Archive for "Food and Drink"
Brian’s Work Dinner at Firebirds
Posted on February 8, 2024 by Ching under Food and Drink.
It’s been a while since we were last at Firebirds. Has it really been 10 years? There’s no way! Grandma’s 92nd birthday was the most recent blog I could find that mentions the restaurant and she’s turning 102 this year. It’s crazy how quickly time flies. Anyway, Brian and I met his work team there last weekend for dinner because their boss Rune Larneng wanted to take the team out for a celebration.
Since it has been quite literally a long time, I guess I owe you all some pics.
Right as you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by the fully stocked bar with a really cool pineapple light fixture. I don’t remember this from before so it must be something they added within the last few years.
I thought it was neat and worthy of a pic. I feel like it distinguishes the Firebirds bar from all the other bars in town. I like when restaurants have unique elements like this. Anyway, I kinda want a pineapple lamp for myself now. It will go fantastically well with my Sand Cloud pineapple blanket!
Brian and I were the first ones to arrive so we took a selfie while we were waiting. I don’t know how Brian managed to talk the group into going to Firebirds because everyone on their team lives on the West side of town but I am grateful they picked an East-side restaurant because Firebirds is just a few minutes from our house.
While we were waiting, we also took a moment to peruse the extensive drink menu.
I didn’t get pics of everyone’s drinks but these were some of the cocktails we tried.
The ladies (April and Debbie) had martinis. They had a good selection of them. Mike had some old fashioneds (not pictured). I think Cory had rum and cokes. Brian just had the red wine we had with dinner.
I pretty much stuck to my “go to” drink – sangria. The white sangria at Firebirds is made with moscato and it fruity and refreshing.
Rune picked a Cab off the menu called Two Hands Sexy Beast that none of us had ever heard of or tried before and he ordered two bottles. I’m pretty sure he went through the list and just picked the one with the most fun name. Anyway, it was a risky move considering we didn’t know what we were getting but I guess, as red wines go, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are a pretty safe bet.
Everyone enjoyed it. Brian liked it so much he said he would look for it at Groves next time we go. I looked online and I think you can get it for $30-40 a bottle, depending on the vintage. The restaurant charged almost $90 for each.
Dinner was fantastic. April and I started with the spinach side salad that our server recommended. It’s not on the menu so you just have to ask for it. It was really good.
April didn’t want hers doused in dressing so she asked for her dressing on the side. That’s the picture above. Below is what the salad looks like tossed in dressing (mine). Not being much of a vegetable eater, I always cover my salads in dressing. I joked to April that I only ask for dressing on the side when I want extra. LOL.
This was easily the best side salad I’d had in a long time. Below are pictures of our entrees. Everything was fabulous. I did not hear a single complaint about the food the entire evening.
At the end of the meal, we ordered three kinds of desserts.
Cory and April shared a five layer lemon cake and Rune had a slice of it for himself.
Mike and Debbie shared a carrot cake.
Brian and I shared the big daddy chocolate cake. Our server told us they only had one slice left when she last checked and so our alternative was going to be the brownie. I am sure the brownie would have been good too (everything we had was great that night), but I am so glad we got the last slice of the chocolate cake because it was amazing. I am seriously still dreaming of it.
I don’t know why we ever quit going to Firebirds. The place is fabulous. Brian and I decided it was time to put this restaurant back on the regular weekend dinner rotation. Thank you for the fabulous dinner, Rune!
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Local Flavor with My Baby
Posted on February 2, 2024 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Pictures at Local Flavor last week. I took Brian there to try it as he had never been. I think this was only my second time there.
If you enjoy food with lots of flavor, you must check this place out. Not only do they have a wall of various hot sauces from all over, but they also have a wide array of homemade salsa and homemade BBQ sauces.
I had the smoked mac and cheese. I still like the one at Station 8 better but this was pretty good. Specially topped with chopped brisket.
I got to try both of the sauces and they were excellent. The brown one is more of a traditional, sweet BBQ sauce and the white one has a great ranch flavor. We will be putting Local Flavor in our regular dinner rotation. Whenever we aren’t making Hello Fresh food at home, that is.
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Solly & Jude’s
Posted on February 1, 2024 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Last week my friend Chris Townley and I went to check out the new sandwich shop across from Intrust Bank Arena.
Here are some exterior and interior pics.
They don’t really offer anything fancy. The sandwiches are pretty basic so I think the prices are a bit on the expensive end. I had the traditional corned beef which they sell for $15 but you can really get at most places for $10-12.
You do get chips and a cookie but both were just okay. I think I’m spoiled because I’m used to getting my delicious pork belly banh mi at the Belmont for just $3 more and I get house-made chips instead of bag chips.
