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