Movin' on Up

Critique No. 13

Restaurant

Fiesta Azteca

705 E. Melody Ln (Near 291 N and 50 HWY)Lees Summit, MO 64063

Hours:

7 Days a week 11AM-10PM

Cuisine: Authentic Mexican

Website: http://fiestaaztecakc.com/
Phone: 816-524-1290

Max. Occupancy: 150

Average Price: $9

As you may know, Lee's Summit has it's share of Mexican restaurants and restaurants that sell "Mexican food".  Well, on December 11, 2010- Fiesta Azteca opened it’s doors.  Bringing with it, Owner Andres Orozco's family recipes and a following.  You see, they had already been WOWING the city of Raytown for 7 years with their traditional offerings and one of a kind specialties.  The new space is bigger, and believe me- from the crowd that was in there when I visited- They Needed the room!

I went in for lunch one afternoon with my sister.  Like usual I didn't draw any attention to the fact that I was going to be critiquing the place-  nonetheless, the hostess was very warm and inviting. 

We were seated and my taste buds began to dance!  I could smell the aroma of grilled meats and veggies from some Fajitas.  I knew then what I would try. I looked over the menu that was PACKED FULL of Combination plates (39 to be exact). BTW, they have a huge burrito that goes by the name of El Azteca- this thing is over six pounds of delicious Mexican flavor. If you can eat it all, your real name might be Adam Richman (MAN VS. FOOD).  I couldn't resist the fajitas though.  I chose the Fajita salad.   We were served chips and salsa, as well as some of the queso blanco that my sister ordered.  It was all Very good, and very fresh.  The chips were crisp- not greasy and flimsy as you might find if they didn't fry the tortilla long enough or at the right temperature.

I was reading on their menu that they are well known for their margaritas. They are about as big as a fish bowl, and they only use premium ingredients.  Maybe when it's not 12:15pm, I'll go back and order one....to share with a small village.

AH HA!! The feast arrives.

Yum!

I liked this plate on many levels.  I liked the colors, the smells, the presentation.  It was inviting me to eat, so I did! I could taste the grilled char of the chicken.  The crispness of the onions and peppers was a nice contrast against the creamy guacamole and sour cream.  The salsa had a great smooth consistency, and a nice citrus note from the cilantro was the cherry on top (so to speak).

When I spoke with Andres after we ate, I could feel his energy and passion for the place.  You could tell that he really loves his work.  I would love to tell you there was some hidden flaw in this place- but if there was one, I haven't tasted it yet.  I've been back a few more times and everything I've eaten has been delicious. 

Remember that when you drive up to a place and it LOOKS like the other restaurants you've seen- Go ahead and try it, you might find something very special inside.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Please visit this locally owned business and see if you agree!

Not Too Far From the Tree Pt. 1

Critique No. 12

Restaurant

The Fig Tree Cafe & Bakery

817 NE Rice Rd.

Lees Summit, MO 64086

(816)347-0442

http://www.figtreecafels.com/

Hours:
Mon-Tues 6:30AM to 2:30PM
Wed-Fri 6:30AM to 8PM
Saturday & Sunday 7AM to 3PM

Cuisine: Local/Regional Specialties/Mediterranean/ Bakery

Max. Occupancy: 100

Here we are with another referral from a friend of mine.  Let's see how this place stacks up.  In Lee's Summit you have choices when you want to eat out for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  There's a little bit of everything.  Though it is a town that has the corporate eateries, I am happy that there are several home grown places!  If you're driving down 291 Highway, you'll find this hidden little spot at the corner of a strip mall in between a gas station and a hair salon.  When you walk in to The Fig Tree, you get a feeling of calm and relaxation.  The dark wood and brightly painted walls makes for a very whimsical atmosphere.

I visited the cafe on a Monday- right around closing time.  The waitress (which happened to be the manager) was very nice, she brought me my tea and I began to look over the menu. 

After opening the first page- I was astonished that this local restaurant had more things on it's menu than IHOP!  52 options (including the "kids menu") And then there was the Bakery options (not listed on the menu, I guess you have to ask?)

With my focus these days being on getting a meal that has good protein and fairly low calories- I went with the "This, That and the Other" option.  You get a half order of any soup, salad or sandwich.  You can pick 2 or 3.  I chose the Chicken Club Salad w/ Spicy Garlic Dressing and a cup of the Lentil Soup. 

A few minutes later- This is what I got!

The first thing that hit me was the color and scent of this soup.  The smell of Curry filled the air, and I got excited.  After snapping my little picture here, I turned to the soup, stirred it around and noticed that the lentils were very broken down (DING). But, it smelled really good. So, I took a spoonful and tasted... I tasted what I can only describe as lifeless, under seasoned broth with the slightest trace of curry, onion and nothing else (not even lentils (DING, DING)  I ate one more spoonful then gave up on the "soup" (DING, DING, DING!)

Salad, SAVE ME! 

