pineapple, and plenty of sauce and is served with rice.
The "Not Tso Nice Chicken" is sweet and spicy. It comes with veggies and is also served with rice.
The fried rice, called "Nice Rice" is a big hit, too.
You can get chicken, pork, beef, vegetarian, shrimp or a combo.
While Kristina was making a feast, Momma Lee showed up from Hastings.
Kristina: There's my mom.
Serese: The queen has arrived! It's so nice to meet you.
Momma Lee didn't waste any time making the food that inspired this place some four decades ago.
"These are recipes that my family has worked on for years," Kristina explained. "It's kind of a full circle moment - for my family and myself."
Kristina is proud of her heritage, this place - and her cuisine.
"My mom and I were talking, and she says there's nothing more rewarding than wanting to cook and people enjoying your food," Kristina said with a smile.
Nice Rollz is inside Kamp Blackstone at 3618 Farnam. It's open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
To see the full menu, go to kampblackstone.com.
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