Old Chicago Pizza and Tap Room: Shoal Creek

Delicious pizza, amazing mac and cheese, and incredible happy hour deals. If those don't make you feel like giving Old Chicago a try, then I don't know what will. If you're anything like me, it's easy to get stuck in the same old restaurant rut. But about a week ago, Aaron and I got the opportunity to visit Old Chicago Shoal Creek. The restaurant chain has been around since 1976 when it started in Boulder, Colorado, but this particular restaurant is new to the area, and is located near Liberty, right off of 152. Aaron visits for happy hour, but we had never gone for the full experience. Until now.

From the very start, we were very pleased with the environment and service.  The place was packed, but we were still seated right away, and warmly greeted by the manager. There were 16 TVs in the bar, and three more in the dining area, so it's definitely a great place to watch the game with friends. They also have an amazing outdoor patio space with a garage door that opens up to let fresh air into the restaurant. There are also umbrellas if you're a shade person. Our waiter, Hugo, truly tended to our every need with just the right mix of attentiveness and personality. 

Outdoor area with garage door that opens up into the restaurant.

Drinks

We stuck with an Arnold Palmer and an iced tea, but they do offer a huge lineup of world class beers. They offer daily $3 craft beer pints and $4 crafted cocktails (see the list here). And if you're a night owl, come from 10 to close every night and you can enjoy $2 PBR cans, $3 pints of anything, $4 wine and call drinks, and $5 you call it. You can even join the OC Rewards program to try out the World Beer Tour and earn rewards along the way!

Appetizers

Oh. My. Goodness. Anyone else out there who can totally eat apps for a meal? We just had to try the Sicilian Pizza Rolls, served with fresh marinara and house made ranch. They were seriously so good and cheesy, and the dough was cooked to perfection.

Sicilian Pizza Rolls

We also had to sample the new Bacon and Cheddar Mac and Cheese Bites. If you're a mac and cheese lover, you've GOT to give these a go. Served with a delicious beer cheese dipping sauce and spicy Sriracha ketchup, they were just the right mix of crispy and delectably cheesy.

Bacon and Cheddar Mac and Cheese Bites

  Entrees: Pizza + Mac and Cheese

 As if we even had room for all of it, our main courses arrived. A half Meat Me, half Chicago 7 pizza on Chicago thick crust couldn't have been better. We took most of it home for the next day's lunch, but I would highly recommend both of them. Chicago 7 is similar to a supreme, and Meat Me is your "meat-lovers". They also have pizza made with white and pesto sauces, if you're looking for something a little different.

We couldn't leave without giving the mac and cheese a try. We landed on the Chicken Pesto, which was probably one of my favorite things we ate, but they also do "craft your own" mac and cheese. You can order the sauce, stir-ins, add-ins, and toppings! If you're not feeling pizza when you visit, go with the mac and cheese!

Dessert

It doesn't matter how full I am, I can always make room for dessert. Anyone with me? Brownie Bites were new and highly recommended, so we splurged a bit. Boy, am I grateful we did. These brownie bites were lightly fried on the outside, oh-so soft and moist on the inside, and topped with caramel and just a hint of powdered sugar. Give them a dunk in the chocolate fudge sauce and I'd say you have pretty much the perfect dessert.

We left with full bellies, large to-go boxes, and an overall amazing experience at Old Chicago. I know we will definitely be back to take advantage of the happy hour (3-6 pm Mon thru Fri) and late night specials (including $2 one-topping pizzas!). They also have some great pizza/calzone and salad lunch specials for only $7.99. Whether you're out with the guys, your other half, or even celebrating with the family, Old Chicago is definitely worth a stop. Check out their website, or like them on Facebook. You won't be disappointed. Happy eating!

Currently,
Kelsie

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Artego Pizza

Aaron and I celebrated our second anniversary this week with our first visit to Artego Pizza. I'd recently found and followed them on Twitter, and was intrigued by all of the specials and delicious-looking photos I'd seen from them. Besides, who wouldn't be up for checking out one of the newest pizza places in Kansas City? In the spirit of trying new things, I checked out their website at http://www.artegopizza.com and saw that they had a great lunch special including a 10'' two-topping calzone and drink for $8.99. And so, off to 39th Street we went. 

Located just east of Q39, Artego Pizza is on the right end of a strip of shops and restaurants. With outdoor seating and ample parking, the newly updated art of Alexander Austin welcomed us on a rainy and sleepy Monday afternoon. The modern Edison lighting and wood plank walls really helped us feel the "artisanal food and drinks in a casual atmosphere" that the website promised. With a full bar and five different TVs placed in prime locations, every seat in the house provides for a good viewing experience. They've only been fully up and running for around six months, with a soft opening that started back in December. With online ordering already available, and delivery coming soon, it's safe to say that they're going to see some great success.

