The Cursed Consumer

Last year I went to Amsterdam and Vienna, and in both cities (moreso Vienna) there were street vendors selling Turkish döner wraps every few blocks or so. Super tasty, and easy to eat on the go. I had never had an opportunity to try döner until then because you can't find it in Kansas City. Until now! Lenexa Public Market now hosts a new eatery - KC Döner (currently open Thursday-Sunday, 11am to 8pm). Meat sliced from the spit, topped with a garlic yogurt sauce that will blow you away, slivered red onion, and parsley all wrapped up in a not-quite-tortilla not-quite-flatbread thin, chewy wrap. Yes please, count me in. They are currently occupying the old Cosmo Burger space but will have a permanent stall in the near future, next to African Dream Cuisine. Dang, that was a good lunch, and I can’t wait to go back.

PS: try the ricotta stuffed baklava too. You won’t regret it.

I had the absolute pleasure of experiencing the 15 course tasting menu at Wolf Atelier while I was in Amsterdam. Situated above the water of a canal, Wolf Atelier provides excellent service in a unique atmosphere. I was lucky enough to get a table right next to the open kitchen, so I could see the chefs hard at work all night.

Upon arrival, I was encouraged to open the box on my table. What a cute way to begin water service! Sure, the mint wrapped in paper looked like crack-cocaine, but who doesn’t like a good chuckle? 🤭

The server brought me a warm mini-loaf of sourdough to begin, and I gobbled it right up! Then, even though I knew I had 15 courses coming to me, I opted to also purchase the vegan crispy taco as a light bite before the meal. It was so tiny! Served chilled, which was unexpected, and had I not known it was vegan I might have believed there was meat in it. It was quite tasty, and the popcorn underneath was a fun touch.

Then began my 15 courses. To begin, I had beets two ways on brioche. I was told the red beets were slightly smoked, but I couldn’t taste the smoke. The creamy mustard under the beets really pulled this savory dish together.

Next was a shrimp dish with spicy yellow chilies on top and nestled into a bit of corn veloute. Wow, wow, wow! The acidity achieved in those chilies was outstanding, the shrimp was extremely tender and cooked to perfection, and I could have eaten a whole bowl of the corn veloute (soup).

The third dish was beef tartar wrapped in “pata negra” (cured pork), served with a teeny tiny potato croissant. It seemed too big for one bite, so I tried to cut it. Their knives are not really useful 😆, so I picked up the whole mangled piece and shoved it in my mouth. It was fine. I don’t love tartar, so it wasn’t my favorite. That crispy little potato, however, was really good. 😁

Following the tartar was a spring roll wrapped in rice paper and filled with all kinds of crunchy things. You know what I liked about this dish? No cilantro. 😆😆

Next was celeriac three ways. Grilled, puréed, and…well, I can’t remember the third way. 😬 Honestly, the star of this dish was the onion sauce it was sitting in. The depth of flavor achieved in that sauce was incredible; another sauce I could have eaten as a bowl of soup. The celeriac had a subtle celery flavor, and the dill garnish on top was a pop of freshness.

Then came the dish of local eel with passion fruit hollandaise and black garlic. I was scared when I saw passion fruit on the menu because I typically don’t care for it, but I couldn’t taste the funk that I usually associate with passion fruit in that rich hollandaise. This restaurant is KILLING IT with delicious sauces! The quenelle of black garlic with sunflower seeds off to the right doesn’t look like much in my photo, but the flavor and texture combination was quite yummy and paired well with the eel and hollandaise. Mwah, chef’s kiss.

The Jerusalem artichoke dish was really pretty. I would not have expected grapes on a savory dish, so that was kind of fun. The sauce was made of grapes and Jerusalem artichoke, and it tasted like a luscious wine sauce. Again, absolutely winning in the sauce department.

Now we’ve come to the point in the meal where they serve a pallet cleanser of a take on an aperol spritz. I had never had an aperol spritz, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. One bite, and I knew this dish was not for me. Much too bitter. I scooped off and ate the airy, fluffy crème fraîche and the spicy chili because those were tasty. When the server came back around, he asked if I did not care for it. I told him I had never had an aperol spritz and that I learned it’s not something I enjoy. He took it away, and the chef almost immediately came to my table with an alternative sorbet. I was not expecting that kind of accommodation, and it was really nice! The alternative sorbet was bright and slightly sweet. THEN! The server came back to my table with an actual aperol spritz for me to try. I felt like they were really going above and beyond for my experience. He told me if I liked it then I could keep drinking it, and if I didn’t like it, he would take it away. It was better than the icy pallet cleanser, but I still didn’t care for it. 😁 But now I know!

