Subject: Tea

• The Other Beer

  July 8, 2008

• The Queen of Leavenworth

  July 18, 2008

• An accidental journey to the unexpected world of tearooms and not-so-genteel ladies

  December 18, 2008

• Mara, 22, Eden Alley

  August 19, 2008

• Weird Drink Roundup: Red Espresso and Alcohol ßG Killer

  September 4, 2008

• Tea Drop Brewing Change

  September 12, 2008

• Mara, 22, Eden Alley

  August 19, 2008

• Drinks of Autumn: Non-Alcoholic

  October 16, 2008

• Best Pad Thai

  October 19, 2000

• Such a Deal!

  July 26, 2001

• Tea and Empathy

  March 28, 2002

• Hacking Starbucks continued

  Local blogger PlazaJen has a great post about how she hacked Starbucks' berry chai infusion, which is a chai tea that combines "a proprietary blend of aronia berry and black currant juice." As fast as Starbucks can introduce drinks, people (me included) are trying to hack them or subvert them or do whatever we can to try and find cheaper alternatives for the same taste.Part of that is human nature but there's something else at work right now too.

  January 26, 2009

• Best Bubble Tea

  October 17, 2002

• Green tea ginger ale. Yuck.

  Normally I try to keep my reviews to alcoholic substances since it's more fun for me and, besides, nobody wants to read about Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper's newest flavor creation that will be gone in two months. Also, I don't drink many sodas. However, I do drink ginger ale -- and when I saw that a new hybrid called green tea ginger ale was just named the best beverage product of the year by an influential consumer group, I had to try it.Green tea ginger ale is made by Canada Dry, so I was expecting

  January 30, 2009

• The Future in Tea

  November 21, 2002

• Best Dinner Under $10

  October 9, 2003

• Shop and Slop

  December 18, 2003

• Best Alcoholic Tapioca Balls

  October 7, 2004

• Pit er Pat

  May 26, 2005

• Act Two

  February 16, 2006

• Intercontinental Hotel keeps some of the frills

  What was the line that French queen Marie Antoinette allegedly uttered upon hearing that the starving populace was begging for bread? "Let them eat cake?" Fancy desserts -- fancy everything -- is fast going out of style during this economic climate. Newsweek is reporting that fine dining establishments around the world are cutting out frills. The frills might include tablecloths and fresh flowers... and amuse-bouches. The Intercontinental Hotel Kansas City is keeping a few frills for its Oa

  March 30, 2009

• Dinner at Local Burger

  August 28, 2008

• Dinner at the Blue Koi

  August 28, 2008

• Nighthawks at the Diner

  September 20, 2007

• Smokin' at Chosun

  May 31, 2007

• Leaves of Glass

  May 25, 2006

• Holly Golightly

  Wednesday, August 3, at the Jackpot Saloon.

  July 28, 2005

• Her Cup

  of Tea

  Certified tea consultant Brenda Hedrick has just the drink for you.

  July 14, 2005

• Declaration of Independence

  William Inge didn't think anything was the matter with Kansas.

  April 21, 2005

• Garaj Mahal

  Wednesday, August 18, at The Bottleneck.

  August 12, 2004

• Egg Inflation

  Bluestem might be expensive, but hell, there's nothing wrong with a little indulgence.

  May 27, 2004

• Azure Ray

  Monday, April 12, at the Jackpot Saloon.

  April 8, 2004

• Take Your Coat Off

  OK, now take your pants off, too.

  February 26, 2004

• Time Honored

  EBT Restaurant is more than a remembrance of things past.

  March 28, 2002

• Cool and Koi

  The Blue Koi is a decorative addition to 39th Street's restaurants.

  February 28, 2002

• Tea Room Sympathy

  Our reviewer eats humble pie -- and fabulous pastries -- at Andre's Confiserie Suisse.

  November 2, 2000

• Mother's Day and chocolates

  This past Friday, Christopher Elbow released his Mother's Day bon-bons collection which is unique in that it focuses on antioxidants and power foods. In addition, he donates $5 from every box to the Kansas City-based non-profit breast cancer organization Back in the Swing.Like all of Elbow's sets, these chocolates aren't cheap -- it's $42 for a box -- but each of the 21 chocolates is handmade and hand painted, made of ingredients not usually found in chocolates. Elbow said it usually takes h

  May 4, 2009

• Drinks of Spring

  Last fall I wrote about autumn favorites like chai tea and apple cider -- drinks that perfectly fit a season. With spring in full bloom, here's what I'm sipping on the patio. Pretty much anything with ice in it sounds tempting at the moment. It's been iced coffee weather for the past several days but at the moment my favorite drink is one-minute real lemonade.I'm not big on powders of any sort, especially when it's a substitute for fresh fruit, and lemonade powder is the worst. Frozen lemonade c

  May 13, 2009

• Saying goodbye to '80s bartending trends

  ​If the beautiful dance of bartending peaked for you in the 1980s, then I salute you as you read this in your sportcoat and T-shirt while your dog, Spuds McKenzie, snoozes at your feet. I suspect however, that you have still have dial-up Internet, so I'll waste no more time offering a toast to your obstinacy.  However, for the rest of the beer-swilling world who realized that life does go on after Cocktail: The Movie left the theaters, it's time to shout last call on some of the trends fr

  August 18, 2009

• Breakfast Buffet: Monday, August 24

  ​No, I'm not drinking java this morning as I temporarily fill in for new Dad Jonathan Bender: I'm sipping California-based Republic of Tea's answer to coffee -- or any morning beverage loaded with caffeine -- the herbal tea is called Get Charged, a proprietary blend of organic rooibos, hibiscus, gotu kola, stevia and ginseng -- and other herbs. The bright orange container boasts that drinkers (it's marketed at athletic types) can "get invigorated without feeling tweaked." The blueberry fl

  August 24, 2009

• Top 10 hot but liquor-free drinks

  ​Yep, it's cold outside. That makes us think about hot drinks. Here are the metro's Top 10 non-alcoholic warm-ups, according to Fat City: 10) Arrowhead Stadium -- Hot Chocolate. There's something about concession-stand hot chocolate: It's the right amount of sweetness and chalkiness that makes you feel like a kid again. 9) Madame Hatter's Tea Room -- Kansas City once had a dozen little tea rooms like this retro venue in Bonner Springs, mostly designed for ladies after a weary day of rig

  October 15, 2009