Bella Vita Bistro

And now to brag a little on Wichita. Went to this Italian restaurant in Boston's North End:

Pretty.  And Wichita's Bella Vita Bistro blew it out. of. the. water.

It all started with a lovely blush wine.
And then the salad....ohhhhhh, the Bella Vita House salad. Look at those beautiful curls of carrots and beets:Look closer...

.
I need a real camera.  But it was art.  Edible art. The house basalmic vinaigrette redefines salad dressings.  Lidia, I love you, but we have a contender here...

Linguini Puttanesca...
Don't you love that they serve it with the spoon?  Beautiful, with a bite from the greek olives and basil coulis.  When you go (because you simply must), ask (if you dare) the lovely server/owner about the R-rated  story of this dish and its name. (Those of you who know a little Spanish might recognize the interesting root word in there...)

And then the Chicken Bella Vita...

Prosciutto and mozerella tucked gently inside, a buttery mornay sauce, tenderly toasted breadcrumb shell...just order it, OK?  You will thank me.  And make it a new line item in your budget.

  

The vegetables were different (carmelized onion potatoes and fried eggplant) and perhaps not brilliant, but the chocolate dessert and the charming finish were:

Isn't that the cutest mint you ever saw?

Let's keep this place alive, Wichita:

Bella Vita Bistro (reservations recommended - it is small)

If you're lucky Chef Prud Homme might even sing to you.

Boston Wrap-Up

1. Legal Test Kitchen - three words "go to there."  I couldn't slow down for pictures, sorry.


2. Best. Cod. Ever. At the Atlantic Beer Garden just before hopping the Charlie to the airport.  Cucumber slaw was...interesting.  And just a few fries to balance all the fiber bars...

3. Cheers bar.  GREAT service, good food, nobody knew our name :P  Light a bit low for the camera phone.

4. Mike's Pastry - everyone on the subway had a box so of course we had to investigate...busy place!:

A fun experience but not the highest quality pastries, FYI.  See those strings from the ceiling?  They were pulled down to wrap the boxes:

Not a big fan of the black and white cookie so far, but this I can UnEquivocally advocate:

5. UBerry yogurt from UFood - the perfect way to end ADA: organic, high-antioxidant, delicous.

Thanks Boston!

Boston - Part B

Did I imply soon?  I meant eventually...
Now that I am excited about my next WWR report, let's do this:
Boston Part II

Almost as interesting as Anthony: Jeffrey Taylor, creator of Monster.com:

Does he look 50 to you? Still full of ideas and visions for the future. (Two words: Social Media).

The Expo floor:

A thousand booths with every sample, substitute, food fact and dietetic innovation you can imagine. Pam and I never needed lunch. Lean Cuisine, Cliff bars, Choboni Greek Yogurt, and Vitamin water were staples, the extra calcium frozen yogurt and stevia drinks were fun to try.

The pre-conference culinary tour wasn't a brilliant as hoped for, but I did meet a lot of fun people including Karla, a Puerto Rican NYU grad student in culinology, and some gen-u-ine Boston-ers...

I'm a sucker for unusual and pretty produce...I'll spare you the full extent of the photo library, but I had never seen these karela before, and who can't appreciate those cute baby eggplants and cucumbers?  Perhaps coming soon to a WWR near you...

So even minus the tableside chat with some clam chowder master chef of Boston, we had fun.  And wound up the tour with Lizzy's delicious mango sorbet (highly recommended by our country club chef guide). Je suis bon :)

Brilliant Boston

I haven't been to New Haven yet, but I had a hard time not instantly pledging my allegiance to this ivy league hometown.  Edible-gold-leaf-topped cupcakes at Hahvahd Yahd...now that is a happy place.  It was a great beginning to a great week.  And this guy was there to wrap it up...

That's right, ANTHONY BOURDAIN.  W-O-W.  The dieitians laughed...we cringed...we laughed some more...it was magic.  And he left us with this great quote:  "The best meal is the one you get when you are desperately hungry."

