The Gelato Mio bike takes downtown's greatest new frozen snack to the streets.

Whether as a dessert destination or just to stop in and add a cheap treat to a night downtown, Gelato Mio is your spot. I wasn’t sure about gelato or what it even was when stopping in before a recent concert, just that it was an Italian relative of ice cream. It turns out that gelato is ice cream’s older brother and has spent its whole life kicking the crap out of his fatter, younger sibling.

Single scoops Wildberry and Cafe Caramel gelato.

While in the Italian ice cream boutique just east of the square, I was briefed. Gelato is whipped faster than ice cream giving it a smoother quality and does not contain butter fat (which helps while watching my figure). The flavors are very different as well. You can get chocolate and vanilla, but the flavor is much more dynamic. I didn’t pick up on the differences, but many of the fruit varieties were termed “sorbetto” and contained actual fruit frozen inside.

As my wife and I entered Gelato Mio, a pair of not-very-sneaky spies in PriceCutter Bistro Market garb were making a quick exit after checking out their gelato competition. Whatever their reasons, the customers had a free laugh. It was very interesting for sure.

Gelato Mio offers free samples of all the varieties, and being my first time, it was very appreciated. I sampled three of the 18 flavors and settled on the Cafe Caramel. A coffee-flavored gelato with ribbons of true caramel. Words cannot explain the mouthgasm. My wife went for the Wildberry, which was very tasty, but the sweetness outstayed its welcome for her. I happily scarfed the remainder.

Gelato Mio is family owned and operated and keeps it simple. Pricing is $2.99 for a single scoop, $3.99 double, $4.99 triple. While there are 18 flavors on display, they have more than 600 in rotation. All varieties are 100% natural with no artificial ingredients.

I’m excited to get back to try another flavor – maybe the Tahitian Vanilla with chocolate shavings. It was hard to pass up the first time.

Have you been? What’d you think? Give it a try and post your flavor of choice in our comment section below.

[View with PicLens]

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3. Happy Hour at Ocean Zen: A Foodie Review

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OZ's Crazy Shrimp Roll - find a better roll for $4.50. Consider it a challenge.

Ocean Zen Pacific Rim has been regarded as one of SGF’s better fine dining spots, but with otherworldly happy hour specials, it has become one of the prime early dinner (and drinks) locations. OZ’s happy hour runs Monday-Thursday from 4-6 p.m. with a late night option on the weekend (Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m.-close). The menu stretches from a variety of appetizers to sushi rolls, salads and sides. The most expensive item on the happy hour menu is $6, so you can affordably create your own meal.

The cornerstone is clearly the drinks and sushi – which seem just a notch shorter than their full-priced counterparts (4-6 pieces). There are eight different rolls available, from the simple (Cucumber and California) to the complex (Ocean Zen Signature), but in the middle is where our orders landed. The Crazy Shrimp Roll is the best $4.50 roll in SGF. If you know one better for that price, get at me – Brett@TAGsgf.com. The Crazy shrimp is shrimp tempura covered with an incredible spicy tuna mix sitting on top. A little kick of Sriracha provides the perfect punch. The Crispy California Roll is another twist on a classic, something Ocean Zen has done across its entire menu.

Every H.H. appetizer is tempting – Edamame, Blue Crab & Cream Cheese Stuffed Wontons, Pineapple Citrus Glazed Crispy Chicken, Mongolian Glazed St. Louis Style Ribs, BBQ Chicken, Spring Rolls … the list is an all-star mix of shortened up entrees and killer apps. We went with the Blue Crab Wontons and were certainly pleased with the result. A light batter with a well-mixed filling of crab and the rest. You can tell when there’s something real in the middle.

Several sides make an appearance in the afternoon as well – Bacon Cheddar Risotto, Grilled Cheezy Bread, Tomato Soup and loaded Mashed Potatoes to start. I had to try the potatoes and will now get them every time I go.

We weren’t drinking on this occasion, but will be back to imbibe. The drink specials included: $5.50 wine by the glass, $2 domestic drafts, $5 specialty drinks (cocktails), and $4 calls.

Three of us went and all left satisfied, both in volume and flavor (especially in flavor). We ordered four sushi rolls, one appetizer and one side, but the bill read just $25.82.

[View with PicLens]

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Lets just get to the point. The new Price Cutter Bistro Market in downtown Springfield, MO is possibly one of the best things to happen to downtown Springfield in a long…long long time. That being said, here are our thoughts after spending some time there on opening night last night.

This place is simply awesome. From the minute you walk in, you feel like you went through a Star Trek transporter and landed in a big city market. Stuff like this simply hasn’t existed in Springfield until now. There are 3 entrances. One off the south end of the building through their parking lot and two off of South Avenue. If you walk in the north South Ave. entrance, you re between the bar and seating area to your right and the massive hot food buffet, breakfast buffet and prepared food cooler to your left. Even further to your left, a Starbucks and a gelato bar.

The Market/Grocery Area

We first walked beyond that to explore the rest of the market. They have an expansive alcohol, beer and wine selection with competitive prices. The layout is a little tight, but that is to be expected with anything downtown (if you’ve ever lived in a loft, you know what we’re talking about). The layout is extremely well planned. If you’re looking at wines, the fine cheese selection is right there. If you’re looking at eggs, bacon is right there. Its the type of thing you’d like to see more of in other stores. I imagine I could complete my grocery run in about 5 mins here.

As far as what types of things they have in stock, pretty much everything a normal Price Cutter does, but less quantity and more selection. They have almost anything you could want or need, but in smaller quantities. I’m a foodie and make a wide variety of dishes at home. I’m constantly unhappy with food selection in Southwest Missouri. This may change that. From a meat counter that includes Kobe beef to one of the best seafood selections in town, along with a touch screen recipe station in front of the meat counter that will help you quickly get a recipe and shopping list that will make quick meal planning and execution easy.

Notable features of market:

• Smart layout
• Wide selection
• Amazing produce selection (photo #11) (its hard to find kale for Portuguese soup in the Ozarks)
• Incredible produce selection (photo #8) with self service olive bar (photo #10)
• Good meat counter with knowledgeable staff
• HUGE wall of bulk-style feeders for flour, rices, nuts, snacks, etc (photo #9)
• Make your own butter station (photo #7)
• Great beer, wine and liquor selection

The Bistro Area

Let me ask this, where else can you grocery shop while drinking a beer, cocktail, or bottle of wine? NOWHERE! We’re in Springfield, MO. This didn’t exists until yesterday! This place is incredible. Also, if you buy a bottle of wine, for a small $5 cork fee, you can drink it while shopping (you can also have them re-cork the bottle so you can enjoy the rest of the bottle at home). There is a gigantic hot bar that serves things like roasted chicken, fried catfish with hush puppies, chicken wings, lasagna and much much much much more with revolving options. The price seemed a little steep at $8.49 for the hot bar (until we realized in included the salad bar too – BOTH are all you can eat). You can also get a fresh made sandwich made exactly how you want it. They also have a full kitchen with a very large staff of cooks to make you anything from their menu of burgers, hot dogs, breakfast, salads, sides and more…all for fairly reasonable prices. They also have an equally large salad bar. This is the best salad bar in town. Not the cheapest, but the best. You can chose from every fruit, nut, cheese and topping that you could want and it goes forever. Some of the salads these people were making looked like Donald Trump funded them. I barely even got to see the gelato bar or the Starbucks because they were absolutely packed. On the South Avenue wall, they have an open cooler with a selection of fresh, but pre-made, packaged and ready to-go sandwiches, sushi, pizza, dinners, sides and more. Everything here is very attractively priced with very large sandwiches going for $3-6 (images #13-14). The food selection is huge. The food is good. Most of it is affordable and priced right with a few choices on the made-to-order menu being a tad bit over priced by a dollar or two. They have a breakfast bar that plans to be open until 2 am. They also have a station where you can get your own crepe or Belgian waffles made fresh.

