The Monarch

For many years the term “bar food” has been used as a derogatory term conjuring up images of soggy fries and burnt hamburgers, but with the rise of the Gastropub that has started to change. It seems that people are embracing the melding of good alcohol selections and quality, upscale comfort foods and I for one couldn’t be more pleased. Wichita is slowly catching on to this trend with the likes of Public and The Anchor stepping up their game. The newest addition to

Smoke Sausage and Cheese: Not Your Typical Appetizer

this restaurant genre is The Monarch, located on the traffic circle in Delano.

The interior is spacious with plenty of seating both inside and out on the patio that faces Douglas. There is plenty of local artwork adorning the walls and the light fixtures made out of old bicycle rims are quite impressive. TVs, a pool table, and an internet juke box ensure that patrons will be able to keep themselves entertained during a night of partying.

The Monarch’s menu is small and focused, which is a nice departure from some bar and grills that offer a mind numbing array of food selections. I was also quite excited to see that the menu is built around in-house smoked meats. This allows The Monarch to offer some unique dishes,  although they do offer the obligatory Wichita restaurant appetizer, hummus.  At least it’s jazzed up with peppers and served with naan bread. The other apps include decadent items such as stuffed burnt end mushrooms, loaded sweet potato tots, and a smoked sausage and cheese tray. Sandwiches are the  focus of the main course menu, but a couple of soups and salads are available as well including a hardcore chef salad that comes with ham, brisket, turkey and duck bacon. Yes, you read that correctly, duck bacon. Calling this thing a salad probably violates some USDA guidelines, but I’m not going to turn them in for creating such a thing of beauty.

Not An Ordinary Brisket Sandwich

To start off our meal we ordered the sausage and cheese tray. I really wanted to order the stuffed ‘shrooms, but I was outvoted at our table. The tray included two types of sausage, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, and naan bread. The sausages were high quality with a good smoked flavor. I would have liked to see more exotic cheese selections, but overall it was a good appetizer. For our main dishes we were faced with several tantalizing sandwich choices, but eventually we decided on the The Monarch and Chicken Caprese. I went with a side of homemade potato chips and Steph ordered the sweet potato tots. The Monarch featured smoked brisket, sautéed onions and peppers, and provolone cheese served on a tasty baguette. The brisket was nicely done with good smoke flavor and fairly tender. Overall I really liked the sandwich, it was nice change from your typical brisket sandwich that consists of two slabs of white bread and BBQ sauce. Steph’s Caprese sandwich was an impressive combination of smoked chicken, pesto, tomatoes, and provolone. Oftentimes it is hard to keep a smoked meat like chicken moist for very long, but The Monarch did  a nice job of pulling it off. The homemade potato chips were spot on and the sweet potato tots were solid as well.

The Monarch is a nice addition to the Wichita dining scene, especially since they are one of the few places you can get good food late at night. Its unique, yet unpretentious food menu makes it an attractive place for causal American dining options. The only real issue was the fact they did not have any high chairs. I know its supposed to be a trendy bar and grill place, but you could at least have a high chair for those terrible parents such as myself who have no qualms taking their children to bars, albeit at reasonable hours of the day. Perhaps they could commission a local artists to make some out of old PBR cans?

Big B’s Beef

Previously published in the Wichita Eagle:

Wichita has many types of food in our city but there are still plenty of cuisines we are missing. Big B’s Beef is aiming to fill one of those voids by providing a Chicago style option.  Big B’s Beef , who just recently opened, is located close to 47^th and Seneca in SW Wichita and is owned and operated by a family that came to Wichita from the Windy City. The menu has traditional Chicago style food including Italian Beef and Sausage, a Chicago dog, and Gyros. Sides include hand-cut fries, onion rings, fried mushrooms, and a soup of the day. Big B’s sources all of their meats and breads either locally or from Chicago.

The “Beef” Sandwich

On our visit we decided to try the Poor Boy, the Italian Beef Sandwich, and the Chicago Dog with a side of fries. The Poor Boy is a 100% Angus beef patty on a grilled French Hoagie with garlic butter, B’s own red sauce, grilled onions, and provolone cheese. The sandwich was delicious. The meat had great flavor but was a bit over done. The red sauce was a great compliment to the meat and a nice break from ketchup. The Italian Beef sandwich also had great flavor and the beef was extremely tender. We however made the mistake of ordering it without peppers and the sandwich appeared to be too simple. Make sure to get the peppers. The star of our lunch was the Chicago dog which comes with a side of fries. It included an all beef Vienna dog in a poppy seed bun and topped with onion, mustard, green relish, tomato wedges, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. This was probably the best hot dog I have ever eaten. The toppings were all fresh and accentuated the flavor of the beef hot dog. The bun also was great. A trip to Big B’s Beef requires a Chicago dog. The side of fries were hand-cut and thick but could have been more crispy.

