NoRTH Star

Recently a friend of mine suggested a weekday dinner...in Leawood. Yes, I too did a double take. Leawood? In JoCo? Without another reason (i.e. shopping at Crate & Barrel or Dean & Deluca)? That's mighty far for two people who live in Midtown to drive on a rainy Thursday. But, since I am a seeker of all things new, even if they are in the suburbs (I grew up in Orange County though so you'd think I'd be used to burby things by now), I obliged.

He suggested NoRTH, which is , according to its website a part of the Fox restaurant group running establishments out of Scottsdale, Denver, and Austin. I am suspicious of the so-called "restaurant group" trend that has been ravaging our country. Usually there's a lot of flash, but not so much in terms of food (see Ashton Kutcher's dolce group and like every restaurant in a major casino in Vegas). My dining companion had eaten at NoRTH before with his girlfriend and liked it, and we have a similar aesthetic so why not.

It was just as sleek/stylish as I imagined, with the dark oak tables seated super close together (a trend that I hate because I feel like people always stare at the lone Asian), white plastic chairs that are wholly uncomfortable but cute. We had to wait for a few minutes, so we wandered around the adjacent shops, finding some clothing stores, the Apple store, etc. I don't understand some boutiques--like if they carried labels that I wanted to buy maybe that would be something I could get behind, but a lot of boutiques around here carry shit from unknown--and for a reason--might I add--and unrelevant designers. But they can sell it for like $$$$, so whatever, capitalism rules, I guess.

We went into this one clothier/restaurant, which in theory is the best coupling since Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan (Sleepless in Seattle, not You've got Mail), eat while you shop!, but since I don't remember the actual name of the restaurant that's probably bad for them. The clothes were expensive, and much nicer on the men's side than on the women's. I did see a Bill Blass jacket that was gorg, but then I chided myself from liking a brand my mother has worn. Needs more recognizable names. Like seriously, I couldn't find a Tory Burch belt in this city if my life depended on it. Trust me, I've tried--no one even knows who that is here.

I haven't even gotten to our meal yet. Finally we were buzzed, and seated in the middle of the medium sized dining room. Every seat was filled in the place with your typical older professional-our kids are sleeping over at their friends houses-or-drinking our liquor with their friends in the basement types. We started with the white bean & truffle oil bruschetta. I actually have two bones to pick with this dish--I like my bread very crispy and I feel like the texture and taste of the bread was akin to a french baguette, I hope they were not using a french baguette. Also, not too much of a truffle oil essence. They have us some mozzarrella stuffed olives to start too, which were great.

I chose the seared scallops over wild mushroom orzo with a warm pear salad. Mouthful. And mouthfuls I did take, because this was actually pretty good. The scallops were cooked perfectly with just a hint of resistance when you take a bite...you know what I'm talking about. There were like five big scallops and some were a little overseasoned with salt. The Orzo was well seasoned and very delicious. Add the mildness of the pear salad on top and you had a winner.

My friend had the pork tenderloin which was cooked very nicely, and seasoned perfectly. We ended with the tiramisu which was awesome, but awkwardly served in a bowl which I didn't like. Overall, this was a good experience--our server was a little too attentive and maybe it's just me but I'm annoyed when someone is always hovering over me during my meal. I would definitely suggest this if you want to go out and be seen by the JoCo aging hipster (read: yuppy) crowd or if you're a kid from Blue Valley North who wants to impress his date with a fancy/yet still affordable/not steakhouse meal. North is actually pretty good, so mangia!

Ethnic eats

Some different "ethnic" eats.

Chosun: Now, I am a Midtown girl, so I don't make it out to the OP (bitch) very often, but one night whilst doing some errands close by, I decided to stop by this seedy little strip mall and eat at Chosun Korean BBQ. One of my friends recommended this place to me, and since she is a fellow gourmand and has excellent taste, I thought why not. Traditionally I am not a huge fan of Korean food. I find it bland, and since I'm not the world's most tolerant spice eater, the kim chi does not work for me. It in fact works against me, about 4-6 hours later when I'm wishing for death. For those unaware, Korean BBQ establishments have a grill in the middle of your table and it is kind of choose your own adventure. They bring a lot of side dishes--from pickled vegetables, salad, pickled hot dogs?, bean sprouts, kim chi, and spicy tofu. You grill your meat and then eat it with rice. This place was not bad. There were no Korean spareribs, which is my favorite dish--I may have to post my mom's recipe one day, so we ordered a steak (yeah we're totally not adventurous) which the server then grilled for us on the grill in the middle of the table. The servers didn't really know English, which isn't a problem with me--as a barely speaking Vietnamese person I've experienced a lot worse in terms of communication barriers--but they also weren't readily available or overly friendly. The meal cost like $25, because we shared the steak, and it was enough. I actually really like the sweet/sour hot dog pieces and the kim chi wasn't as spicy as some others I've had--it was in fact manageable for me. We let our steak get a little overdone, but that was our bad. Overall, not bad, but it didn't overwhelmingly wow me either--not sure if I will be making the drive out there again.