After walking around the place for 20 minutes, my girlfriend and I started to get pretty hungry and decided to try to find a quick $5 lunch option on the menu. Luckily we found the All American burger for only $2.99. A good old fashioned cheeseburger with lettuce, onions, pickle and tomato. On the menu board it is listed as $2.99 but on the printed menus they were $3.99. The staff was very nice and gave it to us for the $2.99 listed on the menu board. We chose fresh made-to-order chips for only $.99 and were surprised that there was a selection of sweet potato or russet. We chose a mixture of both. We could have walked away there with a $4 lunch and been happy, but we were parched because it was a madhouse in there with so many people checking it out. We added a tea for around a dollar more. The burger was made fresh and was great. Nothing amazing, but very good, fresh, tasty and a good portion. (see images #15-16)

*UPDATE*
We were downtown again for a show at The Outland and needed to grab a quick bite. Our favorite place we planned on hitting was closed so we figured we’d give the buffet a shot. Um, WOW. The ability to quickly grab a hot meal a block away from the center of downtown that fed the tastes of two people in completely different moods was great. My girlfriend shamelessly ate both her gigantic salad and her overstuffed dinner plates nearly clean. The food was good, tasty, and wholesome. No instant mashed potatoes here. The fried chicken was hot and wasn’t dry at all. Same goes for the catfish. The hush puppies were Madeline’s favorite thing. The staff was fast and very helpful. When we were walking away with a tray of two overloaded plates, they said to just come back if we wanted anything else. Oh, those lovely LOVELY words. All in all, it was way more food than we should have eaten (but hey, we had to thoroughly test it out, right? We take our job seriously!)

I just can’t find anything wrong with this picture. Oh well, I see one possible thing. The window on Walnut (the North side of the building) that houses a gigantic wooden rack of alcohol. How long will this window survive before someone busts through to the glorious haven of alcohol on the other side (see image #21)?

Notable features of bistro:

• IT HAS A BAR with draft and bottle beer (domestic and import), cocktails and sodas
• Seating in bar area…also outdoor seating on Southeast corner sidewalk on South Ave.
• Fast. Very easy to be in and out. Staff was helpful in this as well.
• Wide selection for tastes and budgets and schedules
• Plenty of staff…helpful staff
• You have hot food, cold food, salad bar, fried chicken, a bar bar, a Starbucks, a gelato bar and magazine rack all within a few feet.
• The freshly made food is really good (I can vouch for the burger and chips)
• The hot bar food was also better than expected (We heard a number of people commenting on how good the fried chicken, catfish and various items were. To paraphrase a few; “It wasn’t like food from a grocery store, but like food from an actual restaurant.”)

*UPDATE*
Note: They have WiFi!

Price Cutter seems to have really done things right with the new downtown location. My girlfriend and I kept saying how we wish there was something like that when we lived downtown, maybe we wouldn’t have left the downtown area. This may be the big boost downtown has been waiting for to become less of a nightlife destination and more of a neighborhood. I don’t see it hurting other downtown restaurants much. Although they do offer similar things like sandwiches and burgers, they don’t directly compete with anyone. Its one thing when you have two burger joints going head to head, but another when you have a burger joint and a smorgasbord. My only concern is the gelato. There has been an sudden emergence of gelato and dessert places opening this month and hopefully Price Cutter doesn’t hurt their business. In fact I see it possibly going the other way and that people might prefer the boutique dessert shops. If one or the other had to happen, the latter would be ideal because Price Cutter could easily adapt. What are your thoughts?

Hopefully others follow in Price Cutter’s lead and see the potential and help revitalize the downtown area.

Questions or Comments?

So what are your thoughts? We at TAGsgf are very curious to see what you think about the new market and how you think it may affect downtown Springfield.

Here are a few photos I nabbed with my phone. Sorry some are blurry, it was a madhouse in there.

[View with PicLens]

12►

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In the world of local eateries, The Southside Location is something to covet. As Springfield modernized the city’s better-to-do moved to the outskirts, primarily to the south (and, in more recent years, to the east), and since the prevalent culture means it’s considered an inconvenience to drive more than 10-15 minutes in the city it’s only natural that a business owner wants to be where those with the most disposable income are most willing to go. You can do well as a restaurant almost anywhere, but to really make a killing one must, to butcher a phrase, head south, young man. And bring your “A” game, as there is no shortage of options around you.

Big Whiskey’s has been a successful downtown sports bar for several years, opening in 2006 and sustaining a steady flow of business in its location immediately east of Icon Nightclub on Park Central East. But the plan all along has been to expand into new locations, a plan finally come to fruition with the opening of the second Big Whiskey’s last weekend on West Republic Road across the street from the Remington’s parking lot and about a block east of Kansas Expressway. The space used to belong to Indigo Joe’s, though if you went to that establishment you’ll notice very little in common with what you see today. You’ll also notice relatively little in common with the downtown Big Whiskey’s, as the interior paint scheme is completely changed and details such as the drink toast quotations on the walls are backlit and three-dimensional instead of written in paint. The room is full of deep wood tones and polished metal, a nice and natural-feeling light-dark contrast that adds sophistication to the room. An especially nice new touch is the collection of black-and-white photos laid into the backboards of the booths, all of them whiskey-themed and lending a classy touch to the traditional sports bar “TVs everywhere” formula.

The view over my right shoulder... as in behind me.

Speaking of televisions, I think I sat in the one spot in the entire place where you can’t see anything without craning your neck to a position only Gumby would find comfortable. My girlfriend and I settled into a booth space in the southern half of the building, each ordering salads of different varieties. (Light food just sounds better in the heat of summer.) If you’re familiar with the Big Whiskey’s menu from the downtown location you’ll know what you’re getting here, too; the full range appears to have carried over. If you haven’t been to it before, though, you’ll find your usual bar-food fare, concentrating on burgers and sandwiches and above-average appetizers (try the sliders, for sure) and wings and a surprisingly large selection of salads. Prices are about a dollar more than one would expect to pay in some cases, particularly with the burgers, which are consistently priced higher than the salads, the first time I can ever remember seeing that. My girlfriend’s Buffalo chicken salad was loaded with lettuce and giant cucumber cubes and slathered in Buffalo sauce, which happens to be just how she likes it. She also swapped the regular ranch dressing for the restaurant’s creamy Italian–a risky move, given that we weren’t told in advance it was creamy and that she’s not a fan of creamy Italian dressings. Turns out what could have been a salad-killer was instead the best element, robust and chunk-free. One of the best creamy Italian dressings she has ever had, she said.

The Buffalo chicken salad.

For my part, my Southwest chicken salad got good burst of flavor from its vegetables (thank you pico de gallo and roasted corn kernels) that it lacked from its unseasoned grilled chicken (it’s okay to sprinkle on a little something, seriously), though presumably this is what the Southwestern ranch dressing is supposed to provide. It did, though since I tend to eat my chicken before the rest of my salad this was the flavor equivalent of Monty Python‘s character “The Bishop:” There to save the day, only not in time. (On a side note, does ranch have to be used on everything in bar-and-grill restaurants, and as a base in so many other dressings? I was never a ranch fan to begin with, and now it has invaded parts of many menus it was never meant to conquer. To quote Bono, “I’m ready for what’s next.”) We came in just after lunch Saturday afternoon, so the crowd wasn’t overwheling (about 45% full, I’d say), but there were enough servers roaming about to make it look as though even a packed room wouldn’t endure a wait. For our part our young gentleman was attentive but not overbearing, and though he forgot to bring my salad’s dressing out with the rest of it I can’t say that was a mistake that wouldn’t happen just about anywhere else on occasion. I mentioned it to him and had it in my hands within two minutes. No harm, no foul.