The Perfect Hot Dog

Big B’s Beef has several tables set up for dining in but also has a drive-thru and will deliver to close-by businesses. The staff was friendly and we enjoyed the young girl who was eager to take our order and double checked to make sure she asked all of the right questions. We enjoyed our meal at Big B’s Beef and now we have a much shorter drive to enjoy some authentic Chicago style food.

http://www.bigbsbeef.com/

Golden Bay

When you think of hole-in-the-wall restaurants Sushi places don’t often come to mind. For some reason most Sushi houses in Wichita are high energy places with music blaring and trendy interior design. Golden Bay, tucked away in a strip mall at West St. and 13th St. is bucking that trend.

Great Buy One Get One Sushi!

A small dining area and soothing classical music offer a nice change of pace compared to other Sushi places in town.

On the lunch menu at Golden Bay is a non-overwhelming list of maki rolls, some sashimi, as well as other Japanese favorites including tempura veggies, noodle bowls, and bento boxes. If you are unfamiliar with a bento box, I strongly urge you to get to the nearest Japanese restaurant and order one of these magical boxes. While looking over the sushi choices on the lunch menu I noticed that all maki rolls were buy one get one free(I believe this is true for the dinner menu as well)! With this in mind we ordered one Kamikaze roll and one other roll that I forget the name of now. In addition we ordered a chicken teriyaki meal.

The sushi came with a tasty bowl of miso soup, while the lunch box was served with a small salad with a nice Asian style dressing. Both maki rolls that we ordered were very good. This fish and shrimp tasted fresh while the rice was firm and sticky. Covered with a sweet sauce, the fried Kamikaze roll was our favorite.  The teriyaki bento box was most impressive as well. The teriyaki sauce covering the chicken was a dark and gelatinous concoction sprinkled with sesame seeds. A true work of art that melded sweet and salty flavors perfectly. The rest of the goodies included steamed rice,

Top Notch Chicken Teriyake

various tempura veggies, a California roll, a couple of dumplings, and a nice slice of orange to top off a well balanced meal.

Although Golden Bay does not look like much from the outside, inside you will find some top notch sushi and Japanese food. I still think Kanai has the best sushi in Wichita, but Golden Bay is right up there. And for all you Cali roll junkies out there they offer a 10 roll deal for $26.

Pho Hien

There is nothing like a big bowl of steaming Pho to take the chill off on a winter’s day. Thankfully Wichita is blessed with a bevy a places that you can get a good authentic bowl of this delicious Vietnamese soup.

Our destination this day was  Pho Hien, located at Broadway and 17th St. On a side note, this particular stretch of Broadway is a “Murder’s Row” of great local places to check out, there is everything from a classic steak joint, to Mexican food trucks, to great Vietnamese and Asian venues.

Pho-king Amazing Pho

Pho Hien has a large and open dining room with plenty of seating for busy lunch time crowds. The menu consists of Pho, Pho, and more Pho. For those of you unfamiliar, Pho is a broth based Vietnamese rice noodle soup that features a protein(typically beef of some sort), onion, and garnishes of bean sprouts, basil, lime wedges, jalapeño,  hoisin, and hot sauce. There are several different variations of meat offered with the Pho. You can choose between thinly sliced steak, brisket, tendon, tripe, as well as pork balls, and some seafood variations. Feeling a bit bold I ordered my Pho with tendon, tripe, and thinly sliced steak. Looking around I noticed that some of the bowls coming out appeared to be about the size of a 10 gallon aquarium, so I wisely went with a medium/regular bowl. Less than 5 minutes after our order was placed we had good sized bowls of steaming Pho sitting at our table.

Our service was so fast that the thinly sliced steak was still medium rare in the middle as it came to the table. The meat was tender and unlike some Pho places, had its excess fat trimmed off. Due to some nice slow braising the tendon and tripe were both tender and did not require much chewing. The Pho broth had a wonderfully rich and complex flavor. With a little Hoisin and Sriracha it was some of the best I have had in Wichita.

If you are in the mood for some authentic Pho look for further than Pho Hien. Their high quality food is Pho-king delicious (its funny if you know how to pronounce Pho)  and at $7 for a medium bowl is a solid value as well. Make sure you bring some cold hard cash though, because none of that plastic stuff is taken here.

