On a recent trip to Louisville I uncovered a couple of gems. Nords Bakery for ethereal donuts , Dont miss the bacon topped caramel long john. Everything I tried was excellent. Next door to the bakery is Sunergos coffee for a potent cup. For German food the Gasthaus was first rate. A simple menu with the usual dishes well executed. Also a nice selection of imported beers. Unfortunately my time was limited but I will return next year!

Just about any brand named processed foods. Due to the increase in price of raw materials. Companies have taken this as a free pass to water down the products!

Nestles chocolate-cooconutty and vile. Low fat sour cream-by accident Subway-smells awful , tastes the same.

How bout fried catfish/hushpuppieis etc?

Something "provence'. Unfortunately I have only half a label left! These people make a line of products in blue packaging. It might have been Summer in Provence?

I second Mohs posting. I am currentlly enjoying a " churnned" butter which has sea salt crystals throughout. MMMM!

How do you know? When the price trebles and the availabillity / quality goes down! Any mention in mainstream media as a food trend. I used to love cigars/ vodka/sea bass etc. All now ruined by the taint of hipness. FYI , a martini is a gin or vodka cocktail with a whiff of vermouth. Not a chocolate/pomegranite etc. abortion in a martini glass!

Maille Tarragon Mustard. Plochmans. Almost any Dusseldorf style German Mustard.

O Tay Shamfoody . You are one of the next three persons! 1. One Dean Ferguson 2. Teddy Salad 3. Gene Scottabygwon!

Kudos to you for the great PR for our fair town. Sorry Bryants didnt float your boat. Hope to meet you next time you are in town. Did not see your message until you were on the road as I generally work Saturdays. Could have saved you the price of admission to the National WW1
Museum as I am an associate. I think that when it comes to local BBQ it would be easier to recommend what to avoid rather what is best. To paraphrase the bumper sticker : BBQ is like sex , even when its bad its still pretty good!

Stick to your plan. Sounds great! Go Royals!

Heres some more fuel for the fire! While perusing the latest issue of Maxim , I came across a new reuben recipe. Home cured pastrami , aged gouda and beet slaw! The article concerned great food from around the country, Cant remember which chef or restaurant this came from but it definitlly looked great.

I think phantomdoc got it right! I wanted to air one of my pet peeves and get the discussion rolling! Hmmm , Ive got some corned beef in the fridge. Maybe I will make a Reuben and put some Russian dressing on it. Well done Chowhounds!

I cant stand Thousand Island dressing on my Reuben sand wich. It turns something glorious into a overlly sweet , gloppy mess. Alocal deli in town uses a schmear of spicy brown mustard and one of mayo. Its not bad , but I still prefer mustard only. What do the other chowhounds think?

Hey James, Im from K.C. and I am insulted by K.C. Masterfece. I shudder at the mention of the name. It is my opinion the culprit for many people thinking K.C. barbecue is about the sauce. They are to barbecue what golden corral is to steak!

J.C. Happy to oblige! I would say yes to Bryants. It is an institution, I think the original location is the way to go. Order brisket and ribs . the fries are to die for. L.Cs. BBQ at Blue Pkwy. and Sni-a-bar Rd. is also a favorite. Oklahoma Joes at 3002 W. 47thst. is another good option. Another rec. would be any of the Gates and sons locations, They are a local chain but are consistantly good. Any of these places will gladly serve the sauce on the side at your request. Sorry for the incomplete addresses I will try to dig the rest up and send them along. K.C. is relatively easy to get around in if you have a car. Keep me posted.

Lamberts is a little campy , but the food is great Country cooking. Be prepared to eat!

Had the beef Po-Boy. Yes , I am from K.C. And no K.C. Barbecue is not all about the sauce! I agree it can be used to cover up culinary crapola such as K.C. Masterpiece. However I feel that anyone with an open mind can enjoy barbecue from all the regions. Hope I did not disparage Pappas rep. Just wanted to know if their is a Houston school of barbecue.

Drove through Texas last week but only had time for two meals. Hit Louie Muellers for lunch. Great barbecue. Also Had dinner at Pappas in Houston. Exactly what was it I ate ? It seemed to be chopped brisket in a thin sauce . Is this something unique to Houston.

El Norte bakery and restaurant for all things Mexican. Fresh tortillas , chicarones pastries etc. Its located on Independence Blvd. and serves Burritos and sandwiches on Sat. Al Habashi for Halal meats and any type of seasoning , Middle Eastern and some East European products. It is located in the city market.

How about Jake Edwards on Southwest Blvd? Or Rosedales in the same general area.

Thanks for the input folks. I had shrimp on the Gulf coast this summer that were wonderful. Perhaps preperation , age , time of season could have an effect also

White Castle closed in K.C. because the food is awful and tasteless. Maybe it would be better off of an old grill that had developed character. In the meantime I just dont understand the popularity.

Stumbled upon this restaurant last summer in NOLA. The food is good and a bargain to boot. If memory serves me I had oyster/artichoke soup , boiled brisket with horseradish remoulade , broiled drum with crawfish cream , and a banana bread pudding with a praline sauce I still dream about! Service was excellent and professional. It seems to me it is a restaurant that hasnt changed with the times and that is a good thing.

Had dinner at a well known reputable restaurant 2 weeks ago. The shrimp/scallop appetizer had an unpleasant iodine aftertaste and caused me to have a burning throat as if I had a raw throat. I dont have any allergies and this sensation rarely occurs. I have heard chefs talk about briny , minerally , sweet and iodiny flavors to good seafood. I get the first three but dont care for the last. What do other Chowhounders have to say?

Pastry Goddess has closed down. Does anyone have the full story?

Dont miss Le Fou Frog. Great Brandade,Skate, Frites etc. Yum Yum!

Me again. Bua Thai;734 NW Hwy 7. Full bar , excellent Thai food. El Mariachi Cantina; 1331 SW Westbound US40 Hwy. Zardas BBQ; 214 N 7 Hwy. The Mex place is kind of small but good. Zardas could handle a party of twenty pretty easily but I dont think they have a full bar. Phone #s in order; 816-229-3292; 816-220-3789; 816-229-9999.

Kansas City is only a 15 minute drive on I-70 from where you are staying. The extra effort would be worth it. Its late as I am typing this so I will add some recommendations tomorrow.

Im glad to see someone else recommend Gates. They are consistent. I would say you ordered the wrong thing at Bryants. You should have ordered the briscuit or pork sandwich with fries. Just like any other restaurant they have items that they do very well and some not so well. I would hope we all will remember this when we judge a restaurant. One bad or indifferent meal should not be the evidence to judge a restaurant.