There is no doubt that Big Whiskey’s raises its game in getting its coveted South Side Location, and while its food choices won’t make it stand out from the competition on that end of town (Skybox, Fox & Hound, Hooters, etc.) its decor and attention to detail should. Sometimes what you most covet is something you shouldn’t have; this is also true of The Southside Location, which sometimes subjects a restaurant to higher standards and customer expectations than it can deliver. In the case of Big Whiskey’s, it could be set up to not only succeed but thrive.

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(Article published on 5/10/10 incomplete. Some details may have changed since – like Cheezie’s “thriving.” Oops.)

It’s hard to judge value at restaurants sometimes. Ridiculously cheap prices make that call pretty easy, but when the product is great and pricey  that’s when I have a hard time. Especially with pizza. From working in a ‘za shop during graduate school I learned pizza is very cheap to produce. It’s why places such as Cheezie’s and Little Caesar’s thrive. Minsky’s Pizza has a delicious pie with a not-so tasty price tag. A friend and I checked out Minsky’s – franchised from Kansas City – after passing it over a time or to before.

As we were getting seated, our server said something about being able to sneak us two smalls for the price of one. He was trying to pull the “keep it on the hush” card. “There’s a button I can push,” he said. I’d bet most servers could push the same button, but the effort is still appreciated. You can’t say “no” to BOGO, so we ordered two small pepperonis with Alfredo sauce – even though it costs a little extra, butter and Parmesan cheese is never bad.

The pizza comes quick and is piping hot. The first thing I notice is that the cheese is on top, smothering the toppings and sauce. You don’t find this too many places, but it makes me happy because the cheese browns a bit more. Minsky’s crust is phenomenal, almost like a pie crust but not as flaky – in a dogfight with 417 Pizza for my favorite crust in SGF. It’s a damn tasty pie, but not very girthy. The small is about the size of a burrito shell with 6 slices – it’s a four small bite slice (unless you go corn cobbin’ on the crust). With the toppings it’s just about right for the don’t super size me diet.

The problem is the cost doesn’t reflect a small pizza or does it? The cost for one small pepperoni pizza was $12.66 ($8.99 before white sauce and tax). Getting two smalls for that price was great, but if I’m eating with my wife, and we don’t have somebody to “push the button”, $25+ is quite a bit. Especially when you can grab a large from one of the aforementioned pick-up spots for less than $6.

What do you think? Is $12 appropriate because the pizza is “gourmet”? I’m on the fence, because while it’s very tasty I’m not (very often) looking to spend double digits on myself. I’m a sucker for the $5 Lunch.

On the way out I saw a giant pan with a sign reading: “Ready to take the Monster Challenge?” It reminded me that TAG hasn’t challenged food in a bit. Chris and I both finished the Nugget Challenge, so I’d like to think we’d have a chance. The host said it’s been tried many times, but never completed. Bring it on.

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With the opening of the brand spankin’ new Einstein Bros. Bagels on National across from St. John’s, we had to see what all the fuss was about. They had over 200 people standing in line opening day…that has to say something about the place, right?

I checked in around 3:30 today, a Wednesday. The newly remodeled space is upbeat and snazzy (yes, snazzy). Bright colors but limited seating. They offer great alternatives in to-go orders and a drive-thru (awesome). They offer breakfast all day and had a limited variety of cold and hot sandwiches, soups and salads.

Lunch rush was over but there was still a line of about 5 people in front of me and within a few minutes about 5 more behind me. They noticed the growing line and had an employee start taking orders from people while in line to speed up the process (much like what Andy’s has started to do on busy nights).

The menu wasn’t very descriptive and was hard to read from in line. They could quickly remedy this by adding small printed menus to scan over while in line (if there were any, they were either out or I missed them). By the time it was my turn to order I just asked the employee what his favorite sandwich was. He quickly answered with the Reuben with Pastrami. I took his advice and chose the potato salad as my side with no drink and to-go.

I sat down at home, starving, and quickly dove into the hot sandwich. Now I know, this is not one of the famously touted bagel sandwiches, but it was good. I would say on a 5 star scale, it was about a 3. The meat was thin but flavorful, the cheese was almost non existent, and the sauce was the highlight of the meal. My side of potato salad tasted alright but the container was barely half full…almost like whoever was filling it was in a hurry and didn’t notice that they forgot half of it.

All in all, the sandwich/side combo was not worth the $7.55. I walked in with $5 cash in my pocket with the hope of finding a nice $5 lunch option to write about. Unless I wanted just a bagel with some sort of spread on it, or a breakfast sandwich, it wasn’t in the chips. Ultimately, I just wasn’t happy having to bust out the card and spending nearly $8 on an “ok” lunch and still feeling…well, unsatisfied. There’s definitely more to be desired. I sat there thinking, wow, there are plenty of better lunch options that I won’t have to spend nearly $8 for. But I will give it another try to sample a breakfast and possibly another lunch option.

This is however great news for Springfield. We love to see some of the bigger chains make their way into our fine little city. Could this be a trend? Is there any chance of getting an “oh so amazing” Jack In The Box anytime soon? Join the “Bring Jack in the Box to Springfield, MO!!!” group on Facebook.

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It’s been almost exactly four years since the original Nearly Famous Deli location burned (May 2006), so it’s almost embarrassing to admit my last visit was also my first to the new location in the Brentwood Center. Though I’d eat there a few times a month when it was a duplex off Glenstone, I let it fall through the cracks while the new place was still building. When sandwiches were the topic in our recent top five, it was brought back to mind. The only difference is the size. It maintains the feel and ambiance of the original spot, but now you can stretch your legs. The staff appeared to have grown considerably.

Nearly Famous is a soup and sandwich shop stuck in a fancy restaurant’s body. And that’s a good thing. It’s a nice change of pace. Most sandwiches are built in front of you so you can sprint off to another errand. Not Nearly Famous.

Nearly Famous has a full sandwich menu, starting at $5.79 with triples in the $7-8 range. You can even build your own. Every sandwich comes with chips, pickle and pepper. I ordered the pastrami with Swiss, sour cream and onions on pumpernickel which was brought out warm, but not toasted. The flavor was incredible and while not filling on it’s own $6.79 is appropriate for the setting. My wife ordered the Tuna Melt and was pleased. She did mention there wasn’t much flavor, though. We aren’t very grabby with salt and pepper – tending to leave that part to the chef – but I noticed she made three or four passes with each.

Our total was $12.19 for a couple of gourmet sandwiches with top-notch service and fine-dining atmosphere. We were in for lunch and out in 30 minutes, but it felt like a nice, long break in the middle of the day. We didn’t tackle it, but Nearly Famous has a full dessert menu (tiramisu looked like the leading candidate had we opted for it), as well as an espresso bar, full wine menu and a selection of beers. They serve entree specials in the evenings. You can find each day’s specials on the home page of their web site.

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Could I buy you a fish taco?

A TAGsgf.com lunch meeting landed at Houlihan’s where Scott has talked up the fish tacos since the restaurant arrived at Glenstone and Kearney. I’ve never known his palate to be wrong and I had never actually had a fish taco, so I had become feverishly excited. We’ll get back to that in a minute. Sitting at the base of a hotel means a constant base for customers, but simultaneously means tragic parking troubles when there are events. Today, we have no problems sneaking right into a spot. The lunch rush is extremely busy, but we’re able to quickly retrieve a table.

The first thing I notice on the menu is a 15-minute guarantee. Basically, if your food takes longer than 15 minutes and your group is smaller than six people, grub is on the house – an incredible concept, especially for people trying to grab a quick lunch. Our food didn’t approach 15 minutes, so they were safe today and it’s hard to imagine them being any busier.

The layout is pretty simple, a large open room with a bar offset, but near, the center. Groups of booths lay the structure for seating. Allen mentioned how it’s really nice, but not stuffy.