El Pulgarcito: My boyfriend is half Salvadoran, even though he does not speak Spanish, and is the whitest person I know. A part from the fact that he has actually been to El Salvador, he really doesn't have anything to do with his heritage. When I heard about this restaurant, I was like, we have to go there. So I was expecting a hole in the wall type place--and it did not deviate from my expectations. The restaurant on 59th and Merriam basically looks like an abandoned house--in fact, my boyfriend asked if this was actually some old Salvadoran lady's house. There is a countertop, and like 6-7 tables around the place---very small. Each table has a big cannister of pickled cabbage, carrots, cucumbers which I'm told is a staple accoutrement to Salvadoran food. We had pupusas, these fried corn flour cakes filled with cheese topped with chicharrones (pork cracklings, kind of like a very very fried pulled pork), loroco (a root type plant from Latin America), beans, or squash. I had one of these, it was very filling. The bf said it was very authentic, and he was totally excited to have some Cola Champagne; I think it made him reminisce about his 5 yr old self in San Salvador.

Korma Sutra: I have been to both the OP and Westport locations of this Indian eatery, and I have to say, for my amateur Indian food enjoyment, I like it. We often go to the buffet where I gorge myself on chicken pakora, samosas, chicken tikka masala, biryani, tandoori chicken (sometimes very dry). I love the basmati, and the naan, oh the naan--love it. I sop up all the deliciously spicy sauces with it, and let the flavors all swim in my mouth. I eat insane amounts of their chutneys--which I think are the onion, tomato and tamarind. I also like their dessert, the honey balls swimming in coconut milk sugar water. I've had their palak paneer, which may be my favorite dish of all time--shrimp version--and it's a winner. I like the extra perks that come with this place, too. The chai at the end of the meal, the cubes of mango ice cream, and sometimes the tiny honey balls, it's like you ever know what you'll get next. This place makes me want to be a glutton.

Taj Mahal: 75th and Wornall. I've eaten here once, and it was very good. We had the dinner for two--which was like $30 all together and comes with a massive amount of food. It came with paneer, tandoor chicken, tikka masala, possibly lamb biryani--and basmati and naan. There was also dessert and this really great lentil soup. I can't exactly remember what else, but I thought it was great, and the wait-staff was very attentive and friendly. Can't ask for much more than that.

Noodles & Company: I know this is by no means ethnic, but it didn't really deserve it's own entry. I ate here yesterday, actually, at the location in Zona Rosa--and although I liked my pesto cavatappi (my favorite type pasta [so curly!], pesto was not as salty as I would have liked, needed more cowbell), my boyfriend hated his pad thai (said it smelled like something I cannot even write on here--and trust me he eats a lot of my fish sauce laden foods, so it actually did smell kinda funky) and cursed me for making him go to this "restaurant."

See, the only reason I wanted to go here is because of a place in California that I miss dearly called Pasta Bravo. Now, Pasta Bravo is my no means any sort of Michelin star restaurant. Make no mistake, it's not very good. It is in fact, a fast food, mass produced "Italian" eatery (kind of like a classier Fazoli's without the insane best-thing-i've-ever-eaten breadsticks) that serves fettucine alfredo, spaghetti bolognese, other American italian dishes. I ate here a lot in high school--in fact, when I had a reunion with my friends from HS a few months ago, we picked this place to meet. I have been looking for a fast food italian place where the pasta and sauces are in huge warmers in front of your eyes. I am this classy. I eat at Cupini's all the time, but you know what? It's like too gourmet, it is too good. I mean, they make their own pastas for pete sakes. Have you had their proscuitto and cheese tortellini? They don't make that shit for food to go. Pasta bravo hits the spot for me when I need something quick, something not that great.

Joe's on Main used to do it for me with their watered down tomato sauce over mostaccioli, but they are no more. Noodles & Co still has not filled this void in my life. Instead of only italian, they've tried to conquer not one, but two other categories-Asian and American. They have mac and cheese, they've got Japanese pan noodles (which I'm not sure they even have in Japan), mushroom stroganoff, and you can add proteins like grilled chicken, beef, shrimp and tofu to any dish. It was subpar, but for what they are going for, I think they did a good job. Good concept, should have a little better execution. Also, every single table in the place had dirty dishes on it, and we sat at the last clean table before the busboy trudged out 10 minutes later to start cleaning. Mal times, people.

