Martha’s Pick:

Master’s Hand
3599 County Rd Fg, Tekamah, NE
Fare: Home-cooked meals and bakery
Cost: $27.99 each for multi-course lunch
Reservations: Recommended

Greetings, Eaters and Readers!

For the last year or two, Jaclyn and I have heard many a good thing about Master’s Hand – a charming bakery-restaurant-coffee-floral-retail shop about one hour north of Omaha. 

Nestled on the edge of Tekamah, Nebraska – Master’s Hand has earned quite the impassioned following for their ‘world-famous’ cinnamon rolls. But another pull for this multi-faceted business is their ‘tea room’ lunches and dinners. Periodically, the MH staff will host an event centered around a specially curated, home-cooked menu.

My mom had frequented these delightful events a few times with a small group of her fellow retired teachers. Coming down from Sioux City, they loved taking in everything the shop had to offer: a fresh cinnamon roll, samples of hot coffee, a smattering of candles and other clothing or house items for sale. If one of the curated events doesn’t work for you, you can also pop in for lunch – typically consisting of two rotating options. And that’s what Jaclyn, my mother and I decided to do on a recent Saturday.

We made a reservation for lunch (just in case the place was hopping) and headed to Master’s Hand to finally see if the buzz was warranted. After walking around the shop and purchasing a bag full of the freshest cinnamon rolls, we were seated at our table for lunch. The table was adorned with charming, floral place settings. The server quickly greeted us to discuss the menu and get our drink order.

Each of us was given our own paper menu – upon which we circled our selections. This day’s offerings were either a soup flight of six hot-and-ready soups, Marry Me Chicken, or Chicken Salad. Both entrée options are part of a full, multi-course line up – so there’s no chance you go home hungry. Read on to see how our Master’s Hand adventure treated us.

Course 1: Soup

First to the table was a round of soup. The options were aplenty to choose from: tomato basil, Italian pepperoni, cheesy broccoli, cheesy rice and cauliflower, red pepper Gouda and French onion.

I choose the Italian pepperoni, thinking it would be a thick, creamy soup with rich – and possibly cheesy – Italian flavor. This … was not that. What came in the bowl before me was a thin, tomato-based soup with chickpeas, tomatoes, zucchini and pieces of pepperoni. The flavor was fine, but the texture and ingredients threw me off from my expectations.

Jac’s French onion was your standard beefy broth and sliced onions. The flavor was great, but Jac says she prefers Brazen Head’s creamy, cheesy, crouton-heavy version better.

Of all of us, my mom enjoyed her soup the most. Her tomato basil was thick and creamy. Each spoonful a taste of zesty, sweet tomato. To say we had soup envy is an understatement.

Course 2: Sorbet

I think we were all a little confused about enjoying a cold, creamy, delicious sorbet BEFORE our main course. Shouldn’t strawberry sorbet be a dessert option? Perhaps this is how the fancy half live. We’re not sure – but turns out, it’s something we could get behind.

The sorbet was presented in a small, flower-shaped glass dish, and was the perfect portion to cleanse our palate after the soup. Maybe that’s the point? Don’t fight it or overthink it – just enjoy the delightful strawberry flavor.

Course 3a: Marry Me Chicken

My mom and I both opted for the Marry Me chicken entrée. This dish is a flavorful, savory experience – piled on top of mashed potatoes, and accompanied by steamed broccoli and a dance of sun-dried tomatoes.

Honestly, I couldn’t believe this level of flavor came from somewhere in the back of this thriving cinnamon roll factory. It was easy to imagine this item on the menu at a popular Omaha spot. The chicken was moist and easily fell off the bone – you didn’t have to work hard to enjoy it. The portions were generous, too – between my mom and I, we pieced enough of our leftovers together to take a full meal home to my dad.

My mom’s previous visits told us that the soup flight is always on the menu, and you don’t always know what the second option is going to be. But if you call ahead and they tell you it’s Marry Me Chicken? Hop in the car and head on up. You won’t regret it.

Course 3b: Signature Chicken Salad

Knowing she could have bites of my Marry Me Chicken – and wanting to order something different – Jac got the chicken salad. It came with a side salad and croissant. While the side salad was a nice light, fresh counterpart to her meal, Jac decided to focus most of her attention on the chicken and croissant.

Although the menu listed grapes in the chicken salad, this version was presented with craisins instead. Whether they ran out of grapes or forgot to update the menu, she was delighted by the texture and sweetness the craisins added to the creamy chicken salad.

The croissant, though, stole the show. I mean, look at that thing! It was somehow equal parts dense and light – not your typical flaky croissant. It was honestly Jac’s favorite part of the whole meal and next time she goes, she plans to order some for the road. (And although I forgot to mention the croissant in my thoughts above, I passionately concur with Jac’s feelings. I loooved dobbing this oh-so-soft croissant in my gravy!)

Final Course A: Bread Pudding

Already approaching ‘comfortably full’ after our main course, my mom and I both chose the bread pudding for our dessert. How could we not? If I know and love bread pudding, it’s because I grew up with my mom always repurposing that old bread to make this comforting, simple, delicious treat.

Master’s Hand’s bread pudding was a large, warm, dense portion – served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, warm pecans and a drizzle of caramel sauce. If we weren’t so full – we would have licked the bowl clean. As it was, mom and I both enjoyed what we could and then boxed the rest. But this item wasn’t necessarily to be shared with dad. 😉

Final Course B: Peach Crisp

There were so many dessert options to choose from. Apple pie, five different kinds of cheesecake, four different cakes, the bread pudding … and what Jac chose: peach crisp à la mode.

Fruity dessert are among Jac’s faves – and it was a true toss up between the pie and crisp. Unable to remember the last time she had peach crisp, the decision was made. Jac noted that she didn’t really pick up on any peach flavor, but she enjoyed it all the same. Hot ‘n crispy bites with a cold counterpart – chef’s kiss!

Cinnamon Rolls

Ok. Let’s talk about the real reason we came here: Cinnamon rolls. We’ve been hearing about them for years – from friends and strangers alike.

As I mentioned earlier, all three of us snatched up the available rolls at the counter – knowing we’d want to take them home. Trying a few bites while they were hot and fresh, we instantly understood the hype. The dough was soft and gooey. Not underdone gooey, though – just a hot, twisty roll of soft, cinnamony goodness.

Worrying she didn’t get enough for the road, Jac put in an order for two more at the end of her meal, which they kindly packaged and set aside for her at checkout. These cinnamon rolls were not only perfect fresh out of the oven, but they maintained that consistency and freshness a few days later. A quick 30 seconds in the microwave and the same heavenly experience could be relived all over again.

Final Bites

If you’re going to make the drive to Tekamah and explore all that Master’s Hand has to offer — and you should — we can’t say it enough: go with an empty stomach. If you time it just right and grab warm, fresh cinnamon rolls as they put them on the counter – consider yourself blessed and grab ’em. But don’t forget to peruse the homemade candy and other bakery items. Or the coffee bar. Or maybe even grab a cute spiral bamboo plant in the floral shop.

Jaclyn and I were both very happy with our first visit to Master’s Hand – but my mom couldn’t stop telling us that on certain days of the week or during special events – they have even MORE available to buy. It’s all about following them on Facebook or calling ahead to see what they’re serving that day. Whatever it is, we’re confident you’ll leave knowing the drive was worth it.

Cheers!
The Good Bite Gals

Martha’s mom, LaDonna (back row, center) and her friends enjoying Master’s Hand. ❤️💐

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