Johnny's BBQ

I have a confession to make: I don't really like Sunday brunch. Don't get me wrong, though. I will eat brunch. I also don't discriminate against people who like brunch or places that serve it for that matter. It's a legitimate event in itself. However, I guess my feelings stem from the fact that I'd rather not combine my meals. I believe in breakfast, lunch and dinner. All three of them, no shortcuts.

I bring this up because it makes eating out for lunch on Sundays a little tricky. First of all, many places aren't open to begin with on Sundays. Which, if I owned a restaurant, I'd do as well. I think it's a classy move. However, that doesn't stop me from cursing places that are closed on Sundays (yes, I'm talking to you Oklahoma Joe's, Governor Stumpy's and Chik-fil-a).

Secondly, restaurants that are open on Sundays often serve only brunch-like menus during lunch time. This bothers me. Unless I'm there before 9 a.m., I'm already thinking about lunch. So please give me the "lunch" menu.

Thirdly, if I am eating brunch, I almost always crack under pressure and order Eggs Benedict. No matter what...Eggs Benedict. Even if the place doesn't have it on the menu I'll say, "No Eggs Benedict? That's fine. I'll just have the Eggs Benedict." Then the waiter will say, "But sir, we don't serve it." At which point I'll respond: "No worries. I'll just have the Eggs Benedict, then. I'm easy (forced laughter)"...

So, after that long and unnecessary rant, you now know why picking a place to take the family for LUNCH on Sunday presented a dilemma. I was craving a place that not only served lunch, but would also tolerate two wild and crazy kids - one who constantly sings songs at the top of her lungs, and one who sounds like a pterodactyl whenever he opens his mouth.

By the way, did you know that's how you spell "pterodactyl"? Neither did I.

Regardless, barbecue sounded good to me and my wife, Sarah. And it being Sunday and all, it gave us some time to spread our wings a little bit...and mosey on over to Mission to try a place that's been on my Brewster the Foodster Hit List since I saw the KC barbecue edition of Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins on the Food Network a few months ago: Johnny's BBQ.

The place is inconspicuously located on Broadmoor, a sleepy little street off Johnson Drive in downtown Mission. You know that old-timey looking McDonald's along Johnson Drive? It's right around there.

And let me tell you: It's worth finding. It's a quintessential Kansas City barbecue joint - both in ambiance and food. The ambiance doesn't try too hard. There's a paper towell roll and barbecue sauce waiting for you on the table and there is a good mix of 4-top tables and booths. You can order to-go at the counter, or take a seat to dine-in. The friendly waitstaff takes care of you.

The menu is robust, with a good mix of combo meat plates, sandwiches, wraps (suprisingly one of their top items), ribs and sides. There were about 10 dishes (not exaggerating) that I wanted to try. The items featured by King Doosh himself, Guy Fieri (I'm just jealous of the guy), on DDD are marked on the menu as a guide of what to try.

I really wanted to get the combo platter, which has beef, pork, ribs and sausage for $16. It's the most expensivie thing on the menu, besides a full slab of ribs $16.50. However, on Sunday and Wednesday the ribs are only $12. So...I almost ordered the ribs. However, something was pulling me toward the beef and pork, and I love my side dishes. So I ended up going with a beef and pork combo plate, with fries, slaw and beans. It was very good.

Combo plate with beef and pork...the coleslaw
kept butting its way into the picture.

As I mentioned, the food is KC barbecue at its finest. My meat came sauced up, which I liked. There was more than enough meat to load up on the two slices of bread that came with my plate of food. The slaw was ho-hum. But it did the trick. The beans were very good, and had a unique taste. I'm glad I got it.

Where you bean all my life?

Johnny's sauce has a spicy-ness to it. I'm the first to admit, I'm not good at diagnosing the exact taste of a sauce. All I know was that it hit the spot. It tasted good loaded up on my sammy, as well as sopping up my fries.

Sarah got the Spicy Chicken Wrap, with jalapenos, cheese and hot sauce, along with seasoned fries...the "seasoning" being Johnny's famous rub. It was very, very good. She loved it all.

Trust me...it looked better in real life.

The kiddos downed some Mini-Corn Dogs, and we shared some Fried Macaroni and Cheese (not a signature item of theirs...it was an impulse buy. I've made better choices in my life...such as marrying a woman who gives me death stares when I order such things! If it weren't for her, I'd have a weight prob...Wait a second!)

No, it's not fish n' chips. It's Macaroni and Cheese.
Fried, and cut into paper footballs.

Anyway, it was a great trip, and we all left wanting to go back and try a few other things (that's a good thing). Next time, I'll probably try the ribs, or the 1/2 chicken dinner, or the "sandwich & 1/2" with fries.

Point is...I'll be back, while everyone else is at brunch.

I snorted the rest of that sauce up with my drink straw...

- BTF

Whopper Bar - P&L District

Everyone has a weakness. Superman had kryptonite, Goose Gossage had George Brett, George Brett had the shits at a club in Las Vegas, Salt n' Peppa had "men", Winnie the Poo had honey, Dick Van Dyke had that silly little stool. Hell, even Chuck Norris had this little kid.

Me? My weakness is a Burger King Whopper. It's always been my Achilee's Heel. When I was a kid riding around with my brother in his 1975 Chevy Caprice Classic, he taught me just how good of a deal 2 Whoppers for $4 after 4 p.m. was. I've never looked back. Add in the fact that I've lived approximately 3 blocks from the same Burger King practically my whole life, and that spells trouble.

My love for the Whopper is undying. Yes, I know there are a million better burgers on the planet that I could enjoy instead of a Whopper. Actually, there are probably about 5 other burgers on BK's menu that are better than the Whopper. But somewhere along the line, the Whopper has ingrained itself into my heart and mind, just like Demi Moore did to Michael Douglas in Disclosure.

So, needless to say I was ecstatic when my friend Stephen threw out the word's "Let's go to Whopper Bar" last Tuesday.  Since it opened in March, I've been trying to find an excuse to head over to the Power & Light District in downtown KC to try it out. But it's hard for a 30-year-old to get anyone to go grab fast food with him during the business day. But when you do, that's when, as America's poet and prophet Tracy Lawrence would say, "you find out who your friends are."

It takes a certain kind of friend to not bat an eye when you order a Double Whopper. It takes an even better friend to order one for himself, as well. Fortunately, I had a two good friends with me. Joe, Stephen and I each ordered a "Double Whopper with Cheese." I got mine with BK's spicy "Angry Sauce", too.

