Good morning, KC!

I realized recently that I have not written an entry about Asian cuisine in Kansas City yet. And since I happen to be Asian, that's sort of a travesty.

We'll start with cuisine from my family's homeland, Vietnam. There are many Vietnamese restaurants in KC, which was sort of amazing to me, since people are just now starting to really appreciate the savory flavors from this country. I mean, for years, I've always heard about how great Thai food was (and sorry, but I'm not really a fan unless it's like Pad Thai), but no one had Vietnamese food except those who are culinarily adventurous. Now, it's really starting to hit the mainstream, with the help of some signature dishes like Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), and spring rolls, which ARE VIETNAMESE and not Chinese or Thai. Trust me, I've spent a lifetime trying to dodge anyone who tries to put one in front of me.

Sung Son: This small Westport eatery is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in town. Okay, so their food isn't the most authentic I've ever tasted, and their service sort of gets really slow (if you want a refill on your water glass, you better track down the waitress yourself), but I like the atmosphere in which the food is presented. When you enter, you see a simple reception desk. There's a small space for waiting, but there's never any wait. I've never really seen the place packed at all. There are curtain of muslin (?) hanging from the walls separating some tables. I really like this touch, it gives diners privacy without enclosing them. It also looks really hip and sophisticated. I could see a restaurant like this in LA or NYC. There are huge paintings from Vietnam depicting asian women in traditional scenes on the walls hanging over the small glass tables. On the other side of the restaurant (the two sides are sort of connected by a tiny bar), there are more tables and a few large booths. The tables are pretty spread out, and there aren't that many, which I like. It's not too busy ever. On to the food, I really like their Bun Tom Thit Nuong, which is rice vermicelli with grilled pork and shrimp on a bed of sprouts and assorted greens. You top this with as much fish sauce as you can handle (I use pretty much the entire bowl because the noodles don't soak it up). I think the meat tastes a little more buttery than what is deemed authentic (I do hail from the OC, which has one of the largest Viet communities outside of Vietnam), but other than that, I love it. Their appetizer of Banh Tom Chien (sweet potato fries with fried shrimp) is amazing too. A lot of my friends have had the spring rolls, egg rolls, other types of Bun and Com (rice dishes). My parents had the pho, and thought it was pretty good, which is possibly the highest compliment from them to a Vietnamese restaurant. They also have Chinese food and a pretty large Vegetarian menu.

PHO is possibly the most popular national dish in Vietnam. There are man varieties, Chicken, Beef, and you can order an assortment of other items on them like tripe and tendon which is not for the faint hearted. I've tried the Pho Bo Vien, which has beef meatballs in the noodle soup, and it is awesome. I really thought the broth was just the right amount of sweetness. I really liked it. And if you're going to any Vietnamese restaurant, you need to have an Iced French Coffee. It is strong, and delicious. You need it. Plus, it's like $2. So I'd say, if you want ambiance and fair food, this would be your best bet,

Viet Nam Cafe: This is by KU med, on Rainbow. I've been here twice, and I mean, it's not as nice as Sung Son in terms of decoration, but their food is decent. Their Banh Tom Chien is really good, and their nuoc mam dipping sauce (fish sauce) is probably better than that of Sung Son. However, if you're not an experienced fish sauce eater like me, you're probably not going to notice anything but the odor, so don't sweat it. Their Bun is possibly more authentic.

I've not been to Saigon 39 also near KU Med on 39th, but that's only because I do not really enjoy the dishes that they serve there. It seems to be pretty popular, and I'm sure the Pho is pretty good. I just don't really like their small selection. I have heard that the spring rolls are very good here.

Hien Vuong: It's a shame that the proprieter of this restaurant was so rude to me, because their food wasn't that bad. However, I will never return to this restaurant because the lady gave me a lot of attitude. First of all, I ordered a drink to go, they didn't have lids. I ask her for one, she barks at me. Then, I'm reading a newspaper that was left on a table. She comes over to me, takes it away, and snarls, "You have to leave that here." Like, lady, chill. I'm not interested in your newspaper. I can't really even read Vietnamese. It really is of no use to me. However, to be fair, their food is decent. The portions seem to be smaller than the other restaurants. It is in the City Market, so the location is sort of out of the way, but it is always pretty crowded. I think the service and cleanliness need to be worked on though.

Next time, I'll talk about Chinese food, or lack thereof, in KC.

And please, please tell me, you get the title of this entry after reading it.

Viva la comida de Mexico!

Here's a topic near and dear to my beloved homestate of California. Mexican food. I don't think it would be a fallacy to say that California has the best (and most authentic) Mexican food. However, not to be outdone, Kansas City has quite a few good South of the Border eateries as well. Here are some of the ones I've tried.