Still haven't found the Middle Eastern fare that I'm looking for--Habashi House at River Market has Jordanian fare that is very good, their meaty combo is totally fetch (gyro meat, pita, hummus (or baba ganoush) a shirazi like salad, and dolmas), but they aren't open for dinner. The falafel here is one of the city's best. I still adore my Gyro van, parked by the UMKC dental school every weekday at lunchtime. You can get the most awesome gyro for $3.50. And it's out of a van, god love ya, Gyro Van. Sometimes you can find them parked in Westport, trust, it is the perfect pairing with Natty lights from Harpo's and the smell of vomit at Kelly's. Yes, even better than Joe's Pizza.

I do like Aladdin Cafe on 39th. When I was doing a research at KU, I ate here a lot. A lot. Their gyro sandwich comes with salad and rice, which makes it a total deal for like $6. It may be $7 now. Their meat is crispy and different than other places, which leads me to believe that it's not made on the traditional rotisserie like oven (they have this at Habashi if you want to see it). I don't know what it's cooked on, but I like it.

Jerusalem cafe is good, gyro is alright. Their side salads are pretty much akin to those you could buy at Wendy's. The Kabob platters are actually very good, if not a little expensive. I still am not understanding why their two locations are a block away from each other (Westport and 39th). Seems a little redundant. Lastly, Jerusalem Bakery and their sandwich shop Golden Wraps on Westport is definitely a sure bet for me. I like their buffet a lot, like the chunks of gyro meat with all you can eat tzatziki (it is kind of bland compared to others though), moussaka, falafel (usually too hard), salads, this baked chicken that is so fall off the bone tender that it makes my heart race in anticipation. Ah, middle eastern is my favorite.

Notice that I did not put KC Pita on here--not middle eastern in the slightest. It is as ethnic as Larry the Cable Guy. And the fact that I know who that is, my friends, is a sure sign that I've lived in Missouri for too long.

Red, Blanc, and Blue?

Blanc Burgers + Bottles is my favorite restaurant right now. I have always loved burgers, mod decor, the color white, and tragically hip denizens, so this is perfect for me. Brought to you by the people who run The Drop--although I think that partnership has ended, this place is totally sophisticated even though it looks like a Diddy party all year long. I have run into some of my most trendy acquaintances along with some very counterculture types here--it's fun for all! I have literally eaten at the Westport eatery like 10 times--and I can still fit in my skinny jeans, bitches.

My favorite is the inside out burger which is burger with blue cheese and bacon. Like, what are the chefs invading my dreams or something? I couldn't think up a better burger. The au poivre is a close second because I love the overwhelming flavor of peppercorn permeating throughout the meat. Plus I like crescents on my burger. The meatloaf burger is decent, but unforch, I like will always get the other two. Plus it is too saucy for my taste. I also like the Classic, simple, understated. The bison burger is not only tasty, but like 99% fat free. Awesome. My veg friends eat the vegetarian lentil burger, but seriously if I'm at Blanc, I want my taste buds to cohabit with meat.

The sides are equally as awesome. The sweet potato fries are my fav, but the classic fries are skinny and extra crispy, just the way I like them. The onion rings are also good, and why wouldn't they be, they're battered with Boulevard. I haven't had the truffle fries or the calamari fries--what am I, made of money? I hear they are totally bananas though. I will have to try them next time.

The best thing though is that they have lunch specials from 11-3 on the weekdays where you get a smaller version of the burger (not the inside out though, drats!), which is perfect size IMO and a side for $8. Some others would say that the best thing about the restaurant is its insane selection of bottles--spirits, tea, soda, etc--but as a person who doesn't drink that much, I just stick to the iced tea, coincidentally not bottled. There's like 200+ varieties, and my boyfriend freaks out when we go there because he can get La fin du monde, for like $5. It's more expensive at the Flying Saucer, where he usually gets it.

I've never had the milkshakes (made with Foo's!), because I feel like I'm dying of cholesterol every time I eat here. The burgers are pretty greasy and I could only imagine how my LDLs are looking. Fat, probably. They are probably looking fat. That's the one downside, damn you Blanc burger. Damn you for being so tasty.

Times a changin'

Reading some of my old posts, I have realized how much has changed in my culinary tastes. I've also realized that I go out to eat a lot. Rudy's is like one of my favorites go-to places for Mexican--love the quesadilla, love the fajitas.

For more mexican fare: Sol Azteca (off Southwest and Rainbow)--which has some very legit tacos del carbon, and their fajita quesadilla is also very good. Their salsa is very fresh and zesty, too. I have been here several times, and it has not disappointed. The family also runs Dos Reales in Shawnee?, near the Fazoli's which is really good, too.