Double Whopper...You vixen, you.

If you haven't heard of the Whopper Bar, it's a new concept by Burger King, this one located in the Power and Light District in downtown KC. It offers about a million options to "Have it Your Way." They offer the basic Burger King menu, but they also have all sorts of add ons that you can't get at the 72nd and Wornall location (my personal BK headquarters). Plus, the Whopper Bar serves beer. So you don't have to sneak it in, like we did in college (high school).

Anyway, I of course ordered the "value meal" which came with fries and a drink. Have you heard of these "value meals", by the way? It's a heck of a deal...all the fast food joints are doing it these days. I think the idea might stick. But it's still too early to call...

Burger King's fries are weak, for the most part. I ate them all anyway though. I have a problem.

Anyway, the burger was great. Pretty standard stuff, all in all. I mean, what did you expect me to say? Fast food is fast food is fast food is fast food. I do offer two observations:

1. The Whoppers at Whopper Bar are a truly made to order. So it was definitely a "fresh" burger. I liked that. Classy.
2. And this is a negative...I ordered "Angry Sauce" on top of the normal mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard. Now that is a lot of sauce, you'd think, right? Well, they BARELY put any of each of those condiments on my burger. It was a bit dry. Not the burgers themselves, but the bun and condiments. I had to ask for more and got squeeze packets. Yeah! And the same went for Stephen's and Joe's orders too.

Now that is unacceptable. I love "sauces". If you don't believe me, just ask the security cameras at Chik-fil-a. I'm like Public Enemy number one at the condiment counter there.

But that was my only knock on the place. The service was very friendly and the price was pretty good...it's fast food so it better be. But what I like the most is that a "new concept" like Whopper Bar is taking its chances in a place like Kansas City. Don't be shy, go check it out.

And tell your Whopper hi for me. Do you think it likes me? What did it say? Like, what was its body language like? Did it sound excited when you said "hi" for me? Should I call it? Nevermind. That would be silly. But should I?

Don't you hate that post-fast-food feeling?
I wanted to burn that tray and act like it never happened
...until next time!

- BTF

Ninfa's Tortillas & Taqueria

Every once in a while there is a little restaurant in Kansas City that I'd never heard of and I think I'm the first one to find it. But the second I start bragging about how I ate at this unknown, incredible place, every one I tell about has already been there. Always the last to know...

That was the case this week, when a family friend treated me to lunch at Ninfa's Tortillas & Taqueria in KCK. It's a classic Mexican joint along Kansas Avenue ... just down the street from one of my favorite places in all of existence: El Pollo Rey...where the only choices on the menu are a "whole" chicken and a "half" chicken. But that is for another day...and it will be a glorious day when I go there again.

Back to Ninfa's - After just one visit, I think I may have found a regular spot to visit. I thought my lunch mate John had opened eyes to a place no one had heard of before. Boy was I wrong. I quickly learned that Ninfa's was one of my Papa's favorite restaurants. Then, after telling a friend about my awesome lunch, he promptly said, "Yeah, I was there on Tuesday. I love that place." Damn. I'm not as tapped in to the Kansas City restaurant underground as I thought.

The place is known for its home made tortillas. Let me tell you, they are ridiculous. Fresh, warm, and perfect with salsa and squeeze butter. Yes, squeeze butter. Each table is manned with a bottle of Parkay. Yes, Parkay. I didn't even know they still made Parkay. I'm pretty sure Ninfa's may be keeping that company in business.

Ninfa's salsa is unique. It's nice and chunky, almost relish-y. Loved it. One thing absent from the table was the endless chips and salsa that so many Mexican joints offer. It was actually a pleasant surprise, especially since the chips were replaced with the homemade tortillas. I'll take that trade any day.

Speaking of tortillas...for lunch I ordered the fried flour tortilla tacos. It featured two massive tacos in a flour tortilla deep fried and flaky. It wasn't greasy at all. The waitress suggested the beef as the perfect meat to go with the fried flour tortillas. With the fried corn flour torillas, she suggested pork. Just an FYI. I made a mental note for next time.

Anyway, my dish was awesome. The tacos broke a part on me a little bit, mainly because of the size of the tacos. I happily scooped up the remainder with a fork. The meal also came with beans (standard) and rice, which was a little different. I can't really explain it, but normally I pass on the rice and beans option. This time, I was happy I allowed it onto my plate.

We asked for extra tortillas, and we ate them all. It really was an impressive meal. I suggest you head over to KCK and check this out soon.

Next time, I'm going to get the tamales, which I hear (from all those folks who already know about this place) is the best thing on the menu. On our visit, they were fresh out. Maybe that was just there way of making sure I come back...which I will, and soon!

- BTF

(Note: Where's the photos, you ask? My phone ran out of batteries on my way down to the restaurant...But here's a mental picture: There was a ton of food on my plate when it arrived. When I was finished, all that was left was lettuce. Well done, Ninfa's. Well done.)

The Past Month...

Sorry for the little hiatus the past month. I have a few excuses, one of which involves me at an all-inclusive Mexican resort....where they served approximately ZERO mexican food. The other excuses aren't nearly as exciting. So I'll spare you the details.

I don't want you all to think I wasn't eating while I was away, however. While I didn't have time...actually, I was just too lazy...to post a blog or three, I did hit up some great places that I at least wanted to mention:

The Jazz (39th Street Location) - Chicken a la Mer was rediculous. Yes, I got the full portion for lunch. And yes, that is rediculous. But it's sooooo good. Check it out.

Anthony's - This legendary Italian spot at 7th and Grand is a throwback. It has a great lunch menu. It's lasagna is top-notch. Plus, you get a house salad, great Italian bread and a side of pasta with each lunch entree. Can't beat it.

Los Tules - I've worked near this little Mexican joint on Broadway for about 4 years, and I've always wanted to try it. It's located across from the nearly completed Kauffman Center for Performing Arts. It has great chips and salsa, and incredible Mexican chili. It's loaded with pork and a little soupy. Great for dipping warm tortillas in. I loaded up about 5 other tortillas with the hearty portions of pork. Well worth the visit.

I wish I could write more about these places. Trust me though, I will be back to each soon enough.

- BTF

Pizza Man

There is no better day than Opening Day in Kansas City. Hope springs eternal, summer is just around the corner, and baseball - Kansas City Royals baseball - is ready to captivate me for the next 6 months.


