This Chain is no Fool

Mr. Ref broke the "no restaurant chain" rule for the GAS Club this month, but we all know that Mr. Ref is nothing if not a rule breaker!  I was checking my bank account last night to see if I could find enough cash for a down-payment for my own Chuy's franchise.  I think I could eat there every night!  Well, at least once a week.
Chuy's converted the old Figlio's (a restaurant with very fond memories for me, Mrs. Ref) space with bright, over-the-top classic Cheech and Chong décor and it is just good fun!  While waiting for Mr. Ref to find a parking space, Grandpa and I were invited into the bar by a young worker who was holding a table for us, and showed us the ropes of scooping up 1,000 extra calories at the nacho bar.  We had to celebrate with a $4.95 Happy Hour strawberry mango swirl margarita, of course!
The appetizer plate courtesy of Mr. Ref had a sample of a smoky, delicious fajita quesadilla that really whet my appetite for more.  I ordered the steak burrito, because I really wanted to try the green sauce.  Our energetic, efficient, friendly server warned me it would be too hot, but I was feeling Macho after my strawberry mango swirl margarita and went for it!  Delicious taste, but really, it was just too hot to fully enjoy.  I managed to eat the rest of it for lunch the next day using only about a half a box of Kleenex, so I guess the spicy evaporates a bit overnight.
Can't wait to go back and try the fajita's or maybe just the fajita quesadilla.  A bright gem on the plaza with the family friendly prices, friendly servers.  If you like Tex Mex--you gotta try it!
Final Score 4.5 of 5 (If we hadn't all been squeezed together at tiny tables, it would have been a 5!)

Chuy's Was a Touchdown ***GO CHIEFS!!!!!!!***

Mr. Ref here, last night we went to Chuy's.  This was my month to chose and I was looking for a sandwich type place, that served the Italian type of food I ate several years ago when I was in New Jersey, very near New York City.  So far I have come close, but I have not found anything that matches my memory of the very delicious food I ate back then.
I was not planning on choosing a Mexican place, because that has been reserved more for grandpa.  Mexican is grandpa's favorite type of restaurant food.  That's okay, because I think I did a good job with this choice.  Based on the feedback from last night it sounded like everyone had a good time and really enjoyed the food.
I ordered the "Famous Burrito (Big as Yo' Face)", seasoned ground sirloin, and it was really good.  It was a little different then what I normally get in a burrito, because I like queso sauce and this had red sauce on it.  The red sauce was good, but the insides of the burrito were very good.
I also had to buy appetizers, because I did not blog until the yesterday, so I ordered the appetizers plate so we could try the assortment of appetizers.  I personally liked everything on the plate.
The décor was very different, it had quite an variety of things going on all around you, with lots of different colors and lots of props, like hub caps, cameras, walls painted pink and many other things.
Our waitress did a very good job with everything, keeping our drinks filled, being patient, very helpful on meal choices (and correct) and she was very pleasant.
I gave Chuy's a 3.75 out of 5.

Little Pig Pleasure

Mr. Ref here, last month we went to Pigwich, which is run by Local Pig, and it was the most unique place so far.  Only because it was outdoors, we sat on picnic tables, there was no light and it was served out of a truck.  I had the Thursday special, which was a fried pork loin sandwich, and it came with homemade chips.  I would have to say that my pork loin sandwich was not the best I have had in Kansas City, I thought it was good, but not great.  Several of the others indicated it was the best they had ever had anywhere.  I felt it had to much fat in it.  When I had bites that did not contain the fat, then I though it tasted really good.  Unfortunately there was not enough of those bites.  I did however think the homemade chips were really good.
I did try a couple of others sandwiches and thought they were much better, so I gave it a 3 out of 5.

That'll do, pig(wich).

Last month we went down to the East Bottoms to the food truck connected to the Local Pig.  It is called Pigwich.  I had never been to the East Bottoms before.  It is kind of mysterious - there are a lot of older buildings that look unoccupied, but still well kept.  It is industrial - train tracks, the river, etc. - but then there is this artisan butcher shop and a honky tonk.  Pretty awesome.

The butcher shop had a lot of meats.  And a lot of butchers.  I have been to similar butcher shops, and there is always a ton of butchers.  If anyone knows why there are so many butchers at these places, let me know.

Attached is the food truck - Pigwich.  There are like 5 sandwiches to choose from, with one being a rotating special.  I got the Thursday special, a tenderloin.  It was delicious.  A hardy portion, but not one of those ridiculous portions where you need two buns to cover it.  The single bun was a pretzel bun.  It was an A-1, super-duper, tip-top, buy-it-before-its-gone, triple A rated, zero-down-no-credit-check, Cy Young award winning, Daytime Emmy nominated, A-for-effort, great-job-flossing-you're-cavity-free, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, J.D. Power and Associates best-in-class, I'm-going-to-Disneyland, diamonds-on-the-souls-of-her-shoes, come-on-down!-you're-the-next-contestant-on-the-Price-is-Right, ain't-no-thing-but-wing-on-a-string-from-Burger-King, second-prize-in-the-beauty-contest-collect-$10 kind of sandwich.  And the chips were good too.

I also thought Sara's Bahn Mi was exceptional.

Wish they had lighting near their picnic tables. Otherwise nice job. 4/5 
 

For the month of October we met at the picnic tables of the Pigwich.  It was a beautiful night out and the sun was beginning to set.  We went up to a cute little train car and ordered our food then walked around the butcher inside.  It was amazing to watch them cutting/slicing all the meats so quickly.  It was fun to just sit back and watch them for a few minutes.  We then went back outside to wait to hear our name called for our food.  I loved being outside and the feel of the environment.  I decided to order the Philly Cheese Steak.  Unfortunately, I did not love my meal.  I am used to Philadelphia Cheesecakes, that are smothered with onions, peppers and cheese.  Even though it is a heart attack waiting to happen, it is one of the most delicious things EVER!  So unfortunately when I ordered that is what I was expecting.