Teocali by UMKC Med/Dental school is also very good, their tacos are great, quesadillas and enchiladas are if not authentic, very savory. Very crowded at lunch, filled with dental, med and Children's Mercy workers.

Bo Ling's (chinese please) is now a favorite because their kung pao chicken is seriously the bomb--the sauce is thick and dark, served with fried green beans, it is spicy and the chicken is tender and perfect. If it wasn't like $12, I would totally eat this more often. There are a bunch of locations which makes it convenient too. I like the one at City Market because the decor is nicer than that on the Plaza.

I've eaten at Bangkok Pavilion since the last time I wrote, and you know what? Not bad at all. The only thing was that we were the only diners for like 80% of the meal and it was a Saturday night. Not very promising. The Pad thai was good, not tomato based, chicken was tender and tofu was very good. Apparently there is a buffet or something on the weekends, but it is quite a drive for me. And if I'm going to be out that way, I usually just grab something to eat at Whole Foods. Gotta love those pizzas.

Sung Son, my fave Vietnamese restaurant in the city (I am Vietnamese, so you should probably take my recommendation) has a lunch buffet! I love it. The concept is something I haven't seen before, which is surprising because in my day I've been to a lot of Vietnamese buffets in SoCal. There is a noodle bar, where you can have one of five types of soups (Beef Chicken Bo Vien [meatball] Pho, Seafood or Pork/Chicken Hu Tieu) made to order. There are like 15 or so other food items to choose from: Bun Thit nuong (Vermicelli with grilled pork, my fav!), Banh Tom Chien (sweet potato fries with shrimp), Spring Rolls with peanut sauce, egg rolls, Goi Ga (Chicken Salad, Viet style = no mayo, lots of flavor), Chinese fare such as General Tso's, Chow Mein, Fried Rice, Spare ribs; french style beef, curried chicken.

Have been to the Classic Cookie at Gregory and Wornall for brunch a few times now. Cute, small mom and pop place--food is okay, you know you could get the same stuff anywhere. I've had the breakfast burrito, which according to my dining companion would be so much better if the tortilla was grilled. The charm is in the small basket of baked goods that comes with lunch. I learned this the hard way when I ate breakfast there, requested a basket and was charged like $4 for it--and the cookies were kind of stale. The mini-muffins are awesome though, love the pumpkin and apple cinnamon ones.

KC BBQ: rubbing me the right way since 2006

I've spent almost 6 years in Kansas City, and am actually hoping to do my medical residency here, too--which would mean another 5 years in the Emerald City/City of Fountains/Heart of America. So I thought I would re-start this blog and talk about my recent experiences with the culinary delights of this fine city. I'm not even being sarcastic or loose with my usage of the word 'delights'.

I have been busy, but since I am currently enjoying the senioritis that comes with any last year of intense schooling, I have a little more time on my hands that I could probably use studying, improving myself by going to the gym, reading, etc, but instead I choose to spend it here with you. Won't you be my neighbor?

As a medical student in this fine city (we have three medical school here by the way, talk about saturation), you would think I would be all about healthy choices. Judging from the fact that I ate at Gates BBQ (Hi, may I help you!) last night, that is obviously not true.

I think I may be changing my stance on BBQ. Kansas City BBQ is a dry rub type of BBQ that isn't pre-sauced on the grill/in the smoker whatever. I like this, I like to mix my own sauces (it's like fine chemistry to get it all right) and smother it all over the meat I get. Since I am a control freak and enjoy this autonomy, KC BBQ beats Texas/Tennessee/other random Southern states IMHO.

Now that said, Gates was the first BBQ place I sampled on the day of my orientation in July of 2003. I did not like it. I didn't like the yelling, I didn't like the greasiness, I didn't like the overwhelming sodium intake that comes along with smothering everything in their classic sauce. That said, if you are a visitor to Kansas City, I think you should at least try it, if not one of the other BBQ joints I will list in the coming paragraphs. There's lots of locations across the metro--I go to the one on Main, and sometimes the one of Troost. Yeah. I said Troost. Don't be alarmed when the workers yell, "Hi, may I help you!" it's a part of the schtick and charm.

I hate to say it, but I kind of like Gates now. Sort of. Every time I go there, I get the burnt ends on bun, but invariable I never eat the bun. It is definitely tasty, but so greasy and there are always chunks of fat which are not that appetizing to me. They also serve steak fries of which I am not a huge fan. I do like their classic sauce more so than the sweet version and I like the pickles so that works out.

