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