The lunch menu starts around $8 and, as a staff, we were not too creative. Chris and Allen went with the Southwest Chicken Wrap, while Scott and I scarfed the Fish Tacos. All entrees are served with chips and salsa. The wrap appeared pretty standard – decent serving of chicken with assorted veggies and a spicy ranch sauce. Both partakers seemed pleased with the selection. Put it this way, neither was outwardly thrilled or displeased. The flavor of the fish tacos was incredible – tortilla, fish (a lightly battered cod, I believe), a cole slaw (not technically, but there was a cabbage-lettuce blend which had a similar consistency), pico de gallo (the key), and the spicy ranch dressing. The toppings would make a delicious metropolitan taco, absolutely tasty. The only problem for me is that the whole taco was primarily toppings. I was impressed with the flavor of the fish, but had just a few small pieces on the two tacos combined. They didn’t stick around too long as hunger returned shortly after eating. That said, I will order them again.

Otherwise the menu is absolutely massive. Murmurs of happy hour came to surface, and I imagine next time we meet at Houlihan’s it will be when we have zero responsibility following ($4 pitchers of Long Island Teas and Sangria!?! Hope there’s a Yellow Cab nearby).

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe offers dozens of smoothie options, including the Very Berry Green Tea, which proves it costs to be healthy.

I’m game for the catchphrase of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a national chain which holds shop on South Campbell. The menu has gourmet salads, bistro sandwiches, toasted wraps and flatbread, but the only purpose for our stop was to get a pair of smoothies as the SGF weather began to warm. Too bad, I only brought a ten-dollar bill, not knowing each 16 oz. drink ran more than $5. It seems a little pricey for a handful of fruit thrown in a blender, but the Very Berry Green Tea was absolutely delicious (for a one-time delicacy).

It was also pleasing (for me) to hear Dr. Dre’s The Chronic blasting from the speakers when I entered, though I’m not sure the exiting family felt the same. The master blender realized the unedited satellite radio music and turned off the tunes.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe has dozens of options for smoothies in different categories (simply indulgent, coffee, super fruit, supercharged – with added “nutrients” like ginseng, and low-fat), with any fruit, flavor or health “supercharger” you can dream of. The Very Berry Green Tea was a blend of acai, strawberries, blueberries and matcha green tea. If you can afford a $5+ fruit drink these days, I’d recommend it.

Maybe I’m wrong. What do you think is a fair price for a fruit smoothie? Discuss.

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Wayo tries to shake the fast food history of the location.

We made a simple sushi-and-rice only order from their pretty standard roll menu, with a few additions like the Glenstone Roll (deep-fried California Roll). Complimentary miso soup is always an appreciated bonus. Our order included the Caterpillar, Spicy Tuna, Firecracker and 911. Our order took a little more than 35 minutes to arrive, which didn’t help the case for the backless wooden benches and the 911 was forgotten but joined the table a few minutes later. I should mention there were only five tables seated and we counted three servers. In general, the rolls were quite disappointing – small portions, tough shrimp, chewy spicy tuna which wasn’t at all spicy, the Caterpillar was an avocado roll drowning in eel sauce, etc. It was the first sushi experience in which I did not feel compelled (read: didn’t necessarily want) to finish every roll – we did finish everything but it was more a product of the portions. The hardest part to swallow was the premium sushi price tag. For those rolls, three sides of rice and waters to drink, the total came to $56. It seems like there may have been a miscalculation along the way when it came to getting the quality, presentation, and price aligned.

While it’s just the beginning, there’s time for Wayo to adjust. The biggest positive was the friendly and responsive staff. One of the most uncomfortable situations is getting asked if everything tastes great when you can’t answer “yes”. Unfortunately this was one of those occasions. I went with the response of upward nod, a sip of water and look down.

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This is Allen and Kaitlyn on a recent family vacation. Yes, she awarded Allen with the Brother of the Year award.

When you are a brother and sister combo that live separately in Springfield for completely different reasons, the grind of work, school and social lives can make it seem like you’re not even in the same zip code. So, once a week, bro-and-sis duo Allen and Kaitlyn Vaughan try to meet up for lunch, for two reasons.

1. Catch up on each others’ lives (see: drama).
2. Eat something that’s not homemade sandwiches or cafeteria food.

Now it’s time to add a third reason: To be able to write about it for TAGsgf.com.

That’s why we are introducing the Allen and Kaitlyn SGF Lunch Tour as an opportunity to expose locals to different lunch spots throughout the area. Yes, we are giving two non-experts a voice, and neither of them know the first thing about how to write about food. But they do know how to have a good conversation over a good meal, so we’ll give them a shot. (It’s written from Allen’s perspective with Kaitlyn’s input sprinkled throughout.)

Their first stop: Little Tokyo, 1635 North Glenstone Avenue, Springfield, (417) 866-5596

I’m not going to lie, this is a favorite spot for the two of us. Kaitlyn is a senior at Drury and the LT isn’t that far away. We always try to arrive before 11:30 a.m. – that way we can get a good seat and get started before the lunch crowd shows up. As far as crowds go, it’s not the busiest place, but it still gets a full room.

Our drill at LT is simple: Salad, meal and water. (Is that close to Gym, Tan, Laundry like the Jersey Shore guys?) Generally it costs less than $15 for a meal that Allen will devour and Kait will never finish.

Before we talk about our meals, let’s talk about the salad, a hidden gem in SGF. It is very simple: just lettuce with a few fixings. It’s a salad bar, but don’t think Ruby Tuesday. While it’s more the size of a vending cart at a baseball game or carnival, you don’t need anything more than it offers. And, you must use the ginger dressing. It’s a creamy dream that tastes similarly to the dressing at Haruno or Kai, but much thicker.

I always think about going in for seconds on the salad, but I don’t get a chance to because our meals are always served so promptly. This seems like a good time to address the service. We’ve never had to wait for a seat – maybe it’s because we are doing our best senior citizen impersonation by eating so early – and the food comes out quickly. They are attentive on the water (or drink), quick with the food and also quick to get you out of there — perfect lunch service. The only drawback is how quickly they ask you for your order. “If I didn’t always order the same thing, I would feel rushed,” Kaitlyn said. 

Kaitlyn ordered the Spicy Chicken

As for the meals, Kaitlyn ordered the Spicy Chicken, as she generally does. As you can see, it comes with a big helping of noodles, as well as rice and a mixed vegetable blend. What you don’t see is the extra helping of a creamy, orange spicy sauce on the side. Coming from people who enjoy spicy foods, we don’t consider it to be the most atomic of sauces, but it’s a nice flavor that can rile you up a bit. There is some on the chicken, but they allow you to spice and flavor your meal, which we both love. As a guy who loves dipping sauces, it makes the meal for me. (More on that in a second.)

We haven’t once been to the LT and found our food under- or overcooked. The rice is fresh, and as someone who doesn’t exactly enjoy vegetables, I typically scarf down the zucchini, squash and broccoli, among what else is in there. (The sauce helps…)

Allen ordered the Spicy Beef.

Instead of chicken, I went with the Spicy Beef, which is the same dish Kaitlyn ordered only with beef substituted for chicken. I typically take half of that spicy sauce and pour it over all of my meal. It heightens the flavor and allows me some extra for dipping the beef.

As for portion size, I always finish it but could likely hold back. Kaitlyn, on the other hand, never finishes and claims to be able to get two meals out of one. Either way, you’re getting a great return on your $15, especially if you break it down into three meals.

Another part that Kaitlyn and I judge is crowd noise. We rarely have to raise our voice to talk to one another, even though we will be surrounded by 25-30 people at a time. This is important when you’re trying to learn about what your college-aged sister is up to…

While we are not into judging places and food with numbers, we give Little Tokyo great marks. It is in the upper echelon of places we enjoy eating, and we always find it as a steady, go-to lunch spot if we haven’t had Asian food in a while.

