Zeemanb

Good subject. I'm wondering what impact the implementation of non-smoking laws will have on the number of parents who start bringing their children into bars. Although more and more restaurants in my town are going totally smoke-free we do have a ton of neighborhood bar and grills that have at most a separate section for non-smokers. A bar & grill down the street from me recently placed pool tables in part of what was the non-smoking section, which angered many people who had seen it as a "family" spot until that point. I'm assuming the business decision to rearrange the interior wasn't solely to drive off the stroller crowd, but that's how many took it and I'm guessing they went on down the road to one of the hundred or so family friendly eateries in the area. From what I can tell, business is still booming despite their departure, and logic dictates (at least to me) that if you're running a bar it's just smart money to cater to those who aren't counting on family night (and we DO have at least one bar that caters to families….the American Legion down the road bills their wildly popular Karaoke night as just that). Anyway, in this one isolated case the exodus was preceded by the non-smoking section getting smaller, forcing families to sit next to the divider wall which doesn't completely block the smoke. It just makes me wonder if and when indoor smoking is no longer an option in Missouri, if there will be a sudden influx of children and how that will be handled. Would anyone even ask about bringing their child to the Pegu Club if the smoking ban was not in effect? Also, will we begin seeing more and more "NO KIDS" policies similar to the one upthread being implemented? And what about enforcement of those policies……"Sorry folks, you're going to have to take your children and go….I've got people trying to get drunk in here". Admittedly, I'm childless and am just not crazy about kids in general so I'm biased (when I see parents getting lectured by the staff for not watching out for their kids at Dave & Busters it is pretty sweet), but would anyone besides me be more likely to go to a bar where you were positive you'd only have to worry about unruly drunks instead of unruly drunks AND children? I used to scoff at my friends who stuck up for smoking bans based solely on not having to worry about their clothes stinking, but selfishly imagining child-free drinking establishments makes me way more sympathetic to their plight. I'm not saying there aren't any parents out there who can't handle their kids in public, because I've seen many a situation diffused by a quick thinking mom or dad who hustles a temperamental kid out of the dining room. If I'm stuck going to Applebee's I know I've got a really good chance of getting some bad food and witnessing some ill-behaved children and oblivious parents. When it comes to fine dining, in my experience you've got a 50/50 shot at a child's behavior not being a total distraction, and that's part of the reason I rarely make reservations earlier than 8:30 (I don't want to do what my dear ol' dad does and eat at 5:30 or 6 and monitor the door for any incoming kids, fully prepared to sit and moan about "rug rats"). I generally don't hit the bars in the afternoon or early evening, but even if I do they won't be packed, so I've got no problem with kids if I can get away from them. However, if it's past 7 or 8 and I see a stroller or a diaper bag coming through the door, my first reaction is to look around and make sure there aren't any open seats near me. This is totally my personal prejudice, but I believe that the likelihood of responsible parents with well behaved children coming through the pub door lessens as the hours pass. That may be completely different in Europe or different parts of the U.S., but where I live there are an inordinate number of soccer moms and dads who take the sense of entitlement that comes with being upper middle class in the midwest to new heights. I mean, they're bad enough ON THEIR OWN…I'm supposed to toss back Manhattans with their kids too?

Gave this some serious thought, and I can really see myself buying....... Cinnamon ice cream with cashews and a caramel apple swirl

I've only really noticed Pacific Grill when I drive by there. I'll try to find some time to drive down through there tonight or tomorrow to investigate. If you don't see me back here again, it's because they ARE opening up a Cheeseburger in Paradise and when I saw it my head exploded.

