After School Snack

Spending time with my son is always a real treat, especially now that he is a Freshman in high school and has a social life that usually does not include his mom. All while he was growing up, I made our dining experiences around the Wichita area as frequent as possible. I wanted him to grow up comfortable in those settings. He's been ordering his own food since he started reading and is quite particular about his food. Certainly, he doesn't get that from me, right? lol....

Anyway, after school the other day, we decided to grab a light snack at Panera. I opted for the cinnamon chip scone and a low-fat mango smoothie. They were delicious. The cinnamon chip scone reminds me of the little cinnamon rolls my mother used to make when I was a kid. My teenager decided on not one, but two brownies and a cinnamon roll for a "snack" later. He usually does not eat a lot of sugary foods, but that day, he went all out.

Times like these are the best. We sat, drank, ate, and talked about school and friends. Times like these will be more scarce as he gets older, so I am taking advantage of it now.







 

Birthday Favorites - Old and New

Yesterday was perfect! My boyfriend finally turned 30! Yay! We decided to head over to our all-time favorite breakfast place, the Copper Oven. Yumm! I love this place! The coffee here is fantastic and the service is wonderful. The management team are all familiar faces and every Saturday, there is a line going out of the door to get a seat. It has truly become a gem to the Wichita area.

I decided on the mushroom and fresh spinach omelet ($6.82). The omelet is made with three eggs, sliced button mushrooms, a handful of fresh spinach, and topped with cheddar cheese. The omelet comes with their signature salsa, ranch potatoes, and your choice of bread side. I opted for the biscuit
and a side of cream gravy ($1.00). The biscuit is flaky and beckons you to dip each bite into the seasoned gravy. Ah! So tasty!

After we waddled to our car, we decided to drive down to the Farmer's Market located at 21st and Ridge. Big mistake! We drove right past. There was a line to get into the parking lot! Looks like we will have to arrive much earlier in order to walk around and browse the local hearty fare.


For dinner we decided to try a new place. We chose the Cactus Cantina and Grill. It is located on 2802 S. Hydraulic in Wichita. It's right next door to the very good greasy spoon, Fat Ernie's, a place we are known to lurk in every so often.

The Cactus Cantina has really good food! The menu states, 'If you can't go to Mexico, we'll bring Mexico to you.'


The salsa and guacamole are made fresh. The chips come out to your table warm. I ordered something from the "Real South of the Border" portion of the menu. It was the Teocaltiche Plate ($9.95). It was basically chunks of pork meat simmered into a special blend of spices. It came with rice, beans and tortillas. Sooooo gooood! My boyfriend ordered the #4 combination (9.95), which consisted of a chile relleno, beef enchilada, beef taco, rice and beans. That chile relleno was excellent! I loved that small bite of chile relleno almost as much as I loved my whole meal. It was that tasty!







Everything was to our liking. The manager was our waiter and he took excellent care of us. This is definitely a place we will come back to. If not for the chile rellenos, then definitely for the guacamole!

Sizzling!

The only time I usually come to On the Border is when I am craving a Sizzling Fajita Salad. This comes to you and topped at your table-side with sizzling steak and grilled onions. Get it with the Chipotle-Honey Mustard Dressing and savor all the flavors of AmeriMexican!

We went here for lunch and were taken care of by Mikey. Cool name guy! He was a fantastic server. Of course, I ordered my iced tea w/no lemon($2.19). We started off with the usual chips and salsa, but added a side of guacamole ($4.59). I love their guacamole!

I decided on my favorite craving of Sizzling Fajita Salad w/Steak ($9.99). Yumm! Cool, crisp lettuce and tomatoes topped with hot sizzling steak strips and grilled onions. I drizzle that delicious honey mustard dressing on top and go. to. town.


It's almost too much for one person to really eat. I never get to finish it all and everyone knows salad does not taste good later on in the day.


It was another successful dining experience for us. It's all about the service. Even if the food is correct, it's all about how they take care of it and you.

Salty, Greasy Goodness

We all know.... salt and grease are not good for me - or YOU. But the other day, I had the urge to eat something salty and greasy for lunch. I knew I wanted a cheeseburger, but couldn't decide where to go. What would you have done? It's like when you get that urge, that ridiculous food craving, and you just have to have it. Almost like when a woman is pregnant. Sooooo, I picked up the boyfriend and drove to Smashburger. This place rocks the salty, greasy, goodness!