Now the best BBQ in the city, in my opinion, is Oklahoma Joe's. You have to go to the original location off 47th and Mission--the restaurant is in a gas station. Which makes it so effing cool. Don't think they don't capitalize on that, they've got a t-shirt. I mean, if that's not kitsch, I don't know what is. The Z-man is the most heavenly tasting sandwich ever--juicy brisket, provolone topped off with an onion ring on a kaiser roll. Smother that in their Cowtown sauce and oh my god, I need a minute. God love ya, OK Joe's. If the Z-man were a real man, I would marry him. Their Carolina sandwich which is pulled pork, brisket, or turkey with spicy slaw and 'Bubba's sauce' is also decent. Doesn't quite make it to Z status though. Their bag of seasoned fries is HUGE (that's what she said, yes I'm still living in 2006) and their onion rings are to die for. Not to mention their Hog Heaven sandwich--pork sausage and pulled pork, yeah I know...awesome, is great too. Their sauces really make everything though. The Cowtown is a mild tomato, while the night of the living dead is a chipotle infused sweet/hot sauce. There is also a very thin/liquidy vinegar based tomato sauce that has nice spice. If you only have time to go to one place, GO TO OKLAHOMA JOE's. But, be prepared to wait, it is very popular.

Arthur Bryant's: I'm a little ashamed to say I've never been to the original location in the 18th and Vine area of KC. I have however, been to the one in the Ameristar because that's the way I roll. I would say, eh, not that great. Didn't really care for the sauce or the white bread it was served with. Like I get what they're going for, and I could see how people would really like it, but I'm not sure that it is worthy of one of the 1000 places to see before you die. Trivia factoid: it's the only 'see before you die' location in Missouri, beating out the St. Louis Arch, Harry S Truman home/museum, Hannibal MO, Nelson Atkins shuttlecocks, and my personal favorite the world's largest Pecan in Brunswick. Yeah, I'll be quiet now.

Jack Stack: If you're looking for some finer dining options in the realm of BBQ, I would definitely suggest Jack Stack. I've been to the Plaza and Downtown locations--both chic cowboy elegant, and have also had their catering on several occasions. The prime rib sandwich is awesome, as is the Poor Russ which is burnt ends on a sesame seed bun (I love me some burnt ends as you can see). You have to try the cheesy corn because you'll never ever go back to regular creamed again--dare I say that I would take a bath in the stuff, although of course I'd let it cool down first. Their turkey, beef brisket, and pork ribs are all juicy (virtually impossible when you order catering from anywhere, but somehow the meat juices hold up).

I've eaten at Famous Dave's at the American Royal-verdict: fair, but mass produced so it isn't anything to blog about. They have that big location at Power and Light, which kudos to their real estate scout.

There are literally like 100 more BBQ restaurants in KC, but I'll have to start taking some blood pressure meds if I want to visit any more of them. I'm having palps just thinking about it.

why Rob Dalzell is a genius...

Rob Dalzell has done a difficult thing. He has successfully opened four distinct restaurants in a city full of good eats; and has done so without cutting corners or shirking on ingredients or taste. This man is a hero to the masses, at least he should be revered as one in Kansas City.

1924 Main: This is somehow my least favorite of his restaurants. I went there for my birthday this year, and several things irked me. The service wasn't great, at least not what I would expect for a restaurant of its caliber. I don't know if it was our age, but we were pretty much ignored except when our food was brought out. It also felt like they were rushing us, even though there were a bunch of open tables all around once we'd finished 1/3 of our meal. They didn't bring me a spoon for my soup, and I had to eat it cold. The soup, with truffle oil and pesto, was good though, even cold. The tenderloin was bland, and that was the dish I was most excited to try. The fried green beans that everyone raves about, tasted like raw flour, because there was raw flour on them. I will say that the bread pudding was the best thing I've ever had, well at least it was close. Too bad it was too little too late. The guy next to me liked his oatmeal stout cake, but he was really annoying; this is why the tables should be placed further away from each other.

Pizza Bella: This is a really cute place. Like, if they were shooting a Hollywood movie about a guy and a girl going on a date, they should shoot it here. The margherita pizza was very good, even though my dining partner thought there was too much open crust with no toppings. I had the sausage pizza which was awesome, but it's sausage so you can't go wrong. The pizzas are very minimalist in terms of ingredients, but they pack a punch in taste. Also, the crust is perfect; and it even has the "almost" burnt parts that I love. The decor is cute with the wood paneling, and you can see the pizzas baking in the wood fired oven in the very, very intimate dining room. The people sitting next to us were really staring at us, and in a restaurant where you are seated far from your neighbor, you wouldn't notice. Here, I was keenly aware of it. I do like that they pour your water from a glass bottle though, but I like fanfare during meals.