Oh, and as Kaitlyn reminds, don’t forget to grab a free fortune cookie on the way out. It’s dessert for your mouth and your brain.

Want to suggest the next place for the Allen and Kaitlyn SGF Lunch Tour? Too scared to do it yourself, or want to get some publicity to your favorite lunch spot? E-mail Allen at Allen@TAGsgf.com

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The gyros at Riad are enormous cylinders of fantastic

Fine dining is something that has been missed a bit in the early going of TAG. That’s mostly due to our diligence in remaining economically conscious. We broke from that for an evening and didn’t end up spending what I would consider fine dining prices. Riad tops the (short) list of Greek eateries in SGF and with the three-course dinner special, you should get acquainted with either location (southside on Republic & downtown on the square).

It’s always impressive when a restaurant’s owner visit’s the floor. Riad, himself, ducked out for a few minutes of cordial service, delivering salads and some extra pita. He flashes a friendly smile and quietly returns to his office in the back, but it’s a nice show of effort. The service and preparation are equally matched by value, as the three-course meal runs just $12.99 and stretches from appetizer to entrée ($2 adds dessert). The appetizer choices are hummus and baba ghanoush. There is a slew of salad choices, including a Greek and the Riad Signature. Lamb kabobs, chicken/shrimp/Riad Signature pasta, and gyros highlight the entrée selection.

Granola Bar + Pie + Honey + Almonds? = Baklava

The regular menu features all sorts of steaks, pastas and all sorts of Greek specialties ranging from $13.99 to $18.99. I had the steak kabobs and rice for lunch at the downtown location before – they were delicious, but were not in the night’s dinner budget. I ordered the gyro, and got a massive fluffy pita stuffed with gyro meat (lamb, and otherwise awesomeness), tomatoes and other fresh veggies, then drenched in Tzatziki Sauce. I hadn’t had a gyro in a couple years, so it was very exciting. She had the chicken pasta – a peppery Alfredo on penne dish. We go for a piece of the baklava to finish it off. It was my first impression of the dessert, and it was somewhere in the granola bar meets pie realm – dessert that probably is, but at least feels, healthy.

The best part of your meal at Riad, is kicking it off with hummus.

My favorite part of any meal at Riad is the hummus. Chickpeas dream of getting the call from Riad. Our server, Maura, was friendly (my 14-month old son is crushing on her) and mixed us each a Cherry Vodka Limeade, it was a can‘t lose with Riad‘s buy one, get one happy hour.

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Boomers brings a Missouri State flare to the location which has struggled in the past.

There are a couple of locations in SGF that seem to be cursed. No matter how good the idea seems, these buildings just can’t hold restaurants. One of them is the Ziggie’s/Bailey’s (still miss you)/Rasta Grill location, while another, which has received less speculation got a fresh start. Boomers is very familiar to it’s predecessor, Coester’s, in appearance – dressed heavily in Missouri State paraphernalia, with a major focus on watching the game, something that Poppycocks lacked a few years ago.

The ability to easily and comfortably watch multiple games is essential to having success as a sports bar. Most places have become overwhelmed with distractions. It’s even in the layout. Boomers is designed so that the rowdy bar crowd (group experience) is a little bit separated from the dining tables (for those who are looking for a casual, and private, view). The pool table is joined by a handful of arcade games for the people looking to stay active while watching. We were the casual viewers – stopping by for dinner and the first half of the NFC Conference Championship – and were graciously offered a table by a guy who was just in for some beers (Thanks again!). We took advantage of a great, daily pitcher special and moved quickly to dinner while settling into the New Orleans-Minnesota game paired with the Missouri State men’s basketball contest with Creighton.

The Devil's Thumb burger had a bit more bark than bite, but was still a pretty tasty sandwich.

Boomers menu is in the same family as most sports bars. You’ve got the burgers, wings, probably a cheese steak and a couple of specialties (steak, fish, etc.), and for the most part they are all pretty standard. It’s not that sports bars aren’t too creative, it’s just that most jocks who go to sports bars aren’t. No offense, jocks, but you know how you want something, and the rest probably won’t get a sniff. Unless, the chef is making it hotter, of course. So, immediately, I find the burgers and spot the “Devil’s Thumb” (cayenne, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese). It made ordering a cinch. My fiancé went for the Philly Cheese (very good, but a very usual PCS), and I chose to shake hands with the devil. You may have gathered from previous foodie reviews (like Grad School, for instance), I’m a sucker for hot and spicy. The Devil’s Thumb made a great first impression, but the immediate touch of heat was slowed by a large bun. While it never gave a lot of pop, the burger was still pretty tasty, while making a hell of a mess. Both dishes (and my son’s chicken fingers) were served with the fatty-cut French fries, which were ideally fried and seasoned. Often, the wide fries can be inconsistent, but not at Boomers.

I’ve always been curious as to how nothing has survived in the location – given proximity to MSU campus and the subsequently swollen number of adult-beverage consumers. Boomers seems to have it pointed in the appropriate direction, but so did Coesters and Poppycocks. Their focus, however, was a little more difficult to pin down, while Boomers’ attention is squarely on watching the game, which will, hopefully, be enough to turn the trend.

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Danny Schlink, owner of Grad School Cafe, delivers the Rasta Pasta with a smile that says, "this is going to light your a** up."

In seven words the look on Danny Schlink’s face grew from the focused work grin to pure glee. “As hot as you can make it,” I said while ordering the famous Rasta Pasta at Grad School Café. His eyes lit up and in the middle of a lunch rush which was a great foreshadow of what was to come. Grad School sits in the original Rasta Grill location – 434 S Jefferson – with a familiar laid back vibe. Schlink, owner, says the focus is tasty Caribbean-style grub with great service. “We want the food to be perfect every time,“ Schlink says, “and you’re cup to always be full.”

The patrons become regulars and often arrive early, eagerly lining up to grab an order of wings or one of their signature pastas. “We were closed over Christmas weekend, and people were mad,” Lucas, employee, laughs. Schlink was damn-near giggly when he placed the piping-hot mound of noodles and jerk chicken. The sauce looked hot, it smelled hot, hell, there were stripes of Sriracha – a fiery chili sauce – on the edge of the plate I would use to cool down. Not all of the dishes are hot – you can get any dish at any temperature – but this “as hot as you can make it” pasta made the areas under my eyes sweat just two bites in – and those two nibbles were nearly-naked noodles which had been barely touched by drops of sauce.

TAG's Scott Perket devours a Cezna

The TAG team started the lunch session with a couple piles of the Cezna wings, Scott Perket’s favorite in town. The Sezna wings are a mix of a couple different custom sauces – the house and the Micah, and the flavor is amazing. The Cezna and Adobe’s Pterodactyl wing are the two best in the city. Had we been familiar with the Sezna, Grad School likely would have fared better in our Top 5 wing spots in SGF – it’s a poll we will revisit soon.

The best spot in the house, is at the bar, to belly up with the staff.

Grad School’s tab normally ends up in the $8-15 range per person, but that cost is normally spread over two meals. With generous servings, there is normally something to take home. The décor combines bright Caribbean colors with touches of graffiti. In the main area is bar-front seating with a view of the cooks and flat-top grill. A few booths line the opposite wall, with additional seating in the back. You’re likely to hear non-Top 40 hip hop, reggae or local jams, pretty much whatever the staff wants to hear. If you catch Grad School after a rush, sit at the bar and talk to the staff. You can’t order anything that won’t be tasty, but be forewarned that when you say “hot”, you’ll need to quickly lose your jacket. “As hot as you can make it” means you’ll be wishing public indecency laws included amendments for running around naked when “it’s just too hot!”

