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!

Caprese Puff Pastry Pizza

Recipe No. 6
Caprese Puff Pastry Pizza

Serving Size for this Recipe: 6-8 people
Average Cost: $9 to $11


This is a fun little dish to throw in the mix for your weekly menu!  Taking the classic caprese salad recipe and using a soft buttery puff pastry to tie it all together.  This is So super simple but so super good.  You're gonna need a few things:

1 pkg of puff pastry
2-3 Roma tomatoes
1 lb. of fresh mozzarella cheese- BelGioioso is a good one that you can find at most grocers.
1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp of good extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Lay out the puff pastry on a sheet pan, dock the pastry with a fork and cook as instructed on package.  Making these small holes will keep that pastry from puffing up (like a pizza crust!)
In a small bowl- whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. 
Once it's cooked- let it cool for 10 minutes, then add the sliced tomato, torn basil leaves, thin slices of the mozzarella, and (whisk it together one more time) and drizzle over the balsamic dressing.  Add some kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper and eat it!

Remember to K.I.S. in the kitchen!
Keep It Simple.

I hope you have a great day, foodies!

Tortilla Soup (Sopa de la Calabaza y Pollo)

Recipe No. 5
Tortilla Soup (Sopa de la Calabaza y Pollo)
Serving Size for this Recipe: 6-8 people
Average Cost: Under $10.00
Cook time:  45-50 minutes

My pursuit of food glory has been derailed for several months now, for this- I apologize!
I have been so consumed by work; I've just not had the time to do this.  UNTIL NOW!!

I have a delicious and soul warming soup for you to make to keep you warm this fall and winter! Here's the line up:
Veg
1 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 large white onion
2 Anaheim peppers
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 bunch of cilantro

Protein
Chicken breasts (boneless/skinless)
Masa rue (1/4 cup of cornmeal and water to combine- this will thicken the soup)

Spices/Seasonings
1tbsp garlic powder
1tbsp chili powder
2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tbsp Mexican oregano
salt to taste

Liquids
3 tbsp Olive Oil
2 quarts of Organic (or homemade if you have time) Chicken Stock
2 cups of milk
1/4 cup of lime juice

This is really easy.  Put medium high heat on your dutch oven or large pot, and add olive oil.  Once the pot is hot- add the chicken breasts and cook to a nice golden char on each side.  (if the chicken is slightly rare on the inside- that is okay, it will finish cooking in the soup!) Don't over cook the chicken!  5 minutes should be enough.  Once cooked- remove the chicken and set it aside to rest.  Next, rough chop all veggies, but MINCE the garlic.  Add onions- and cook for 5 minutes.  Add all spices- and 2 good pinches of salt.  Cook this mixture for another 5 minutes.  Add the lime juice, cook till incorporated.  Add the minced garlic, and the zucchini and squash- cook for 5 minutes.  Pour in the chicken stock and raise to High heat (bring to a boil).

Once boiling (this shouldn't take long)  lower heat to simmer and let it sit for 10 minutes. 
(You can cut the chicken into small strips during this simmering time) Once it is done boiling and starts to simmer with small bubbles, add the bunch of cilantro (just chop it off at the stems) stir in the cilantro leaves, then take out your submersion blender (stick blender, hand blender) and blend the soup until no large pieces of veggies remain.  Then, whisk in the masa rue and the milk (continue whisking until the masa is thoroughly incorporated to avoid lumps!)  Check the seasoning- it may need some more salt.  Bring the soup slowly back up to a boil.  Then add the chicken, and reduce heat.  Let it simmer for 20 minutes- and you're done! 


A hearty and savory soup like this can really make you feel all cozy inside when it's cold outdoors- so try it out, I hope you like it!