Amen.
And appropriate even amid the embarrassment of riches that is the West Wichita Restaurant scene :)

More to come.

First Time at Felipe's Jr.

I'm just home from Boston, and hope to blog a little about it, but first want to recap the delightful end to the WWR dry spell with Felipe's Jr. at Maple & 119th last week.  

I was so hungry that this was all that was left of the jalapeno poppers by the time I remembered to take a picture:

They were worth every calorie.  Every gram of saturated fat.  YUM-MO.  The salsa was excelente tambien, and I like to think provided at least a few lycopenes to war with those naughty oxidants....all foods can fit, all foods can fit... 

Guacamole - delicioso; chips - perfectly thin and crispy; salsa - si!; margarita - the perfect strength and fruitiness; pork chop carnes a la mexicanas...a little less than tender...but the hot and mild salsas, the not-so-authentic-flour, but-oh-so-soft-and-warm-homemade tortillas...MOST marvillosa.

A shout-out before I continue for the great service also:  Up in the corner you can see the garnished sliced jalapenos our waiter graciously brought out when we didn't think to say we wanted pickled.  So we tried them both ways! I still liked pickled better, but the fresh add a nice crunch and are even mild without the seeds.  But now, the best for last:  Tapatios.  One with chorizo, one with chicken, and yes, my new favorite Mexican dish.  Five words:  creamy roasted poblano cilantro salsa.  If you're not a salt-lover, stick to the chicken filling, but you like me may just want to suck up the salsa with a straw anyway.  W-O-W.  (For the record, over half of this meal came home...you know, moderation & portion control...kind of...  And I immediately had to look up "Tapatio" - why did it sound so familiar? - and realized it was what the regional people called themselves in Guadalajuara, where we had visited our friend in July.  So it is not only a delicious dish I can't wait to revisit, but a delicious dish linked to many good memories.  Ole!

State Fair Krispy Kreme Burger

It's that time of year again...and being a very thorough Foods Agent, when our yearly attendance at the Extension booth came around, I had to take advantage of the opportunity to personally investigate the Krispy Kreme hamburger making local headlines.  One of our communications personnel documenting this caloric conundrum for Extension's website:

Extreeeeeme closeup of the sandwich in question:

Note the full complement of lettuce, onion, pickle, tomato. I opted out of the bacon and cheese (even this girl has her limits).  I also asked for a regular bun, knowing the I would probably not make it past the first bite of the original sandwich. I didn't end up needing the extra bun, as I had several taste testing "assistants" that made more than one bite unnecessary. First assistant Tonya noted a slightly seasoned flavor to the patty that made us think of a McGriddle, but despite the fact that we both like sweet and salty combinations, we decided that this combo just didn't work for us.

 Also eaten separately:  Nitro Ice Cream.  Frozen in less than 1/10th of a second, it is the creamiest frozen treat you will ever try.  No caloric benefits to the Nitro process, unfortunately, so I will stick with gelato for my lower-cal creaminess, but once a year...you know it: all foods can fit! :)

Food Waterloos

As I watch No Reservations, I realize I will never be a true foodie because of the following foods rites of passage required:

1. blood sausage
2. sweetbreads
3. kimchee
4. lutefisk
5. durian (I actually bought it at our Asian market but just...couldn't....do it)

Oh, and an unshakeable aversion to mushy peas and raw onions.

What is your food waterloo?

Beautimous Bacon

My friend gave me this.  Just gave it to me. That is a true friend.

Flavor...and Fun

It's no accident that my blog template matches Sabor's website as closely as I could find. I dragged my friends there for my last benchmark birthday, and will go again with anyone willing.  It might be the plantain chips that take me back to my Jamaican birthplace, or this, the Ensalada Mixta con Pollo I had last time, a delight to the eye and palate.

For when you want to go to there: Sabor (Click here to see their menu)

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

Didn't make it to the Wichita River Fest to try it this year, but my intrepid family wouldn't let such a novel idea pass us by:

Delicious!

Kanai - Can I?

