Horizon's Hamburger Palace

Horizon's Hamburgers is back, and has been for about a week (written February 26, 2016). The lady who works the cash register says they've been busier than anticipated. In March, they will begin serving a breakfast menu, but thew owner keeps pushing the date back because they've been so busy with lunch. Hopefully, it will be here sooner than later, especially if it's gonna be as good as their burgers.

When you walk in you gotta order at the counter, then wait for your name to be called. I didn't have to wait long to order, as there was no line. Their menu is pretty basic, but basic is fine with me, as long as it's good. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, pork tenders, BLTs and other sandwiches are available, as well as some dinners such as chicken fried steak, chicken strips, catfish and more. I see they also have homemade soup and chili.

I didn't try any of that, I just went for a burger. I've never had a Horizon's hamburger so I thought I'd start simple. There are two sizes, the Horizon, which is 1/6 pound and the Sunrise, which is 1/3 pound. Each can be ordered as a single, a double or a triple. I just went for the single Sunrise with everything but mustard and onion. I also ordered some fries and my hubby ordered some onion rings so I could try those, too.

My burger and fries took about 15 minutes, but definitely worth the wait. It was lunchtime and the

burgers seem to be fresh, not frozen so I could understand the wait and I'm okay with that. If you're in a hurry, maybe grab your food to go or come back when you have some more time, or when it's not so busy. The burger was juicy, flavorful and filling. The bun is grilled, which I thought was a nice touch, and I'm pretty sure the burger isn't a frozen puck because it looked hand-formed because it wasn't uniform in shape or size, especially compared to my hubby's burgers, (he got a double).

The fries the onion rings weren't anything special, just frozen and fried. That was fine to me, but I also felt they could have changed their fryer oil, which they probably did after their busy lunch. I came in around 1:30 p.m., so their lunch rush was just beginning to slow down, but not really. Like I said, the woman at the counter told me the restaurant has been much busier than expected.

I look forward to trying their breakfast menu and a few of their dinners. It seems like the menu is
heavy with fried items, though, so I may have to wait between visits.

If you're looking for something other than a fast food cheeseburger, you need to try Horizon's Hamburger Palace. Local, fresh and tasty, that's all I need. The prices weren't bad either.

Kyoto

(this still shows the location as Kim's Vietnamese, but trust me, it's Kyoto now)

I've been trolling the Topeka Restaurant Group on Facebook for a couple months now and the consensus is most definitely that Kyoto is amazing. So, I decided to go check it out and see for myself.

Ryan and I ordered sushi and hot food from the hibachi. For sushi we got a rainbow roll, my favorite, and he got some other sashimi that I'm not too fond of. The rainbow roll is basically a California roll topped with raw salmon and a white fish (the menu said "white fish" so I'm not sure the exact type it was) and this particular sushi chef decided to top his with roasted garlic. I liked the garlic, but Ryan did not -- he scraped it off of his portion. I didn't mind it because there was a small amount on each piece of sushi and I felt it complimented without overpowering the raw fish.

After our meal, our waitress asked us if we like sushi and if she could recommend a few rolls to try next time, (there will be a next time and soon). She pulled out her phone and showed us three or four rolls that are her favorite, including the Hawaiian roll. That's the one I'm looking forward to ordering next time.

I ordered the hibachi ribeye that comes with a soup, salad, rice, noodles and vegetables.

The salad had a sweet ginger dressing -- that I could have drank by the cupful -- with crunchy noodles, carrots on iceberg lettuce. The soup was just a broth with green onions and thinly sliced mushrooms floating around in it. I liked it but the weather was too hot for me to want to eat much of it. I ate my entire salad because that dressing!

The hot food all came on one plate. The noodles were thin and sweet, I could eat just those for dinner they were so tasty (with a cup of that ginger dressing, of course). The fried rice was steamed and then fried and chewy but in a good way. The vegetables were cooked just right, al dente and not soggy. There was a lot of zucchini and carrots, my favorite.  My meat was cooked a perfect medium rare just as I asked and I really just have no complaints about anything at all.

The portions were huge and even though the menu is pricey, you get your money's worth. I have lunch for tomorrow.