In These Challenging Times~We Lost Another One~

Not too long ago, I did a review on a new Italian restaurant here in Lee's Summit. When I found Napoli's it was a young business that showed promise and potential.  I even went as far as giving them the rehearsal dinner booking for my sister's wedding!  As I drove down Sycamore St. the other day, I noticed that something had changed- The once young, blooming, Italian restaurant I'd visited just one month prior- was GONE....??? Questions circled in my head- "are they getting a new sign?" "are they closed for renovations?" But no, much to my disappointment- the space was completely empty- stripped of all signs that they had ever been there except for the decal on the window bearing their name.  I was totally confused because I had spoken to Labi (former owner) several times about how business was going and he never hinted at their business closing! 


I called their Sedalia, MO location and found out that it was the only location out of 3 that was still open. 
This was sad news, but I must not mourn too long.  The previous business at the location, had also been an Italian restaurant.  Maybe Lee's Summit would rather go to Fazoli's.  Who knows...


I pour my glass of vino on the ground in your memory Napoli's.  It was nice while it lasted.
Ciao.

New Kid on Campus

Critique No. 10

Restaurant

Next Door Pizza & Pub

3385 SW Fascination Dr.

Lee's Summit, MO 64081
816-763-1200
http://www.nextdoorpizza.com/
Hrs: Sun-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

Cuisine: Italian/American, Buffet, Pizzeria

Maximum Occupancy: 95 plus the Patio

Bam! I'm back.  Sorry for the time in between posts- you know...life.  Well I am bringing back a story about my trip to a new face near the Metropolitan Community College-Longview Campus.  The place is Next Door Pizza & Pub. I was told by a dear friend that I must try the pizzeria, and I must try it NOW! 

This is what went down.  As you drive up to the New Longview community in Lee's Summit you first notice the colorful buildings and of course the college. Take a left at the stop light and you will drive right past Fascination Drive. On the corner you'll see NDP and ask yourself, where am I suppose to park? Keep driving, the majority of the parking is in back.  There was a nice patio area on the side for good weather days.  I walked in the back door and was greeted by a the owner Patrick Cuezze.  For lunch there are two choices- order off the menu or you can hit up the buffet.  I always try to get a variety of offerings from a new place, so I went with the menu (since it was a pizza only buffet). I didn't have a chance to try one of their 10 ON TAP or 30 BOTTLED BEERS, but- apparently they are just as much into their micro brews as they are their pizza! The waitress was nice and engaging,she took my drink order and I glanced over the menu and looked around the restaurant.  As I looked up I saw this beautiful sight hanging above the door.

If you can't read that (go see an eye Dr.)

It says "We Proudly Serve Mendolia's Italian Sausage, We only serve the Best!"

This made me exceedingly happy, because A: Mendolia's is the best sausage in the world (bias??) and B: Mendolia's is a Kansas City classic.  I love seeing local businesses support each other!!!  I have grown up eating mendolia's my whole life, and when I saw on the menu the sausage grinder- I knew that was it.  It was served with hand cut, double cooked fries.  The waitress told me to substitute for the Puerto Fries (same fries, just covered with bacon, queso and jalapenos) I went for it- I like to take the recommendations, I also got 2 squares of thier thin crust pepperoni pizza to try out their namesake.   So my order was in, I'm sitting there, trying to get a vibe on this place.  It's kinda quirky with the sports stuff, and all the doors hanging from the walls, ceilings and everywhere else you looked. Patrick later told me that the doors were all designed and painted by community members, organizations and groups.  

(You can design a door too! Just call and talk to Patrick about it.)

I didn't care for the music that was playing, just pop radio garbage (that's a big deal for me as a diner.  I like to feel relaxed when I eat, and the music was making me annoyed)  I put all that aside when I saw this set in front of me.

