Midwest Beerfest too big for old venue

Aug. 27, 201211:03 a.m.

Organizers of the Midwest Beerfest realized they had a problem during last year’s event — but it was a good problem.

The event, which each fall fills Century II’s Exhibition Hall with vendors serving up samples of more than 350 beers from around the world, drew a massive crowd last year. It was so massive, in fact, that it was hard to move around. See the photo I snapped here as evidence.

So the 12th annual Midwest Beerfest, scheduled for Sept. 22, will move to the much bigger Expo Hall. The date, beer fans will notice, is earlier than normal. Typically, the Beerfest takes place in October. But scheduled conflicts at Century II necessitated the date change.

Last year's Midwest Chickenfest contenders.

The event, as usual, will include food from local restaurants as well as a chicken wing contest, which the public can participate in.  This year, organizers also have added a “Reserve Room,” which will feature higher-end, higher alcohol-content beers plus food from the DoubleTree by Hilton Wichita Airport. Tickets to that room are an additional $25 and must be reserved in advance by calling 316-682-5502.

The day before the grand tasting, on Friday, Sept. 21, three different beer dinners will be staged: A Free State Brewery dinner at the Wichita Marriott, an Empyrean Bewing Company dinner at the DoubleTree by Hilton Wichita Airport, and a New Belgium Brewing Co. Dinner at Larkspur. The dinners will be at 7 p.m. and are $55 a person. The menus are available online at www.midwestbeerfest.com. 

Tickets to the Sept. 22 Grand Tasting are $40 and can be purchased at Century II’s WichitaTix box office, by calling 316-219-4TIX or online at www.wichitatix.com.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Beer, Uncategorized | Comments

Take mom out for Mother’s Day

May 10, 201210:18 a.m.

Larkspur offers a brunch buffet only on Mother's Day each year.

I’ve rounded up my annual list of restaurants putting on special meals for moms on Sunday.

It has the usual list of hotel buffets and restaurants offering all manners of brunchy overindulgence.

I wrote the story when I was hungry, and I was most intrigued by the special Mother’s Day menus being offered at Bella Vita Bistro, which is offering dishes such as an andouille-stuffed pork loin and prosciutto and basil-wrapped chicken breast, and by the special brunch menu Sabor is serving up. Biscuits and chorizo gravy? Yes and yum.

Diners also will want to pay attention to the fact that Larkspur is offering a Mother’s Day buffet. This is the only time of year they join the holiday buffet foray.

Peruse my list and make your Mother’s Day reservations pronto.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , Filed under Buffets, Holiday meals, Holiday specials | Comments

Weekend of eating: Loaf Off, Palette to Palate

March 5, 201211:39 a.m.

Chef Don Lucero with his winning loaf, which he cooked in an angel food cake pan.

The amount of eating I did this weekend is shameful, but it was all in the name of charity. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself (and my scale) this morning.

It started Saturday with the Fourth Annual Loaf Off, a meatloaf competition that was a fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Kansas. My co-judges and I sampled 15 different meatloaves prepared by both home cooks and restaurant chefs (Tallgrass Country Club’s Ben George and the Hyatt’s Paul Freimuth among them).

The competition was at The Anchor, 1109 E. Douglas, tasters crowded both sides of the bar so thoroughly, it was difficult to move around the bar. In the end, we could not resist the meatloaf prepared by Don Lucero, who’s the chef at Via Christi hospital on Harry and also happened to win last year’s competition. (Clearly, the man knows his meatloaf.)

My tray of samples. The winning loaf has the bright yellow mango on top, near the bottom left.

Lucero, whose recipe included ground chuck, veal and buffalo, Italian sausage AND bacon, also won the People’s Choice Award. Today, he told me that he’s stepping down as a competitor in next year’s competition (gotta give someone else a chance) and join the judges’ panel instead. He generously shared his recipe for this year’s loaf, which you can find at the bottom of this post.

After I’d digested all that loaf, I headed off Saturday evening to Palette to Palate, an art and wine auction at the Drury Plaza Broadview Hotel that’s a fundraiser for KETCH. The event is only in its second year but has grown exponentially and was one of the most fun parties I’ve attended in a while.

Bid! Bid! Bid! Bid!

