New Salty Iguana Opens in Western Shawnee!

Okay, okay...the new Salty Iguana is technically in Olathe, but it's in the very northern part of Olathe (K-10 & Ridgeview Road), so it's a mere 7 minutes away from my house in western Shawnee.

Yes, I timed it.

Before I discovered Mi Ranchito, Salty Iguana was my very favorite Mexican place. But it was just too darn far away. Not any more. Yippee!!

If you've never tried Salty's, make sure to start with the Iguana Dip (a spinach/cheese dip). Also, they serve black beans for the most part, instead of refried (similar to Mi Ranchito), so if you don't dig these, make sure to ask for refried. But, PLEASE try them first...yummy.

Another favorite of mine is the Mini Chimichangas (beef, pork or chicken). These are listed in the Appetizer section of the menu, but I often get these for my meal and walk away stuffed.

Enjoy!

website: http://www.saltyiguana.net/

location: 10478 South Ridgeview Road, Olathe, Ks. 66061 913-310-9003 (new!)
also locations at Prairie Village, Independence and Lawrence

Cellar Rat's $100 Monthly Case of Wine

$100 case of wine!?!? How good can that be? Sounds too cheap ('bout 8 bucks a bottle)!

Well my wine-loving friends, it's good AND cheap AND the coolest thing around!

We discovered Cellar Rat Wine Merchants about a year after it opened. We visited for a free wine tasting and were floored by the awesome cellarlike-but-large space and the knowledgable staff. These ain't minimum wage liquor store clerks...these are wine experts! And to top it off, they are APPROACHABLE wine experts. We immediately loved the place, bought some wine, and signed up for their e-newsletter.

Over the next few months, we kept seeing the "$100 Case" mentioned in the newsletter. "Yuk!" I remember thinking, "How good can that be?"

Well, in December, my curiosity finally got me and I headed down to "taste the case" (an event they hold around the 5th of each month). Once again, I was floored. These wines were damn drinkable. Most I would buy again! And, while no expert, I'm fairly picky about my wines.

So we bought the December $100 case. Okay, okay, I must confess that we actually bought it TWICE. December's a festive month! Then we bought January's $100 case. And February's. And now March's. We have become regulars.

And, the cases continue to impress us. They come with a tasting sheet that describes each wine, and makes some suggestions about food pairings. No, we don't LOVE every wine. But we are trying varietals and regions that we would not normally select. And we have come across some gems.

It's delicious and a fun experience. I highly recommend it. If you're unsure, do the "Taste the Case" to check them out before you commit. Cheers!

location: 1701 Baltimore, KCMO

website: http://www.cellarratwine.com/

Broadmoor Baking Friday - Tomorrow!

Broadmoor Bistro's Baking Friday is tomorrow (2/20/09)! In short, there will be loads of yummy baked goodies (breads, cookies, decadent desserts) for sale from 12:30-4:00 pm or until sold out.

Lots of folks are becoming privy to this sale, so you'll see me waiting in line right at 12:30am, money in hand. These students make the best Snickerdoodles I've ever had. Even better than mine...sniff.

More details here.