And what better way to spend Opening Day than out at Kauffman Stadium, cheering on the Royals? Well, according to my professor in the Rockhurst University MBA program, the day is best spent in our Operations Management course. Thanks for nothing!

So I had to skip Opening Day at The K. Bummer. I considered just heading out there for the tailgate and then heading back in time for class, but my buddy Kevin had a better idea: Italian Beef Sandwiches and hot dogs for lunch. The goal was to eat through my misery, and we thought we had just the right place in mind ... Pizza Man in Lenexa.


*Full disclosure...Through a Google search, I learned that other local KC food bloggers have reviewed this restaurant, and I believe it has appeared on Check Please, Kansas City! (a show on which I once appeared as a guest reviewer). It reminded me to tell readers of this blog (all 5 of you) that I do my best not to plageurize, steal opinions from or choose my next restaurant based on other blogs and articles I've read or programs/segments I've seen on TV. I am a big fan of restaurant blogs like KC Lunch Spots, as well as Joyce Smith's City Scape column in the Kansas City Star, and of course Check Please, KC. They give me great ideas on where to go next...just as I hope my blog does too. Now back to regularly scheduled food-blogging.

Pizza Man, ah yes. Kevin and I had both heard nothing but great things about their Italian beef sandwiches. And, having sampled the finest Chicago has to offer - Johnny's, Pordillo's, Lou Malnati's, etc. - I feel confident I can establish an educated opinion on the level of beef sandwich Pizza Man provides.

Pizza Man is located in a small strip mall along Pflumn at about 102nd Street...just a few yards north from the more well known (by me, at least) Stonewall Inn Pizza, which I've never tried but would like to soon.

Pizza Man is a small joint, where you walk in and order at the counter. Kevin arrived before me and was offered a small slice of pizza (free of charge) while he waited for me. I thought that was a very nice touch. For that, I love the place. Their pizza is St. Louis style and it appeared they offered a personal-sized lunch option that many people took advantage of. Next time I go back I'll get the pizza (how is that for foreshadowing my opinion of the sandwich I was craving.)

No pizza for us on this day, of course, We had Italian Beef on our minds (when don't I?). However, we were pleasantly surprised to see they had all-beef Chicago dogs on the menu. Also, they had a few other hot dog/sausage options, all of which looked awesome.

We, of course, each obliged the menu and ordered the standard Chicago dog with all the fixins' as a starter course. The dogs arrived about 5 minutes before our sandwiches arrived. My dog was good, no doubt. But not the best I've had (see my New York City Dawg Pound post from a few months ago)...The pickle and pepper were good and it was nice and spicy. The dog itself just didn't blow me away. However, it was no slouch. I enjoyed it, of course.

Three bites. That's all it took.

Regardless, anything before the beef sandwich would be inconsequential (so I thought). For the beef sandwich was coming. And I was ready.

I ordered mine with cheese and peppers. I know that's not traditional, but I like cheese and I was still sulking from missing Opening Day (since I was missing out on ordering extra cheese with nachos...tears.) In a moment of panic (the line was getting long behind us) I forgot to ask for mine "Dipped" in brothy au jus sauce. I wasn't too worried, as the same sauce comes on the side. Trust me, each of my bites was dutifully dipped. Just to be contrarian, Kevin ordered his "dipped" and without cheese. Bastard. Anyway, here's what mine looked like.

Hey, good lookin'!

Looks pretty good, right? The bread was nice and soft and the beef was tender. Each bite was welcoming. You can tell they use good meat. The only problem was, and Kevin and I both agreed on this, the sandwich lacked full flavor. It didn't melt in my mouth and it's seasoning didn't catch my tastebuds. Who knows if it was just the lack of seasoning. I'm not sure. Lots of people really like the place, and I'm definitely open to going back and proving myself wrong. I hope I am.

However, sometimes when restaurants offer an item that that is famous in another city and seldom found in Kansas City, they assume that the authenticity of flavor will just be assumed and accepted as real....see any place that serves Philly Cheesesteaks (except for Grinder's.)

I don't think that was the case at Pizza Man. I may just have to go back and find out for sure...maybe I'll do that the week of the World Series....before heading out to The K.

No matter what my taste buds said, my stomach told me to eat every last bite.
I listened to my stomach. It is, after all, a large part of me.

- BTF

Swagger

Growing up in the Waldo area of Kansas City, I've come to love the shops and store fronts that line Wornal Road from about Gregory to 89th Street. As a kid, I was mystified by what went on inside many of those places.

I remember riding my bike to school with a few kids from the neighborhood. We had to cross Wornall to get there. But before we'd cross, we'd stop into McClain's Bakery and each buy a "Butter Roll" to start the day. The nice ladies who ran the place would smile patiently as we scrounged for change in our "Fanny Packs" (or fished for dollar bills in the "roll" of our Tight-Rolled Docker's.) As we'd leave the store, we'd quickly sneak a peek inside the place next door affectionately known as "Bobby Baker's Lounge", and I'd think: What on Earth is that place? And why are there people in there at 7:30 in the morning?

Well, for a long time I'd had the same thoughts when I'd drive by SWAGGER - a new-ish dive bar and grill at 84th and Wornall. Not as a kid, of course (it hasn't been open much more than a year or two), and not at 7:30 a.m. But after years of the place (under a different name and a different owner) being a forgettable bar with terrible parking and zero street cred, Swagger took Waldo by storm with allegedly awesome food and an edgy dive-bar scene. Word spread quickly about the place ... all the way to Guy Fieri, Food Network star and hair-product extraordinare.

Ever since Fieri featured it on Food Network's "Diners, Dives and Drive-In's" and gave it rave reviews, I've made it a point to try it out. Well, in the past two weeks, I've had Swagger twice. It's good stuff - good food, good variety and a great-looking menu, and people like it quite a bit. The only problem is, the food isn't incredible... in my humble and long-winded opinion.

Now, that's probably not fair to Swagger. Because I'll be honest, the one place I want to compare this place to is The Peanut. Why? I'm not sure why. I guess because they have a similar ambiance and the bold claims about the food.

Judging by everything I've eaten at Swagger and everything I've seen others eat there, I can say the place is very, very good. But it didn't blow me away. Again, if I didn't have The Peanut's wings and BLT and Reuben and BBQ Pork and Pork Tenderloin sandwiches on my mind (all day, everyday), I'd probably say the place is incredible. But I'm not going to make that claim today.