On Saturday or Sunday I make sure I have roasted enough coffee to last Monday-Friday. Lately I've strictly been an Ethiopian Harar man, it's good for burning off the initial morning fog. During the week I wake up, fill the teapot and get it on the burner, set the timer on the burr grinder to "8" and go take a shower. After my shower, the water is boiling so I put the coffee in the French Press, douse it, throw on clothes and go make sure the dog is just as regular as ever. A few minutes later I'm filling my one quart thermos with coffee, a few packets of Splenda, and topping it off with a little 1% milk. No coffee until I'm actually AT work, and this routine has only backfired on me when, nightmare of nightmares……….I'm halfway to the office and realize in my morning daze that I filled the thermos and left it on the counter as I went to get my laptop. At that point I'm stuck with the free office Folgers, but recently someone was good enough to designate one of the shared carafes as "double" so everyone knows to put TWO coffee packets into the machine if they're filling that one. It's pretty terrible, with no discernible coffee flavor, but after about forty cups vs. one cup of the Harar I can usually wake up. When I work from home and on weekends I fire up my knock-off Bialetti coffee maker, unless my girlfriend is home and wanting coffee in which case I repeat the process above.

I've also had the champagne float. I think it was at the Food and Wine celebration dinner. Wasn't expecting it to be so enjoyable, but I remember wanting to try and recreate it at home. Just firmed up plans with a Bluestem newbie for some weeknight in mid to late April. I don't know how I'm going to tear myself away from these HMR entrees and shakes though. Colby is going to have one tough act to follow, that's all I've got to say......this pre-packaged vegetable stew with genuine beef chunks I've got for lunch is a world-beater. Plus, I don't throw in the towel as easily as Judy.....geeeeeezzzz.......

As with most things, this onion ring topic can be broken down even further according to style........ You've got the common version with the crusty shell, similar to Sonic, Jack Stack, etc. Then there's the beer battered ring (75th St. Brewery), the nearly tempura-like ring (can't think of a location, but similar to the chicken fingers at Houstons), the finely sliced onion ring "loaf" like the one at KC Masterpiece (I do like those, but not enough to eat at KC Masterpiece) and finally what I think of as the "eat it before you wear it" rendition. That is the one that finally came to mind when thinking about the best of KC……I think they have a fantastic version at Stroud's. I'm assuming the remaining location up north has them, but from what I remember they are really, really flaky with a ton of pepper in the batter. It's a challenge to get them in your mouth before you're wearing fried batter on your shirt. Nearly impossible to get ketchup on them. Incredible. I think they are similar at the Corner Café in Riverside. So there you go. Go and enjoy some for me. To further my angst, I just remembered the long-gone Paul Bunyan Burger joint down on 18th and Parallel in the 'dotte.....their onion rings were unlike anything I'd seen before or since. They made them fresh, in a way that was more like making funnel cakes than onion rings. Similar to a beer batter, tons of it, with very thin slices of onion. You could easily take a bite and get no onion, but the batter was great. Again, very much like a savory funnel cake.

The only thing I can think to add right now re: best onion rings- And these no longer exist in KC, so it does absolutely no good for anyone, but when I was a kid I remember going to a place called Coco's in north KC. Don't remember a thing about the quality of most of the food, but they had the biggest, most amazing onion rings. Totally huge, a good three inches tall and fried with what we'd think of as panko bread crumbs today. Think Sonic onion rings as far as cut and flavor, only five times bigger. I think Coco's was a chain, because I recall there being one in Phoenix when I lived there. Favorite onion rings today....not sure, depends on my mood.

