Table Hopping
Oodles of Noodle Bowls
FOR RAMEN:
Sama Zama
425 Westport Rd Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 756-3600
www.samakc.com
Owner Erika Koike opened her first restaurant, One Bite Japanese, in south JoCo, but she soon realized she needed to reach a more diverse and urban audience. Sama Zama, which means “varied” in Japanese, now calls Westport home. Her exposed, distressed brick walls and streamlined Asian décor seem a better fit on Westport’s new restaurant row. Looking for comfort in a bowl? Get her Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen (dine-in only) with its light, pork-based broth, topped with tender slices of pork over ramen noodles for $13. TAKE: the Spicy Ramen Challenge, and if you finished the entire bowl in 10 minutes or less, it’s free, and you get your picture on the wall.
FOR UDON:
Sushi House
5041 W. 117th Street, Leawood, KS 66211
(913) 633-3333
www.mysushihouse.com
Sushi House is a restaurant concept based out of Chicago, even though it has been open in Town Center for many years. Owned by Tom Johnson, a local KC restaurant veteran, Sushi House has modern decor and servers who are attentive and quick. The sushi is good, but try something more comforting and get the Nabeyaki Udon for $13. A large hot pot will come to your table filled with a fragrant broth, chewy udon noodles, a poached egg, sliced fish cake, spinach, mushrooms and a single tempura shrimp. USE: the tiny shaker of Shichimi Togarashi, which translates to seven spice, to dial up the heat in your noodle bowl. The spice blend adds a welcome zip with spicy dried chilies and orange zest.
FOR PHO:
Vietnam Cafe
522 Campbell St, Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 472-4888
I first heard about Vietnam Café years ago from Chef friends who swore by the place. It is family run, friendly, cheap and delicious. You’ll be charmed by the inside of the place, as it still retains many of the original architectural features of the drugstore it was years ago. Located in Columbus Park, this is a fantastic pit stop after shopping at the City Market downtown. The Pho is a stand-out star here. An incredibly rich and flavorful broth is cooked with your choice of meat and served over noodles with fresh bean sprouts, sweet basil, cilantro, sliced jalapeno, and lime wedges on the side for $7 a bowl. GET: your Pho on, 7 days a week. Open Monday-Saturday 9 am – 8 pm and Sundays from 9 am – 6 pm.
FOR HAND-PULLED NOODLES:
Iron Horse
918 Old 56 Hwy, Olathe, KS 66061
(913) 829-9898
www.ironhorsechinese.com
Chef Peter Wong lived and cooked all over Asia before landing in Los Angeles. There, in his restaurant at the time, he made special hand-pulled noodles for celebrities like Bill Cosby, Sammy Davis Jr. and even former President George Bush Sr. These days, Peter, his wife and family have made their home in Olathe, where for years they have been quietly serving up the fresh hand-pulled noodles and delicious Asian dishes that earned him a stellar reputation all those years ago. Seriously, get any dish on the menu that comes with their noodles. All dishes are $6-$10. CALL: 24 hours ahead of time to order the Beggar’s Chicken, a tender chicken stuffed with vegetables, covered in tin foil, then dirt and clay and slow cooked, sealing in all of the juices.
Jenny Vergara
Jenny Vergara is known on the food scene as Foodie wih a capial "F" and she will be the first to tell you there is no shame in that name. In addition to writing the popular Table Hopping column, she also writes the food blog, "The Making of a Foodie." Jenny is the Founder of Kansas City's first underground supperclub called The Test Kitchen and her latest project she co-created with Chef Alex Pope, Vagabond, is KC's first Pop-up Restaurant. Finally, her love of food trucks is well documented and she is considered the catalyst for the creation fo the Truck Stop, a permanent food truck lot in the Crossroads, located 21st & Wyandotte. She IS the go-to girl for where to get great food in Kansas City. Email her at tablehopping@gmail.com or keep up with her Foodie adventures at www.makingafoodie.com.