My first trip to Swagger was with my friend Jon. We'd been excited to try the place, and a Saturday morning with the NCAA tournament games on the TV was the perfect setting for a good lunch. We ordered some Budweiser's to whet our appetites. The waitress was nice and friendly, and definitely had an edge about her that fit the ambiance perfectly.

We started out with a dozen buffalo wings. The wing sauce was tasty and hot...just right. We chose "buffalo style", but there are a few other sauce choices, all of which sounded awesome and I look forward to sampling the other flavors next time. The only problem was - while the sauce was terrific - the wings themselves were a little too much work for our liking. All I can say is this, we only ate 10 of the 12.

Thanks but no thanks for the carrots and celery.

There were a few things on the menu that had to be tried: The Dead Texan and The Steve Martin. Jon had the Dead Texan - a hefty burger that basically has everything on it that needs to be on a burger: Two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches with a 1/3 lb. burger, 1 egg, 2 slices of bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapenos, and peppercorn mayo in between. Oh yes!

Needless to say, I was jealous of Jon. Not only because of his boyish good looks, but because of the culinary challenge that covered his plate.

Of course, this picture doesn't do it any where close to justice.

Again, terrible picture. I think the waitress was staring at me.

Jon said he liked the burger, but the most intriguing part (the double grilled cheese sandwiches) were underwhelming. He said it just added extra bread to the equation. Never a welcome addition. If the grilled cheese book-ends had been a bit more substantial, I think the burger would have delivered.

I ordered "The Steve Martin" - Teriyaki marinated chicken breast seasoned w/ their house Jamaican jerk seasoning w/ Swiss, Dijon mustard & topped w/ wasabi coleslaw.

Man, it was dark in there.

It was a good sandwich, hit the spot. The wasabi coleslaw is very tasty. But it can dominate the dish. I didn't mind that. It's good stuff. Just as good was the jerk seasoning. Every bite satisfied. The fries were good. Nothing incredible (to be fair, neither is the Peanut's...unless you put chili and cheese on 'em, which I do), but very acceptable ... I ate them all.

During my second trip to Swagger, I went with a group of friends on a Saturday night. The place was packed - it was hopping...and had a good vibe about it. We were on our way to a surprise party so we were in a bit of hurry. I'd heard the food takes a while when the place gets crowded. That was an understatement. However, they were kind enough to alert us of that, so there were no surprises ... and (honestly) that was much, much appreciated. I wish every restaurant did that if it takes longer than the average place. Nicely done, Swagger.

This time, I ordered the Waldo Trucker - Pulled Pork Sand., BBQ sauce, plus fries, pickles & wasabi coleslaw on it.

The pork was tender and tasty, as was all the toppings. The sandwich was a little sloppy, but it was good stuff. Plus, the name is awesome.

All in all, Swagger is definitely worth checking out. The Dead Texan, the Waldo Trucker and the Steve Martin are all sandwiches worth trying. I'm betting that you will thoroughly enjoy each of them, if you like good and greasy bar food (who doesn't?). 

So try this place out. It's good, and I'm betting it will keep getting better.

- BTF

Blue Koi

There are only a two types of restaurant food I genuinely crave (and by "crave" I mean that the second it enters my mind I need to have it for my next meal): gyros and ... (this is random) Asian noodles of one form or another.

Damn, I did it again...now my next meal needs to be a gyro with a side of Asian noodles.

But two weeks ago, the words "pot roast" came up in the normal course of conversation with someone - I think it went something like this, "Hi Josh, geez your belly is huge, do you eat anything besides pot roast?"

No matter the context, the words reminded me that Blue Koi has the best Pot Roast over noodles I've ever had. So, of course, I couldn't get the thought of it out of mind. When my buddy Clint threw out Blue Koi as option to meet for lunch last week, I was all in.

We chose the location at Mission Farms in Leawood, only because I'd never been to that particular spot...except when the land was inhabited by Saddle & Sirloin about a decade or so ago. Blue Koi's original location is along 39th Street in KCMO. If you have the choice, I'd recommend trying the 39th Street location first because the ambiance has a bit more character, as does the entire 39th Street corridor over Mission Farms. But both locations are legit.

Anyway, Clint is my ideal lunch partner ... lunch partner, not life partner. The main reason is because he's not afraid to order an appetizer during lunch. As you know, I'm a huge believer in this. However, on this day - given that it was a special occassion (Tuesday) - we ordered two appetizers: chicken lettuce wraps and pan-fried pork dumplings. I'm salivating just thinking about these things. The lettuce wraps, which seem to be the signature appetizer at every Asian restaurant these days, were particularly tasty. The pork dumplings were delicious as well.

Lettuce Wraps: That spoon was a decoy. We used our hands to build the wraps, like normal people.

Dumplings: There were six originally. I could eat these things like popcorn.

Before I go any further, I've got to tell you about Blue Koi's "Awesome Sauce" - that's literally what it's called...Awesome Sauce. It is aptly named, believe me. It's a sweet, thick sauce that is perfect drizzled over just about everything on the menu. It tastes especially good with the lettuce wraps and the dumplings. Both appetizers came with its own soy-sauce-type dipping sauce, as well. As you can tell, I'm a sauce man (see last week's entry).

Awesome Sauce: Was I running when I took this picture? Where's Andre Agassi
and his EOS Canon Rebel when you need him?

When it came time to order the main dish, I had a decision to make. Do I go with my old faithful - the Pot Roast over Noodles or have the rare option of saying "Mmmm, I'll have what he's having" and order Ants on a Tree?

With most dishes you have the option to have it over rice, noodles or noodle soup. My craving, of course, made that an easy choice. And I decided to go with the Pot Roast...again. And...again...it was great! I like mine nice and spicy, so I doused some of that Sriracha sauce on it, as well as plenty of the Awesome Sauce. The beef was tender and tasty, nicely done. Now, it would have been just fine without either, but I don't like to leave things untouched on the table. So I use all my resources.

Pot Roast over Noodles: Knife and fork needed.

Clint ordered his old faithful, Ants on a Tree, which is sautéed minced pork with bean noodle. It's a lot like Pad Thai, just without all the weird plants that look like they were pulled out of a fish tank at Waldo Pets. By all accounts, Clint said his was as good as always. Next time I go there, I'm going to get that.

Ants on a Tree: That plate was empty about 2 minutes later.

They don't skimp on the amount of food they place in front of you. And Clint and I don't skimp on eating all of it. It's pretty filling stuff. But there are plenty of other dishes on the lighter side.