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Rivals has a sleek, inviting, exterior

They attack your vision as soon as you swing open the front door. You won’t find refuge even if you try to escape them by looking at the floor – there’s one waiting, a sniper from below. It doesn’t matter where you sit at Rivals Casual Grille, you can‘t avoid a great view of the game. The sports fandom doesn’t stop there, either. Team banners and paraphernalia pour out of the ceiling and trim the walls. If you can think about something other than sports, your ability to multi-task is unflappable.

The main room at Rivals is wide open with a funky, eye-catching layout – including a pair of seating areas perched over the room. A large, accommodating bar is in the back, stocked with several flavors of beer (from Miller, the Anheuser Busch family and Coors to Leinenkugel, Boulevard and Guinness). Venture past the bar to enter the massive game room (yes – a massive game room: air hockey, Golden Tee, Big Buck Hunter, Silver Strike, Hot Shot Basketball, and a variety of arcade games) where it’s OK for grown men to play (if only because they have a beer and the game in sight).

The press box VIP room overlooks the main dining area and bar.

A press-box (ish) VIP room is accessible via a set of stairs in the game room which is filled with local high school and college jerseys, photos and logos. The menu boasts burgers, salads, pizzas and starters, the usual suspects at a sports bar. They offer about a dozen “main events” which include poor man steaks, fajitas and grilled mahi.

We stopped in for a little party with pints of cold Guinness and starter samplers (slider burgers, chicken wings, onion rings, chicken tenders, potato skins and fried mushrooms).The fried mushrooms and chicken wings were the best options on the plate – along with the sliders which are also available as a full meal (get the waffle-cut fries covered in cheese for your side).

Whatever your game, it will be well within view and a fair price for pints and grub will keep your party satisfied. Rivals was listed as the third best sports bar in SGF by TAG.

For more information and a complete menu, visit their website.

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We raved about how well sushi and New Year’s eve go together in our top five sushi restaurants in Springfield, so there was no choice but to visit the winner, Umi, for the festivities leading into 2010. With a terrible lack of insight, we walked into the popular sushi restaurant near the end of happy hour without reservations. The place was booked for the night, but we just beat the bar rush so we happily bellied up. Our bartender, James, promptly saved the day with a beer suggestion (Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew) after he informed us they had sold out of Xingu Black Beer. The Hitachino was incredible, but this review is about the restaurant.

Umi helped us ring in the New Year with this beautiful plate.

Umi’s décor blends a traditional feel with LED lighting and rows of high-def televisions to go with a large menu, but our eyes don’t even give it a glance. All we need to look at is the sheet of paper with funky names and room for tally marks. The Hard Rock roll is the one we crave. It’s why we choose Umi, but somehow in previous visits we had never looked at the Geisha Roll. It might have been the $15.95 price tag that deterred us, but I wish somebody would have shaken us before. Yes, it’s pricey, but holy hot damn!, what an incredible creation. There’s not a chance that I could reveal all of the ingredients or how it was made, but I can confirm shrimp tempura was involved and I believe it had seared tuna wrapped along the outside (if the tuna was raw, this roll probably wouldn’t work for me at all – the taste changes so drastically). We also got a simple Avocado roll to fill out the meal.

A very nice but equally rare, bonus at Umi is the complimentary Miso soup and house salad with each order. The cost for the restaurant to provide soup and salad is certainly low, but it’s a touch patrons remember. (I can recall the first time I confused a server by trying to order soup. It was quite exciting.) After a healthy grip of Ginger Brews and polishing off the massive presentation of sushi, we finish with some warm sake.

In all, we had three beers each, three enormous rows of rolls, soup, salad and sake for less than $50. Can you say “ideal dinner date?”

Visit their website for a full menu.

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For years, the in-flux population of Pasta Express locations have offered the same sauces, noodles, rolls and house salads at a fervent pace. Today there are just a couple locations left – though Pasta Pronto boasts an identical menu, style and cost. We went to the restaurant on East Battlefield, which is in new hands – B.J. Lowrance finalized his purchase last week – but it was no surprise to find everything the same as before. It’s nestled into the strip mall surrounded by an assortment of nail salons, cell phone shops and a grocer. When you walk in, you see straight into the kitchen. There’s a row of booths to the left and a large dining room to the right. The service is quick and the food is shuttled to your table even quicker.

The baked pepperoni (left) is closely related to the baked mostaccioli. Good, not great.

One comforting thing about Pasta Express is you always know what you’ll be getting. If you’ve just got a 5-dollar bill you can get a plate of spaghetti or mostaccioli for $4.09. Otherwise the daily lunch specials start at $6.99 – that’s right, start at $6.99. I went for the baked pepperoni (baked mostaccioli with pepperoni instead of beef). It was the day’s featured item and with a salad cost $7.49. It wasn’t bad by any means, but it left me wishing I had ordered a $4 plate of spaghetti, which would have happened if I could have seen the food getting prepared.

There are positives and negatives to being able to see the kitchen while you order – such as a cook pulling noodles out of the pot of spaghetti biting into them and returning the uneaten halves … into the pot. I’m sure the water was warm enough to end any sort of germ action, but it wasn’t on a burner, and I just recently recovered from a vicious bout with the flu. It’s probably not a big deal, but I will never eat spaghetti at Pasta Express again.

The restaurant offers free wireless Internet which is an added 21st Century bonus. From what I could tell, the mostaccioli noodles were bite free and cost less than a five spot – if they aren’t baked or covered in pepperoni.

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This Chicken Ranch 'za was scarfed in transport. Thanks for the creation, Cheezie's.

There’s a slew of locally-owned pizza joints for SGFers, but most fall in the niche categories and claim another region’s “style”. But, if you’re looking for a quick, great-value pie – at a spot owned by other SGF folks, the options begin to become limited. You probably already know of the place which began in a small location on Kimbrough, next to Missouri State. The carry-out only pizza was instantly popular amongst students looking to save a few bucks ($5.99 for a 14″ single-topping large). With a garlic butter sauce spread over each crust and an optimal cheese:sauce ratio, the coin you keep isn’t lost in the flavor.

There are three locations, which are a touch spread out (way North, was southwest and smack-dab in the middle), but there’s always one close enough, especially now … for the Chicken Ranch specialty pie. The first time I tried it was by accident – an accident that won’t soon be forgotten. Check the rundown, from top to bottom: Piles of cheese – Bacon – Chicken – Tomatoes – Onions – More cheese – and a delicious home-made Ranch spread lightly over the sphere (and, of course, the garlic sauce to top it off). It’s a pricier dough, but at $8.99 still comes in below a large from the delivery alternatives.

Another TAG favorite: the Alpine Sticks. “They’re killer,” Scott says. “Basically, it’s a cheese pizza with ranch instead of tomato sauce.” Interesting … a couple of ranch-based pies grabbing the attention. I was slow to the ranch on pizza movement of the late ’90s, breaking in with just a dab on a slice of pepperoni. Mixing ranch with tomato sauce isn’t for everybody, but eliminate one of them and it’s a winner every time.

This SGF-owned pizza is ballin’ on a budget. The simple walk in and carry out format thrives. There isn’t a whole lot to look at inside, but each location has a clear line of sight to the conveyor-belted oven which makes the magic happen.

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Whole Hog Cafe has six different sauces, but you won't need much sauce to dress the meat.

This barbecue is all about the smoke, each tender bite has a light dry rub – no seasonings are too overpowering – and then spends no less than 15 hours bathing in pecan wood. There are six sauces centered on each table – all with a distinct flavor.
The menu offers the basic barbecue rundown (beef brisket, pulled chicken, pork loin) but also reaches a bit in the realm of appetizers. The Barbecue Nachos grab my attention, but seem risky for the lunch hour. The $5.99 feature – a pulled pork sandwich with a pile of seasoned fried potatoes – got the nod.

Pulled pork sandwich with a pile of Cole Slaw - what was on the plate was delicious, but another side would have sent the six-dollar special over the top.