Bionic Burger (Home of Six Million Dollar and Calorie Burger)

Bionic Burger is right up there with Nu-Way when you talk about iconic burger places in Wichita. They have been in operation for over 30 years and currently have four locations in the area. Luckily for us, the newest location on East 21st near Woodlawn is rather convenient when we are in the mood for a fast and tasty meat disk.

The menus at all four Bionic locations are essentially the same and quite expansive for “just a burger place”. They offer several different burgers, plus a who’s who of classic comfort foods including: a pork sandwich, hot dogs, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, chili, o-rings, etc. Shakes and malts are also available in case you have any room for dessert.

The Epic Burger Combo

The Six Million Calorie Double in All Its Glory

On this visit I was feeling bold and decided to go with the Six Million Dollar Burger along with some of their fresh cut fries. I was under the impression I would be getting a half pound cheese burger with some veggies, instead I unwrapped a monster. Apparently when my sister had placed the order at the drive thru, she had ordered a double, leaving me with the most intimidating 1lb burger I had ever laid eyes on.

The first order of business was to bisect this mass into edible pieces. Once that was accomplished I was able to enjoy this pretty solid burger. The patty, while a bit thin for my liking, was properly seasoned and surprisingly juicy. Plenty of gooey cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes were icing on this protein based cake. Sadly the bun was not quite up to the challenge of supporting all of this deliciousness. After a few bites, it quickly deflated and broke into pieces, no doubt the victim of too much grease and the basic principles of physics. I pride myself in being able to finish just about anything I order at a restaurant, but it was not happening on this day. I doubt whether the bionic man himself would have been able to finish off this bad boy.  Did I mention the burger came with a far too generous serving of delicious fries? These thick-cut, crispy fries were top notch.

For a quick burger you can’t go wrong with Bionic Burger. Their large portions and tasty food is tough competition for any fast food joint in town.

http://www.bionic-burger.com/

Lalo’s Express

Words you will never hear on a Taco Bell commercial: “Try our new pork stomach tacos!” While most people would probably not jump at the chance to try a pork stomach, there is a place in Wichita that serves them along with other delicious Mexican fare. Lalo’s Express is located at the NW corner of Seneca and Harry in a small space that offers a wide variety of quick service Mexican food. It’s kind of like Taco Bell except that their food does not suck.

Behold: The Awe Inspiring Chimichanga

Inside Lalo’s there are a few tables for dine-in customers, but it seems most of their business is carryout. On the menu are all those typical Mexican dishes you have come to love, including burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and chimichangas. There are many other menu

Simple Yet Delicious: Barbacoa and Buche Tacos

options as well ensuring that anyone will be able to find something to enjoy.

On our visit I wanted to try several different items so I went with a shredded beef chimichanga, a barbacoa taco, and the intimidating pork stomach taco, called “buche”. Steph went with one of the combination plates that included a beef burrito, beef enchilada, and beans and rice. After ordering at the counter, we sat  down and prepared ourselves for a feast. Even with several other orders in front of ours, we only had to wait 5 or 10 minutes for our food to come.  The chimichanga was a sight to behold with its crispy golden tortilla covered in sour cream, guac, and cheese. Luckily it tasted as good as it looked. The shredded beef was tender and well seasoned and the peppers added additional flavor to the dish. It was one of the best chimichangas I have had in Wichita. The barbacoa and buche tacos were served the traditional way, open faced with cilantro, onion, and lime. The barbacoa was wonderfully tender and full of flavor. Looking at the buche taco I had my reservations, as the bits of grey meat did not look that appealing. Nonetheless I added a bit of salsa to the taco

The Burrito and Enchilada Meal

and dove in.  The buche was surprisingly tender and I enjoyed the earthy taste. Both of these tacos were rich and greasy so with a side of rice and beans you could have a cheap and tasty meal. Steph, being the enchilada connoisseur, rated hers as good, but nothing special. It must not have been that bad, because it was gone before I even had a chance to sample. We both took turns trying to finish the large beef burrito. The beef was well seasoned, but I would have liked more cheese, lettuce, or other fillings inside the burrito. The refried beans were fresh and flavourful, while the rice was just average. All of the food is served on styrofoam plates with plastic utensils, so eating something like a burrito can be a challenge especially when you have a squirming baby in one hand.
Lalo’s offers very good fast service Mexican food. Their tacos are especially worth trying, and at $1.95 each they are a good value. With dine-in, carryout, and drive thru options Lalo’s is also very convenient, especially late at night because they are open till 1 am during the week and 3 am on weekends.