The price is a bit higher than a normal lunch spot, our dishes were around $13 before tax. The service is helpful and friendly. The only downside of the whole trip was that I had to go back to work (and stay awake). That, and the fact that I almost bit it on a snagged carpet runner on my way to the table. Oh yeah, and the refills on our ice tea and water were few and far between. At an Asian restaurant that is unforgivable...just leave the pitcher.

All in all though, Blue Koi is worth every penny. It hit the spot for me.

The only thing that would have made it any better was if I had had a plate of lamb meat, pita bread and tzatziki sauce on top of Asian noodles, instead. What's that? Sounds gross, you say? Maybe. But satisfying? Opa!

I picked up the rest with chopsticks...as far as you know.

- BTF

Danny Edwards' Boulevard BBQ

When I was a kid, my dad would tell me that you don't discuss religion and politics among friends and acquaintances. Wise words from a wise man. Words I will most certainly share with my children when they actually start listening to me (which, from what I hear comes over about a 2-year span from when they turn 9 to their 11th birthday). So I have a few years.

When that time time does come, however, my life experiences will lead me to add one more line to that adage: Never discuss religion, politics or Kansas City barbecue among friends and acquaintances.

Good idea don't you think? Just so things stay civil. It doesn't matter if you're talking about the restaurant, the meat, the sauce, the fries or your preferred order, each of us has our opinions. We all have our beliefs on who, what and where is best.

And those beliefs are deeply rooted in passion, field research and sticky fingers.  It sparks one heck of a debate. I'm sure each of you have taken part in at least one of these heated conversations.

Well, today, I'd like to start a new debate with this statement: Some of Kansas City's best barbecue is smack dab in the middle of our famed Mexican food district ... The Boulevard.

Yes, Danny Edward's Boulevard BBQ is good. Damn good. And, if you ask me, it keeps getting better.

Located just west of Ponak's Mexican restaurant on a small plot land right off the curb of Southwest Boulevard, Danny Edward's Boulevard BBQ serves up awesome barbecue for a good price in a classic setting.

Boulevard BBQ is Danny Edwards' second iteration of his locally famous restaurant. The place relocated a few years ago from Grand Boulevard near what is now the Sprint Center. It used to be called "Lil' Jake's Eat It and Beat It BBQ" (or something close to that) given the small digs and lack of seating.

However, his new location has just the right amount of seating. Plenty of tables that always seem to be full. I guess that's because most people who frequent the place still know it's best to eat it and beat it. It's just common courtesy...and always smart to get up and about as soon as possible after eating a plate of beef, beans and fries.

So, I was excited to spend Fat Tuesday with my good friend, Conor, at Boulevard BBQ. Conor had never been there, so I was excited to see his reaction to a new place ... instead of the old faithfuls like Bryant's, Oklahoma Joe's, Jack Stack, Gates and Arby's. Well, scratch Arby's ... but seriously, have you tried their barbecue sauce? Good stuff.

He ordered the pulled pork sandwich with a side of spicy beans.

Look at that overflow of pork. Nicely done.

I ordered the beef sandwich with a side of fries and spicy beans.

Isn't that bun beautiful? The fries taste like salty, buttery, greasy potatoes. In other words, perfect.

Look at the thickness of the beef! Best beef sandwich I've had in a long time.
Don't worry, I sauced it up even more with every bite.

Conor said his pulled pork was terrific, as was his order of spicy beans. I often get the pulled pork, myself, and I would agree with his assessment.

On this day, however, I wanted to give Boulevard BBQ the beef test. You see, I'm a firm believer that the beef sandwich, anywhere you go, is the riskiest sandwich to get. It can be fatty, greasy, gamey...anything.

Danny Edwards's beef sammy was up to the test. It was pure gold. Each bite melted in my mouth, literally. It was that good. The slices of beef were thick and very tasty. I like to load it up with sauce (personal preference) because I'm a sauce man.

Some men like (chicken) breasts. Some men like (pork) butts. Me? I'm a sauce man.

It's the reason I love barbecue so much ... the different sauces. Bryant's Bold & Spicy, Gates' Sweet & Mild, Oklahoma Joe's original and Danny Edwards' original. Don't worry, just like at most of those places, the sauce is waiting for you at the table at Boulevard BBQ. Just squeeze and enjoy.

The price is very affordable, especially if you get the deal of the day. We're talking about $8, a steal compared to Arthur Bryant's. But when it comes to barbecue ... good barbecue... price is not an issue, anyway.

I will pay top dollar for some of the world's best meals, which we have right here in Kansas City at our finest barebecue joints. For me, on this day, it was Danny Edwards' Boulevard Barbecue. Tomorrow, it may be Oklahoma Joe's or Jack Stack. Regardless of my preference from one day to the other, I'd say Boulevard BBQ can hang with the big boys any day.

Try it. I would expect no debate.

The Eat It and Beat It spirit is still alive. By the time I sopped up the last drip of sauce with my last fry,
they snatched my plate before I could snipe a pic!

- BTF

Pandolfi's Deli

If you've never been down to the Columbus Park area of Kansas City, it's worth the trip. It's a throwback to old times, tucked away in the shadows of the downtown Kansas City skyline. Where is it, you ask? Simple: When you get to the River Market...head east. Near the intersection of 5th and Campbell - among old red brick homes and multi-family apartments, and across the street from Holy Cross Catholic Church and around the corner from the original Garozzo's - is a small little Italian deli with a traditional yet fresh menu, welcoming decor, and very, very good food.

This little place is called Pandolfi's Deli. It's received its fair share of press lately - with features in The Kansas City Star and various other blogs.

Fittingly, Pandolfi's is located in the heart of our city's historic Italian neighborhood. There are a few other classic delies in that part of town - none more impressive than Lasala's. That place...whew! You order the sandwhich according to how much of the loaf of bread you want. So a "half loaf" is litterally a half a loaf of Italian bread with meat on it. Yes please!

Anyway, back to this week's featured place: Pandolfi's. I was fortunate enough to share this week's lunch date with two of the world's greatest ladies - my mom and my grandma. There we were, three generations of women...Oh wait...There we were, three generations of family sharing a meal, and opinions about the food we were eating.

And let me tell you ... my grandma - a mother of 10 and head cook for a family that has about 10,000 people come to family parties - and my mom - a mother of 3 and head cook for a family that cherishes its food like its going out of style (seriously, if you've ever seen me, my dad or my brother eat, we guard our plates and bowls with our left arm and eat with our right. It was a matter of survival at the dinner table back in the day.)... know what they are talking about when it comes to food.