Margarita's: Very well hidden away down on Southwest Boulevard, lies Margarita's, a restaurant with good food in huge portions. Albeit the somewhat dingy decor (most of the booths have ripped up seats, and the tables are often standing on uneven legs), the salsa is decent and very mild. Come in on at lunch hour or any weekend night and the place is completely packed. They've got a tiny bar area near the front, with a tv screen or two that is currently showing World Cup soccer action, or any other sporting events. There's smoking and nonsmoking sections. In the nonsmoking sections, there are a few booths, a pinata and some weird 80s art deco looking pictures. The food is very rich. The last time I was there (I've been 3 times now), I had the steak fajita quesadilla, which has a ton of creamy queso fresco (I think) and monterrey jack with a huge dollup of sour cream on top. It was seriously cheesy. Like Chester Cheetah cheesy. The meat and peppers are seasoned really well and the quesadilla is filled thick with them, and I could only eat 3 wedges before getting full. I did sort of gorge on chips and salsa before my meal arrived though. Their enchiladas are decent, as are their specials. I really like their Lucky #13 Flauta platter, very crispy, but the meat can get dry. Their Cancun which is a monster of a burrito filled with beef, pork, cheese, and covered with egg and cheese, is delicious. I like Margarita's.

Jalapenos Brookside: This is where I spent Cinco de Mayo this year, having dinner with some friends. I also had the fajita quesadilla, and it might have been better here, for the fact that it isn't quite as cheesy and rich. It's like the quesadillas that I'm used to having back home. The reason I always eat quesadillas is because I don't like beans. And most burritos have beans. So that's a no go. However, Jalapeno's has one big flaw. When ordering a bean and cheese burrito, my friend was disapointed to find that they used nacho cheese that looked and tasted like cheez whiz. This restaurant is packed on the weekends, and has decent food, although maybe not as authentic.

Manny's: I'm really not that big of a fan of this chain. Another Southwest Boulevard institution, I have had their nachos, and that was alright, but there were so many ingredients that it was sort of overkill. I also have had the flautas here, but they seemed more greasy, and the meat wasn't really seasoned. Their food really lacks the flavor of some of the other establishments around the city. Also, I don't think their salsa is as good as they tout. The margaritas that my friends got were weak, but some of my other friends have stated that the margaritas border on too strong, if there is such a thing. The service isnt' that great here, and the food is pretty much bland.

Rudy's: The one time I have been to Rudy's, I thought it was pretty good. I enjoyed their fish tacos, thinking that these were very authentic tasting, like I was down in Baja or something. Another very popular place to eat, their bar is packed on the weekends. I have tried to return, but they had a hour + wait, so we went elsewhere, but hopefully sometime soon, I'll get to eat there again. The small restaurant has a nice homey feel, and they have a pretty big menu, so there are good choices...

Baja 600: Let's say that the only redeeming quality about this restaurant is its location on the plaza.

I haven't tried Sol Azteca or Sol Cantina yet, but I have heard good things about both, although Sol Cantina is more appreciated for its bar. And if you're just looking for some fast food options that are really palate pleasing, I always recommend Chipotle, Baja Fresh (is it still open at Town Center?), and of course Pancho's and Taco Bell, your finer options.

Back in the KC again...

So, I'm back from my 2 week jaunt to Eastern Europe, and it was great! The smorgasboard of food...I must have gained like 10 lbs. I can't help it, the goulash, the sachertorte, the kielbasa, the reindeer. That's right, I had reindeer and venison in Finland--rudolph and bambi on one plate.

My favorites were the grilled meats/kielbasa and pierogies in Poland, goulash and chicken paprikash in Budapest (and the dolos torta at this bakery, Gerbaud was really good), crepes in slovakia, viennese coffee melange and sacher torte in Vienna (I prefer Hotel Sacher to Demel), and roasted duck and pork, potato dumplings in Prague. Then the whole reindeer/venison experience in Helsinki. And as an added bonus to those who enjoy spirits, they serve alcohol (cheap too!) at every meal. In Prague, beer is cheaper than water. I had some vodka for breakfast in Warsaw as well which is very unlike me. And all these countries have incredible desserts and chocolates. Eastern Europe rocks, and seriously, it's more than the food.

But enough of that, I'm back in KC, so there will be a lot more updates, especially since this summer will be pretty lax for me. First, this weekend is the annual Festa Italiana at Crown Center, with a lot of different vendors selling awesome Italian food. Last year, my friend and I spend like $30 on food because we are oinkers. I had Chicken Parm sandwich from the Copa Room, funnel cake, and Sheridans. This year, I want to go to the festival for the meet and greet with Lidia Bastianich, tv chef and proprietor of Lidia's Kansas City (which is probably, in my opinion, the best italian restaurant in town). Entrance fee is $5, and there is entertainment, shopping and food abound. It's a great festival.

Also this Saturday, Sluggerrr, the KC Royals' mascot is turning 10 years old. There's supposed to be some sort of celebration, with other mascots from around the league. Unfortunately though, no Rally Monkey. But, the first 10,000 fans get a free Sluggerrr stuffed animal on Sunday. I'm not gonna lie, I touched his hand once, it was kind of creepy. But there's lots to do this weekend, so take advantage of it...I mean, when is this kind of opportunity going to present itself again?

Until the next update, bon apetit!