By CHARLES FERRUZZA
I get so many questions about food and eating out here in the Fat City that we've added a new category: Ask Charles Ferruzza. Ask me a question and I'll do my best to answer it or, if I'm stumped, throw it out to you, our loyal readers. After all, you not only have excellent taste and firm opinions, but you're scattered all over the place.
Pitch reader Rich wrote us to say that he had recently moved to Olathe from the East Coast and likes the Kansas City metropolitan area -- who wouldn't? -- but has not been happy with the pizza, chicken wings and hot dogs he's finding here. "Where," he writes, "in this Midwestern city can I find REAL pizza, REAL wings and REAL hot dogs?"
I'm assuming that real, in this particular case, means the thin-crust pizza one can buy and eat on the streets of New York, the spicy chicken wings like those invented by the legendary Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York and those fabulous Sabrett hot dogs.
I've never found New York street pizza to be particularly "artisan," so I'll risk the ire of Pizza Bella and Blue Grotto fans by not recommending the tasty, stylish wood-fired pizza at those venues.
I do like the less-glamorous but emotionally satisfying pie at Avellutto's Italian Delightin Mission, the popular Waldo Pizza, and Kelso's Northtown. But one thing I've learned over the years is that people are very particular about pizza and hardly anyone agrees on which pizzeria serves the best.
I'm probably the last person to ask about Buffalo-style chicken wings. I have eaten them in Buffalo -- and a lot of other cities too -- and never found this unique delicacy all that interesting. And they're messy! But if I was seriously craving a hot wing, I'd go in a completely different direction and head for one of the five Thai Placerestaurants around town for some Spicy Basil Chicken Wings.
And you haven't lived until you've eaten the quarter-pound, spiral-cut deep-fried hot dog at Quick's Barbecue on Merriam Lane.
Those are my picks. Now, Fat City readers, who else can help out reader Rich?
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For authentic neapolitan style pizza, there is no better place than Pizza Bella. Spin pizza is NOT neapolitan style pizza. Grinders is just dirty. Waldo pizza is always great.
Best wings- Peanut.
For authentic neapolitan style pizza, there is no better place than Pizza Bella. Spin pizza is NOT neapolitan style pizza. Grinders is just dirty. Waldo pizza is always great.
Best wings- Peanut.
Having been KC born-and-raised I thought Shakey's and Fun House was great pizza. That is until I moved to Philadelphia in '73.
Every corner had a pizza shop it seemed, each different and each better than anything I had ever tasted. Even the crap at the Market St El in Upper Darby.
Thirty-three-years later I came back to KC. Found pizza severely lacking.
Minsky's was ok but I longed for Drexel Hill Jr.
Tarentino's is closest to my favs, Antonio's too as well as D'Bronx.
The Record Bar has a thin crust which is reallty good too although it isn't traditional.
BTW thin crust isn't what they sell in NYC or Philadelphia or Boston. They have Sicilian or regular. Of course some are thinner than others.
What I can't find in KC is birch beer, any clues?
Damn! Am I that predictable? I have to second the Pizza Man. Its hot-dogs are made chicago-style with vienna beef and the cheese they use on the pizza is amazing. Also amazing is just how many famous people's "autographs" they can have on the wall for being a strip-mall pizza joint.
I'd recommend Pizza Man for pizza and great hot dogs. It's located just north of Stonewall Inn on Pflumm.
A lot of people obsess about the wings at the Peanut because they are huge, whole wings, but I find them moderately disturbing to look at.
Oh, The Peanut has really good wings also. I had some last week and they are still big as hell and crunchy and delicious. They use lot's of Frank's Red Sauce which is the trick to any good wing.
"And are there any beignets in town"
Only place I've seen them is The Jazz. They have locations at 39th & State line and out at the Speedway for certain. They might still be out in Lee's Summit and at 119th and I-35ish but I don't know if those locations are still operational.
While not a fan of thin crust pizza, I would suggest either Waldo or Spin! as my choices for best.
I'd pick Orignal Pizza for NY style pizza, and Miami Ice actually has great Hot Dogs with delicious buns they might be considered more Chicago style though.
I'll tell you what I miss: those wonderful shrimp po' boy sandwiches that S&J Oyster used to serve (before they realized that importing seafood to landlocked Kansas City meant quality problems and hightailed it out of here).
Haven't been able to find a reasonably satisfactory recipe, and sure can't find 'em anywhere around.
Anyone have a local suggestion, or do I have to travel to the South somewhere?
And are there any beignets in town? (Have read about them for years, would sure like to try one to see what it's like.)
(Had planned a trip to New Orleans to satisfy both cravings above - and then Katrina happened, so that was that.)
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