Okay, back to Pandolfi's: It's a very clean place, with a simple approach. You walk in through a faux courtyard area that reminds me of Venice...if I'd ever been to Venice. Then you head up to the counter, put in your order, take a seat and wait for the made-from-scratch sandwiches to reach your table.

Open just a few months, Pandolfi's already has a crowd favorite...the muffaletta sandwich, a New Orleans specialty. I, however, have despised olives for the past 30 years. And an olive tapanade (the dressing spread on the muffaletta) isn't my style. So I ordered the next best thing (so I thought): The Italian Meat Sub...Mortadella, salami, spicy capocollo, and fontinella cheese with Pandolfi’s Balsamic
Vinaigrette, lettuce, red onion, tomato. Yum.

How good does this look!

My grandma wisely ordered the meatball sub (the real best thing), served piping hot with melted cheese. She was kind enough to share half with me. Yes, I ate a sandwich and a half for lunch. And no, I don't feel bad about it. Never do.

The Italian bread is made fresh daily from a nearby bakery. I'm always weary of Italian delies and their bread. If the bread's too hard it's a deal breaker. Fortunately for me, Pandolfi's bread is just the right kind of crispy, yet soft. Well done.

Mmmmmeatball sandwich!

Not pictured is my mom's sandwich, the Prosciutto & Pepper...Oven-roasted red bell peppers, havarti cheese, olive oil, lettuce, red onion, tomato. My mom said it was good, but Prosciutto can be persnickitty. If it's fatty, it's sort of tough to chew. Thus was the case with my mom's sandwich. She said the taste was fantastic, but the porsciutto was a little too hard to get down.

FYI...each sandwich costs around $7 or $8. If you add chips and drink, it comes out to be around $10. I'd say its worth it, if you ask me.

I took the liberty of ordering a side of pasta salad - since Mom was paying, of course. It was pretty good, but not incredible. My mother-in-law's recipe blows Pandolfi's out of the water. But it did the trick however...I'm a sucker for pasta salad. Easy to please.

Garbanzo!

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise of our lunch date was dessert. Yes, I ordered dessert too. I orderd the Chocolate Chip Amaretto Brownie. It was absolutely perfect, especially the chocolate and amaretto frosting. It had such a distinct taste, I really can't explain it. It was just darn good.

About a second later, nothing was left.

Well, after the final bite of brownie, I was spent. My mom and grandma picked me up and carried me out of the restaurant, all with smiles on our faces.

I'll definitely be back.

Fin.

-BTF

Grunauer

There was a time in my life when you couldn't pay me to eat something that I couldn't pronounce, let alone go to a restaurant with a name I couldn't say correctly. Thankfully, that time has passed. And leave it to the Austrians to help me through it all.

In general (and not really), Austrians don't do much for me ... They are the reason I was forced to sit through four hours of The Sound of Music on family movie night as a kid ... They are annoyingly good at Olympic Cross Country Skiing and the Super G - whatever that is ... and Red Bull is headquartered there - enough said.

However, we do have the Austrians to thank for Pez Candies ... and wiener schnitzel ... and a few other things I enjoyed while having lunch on Friday at Grunauer in the Freight House District just south of downtown Kansas City.

This wasn't my first visit to Grunauer. I'd eaten there about a year ago, and loved the sausage. The food was good too. (Thank you, folks...I'll be here all week. Don't forget to get your parking validated.) But seriously, whenever I try a place for the second time, after really liking what I ordered the first time, I often don't trust myself to try something new. Thankfully, my buddy Kevin joined me and we split two power orders.

I don't usually split food. But I guess if TWO entrees are involved, I'll let it slide. In fact, I do enjoy splitting a reuben and a triple BLT (plus a doezen wings) at The Peanut if anyone ever wants to join me there.

So, there we were, two (over) grown men, eating at an Austrian restaurant...splitting two entries. But not before carbo-loading on some very good bread and butter.

The bread...with the heavens shining down on it.

After the bread was downed, we got down to business. We ordered the "Sausage Sampler" - yes, it's as good as it sounds. With the sausage sampler, you get one of each of their 6 delectable tubular meats...each with incredibly different flavors:

Sausage Fest 2011

• KÄsekrainer: pork with cheddar cheese 
• Berliner: German curry wurst 
• NÜrenberger: veal sausage 
• Frankfurter: traditional 
• Bratwurst: veal and pork 
• Chorizo: spicy pork

 Each one was very good. However, the cheesy one was the best, in my opinion, followed by the veal. The curry one was interesting and tasty. I've developed an affinity for curry lately, so this one hit the spot. All of them, honestly, melt in your mouth. 

If you don't want to get the sampler, a normal sausage order consists of either a "single" order (2 sausages) or a "duo" (4 sausages). Don't ask me why they word it so oddly. Both times I've been there I've asked them to explain why a "single" has two sausages and a "duo" has four. Both times, the waiters have explained it as if it totally makes sense after they get done with their explanation. Well, guess what? It doesn't.

Anyway, the "other" entre...I hesitate to talk about. We were swooned by the server who gave us a glowing recommendation to try the schweinebraten. It even had a little Austrain flag next to it on the menu, denoting it as a "specialty." Don't get me wrong, this pork dish with "bread dumplings" was good. However, not as good as advertised. The pork was allegedly simmering for 12 hours in all sorts of juices...but it seemed dry. And how good does "bread dumplings" sound? Awesome, right? Not this stuff. It was a little dry as well. Plus, all along I had this fantasy that the pork and bread dumplings would be all mixed together. Instead, the dish was a little too neat for me and Kevin.

While the dish was too "neat", the quality of this picture...not so much.

I would like to give some special recognition to the cabbage, which came as a side along with the pork dish and the sausages. It was soooo good. It tasted like Thanksgiving. The best cabbage I've ever had, and I don't even like cabbage...normally. The mashed potatoes were very good too. 

But, I just remembered they never brought out the Spaetzle we ordered! Damn. I literally just remembered that we had order it and never received it. They probably charged us for it too. Spaetzle is sort of a dumpling-type, potato thingy. I was really looking forward to that. Bummer.

Anyway, Grunauer - honestly - is a very good restaurant. It's decently pricey. Not decently priced. Decently price-y. Despite that, I want to go there for dinner on a weekend night. They've got a terrific beer list and some other very enticing looking drinks on their menu to help wash down the tasty Austrian fare.