chefburger: Okay, so I really only have one problem with this place, and it isn't even its fault. There is nowhere to park in the Power and Light district at lunchtime. I drove around for a half and hour last Tuesday AM ( I came at 11), and had to give up. I couldn't do it. But, I went back that night (determination is my game), found some garage parking, and let me tell you...it was worth it. I really like this place, and will be going back very soon. The French Onion burger with gruyere was amazing. Why didn't I think of this before, French Onion soup is one of my favorite foods? This is why Rob Dalzell is a genius. This burger was HUGE, and cooked to perfection (I asked for medium-well); it was very greasy judging from its wrapper, but I actually didn't taste that much grease. It was super fast; I barely waited for my to go order, and I can't want to try some of the other options (BBQ burger with bleu cheese, milkshakes...yum). I also love that they offer fries, rings, sweet potato fries, and fried green beans; it's really sensory overload, those dishes are all I've ever wanted in a restaurant. They even have spiked milkshakes, which seems like a totally horrible idea because then you'd be vomiting up like thick creamy stuff; says the girl who likes Baileys with ice cream. Even though I was semi-disappointed with the green beans at 1924, I ordered them because I love green beans. This is what I was wanting the first time; crispy, perfect green beans with actual bread crumb like breading; not tempura, not flour breaded. The order was huge (a good deal at $2.99 for sides), and it was seasoned PERFECTLY. I love this place so far.

Souperman: The name of this place makes me want to sing Soulja Boy. This is my favorite of the four, although chefburger is definitely racing towards the finish (time will tell). I picked this as my fav because I go here fairly often. I usually get the combo (comes with a sanditto, like a sandwich version of calzone and a soup or salad), but the soups are by far the best thing about this place, we'll get to them. The chicken caesar sanditto is okay, it can get a little bit wet. The BBQ brisket with bleu cheese is very good, but also gets a little mushy. I'm a philly cheesesteak purist, so I'm not a fan of the type of brisket? they use in their version. I don't know cuts of meat. All I know it that I love cheesesteaks on a griddle with chez whiz smothered all over it. Thank god I didn't go to school in Philly (was very, very close), I would be in more trouble than I am here. The Chinese chicken salad is good; I really don't think you can really mess up classic salads. Now, I really like the Lemon Chicken Artichoke with wild rice soup. The wild rice is such a great addition to this, providing a nice little nuanced crunch. The broth is perfectly lemony (snicket). The broccoli cheddar is very good too, even if it doesn't taste like the classic...it might be better. My favorite soup is the chowder. I don't know what they put in this stuff, but it seems lighter even if it isn't. I think they put rosemary in it, and I love it. The chunks of clam are really big and there's a generous amount.

Run to your nearest Dalzell establishment, and then run to the next one, they are only a few blocks away from each other. I would be lying if I said that I didn't lie awake at night praying for the chef to open a dessert bar. No whammies, no whammies, bread pudding, stop!

there's a reason its the most important meal of the day...i just haven't found that reason yet

Let me just start out with this statement: I hate breakfast food. Now, I like eggs, omelettes, sausage, bacon, but I'm not a fan of pancakes, waffles, pastries, bagels, blintzes whatever. I eat pate on toast for breakfast most days. That is how snobby I am. Just kidding, or not. I've already talked about Eggtc, and nothing about that place has really changed, except that G-dub ate there during his last visit, thus making me late for school. Thanks, G-dub.

ANYWAY,

Harvey House Diner: In the Union Station building, this is the cutest place to take people from out of town. I don't know how it's going to be, eating breakfast with all of those "bodies revealed" cadavers hanging out in the basement, but you should try this place. It's patterned after an old time diner, with counter seating, luscious pies in a refrigerator counter, checkered floors, fifties style tables and a big menu. I went there for lunch twice, the first time I got a patty melt, which was really good, burger was nice and thick, juicy, not too fatty. Fries were seasoned just right. The second time, I actually opted for breakfast food, french toast, which was good as far as French Toast goes, not the most difficult to make. The service at the counter was just okay, they kind of forgot about us. Trust me though, cute place, a little overpriced.

You Say Tomato: 28th and Holmes, so the neighborhood is sort of sketch, but it's near TMC and Children's Mercy, so that's like a built in customer base. Smart. Three artists opened this breakfast/lunch place out of an old neighborhood grocery that had long since been gone. It's a little confusing when you walk in, there's a hodgepodge of mismatched tables and chairs and some smaller sized shopping carts. At the side there's a few shelves set aside to be an organic grocery, with panko breadcrumbs, canned vegetables, EVOO, organic pasta, tomato sauce, sea salt, sriracha, coconut milk, etc. They even have an old refrigerator case that displays fruits and veggies. The first time I went, it was in the middle of a lunch rush, and even though we ordered a BLT and a it took forever, as there was only one cook in the back! Another employee was busy with the cash register, and another was sort of busing the tables. The food that time was decent, but the wait was just too long. The second time, I went to Sunday brunch with my friend, and it went a lot more smoothly. We beat the brunch crowd, ordered our paninis (they have paninis of the week), and it came out fairly quickly. The paninis are probably not made on a panini maker, but the bread was crusty and the cheese was melted perfectly. They have a variety of pastries, brownies, pie, muffins that they make on site, and they look terrific, especially the cinnamon roll. They also have a variety of salads, hummus, sandwiches, grits (which my friend said were great with cheese), pasta salad, and they bake their own bread. Any place that puts that much effort and time into their food deserves some customers who will try it out.