The food did not disappoint. My expectations were met, and then surpassed. Aaron went ahead and upgraded his calzone to one of the signature pizza flavors: the Stockyard. It features pepperoni, salami, ground beef, Scimeca's Italian sausage, and bacon. I landed on my current favorite pizza combo for my two toppings: pepperoni and pineapple. Don't knock it 'til you try it, people.  The calzones were delicious. The crust was just the right mix of buttery soft and crispy, and the cheese melted in your mouth.  I'm sure all of their pizza flavors are just as good. I was even able to box up about half of mine and take it home for lunch the next day.

I'm already planning a return trip to dig into one of their other flavors, which include some delicious options such as Pesto Pollo, BBQ Chicken, or Madrina (which features pepperoni and cream cheese- yum!) all at reasonable prices. They also do starters, salads, pasta, and dessert pizza that includes mouthwatering items like Sopapilla Pizza and Nutella Pockets. Be still my heart. See their full menu here. 


We had wonderful service, and chatted with a lovely manager who was kind enough to wish us happy anniversary and listen to our crazy camera story. Safe to say, Artego Pizza gets the Currently, Kelsie stamp of approval, and we'll be back for sure. Cue the anniversary photo shoot.

Ready to give Artego Pizza a go? You won't regret it. Like them on Facebook here, or check them out on Twitter at @artegopizza.  I've seen some awesome specials mentioned on Twitter, including a "half off everything" special for those in the service industry and $15 bottomless mimosas on Sundays. Happy eating, dear friends.

P.S. Take me with you when you go.

Currently,
Kelsie

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Rock and Run Brewery and Pub

Wow. All I can say is, wow. If you're looking for a place that can deliver in taste, service, and value, you've got to try Rock and Run Brewery. Located on the historic Liberty square, Rock and Run has been around since mid-December of 2013. One owner loved rock, one owner loved running, and there you have it: Rock and Run. The restaurant brings craft brewery to the Northland, and provides a friendly atmosphere in a modern remodeled historical building. I'd been in once with friends for happy hour, but was excited to come in again on a Friday night with Aaron when we had time for the full experience.

From the very start, we were pleasantly surprised. There were plenty of TVs showing the Royals game, so we were able to watch them win while we waited for our table. It didn't take long to be seated, and live music was just starting up in the back. Our server was very attentive, and we were incredibly impressed by the manager. He wasn't the sit back and watch kind of guy; he was running food, greeting tables, and attending to our every need. Man in the bow tie, you know who you are. Keep up the great work! 

If you like beer, Rock and Run's got you covered. They offer 40 craft beers on tap. Up to 10 of those 40 are beers that they brew on site. A great way to taste several is to get the beer flight sampler, where you can try 5 different beers for $10. They also offer sips to taste for free, or a sample of one for $2. Yearly Brew Crew Memberships are also available for $20, which gets you lots of perks and special offers. Aaron's sampler included the Liberty2, Farmhouse Funk, Pacific Jade Pale, Cherry Bomb What, and Ryely Porter. 

Beer Flight Sampler

Now, for the food. 

We started with a house salad, which was a nice mix of ranch, fresh cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, and red onions. For the main course, Aaron went with the chicken fried steak. No lie, it was the best chicken fried steak we've ever had. It was so tender and the flavor of the creamy bacon gravy was just peppery enough to give it a slight kick. The mashed potatoes were incredible, probably the best I've ever had as well (and I'm a big potato girl, so that's saying a lot!). I had more than a few bites of this because it was so yummy.

Chicken Fried Steak

Side Salad

If you can only get one thing here, get the pizza. Seriously, my Diablo pizza was DELICIOUS. I'm not a huge spicy person, but I really enjoyed this pie with a little bit of a kick. The creamy sambal sauce mixed with the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes made for the perfect combination. Spinach, red onions, chicken, mozzarella, provolone, and basil made up one of the best pizzas I've ever had.They have lots of other pizza combos as well, including BBQ Chicken, Mediterranean, Pulled Pork, Pesto, and Reuben. For under $9, you can't go wrong.  I only ate about half of it, and took the rest home, so you could probably share or split one.

Diablo Pizza

Even though I was pretty stuffed, I couldn't say no to trying dessert. Don't let this picture fool you- the Campfire Smores are a BIG portion. I ate more than I needed to, and Aaron and I still couldn't finish it off. Think rich chocolate fondue meets melted marshmallow and graham cracker and you'd be on the right track. It was delicious, and you can get it with peanut butter added if you want. They also offer milk and cookies, root beer floats, and featured dessert specials.

Campfire Smores

Everything about our visit to Rock and Run was amazing, and we will most definitely be back. Their chef is creating some of the best dishes we've ever had in the KC area. They offer several food and drink specials, along with hosting private events in their upstairs space. They even offer discounts for customers with regularly scheduled events. Check out their website at http://rockandrunbrewery.com or like them on Facebook here. You won't regret it. Happy eating!