It's definitely worth checking out ... unless Austria wins another Downhill Gold Metal over the U.S. In that case...screw it. Until then, go for the sausage and stay for the schnitzel. And you will leave happy, albeit with a little heartburn.

Put a fork in it.

- BTF

Golden Ox

I'm a Kansas City boy, born and raised. I am proud of many things this great city has to offer. That pride has led me to develop a certain fascination with imagining what things were like in the "good old days." 

For instance, when I visit Union Station, I imagine the place filled with 10,000 people waiting to ride the rails to all points across the U.S. When I walk through Loose Park, I imagine a Civil War battle taking place atop the rolling hills. When I see Kokoro Maki House in Waldo (great place by the way), I think of when it used to be Winchell's Donuts. You get the drift.... 

So, when I go down to the West Bottoms in Kansas City, I imagine the old stockyards alive and kicking (or mooing or snorting...).

And when I step inside the Golden Ox - a West Bottoms staple - I imagine the place filled with rich Cattle Barons and Power Brokers from the Livestock Exchange located in the floors above the restaurant savoring 16-oz. Kansas City Strips, Scotch and Cigars like it was 1949. That would've been the life!

Well, 1949, the year the Golden Ox opened, was a long time ago. But there's something about this Kansas City institution that has stood the test of time. Sure, it's not the place to see and be seen, like The Capital Grille. It doesn't have the national chops that Ruth's Chris enjoys. And it doesn't have the Ward Parkway address that Plaza III can lean on. 

In fact, when I mentioned that I was going to write about the Golden Ox this week, many of my friends said..."How does that place stay open?" The answer: Tradition. Actually, there are two answers: Tradition and Really Good Food.

The Golden Ox is why I don't get mad when I hear Kansas City referred to as a "Cow Town." Hell yes, we are a cow town. Actually, I refer to us as a "Dead Cow Town." We have the best barbecue, the best steaks and the best milk (Shatto Dairy) in the country - even though a cow doesn't have to be dead to produce milk (from what I'm told).

And after my incredible lunch at the Golden Ox on Friday, I'd say we are home to the best (steak) burgers in the country too. The item I'm referring to: The Filet Mignon Burger. It was perfect. Ground filet...pattied up and grilled and topped with all the fixins. Awesome. For my side dish, I ordered steak fries to boot. Always the right choice. They are thick and taste great with a little extra table salt and dipped in the Ox's homeade barbecue sauce.

Three extra toppings on your burger are included (in addition to lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles). I got spicy jack cheese, bacon and jalepenos.

The barbecue sauce was sticky and sweet. Not as thick as you might imagine. And that's a good thing. It tasted great on the fries, as well as on my burger.

I enjoyed my lunch alongside my friend, Doug, who shares my desire for ordering appetizers during lunch. Why not order appetizers during lunch? Seriously, why not?

Here's why you do...Beef Rib Tips. Perfectly smoked, and plenty meaty. Slathered with more of that homemade sauce I keep talking about. 

Two-thirds of the way finished...

The rib tips weren't too filling, either. We chowed them all down and still had the motivation to finish our huge plates of burgers and fries.

And get this...that Filet Mignon Burger and a side of fries only cost $8.25! I'm not exaggerating when I say that it is cheaper than getting a regular foot long from Subway (not of the $5 variety). And at Subway, that doesn't come with a side. And at Subway, the food stinks. And, unlike Subway, the service at the Golden Ox was exceptional.

After all was said and done, our meal (2 filet burgers with fries, an appetizer and 2 Cokes) came to right about $30. Not too shabby for a steak joint.

The West Bottoms may not be the most accessible place on Earth. But let me tell you...it is on the rise of a resurgence. It's taken a page from the Crossroads District of Kansas City. In fact, it is the next Crossroads District. Hip places like R Bar and the Genessee Royale Bistro are now open, and I'm sure some more places will pop us as more and more artists and entrepreneurs open up for business down in that part of town. Plus, it's literally only 5 minutes from most parts of downtown....and surprisingly easy to get to.

Just as it must have in 1949, the Golden Ox delivered an impressive experience. And as a homegrown Kansas Citian who has visited the Ox for many special occasions with family, my latest visit proved my theory that places like this are what Kansas City food is all about.

Who put those extra fries there?

- BTF

Sung Son: Vietnamese Bistro

So I'd heard through the grapevine that there was a Vietnamese restaurant in Westport that was so good that America's greatest singer-songwriter, Neil Diamond himself, wrote a song about it ... Song Sung Blue.

Sure, the restaurant I'm writing about in Westport is actually called Sung Son, but I'm pretty sure Neil Diamond had the place in mind when he wrote his 1972 hit, which by the way is an incredible song. I've had it on repeat while writing this blog post, and I'm a better man for it.

I just think Mr. Diamond maybe got his words mixed up. After all, a few things do get lost in translation when you're dealing with something this authentic.

The Pitch and its readers recently voted this place the best buffet in Kansas City. While I'm not normally a fan of that publication's wannabe-muckraking approach to journalism - I do appreciate its take on local bars and restaurants. Their reporters' suggestions are good and fair, and their reviews are well written...unlike this particular blog.

Anyway, back to Sung Son...the place is legit, as long as you like that sort of thing. It's a smallish, two room restaurant with white linen and such. It's sort of a hip-looking place, except for the fact that there is a buffet right in the middle of the joint.

See what I mean?

It's located on Pennsylvania, along a neat little stretch of shops and restaurants. It's my favorite part of Westport. The place is sort of across the street from Harpo's. Good luck parking somewhere, by the way. It is a challenge finding on-street parking. And that lame circle-drive lot by the front entry to Californo's is a joke. I'm convinced that the same cars have been parked there for the past 10 years, rendering it unusable.

I'm the first to admit that my food tastes are more chicken fingers and french fries than pork and noodle soup (or whatever it is they called it at Sung Son). However, the word "buffet" tugs at my heartstrings. Some people may weep when they see that commercial with Sarah Mclachlan begging you to save three-legged dogs and blind cats. Me? Nah. I weep when I see that commercial for Dragon Inn on basic cable. There is something about a well-timed Gong and blurry pictures of pre-made dishes that makes me crave Asian food.

So, me and three co-workers climbed in the old 2-door sedan during our lunch hour on Friday and took in Sung Son's buffet, which (including iced tea) is about $9. Not too shabby. Neither was the food. The buffet had some good-looking Vietnamese fare like ... well, I can't really pronounce it. But rest assured it was good. And, if it's more traditional Chinese food you prefer, don't worry. General Tsao makes an appearance along the buffet line. General Tsao, by the way, is my hero. There are a few chicken dishes (one with curry, which was outstanding), a few pork dishes, a few beef dishes, and some tofu B.S., if you like eating made-up food.