Always a good sign when celebrated restauranteur Melad Stephan (of Oeno, Sabor, and Uptown Bistro fame) arrives for dinner with his date (and her 4" patent black heels), and chef de cuisine and in tow.

I tried to get a photo of him but I think he was onto me.

So here is my softshell crab:

Some of the famous hand-rolled sushi (red caviar!):
And what dinner is complete without a baby octopus salad? I am in the middle of my Anthony Bourdain bookfest, and I know he would be so proud:
Did you ever think you'd see this in KANSAS?! I think the foodie in me can die happy now (The rest of me has a few more items on the bucket list.)

WW Top 10 by Cuisine Category

1. Twisted Seester at the Artichoke
2. Hibachi chicken at Emperor Japanese Grill
3. Fettuche Salad at Le Monde or House salad and hummous at Bella Luna
4. Maharaja - buffet: when I go, I want everything
5. McDonald's All-American Meal (hold the onions) - what can I say, the price and the portions are right
6. Etouffe at Red Beans Bayou Grill
7. Pizza Hut or Papa John's - the Wichita originals. Ham on hand-tossed please
8. The Monterrey at Monterrey Grill - with a quart of salsa
9. Summer: Sushi - probably Kanai once I get there, but for now, Gindi if I have time to sit, Dillons if I don't
Winter: Panera Tomato Bisque and crusty bread
10. Papusas at that NoMar place I can't name - Pamela Place sPecial

*FAVORED CHAINS/CORPORATE-OWNED*:

Schlotzky’s/Cinnabon (Central & Tyler)
Quizno’s (we love owner Mike downtown)
Five Guys Burgers & Fries (N. Maize) - de-LISH burger (bun was a little greasified), fries were actually cooked all the way through, AND they tell you exactly what city in Iowa (or wherever) your fries/potatoes are coming from that day!
Braums
Panera (not so much the Cuban for me, but bring on the crusty bread!)
Dog N Shake (Central & Maple)
Pei Wei
Bamboo Stix
The Bistro at Riverbend (in what was Riverside Hospital) – not sure if this is corporate- or locally-owned

*HIGH HOPES* (I haven't been there yet so please comment!):

D’Sozo (friends just opened this vegan restaurant and grocery on South Seneca)
Si Senor (803 N West St. - the old Sonic)
Bella Vita Italian (West & Douglas)
Kabobs (north of Central & Tyler)
Sino (135th & Maple) – sushi & Asian
Paradise Donuts (3107 W. Central)
Air Capitol Pizza (former Geno & John's) - 7603 W. 21st Street North
Jack’s North Hi Carry-out (across the street from North High)
Broadway Burgers (in NoMar, so Mexican food too – Pam knows the owners)
Burger Barn (just W of Zoo & Central)
Dog House Carryout (just E of Zoo & Central)
Laura’s Tortilla Factory (527 W 13th)
Tom’s Lotus Garden (dim sum Sat&Sun! 822 S Broadway)

*BEST OF SEMI-WEST WICHITA(MID-TOWN)*

(West of I-35 & I'm claiming them - I can get there without an hour’s driving):
Artichoke (N. Broadway)
Saigon (N. Broadway)
Mead’s Corner (on Douglas - PT’s Coffee, gelato & panini that takes me back to Venezia)
La Palette (friend owners; also an art/photo gallery & studio)
River City Brewery – Old Town (OT)
The Anchor – drinks, coffee, music & so much more
Cafe Moderne – check out the $10,000 Italian import espresso machine & state-of-the-art gelato freezer
Egg-cetera (OT) rumor has it Alton Brown ate here – love Chef Jeremy Wade’s potato nests
Playa Azul (OT)
Donut Whole (on Douglas)
Get Franked (OK, a little past I-35, but worth the extra blocks at 2am. formerly Let's Be Frank)
La Galette (Delano - French pastries and lunch!)
Ty’s (definition of greasy spoon, see Webster’s)
TJ’s (ditto - well, a little nicer)
Hana Café (OT - where I first fell in love with tempura)
Larkspur (OT - garlic salad)
Connie’s (21st & Broadway - good enough for Harrison Ford is good enough for me)
Taco Rio (Douglas & Seneca) I am my father’s daughter
The Melad Old Town Square Trifecta Perfecta:
Uptown Bistro
Sabor (plantain chips and dip for Jamaican princesses)
Oeno (Hummus trio)
*ETC FOOD PLACES that people should know:
TLC Muffins (W. Central) – streusel or the one with the peach filling YUM; now also has sandwiches
Nifty Nuthouse just south of St. Francis Hospital on St. Francis
Cero’s Candies on Douglas
Spice Merchant – coffee, spices, kitchen novelty
Monica’s Bundt Cake