Lets start with the pizza.  This was a paper thin, cracker crust.  I mean just crispy and good, not dry. but crispy.  Great flavor from the sauce, nice melting cheese (they use only GRANDE mozzarella), and Rosa Grande Pepperoni- (which was very small in diameter- about the size of a nickel).  Now the pepperoni threw me off a little, because when they cook up, they tend to cup up so a little pool of grease forms inside.  Patrick says that's fine with him.  I prefer the pepperoni to be a little bigger around, but lets move on.  The Grinder:  Right off the bat, I noticed that it was not cut down the side like a hot dog bun.  This was a hollowed out piece of Italian bread with the sausage cut up and put inside with the sauce and cheese, then capped off with what I would call a "bread cork".  It was a sesame toasted flavor that hit me first, then more bread, and i realized my first bite was all bread and sauce.  So....eh, idk about that.  Next bite, tender, perfectly cooked Italian sausage, cheese, and sauce with the crusty bread and the Ah! and the Oo! it was good. I set that down for a second to dig into the puerto fries.  This was like HALT!! PEPPER ATTACK MEETS MUSHY POTATO!!  It was explained to me that the fries that day hadn't been double cooked. So they didn't develop a nice crunchy exterior, instead, they were mush with all that cheese just adding to the mush.  The jalapeno and Fresno Chiles that were on the dish- in my opinion- way too much heat for a side dish to have.  I stopped there with the fries.  Finishing the pizza and sandwich, I felt somewhat sad that I just paid $3.00 extra to "puerto" my fries.  There were a lot of things I liked but some pretty big misses as well for this trip to NDP.  I did enjoy talking with Patrick and his wife after my meal, just finding out about them and their place. Some bonuses I found were: They have gluten free options for those in need of them, and on Monday's Kids eat free (see website for details), and they give great discounts for students!  Patrick says they have the best pizza in town, But wouldn't you say that if you were the owner?  For them only being opened for 4 months, and never being in the restaurant biz before, I'd say they have a great future ahead of them.  Class dismissed.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

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

Korean Tacos w/ Killer Asian Slaw

Recipe No. 4
Korean Tacos w/ Killer Asian Slaw

Serving Size for this Recipe: 10-12 people
Average Cost: $25 (you'll be buying some ingredients that will become essentials in your pantry- so part of the cost will pay out in the long term)


Okay- okay already, you want me to tell you a new amazing take on the taco? Well, its not so new- it's been done- but not like this.  This is my spin on Korean street food- the Korean Taco, or Korean BBQ Taco.  Street vendors in all major cities are picking up on the concept that people LOve LOVe LOVE spices and bold flavors!  This dish will deliver.  Put it on the menu for your next get-together!

Now like I said; there are going to be some ingredients to buy that you are going to use a little of, and may not have in your pantry already- but once you get them, you can start finding the dishes to make that USE them (so don't freak out)

You're going to need flour tortillas (usually the small variety are called "fajita size")
The players for the steak are-

2-3 lbs of Skirt Steak (or Flank Steak)
(1) 20 oz bottle of Dr. Pepper - YES THE SODA!
2 tbsp of Hoisin Sauce
2 tsp of Sesame Oil
3 tbsp of Soy Sauce
1 tbsp of Fresh Garlic
2 Green Onions or Scallions (chopped)
1 tbsp of red chili flakes
2 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper
1 lime (the juice)

The Slaw is super easy, but killer flavor and a nice crisp/bright counter point to the richness of the steak-

1 head of shredded iceberg lettuce
1 or 2(depending on size) heads of Napa Cabbage
2 Large Carrots
1 cup of fresh Cilantro
1 tbsp of Hoisin Sauce
1/2 a cup of Rice Vinegar
2 tsp of sugar
2 tsp of salt

Alright- mix all the ingredients for the steak marinade together and pour half in a heavy duty zip tight storage bag, and the other half into an air tight container. Chop the steak into thin strips about 2 inches long but thin as you can get them with a kitchen knife.  Marinate in the fridge for 3 hours at least- over night is better!

The day of your meal-

wrap your tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and place them in a baking dish w/ a lid into the microwave for 1 minute and let them sit till you're ready to eat.
Next-
Get all your veggies and shred them into a zip tight bag, add the other ingredients right into the bag and give it a good shake! make sure to taste it and add salt if needed.  Put the bag in the fridge until service happens!
Then-
take your steak out and get cooking! get a grill plate or skillet out and on medium high heat- remove the meat from the bag and begin to cook- this will go fast, since the meat is cut small and thin.  You're looking for a nice sear on the meat and good caramelization from all the sugar in the soda.  The marinade you reserved in the air tight container can go into a pot and brought up to a simmer (once the meat is cooked- put it in this delicious sauce to keep it warm while serving- just use a slotted spoon or tongs to serve with). You're ready to eat! Lets Rock!