The giant ballroom in the Broadview was positively packed with people, all sampling wine and appetizers prepared by restaurants such as Luca Italian Kitchen, Larkspur, Harvest Kitchen/Bar, Cero’s, Bocconcini, Newport Grill, Corporate Caterers and more. When they were all nice and fed and watered, attendees bid on art, lots of wine and other fabulous packages in a live auction. (A chance to tag along on a restaurant review with me was among the silent auction items, and I spent the evening hovering around the bid sheet, bullying people into bidding MORE MORE MORE MORE.)

Thankfully, my stomach gets a vacation until March 31, when I’ll be a judge at Death By Chocolate.

Here’s Chef Lucero’s meatloaf recipe, which could feed an army. My suggestion is you divide it by one fourth to make a batch at home.

Read More »

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Chefs, Fundraisers | Comments

Win tickets to A Night on the Red Carpet

Feb. 10, 20123:49 p.m.

The third annual “A Night on the Red Carpet” party is scheduled for Feb. 26 at Abode Venue, 1330 E. Douglas, and the Eagle has two pair of tickets to give away.

It’s a fun, black-tie optional party that this year will feature food from Carrabba’s, Larkspur and Luca Italian Kitchen plus drinks, a showing of the 84th Annual Academy awards, local celebrities on the “red carpet,” live music and a live and silent auction. Today, I was promoted to emcee of the party (eeeeep!!!!!) after Sierra Scott declared herself indisposed.

If you want to enter to win a set of tickets, visit the Kansas.com Facebook page and scroll down till you find the giveaway. All you have to do is hit “like” on the post. We’ll randomly choose winners at noon on Feb. 20.

The party doubles as a fundraiser for Episcopal Social Services. Tickets are $75 a person or $850 for a table of 10. More information about the party can be found at http://www.esswichita.org

The picture with this post, taken at last year’s party of me and my friend, Kim, is featured on the website about the event, I discovered today. The odd thing about this party: Although I always have fun, I leave having no idea who won the Oscars. Oh well. That’s why DVRs were invented.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , Filed under Fundraisers | Comments

Question of the week: What are your Larkspur memories?

April 6, 20113:24 p.m.

A restaurant can’t thrive in a city for 20 years without creating a few memories for its residents.

Maybe it’s because it’s right across the street from where I work, but I have more than a few personal memories associated with Larkspur, which is celebrating 20 years of business starting this year. (Read my hot-off-the-editor’s-desk story about Larkspur here.)

I bid professional farewells to more than a few fabulous co-workers in that restaurant, including former symphony writer Chris Shull and movie reviewer Bob Curtright.

I watched my best friend Jaime’s new boyfriend (now husband) serenade her at Larkspur’s grand piano one night a few years ago.

I have spent countless lunch hours eating Metro salads and tirimisu by the window with Bonnie, and I let more than a few tears flow into my Sauvignon Blanc under the protective wisteria ceiling of Larkspur’s beautiful patio.

I know I’m not the only one. What are some of your best Larkspur memories? Share in the comments section below.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Question of the week, Restaurant memories | Comments

Happy birthday to Larkspur

April 4, 20113:12 p.m.

Ty Issa has owned Larkspur for the second half of its 20-year life.

I spent my morning with Ty Issa across the street at Larkspur, reminiscing about the long run his popular downtown restaurant has had. They’re starting their 20th year of business this month, which is quite a feat for any restaurant.

To celebrate, Ty is putting on a customer appreciation party from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19. The event will be on the patio and in the banquet hall, and he’ll have free appetizers, drinks and music.

My dining story for this Friday will be about Larkspur’s big birthday, so before I went to visit with Ty this morning, I dug up the restaurant review we published when it first opened back in 1992. Very few of the original dishes remain, but it was a fun read. Plus, my late friend Diane Lewis wrote the review, and I can hear her voice in it. Thought you all might enjoy it. Keep reading.

Read More »

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Restaurant birthdays, Restaurant memories | Comments

Larkspur’s new name, flavor

July 14, 20103:25 p.m.

larkspursign.jpg 001Larkspur, the downtown restaurant at 904 E. Douglas loved by businessfolk and town painters alike, has changed its name and its menu — sort of.

The restaurant is now known as Larkspur Bistro & Bar, and it has a new sign to prove it.

Owner Ty Issa also has added several items to the menu. (And no, starfish is not one of them.)