The sandwich I had was good but I think you could probably get a better value for something similar elsewhere. I can think of going to Watermark Books & Cafe instead for one. But yeah, there are so many good sandwich shops in town.
Probably the one edge that Solly & Jude’s has over the others are the beer offerings, which I can’t really enjoy during my lunch hour. I took a picture of their list of radlers and hope to try these sometime when I return with Brian.
I didn’t hate it so I’ll return and have Brian try it and form his own opinion but this place didn’t quite make my top ten. Until next time!
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The Belmont
Posted on January 9, 2024 by Ching under Food and Drink.
We’ve made two trips to the Belmont this year already but who’s counting? LOL. Brian and I were so excited to hear that our favorite chef, Jen Reifschneider, recently joined the Belmont team. The Belmont is our “go-to” place to eat and we went there nearly every week last year. I told him we will probably go even more now. But I hope they don’t get rid of the pork belly banh mi sandwich. It is my absolute favorite.
Here are some pics I snapped from our recent visit.
We got the pimento crab dip. Did you know that the chips are pretty much bottomless? All you have to do is ask.
We weren’t very hungry so we just had the crab dip and fries that time.
I did get two of my new favorite drink – the Johnny Applesage.
And then we shared a creme brulee for dessert. I really like the creme brulee there. Brian says he still likes the one at Bonefish better because they give you more. The one at the Belmont is absolutely perfect for me.
Anyway, we went back again after my pickleball (and Brian’s gaming) last Sunday for late lunch/early supper. SIDE NOTE: Sunday is the best time to go because it’s happy hour all day on Sundays.
I got me a yummy Berry Manilow this time.
Brian got his usual ham and cheese sandwich and I tried to get the pork belly banh mi but they only serve it at lunch. We were there too late.
One time I was there for dinner and the server offered to ask the kitchen if they could make it and they actually did make it for me. Our server didn’t offer that option this time and I didn’t want to be difficult so I just chose their chicken salad sandwich instead. It is also very good. The square-shaped croissant they use in the sandwich is perfectly flaky and delicious.
The day before this I was at Red Bird with Alice and had the magpie (their version of the chicken salad sandwich) – also good. I guess it was a chicken salad kind of weekend for me. Anyway, if I could have the bread at Belmont filled with the chicken salad from Red Bird that might just be the perfect chicken salad sandwich.
By the way, you might have noticed that I am no longer closing my posts with “GNG.” That was short for “Good Night, Grandma” which was Brian’s grandmother’s request. She can’t see anymore so Brian got rid of her computer a few months ago. Anyway, for a long time after, I was still ending posts with “GNG” but then realized the one and only person who actually knew what that meant was no longer reading the blog so I have since stopped.
One could argue that I should also stop writing in the blog altogether but it has existed long before Brian’s grandmother started reading it, and actually a form of it was existed even before Brian. The online version has existed for about 30 years but I have always kept a journal or diary as far back as I can remember. Whether or not anyone is reading is of no consequence because I’m keeping this log for me. It will be fun to look back and read about all that I’ve experienced when the time comes – long after my memory is gone.
So, yeah.. It is now 2024 and we’re just going to keep on going.
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Red Bird (Again)
Posted on January 8, 2024 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Brian and I were so disappointed that we couldn’t eat at Red Bird the last time Ramon was in town so we decided to go back the first chance we got. I’m not sure if they still are, but they were closed on Sundays at the time and it was a Sunday when we tried to go. We ended up at Wichita Brewing Company across the street, which is also good, but we were really craving Red Bird. At least, Brian and I were. Ramon has never been there. We wanted to introduce him to a new place.
Here’s a recap of our first Red Bird experience.
Anyways, we went back last weekend to satisfy our cravings. We went on a Saturday – now that we know better not to go on Sunday.
The last time we went, I had the unladen swallow so this time I opted for something different and got le spritz. It was refreshingly delicious!
The elote pasta salad is another thing we love. We can’t go without getting some.
We also love their potato wedges so we always get some to share between the two of us. And, we get all the sauces.
From left: ketchup, caramelized onion aioli, garlic aioli, mustard aioli, and spicy aioli. We like spicy and garlic the best.
The last time we went, we got full off the elote pasta salad and the potato wedges and couldn’t finish our sandwiches so, instead of each getting our own, we decided to split the Italian sparrow. We really liked it!
I don’t think Red Bird could dethrone the Belmont as our favorite sandwich spot (and most specially now that Chef Jen works there – it is securely atop our list of favorite places to eat and on the permanent rotation) but, as far as sandwich places go, Red Bird is definitely one of our faves. If you haven’t been, go check it out. And if you’ve been, let us know your thoughts and favorite menu items in the comments.
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