Following in Buffetbuster's footsteps in central K

I'm out in central Kansas this weekend, taking photos for my travel web site. Although I still look for new restaurants, in the next few months I'm trying to revisit every restaurant that I recommend, that I haven't been to since 2006.

I left work a few minutes early and headed down I-35 from Olathe a little before 4PM yesterday. I had bad luck with a train and construction traffic light and passed through Hatrford just a minute after the European Bakery's closing time. So I continued to the Chicken House in Olpe. Although it was early the parking lot was packed with cars, but the building has three dining rooms and there was no trouble finding a table.

Since Buffetbuster covered this place well only a few weeks ago, I will limit my comments to the pie.



They make all their own pies and I decided to try something I have never had before - cherry cream pie. It could have used a few more cherries, but I liked it and would get it again. Only a $1.75 a slice.

After checking into my motel in Emporia, I drove out to Cottonwood Falls where the next to last day of the Prairie Fire Festival was taking place. Things are much too windy this weekend for range fires this weekend, but here is a shot I took a little farther south from the weekend before.



I would like to get some night shots sometime.

Friday night was a bluegrass jam session. I was there from the beginning, and more musicians kept coming in until there were nearly 30 participating.



Returning to Emporia a couple of hours later, I had planned to visit one of the restaurants that zeebaneighba recommended, but although I had only 2 pieces of chicken at super, I had no appetite to try another spot.


This morning I returned to Cottonwood Falls for the art show & demonstrations, and a presentation on prairie mammals by the owner of the Flint Hills Prairie Bison Reserve, George LeRoux.

I was planing on trying a new restaurant in Marion, but the person I spoke to on the phone yesterday gave me bad info and they were not open. So I went on to the Old Towne Restaurant in Hillsboro where I originally planned to just get pie. In wanderingjew honor I got a bierock. I haven't cared for the ones I have tried other places, so this time I told them to go ahead and put on gravy.



The fried potato were good, but I still haven't met a bierock that I like. This was probably my final try.

Since Buffetbuster has just described the deserts in detail, I will skip describing my bumbleberry pie.



After a couple of other brief stops, I made my way to Lindsborg, a town with a strong Swedish influence where I visited several art galleries and a museum which included a complete operational 3 story flour mill and the Swedish Pavilion from the 1904 World's Fair.


Swedish Pavilion

Then north to Assaria, a town of about 500 people/ Located just a few miles south of Smolan with its BBQ restaurant in an old school, Assaria has its own restaurant in an old school.





Renaissance Cafe is located on the upper level surrounding the old gymnasium. The lower level is filled with games, and during week day breakfast and lunch, they can be played. On Thursday - Saturday evenings, the Cafe becomes an upscale Italian restaurant and the games are off limits (too noisy for the atmosphere).









After a bit of a private debate (I still want to go back for the liver and onions), I ordered Steak Venato: grilled ribeye dredged in seasoned bread crumbs and smothered in a savory sauce of brown mustard, shallots, mushrooms, cognac and cream. I couldn't decide between the soup of the day (roasted onion) or the salad (romaine hearts topped with spiced pecans, fried cranberries and homemade gorgonzola blue cheese dressing). The soup was good, but the salad was fabulous!


steak, green beans and smashed red potatoes

The steak was one of the best I have ever had!

For desert I had "Cookies, Cream and Coffee," homemade vanilla bean gelato with amaretti cookies and the chef's own espresso habanero sauce. This one wouldn't be fore everyone, but I thought it was the perfect conclusion to the meal.

I also bought bottles of both of the chef's hot sauces to go. They are pretty pricey at $11 and $8.


As I worked on this trip report in my Salina motel I started getting hungry again, and left just in time to be the final customer of the day at the Cozy Inn.



Now to figure out what I will do tomorrow...

Keith

Sfreader-
Great stuff as usual! But, I do have to point out, that as flattered as I am by the thread title, you are undoubtedly the Kansas expert on this site. If anything, I was following in your footsteps in my previous report. I wish we had someone covering each state as well as you do for Kansas.

Yeah, I blew it by not getting pie at Chicken House. That cherry cream pie looks terrific. Too bad you didn't make it to European Bakeshop.....such nice people there.

What is it with putting restaurants in old schools in central Kansas? But then, it is a great use for an old building. I wonder if Renaissance Cafe got the idea from Smolan or vice verse.

Thanks BB! Yes I had been to the places you had before, but you describe the food much better.

If anyone may visit the Renaissance Cafe in the future, I've posted a longer review and details such as address and hours at http://www.kansastravel.org/renaissancecafe.htm I was very pleased with the combination of food, atmosphere and price.


Sunday morning I slept in, then started working my way back east. After a brief stop in Abeline to take greener exterior pictures of the Liebold Mansion, I continued to Manhattan for lunch at the Hibachi Hut.

This family-owned business has been operating since 1959 and shares its kitchen and building with the newer Texas Star Restaurant. Hibachi's theme is Cajun/Creole and American casual.



The dining area is quite dark and I had a hard time taking photos. The service was extremely good - attentive, without hovering. The server was there just as I realized that I wanted her. And she knew their menu and what to say about things.



I started with Boudin, a white rice and pork Cajun sausage made in-house. It is eaten on crackers with hot sauce. Every table had an unlabeled bottle of the house hot sauce and one commercial sauce. A large selection (though smaller than my personal collection) of sauces were available by request. The house sauce was sweet and not very hot. It went well with the sausage.





My main course was the special of the day, thinly sliced prime rib, topped with melted cheddar, served on an open face sandwich. Good, but I like my prime rib sandwiches in one large slice. This sandwich could use an interesting sauce - perhaps horseradish. It came with a choice of side, and I had their jambalaya, which was a bit dry, but good.



When I asked the server if any of the deserts were unique to the restaurant, she said that the cheesecake was good, but came from the Cheesecake Factory. However, they make their own bread pudding.



I liked the bread pudding a lot, but it isn't for everyone. The first taste reminded me of French toast, but then I got a good taste of the sauce, strongly flavored with whiskey. Other flavors included coconut and (I think) a hint of almond. This is a rich desert.

I need to visit again to try the Belly Bomb, a big burger with swiss and cheddar cheese, Jamaican jerk sauce, and blackening spices.

Following lunch I revisited the Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University, and drove through the campus. Most of the buildings are constructed from native limestone and are a century or more old.

On the way back to I-70 to make my way home, I visited Pillsbury Crossing to take some photos without ice or snow. This time I had the courage to make the river crossing, about 80 feet through the Deep River, which (despite the name) is only a few inches deep at this point.

The neatest thing at the crossing is the waterfall a short distance below the crossing. About a 5 foot drop, and nearly 70 feet across. I sat on a rock a little below the falls and enjoyed the sun and the roar of the water.



This is a scenic stop that few Kansans know about. Only a few miles off the interstate.

Keith

Keith,

Wonderful descriptions, and equally great pictures! I'm glad you had time to drive around the K-State campus and see the limestone buildings.

I was at the Chicken House a couple of Saturdays ago (met my parents there for an early dinner before THE game between KU and Memphis.) It was amusing because others had had the same idea to eat early, and then get home for all the pre-game festivities, etc. Didn't have the cherry cream pie, but I did split a piece of pecan pie with my dad. Quite good, and the three of us devoured a basket of their excellent onion rings as an appetizer.

Looking forward to more updates.