Official Foodie Thread

[SubGod22]

New restaurant moving into the old Jax/Greystone building at 21st and Webb.

Eagle - Kansas City restaurant concept expanding to Wichita, taking over Jax space on east side

Husband and wife Bogart Sauza and Diana Perez say that they’ll likely need about three months to convert the upscale building at 9719 E. 21st St. into Wichita’s first location of Viva Tacos & Tequila. The couple, who says they own restaurants in a few states, have been operating a Viva at 5031 W. 135th St. in Leawood since June 2022.

The restaurant, they say, is known for its high-end margaritas and tequila selection and serves a large variety of margaritas hand-made with fresh juices and blue agave tequila. The bar stocks more than 100 tequilas, mezcals, and sotol.

The food is also not just the typical Tex-Mex, Perez said, and is inspired by flavors from Jalisco, Mexico. For example, she said, the menu includes plantains served different ways and unique seafood dishes. The most popular items on the Leawood menu are the quesabirrias — quesadillas made with birria meat — and its various steak entrees.

[SubGod22]

Ambitious group.

Eagle - Trio about to open three New York-style delis, one new Mediterranean restaurant in Wichita

Over the next couple of months, chef Naseem Allahabi will join Faisal Assaedi and Muqnea Elaya in opening two New York-style Middle Eastern to-go delis plus a Mediterranean restaurant focused on street food. Chef Allahabi says he already owns several restaurants in New York City and was persuaded to move to Wichita to help his friends Assaedi and Elaya — owners of 10 Wichita smoke shops — get into the restaurant business.

The partners’ first restaurant will open at 1735 W. 21st St., in the space that once held Uno Mas and more recently was home to Tamales & Monchis GTO then Super Doggos. The new restaurant will be called NAS Kitchen, named for chef Naseem, and it will serve things like gyros, quesadillas, fresh salads, loaded fries and platters featuring Halal chicken and lamb, falafel, jerk chicken and more. It should be open in about two to three weeks and will feature room for a few dine-in customers.

The trio says they’ll need another month or so to open two of their New York-style bodega eateries, which will operate as to-go only businesses and will both be called 360 NY Deli & Grill. The first one will open at 701 W. 21st St., which is in a building at the corner of 21st and Arkansas, and the second will follow at 11309 E. Kellogg

The partners also are planning to open a third 360 NY Deli & Grill in an old gas station building they own at Harry and West streets. They hope to have it ready by December.

The three delis will offer sandwiches like chicken salad, tuna salad, chicken Parmesan, pastrami, roast beef and more. They’ll also specialize in New York-style bagels and feature smoothies and a juice bar. The delis will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner — possibly 24 hours a day. The deli on West 21st Street will have a drive-through, but Greenwich and West Street won’t.

The delis also will specialize in a sandwich that’s popular on the streets of New York City but unfamiliar to Wichita: The chopped cheese sandwich is New York City’s answer to the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich and features ground beef chopped up with onions and peppers that’s served on a bun and topped with melted American cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.

[SubGod22]

There's a big opening for a future restaurant at Greenwich Place

Wichita by EB - Wings and Rings abruptly closes at Greenwich Place

The national wing chain, Wings and Rings, is now closed.

Located at 2636 N. Greenwich Ct in Greenwich Place, Wings and Rings originally opened five years ago in August of 2018.

No reason was given for the closure, but the fact that five years passed could be tied to an expired lease.

I heard from someone last Tuesday that they found out Monday that it had closed. Apparently Monday was their trivia night and that was pretty popular. The reason they'd been given for the closing is that the restaurant wasn't meeting sales goals.

But considering the area, it shouldn't be long before someone moves in.

[SubGod22]

Sad news for many

Wichita by EB - After 33 years, Wichita Fish Co. to close but will live on through Blalock's Seafood Restaurant

After 33 years, Wichita Fish Co. announced they’ll be closing. As of now, the restaurant at 818 N. Mosley is scheduled to close at the end of the month.

Signs at the restaurant have already announced the closing, as owned Judy Towns is ready for a much-needed break after running the restaurant.

Fans of Wichita Fish Co. should keep an eye out though for a new restaurant called Blalock’s Seafood Restaurant, which will open at 803 N. West St. It’s the original space of Tacos tj 664 that used to also be such restaurants as a Sonic and Sloppy Joe’s. The restaurant will be started by the son of Towns, who will take with him many of the recipes from Wichita Fish Co.

I've heard nothing but good things about Wichita Fish Co.

[SubGod22]

Big news for some of those in east Wichita, Bel Aire, and Butler County.

Wichita by EB - Bob & Luigi's has officially reopened in Andover

Look who is back in town? Bob & Luigi’s officially reopened on Tuesday morning.

The popular Andover pizza restaurant closed back in April, but stated they planned to return. And return they did.

It’s a big return for the city of Andover who already doesn’t have a large variety of restaurants to choose from.