Currently,

Kelsie

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Paul and Jack's

If you're like my hubby and me, you get kind of stuck in a food rut every once in a while, and only eat at the same restaurants over and over again. In the spirit of Currently, Kelsie and my desire to make life a fun and fearless adventure, we've been really pushing ourselves to try out some new (to us at least) places. Thus, our visit to Paul and Jack's Tavern.

I had been to Paul and Jack's once before with friends, but I wanted to come back in since it had been a while. We stopped in on a First Friday around 9:45pm, so we were hitting the last bit of the dinner hours. Located on Clay street in the Northtown area (near Neon Wild and Cinder Block Brewery), Paul and Jack's has been around since 1948. When you enter the door, you are immediately met by several newspaper articles highlighting the restaurant over the years. Lots of interesting history!

We were seated in Walt's booth, which was a pretty sweet tribute to one of their regulars who always sat in this specific booth. The dining area was broken up into several different rooms, all with excellent views of multiple TVs. This was definitely a great place to watch a game, and we cheered on the Royals to a victory as we ordered.

Walt's Booth

We decided to splurge and start with an appetizer because we were both pretty hungry. We ordered the Jalapeño Bottle Caps, which are battered, deep fried jalapeños that come in both snack and full size. We got the snack size for only $2.99. I'm not a big spicy person, but they were really good!

Jalapeño Bottle Caps

For dinner, I got the Cuban Sandwich, consisting of pulled pork, pickles, swiss cheese, garlic aioli, mustard, and delicious ham. It normally comes with fries, but I got the veggies on the side and they were really fresh with nice flavoring. I took home half of my sandwich as leftovers for the next day's lunch. Definitely a good portion of food for under $9.

The Cuban Sandwich

Aaron is my burger man. He got the PJ's Double Cheeseburger, which was just like it sounds- two burgers and two pieces of cheese. Pretty filling with great flavor. Fries are his go to on the side. Very reasonable at $6.99.

PJ's Double Cheeseburger

Paul and Jack's also offers some super great specials. We missed them since we were eating so late on a Friday night, but they offer a happy hour menu for each day of the week. Check it out:

The restaurant also hosts live bands essentially every Friday and Saturday from the end of May through October. The bands play from 8 to midnight, and cover is often free and is never more than $7. Their huge outdoor patio area and stage can easily host special events such as rehearsal dinners, class reunions and more. They also cater.

All in all, we were very happy with our experience at Paul and Jack's. We had great service, the menu was reasonable and offered a variety of options, and the food was great. We will be back again to try out some of their other specials. Check out their full menu at http://www.paulandjacks.com , or find them on Facebook here. 

Currently,
Kelsie

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Eating Out: The Thrifty Way

I'm going to give myself a little pat on the back here: I have successfully cooked dinner for 4 weeknights in a row! (More on my freezer meals later.) I know, I know, not that big of an accomplish, right? But for a working woman who cooks only for two, it can be quite tempting (and sometimes even less expensive if you know where to eat and what time of night) to go out to eat.

Some of our favorites are Applebee's and 54th Street. Seriously, we should probably buy stock in these places. If you can wait until after 9 to eat, and if you can split a meal, you can both eat for $9 or less plus tip. Obviously it's a little harder if you have kids, but you can still take advantage of these deals on a date night. If you're like us, and you like to eat out, you CAN do it without breaking the bank!

54th Street
"Half-Price" Apps After 9

You have to purchase a drink, then you can get any appetizer for $4.99.
Want to make the most of your money? Get the super nachos. You can split it and order one drink (to qualify for the $4.99 app price.
If you get the Front Flip app, you can save even more money. You can win anything from a free drink to a free entree, and the servers are really good about letting you use the deals even during half-price app time.

Aaron and I can both get a full meal out of the super nachos, and we usually have leftovers. You can get guacamole and sour cream, multiple meats, and we love it with the original Gringo drip (instead of the cheese sauce).

Total Price with generous tip: $13

http://www.54thstreetgrill.com/happy-hour-specials-6059.html

Applebee's
Half Price Appetizers After 9, No Drink Required

You can really go cheap at Applebee's. All of their appetizers are a full 50% off, so you can each get a  meal for $3-4. We like to get a couple and share. For the best meal options, go for the Chicken Quesadillas (which you can order even if they aren't shown on the menu) or the Buffalo Wings. The cheeseburger sliders are also good, and come with fries. Drink water!

They used to have Applebee's Perks with $5 off any meal, so Aaron and I were literally eating for $2 plus a tip, but they have stopped sending those coupons. Sad day. Feel like splurging? Get the $1 brownie bite for a sweet end to your meal :)

Total Price with generous tip: $12

http://www.applebees.com/menu/appetizers/appetizers

We love the "splurge" of going out to eat when it costs us less than $15. We're enjoying the freedom in this time of our lives to take advantage of these meal deals whenever. Happy Eating!

Currently,
Kelsie

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