I can add value to a few of these, with my "best of" really being a snapshot of the past six months or so....... if I don't eat it that often, I didn't add it..... Best Everyday Restaurant (i.e. cheap and easy): Combining w/Best Italian.....it's definitely not cheap, but Lidia's has been my "go-to" restaurant for several years now. Stacey is a fantastic server, the wine prices usually very reasonable, the calamari/escarole/corona bean dish is world class, and the sorbets and house infused grappas are a ton o' fun. I'll throw Bamboo Hut and Waldo Pizza in this category as well. Best All-around Restaurant (cost doesn't matter): big shock here......Bluestem! Best Mexican: at this moment in time, Tienda Casa Paloma, but Rudy's Tenampa Taqueria is a longtime favorite.....amazing fish tacos. Best Cheeseburger: Fritz's (18th St. KCK) Best French Fries: Wyandotte BBQ (crinkle cut, double fried-double grease, wax paper bag, they do NOT travel) Best restaurant on the Kansas side (if your best restaurant pick was on the MO side): I had a fantastic meal at 40 Sardines recently, but I'll go with Pachamama's for consistently great food over the past year. Another category....... Candidate for "most likely to make it into my regular rotation"..... Aixois I started going there for lunch on the weekends when I had class at UMKC last semester, and I just really dig it. Not a new place, but I'd passed it over for a long time.

Thanks for taking one for the team! Your report (even after factoring in the large group) aside, I haven't heard anything about Piropo's that would prompt me to go and spend that kind of money. Where CAN'T you eat in KC for $200 per couple? Since it's down the street from me now, I'll absolutely go and have drinks/apps on the patio when the weather warms up. To take a chance on dinner there, I'm going to have to hear a few back to back "halfway through my steak I realized my arthritis had been healed/face of Jesus in my empanada" reports first.

Oh come on! The best is yet to come! There's the "Race for the Royal", the 5K run that will weave its way through all of the competitor's spaces on Saturday morning next year (winning team gets matching cell phones and a month's worth of anytime minutes), the new "Low Fat/High Fiber" food category, entertainment by none other than "Muskrat Luv"....the Captain and Tenille cover band that specializes in Elevator Muzak versions of their greatest hits, intermittent sniper positions along the 12th street bridge (courtesty of the Dept. of Homeland Security) for your safety, the fireworks show will consist of a sparkler and snake demonstration to keep noise down, and LAST BUT NOT LEAST.......$2 of the new $25 single day entrance fee will be dedicated to widening all of the parking spaces in the area to accomodate the new breed of mega-SUV's and armored personnel carriers that will truck otherwise skittish suburbanites to "that part of town". Wow, if any one of those things didn't sound like it could actually come true.....I'd put a smiley face here!

I think that the simplest undisputed definitions/differences for these terms (anybody feel free to add here of course) are: BBQ= low and slow, indirect heat, smoke is always incorporated into the process Grilling= high, direct heat for a short period of time My personal rule of thumb is even simpler.....if it took you less than an hour to cook it, you're not bbq'ing. There are, of course, exceptions to this. For example, you can "BBQ" salmon in your smoker in less than an hour. But for the most part this definition works. Granted, this can all be viewed as pretty nit-picky to most people who don't do BBQ. And it's just easier to say, "hey, come over to my backyard bbq" when all you're really talking about are steaks and burgers. However, when you're at a competition and you're talking to cooks, or you're asking questions on an online forum dedicated to bbq, it's always a good thing to know there is a BIIIIGGG difference between the two terms.

Forgot to add......another thing I've found that contributes to an unpleasant mushiness in ribs is the addition of injected salt water. Unless someplace is having a really, really great sale on babybacks I steer clear of anything with that additional 12% (think it's usually 12) saline solution. Not totally sure why they do that, although brined meat does dummy-proof cooking it to some extent. I just hate having to change my rub recipe to account for the extra salt, and then there's the issue of paying good money for the salt water that adds to the overall weight of the meat. And of course, what I've found to be a mushy texture once it's cooked.

I'm no fan of overcooked ribs either. "Falling off the bone" is one of those annoying things you hear so much from people, on commercials, etc. In fact there's some new countertop slow roaster being advertised on tv right now and they actually say something along the lines of "perfectly done ribs, meat just falling off the bone". For me it's not QUITE as brain implodingly annoying as people using grilling and bbq'ing synonymously, but it's definitely in the top five. God, that reminds me of a conversation I had with someone last year who could not be converted from their belief that BBQ is what you did to "heavier" meats like hamburgers, hot dogs and ribs, but "GRILLING" is what you do to things like salmon and chicken breast because they are lighter and healthier. They just couldn't be talked out of it.......... okay, I need to stop thinking about this...they just had a different point of view is all.....the weekend is a couple of hours away.....happy places....