The cheese steak came on a nice piece of bread with some onions. To my surprise it also came with mayonnaise smothered all over it and we all know how I feel about mayo!! DISGUSTING!!  I decided to suck it up and try to eat just the bottom half, however that truly took down my points.  The sandwiches also came with chips, which happened to be the BEST chips I have ever had.  They were the perfect crunch and so salty!  They were truly wonderful!  I had a great time, loved the atmosphere and location, however did not love my meal.  My overall score was a 3.3/5.0

Pigwich or "This Pig was no Witch"

I have a firm rule to NEVER read the blogs before I blog.  But I broke my rule this week because I couldn't remember the name of the Vietnamese sandwich I ordered last month at the Pigwich.  I was rewarded with a Bon Apetite' worthy review written by the Rock Star blogger Sarah.  How can I compete with that review?  So how about this:  Ditto what Sara said! 
My Banh Mi sandwich was a little too anticipated I'm afraid, and so I was a little disappointed when I actually ate it.  I had read astounding reviews about the sandwich months ago and so the anticipation mounted to a crescendo that the real thing couldn't quite stand up to.  On the other hand, it was a pleasant sandwich that I was able to enjoy.  But I didn't really want to eat it once I tasted Mr. Refs tenderloin which was without equal in the tenderloin department.  The pretzel bun, the crispy outside of the loin and juicy flavor of the meat blended beautifully with the flavorful sauce.  Like a fine wine, it had such subtle layers of flavor that finished with a compulsion to eat more and more.  I'm probably not safe going back there--I think it would take 2 tenderloins to sate my appetite!
Final Score 4/5 (Mrs. Ref)

Deep down, we all just want to eat a really good sandwich

Last month the gang headed to Pigwich, the Local Pig’s food truck in the East Bottoms. This was my pick, thank you very much.

There’s a bridge that takes you from metropolitan Kansas City into an entirely different place: the East Bottoms. You feel like you stepped on the wrong side of the tracks in 1950s New Orleans. Knuckleheads is a few blocks away, and you can smell the river and hear the trains. This place has character.

Pigwich offers a small menu of 5-6 sandwiches, one rotating based on day of the week. I opted for the Banh Mi, a Vietnamese sandwich with scrumptious pork meatballs on a baguette. For a $1 more, you can get a drink and house-made chips with your sandwich. DO IT.

We dined on picnic tables out of cardboard boxes. My sandwich was delicious. I should have saved half for lunch the next day, but I just didn’t stop eating. The chips were hot and salty and thin, everything chips should be. I nearly finished them off, too.

Then the bikers showed up.

First it was the spandex-clad cyclists. I heard the food truck chefs mutter “they’re here,” which tells me this band of folks are either regulars or that they have a reputation that precedes them. Then another posse of bikers—motorcyclists—showed up. Was it awkward, you ask, sitting between two groups of bikers? Yes, a little. But there was no rumble, and everyone enjoyed his or her sandwiches in peace. I guess no matter how different we seem on the outside, deep down, we all just want to eat a really good sandwich.*

I will definitely head back to Pigwich in the spring, when the weather warms back up. Don’t expect any frills, but do expect great sandwiches for a great price, enjoyed in a funky neighborhood. My score: 4/5 stars.

*quote attributed to Liz Lemon, 30 Rock: Season 4, Episode 4 (Yes, Justin, the Chuckle Hut one.)

This little piggy went yum yum yum all the way home!

Aww to eat straight from the butcher what a joy! Last month we all went to a little food truck in what seemed at first to be in the middle of no where... Wait it was in the middle of no where. But like they say out in no where is where you find the gems. And this little butcher shop that had a food truck attached was no exception. With a short but delicious menu, I quickly decided on the tenderloin sandwich which is almost always my decision if its on the menu. While we waited we went in to the butcher shop to seem the hacking away chunks of meet from just about every farm animal you find in Charlotte's Web. After watching you would think I would have lost my appetite, but on the contrary I was even more hungry than before. As they called our name we picked up our order in these little boxes. Open up and bam a tenderloin sandwich on a pretzel bun with all the fixings. I took a bite and the flavors swirled around my tongue flavorful. It was sweet and tangy with the mayo and crunchy and so good. In the box there was also a generous portion of homemade potato chips and let me tell you the oil they were cooked on dripped with goodyness and each crunchy bite was better than the next. Now I have to admit this wasn't the best tenderloin I have ever eaten, but it was in my top 3! And with how many tenderloins from so many different restaurants a top 3 is quite the praise. If I worked in the downtown area I could see my self getting stuffed like a pig from this little Piggy truck! I have to say 3.78 from me!

October was a fun month when we visited the Pigwich food truck.   The truck offers 5 sandwiches and a daily special, which includes chips and a drink for $8.00, quite a bargain.  The dining area consists of 3 or 4 picnic tables that are covered, but has no lights, so need to get there before dark, if eating there.  I have always wanted to try a Bahn Mi and I finally had my opportunity.  The meatballs were exceptionally tender and delicious.   The bread was a little hard for my taste, but the sandwich as a whole was very good.   The chips are fresh sliced, fried on site with a perfect amount of salt.  They were the most amazing chips I have ever eaten, the chips by themselves are worth the trip.   I am going to go back on a Monday, for lunch so I can give the Cuban a try.  I rated Pigwich, 4.0.