Stix - Legends at Village West

STIX

1847 Village West Pkwy

Kansas City, KS 66111

STIX Menu

We don’t find very many reasons to venture to Kansas City, Kansas.  With the exception of a Sporting KC game or browsing at Nebraska Furniture Mart, KCK doesn’t have too much to offer.  But with the closing of the Speedway Best Buy, we decided to do some discount shopping which lead to a surprisingly delectable dinner at Stix in the Legends at Village West.

Strawberry Martini

French Poodle Martini

Right off the bat Stix earned points for offering not only Japanese fare, such as delights from the Teppanyaki Grill , but it also had a hefty sushi selection.  To top it off, traditional Chinese dishes like Sweet & Sour chicken and Kung Pao were also on the menu, giving the diner a variety to choose from.  We started with some cocktails, The French Poodle martini for the lady and a Kirin Ichiban for the gent.  The French Poodle had a slight raspberry taste and wasn’t too sweet, which was refreshing and easy to drink.  The second Martini ordered was the Strawberry Martini, which was a carbon copy of a Strawberry Daiquiri.  Our waiter promptly took our sushi order, which consisted of the California Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll and the Spicy Salmon Roll.  As our sushi quickly emerged from the kitchen we placed our dinner order, both selecting items from the Teppanyaki Grill, Chicken Teriyaki and Chicken & Shrimp Teriyaki. 

Feasting on the sushi began and while some of the rolls were terrific, others were rather tame.  The California Rolls were stuffed with the traditional items you can find at any sushi joint; crab, avocado and cucumber then wrapped in seaweed paper covered in rice.  While satisfying they could have used more flavor as they were somewhat bland.  The Spicy Tuna Rolls were stuffed with seasoned tuna sashimi, avocado and cucumber, and again wrapped in seaweed paper covered in rice. They had a delicious spicy kick with just the right amount of crunch on each roll.  The Spicy Salmon Rolls were hands down the favorite.  Raw salmon sashimi mixed with Sriracha (chili sauce), avocado, and cucumber were covered with a sweet orange sauce that tantalized the taste buds.   With three pieces of each dish and a beautiful presentation, the sushi started the meal off right.

Spicy Salmon Rolls

California Rolls & Spicy Tuna Rolls

Next came our ginger salads and onion soup.  While the salad itself could have possibly come out of a grocery store bag, the dressing was sweet and slightly watered down.  The onion soup was piping hot, and contained mushrooms and scallions which helped boost the flavor.  Unlike some other Japanese restaurants, this version of onion soup was noodle free.

Ginger Salad & Onion Soup

Chicken & Shrimp Teriyaki w/ White Rice

No sooner than we finished the last drop of soup, our entrees arrived.  Big, juicy chunks of white chicken and seven skewered shrimp were smothered in teriyaki sauce.  A vegetable medley of broccoli, carrots, onions and zucchini came nestled up next to the meat.  Two large scoops of either white or fried rice were placed perfectly on the plate, and a shrimp placed delicately on top of each mound.  The chicken was amazing, and cut in chunks big enough that even a chopstick amateur could use them like a pro.  Each bite was better than the next and by the end of the meal our bellies were full and our plates were completely clean.

Teriyaki Chicken w/ Fried Rice

We can’t say enough about the service at Stix.  Our server checked on us numerous times, introduced each dish to us as it arrived at our table, asked all the appropriate questions about how we were enjoying our meal, and made sure we were happy with our experience.  At times we even had two servers working as a team to complete the service.  The restaurant’s noise level was tolerable for a week night and we found ourselves checking out the contemporary décor that left us feeling very fung shui.

(Each category is based on a 5.0 Fork Rating System)

Food: 4.5 Forks

Atmosphere:  5 Forks

Service:  5 Forks

Price:  4 Forks

Overall:  18.5 out of 20 Forks

Corner Cafe Riverside

Corner Café

4541 NW Gateway Ave

Riverside, MO 64150

Corner Cafe Menu

When you’re in a relationship you often disagree on things; what movie to see, whose turn it is to unload the dishwasher, who drank the last of the lemonade, so on so forth.  Our most recent visit to Riverside’s Corner Café falls on that list.  While one of us had an extremely scrumptious breakfast, the other was less than satisfied with what was dished out.  Thus, a battle over breakfast began and you will be presented with both sides.

She says:

Short Stack of Pancakes

Let me start by saying that I appreciate a restaurant that serves breakfast all day.  “Brinner” is in fact one of my favorite meals.  But, I believe that if you’re going to serve it all day, you must serve ALL of it all day, not just portions of the breakfast menu.  For someone who was starting a diet, I found it difficult to order from the regular menu since the “lighter side” was only available until 11 am.  That’s not the only portion of the menu that had time limitations, the breakfast sandwiches and “award winning” biscuits and gravy also got nixed before noon.   After much debate and my third cup of coffee, I settled on the short stack of pancakes, with blueberries.  The pancakes themselves were nothing spectacular, I’ve had better, I’ve had worse.  They were a nice size, taking up majority of the plate and topped with a heaping ball of whipped butter, which began melting before my eyes.   The blueberries however took me by surprise.  Maybe it’s my fault for assuming they’d be actual, fresh blueberries baked into the batter, but instead it was canned blueberry compote served in a salad bowl on the side.  Lucky for me I decided to put the compote on one bite at a time, rather than slather it on the entire stack.  It was then I realized something wasn’t right, something tasted…funny.  The compote was rancid.  It tasted rotten, like vinegar, like garbage and it immediately made me lose my appetite.  I was shocked and disappointed because this was a restaurant I had come to so many times before and enjoyed their massive cinnamon rolls and fresh pies.  I understand that flukes can happen, and that’s what I chalk this up to because I know I’ll continue to go to Corner Café time and time again, I just won’t order the blueberries.

