The Grey Plume, an upscale restaurant in Omaha's Midtown Crossing, was featured earlier this week on Eater, a national restaurant blog, as part of the website's ongoing series about things customers steal. The hot item at the Plume: butter cookies. General manager Alex Adkins said the website sent the restaurant an email and asked if it had anything customers went after. The popular homemade cookies, given to diners as they leave, were the target of one recent group of diners. The diners took the bags of cookies from behind the host's post each time the host left the spot. Adkins said some of the diners pilfered six bags of the cookies, each of which holds two treats.

The party kept pestering the host for more cookies throughout their dinner, and as they left, they hounded the host for even more. The host resisted.

"I'll admit that the cookies are quite delicious," Adkins said on the Eater blog. "So I can't fault people for wanting more than what we usually give them."

Court finds restaurants different enough

Omaha diners can still eat similar (but slightly different) Chinese food at two Asian restaurants with similar (but slightly different) names, according to a ruling earlier this week from the Nebraska Court of Appeals.

The decision in China Buffet vs. Grand China Buffet found that customers aren't likely to mistake one of the restaurants for the other because of a few key differences.

China Buffet, 737 N. 114th St. has been open since 1993 and operating at its current location since 2000. Grand China Buffet, 11226 Chicago St., opened in 2010.

Both restaurants serve a Chinese buffet and operate a Mongolian grill. But Grand China Buffet is almost twice the size of China Buffet (11,000 square feet versus 6,000 square feet) and Grand China Buffet also serves sushi and daily seafood selections. China Buffet does not.

The two restaurants also look different from the outside.

"The outward appearance of the two buildings and signage are dissimilar enough that customers and potential customers acting with reasonable caution are unlikely to be mislead," the court decision reads.

The court found that China Buffet did not provide sufficient evidence to prove that the similar names confuse customers.

A quick search on Yelp.com using the words "China buffet" and "Nebraska" showed at least 10 restaurants across the state with some form of "China buffet" in their names.

Blanc revises happy-hour menu

Blanc Burgers and Bottles, in Midtown Crossing at 3157 Farnam St., revamped its happy-hour menu. The menu now includes Blanc's margarita, pesto white bean and Indian chicken flatbread pizzas for $6 each. The menu also includes chips and dip, a fish taco and an old school slider for $2 each; hummus, gouda cheese fries or a half dozen wings for $4; and a selection of discounted beer, wine and drinks that now includes $2 domestic beers and $5 cocktails. Happy-hour pricing takes place weekdays from 3-6 p.m. and during Nebraska Cornhusker games.

No turkey at this Thanksgiving feast

Diners at Saigon Surface can enjoy a tryptophan-free Thanksgiving feast at the restaurant this Thursday. The restaurant, 324 S. 14th St., is throwing a Vietnamese-style Thanksgiving dinner that will feature some of its signature dishes served family style.

Diners can reserve a seat at the table for $40 per person, which includes wine, appetizer, soup or salad, main courses and dessert. After dinner, the restaurant's resident DJ will play music and the bar will serve a selection of seasonally inspired cocktails. Diners who bring a non-perishable food item to the feast will receive a coupon for a free cocktail to be used on a future visit. Seats are limited and reservations are available in 90-minute blocks at 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 402-614-4496.

Vets, military personnel eat free

Cantina Laredo is offering free entrees all day Friday to veterans and active duty military. Manager Gordon Wilkinson said it's a way for the restaurant to thank soldiers. For reservations or more information, call 402-345-6000. The restaurant is at 120 S. 31st Ave., in Midtown Crossing.

— Staff writer Sarah Baker Hansen

Check out Sarah's blog, where she writes about cooking, eating and drinking in Omaha: omavore.wordpress.com.