When we were on our way out, the waitress asked us if we had ever tried their Ramune drink, a Japanese soft drink. She said it's made with real sugar. We were intrigued so we said of course we'll try it. The one we tried was strawberry flavored. When she opened the drink, I was confused about what exactly she was doing, but with further research on the good old world wide web, I found out all about it. Sometimes, this soda is also referred to as marble pop, and that's because the bottle is sealed with a glass marble. It's opened by forcing the marble out and into the the drink, where it clangs around while you drink.  Hey, but who cares about a marble, the soda was good and I would buy one next time I'm there.

I will return and try other items on the menu. The people working were friendly and seemed like a family. The atmosphere was inviting and there was a cute little kid walking around smiling at people. He even said goodbye to us and followed us to the door waving. How cute. I can't wait to return.

Food Truck #2: Pacha's By The Pound

For my second food truck, I chose Pacha's By The Pound, currently found on 32nd and Topeka Blvd. I would follow their Facebook page, though, in case they move, which food trucks are known to do.

Pacha's can be found in the Gordmans' parking lot, and yes, there is plenty of parking. They do not, however, have any seating available. Plan to get your food to go, and don't forget to grab some napkins.

Featuring smoked meats, homemade pickles and sauce and some of the best candied bacon I've ever had, Pacha's By The Pound is some of the best bbq I've had in Topeka. Of course, I've only had the pulled pork so far, so I should say they have the best pulled pork I've had in town. I can't vouch for the other meats and items they have available.

I ordered the Piggly Wiggly, which I heard about from friends and my husband who've all said it's an amazing sandwich. A thick piece of toast topped with a large portion of tender, smoked pulled pork and crispy, sweet candied bacon -- you don't even need sauce. I still got some to try, but I'm not sure it really needed it. It was tender, sweet and juicy. The candied bacon tasted like cinnamon, sugar and maybe some brown sugar, oh and bacon goodness. The crispy-chewy sweet candied bacon was a great idea, I just wish there had been more. It paired well with the sauce, too, even though some may not think it would... oh but it does.

The Piggly Wiggly

On the counter, at the pick-up/order window, there are a variety of barbecue sauces. (You can also tip to help support the sauce.) I sampled the regular pork sauce and the all-purpose sauce. I especially enjoyed the pork barbecue sauce. It had a flavor of apples, vinegar and a slight spice to it, but nothing crazy, just enough so it's there but it's not actually hot. It's a nice blend and it pairs well with the pork -- almost like it's made to go with it! (note the sarcasm). The all-purpose sauce is named accordingly. It was a nice, thick sauce, with a sweet, smoky flavor. It was good, but the pork sauce was much better, at least with my dish.

I ordered some coleslaw and I thought it was a nice side item to accompany the Piggly Wiggly. It was apple-cidery, tangy and fresh with a slight kick. I thought it seemed to have a bit of a spice to it. It was a shredded-cabbage style coleslaw with a thin, mayo-based sauce. It seemed to be made fresh because the cabbage was still nice and crunchy.

Coleslaw. (I spilled it everywhere)

I also got some of their fresh-made chips. This was the only thing I didn't like. They tasted like they were fried in old grease, they were too think and most of them were chewy instead of crispy, like maybe the oil wasn't hot enough. The chips are sprinkled with what seems to be a Cajun or other spicy type of seasoning mix, which is good, I just wasn't happy with the the chips themselves. Skip those, go with the coleslaw or something else.

Make sure you go early because Pacha's is only open from 10 a.m. until they run out of food -- and that could be early, especially if you're thinking of a dinner date. I would go for lunch.

I payed $11 for the sandwich, the coleslaw and the chips. The sandwich was $8, coleslaw $2 and chips were $1. It seems to be a bit pricey for lunch, but the portion is huge and I couldn't eat all of what I got. You almost don't even need a side, but I like to try a few things when I go. I would say get one side if you have to have one, and maybe share with another person.

I'm excited to return and try other items on their menu and make sure they have the best barbecue in town.

Food Truck #1: Taco El Guitarron

My husband took me to a taco truck on the east side of town, and I can't believe I hadn't gone before that. This one, called Tacos El Guitarron, is located on the corner of 20th and California Avenue, near the highway 75 exit.