I ordered the 1/3 pound mushroom swiss burger ($5.99) with guacamole (99 cents) and grilled onions (99 cents) added on. I also ordered a side of the fried pickles ($1.99) and a water to drink. Many have said this place is overpriced, but I would have to disagree. If you were to order the same burger and side in an actual restaurant with wait staff, you would pay the same amount. I mean, Outback Steakhouse isn't exactly charging the "$3.99 are you out of your mind!" meal deal. The price is just right here.

We sat out on the patio, enduring the strong Kansas wind. Whew! My basket wanted to move across the table right into my lap! The place was packed and the food totally hit the spot. That cheeseburger is just what I needed. The meat was hot, juicy, and the creamy guacamole smeared on the burger with the grilled onions and mushrooms was perfect and harmonious. The fried pickles were a little too salty, but the cool ranch dressing helped take the edge off.

I got my fix for salty, greasy goodness at Smashburger. Yumm!

Dear Anthony,
I know you hate the restaurant chains, but don't you ever have a food craving for something like this?

Even Better Than Ever

I just can't get enough of the Outback Steakhouse on the West side of Wichita. I did give the East location a poor review on Zomato, but I stand by my words and decision.

I must tell you of the experience I had today at the West location. Folks, if you haven't been here lately, you MUST GO!

My son and I headed here for lunch, straight from the airport. We were famished! After watching Survivor this past week and seeing the villains enjoy a fabulous dinner from the Outback Steakhouse, I have been craving the thousand island dressing they make fresh.

They have transformed the inside and parts of the menu. The former somewhat "rugged" look has been replaced with lit wooden panels and soft hues of blues and greens to accent the room. This spectacular restaurant feels warmer, a more romantic feel than before. This remodel was definitely an upscale re-do with the same familiar and friendly staff.

After we were seated, our server offered us a sample of their new strawberry and peach fresca a la shot glass. It was cute and quite refreshing, but I ordered my usual iced tea w/o lemon ($2.29).

The bread was different, but had the same great flavor. Our salads ($2.50) came out on lovely new square plates. I would pay good money to get the recipe for that thousand island dressing recipe. It's made fresh daily and you can taste it!
















Outback is always known for their excellent steaks. Knowing that, I wanted to see if they could do seafood the same way. I chose the Norwegian Salmon. So glad I did! They actually know how to cook salmon to perfection. I paired the Norwegian Salmon ($13.95) with the grilled seasonal vegetables and a sweet baked potato.

Okay now, if you are Logan's or Texas Roadhouse, listen up!!!! Your baked sweet potatoes come in a far second place behind this Outback Steakhouse. Yumm! Perfect sweetness of brown sugar and melted butter plays tingly little notes on your tongue. Oh, joy!




The salmon was cooked to perfection on their wood fire grill, so flaky and flavorful. I love the fresh mix of vegetables on the side. It was the perfect combination.

Service was absolutely outstanding. Our server was Tyler W. He did a fantastic job. The store manager even visited our table twice to make sure everything was perfect. This restaurant is definitely customer first!

We love coming here and usually dine here a couple times a month. As I have said before, it's better out West!

"Green" Visit At Ted's Montana Grill

A friend suggested lunch at Ted's Montana Grill today. I haven't been in about four years. Ted's has the wonderful little pickles at the table when you wait for your food.

The bison burgers are great. I ordered the Vermejo bison burger. It comes out cooked perfectly at medium well. The melted Monterey Jack cheese and the grilled onions and mushrooms are some of my most favorite toppings. This burger was sooo moist and delicious. The juice from the burger rolled down my chin a few times.

I also ordered the wedge salad with the house ranch dressing. That salad was refreshing. Each bite was crisp, clean, and fresh. I love roughage like that.

I noticed the "green" straws right away. This is new since my last visit and something my kid would appreciate. These straws are cardboard. Kind of weird since I am known to bite on my straw. Couldn't do it. I did throw an extra in my purse to show my "recycling" 15 year old.

Overall, the place was clean. Atmosphere was pretty low-key. The service (Chris) was excellent and our food quality was great. Not a fan of the straws though.

Fat Happy

Dinner was amazing this evening. We had reservations for 7 p.m. at Hereford House. Nestled in the Terradyne Country Club, this restaurant's ambiance was rugged elegance. The modern West decor was laid back, yet innovative.