The Corner: I like to think of this place on the corner of Broadway and Westport as my own Seinfeld restaurant, although I rarely eat there, and if I do it's because I was probably very drunk the night before. I love their southwestern omelet though, all of that sausage and chorizo and more sausage scrambled up into eggs. They also have this one Louisiana style omelette, which is andouille-d out. Get there early though, before the egg substitute runs out. Their pancakes look great, too. And their hot chocolate is really delicious, even at almost $2 for a small mug. This place is packed on the weekends, and they only serve breakfast on Sunday. Oddly, this place also serves Mediterranean dishes like hummus and falafel, but you should really stick to the breakfast items. If you're not faint hearted, you should definitely go here, if you are or if you work for the Health Department, you should probably find somewhere else to go.

First Watch: I've only been to the one in Westport, and let me tell you, may be the best experience at a restaurant ever. I want to give a shoutout to Carlos, who was the best waiter ever. He was so attentive, and refilled my ice tea like eight times (it was that good), and then when we were done, he gave us to go containers of our drinks. Who does this? It's unheard of, and this is why I still remember Carlos to this day. The food wasn't half bad either. I had the Burrito Vera Cruz, which was the size of two toilet paper rolls stacked, full of egg substitute, chorizo, cheese, topped with sour cream and paired with breakfast potatoes. I later found out that this meal was about 1000 calories, but it was too good to even think of that. My friend had some sort of egg substitute combo, but was offered to substitute pancakes for one of the things in the combo, without even asking! You go Carlos. The coffee was great, my ice tea was awesome. They offer free internet there. While this place is a chain restaurant, it's way better than any sort of IHOP.

more tales from the Orient

As a Vietnamese person from the Vietnamese mecca of Southern California, I often crave Vietnamese food, and luckily we have some pretty good places in KC. For a more exhaustive list, go two entries down.

Vinh Hoa: I really like this place. Just North of the River, on Burlington, it's the only place I have found that has decent Banh mi, or the Vietnamese version of a hoagie. The Banh Mi Thit Nuong is grilled/charbroiled pork with jalapeno, pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro on a French baguette. And the best thing is that the sandwiches are only like $2-3. Delish! I also really like their rice dishes, the com bi suon nuong hot ga, which is short grain rice with grilled porkchop, egg loaf (better than it sounds), shredded boiled pork and fried egg. The Vietnamese iced coffee will keep you up for days, and the soda chanh or lemonade soda is awesome. Everything is really good. This place is really cheap, really tasty, and you have the Vietnamese person seal of approval. Count it.

Now on to Thai food. Not my favorite stuff. When I was a kid, we went out to Thai restaurants all the time because it happens to be my parents' favorite type of food and that burnt me out on the stuff. The only dish I like, and thus the only dish I ever order is Pad Thai. And so, that's what I base a good restaurant on. If you can't make a good Pad Thai, I can't hang with you.

Thai Place/Arun Thai: now, their pad thai sauce has a more tomato/ketchup-y base, which is usually my favorite kind. However, I think the noodles come out too soggy, and the actual dish itself is kind of bland. The portion is large, and the dining rooms are nice, so it's understandable how this restaurant has become a favorite in the community. It is pretty expensive, but I guess the theme has been that almost all "nice" Asian restaurants are. It's edible, but not my first choice.

Lulu's: Now this is my first choice always. I'm a sucker for cute, trendy little mom and pop places like this. The bright green, blue and orange color scheme grabbed me from the get go. And the wooden booths, albeit uncomfortable, are cute and intimate. And the room is awesome. The pad thai is amazing, they have more of a peanut base, but the flavor is very subtle and not over powering. Accompanying the dish is the fried garlic which is on the table, and a few spoonfuls of that stuff will have you hooked for life. I am not crazy for the dumplings, since the wrappers are a little starchy, but some of my friends love them. The blazing wok bowl is good, lots of veggies and a lot of flavor. And the basil fried rice is outstanding. It's on Southwest, but it is worth the trek from wherever you are...and be warned, it's real crowded at lunch, when they have lunch specials.