The prices weren't bad, either, especially for being authentic, Mexican cuisine. It's also locally owned, which is a major plus for me.

Quesadilla

The truck is, of course, outside, so the eating area is outside, too. This particular truck has a dining area set up to the side of the ordering area. There were about five or six tables and chairs set up for those wishing to "dine in". The day we went, it was beautiful out and there was just a light breeze. I'm all for sitting outside as long as it's nice like that, but if the wind was any stronger, our experience wouldn't have been quite so pleasant. On a windy or rainy day I would recommend ordering your food to go.

I ordered some steak quesadillas and the hubby ordered pork tacos. The tacos were only $1.25 each, and they come with a lot of meat. The quesadilla cost a little bit more, but it was also stuffed with meat and lots of veggies on the side -- lettuce, tomato, avocado, radishes, etc.

The tacos were my favorite part. White corn tortillas topped with chopped up meat -- choice of chicken, steak or pork -- onions, cilantro, avocado, radish and lime. The meat was cooked well, not hard and overcooked like some chopped taco meat. The meat was spicy but not so hot you couldn't eat it, spicy like flavorful. The fresh cilantro, raw onions and radish complimented the soft corn tortilla and tender pork. I usually don't like raw onions or radish, but this was a welcome change. I enjoyed these two ingredients on the tacos, they fit well. So, if you don't like raw onion or radish, just give it a try here, it's good.

Pork tacos

The quesadillas were pretty tasty, too -- you know, what I ordered. I actually enjoyed what Ryan ordered more than what I ordered for myself. The quesadillas were quesadillas -- grilled tortillas filled with cheese and meat with a side of veggies to stuff inside as you go along. I got pork in my quesadilla, too, and it was the same pork used on the tacos.

What I appreciated the most was the use of fresh produce, especially the avocados. I was surprised at how much of the fresh stuff was garnished, and as a veggie lover, it was welcome.

I will definitely be returning to this particular food truck, and soon. I want to try so much more. If you haven't checked it out, I recommend it.

Food trucks are finally showing up around Topeka, but there have been a few that've been around for awhile, especially on the east side of town. I want to check all those out in the near future, so follow my blog so you can check them out with me.

Paisano's Revisited

Paisano's Ristorante is one of my favorites in Topeka. I go there frequently and am rarely disappointed. That being said, my previous visit left me slightly so.

The service was a little slow, but I realize it's a sit-down, nice restaurant where people go to take their time and relax. But, this server was just slow, even when we were obviously ready to go. Normally I am not bothered by slow service but this just seemed ridiculous.

Roman Twins

The first thing I noticed when the food was brought out was that the servers weren't grating cheese on our food as they usually did. Instead, they were bringing out bowls of pre-shredded cheese to use for the entire meal. I asked our waitress when they started doing this and she said it's been a few months. I guess it has been a few months since my last visit... Ok. I wasn't impressed with the change. Although the server assured me it was the same cheese, only now it was grated in the kitchen in bulk, I was skeptical.  It didn't seem to melt like the other freshly grated cheese, and maybe it was because it wasn't as fine of a grate as it had been before. Either way, I didn't like it. (Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture.)

The food was good, as usual. I've never had bad food at Paisano's. This time I ordered the Roman Twins, my favorite dish. A combination of sausage canneloni and cheese manicotti in a cheesy tomato sauce, it's my comfort food. Creamy, string-cheesy and seasoned just right, I love dipping my breadsticks in the sauce. The mozzarella cheese inside the manicotti is stringy and elastic, like good pizza cheese. Love it.

I decided to take some tiramisu home with me. The marscarpone cream was light and creamy with coffee soaked ladyfingers underneath. Everything was as it should be and the coffee flavor was there but not overpowering.

Even though the cheese isn't grated fresh any more, I will be returning. It's disappointing when restaurants for convenience over quality, but as long as it stops with the cheese.

