KC eats

Eden Alley was nothing short of astounding.  Who knew a vegetarian, vegan, raw, local, organic, soy + gluten free* restaurant existed  in the basement of a temple in Kansas City!  From the very start they’re sweet talking us with complimentary multi grain and sourdough bread and agave butter (vegan margining mixed with agave. sweet. salty. satisfying.)  On strong recommendation we tried the “tantalizing tasty triplet”, a combo platter that allows you  to choose 3 items and try out smaller portions of all three, soup or salad and two entrees.  sweet.  We all opted for the soup, and devoured the delectable d’jour delight a yummy vegan lentil soup.  Now who can remember exactly who got what off the appetizing menu, but we found ourselves feasting on a smorgasbord of dishes including but not limited to: humus and pita, spinach and mushroom loaf, sweet potato burrito, (vegan) garlic grilled cheese, regular grilled cheese, spinach balls (balls of spinach served with marinara sauce, brilliant) and whole wheat pasta.  Oh it was a beast of a feast!

must haves on the menu:
lentil soup, spinach balls 
*there were offerings of each, not every item on the menu was all of those things
**photo thanks to the Eden Alley online menu

-o-o-o-

Now, we’ve all had Chinese food in America, and while it is readily available, sometimes tasty and always quite greasy most of us recognize that it bears little to no resemblance of the food consumed in China.  Blue Koi offers “undeniably artistic Chinese”.  The dishes are fresh, beautiful and satisfying.  They offer a selection “fine Chinese loose leaf teas” that of course Chelsea indulged in and when it came in a self, steeping 3 piece ceramic cup she received instructions on how to operate it: “Take it out when it is done steeping and not before, if to pull it out and then put it back in it will overflow.”  So naturally, before the waiter who instructed her had even left the table there was a flood. The tea was tasty and entertaining too!  As a party of 8 we got a bunch of dishes, veg*n and not and there was a lot of sharing.  Particularly notable on the veg*n side of the table was the Ants on a tree, minced vegetables and tofu over bean noodles, and the vegetarian noodle soup a big bowl of savory both with crisp-yet-tender vegetables and soft, smooth noodles.  

must haves on the menu:
ants on a tree and Archimedes displacement-discovering tea