Re: "a different breed entirely".........good point. As unforgivingly nit-picky as I can be with BBQ, I can't relate to the level where the pro's must dwell on a permanent basis. I have my cook times, temps, rub recipes and wood combos down pat for my personal version of bbq where, on a good day, I don't drive friends and family crazy with apologies over minute details that I think RUINED the meat. To be one of the folks that spend year after year perfecting their craft and taking it on the road for THAT many people to scrutinize? I can't relate, but it is easy to see where things like whether to score or totally remove the rib membrane, whether finishing meat by wrapping it in foil is acceptable, sauce vs. no sauce (and what kind in a world where gloppy sweet KC Masterpiece rules all?), etc. can all become personal theologies that represent "good" bbq for you... At what point do you cross the line and become one of the people who cooks six whole briskets in the hopes of getting a few perfect slices to turn in? I have no idea, I'm just there to pig out and drink way too much.

I definitely don't think it's cynical to question the methods or the need for judging classes, the question of cooking what you think is good bbq vs. cooking for the judges is constantly debated. In my opinion, if a contest is going to have people judging it I'd rather have it done by people who have attended a class on their own volition vs. people who are recruited on the spot at contests when there aren't enough judges. As long as there are KCBS sanctioned events, people definitely need to what the rules are, and the focus of the class is less about telling them what good bbq is and more about letting them know basic protocols of behavior at the judging table (things like pooling/puddling of sauces disqualifies an entry because the contestant could be trying to unfairly identify themselves as the chef). You've got new judges who probably think that grilling a hot dog qualifies as "bbq" and new cooks who don't know you can be shot on sight for boiling ribs ::, so I think classes can be a good way to bridge the gap to the world of competition bbq. As far as everyone ultimately creating the exact same BBQ, I think the "taste" category will always remain subjective enough to keep flavors pretty diverse. There will always be veteran judges who influence newer people into their way of thinking re: sauce or no sauce on ribs at turn-in, thigh vs. breast being the best representation of chicken, etc. However, the top money winners are still always very different in their preparation, and depending on who judges their meat from competition to competition makes a big difference too…..the pulled pork that won them $500 last week gets them last place this week because they happened to get a majority of judges at the table who prefer sliced pork. In a perfect world, I agree that BBQ gatherings with no judges would be optimum, but competition bbq is big business and there are dozens of teams who spend half the year competing at every single event (one restaurant here in KC, Smokin' Guns, is closed on the weekend to accommodate the contest schedule). And to their credit, it's the people who put their life into it who end up getting the majority of the prize money. My teammates and I have talked about that fact for years, and have come to the conclusion that the people who win consistently really do just make the kind of bbq that anyone would consider great. When you take things like the stringent presentation rules and the luck of the draw when it comes to who is going to judge your food into consideration, I may be naïve but I think those things alone rule out any kind of conspiracy that keeps a handful of people in the money. In my experience, the contests are fiercely competitive, yet at the same time there is an abundance of recipe and technique sharing. It's a real community where everybody knows everybody, and most cooks will share 95%-99% of their "secrets" with you…keeping what I think of as their superstitious "good luck charm" techniques to themselves. I do have to admit, the big Sprint takeover of the American Royal last year scared the living hell out of me. And after reports of security guards going overboard keeping partyers in check, as well as the CEO who knew nothing about BBQ presiding over the awards ceremony and pissing off a room full of cooks, my fears were confirmed. If anybody can turn a huge hometown celebration of bbq into nothing but a chance at a fat, corporate sponsored paycheck, I have faith that Sprint can do it.