Here's a link to my previous review: http://tastingtopeka.blogspot.com/2015/01/paisanos-revisited.html

Five Guys Burgers and Fries Comes to Topeka

Another restaurant opens on Wanamaker. This time it's a burger joint, popular all around the country that's made its way to Topeka, finally. I remember hearing about a Five Guys Burger and Fries in Lawrence for the past couple years, and I've always heard good things. Now that it's in Topeka, I went and checked it out. It seems, so did a lot of other people that day.

Bags of potatoes stacked around the restaurant.

When I got there, it was packed. All the tables were full and the line was all the way to the door. That being said, it really didn't take that long to order and maybe 10 minutes after that to get the food. Also, it's the first week that it's open and it's sure to slow down in the future -- at least a little.

While waiting in line, though, you can eat shell-in peanuts that are free for all. That way your wait isn't too unbearable if you're impatient like me.

The menu, at first glance, doesn't have much to it. Burgers, bacon cheeseburgers, fries, shakes and hot dogs. Simple. There's nothing special about the menu, either. What I mean, is usually when you go to a burger joint, there are burgers with special toppings and sauces, or a burger named after the place. Not at Five Guys. The menu was simple and straightforward.

There were more in the bag, too

Each burger comes with free toppings: lettuce, tomato, pickle, grilled onion, raw onion, grilled mushrooms, etc. The French fries are freshly cut on site, not those frozen, processed fries at typical fast food places -- there are even bags of fresh potatoes laying around like decorations.

When looking at the prices, keep in mind that the burgers are double cheeseburgers, which I didn't realize until I opened mine up. Also, the large French fry is definitely a large portion. I would recommend sharing with at least three people, or two extremely hungry ones. It comes in a large cup with even more on the bottom of the bag.

The fries were my favorite part. They reminded me of a place I worked when I lived in Arizona called Z's Chicago Dogs. There, we would cut our own fries from Russet potatoes, then fry them at a low temperature, like 275 F. Then, we'd cool them down, maybe even refrigerate them overnight. The next day, we'd fry them at a higher heat, like 350 F or 375 F. This ensures the fry is cooked thoroughly and that it's crispy and golden like fries should be. I'm not sure if that's exactly what they do at Five Guys, but they were close enough. I enjoyed the freshness, and they were still crispy, not limp. Yum.

The burger was juicy and tasty. Two patties topped with American cheese, a sesame seed bun and your choice of toppings. The burgers are put together nicely and seem to hold up well while eating. Sometimes when you get a burger it's smashed and messy, but this one seemed to stay together well and wasn't too messy. I guess that could depend what toppings you get on your burger. I ordered mine with tomato, pickle, ketchup, mayo and lettuce. There seemed to be too much cheese for me, (but I'm sure not everyone would agree) and I scraped some off of mine, but that's just personal preference.

I enjoyed Five Guys and will most likely return in the future, but I don't think I will drive across town just to eat it. Hopefully, next time it won't be so busy and my visit can be a little shorter, but, it is new to town. So if you're in a hurry, I'd wait until you have more time or it's newness has worn off a bit.

Hanover Pancake House

For some reason it's been years since I've had breakfast at Hanover Pancake House in downtown Topeka. I used to go there with my grandma for breakfast and lunch and I always remember having good experiences there. I decided to check it out last weekend and I wasn't let down.

The inside is what you'd expect to find when entering a pancake house that's been around forever (I'm not quite sure how many years it's been there). The booths were worn but clean and cosy. The staff was friendly and inviting and we were sat immediately. We got there around 1 p.m. on a Sunday and you could tell it had just been really busy and we were getting there after the breakfast rush because all the waitstaff looked tired but relieved Sunday morning was over -- at least until next week.

The Monterey Chicken Omelette

I ordered coffee and the waitress offered a choice of creamer -- regular, pumpkin, French vanilla and hazelnut -- I got French vanilla. What I like is when you order coffee the server will bring a coffee carafe to the table and leave it there. I like being able to control how often I get more coffee and how much.

My husband and I had coupons for buy one get one free omelettes so that's what we went for. I got the Monterey Chicken Omelette, which comes with chicken, bacon, pico de gallo and Monterey jack cheese and choice of bread. I got French toast, which cost a little more but that was OK with me. It's originally sold with choice of toast but if you want pancakes or French toast it's $3 more. It's totally worth the money for the French toast.

