© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Central Standard

The Food Critics: News, Reviews and Cheap Eats

Walt Bodine and his food critics share ideas for eating out without spending a bundle.

?Listen?Podcast

Print this page (pdf)

GUESTS:
Charles Ferruzza, co-host, The Pitch and Fat City Blog
Chris Becicka, Ingram's Magazine
Gloria Gale, 435 South Magazine
Mary Bloch, Around the Block

Restaurants Mentioned on this Program

77 South
5041 W. 135th Street
Leawood, KS 66224
"a kind of restaurant where going out to eat is the entertainment...the concept is a tribute to the owner's parent's disco...so they play disco music all through the night..very nostalgic.

El Torreon
9129 Elmhurst
Overland Park, KS 66212
"packed...some food items come with fried egg on it...not expensive...good place"

Rieger Hotel Grill and Exchange
1924 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64108-1918
"the most fabulous mushroom soup....good cuban sandwich.."

Cafe Provence
3936 West 69th Terrace
Prairie Village, KS 66208
"extremely good meal..endive salad..grouper..boulliabase..cheapest entree was $24"
"has a Prix Fixe menu starting at $38.00 per person on Tuesday nights. Still not cheap - but very good value for great food."

BRGR
4038 W 83rd St
Prairie Village, KS 66208
"salmon sandwich was perfect..everybody loved their hamburgers...really, really, really good onion straws"

Beer Kitchen
435 Westport Rd
Kansas City, MO 64111
"industrial setting..great beer list..gastro-pub..food was really good..happy hour sliders and mini-flatbreads for $4...veggie burger was great...french fries were quite good...they make their own ketchup...a lot of good vegetarian items..serve breakfast all day"

The Blue Moose
4160 W 71st St.
Prairie Village, KS 66208
"had two incredible meals as part of the KC Restaurant Week promotion...hanger steak with chimichurri sauce was wonderful...roast chicken was better than a fancy restaurant in Aspen and Duck Brioche with Foie Gras Cauliflower puree and berry reduction...it was astonishing and excellent"

Capital Grill
4740 Jefferson St
Kansas City, MO 64112
"instituted plates menu which is three courses for $18 for lunch..lobster salad was huge and fabulous"

Grand Street Cafe
4740 Grand Ave
Kansas City, MO 64112-2200
"really loud...fish special was excellent...warm and cozy"

Rico's
11801 College Blvd.
Overland Park, KS 66210
"nice, little place...always warm..full bar..nice, neighborhood place"

My Big Fat Greek Restaurant
14805 West 119th Street
Olathe, KS 66062
"smashing plates, flaming cheese, quite good, a lot of food for the money"

Bluebird Bistro
1700 Summit St
Kansas City, MO 64108
"french toast made with ciabotta was fabulous..."

The Great Day Cafe
7921 Santa Fe Dr
Overland Park, KS 66204
"had a band at 10:15 in the morning...it was great..serving breakfast and lunch only.."

----------------------------------------

Listener Question: Where can I get a good Hot Dog with all the stuff?

Dog Nuevo
1724 Main St.
Kansas City, MO 64108
"good...beautiful buns!"

The Pizza Maker
8725 Bourgade Street
Shawnee Mission, KS 66219-1441
"good, authentic chicago dogs"

Charlie Hoopers
12 West 63rd Street
Kansas City, MO 64113-1614
"has a good hot dog deal on the Saturdays, and those dogs are loaded with tons of goodies!"

Cirque d'Alex
7107 Northwest Barry Road
Kansas City, MO 64153-1719
"has great classic hot dogs and inexpensive locally made ice creams"

----------------------------------------

Special Topic: Eating on the Cheap

Wok and Roll
7000 West 83rd Street
Overland Park, KS 66204
"very clean, no MSG, excellent"

The Whatcha Need Diner
43rd and Prospect
Kansas City, MO
"sandwiches and pasta...sandwiches are three levels high and served with fried potatoes..less than $5"

Teocali
2512 Holmes Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
"really good, friendly"

Poco's
3063 Southwest Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108-3624
"food is delicious"

Sun Rice
5217 w.95th st
Overland Park, KS 66207
best wonton soup in the world, carryout only

Nieces
6441 Troost Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64131
"lunch specials on Tuesday and Wednesday with two pieces of great pan fried chicken, cornbread muffin and choice of vegetable for $3.00 on one of those days and $2.00 on another. Food is great and so is the service."

The Brick
1727 McGee Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
"meatloaf sandwich is amazing on multi-grain bread and $1.00 Bloody Marys on Saturday morning"

Beethoven's No 9
110 W. Peoria
Paola, Kansas 66071
"amazing German bistro...huge cookies...split a meal...worth the drive.."
Paola, KS

Michael Smith's Extra Virgin
1900 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
1/2 price happy hour...interesting and eclectic...Pizza night on Monday...

Take Five
5336 W 151st St
Overland Park, KS 66224-8701
"wonderful paninis...fireplace..lounge..jazz music at night"

Lucky Wok
15129 W 87th Street Pkwy
Lenexa, KS 66219-1405
"ask for the Hong Kong menu to get the delicious authentic food, which comes in HUGE portions ? one dish can easily feed two people"

ABC Cafe
10001 W 87th St
Overland Park, KS 66212
"menu organized by price...dim sum all day..."

Los Coralles
408 West 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105-1410
"On Tues, $1.00 tacos, $2.00 margaritas"

Bob Evans
multiple locations
"breakfast was gigantic"

Olive Cafe
3929 Broadway Street
Kansas City, MO
"four huge platters for $8-9, eat half and take other half home for dinner"

Mi Ranchito
7148 W 80th St
Overland Park, KS 66204
"great lunch menu items for $5.99...family owned...staff is fantastic"

Costco
multiple locations
"big pizza slices, hot dogs..lots of free samples"

Ike's Deli
536 Wesport Rd
Kansas City, MO 64111
"traditional deli..deliver..open late...huge and delicioius sandwich for $5.25"

Chacko's
6009 Johnson Dr
Mission, KS 66202
"wonderful soup, 1/2 sandwich plus dessert for $8.50"

The Thai Place
4130 Pennsylvania Ave
Kansas City, MO 64111
Pad Thai Tuesdays (2 for 1)

The Brick
1727 McGee Street
Kansas City, MO 64108-1423
Wednesday is $5 burger night
Saturday is Soul Food night with live music

Vietnam Cafe
522 Campbell St
Kansas City, MO 64106
"very high quality..super cheap..portions are huge...extensive menu..very authentic...fresh vegetables"

El Pulgarcito
5921 Merriam Dr
Merriam, KS 66203
"$2 Pupupas are delicious and filling"

The Taco Factory
7439 Broadway St
Kansas City, MO 64114
"$2 tacos all the time...very tasty"

Cafe Seed
2932 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64109
"vegan...really good and pretty inexpensive..complex good food"

Ninfa's Tortillas & Taqueria
964 Kansas Ave
Kansas City, KS 66105-1238
"great Mexican food"

Iron Horse
918 East Old 56th Highway
Olathe, KS 66061
"Best Chinese food you will eat anywhere in town, at any price, and it's super inexpensive. Seriously, the lunch specials are around 6 dollars. Chef Wong trained in South Korea, China, and Japan before coming to the US, where he cooked for celebrities in Hollywood for many years. I have no idea how he landed in Kansas, but if you try their Lotus Leaf Wrapped Fried Rice or Seafood Noodle soup, you won't care how he got here."

*****David in KC MO shares that the best way to eat cheap is to use your KCUR membercard! Learn more

Tags
Central Standard Best Food KC