Fusa/Red 8 Chinese/Chill Gelato(Sushi and Gelato Under One Roof)

Lured in by a coupon offering free gelato with the purchase of a meal we tried the 3 in 1 eatery Fusa/Red 8 Chinese/Chill Gelato the other day. Fusa is located in a strip mall just north of Kellogg and Greenwich. Apparently its original location was in the Towne East Mall, but since I try to avoid that place at all costs, it’s new to me. The owner of Fusa is the same person who opened the iconic Kwan Court and luckily he brought back an old favorite to serve at Fusa. I speak of the honey crispy walnut shrimp, one of my all time favorite dishes.

The Famous Crispy Walnut Shrimp

Fusa is set up much like a mall food court, with several counters offering different cuisines. There is Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, sushi, pasta, burgers, and last but not least, Gelato to top it all off. If you have picky eaters in your group there should be something at Fusa that will satisfy their needs. Ordering was a no brainer for Steph and I, we went with the honey crispy walnut shrimp and the honey crispy walnut chicken. Both dishes came served atop a bed of steamed rice(fried rice available upon request), with plenty of shrimp/chicken. The honey walnut sauce, while not quite on par with the Kwan Court version, was still very good. Coupled with some decent fried shrimp and chicken it was a satisfying meal.

After finishing our lunch we walked to the back of the restaurant where the coolers of gelato( Italian ice cream) are located. Unfortunately there were many delicious flavors, so making a decision was rather difficult. I finally settled on pistachio and Steph was won over by the salted caramel. Our single serving cups were piled high with the creamy frozen treats. We were both pleased with our respective gelato, although it was not as good as Caffe Moderne’s.

A Heaping Cup of Caramel Gelato

If you are looking for a place where you can get your teriyaki chicken and quesadilla fix at the same time Fusa is a good option. Even if you’re not interested in multi-ethnic dining, the large gelato selection is worth checking out.

M&M Bierocks

If you drive past the 2000 block of east Central on a regular basis you have probably noticed the large black and white sign that proudly proclaims “Bierocks”. Located next to a somewhat questionable looking building, many people probably pass by just assuming it is the remnants of what was Wichita’s booming bierock craze. Yes, before Hot Pockets were widely available in supermarkets  the noble bierock restaurant is where people went to get their meat filled pastries. But upon closer inspection you will find that M&M Bierocks is actually open for all your bierock needs.

The Old Bierocks Sign On A Rainy Day

Once you pull into the parking lot at M&M remain in your car  and head for the back of the building because this place is drive thru only(Probably because they cannot allow anyone to observe their secret bierock making process). At the drive through window there is a small menu posted that consists of bierocks, pickles, chips, and a few sides including baked beans. The bierock options include meat and cheese, meat with no cheese, and ham and cheese. Steph and I both went with the meat with cheese option. We tried to order two ice waters as well, but were told the only water offered was in bottled form. It seems somewhat strange to me when restaurants won’t give you free ice water. If it’s about the cost of the cup then why not just charge people $0.10 to cover the cost? Anyway, we just decided to upgrade to the meal which included a drink, small pickle spear, and off-brand potato chips.

So Big You Need Both Hands to Safely Consume

Our bierocks  certainly hit the spot on a cool and rainy day. They were good sized and tasted fresh. The filling of ground beef, cabbage, spices and cheese had good flavor, although I would have liked a bit more cheese in mine. Both of us thought that the meal deal wasn’t really the best way to go and next time we would  just order two bierocks instead. At around $3.50 a pop you can’t beat the value of these blue-collar pastries.

If you are in the mood for a drive thru meal and don’t want to waste 3 hours sitting in line at Chick-fil-A then head over to M&M Bierocks. Their quick and tasty bierocks are sure to satisfy.

When Pigs Fly(A New Favorite for Ribs)

I strongly approve of any restaurant that incorporates anything pig/pork related into its name. Such a noble and delicious creature is sure to attract attention to any dining establishment. That was one of the reasons I have had the newer BBQ place When Pigs Fly on my radar for quite some time now. This westside eatery is located on the southeast corner of Central and Ridge Road. A long haul from the safe confines of northeast Wichita, but one that I will definitely be making more regularly for their Cue.  After spending some time working at Pig In Pig Out, the manager/pitmaster decided to branch out on his own and opened WPF in late 2010.

After getting out of my car I was immediately met with the aroma of smoke wood, probably Oak or Hickory, wafting along in the strong south wind. Always a good sign when going to a BBQ place.  Inside, the space is appropriately adorned with swine related accent pieces and artwork, that coupled with the plaid tablecloths creates a comfortable and homey environment. On the menu you will find the typical BBQ fare as well as one of their specialties, loaded baked potatoes. The spuds are topped with meat, cheese, and other goodies.