French toast. Oh yum!

The omelette was good, but not the best I've had. I really didn't like the chicken because it was quite dry. I ended up picking out most of the chicken, but the rest of the omelette was pretty good. The eggs were cooked well and came with lots of cheese and pico de gallo, so I wasn't disappointed with the omelette itself.

The French toast was the best part of the entire meal. I may just get a platter of that the next time I eat at Hanover's. The slices were brown and pan-fried-crispy on the outside and cloud-fluffy on the inside with cinnamon and powdered sugar sprinkled on top. I slathered on butter and smothered the toast in maple syrup. I ate both slices and wanted more. I would have ordered more but I was pretty full.

If omelettes aren't your preference, there are many other choices on the menu. From your run-of-the-mill breakfast platters to pigs in a blanket, Hanover's is sure to have something you like. Here's a link to the menu: http://www.hanoverpancakehouse.com/menu.html.

My only complaint is the chicken was dry, but it didn't ruin my experience and I plan to return and try something else. I mean, it was named Best of Topeka 2014 for the best place to eat breakfast for a reason.

A Taste Of The Bahamas

For my eighth wedding anniversary, my husband and I spent a week in the Bahamas on the island of Nassau. We asked a few locals where they would recommend us to eat to get some local cuisine, not tourist food, they all said the same place: The Fish Fry.

The only thing to me is that if that's what they all said, then they probably all told tourists that Fish Fry was the place to go... so wouldn't that make it tourist food? I don't know, but we went there anyway to check it out.

Pulling up, we were a little early for lunch, just before 11 a.m. so they weren't serving lunch quite yet, but the hostess still seated us and we ordered mango lemonade and I just got regular lemonade and water. The waitress seemed to really push the bottled water even though we insisted on tap, but she ended up bringing us tiny plastic cups of ice water that were gone in seconds because it's so hot and humid there. I know Kansas is pretty humid, but this was ridiculous. It felt like 75-80 percent humidity while it was around 91 degrees. The waitress wasn't quick to refill our waters, either.


The restaurant seemed outdated, but most things on the island were that way so it just felt local. There was a lot of construction going on all over the island. Everywhere we went there were buildings halfway built and crews building. Even next to our hotel there were at least two other resorts being built. I spent some time watching them work at the tops of high buildings on cranes. Scary. Anyway, it was like the entire island was in the process of updating. The restaurant included.

The lemonade was extremely sweet and I couldn't even drink the entire glass. The mango lemonade was even sweeter. All the drinks I got while on the island were sweeter than back home. My husband and I decided it was because they used real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. When I bought a bottle of Sprite, I looked and sure enough, it was made with real sugar and even had "Sprite Bahamas" on it. Crazy how much difference the real thing makes.

Conch fritters. Yum.

Service was pretty slow for being one of two tables that we could see were eating lunch.

For an appetizer we ordered the conch fritters, which are pretty popular in the Bahamas. Conch is a shell fish that seems to be used in everything there, and it's pretty good. (See video below). Although it seemed a little chewy sometimes, I think that's just the nature of the fish. These conch fritters reminded me of hush puppies with chunks of conch throughout. They were served with a sauce that was creamy and spicy and reminded me of Sriracha hot sauce. The fritters were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and the fish wasn't overpowering either, they really blended in. The chunks would kind of pull them apart and eating them could get messy, but they were worth it.

I ordered a fish sandwich. There didn't seem to be much on the menu other than a Conch burger, fried fish and burgers. The fish sandwich was tasty: fried white fish, lettuce, tomato, (I took the onion off), with a side of fries. I put tartar sauce on it, too. The fish was crispy and the bun was soft, although it was a little greasy. I mean, it was fried, but it wasn't a fish steak, it was pieces of fish so it seemed to be a little greasier than if it were just one piece. I couldn't eat the entire sandwich, the portions were pretty good size, there was a lot of fish.

I would say it was a good fish sandwich, but I was a little disappointed, honestly. I was expecting some fresh fish tasting of the sea. This fish tasted just like any fish I could order back home. The only exciting thing, to me, was the conch fritters because I couldn't order them anywhere else. I was also hoping to try other types of fish than just fried, but that just didn't happen, they didn't really have much of a selection.

