Yahoo Movies Thai to calm the soul + What’s next?
Happy Friday, and welcome back to Let’s Dish — your one-stop shop for all things eats in Kansas City.
This week, our executive editor (and fearless leader) Greg Farmer takes us behind the scenes of his favorite local dish at a tranquil spot in the Crossroads.
Plus, stick around for an update about the future of this newsletter.
Green curry at Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop
No matter how crazy his day is, entering Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop calms The Star’s executive editor Greg Farmer.
Perhaps it’s the sawasdee, or welcoming women, statues near the door. Or the work of the tiny Thai spirit house above it. Or the extraordinary dining room staff whose genuine and casual kindness makes you feel as if you’re being hosted by friends.
Or maybe it’s that Greg knows he’s about to enjoy his favorite Kansas City meal: the Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai (pronounced kang-cue-wan-kai). It’s green curry at its best — the perfect blend of bamboo shoots, peas, red peppers, Thai basil and whatever protein you choose in a sweet and spicy stew that hits the taste buds in a way you’ll never forget. ($15, plus $3-$4 for the protein.)
Lulu’s founder and owner Malisa Monyakula recommended ordering it at a mild or medium spice, so the flavors can really shine. She said Lulu’s is the only place in the world where you can get this curry, because its seasoning blend is 100% original to her restaurants.
It’s a meal that wows a table, for sure — but Greg suspects the peace he finds in this Crossroads space at 2030 Central St. is personal.
The future of Let’s Dish
We started “Let’s Dish, Kansas City” in January as an experiment, an opportunity to engage with you about something that makes Kansas City special and see how much you liked it.
You’ve gotten to know many of The Star’s journalists through the more than 20 stories we’ve published. We’ve taken you out to eat your favorite dishes, we’ve devoured local celebrities’ treasured meals — and most importantly, we’ve shared a little bit of ourselves with every bite. We’re so thankful for your readership — the response to this project has been wonderful.
But after three great months of great food, it’s time for us to take a short spring break. We’re taking a minute to make plans for the future. But first, we want to hear from you.
Fill out this short questionnaire to let us know what you’ve liked about Let’s Dish, and what you want to see next.
My standout dish of the week
I used to be that kid who never ate her vegetables. And while I eventually learned to love my greens, I never could muster any affection for carrots.
But my long-held grudge might have ended last week, when my vegetarian friend visiting from NYC insisted we order the Coal Roasted Carrots at The Campground, a snug cocktail bar and restaurant in the West Bottoms.
Adorned with ricotta, hazelnuts, parsley and whey caramel, these were no ordinary carrots. I seemed to discover a new taste with each bite, and they were the perfect companion to our distinctive hand-crafted cocktails.
Your top eats
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about KC restaurant-goers after 10 weeks of your suggestions, it’s that the only thing y’all love more than barbecue might be your neighborhood Italian restaurants.
Reader Janna Boydston recently submitted high praise for the Baked Manicotti at Ricco’s Italian Bistro in Overland Park.
Ricotta-stuffed pasta tubes topped with Italian marinara and more cheese, Boydston says, are “the absolute perfect blend of every ingredient — and especially delicious with the meat sauce.”
What’s your favorite local dish? Why should we try it? Email me, abooth@kcstar.com, or fill out this form to let us know.
À la carte
✴️ Two Kansas City-area spots are nominees for the industry’s prestigious James Beard Awards for outstanding bakery and outstanding bar. Have you tried them?
✴️ Baseball season kicked off in KC yesterday, and Kauffman Stadium is stocked with a wide variety of new ballpark foods. From barbecue to Korean hot dogs, here’s what’s on the menu.
✴️ An ice cream pop-up that specializes in “creamier,” custard-like scoops has opened its first retail shop in this KC neighborhood.
✴️ A popular local pizzeria is expanding — again. The restaurant, which also sells pizza by the slice, plans to open its fifth location in the coming weeks.
Hungry for more?
Check out all the restaurants we’ve covered in this series here.
Don’t forget to fill out this form to let us know what else you’d like to see from us.
And while we’re out, subscribe to our Cityscape newsletter for the latest restaurant news.
Happy eating! We’ll see you in a few weeks.