Thai Orchid: On Mission, in a very nondescript location behind a strip mall. Very odd location, but surprising very sleek and clean decor. The pad thai was not bad, portion was smaller, but the chicken was juicy. To be honest, I don't remember much about the meal, which may tell you something, but some of my friends swear by this place. It's not bad.

I haven't tried Bangkok Pavilion, but it's on the list.

Chinese, please!

So I definitely have not updated for like a year, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, no? As promised, I will write about the Chinese "restaurants" that call KC home.

Since I am Asian, and from California, I have very strict criteria for "good" chinese food. The dish I usually hold up to comparison is Kung Pao Chicken. Now, really good kung pao chicken is very spicy, has the thickest brown sauce ever, and has a lot of peanuts and dried chilis. My favorite in Orange County is from a place called Capital Seafood, look it up if you're ever in the area (best chinese food ever, no joke), they have amazing house fillet fish and clams in black bean sauce. .95, and comes with soup and dessert. Awesome. Also, each of those dishes at lunch is less than And no, PF Chang's does not count, but Panda Express does, so awesome.

Bo Ling's: A Kansas City favorite, I don't mind Bo Ling's, but it's not my favorite. Authentic by no means, their a la carte menu is decent, especially the lo mein. I recently had Dim Sum there, and was pleasantly surprised at number of dishes offered. You can get your chicken feet on, noodles, shu mai, dumplings of all types, shrimp balls, egg and spring rolls, turnip cakes, taro cakes, almond jelly, dau hu (sweet tofu in honey sauce, my favorite dessert), etc. The only bad thing about it is that it is hella expensive. Like, four things of dim sum was $34, apparently every plate is a "large" one. Not that impressed but it's like one of the only dim sum offerings in the plaza/midtown/downtown area, plus there are three other locations.

Kin Lin: A long time favorite of UMKC students from the Volker Campus across the street, this place is your hole in the wall Chinese takeout place. I didn't eat there for like three years, but recently have found my way back. Very affordable, offers a lunch special menu (entree, fried or steamed rice, crab rangoon or spring roll) with a different entree each day for $4.25. Their beef lo mein is outstanding too, and the portion size is HUGE (that's what she said). I definitely split my regular sized takeout order into two meals. Now, I'm not crazy for the kung pao chicken, not up to the standards set above.

China Feast: this twin drive thru take out place is ghetto, straight up. It's on Linwood between Main and Gillham by the Costco. I've only had the kung pao chicken, and while not authentic like that above, it wasn't half bad. There were dried chilis, and a lot of peanuts, just the sauce wasn't thick and dark enough for my liking. Also, I was afraid I was going to get shot there, while in the drive thru. But, not terrible.

New Peking: another pretty expensive Chinese restaurant, in Westport, near the Chili's. The food is okay, the beef with broccoli is sufficient. Nothing to write home about, so I'll just leave it as that.

Blue Koi: I've had two bad experiences here, but one didn't have anything to do with the restaurant itself, so I won't hold it against them. The other time, the duck noodles became my intestines adversary. The dumplings are good, the china moon is good, duck wrap is okay for getting duck with hoisin sauce in a tortilla, noodles are subpar (they just come with too salty soy broth). Ants on a log is one of my friend's favorites. The restaurant is cute, and so if you were looking to go to a nice place with date, this would be sufficient. Also overpriced. On 39th street's collection of small ethnic-ish eateries.

Po's Dumpling Bar: Now this is what I'm talking about. It's a super hip space with these plastic futurisitic looking chairs and the Decemberists playing in the background. I assume it's Po and his wife's childrens' musical selection, and that they are left to the fantastic cooking. I had the Kung Pao chicken there, and it was at its truest form. The sauce was rich and thick and the spice blend was really good. The dumplings were also very good, it is a dumpling bar, so go figure. The price was a bit much, around $13 for a plate of chicken, but it was delicious, and the portion was large. If you're looking for a nice little indulgence, this would be the place.

Red Snapper: Ward Parkway near the Ward Parkway Mall. Very upscale-ish type of place, or at least they'd like to think so, where the suburbanites go for a date night. Off the beaten track, which I think is a good thing. The calamari appetizer was very good, I believe they use Panko for the breading. My tofu dish was good, nice thick brown sauce. I would have to describe the overall experience as "tasty." It would be a nice place to go on a date, but be prepared to put down at least $40 for two people.

Honorable mention: BD's Mongolian BBQ and Genghis Khan. I love Mongolian BBQ. Try some noodles, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, spinach, KC strip or plain old steak, egg, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, garlic water, ginger water, salt and pepper, lemon pepper, chili paste. Best!

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!