My team captain and another friend both attended judging classes in the past year, and had very positive experiences. From a competition perspective, it would probably be a good idea for anyone who competes to attend a class since much of it covers the basic protocol of "proper" (i.e.....meat falling off the bone might taste good but scores very poorly) preparation, presentation, etc. Learning the KCBS rules, scoring procedures, etc. sounds like fun too. In my experience, BBQ people are extremely friendly and helpful, so having the opportunity to get to know more of them when you go to judge competitions just can't be a bad thing. You'll be tasting your fair share of terrible food (BEWARE the sausage category), but you'll also be tasting BBQ that eclipses anything you're going to find in a restaurant.

Dammit, now I've got that old Didjits song "Skullbaby" going through my head non-stop.

If at any point Mario yells "YUM-O!" I'm really not sure how I'll react. Actually, I just need to stop thinking about that right now. Sorry to go off-topic but I was just talking about this last night while watching FTV's version of MTV's Jackass- "Ham On The Street". Wow.

I've only tried Zaya once, within the past year, and remember it being very smooth to drink and sweet, but not overly complex or spicy. Kind of like Ron Zacapa with less depth. Depending on the price I'd definitely keep some on hand, and actually I do remember the friend who shared it with me saying "sometimes this is just easier to find than the Zacapa".

I should give a plug to Marrakesh Cafe in Rosana Square on 119th St., because it's a great affordable option if you're looking for local food at lunchtime. It's a buffet (easy to go overboard for your $8.99...drink included) and the homemade food is constantly replenished......"build your own" gyros, hummus, falafel, baba ghannouj, daily lamb and fish specials, good biryani, baklava, and they bring warm pita bread to the table when you sit down. I've had lunch there twice and it's always hopping but there has never been a wait for a table. The owners are very friendly, and other than needing to eat a whole tin of Altoids on the way back to the office, I had no complaints. Stuck out on the corridor of the generic and the spiceless, it's worth stopping by to support them and have a satisfying meal.

Judy, I think your biggest problem with chains is that the bartenders don't scare quite as easily and send the chef running out with a cheese plate you've forced them to throw together. And wow, I can't remember the last time I was referred to as "normal"......

Coincidence of coincidences…….. Got a call from a friend of mine to come have lunch at……..the Cheesecake Factory out on 119th. Apparently the secret is to get there even earlier than you think necessary. We got there before 11:30 and cars were literally backed up waiting to get into the parking lot. You have to admire the operation in there, with a huge foyer full of people they manage to keep people moving fast, fast, fast, until the place is filled to capacity. A "factory" in every sense of the word..churn 'em in and churn 'em out. The décor is nice while at the same time being functional/industrial enough that they could probably just hose down the floors at night, run a squeegee over them and be done. It's such a high volume, busy room that the peppy, cheerful and impersonal service is really the only option…..totally by the book. And the upside of cookie cutter service is that we were never overlooked at any point for anything. Not a lot of "selling"...no hard selling carryout cheesecake when you say you're too full, things I appreciate. Honestly, you could do a whole lot worse for service when it comes to a lunch rush….whether you're at a chain or not. Foodwise, decent but definitely not a great value. You get a ton of food, but it's not a bargain in any sense of the word. Good, fresh out of the fryer calamari with two dipping sauces, a humongous crabcake sandwich that was a little too blah for its massive size, and a fried shrimp platter of the spiced batter dipped variety. Everything was good, but they have pretty terrible fries. Again, a metric ton of them, but that does you no good when they are almost cold and rank somewhere between Burger King and Wendy's. One app, two entrees (ice water to drink….comes in a plastic mug btw, kind of weird) for about $40 without tip….definitely a splurge at lunchtime. If I took my girlfriend for dinner and paid the full tab, considering we'd both probably have a drink, an app between us, two entrees and carryout cheesecake…..you're easily getting into $100 territory, which opens up your dining options considerably in this city. Plus, at dinner you're going to wait for a long time in a huge herd of people for a table, that is if you can find a place to park. I'd still rank Cheesecake Factory up there as a dependable and decent chain, kind of like a deluxe TGIF's without all the crap on the walls. Awesome for a lunch splurge or hangover meal, but no place to put into regular rotation. I truly miss the chain that used to be in that space…Too Jay's. It was a table service deli style restaurant based in Boca I believe. Matzoh ball soup, chopped liver, reubens, stuff you can never have too much of and is in short supply in this town. It was usually always busy, and I thought it was here to stay. Unfortunately, from what I understand the owner was also the owner of most of the local Hooter's and had to dump the Too Jay's lease because of legal difficulties. I do miss that place.

