A burger and fries from Andover's Timbuktu.
Philip Warren, the Wichita Eagle Dining Panel member I blame fully for my new obsession with Paleteria La Reyna, is at it again.
Check out his latest review of Andover’s Timbuktu, one of the many legendary burger places I have yet to visit. He was taken to task a little by website readers for failing to mention the restaurant’s jalapeno relish, which I get the impression is pretty legendary in its own right.
Philip Warren
In retrospect, he said he should have mentioned it but maintains that the burgers are just as good without it.
Also, Phil wins the award for best restaurant review opening paragraph ever. Could anything be more true?
“Sometimes you just need a good cheeseburger and beer to reaffirm that all is still well and good in the world.”
Deliciousness from Thai House. Photo by Ching Brubaker.
I’m continuing to love the work of the members of the Wichita Eagle Dining Panel. They’re enthusiastic, smart and — BONUS — it turns out they’re great food photographers.
Today’s Go! section was too full of River Festivalness to fit in Ching Brubaker’s first effort. We’ll publish her review of Thai House on Sunday. You can take a look at it now online, but I warn you, don’t read hungry.
I also failed to point out last week’s review of Paleteria La Reyna by Philip Warren and the previous week’s Pho Chopstix review by Natasha Creasman. These both are places I can’t wait to visit in the very near future. They sold me, for sure.
Also, watch the paper this week for reviews of River Festival food court food from panel members Warren, Andrew Gough and Jeff Christensen.
As of Saturday, all of the ice cream goodness of Paleteria La Reyna — the ice cream and Mexican food place at 2925 N. Arkansas — is more accessible to west-siders.
Gabriela Velasquez, the daughter of Paleteria La Reyna’s owners, opened Hamburgesas y Helados: La Reyna 2, on Saturday. The restaurant is in the old Sonic building recently vacated by Sloppy Joe’s at 803 N. West St., which closed in January after six months in business.
It’ll be different from the original in that it will specialize in hamburgers and hot dogs, available topped with pico de gallo for a Mexican twist. It’ll also serve Paleteria La Reyna’s wonderful Mexican ice cream bars and homemade ice cream, of which I am a big fan.
There’s room for about 30 to sit inside.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily except Wednesdays, when the restaurant is closed.
The Donut Whole, the very hip and happenin’ donut shop and hangout at 1720 E. Douglas, is always doing someting to enhance its hipness and happeningness, and its latest additions are giving the shop a little flavor of Mexico.
For one, it’s started serving Mexican Coca Cola, which for those who have not had the pleasure of sampling it, tastes soooo much better than the American version. It’s sold in glass bottles and it’s made with real cane sugar (as opposed to high fructose corn syrup). And Mexican Coke isn’t the store’s only unique beverage. The Donut Whole keep a whole array of natural sodas in their cooler, as is evidenced in this video.
It’s also now serving paletas, which are delicious Mexican ice cream bars made with real fruit and cream. Paleteria La Reyna, a paleta maker at 2925 N. Arkansas, is supplying the Donut Whole with the goods, and it stocks 24 flavors, including coconut, lemon, mango, strawberry, banana and the very interesting sounding fruit and chili.
Fiesta!
