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