Yes, Jason's Deli is a favorite around the office. There's one out here off of 119th, and another one on 91st and Metcalf I believe. I don't think I've ever tried it, but I do see the football sized baked potatoes being forklifted into conference rooms quite often.

A chain that I enjoy very much (started in Colorado, I believe) is Planet Sub, which keeps popping up all over town and is the same thing as Yello Sub out in Lawrence. To me it's like a much better version if Quizno's with a larger selection of ingredients. The Beefeater and the Super Hero......two of my favorites. And their daily soups are good too. I'll count Pizza Shoppe as a chain. They are only in this area I believe, but there are just so many of them. I love the super thin crust, and the neon pink garlic salad dressing. For national chains, when I feel like spending a lot of money I love The Capital Grille. I know that KC is a steak town, and after trying almost all of them, sorry for causing any agonized gasps for saying that this national chain serves my favorite steak in town (and my favorite calamari). I did enjoy The Majestic's steak a LOT, but after a couple of very bad experiences with the service I won't go back. And I do owe Plaza III another try to be honest, haven't been there in several years. For solid, mid-range eats, I'm NOT going to wait an hour to eat there but The Cheesecake Factory is a guilty pleasure of mine. The crowds keep me away, which is probably best health-wise, but I do like getting a few people together and heading to the one on the Plaza during off-hours. I work out near the newer one on 119th, and I know for a while even the lunchtime wait for a table was over an hour.

I have to add something here re: being catered to. That's a very good point and something that came to mind over the weekend. When it comes to eating out, my dollars dictate that I usually eat at a dependable favorite (or when I try a new place it has come highly recommended from a trusted source). That applies to both ends of the dining spectrum. On Friday night I went to my "go-to" restaurant (a chain in its own right...there's more than just the KC location) with my girlfriend and parents, and we found out when we arrived that my regular server was out of town. Actually, either most of the regular staff was out that night or there has been some serious turnover recently…my back-up regular server wasn't there either. The service was still good, the food was the same good quality as always, but anyone who has become a serious regular at a restaurant knows what I mean….you miss your server like you miss a friend when they aren't there. They know what food you like, what wine you like, you can bust chops back and forth, and you know each other on a personal level. And when they eventually move on, they know the best replacement to "inherit" your regular business. Whether it's the high waitstaff turnover I associate with mega-chains, a general lack of interest in the food, or the forced/scripted friendliness I've experienced, I can't think of one where I'd bother to cultivate the type of relationship I've got with my "go-to" destinations. Sure, you're always going to run across some outstanding servers at chain restaurants, but the food is what gets my second, third, etc. visits…getting a good, regular server is just an inevitability. I can't argue with anyone who eats at one because they like the food (trust me, I live with one of those people, I've tried..... ), and if they've found a combo of food and service that works for them on a regular basis, that's great. In fact, we both thrive on the familiar. I've eaten enough bad road food to be thankful for an Olive Garden or Chili's when I'm going down the highway, they're usually a safe bet, but when I think of an "evening out" I'm always going to stick to places where I love the food and they know me (whether it's foie gras or biscuits and gravy) or a new place that sounds like it may make it into the rotation. I know I'm not alone on this. I enjoy being "money in the bank" for my regular restaurants, they serve me good food and treat me well.