Service was absolutely outstanding. Our server, Kelsea, did a great job in making sure everything was to our liking. She was quick to get us refills and was there to take care of our every need. Kelsea was one of the best servers I have ever met.

Our entire table decided on the Thursday night special, which was the Bone-in Ribeye. This "cowboy cut" of beef was so beautiful. It was massive, almost like a Fred Flinstone cut of meat. I thought the boys had died and gone to heaven. The men at our table are butchers by day, so trying to impress them with a good steak can be tricky. The steaks were cooked perfectly. I love the little char of the crust and the moist hot pink center melted in your mouth. Our baked potatoes were heavenly vessels for the "out of this world" chive butter and thick creamy sour cream. Do you hear me people????? This food was amazing!!!!!

There was so much food and we did not want to leave any of it behind. We tried to eat as much as we could, but alas! Much to my sorrow, I could not eat all of the steak. I was stuffed to the gills and was fat happy for the moment. You know what I mean by fat happy. You are so full, you can barely move, yet you want more but just can't do it. Fat happy is only good once or twice a year. This was definitely a fat happy moment, one to remember.

If you have not made it out to the Hereford House, it's a must go. They really don't advertise which I am thankful for. It's kind of like my own little secret special place to go on nice occasions, a place where you don't have to fight the crowds. Tonight was a special night and I have to thank this restaurant for doing it right.

Service was first-class, food quality was outstanding, and the atmosphere was superior to many fine dining restaurants in Kansas. This Hereford House will blow any of the Kansas City establishments out of the water. We were extremely satisfied customers. Thank you Hereford House!

Hereford House

I am super excited this evening! We are having dinner at Hereford House at Terradyne in Andover.

We are taking my boyfriend's retired boss out for dinner. He retired on Tuesday. We will be having dinner with he and his wife.

I have been to Hereford House in Kansas City twice and I can't wait to try this one. It's one of my favorite places to visit while in KC.

Well, gotta get ready to go. I will be giving you an update soon!

Thanks Salina, KS

We met some friends for dinner in Salina this evening. When I was asked what restaurant, my response was "Something we don't have in Wichita." My friend chose Tucson's Steakhouse. This restaurant is located on South Ninth, right smack dab in the middle of construction. It was not hard to get to. The inside was pretty clean, with several big screen televisions to watch sports. It was kind of distracting to have. Some places I don't mind, but when I am meeting friends for dinner, the boyfriend has a tendency to tune out conversation and just watch the sports. Sigh.... what's a girl to do?

Anyway, I chose the Ribeye - 10 ounce cut ($17.49), with a side salad and baked sweet potato. I also ordered a side of grilled onions ($0.99). My usual drink was an iced tea with no lemon ($1.79).




The steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, almost medium. The side salad was average but was good with the warm, marble wheat bread. The sweet potato was fairly large, but almost undercooked. Overall, the meal was fine. It wasn't the best I have had at a steakhouse, but it was good. Our server (Sean) was nice and was accommodating, however, I only got one glass of iced tea and would have like another.

Of course the best part of eating here was to see our friends. They live in Omaha and I don't get to see them often unless it is a work-related meeting or conference. Salina was good to us this evening. Thanks Tucson's Steakhouse for a good meal away from home.

Birthday Dinner

I love my birthday. We decided to try the Imbiss Grille in Old Town. German cuisine.... Yumm!

The restaurant has a nice relaxed atmosphere and was warm and cozy. Our server was sweet and tentative to our needs throughout the night. I ordered the traditional Sauerbraten. The onion soup came before as a little appetizer. Very good and filling! The Sauerbraten was okay. The meat was tough and my potatoes came out cold the first time. I had to send them back, which I hate to do, but it was definetely necessary. The red cabbage was the bomb! I could have just eaten that and been perfectly content.

My mother-in-law got the liver and onions. I was eye-balling her plate the entire time. She did let me sneak a bite and I was so jealous. Why didn't I get that instead? Well, now I know for next time.

Overall, it was a nice meal, but could have been much better if the food was prepared correctly. I was able to enjoy a great meal at Edelweiss in Colorado Springs, CO, and that restaurant hits one out of the ballpark. Until I find a better local German restaurant, this one will have to do.

Possibilities

I am having dinner with my family Thursday evening to celebrate my birthday. So many restaurants, so many possibilities! Chain restaurant or local? Ethnic or All-American. Too many choices?