Plus, the spring rolls and egg rolls are terrific. And the crab rangoon is extra rangoon-y. I dipped mine into some of that pink sauce that I had laddled all over my plate and into a smaller side bowl. Speaking of plates...the ones they give you are super small. However, even though I was eating with three women, I had no reservations about placing multiple plates in front of me.

Shh...Ancient Chinese Secret. Use two plates. It's a buffet for goodness sake!

In addition to the standard buffet, Sung Son also has a noodle bar, which is the slimiest bar in Westport...literally. (sorry, I couldn't help myself there.) The noodle bar is basically just a counter with a sneeze-guard and a Vietnamese soup master manning the station. He couldn't understand me, and I couldn't understand him. However, the old index finger is the ultimate international language. Point and nod ... and you shall receive. I chose a bowl of soup with noodles and pork. The broth was exceptionally good. So were the noodles. And you know how Asian soup is...I can never quite tell what else is in there. So I just worked around the mysterious stuff and enjoyed what I could.

There's like an entire rainforest in there. Are those tobacco leaves?

Before I go any further, I know what you are thinking: "Yea, yea, yea, skip to the part about the soft serve." Well, this ain't no China Buffet in Waldo. This is the real deal... There was no soft serve station. However, there was  a small table with a bowl of rice pudding waiting for me to serve myself. Alongside the rice pudding was a plastic container full of some sort of cream sauce. Yes please.

I made myself a small bowl of pudding with some cream sauce on top. It was a delectable treat. It was no vanilla/chocolate swirly cone. But it did the trick.

That's not what it looks like.

All in all, I'd say Sung Son is a terrific Vietnamese restaurant. I just wish I knew what constituted Vietnamese food, so I didn't have to fake the fact that I know what I'm talking about.

But you know who does know what he's talking about? Neil Diamond. That's who. Maybe next week I'll try out that other place he sang about: "Forever in Blue Koi" ... you know, that place along 39th Street. Man, he may be from Brooklyn, but he sure knows his KC restaurants.

- BTF

Dixon's Famous Chili

Do you remember those TV commercials a few years ago where a man stops in the middle of a square in Venice, Italy and proclaims, "I love this woman! I love her, I love her!" It was for some Diamond company. The guy must have definitely "Gone to Jared" because he was being way too Tom Cruise for the moment. I never understood the guy's random over-reaction or why the girl would say "yes" to a guy who freaks out in public like that - I mean, imagine the proclamation of vows at the wedding, or while they were registering at Macy's for goodness sake. Embarrassing!

Yet, today I write to tell you that on Friday, it took all the restraint in the world not to be THAT GUY. Don't worry, I'm too cheap to travel to Venice or buy a diamond.

I am NOT too cheap, however, to travel to Independence, Missouri and buy some chili ... at Dixon's Famous Chili.

Upon looking at the menu, I fell in love. Upon eating my food, I wanted to scream ... "I love this place! I love it. I love it. I love it." Thankfully, I am not enough of a D-Bag to scream that in public, plus I have just enough respect for my friend, Joe, to not subject him to verbal displays of affection toward the plate of Tacos and a Chili Dog in front of me.

Chili Dog! Trust me...there is a dog and a bun under there.

Tacos!

(Yes, I combined two of my orders from the past few week's into one glorious meal this week. More on that in a minute.)

But, I'm hear to tell you: That sort of knee-jerk reaction would have been justified. Dixon's Chili is what legends are made of. I've known about the place for decades - literally. While the place may be virtually unkown to many readers of this blog, trust me...Dixon's Chili is famous in Independence and across the Metro (and well, well beyond). President Harry S. Truman frequented the place. Lamar Hunt dined there. So does Mitch Holthus - voice of the Chiefs and the Missouri Valley Conference.

It's located at 40 Highway and Blue Ridge Cut-Off, real close to the Truman Sports Complex. And catty-corner from the equally legendary Hi-Boy Burgers (which is, of course, on my list).

By all accounts, Dixon's chili (the food item) is different from your mom's chili. Ordered "regular" and you'll get a simple plate of seasoned ground beef. But you can order it with or without beans, and "soupy" or "juicy" - depending on whether you want to add meat juice or bean juice (I don't remember which was which.) The kind waitresses will help guide you in your decisions. Then, they'll top it with cheese, onions and such per your request. I will be going back soon to tackle the Chili dish.

At the table, they have two condiments, and one of them is not ketchup. They obviously follow the Dirty Harry way of life, which I completely respect. Ketchup is lame on such things as Chili and Hot Dogs. The condiments at the tables at Dixon's are....drum roll... a nice and spicy mustard and a spicy/tangy malt vinegar type thingy. The vinegar was superb. I doused it all over my Chili Dog and Tacos.

Speaking of Hot Dogs and Tacos, both dishes (which are meals in themselves, trust me) each took up a whole plate. The hot dog and bun on my chili dog was lost among the perfect chili concoction loaded over it. The chili used for the chili dog was more like what Mom would make. It was perfect. Plus, doused with the mustard and vinegar, I was in Heaven (Independence Heaven, which from what I hear is now home to the Heaven Missouri Mavericks and Heaven Missouri Comets and Bass Pro Shop).

The Tacos were incredible, as well. They are manageable in size. I ordered three, because of the chili dog in the equation. However, you can order the "All You Can Eat" tacos for like $7 - now offered everyday. That is the way to go. I have a friend who claims to have eaten 27. I believe him. I think if I put my mind to it, I could eat 10. I'd like to hear your achievements, or perhaps your claims of how many you could eat. The salsa was simple, and very good too.

The service was terrific. You just walk in and sit down and somebody will come over and take your order. The menus are listed on the wall (at the front and back of the dining room). There is a little guide to your chili on a table tent at your table. If that doesn't do the trick, your waitress will help you.

The menu..from an angle. More importantly, in impressive Independence fasion, check out the Neon Chiefs sign and the photo of Harry Truman.

Dixon's has been around forever, and I'm totally mad at myself that it's taken me this long to finally check it out. It was the best lunch I've ever had. Period (at least I think it was...or at least that I can remember...and my memory leaves a bit to be desired. But still...) I will be back very soon.

After all, like Diamonds...."Chili is forever."

Enter the Saltine Crackers...

All good things must come to an end.

-BTF