I hope you'll take this recipe and rock it out- Enjoy!

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!

Spicy Hot- Spicy Good!

Critique No. 3
Restaurant:
Thai Spice
1192 NE Douglas
Lee's Summit, MO 64086
816-347-9859

Cuisine: Authentic Thai
Max. Seating Occupancy: 57
Price Point Average: Lunch- $6.99, Dinner- $8.99

(Well, I was referred to this next restaurant by a reader of the blog- Thanks for the tip, and keep the referrals coming!)

In an unassuming little strip mall off of Douglas Street in Lee's Summit you'll find dry cleaners, Army recruiters and other merchants; but rarely do you find a restaurant that pays attention to details like this one does. I walked in to Thai Spice, Authentic Thai Cuisine and was pleased to see a business owner that cares about presentation. They've been at their location for a year and 8 months and have been embraced by the community as the "go-to Thai place". I was seated at my choice of table or booth (I took the booth). The aroma of Thai tea was perfuming the room, so I had to order some. Then I was told that with my meal comes with either a salad or hot and sour soup, I opted the soup and it was amazing. A delicious combination of mouth-feels, the soft texture of the tofu and the silkiness of the egg all mixed with the deep complexity of that broth. For the appetizer I enjoyed the Fried Dumplings.

They were filled with wonderfully tender chicken and vegetables and a homemade sauce was served for dipping. It was rich and savory. The thing I loved about these dumplings was how they were plated. This is when I started to notice the cuisine part of Thai Spice. A Rectangular plate with a bed of red and green cabbage and these little pillows of fried goodness resting on top. The simple detail of garnishing food with food you can eat instead of scraps of parsley. The cool, crisp cabbage against the warm tenderness of the dumpling all tied together with the sauce...ahh..it was scrumptious; and this was just the appetizer! Next was the entree of Pineapple Fried Rice.

This was something I'd never even heard of- and the reason is simple, it's a Thai food classic and this was my first Thai meal. Fried jasmine rice with segments of sauteed pineapple, shrimp, chicken, roasted cashews, raisins, egg and scallions. Wow! This was served with two wonderful little Crab Rangoon and a beautiful dish of four sauces and spices. Red chili flakes, jalapenos, a hot and sour sauce, and a scallion vinegar sauce. The hostess told me that the red chili sauce was good on the fried rice, so being the brave soul that I am- I went for it! OH MY! They lived up to the Spice in their name. Spicy, but in a way that didn't kill you- it kind of rolled around in your mouth then ends up on the back or your pallet to cool down. In all of this experience, I've tried to be objective and not just sing the praises of an establishment but look at any negative or challenging aspects. In this case however...I really can't. This was a great meal, served by great people, in a relaxing environment and I have nothing but good things to say it. They are open 7 days a week for dine in or carry out. Thai Spice is a family owned, local gem that you won't mind visiting time and time again.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

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

Flavors of India in Lee's Summit, MO

Critique No.1
Restaurant:
Bombay Palace
1313 NE Douglas St
Lees Summit, MO 64086
(816) 525-2300

Cuisine: Traditional Indian
Max. Seating Occupancy: 40
Price Point: $9.00 for all you can eat buffet, average prices off menu- $7 to $12

I first tried Indian cuisine at a young age and fell in love with it. Full of deep, intense flavors, it offers an experience that is distinct and delicious.
Highlights- Kheer(rice pudding) was spot on, Very good Masala chicken, complimentary chai tea after your meal was nice.
Opportunities for Improvement- Some of the dishes (mixed veggies, and chutney) seamed to have an overuse of the curry. It overpowered the main ingredients leaving them indistinguishable.

There are other options in the area for Indian food, this was in my humble opinion the best bite for the buck!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

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