He Says:

Strawberry Waffle, Scrambled Eggs & Bacon 

As I do disagree with the overall satisfaction of my critique companion, I do agree 100% about being able to have biscuits and gravy throughout the whole time that breakfast is served.  This would have been my first choice and only choice if it was at all possible.  But again, putting a time restraint on certain dishes only puts pressure on people to either be there right at opening or play the luck of the draw card.  I chose the Waffle with strawberries (not compote like the blueberries were), bacon and scrambled eggs with cheese.  They did lack a little on the bacon as I would have either preferred more bacon or the option of two sides with the meal, such as toast.  The eggs were cooked with plenty of cheese and were enjoyable.  The waffle was a little overcooked for my personal taste as I don’t want it to chip a tooth from such a crunch, but everything else was good on the plate. 

Food aside, the service was good.  Our waitress was perky and we didn’t have to wait very long at all to get our food, maybe that was the plus side of going on a Monday afternoon as opposed to a Saturday morning.  She kept our coffee cups full, which earned her bonus points, and it almost made up for the blaring music that played overhead.  The rustic, barn yard feel of the place gives it some charm, and we imagined the crew from American Pickers sitting down for a meal and bargaining for the old time signs the restaurant proudly displays.  The Corner Café has come a long way from the small, 40 seat diner that opened in 1983, expanding to a larger lot and multiple locations, all while maintaining that down home feel.

(Each category is based on a 5.0 Fork Rating System)

Food: 3.5 Forks

Atmosphere:  3 Forks

Service:  4 Forks

Price:  5 Forks

Overall:  15.5 out of 20 Forks

Margarita's North

Margarita's North

7013 N. Oak Trafficway

Gladstone, MO 64118

Margaritas Menu

It was fate.  Our adventure began on Cinco de Mayo with a classic Mexican dish, fajitas.  We sifted through the options the Northland had to offer, and decided upon Margarita's in Gladstone.   We could tell from the moment we entered the parking lot that it would be a longer wait than usual, but we expected that given the holiday and bellied up to the bar for a cocktail.   After about a half hour, and a half pitcher of Margaritas, we were seated and immediately served with hot chips and homemade salsa, as well as an offer to keep the drinks coming.  The menu offered a variety of traditional Mexican items, burritos, chimichangas, flautas, quesadillas, enchiladas, and our overall favorite, fajitas. 

Chicken Fajitas

It was fate once again, fajitas just so happened to be the Saturday special.  We sampled both the chicken fajita platter, as well as the steak and shrimp combo.  We could hear our entrees coming from across the room, sizzling and smoking their way to our table, leaving a trail of flavorful aroma in the air.   Our meat was presented on a classic cast iron skillet, with sour cream, pico de gallo, cheese and flour tortillas wrapped in foil on the side.  Our first complaint was that any extras such as lettuce, tomatoes or beans were not offered with this dish.  Secondly, the number of tortillas provided (three), was not enough to hold the delicious mixture of meat, onions and peppers.  And finally, the ratio of meat to rice was extremely unbalanced.  Team Rice overtook Team Meat by a landslide.  Complaints aside, the meal itself was as tasty as could be.  The meat was tender, juicy and properly seasoned.  The onions were slightly caramelized (which we love) and the peppers offered just enough heat to make us reach for our water.  The flavor of the rice was more reminiscent of Spain than Mexico, with a red tomato style, which was a little dry for our preference, but was delectable spoonful after spoonful.

Steak & Shrimp Fajitas

We expected the service to be slow given the crowd and the holiday, but it was the complete opposite.  Our server was right on top of things, tending to our drink and chip refills in a timely manner.  We were pleasantly surprised to find a local radio station being played overhead, as opposed to the typical Mariachi band music.  With several televisions mounted throughout the restaurant we were able to watch the Royals game from several angles. 


If the food alone doesn't make you love the place, the background story behind the company will.  Two childhood friends started the original location in 1985, and over the years they've expanded, gained a partner, and even made their way into grocery stores, all while dealing with floods, fires and tornados.  You might call them the little restaurant that could.

Going to a Mexican restaurant on Cinco de Mayo could have been a disaster, but our overall experience was excellent and is reflected in our rating system below.  We definitely recommend Margaritas to anyone that hasn't tried it before, and with multiple locations (Gladstone, Liberty, SW Blvd, Lenexa), there should be one nearby.  You don't stay in business for 25 years and get voted The Best Margarita in KC without doing something right, and Margarita's seems to have Mexican food nailed.  They also have a great happy hour from 3p-6p, seven days a week!

(Each category is based on a 5.0 Fork Rating System)

Food: 4 Forks

Atmosphere:  3 Forks

Service:  5 Forks

Price:  4.5 Forks

Overall:  16.5 out of 20 Forks

Welcome!

Welcome to KC Feed Me, a tour of food through Kansas City.   From breakfast to BBQ, pot stickers to pasta, and sandwiches to sushi, we’ll cover this city and give you the scoop on where to find the best grub.  Each week we’ll visit a local spot, stuff our faces and report back on our experience, including not only the food itself, but service, atmosphere and overall satisfaction.   We don’t consider ourselves food critics, and lord knows we’re no master chef’s in the kitchen either, but we do know good food.  We’ll have several recent reviews coming in the next week, so please come back and share this with your friends and family who might be looking for ideas on their next night out. Become one of our regulars, recommend a restaurant for review via email, or just stop by when you need an idea on where to head for dinner.   We hope you’re hungry, because the journey is just beginning!

Bon Appétit!

The KC Feed Me Crew

BT & CC