The sauce rundown:
Number 1 – Sweet, mild, molasses
Number 2 – Traditional tomato and vinegar, slightly tangy
Number 3 – Number 2′s twin brother, tomato and vinegar with a little bit of kick (my favorite)
Number 4 – Traditional southern, vinegar and spice
Number 5 – Sweet, heavy, molasses
Number 6 – Rich mustard and vinegar (“an old south favorite” the bottle says)

Whole Hog Cafe
224 W Sunshine
(417) 868-0042

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The rapper Slug of the underground hip hop group Atmosphere once said, “Thai is the new pizza,” and while it’s hard to completely agree (the ratio of pizza joints to Thai places in Springfield is still about 17:1, by this writer’s not-researched math), there is no denying the food genre’s rise in popularity in recent years. Locally, Thai Xpress (948 S. Glenstone Ave., 417-865-0102) has played an important role in that rise, bringing Thai food to the public faster and cheaper than any other place in town. Does that make it the Domino’s of the Thai world? Well, no.

Chicken and rice soup, available free with entree purchase on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Okay, so their service is let-me-get-my-coat-off-first fast, but there is little to no discernible drop in quality when compared with other establishments, and the portion sizes and perks (free chicken-and-rice soup on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for example, not to mention fried wontons with fresh stuffing in them) more than make up any difference. On this particular visit, Scott had the Royal Chicken (raved about it), his guest had the green curry with shrimp and I, being a creature of habit, got the pad thai (pictured at top, $5.45) my stomach had been whispering to me about since, oh, a few days earlier when I had last ordered it. It’s an addictive dish, though in this writer’s opinion it’s best experienced with the shrimp option rather than the beef, chicken or tofu. The spicy Thai sauce at Thai Xpress seems to pair better with seafood; on the other hand, that may not be the case if the sauce were made as spicy as what’s used in other establishments.

The Royal Chicken is outstanding, but the combo with fried wonton (top right) offers a nice surprise: Stuffing you can bite through!

Here is where you’ll find an admitted weakness: In order to get that super-quick service, sacrifices have been made in the ability to customize one’s order. Whereas most Thai restaurants in Springfield would ask you how spicy-hot you would like your food to be, Thai Xpress asks you no such question and hands you your food with barely a hint of spice in it. To those with an affinity for hot foods this may be an issue, but quick-service restaurants tend to cater to the masses like that.

For the combination of price, speed and flavor, it’s almost impossible to find a better option for Thai food in Springfield. Others can raise the bar in quality, if only slightly, but the other categories Thai Xpress is almost untouchable in the category. If Thai is indeed the new pizza, this place defies any easy parallels. It isn’t delivery, and it sure beats DiGiorno.

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This sign stares down the golden arches at Glenstone and Cherry and has never flinched.

The franchise is identified by the friendly penny with arms and legs who also offers pasta. Chicken parmesan and alfredo chicken are among the options, but it has also adopted the $5 foot long standard, something hard to choose against. They also have “Classic Centsable Meals” which come with one of four different half subs, chips (the usual Ruffles, Baked Lays and Miss Vickies) and a drink for $6.31. They have a nice dressing menu (lettuce, onion, tomato, green peppers, jalapenos, banana peppers, etc.) and add on with a heavy hand. Soups, salads, cookies and other sides round out (must recommend one of their signature meatballs) the menu.

These guys are serious about dressing your sandwich. Load it up!

Our experience
With the proximity to Missouri State campus there’s always people in the shop taking down some foot longs. There’s always a healthy buzz in the area, so it’s a fun environment. This Saturday afternoon is no different. The order is very simple for me – foot long Italian on wheat with provolone – until we get to the dress, which always varies.

The Goodcents Italian always hits the spot.

Mr Goodcents
3250 E Battlefield
521 S Glenstone
2445 N Kansas Expwy
3342 S National
Mon-Thurs: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Fri-Sat: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sun: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

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Tired of staring at computer screens and with stomachs lusting for nourishment, Scott and I deliberated briefly on a lunch stop and came to an agreement from different directions. Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppe it would be–my choice because I had never been, Scott’s choice because he enjoyed past meals there and wanted to try something else from the menu. So off we went to Republic Road for sandwiches. We got a healthy dollop of cartoon-themed scenery along the way… and we found the secret to Dagwoods’ success.

Yes, I said cartoon-themed scenery. Remember the Blondie comic strip? Dagwood Bumstead is the bumbling, slightly haphazard husband to Blondie’s uberwoman of a bygone era, wasp-waisted and infallible. Blondie got a comic strip, while Dagwood got a deli chain; score one for Dagwood. Of course, that means sitting inside Dagwood’s is the equivalent of lounging in an upholstered comic strip, but there were only about five minutes to ponder the scenery before the food arrived. And when the food arrived, it was all about the food.

I settled on the Turkey Club Royale ($6.99), a double-decker fistful of thinly sliced turkey and ham, while Scott dove headfirst into the New Orleans Roast Beef Po’ Boy (also $6.99), which was about the size of a Jimmy John’s sub but was dripping with supple, gravy-drenched beef. These two sandwiches rank number two and three, respectively, in popularity behind the all-conquering Hot Pressed Cuban, but we’ll wait on that one for another time. Each of us upgraded to the meal combo so we could take advantage of the healthy collection of Zapp’s potato chips. For Pete’s sake, they even have Cajun Crawtator flavor, whatever that is! Thankfully, both our sandwiches were cut in half so we could swap. The two couldn’t be any more different in composition, but they share one important thing in common: an uncommon attention to detail.

Turkey Club Royale

The Turkey Club Royale doesn’t have a single unusual ingredient–just turkey, ham, bacon, cheddar and Swiss cheeses, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. What it does have is the best application of mayo I have ever had on a sandwich, enough to supplement the taste of all the other ingredients but not slathered on with a paint roller. It seems an almost absurdly minor detail, yet it totally makes the sandwich… okay, that and the prodigious helping of meat. You can squeeze this sandwich together in your hands everywhere but the middle. Dagwood’s is all about subtlety, doing the little things right and finding some unusual combos and making them work. Want curry dressing on a chicken sandwich? You walked into the right comic-themed deli.

The New Orleans Roast Beef Po' Boy

Similar case in point: The New Orleans gravy on the New Orleans Roast Beef Po’ Boy, which is accentuated by wavy pickle slices and another just-right mayo application. Together they make a two-napkin-minimum mess that provided another reason not to put the sandwich down. Pickles on gravy may sound like something Elvis would have come up with in the Live From Hawaii years, but we’re sold. Add in super-prompt service, an engaging staff and good pricing and you have a go-to spot for a quick lunch and a damn tasty sandwich any other time, too. Thank you, Dagwood’s. We’ll be back soon. In the meantime, say hello to the missus for us.

Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppe
1111 E Republic Road
(417) 886-5155

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Bambinos is a popular pasta spot tucked away near MSU campus

The location has, for decades, housed a dietary staple of college students. Bambino’s sits at 1141 E Delmar, at the corner of Florence and Delmar a block south of Missouri State’s Plaster Stadium, nestled in a densely populated neighborhood of students. With a pasta-heavy menu and an adequate wine and beer selection, it’s a hangout which serves a social niche quite well.

The walls are populated with work from local artists, such as a large Robert E. Smith painting which greets you upon entry. Daily specials run the roost, with a slew of specialty salads, paninis and pizzas. A pretty tasty list of appetizers is often pre-empted with freshly baked bread and a plate loaded with the fixin’s for dippin’ (olive oil, parmesan, fresh garlic and red pepper). A pitcher of beer, a large portion of pasta and a big house salad runs around $15, depending on what you choose.

Bambino’s
1141 E Delmar
(417) 862-9999
Mon – Sat: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sun: Noon-9 p.m.