Because it cost $20 each way to get anywhere in Nassau it was hard for us to want to try any other restaurant while we were there -- especially while staying at an all-inclusive resort where we didn't have to pay more for food. So, I was a little disappointed.

I would probably try to find a different restaurant next time I visit Nassau. Fish Fry was good, but I am curious to see if I could find some fish that isn't fried.

If you're not sure what conch is, or how they prepare it, watch this video of two fisherman in the Bahamas.

Taco Bell Breakfast -- No Surprises

This morning I decided to try Taco Bell's new breakfast items. I wasn't too impressed.

Sausage, egg and cheese A.M. Grilled Taco

There are only a few items on the menu, so far but I am sure they will continue to add more in the future.  There are four entree items that you can order with a choice of bacon or sausage with sides consisting of potato hash browns and/or a 12-pack of Cinnabon Delights, which were already on their menu. There is also Tropicana orange juice and coffee, which they don't have packets so they pour it in themselves. I don't know if I like that because I want to control what's in my coffee. I don't like leaving it up to some person I've never met to decide how much creamer I need, especially in a drive through, like I was at the time. Regardless, I ordered the coffee.

The coffee reminded me of the bold roasts from other fast good joints like McDonald's and Hardee's -- strong and in need of a lot of cream and sugar. It was okay, but I am not a fan of Starbucks if that tells you anything. This coffee was strong, and it made my stomach upset, which sometimes happens with certain coffees, including Starbucks, which is why I brought it up in the first place. Next time, I'll probably just get the orange juice.

I ordered two of their breakfast items -- the Breakfast Burrito and the A.M Grilled Taco -- both with sausage. I didn't see the hash browns on the menu when I was ordering or I would have ordered one of those but it didn't stand out so I missed it. I've had the Cinnabon Delights before and they were too sweet then so I knew they would be too sweet in the morning.

Sausage, egg and cheese Breakfast Burrito

The Breakfast Burrito was nothing surprising. The tortilla was soft, stuffed with eggs, cheese and sausage. There was a lot of cheese so if you love cheese, this will be the item for you. The A.M. Grilled Taco was again, nothing surprising. It consisted of scrambled eggs, cheese and sausage stuffed into a soft taco shell that was grilled on a flat top. The grilled tortilla gave it a little extra flavor but nothing too exciting.

I want to go back and try some of their pricier items like the Waffle Taco and the A.M. Crunchwrap sometime soon. Those items seem to be a little more dynamic and probably why they cost more than $1.50 each.  I wanted to try more than one thing so I went for the cheaper choices.

Honestly, I was disappointed. Taco Bell is supposed to be like Americanized-Mexican fast food. These items had no zest, flavor or appeal. There needs to be something taco-y about each item and all I see is eggs, sausage and breakfast meat offered in a few different ways -- in a tortilla, in a grilled tortilla and a waffle. Jazz it up a notch, Taco Bell.

So I guess the point of Taco Bell doing breakfast is to compete with McDonald's breakfast. One of the taco joint's ploys is they are staying open a half hour later for breakfast than the burger place. I don't know if they will be successful, personally I love me an egg and sausage biscuit from any place, Micky D's, Hardee's and even Burger King. I see TB sticking with burritos and crunch wraps, though, so who really knows what's going to happen.

Either way, now Taco Bell has breakfast, or "Firstmeal". Are you going to go try it? Or do you prefer to stick with lunch and dinner and get your breakfast elsewhere? Comment below and let me know.

Monsoon Grill - YUM!

I finally checked out the new Monsoon Indian Grill.

I went there on a Sunday night for dinner and there were quite a few people eating. The atmosphere is dim, quaint and relaxing. The service was good and our waitress was helpful with the menu. If you've never been to an Indian restaurant, you will need help with the menu, trust me.

For lunch they offer a buffet but I went for dinner so it's only a la carte, but that was OK with me because I already knew what I wanted to order.

