Anyone can be a restaurant reviewer in Johnson County. I like reviews from this guy: he works, he eats, he complains. Once in awhile a man has to go back to his hunting roots, he has to procure his food in danger, surrounded by hostile environment and hard-to-find parking. That’s when I get out and go to the Independence Ave. to look for new lunch spots. There is probably not a day goes by without this area being in the news in connection to drugs, murders or prostitution. TV reporters spend so much time freezing in the street with their live reports which occur at least 12 to 24 hours after the event that they would be better off just renting an apartment and looking out of the window.
On the other hand, some of the most unique, authentic and cheap places to eat are located there, albeit with metal bars on the windows. Last week I ate at El Michoacano Taqueria (listen) which is a small family-owned restaurant. I ordered three tacos from the menu below: Carne Asada, Lengua and Chorizo. They were very tasty and they even gave me a lime to go which was a nice touch. The salsa was authenticated and approved by a Mexican co-worker. It’s not a chopped-up tomato salsa you normally see in a majority of Mexican Restaurants, theirs it real thin but flavorful and hot.
If you don’t speak Spanish please know that Lengua is tongue, Birria means goat, Tripitas is Tripe and Buche is some kind of internal part of a pig. While I enjoy a Lengua taco once in awhile (STFU Chimpo!), don’t blame me if you unknowingly eat a goat.
If you are not afraid of drive-by’s and/or mugging please try this restaurant.
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7 responses so far ↓
1 Nuke // Jan 16, 2008 at 10:15 am
Haven’t hit this one yet, but I do agree to Inped-ave having a lot of tasty inexpensive places to satisfy those looking for something more authentic than On The Border.
And I have never been afraid to eat in the area, during daylight at least…
2 Ambitious Fledgling // Jan 16, 2008 at 2:51 pm
so.. uh.. haha.. it’s a tongue taco? heh, heh, heh… ahhhh so many places to go on that one…
I’ll pass. =-)
3 kc food guy // Jan 16, 2008 at 3:13 pm
You’re correct, this place is one of the best in town. However, there is no need to be scared of muggings and drive-bys. I’m from Chicago and now I live a block off Troost Ave. I’ve been to much seedier areas then “The Avenue” for a good meal. It’s all about how you carry yourself when venturing into these parts of town. If you act like you’re prey, you will become prey.
I actually have the opposite problem. I’m hesitant to venture into JO. To face the gentrification of everything enjoyable in life. It’s like a movie that that has been edited down as to not offend or challenge ones beliefs. It’s not good, it’s not bad, it’s beige.
That said…… next time you are on the Avenue, check out Pho 97. It is right by Michoacan at 2605 west. Another good Vietnamese place is Vihn Hoa. It is just across the Heart of America Bridge in North Kansas City, you can’t miss it. It’s just across the river on your right (very safe area).
4 Waldo Oiseau // Jan 16, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I love all these recommendations! I’ve esp wanted to check out Vihn Hao. Thanks
5 Xavier Onassis // Jan 16, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I asked about Mexican eateries over at Gone Mild and someone recommended El Michoacano Taqueria.
I commute back and forth to work on The Avenue everyday. When I saw the place I figured the person who recommended I go there was just fucking with me because they wanted HSWG to get shanked and have his car stolen while he was choking down some “goat dick burrito” that he thought was a chicken chimichanga.
Maybe I’ll try it after all.
Funny story about Vihn Hoa. It used to be a Mexican place. During the transition to a Vietnamese place, there was a point where they had all of the painting done and the signage switched out except for a big, neon cactus in one of the windows.
Just looked bizzare.
6 meesha.v // Jan 16, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I have tried Pho 97 and Vinh Hoa, and the Vietnamese place inside the city market.I like baguette sandwiches from Vinh Hoa and turned my co-workers onto eating them. I thought Pho (the soup itself) was pretty good but it’s not the taste I crave.There are few decent Mexican places in JoCo i.e. Dos Reales, which belongs to Sol Azteca and Mi Ranchito. There are few new places in Olathe where there is a huge population of Mexicans. I think most ethnic places don’t survive in suburbs because majority of people are not adventurous in their tastes. So they have to be located where they have customers. Also, I was talking to Vinh’s owner couple of weeks ago and he wasn’t too happy. I never see more than a few customers at his place and some a-hole threw a rock through the window. He complained that he thought he was in the safe area but apparently not. Lastly, no matter how you act, Independence Ave. is not the safest place to be.
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[...] them look like hors d’oeuvre served before the real food is brought out to hungry guests. I wrote before about my fearless trips to unknown and scary areas of this city to procure exotic foods. Most of my [...]
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