I got knee deep into this salad, and I really liked it.  I was happy to see they were using Turkey bacon (a good option for people trying to cut some calories), good black olives (not the shriveled up black discs you usually see), and a dressing that had a lot of flavor!  The chicken was also seasoned well.  Now, I eat quite a bit of salad- so I've got some grounds for comparison and over all- I was happy with this one.  The only criticism I have for it was the croutons. On the menu it says the salad had "house made brioche croutons".  As you can see in the picture- this looked more like a slice of wheat bread that they toasted dry and had nothing on it.

Okay.  I left this encounter with a clear picture of how this blog entry would go- But I wanted to give them another shot because there is so much more to try.  Stay tuned for Part 2 of this review- coming soon!

Mama's Recipes at Maggie's!

Critique No. 9

Restaurant

Maggie's
100C Southeast 3rd Street
Lee's Summit, MO 64063
(816) 554-0722

Cuisine: Authentic Mexican
Max. Occupancy: 26
Price Point Average: $5+


If you are walking downtown in Lee's Summit, you can find small shops of all kinds. There isn't a lot downtown that I haven't been to yet, but Maggie's was a place I'd missed! This little restaurant with big heart opened in October '09.

The mission was clear for Maggie’s owner, Ryan Schnabel. He had started a catering company, about 2 years ago with homemade recipes at the heart of his business- but decided that downtown needed authentic Mexican food, and so he opened the restaurant. Named Maggie's after his mother, the restaurant and menu have hints of family throughout them- even the combos are named after his aunts. Okay now, lets talk food.

I have been looking for a place to try a culinary masterpiece called Pazole. It's a deeply flavored broth of tomato and herbs with pork and hominy (soft corn kernel without the hull or germ). I order a side of this delicious soup (which came with flour tortillas- homemade), Mexican rice, and the star of the meal- Pork Chili Burrito. The burrito is a part of the ever changing $5 lunch menu- CHECK IT OUT PEOPLE!!!

If you will, first notice the plate. It comes with the food only- not fancy non edible garnishes here...and you know why? Because this is REAL MEXICAN FOOD!!! Mexican food that is from Mexican recipes and a down home- real life- simple Mexican kitchen. The majority of what people consider Mexican food is just an Americanized version of it's true self. Next, notice the nice char on the edge of the tortilla. This is key in a good burrito- some nice smokiness, and the burrito was filled with the chili pork and rice. The pork, just tender and moist- there was such a nice earthiness to the meat, you could taste the spices and they were deeply cooked in. The Pazole was everything I thought it'd be. Very hearty and warming, a nice spice- not too much heat. The one falter of the meal for me was the rice. It wasn't bad- I ate all of it- it was a little on the bland side for my taste- and that is the only bad thing you'll hear me say. This was a great lunch- I enjoyed talking with Ryan, he was very nice to me in answering my questions about his business. You can tell he loves his restaurant. I will definitely go back to try more of the menu (that you can see below)

In conclusion- I like Maggie's and I'll be back there to try more of their food. I think it is a valuable addition to Lee's Summit- my words to Maggie's are "buenos suerte y gracias"

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Please visit this locally owned business and see if you agree!

Pasta with Broccoli

Recipe No. 3
Pasta with Broccoli

Serving size for this recipe: 6-8 people

Average cost: $11 (the cheese is the most expensive part of the dish- but worth every penny)



Here we are- almost half way through February, and it is still cold outside. The infamous groundhog tells us six more weeks of winter, so- here is a dish that will warm you up and keep you happy till that sun shines again. This recipe is one my mom has made my entire life (and probably before it as well) it just speaks to me now more than ever before. Just simply called pasta with broccoli, nothing fancy about it- just spectacular flavors :) I have tweaked it slightly to make it my own, but that is the beauty of cooking, a recipe is one ingredient away from being transformed. It is rustic and a little spicy, super tasty, but most importantly- its inexpensive and easy! It's a great vegetarian pasta dish too! This is what you'll need:

1 lb. of Bucatini (this is a long pasta that is hollow- from the Italian word for hole "buco" )
1 Large head of broccoli
5 slices of bread (crusty bread is best)
1.5 cups of grated pecorino Romano cheese (this is crucial, try not to substitute)
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 of a small sweet onion (or 1 shallot)
1 tsp of peperoncino (red pepper flakes)
1 tsp of butter
1/2 a cup of white wine
extra virgin olive oil

Okay, lets begin. Start out with a little prep work. You should break down the broccoli into florets and just use a vegetable peeler to clean the stem- there is so much flavor in the stem, it's not just the handle :) Next put all of your broccoli pieces into a food processor and run it on pulse in 3 second increments (we are trying to chop up the broccoli, not puree it) when the pieces are about the size of peas, empty the broccoli into a bowl and set it in the refrigerator. Then, take your slices of bread and and put them in the food processor and pulse them down to fine bread crumbs. Heat a small pan to on medium high heat and add your butter, toast the bread crumbs in the pan stirring them often to avoid burning. Once they are toasted, remove from heat and set aside for later use.