I ordered the Chicken Tikki Masala with some naan bread. You can choose if you want regular, mild or spicy for any dish -- I chose regular because I just wasn't sure what their spice was like because I had never ordered anything before. My friend ordered the Tikki Masala skewers in spicy and he was sweating profusely and I think he looked uncomfortable. I, on the other hand, had no problem eating most of my dish.

Here's my rice and Chicken Tikki Masala.

My entree came with white rice, which I like to mix with the Tikki Masala sauce and pile it on my naan bread and eat it that way, kind of like a burrito. The chicken wasn't dry, which sometimes it can be since most cooks think: "Well, it's going in a sauce anyway..." NOT true. Even though a meat is smothered in sauce it is still easy to tell if that meat is over cooked and dry. This chicken was not.

I have to say, I enjoyed the dishes - like the plates and silverware. The bowls were interesting, with a tall handle-like piece that seems to me would cause the dishwasher a headache. The plates were rectangles with decorative lips in the plate that make it look crooked. The silverware was sturdy and heavy, unlike some places where I have been able to bend my fork or knife in the process of using it.

These are simosas: baked pastry filled with peas, potatoes and lentils. 

The naan bread was amazing. The cooks make it by throwing the dough on the side of an Indian-style oven -- tandoori -- and letting it bake until it falls off. What makes naan bread special is that it's usually made with yogurt instead of milk or water. At Monsoon the bread was fluffy on the inside and a little crunchy from the grill on the outside. I ordered a second helping because it was so good.

I look forward to returning for the lunch buffet. From what I hear they have different items on the buffet daily. If you have never eaten Indian food I would recommend checking out the buffet -- that way you can try a bunch of different dishes and figure out what you like, and what you don't like. From my experience, you will like more than you don't like!

Normally I post a map to show where the restaurant is located. Unfortunately, Monsoon Grill is so new they don't have a place on Google maps, yet. But just FYI, it's located right behind Chipotle Mexican Grill on Wanamaker Road in Topeka.

Royal Buffet - A lot like Mr. Stirfry

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I went to Royal Buffet and must say, it's a lot like Mr. Stirfry.

Even though there are many similarities, like the sauteed green beans, dessert and fruit bar there are many differences I noticed, as well.

I went to Mr. Stirfry on an almost regular basis because my husband, Ryan, loved it so I remember a lot about it and was able to compare the new Royal Buffet with the old, Mr. Stirfry.

One difference I noticed what that instead of serving the white rice in a steamer, separate from the actual steam tables where most of the food is heated, they put it on the buffet with the rest of the items. This is a bad decision, I think. When the rice sits in the steam table it becomes chewy and inedible -- unlike when it's in its own personal rice steamer. I wasn't happy with this change, although very minor, it affected my dining experience in a negative way.

The crab Rangoons are much better because they have more flavor. They definitely look different and the way they taste are much better than many other Asian buffets around town. They reminded me of the money bags at Tuptim Thai, little fried pockets of seasoned cream cheese. I couldn't tell if there was anything added but the filling seemed to me to be sweet, unlike others that are crabby. Maybe they aren't technically "crab Rangoons" but that's what I call them.

Another positive change was the vegetable lo mein. Back when it was Mr. Stirfry, it was like they used spaghetti noodles and not many vegetables. At Royal Buffet, they use the flatter noodles that are usually associated with lo mein, and used plenty of vegetables. The noodles were cooked al dente, whereas in the past they seemed to be mushy and old. They were saucier and I could put them on my white rice and let the rice soak up the extra sauce.

The beef and broccoli was much better than before. Before, at Mr. Stirfry, it was chicken and broccoli and very peppery. My only complaint was that the broccoli wasn't cooked enough for me but I realize they cook them that way on purpose, assuming they will be sitting in a steamer for some time, which ends up cooking the food more. I must have gotten a fresh batch because my broccoli was still pretty crunchy.

I didn't try the hibachi but it seemed to be just like it was before.

Their ice cream machine was out of order and instead they served little containers of ice cream. It was good, nothing special.

Overall, I felt like the food was more appealing, fresher and tastier at Royal Buffet than it was when it was Mr. Stirfry. The owners are different than the owners of Mr. Stirfry and Royal Buffets can be found in Wichita and other states in the Midwest.