Our experience

Bambino's baked mostaccioli wasn't on top of its pasta game on Sunday

For years I have been a fan of Bambino’s, and on Sunday afternoon, when along with around 11 others, we decided to end a weekend long reunion at the restaurant we all enjoyed together as undergrads. While, it’s a place that holds a spot in my “must-visit cravings”, it has in the past year lost some of that appeal. Don’t get me wrong, the food was OK, but just that … OK. It’s the consistency which has began to take a fall. Formerly it was consistently outstanding, but to be brutally honest, recent visits have been disappointing to say the least. The chef made a brief appearance in the dining area, and one glance at his face/reading of his lips said it all. He clearly was not thrilled by the amount of business we brought on an otherwise (or what seemed to be) slow Sunday. Being a former member of the food service industry, I have met cooks and servers who’d prefer to stay slow, and it still irritates when seen as a patron (It’s your job! If you don’t like the work, find a new vocation.)

The special of the day was baked mostaccioli, and was served to the bulk of our table(s). This has long been one of my favorite dishes, so it was an easy choice for me. Like I said before, it wasn’t bad – it served its purpose of a carb overload to accompany a pitcher of beer and great friends, but I think back fondly when the food was consistently as good as the conversation.

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A familiar pig chef logo welcomes Southern Smoke visitors

Despite the brisk, sharp 35-degree breeze funneling into the car, we tried to maintain good-dog-parent status by letting our pup ride with the wind in her face on Thursday afternoon. It was lunchtime, but a doctor’s appointment left us just a 20-minute window which meant Ramen noodles would likely be the result with this time frame (and bare pantry at home).

The friendly aroma picked up steam and overpowered the dog breath on its way to my nostril. At first we couldn’t locate the source, when over the pines and out from the trailer we spotted the smoky trail of pulled pork. Nestled next to a large stock of parking lot tenenbaums, the sleek black trailer hosted the familiar barbecue logo with a smiling pig in chef’s garb. With a healthy (or unhealthy) obsession for all things smoked meat, I rationalized that any meal served from a trailer wouldn‘t run our time short.

Owner Chad Boyd opened Southern Smoke BBQ because when he moved to Springfield from southeast Missouri in 1996 he was unable to find the Memphis-style rubbed barbecue he sought. “There was a lot of Kansas City influence in the barbecue around (Springfield), but nothing like what I grew up on.” Boyd says he was raised on Alfred’s, a spot in Kennett, MO where he would post up 3-4 times a week through high school.

One key difference between the styles of barbecue is the sauce. Boyd says Southern Smoke, like Memphis-style puts the emphasis on the meat. “A lot of people tend to poor sauce all over everything. It’s all about quality cuts of meat with a good rub and smoke to bring out the natural flavor of the meat. The sauce should never be overpowering, but just a compliment.” He buys his rubs from a regional supplier, but was very secretive about such information, adding that he creates his own sauce. In the early going, Boyd’s outfit has already had a couple of successful runs at the Sertoma Summer Sizzle to pick up a few pieces of hardware to back its name, including the 2009 People’s Choice Award and first place in the 2008 open category (fifth overall).

Clearly, Southern Smoke doesn’t off much in the way of ambiance – two picnic tables paired with two benches on a gravel parking lot – but food service trailers (excuse me, custom-built mobile kitchens, according to their website) rarely do. Southern Smoke is posted up at the northeast corner of Fremont and Republic Road and offers pulled pork, brisket, hot links, pig tacos and more in varying portions from a lunch sandwich to meat by the pound if it’s going to be that type of party.

Boyd said a physical restaurant is in the plans, but with an eye on the economic climate could be a little bit of time away from settling into a fixed location. “I’d like to open a restaurant at some point, but the more we’ve talked about it, the more we’ve decided to wait a little bit, but I know there’s a strong niche for this kind of barbecue in Springfield.”

Our experience

Pulled Pork Combo from Southern Smoke

It was about 12:40, and we had missed the lunch rush, and after shivering to the window, the lone man running the show offered to bring our order to the car. With the temperature just north of freezing, this was appreciated, but also meant we would be chowing fast-food style in our laps. We each ordered the pulled pork sandwich combo, which includes a side (pit beans, potato salad, slaw, fries, chips and fried okra) and a pickle. I chose the infrequent option of fried okra while the lady had the pit beans (for added romance later). Our total came to $12.80 (pre-tax lunch prices started at $5.99 and topped off at $6.99 per combo) and took less than four minutes to the car.

Southern Smoke gets it right, the barbecue is NOT about the sauce, and accordingly serves their sauce (thick and sweet) on the side. The pork is incredibly tender with a salt-heavy rub geared toward the pork’s flavor (Holy Seasoned Salt, Batman!). As my fiance said: “It’s not for pregnant women or people prone to swelling.” But, what got us excited was the sides. The fried okra was gently battered and a perfect break from the standard French fried sides. Dry or using the sauce as ketchup were each equally satisfying. Simply put, the pit beans were savory and rich with pieces of pulled pork bathing in the flavor. The tender pork played extremely well in the beans and left us smiling.

For lunch, expect to pay around $6/plate ($8-$13 for dinner) and they offer the standard sweet tea/lemonade/soda for washing it all down and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (or until they sell out). Visit their website for a complete menu.

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Colleen Smith at Tea Bar

Into its doors and an exhale will follow. Owner Colleen Smith calls the atmosphere “decompressed”. If you’re looking for a drive-thru window, drive on through, because Tea Bar and Bites is not the place.

Tea Bar is nestled on the south side of Pickwick Place. It has a simple menu and the food is made from scratch daily – so when it runs out, it’s gone. Smith develops the specials based on what is available locally. The ingredients come directly from the source, farmer’s markets and other local-owned farms.

While Smith was attending Missouri State she became a regular at the old Earth Wonder Natural Foods, that’s where she learned to appreciate fresh, healthy food. She later started a catering business, but always had an eye on the location at 621 S Pickwick. More than five years ago, the space became available and her house began to empty. “My kids were moving out of home, and I needed a new baby,” she recalls. Since that time, Tea Bar has expanded to a 55-seat restaurant, with inviting outdoor seating.

Inviting entrance at patio of Tea Bar

The food offerings have a Mediterranean flair, influenced by time spent with friends in Greece. You’ll find hummus, tzatziki, and feta cheeses scattered around the menu, but the outside influence doesn’t end with the food. Smith emphasizes the atmosphere. With Irish ancestry she wants it to feel like your coming into her home where the staff is a “little family” and they provide a total “around the table” experience.

Smith says she doesn’t plan on further expansion, because she “wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” She credits the neighborhood for getting business going. “I’ve let the business lead itself,” she says, “so it’s grown simply (by) referral.”

TBA - the BLT on HGH

Our experience

With the warm July sun shaded by a few (I thought they were) decorative umbrellas, we settled into a spot outside. It’s an early lunch so we skipped the Meditteranean Platter, though it was part of the craving, and jump straight into the Turkey Bacon Avocado (the special which is a BLT on HGH – the BLT for which you’ve waited your entire life) and the Turkey Gouda Panini (grilled sandwich with turkey, smoked gouda, artichokes and a house pesto … a ‘roided Grilled Cheese). My eyes swelled as a huge slice of avocado – which was holding a piece of bacon – tumbled out of my sandwich and onto the brick floor during a clumsy bite.

The bite that got away

The entrees took some time, but were very much worth the anticipation. For dessert, we ordered a brownie topped with a peanut butter icing, all of which was created just before consumption (we wanted the coconut cupcakes, but they sold out).

Expect to spend around $10/person, and want to try all of the desserts they have available.

To find out more, visit Tea Bar and Bites online.

Tea Bar and Bites
621 S Pickwick
(417) 866-7500
Tues-Thurs: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Fri: 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Sat: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Monday

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