*ETC* - Indian, Coffeeshops, Soup&Sandwich, Brunch

*INDIA INDIAN*
Maharaja - (Zoo Blvd & Central)
*NATIVE AMERICAN*
Indian Center – Indian Tacos for Tuesday lunch: W-O-W
*COFFEEHOUSES*
the bean scene – 13th & Tyler (hang out and hookah with the highschoolers…and have hummus!)
Riverside Perk
*SANDWICHES/SOUP*
Great Harvest Bread (getting a new oven to make crusty breads - can't WAIT; stock up on granola while ur there)
Cinnamon's Deli (comfort food, baby) - N of 21st & Maize Nancy's A-Maize-in' Sandwiches (technically Maize, but whatev)
TLC Muffins (W. Central – streusel or the one with the peach filling YUM; now also has sandwiches)
*OTHER*
TLC Muffins (W. Central) – streusel or the one with the peach filling YUM; now also has sandwiches
Copper Oven (W of 13th & Meridian)
Egg Crate Café – 13th & Tyler
Riverside Café – 13th & Bitting near North High School

*ITALIAN/PIZZA*

Knolla's Pizza (2 locations) – Chicago style
Bertolli’s Pizza (Maize & Central) – NY style
DeFazio's Italian (Amidon north of 21st) *toasted ravioli*

*BURGERS&BBQ*

Nu-Way (crumbly IS good…in honor of Grandpa Nubs)
Bionic Burger (love the kiddie meals in paper cars)
Freddy's Frozen Custard
Spangles (sorry snobs and Stevens conspiracy-theorists)
Bubba’s Nekked BBQ (on 13th west of Amidon/Meridian, whatever it is there)

*ASIAN/SUSHI*

Sit @ Thai (California couple with a great purple couch – personally love the clean, unornamented ambiance, but others call it too austere...)
Emperor’s Japanese Grill (N of 21st & Ridge – Kobe’s fast-food style & price- don't miss the sauces in the front fridge!)
Thai House (on West St S of 13th – 4 tables only)
Gindi (sushi, Thai, etc.)
Kobe (East side import to north of 21st & Maize)

*CAJUN*

Red Bean's Bayou Grill (21st & Ridge)
-also has now-closed La Mesa's menu items

*MEXICAN/TEXMEX/LATIN/SO. AMERICAN*

Monterrey Grill (Kellogg W of I-235)
Red Bean's Bayou Grill (21st & Ridge) - also has defunct La Mesa menu items
Poblano's (13th & Ridge - even better than Chipotle)
Los Cocos (13th & Tyler)
Felipes (2 locations - Central between West & Zoo Blvd. and 119th & Maple)
Frida's (E of 21st & Amidon) – spicy!
Yuca Bistro (south of Central & Tyler) - get the goat cheese salad and churros
Senor Tequila’s – Tyler & 21st
The little boba/papusa place on 21st, west of Broadway - help??

*MEDITERRANEAN*

Le Monde (West & Central) - FETTUCHE SALAD (pickles, pita chips, olives...mmmm)
Byblos (w. Central)
Bella Luna (East side import to New Market - AMAZING Bella Maggio house salad)
Yuca Bistro - yummy seafood crepes and flatbreads; fun blend of Latin & Mediterranean cuisine