A Quaint Dining Environment

On my first visit to a BBQ place I like to order the 2 or 3 meat combo dinners, so I can get a sample of the big three of Cue: Brisket, Pork Butt, and Ribs. WPF only offers a 1 or 2 meat dinner so I opted for brisket and ribs. Anyone can smoke good pulled pork, but good ribs and especially brisket are art forms that can be difficult to master. For my side dishes I went with baked beans and some steamed corn on the cob.  After ordering at the counter I found my way to one of the many tables that are available to dine-in customers. Each table is properly equipped with two very essential BBQ eating components, a large bottle of sauce and a napkin dispenser.

Two Meat Dinner of Deliciousness

The portions sizes of meat and sides were decent  for the $9.50 price tag, although the plate was kind of small for the amount of food placed upon it. The corn was about what I thought it would be, just regular steamed corn, which was fine. The beans on the other hand were very good.  I prefer sweet BBQ beans and these did not disappoint. There was also a hint of chili powder to give them some bite. The only thing that would have made them better would have been some pieces of brisket or pork. The brisket looked very similar to what is served at Pig In and Pig Out, nice thick-cut tender pieces of meat. It had a mild smokey flavor and was moist. It was not the most flavorful brisket I have had, but it was certainly solid. The only thing left to sample were the spare ribs. With the dinner combo I received 3 plump, delicious ribs. They were perfectly cooked, which means they weren’t fall off the bone.  Like the brisket they had a well balanced smokey flavor and the salty rub was great. After having these ribs I can safely say they are the best I have had in Wichita so far. The only sauce on the table was a typical sweet style sauce, although I think they might have a hotter sauce upon request.

In the world of Wichita BBQ I would have to say that Pig In and When Pigs Fly are tied at the top of my list right now. The ribs at WPF are top notch and I have tried my fair share of ribs(Top Ribs: Oklahoma Joe’s and The Salt Lick). WPF is definitely a good place to try if you are in the mood for some tasty Cue.

<img alt=”When Pigs Fly Barbecue on Urbanspoon” src=”http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1558995/biglink.gif” style=”border:none;width:200px;height:146px” />

Sit @ Thai Express

As some of you may know, Wichita holds the dubious honor of being one of the top ten cities in the US for fast food restaurants. Yes we are choc full of fast hamburger, chicken, and taco places, but at least we can boast of a place that serves fresh Thai fast food. No, Spangles is not rolling out a new Pad Thai bowl, I’m talking about Sit @ Thai Express(Note: The use of the “@” lets people know this is a trendy and happening place that they should definitely frequent). In order to compete with other fast food joints, Thai Express even has a drive through window. But please do not  attempt to eat that steaming bowl of Red Curry on the drive home. Even though it maybe tempting, it will probably end badly for you and your car.  Thai Express opened last fall in the old Taco Shop location just east of Oliver and Central. With the new paint job you would have to be colorblind to miss its beautiful fluorescent green exterior.

A Can't Miss Paint Scheme

After changing managers not long after opening, Thai Express has revamped their menu and now everything is made fresh to order. The cozy dining space has a few small tables and ordering is done at the counter. The decor is sparse and modern, but the Happy Halloween doormat was a nice touch I thought.  It seemed they were having some climate control issues on the blustery day that we decided to dine there, so perhaps take out is the way to go during extreme climatic events.

Their menu consists of 20 Thai dishes that are displayed along with pictures on the front wall, most are offered with your choice of chicken, beef, or shrimp.  Appetizers and a few Thai specialty drinks are also available. The three of us each ordered a different type of curry, I went with my favorite Panang. We also tried out the 3 piece dumpling appetizer. The food came out within a few minutes served in styrofoam to-go boxes minus their lids. Besides the main dish, each meal came with a small egg roll, steamed rice, and sweet dipping sauce.

Panang Curry Meal

 It was not the best  bowl of Panang that I have ever had, I definitely would have liked some Thai basil on the side, but for the quick service and value it was acceptable. The small egg roll was very good and left me wanting several more of them along with the dipping sauce. The dumplings made for a nice light appetizer complete with a tasty filling of some unknown ingredients. The other two people I had lunch with both enjoyed their curry meals.

Tasty Dumplings

Thai Express offers a tasty alternative to the typical fried fast food options in the surrounding area. Although it may not be the best Thai food available in the city, it is certainly convenient. With many menu options it is a good place for a quick lunch or dinner during the week.

http://sitatthaiexpress.com/