The new lunch menu now features a bruschetta with feta tapenade, a triple deck club, a pepper steak and a fettuccine diablo. The new dinner menu now has a stuffed Idaho trout, a ribeye steak and a fettuccine Bolognese, among other dishes. He’s also updated the wine list and added some lower-price options.

Issa kept the Larkspur favorites on the menus, including the Metro salad, chicken pistachio and crab cakes, which he now will make using lump crab meat.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Menu changes | Comments

Just because I can…

July 13, 20102:30 p.m.

IMG_4915IMG_4912

Just about now, the lunch in your stomach is starting to wear off and you’re thinking about reaching into your desk drawer for that little Butterfinger mini you swore you would not eat. (Oh, wait. That’s just me? Sorry.)

At any rate, it’s the perfect time for me to torture you with pictures of what I think are two of the tastiest desserts in town: Larkspur’s tiramisu and creme brulee. I’ve had a lot of tiramisu in this town, and I’m not sure anyone does it better than Larkspur. The creamy cheese sets perfectly around the spongy cake, and it all just… works. Same with the creme brulee, which features a crunchy sugar top and creamy custard center.

Any other nominations for killer Wichita desserts?

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Dessert | Comments

Art while you eat

July 13, 201010:55 a.m.

A very...melony mural adorns a wall at Copper Oven.

A very...melony mural adorns a wall at Copper Oven.

I’ve ingested many a skillet with eggs over-easy while staring, eyebrows furrowed, at the very curious watermelon mural that adorns the back wall of Copper Oven, a delicious and popular eatery at 2409 W. 13th St. What exactly is going on in this eye catching art work? It almost seems as though a father and son are patiently waiting for a crowd of sliced melons to break into dance on the disco floor.

Restaurant owners love decorating with murals, and Wichita has lots of them. Artist Steve Murillo’s colorful murals can be found on the walls at Larkspur, River City Brewery and Caffe Moderne. I’ve always loved the calming blue sky/cloud mural on the ceiling at Abuelo’s. And many Mexican restaurants in town have conquistador murals (of varying quality) to be enjoyed and studied over margaritas.

What’s your favorite Wichita restaurant mural?

*UPDATE* Reader Pat Handley alerted me to the fact that the watermelons in this mural are from “Sandias Con Leyenda: Viva la Vida” a painting by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. He also points out that the man in the painting looks like Diego Rivera, Kahlo’s husband. So much for the melon disco theory…

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , , Filed under Restaurant artwork | Comments

Patio dining in Wichita

July 2, 20102:05 p.m.
Larkspur's dreamy patio. Look! There in the background! It's The Eagle!

Larkspur's dreamy patio. Look! There in the background! It's The Eagle!

One of the things I most love to do when the weather’s even in the vicinity of decent is to sit on one of Wichita’s gorgeous restaurant patios and enjoy a glass of wine and a plate of deliciousness.

Sadly, Wichita’s not much of a sidewalk cafe town, but the patios we do have are very nice. Since this weekend promises reasonable temps, I thought I’d share my nominations for Wichita’s most fabulous outdoor dining spaces. Add yours below if you think I missed one.

1. Chester’s Chophouse, 1550 N. Webb Road: The covered patio at this upscale steakhouse is something to behold: Secluded seating, gorgeous stone accents, comfortable tables, a glowing fireplace in the corner and a view of a pond — and an office building. But it’s still a great place to wine and dine.

2. Yia Yia’s Eurobistro, 8115 E 21st Street North: The landscaping is gorgeous at this Bradley Fair restaurant, and the patio — filled with pumped in jazz or sometimes live music — has a special feel.

3. Larkspur, 904 E. Douglas: Larkspur’s patio is fun because it offers prime Old Town people watching — and it’s right across the street from the Wichita Eagle. In the spring, it has gorgeous wisteria dropping from the lattice covering, and it offers a nice mix of short and tall tables.

4. Redrock Canyon Grill, 1844 North Rock Road: The cozy, covered patio at Redrock is tucked into the side of the restaurant, and despite its parking lot views, it’s beautiful and comfortable. A highlight is the glowing fire pit that separates it from the front of the restaurant.

5. Pho Hot Bistro, 306 N. Rock Road: Owner Danny Nguyen serves upscale Vietnamese food out of his restaurant, which offers a pretty patio complete with gorgeous plantings and built-in misters.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , , Filed under Outdoor dining | Comments