Can I just have it all?

Regardless, I plan to share the experience here.

Hope you are having a great week!

Granite City (West Location)

So today we ventured to the west side of Wichita for some lunch dining action at Granite City. Actually, we were having a farewell dinner for our boss. The last time I ate here, it was an average visit.

This time around, the experience was much better. Service has gotten better, the food was great, and it was a nice atmosphere. I had the Chicken Salad on focaccia bread with mashed potatoes and a great side salad. The thousand island dressing had a zing to it and the mashed potatoes are red-skin and soooo yummy! The sandwich was a lunch portion and the chicken was creamy with scallions and baby mixed greens. The toasted focaccia bread is herbed and grilled just right. I also had iced tea (no lemon) to wash it all down. Very good lunch!

The server was great. I always enjoy servers responding with "my pleasure" after you thank them. It really makes you feel good. I hate it when people say "no problem".

Lunch was absolutely delightful and I was definitely pleased this time around. It seems the restaurant has made some improvements. I have also been told the beer is great here, although I have never tried it. The Sunday brunch is very tasty, but come early so you can avoid the crowded line.

This location is on 2661 N. Maize Rd.

Bella Luna Cafe

I am a follower of Zomato. I love going to this site and finding great places to try while traveling or just staying in and around Wichita. I printed the Top 100 restaurants in Wichita and decided to give some of them a go.

Last night's choice was the #1 ranked Bella Luna Cafe. We decided to try the Bradley Fair location. It was a good experience. I have eaten here before, but my boyfriend has not. We got the hummus to start off with. It usually comes with soft pita and pita chips. There were hardly any pita chips on the plate, so I picked at those while the BF chose the soft pita. The hummus is decent here.

I always get the special when dining in the evening. Last night's special was something called Seafood alla Creme? It was angel hair pasta with shrimp, scallops and a mushroom creme sauce. It's one of those dishes that has so many ingredients in it, you wonder if they were cleaning out the frig and pantry. I am talking about broccoli, squash, asparagus, mushrooms, onions, shrimp and scallops. I am sure a few ingredients didn't make the list, but were in this delicious dish. And it was GOOD. The flavors were excellent, creamy with a hint of some kick. I do have to say the pasta and scallops were overcooked. These are two ingredients that will overcook easily if you are not careful.

We had iced tea with our meal. The prices for soft drinks and beverages are always highest in Wichita. They tend to range from $2.10 to $2.50. Our tea was $2.50. Redonkulous, right?

Our server, Jeff, was great. He took really good care of us. One of the most important qualities for a restaurant to have besides quality food, is great service. Good service keeps business coming back through that front door. With so much competition out there for the customers' dollar, good service is essential in order to be successful.

I don't know if I would rank this restaurant as #1, but I plan on adventuring out and trying all of what Wichita has to offer. I'll let you know what I think.

Valentine's Day Love

Valentine's Day is one of the biggest celebrated holidays of the year in the United States. Wikipedia describes Valentine's Day as an annual holiday held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. Hmmm.. who would I consider my intimate companion? Well, perhaps not intimate, but a companion indeed would be my Sterling Silver rib eye I have marinating in the frig right now. Mmmhmmm. I am going to celebrate my LOVE for beef today.
If you are not familiar with Sterling Silver Meats, well, just visit their website. Better yet, just go to your local Dillons store and purchase a steak. You'll see. And smell. And taste. And savor. And wonder why you ever purchased an overpriced steak at a local restaurant on this day of love. Their beef consists of only the top 12% of all grain-fed beef cattle. In other words, the best of the best.

While at your local Dillons store, don't forget to purchase some of this. Daddy Hinkle's marinade is one of the best I have tried. The flavor is outstanding, if you're into marinades. The original is my absolute fav! Although Daddy Hinkle's is not a well known brand, it beats the best of them. No need for any steak sauce after you have grilled your steak to perfection.

Tonight, I will have dinner with my one and only - a Sterling Silver rib eye, seasoned with Daddy Hinkle's, cooked to a perfect medium-rare on my Weber grill. I will then leave it to rest for only a short time, letting the juices do it's magic, relaxing the beef into a mouthwatering center of the plate. I will celebrate the love I have for food and ponder what Pope Gelasius I was thinking when he established this beautiful day. Hopefully food came into mind.

This blog is new and under construction. Stay tuned...