Located at 325 W. Central, Bob & Luigi’s offers pizza and calzones. I was told that one aspect that won’t be returning is the buffet.

I know in the circles I travel that Bob & Luigi's is very popular and rivals Gambino's Towanda amongst that circle for best nearby pizza. Though I hear there's a new pizza place in Leon (I think) that's supposed to be really good, but that's a little more out of the way for me, but I may try it eventually.

[ShockBand]

Big news for some of those in east Wichita, Bel Aire, and Butler County.

Wichita by EB - Bob & Luigi's has officially reopened in Andover



I know in the circles I travel that Bob & Luigi's is very popular and rivals Gambino's Towanda amongst that circle for best nearby pizza. Though I hear there's a new pizza place in Leon (I think) that's supposed to be really good, but that's a little more out of the way for me, but I may try it eventually.

Lovesee's Pizza is the one in Leon. I haven't been either, but everything I've heard and read says their pizza is outstanding.

[WstateU]

Lovesee's Pizza is the one in Leon. I haven't been either, but everything I've heard and read says their pizza is outstanding.

The Cheney Bowling Alley (Cheney Lanes - D'Mario's Pizza) makes a 'mean' pizza also... seriously, they're really good.

[Kung Wu]

The Cheney Bowling Alley (Cheney Lanes - D'Mario's Pizza) makes a 'mean' pizza also... seriously, they're really good.

Just had some awesome D'Marios a few days ago!

[WstateU]

Just had some awesome D'Marios a few days ago!

I really like their sauerkraut pizza; has a ‘sewer’ kraut aroma, but very tasty the last time I had it.

[Kung Wu]

I really like their sauerkraut pizza; has a ‘sewer’ kraut aroma, but very tasty the last time I had it.

Well that wasn't high on my list of things to try. :) But if WstateU says give it a go, then I surely will!

[JJClamdip]

Culver's destroys Freddy's. Freddy's was originally, and remains today, a knock-off, poor man's Culver's.

Freddy's menu is tiny - very few options - almost like you're at a fair vendor or something. Culver's has a really large menu in the context of a fast food restaurant. New custard flavor every day. They put the previous day's custard flavor into pints (Ben & Jerry's style) and then into a freezer there for the customers to peruse. Usually will have the last week or so worth of flavors. Buy them for four for $13 (varies on location).

Customer service and employee professionalism at Culver's is like Chick-fil-a - something they take pride in. Freddy's is hit or miss in this regard, but generally nothing super special.

Culver's has legit cheese curds. Freddy's has very sad, mushy, grease bags they call cheese curds.

I've spent a lot of time in the MN/WI/MI area (Culver's home turf) and I can tell you it is very rare to find a Culver's that doesn't do crazy business. Want lunch there at 12 noon on a Sunday? Good luck!

The closest analogy I can come up with locally is if you were to take the Barn'rds vibe of quality, selection, cleanliness and customer service, and scale it up to Chick-fil-a market advantages. I would have bought the franchise rights for Culver's in the Wichita market many, many years ago would I have had to opportunity and wealth to do so.

Stopped at Culver’s last month in Ames Iowa, had two fried shrimp dinners minus everything but the shrimp, very tasty.

[SHOCKvalue]

Stopped at Culver’s last month in Ames Iowa, had two fried shrimp dinners minus everything but the shrimp, very tasty.

Yeah I have a Culver’s about 15 minutes from our house where we moved/are moving. Love it!

[Kung Wu]

Stopped at Culver’s last month in Ames Iowa, had two fried shrimp dinners minus everything but the shrimp, very tasty.

[SubGod22]

Had Culver's while in KC this weekend. It was good, but I'm not sure it was anything special. Guess I don't get the hype behind it.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - Well-known Wichita chef will open his first solo restaurant this fall in downtown Wichita

Chef Josh Rathbun is well-known in Wichita for his time leading kitchens at places like Siena Tuscan Steakhouse, Elderslie Farm and Public at The Brickyard.

But soon, Rathbun will have a restaurant that’s all his own.

Earlier this afternoon, Rathbun and leaders at Fidelity Bank announced to their staff that Rathbun would be taking over the vacant restaurant space at 320 N. Market, which is on the ground floor of the bank’s RISE Car Park. The space was previously home to First Mile Cantine, but it closed in April.

Rathbun is naming the restaurant Lotte (pronounced law-tee), an ode to his 8-year-old daughter, Charlotte. It’ll be a “wonderful little dinner restaurant,” Rathbun said, where he can serve the type of farm-to-table, seasonally inspired dishes he’s become known for in Wichita.

“I’ll continue with what I’ve been good at, which is the farm-to-table stuff,” Rathbun said. “This is going to give me an opportunity to do fun, seasonal food without being hemmed in as far as style. I can really just focus on the season, the local produce and whatever flavors are exciting to me at the moment.”