Next was sea bass with sweet potato, mussels, and a crisp made of mussel on top. That was the most tender mussel I have ever had, and it didn’t taste funky or too fishy. Perfect cook on the bass.

The duck dish was a little chewy. But the sweetness of the quince was a nice balance with the savory jus.

Now we have come to perhaps the best (in my opinion) part of the meal. A5 wagyu beef with soy butter for dipping. I have eaten quite a bit of wagyu, and every time I’m slightly disappointed, as it is not as tender as I expect it to be. This wagyu, however, really did melt in my mouth like butter. Barely had to chew it. Incredible beef flavor, and the umami of the soy butter was marvelous. I was only sad the portion was so very small.

After the beef was Gorgonzola crème brûlée. That’s right, funky cheese with a crisp top. The Gorgonzola was velvety smooth, but I have never enjoyed the flavor of this particular cheese. A couple small bites was enough of a tasting for me. When my server noticed that I did not care for this one either, he brought me an alternative cheese dish with candied walnuts and nut bread. What a delightful alternative!

The first of three desserts was piña colada three ways: lollipop, beverage, and tart. The lollipop had a semi solid gel of pineapple covered in marshmallow and coconut. It was a very, very fun bite. The lollipop stick was actually a straw that you used to stir the foamy coconut into the icy pineapple of the beverage and then suck it all up. Was this the best piña colada I have ever had? Yeah, I think so. I wish I had inquired about ordering a full size piña colada drink because it was that good. It was so good that the tart was just an afterthought for me.

The second dessert was supposed to be pumpkin with white chocolate, mascarpone, and kumquats. I didn’t taste pumpkin, but all of the textures were fun.

And finally, their signature dessert of French toast. Apparently this has been a staple on their menu since the restaurant’s inception, and for good reason! The crisp texture on the sides of the French toast really blew me away, and the ice cream and custard really shined with fresh vanilla bean flavor. What a special dish, and a perfect ending to the meal.

The service was spectacular, they really made me feel like I was a VIP. And with all of the flavors and textures I got to try, I felt like the value of this meal could not be matched anywhere else. To put it into perspective, these 15 courses were only €135, and other tasting menus I was looking at in the area only offered maybe 6 dishes and cost €200+. I HIGHLY recommend this tasting experience to anyone traveling to Amsterdam.

Ate 1 Six Food Truck pulled into Olathe on Friday night for the Fourth Friday festivities. They fried my catfish strips upon order, so they were piping hot and super crispy out of the window! And they gave me fair warning about the temperature so I didn’t burn the roof of my mouth. 😁 The strips were breaded and seasoned quite well, and the catfish didn’t taste muddy at all. It was really a delight! My husband ordered the turkey sandwich and enjoyed it, but I was too busy with my catfish to get a bite. We also ordered a side of potato salad, and it had a lemony zing to it. Altogether from the smiling customer service to portion size and food quality, it was a top notch experience. I’m sure I will be visiting again.

What a happy meal! Check out Santana’s Sazon at 808 N Ridgeview Rd in Olathe for their weekend chicharron special: pork belly fried to perfection and served with rice, cabbage salad, beans, and your choice of sweet or savory plantains. Those sweet plantains hit the spot with the crispy pork!

This morning’s global offerings are Bolivian and Arican fusion. From Bolivia we tried the cheese bread, straight out of the oven. Hot, chewy, and delicious! Africa served us some amazing tacos absolutely bursting with flavor. One was eggs and cheese, the other was chicken. The chicken was marinated in mouthwatering spices, and both tacos were topped with a bright, refreshing slaw of cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, chili peppers and cilantro with a zing of lemon juice. These particular items will be offered all weekend, and Malaysia will be serving noodles and dumplings starting in an hour. 🤤

Lenexa Public Market is hosting a global flavors event this weekend. There is about an hour left to come grab an Israeli breakfast! You will get shakshuka, hummus, olives, and dates. I am looking forward to seeing the other global offerings from Bolivia, Kenya, and Malaysia this weekend!