Kampai Alley: I’ve really enjoyed the sushi here. Fresh, good selection of nigiri and sashimi, with plenty of inventive rolls to draw out the non-purists. The sukiyaki broth boasted little of the salty, sweet and sour flavors that normally mark this Japanese hotpot, however. Still, the interior is one of Columbia’s nicest as well and they now have Anchor Steam on tap as well. A nice addition.
Broadway Brewery: Mmm, the Rooster. This may be my favorite pizza there. Chicken, artichokes, creamy garlic sauce. Very nice. They’re also putting out some great soups, though they’ve yet to repeat any (leek and kale, please?). Bonus points for not dumbing down the kids menu. And for the Blonde Cream, which is refreshing and escapes the problems they’ve had with carbonation in other beers.
Olive Cafe: My visits have been all over the map. But some folks I trust really like the place, so it could be bad luck and selection. What should I be ordering?
Der Essen Platz: The fried oysters utterly failed to impress, though the grilled sardines were nice. And I still can’t get into German beer. My the parents had great luck with entrees. I need to give them a full visit.
Tags: 4 Quick Notes, Broadway Brewery, Der Essen Platz, Kampai Alley, Lake of the Ozarks, Olive Cafe and Grocery
August 23, 2010 at 10:12 am
Re: Olive Cafe
What are you ordering? Admittedly, I’ve mostly had the gyro, which is loaded. We’ve also had anything they do with hummus (1st or 2nd best in town), especially whatever dish has the chicken in the hummus. The baba ganoush is also pretty good. I’m not sure about everything we’ve ordered, but I know it’s all been good.
August 23, 2010 at 12:00 pm
I can’t stand Olive Cafe. We went back to Broadway after months away. Better menu; more control of offerings. Food was still not good. APA was off. Saison was good. They don’t know how to roast potatoes or season meat. Kampai does have a beautiful space. We ate there once and thought it was nice.
August 23, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Re: Olive Cafe, I’ve had kofta (once excellent, once burned) and gyros (one excellent, one – chicken – not so much). Hummus is indeed very good.
I’ve been mostly pleased with Broadway’s food, Jeff, but have stuck more to vegetable-oriented items. Haven’t encountered potatoes yet.
August 24, 2010 at 2:20 pm
I hear Jeff likes potatoes.
August 24, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I stick with the vegetarian options at Olive. Not that the meats are bad, it’s just that they can be inconsistent and the quality really depends on when it was made.
Love the interior of Kampaii. If they get Hitachio I may never go anywhere else in town for sushi.