At this point, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a couple teaspoons of salt to the water. Let the pasta cook for 8 minutes, checking it till it is al dente (with a little bite to it, not uncooked and not fully cooked) While the pasta is cooking you're going to dice your onion and mince the garlic. Get a large saute pan over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add in the onion, stir them well- we are trying to to cook them till they are translucent (cooking them without color, or browning). This keeps the onions sweet, and that's right where we want them. Next, add in the garlic, just cook everything together for about 2 minutes, stirring them to avoid burning the garlic.

The second half of this cooking moves fast- so ready, set, go!
clear your stove of all pots and pans except the pan with onions and garlic- turn this pan up to medium high and add the white wine, let this reduce for 1 minute. next add in the broccoli, stir it in and let it cook with the onions and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt. Add your peperoncino, and stir. add your pasta to the pan, with a pair of tongs, pick up the pasta and incorporate it into the other ingredients, stirring and lifting, don't break up the pasta too much! next add the bread crumbs, repeat the stirring and lifting, incorporating the bread crumbs, remove the pan from the heat and get your serving dish out. Transfer the pasta to the dish with the tongs and empty the pan of all remaining food (broccoli, onions, whatever was clinging on) finally add half the pecorino romano cheese and give it one final stir and lift. top with the remaining cheese and eat!

You did it! You can add this to your family cookbook if you want. I hope you try it, please leave me some comments if you'd like.

I hope you can make memories in your kitchen, enjoy!

Third Time's a Charm?

Critique No. 5
Restaurant:

Maxwell's Downtown Grill

301 SE Douglas

Lee's Summit, MO 64063

(816) 347-9177

Cuisine: American/Grill

Max. Seating Occupancy: 134

Price Point Average: Lunch- $6.99, Dinner- $8.99 and Up

I recently went out for lunch with some friends and co-workers. Someone recommended Maxwell's Downtown Grill, and since I hadn't eaten there before I was game for it. I had been to the business that previously occupied the space at 301 SE Douglas- a place called Beauchamp's on the Rail (a "BBQ" restaurant). The tale of my adventure to Beauchamp's is fun little story; It involves a cold day, a tow truck, a supposed to be surprise party and bad mac n' cheese (ask me sometime, and I'll tell you). Now... I knew that the owner of Maxwell's also owned two Italian restaurants in the area and I'd visited the one in Lee's Summit with marginal satisfaction, but as they say "third time's a charm". With high hopes and an empty stomach we walked into what looked to be the same restaurant with a new sign out front- but I moved on. The landscape was pretty empty when we arrived- just one other group of 4 or 5. We sat ourselves, and soon after a waitress came and took our drink orders. The menu was full of things you might see on a normal sit down grill kinda place, a club sandwich, some reference to black and bleu (oh so clever), there were a cast of soups and salads and so on. Nothing spectacular. I decided to take my culinary fate into my own hands and selected "BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER". Thank you, thank you. There were several items you could choose from, I opted for Provolone, Bacon, and Avocado. This came with lettuce, tomato, onion already. With a choice of classic fries, sweet potato fries or pomme frites (spelled incorrectly on the menu... its supposed to be pommes frites- but this isn't Belgium so I'll let..it..slide?) I went with the frites, for $6.99 it seemed like quite a deal. After some chit chatting-Out comes the food!

Now before we continue, just know- that this isn't all going to be negative...but the majority of it is. Anywho- First of all, these were not Pommes frites, they were regular french fries, with garlic, and parsley on them. Pommes Frites are super crunchy on the outside with a soft texture on the inside. Don't get me wrong- I ate all of them, just calling it like I see it- Not Pommes Frites. Next- Take me to BurgerTown! Oh, it looked sooo good, cheese was nice and melted with the crispy bacon and all the ooooooo I'm drooling now. So I stacked up some onion and tomato, some K & M (that's ketchup and mustard to you) and dove in.
My brain starts dancing...what am I tasting in Order of Taste???

Nice toasted bun- CHECK

Freshness from the Tomato and Onion- CHECK

Slightly salty provolone- CHECK

Crispy Bacon, so smokey and good- CHECK

HAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bland, unseasoned avocado! NOOO! we were doing so good. :(

back to the brain dance, taste order...
Burger cooked to medium, nice char, juicy and delicious- CHECK CHECK CHECK! This was some good tasting burger!

and finally, one more layer of toasted bun with the tang of the K & M- CHECK.

What did I Learn on this mouth journey? Let me tell you, I learned that one rotten apple, ruins the whole burger. The avocado killed it for me. Every bite was dulled down to utter blahness by it. If the chef had thought about seasoning the avocado (because come on now, it needs some salt and pepper)- I would have been smiling all the way home. But no.

Well- I ate it and it was filling, but I was left feeling empty from what could have been achieved at Maxwell's. We sat there after eating waiting to get our check for mmmm.....15 minutes- which seemed like hours, as the restaurant started filling up. Finally we departed the downtown grill and it was back to business as usual. Please take away THIS very important tip from my visit to Maxwell's - Flavor comes in layers, so season each layer properly and don't get carried away with calling your food something- it isn't.

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5

Please visit this locally owned business and see if you agree!