I previously have enjoyed the food at Abuelo’s, but this time I think I may have over rated them or perhaps they changed their recipe. The restaurant which in the past seemed to be busy was rather slow at this time. We were seated quickly and it took some time to be greeted by our server. However once we got our drink and food order in it seemed like the pace picked up tremendously. I ordered the lunch chimichanga with chicken meat. I found the chimichanga a little overcooked and did not care for the queso it was drenched in. The chips and salsa were fresh and delicious.

Overall the service was spot on, with our waiter checking in frequently and offering us dessert, but the food was not up to par. Not sure what has changed since my last visit there over a year ago, but Abuelo’s can’t compare to some of my other favorite Mexican restaurants in the KC area.

Before heading to Smashburger I had hoped to call in my order and called the new location and found the phone rang endlessly until I was disconnected. Once there while waiting in line there were many flaws I found. The line was full of about fifty people waiting to order but they only had one register open but about seven extra employees running around. Finally when the line was down to about ten people another person jumped on the register. You would think that would be something to have done about twenty customers ago.

After ordering while waiting for the food I saw many mistakes being made. People who had orders to go were coming back in shorthanded on an order of fries and several dine-in customers were missing bacon from their burgers that had to be cooked and brought out separately. That was not as disturbing as the manager bagging the orders. He became very impatient with the cooks yelling at them that they were taking too long and saying that perhaps he should come back there to cook fries as it should not take this long. I found this disturbing as he is yelling at the people who are cooking my food. Way to piss them off. Plus while he is yelling at them it appears he is oblivious to the fact that he has around 20 customers behind him hearing all of this.

I was one of the lucky ones whose food order was correct. I headed back to the office to drop off the orders and chow down. I ordered the Spicy Baja burger which came with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and guacamole. It was excellent. The flavors all together made it a spicy kicker, which is what Iove. However my co-worker who ordered the All American found it under cooked and pink in areas which were a turn off for her. The smash fries I found bland and dull. Overall the burger was great, but the service needs improvement. I am giving it the opening week exception, so I will go back and see if the chaos has seized until I make my final decision.

The Country Club Plaza

New neighborhood restaurant featuring fast, fresh and affordable food hosts benefit night for Children’s Mercy Hospital.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 3, 2010) Noodles & Company, the restaurant that serves made-to-order noodles, soups and salads inspired from around the world, will open its doors on The Country Club Plaza Sunday, March 7 at 10:30 a.m. The new restaurant is located at 540 Nichols Road at the intersection of Nichols Road and Jefferson Street.

In celebration of the opening, the public is invited to a pre-opening fundraiser at the new Noodles & Company restaurant on Friday, March 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant will donate 100 percent of the sales generated from the fundraiser to Children’s Mercy Hospital, one of the nation’s top pediatric medical centers in Kansas City.

“The Plaza is one of the preeminent shopping and dining landmarks in the country, so we are thrilled to be a part of it. This opening marks the beginning of several new restaurant openings we have planned in the area this year. In fact, we will double our presence in Kansas City by the end of 2010,” said Kevin Reddy, CEO and chairman of Noodles & Company. “At Noodles, giving back and supporting our local communities is part of our culture. We look forward to kicking off our involvement by supporting Children’s Mercy Hospital, and children and families in the Kansas City area and beyond.”

The new Noodles & Company location on The Plaza will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Convenient carry-out, phone-in or fax-in orders also are available. If catering for a large group, Noodles & Company’s Square Bowls, a family style to-go option, can feed four to 50. Guests may reach the new Plaza Noodles & Company location by calling 815-561-6100 or faxing 816-561-6102.

The opening marks the fifth Noodles & Company location in Kansas City metro area. Additional Noodles & Company restaurants in the Kansas City area include locations in Olathe, Overland Park, North Kansas City and Lee’s Summit. To find a restaurant near you, please visit www.noodles.com.

About Noodles & Company

Noodles & Company is about serving real food, real quick. Our menu features made-to-order noodles, soups and salads inspired from around the world that make everyone happy from kids to adults. Think Mac & Cheese, Pad Thai, Chinese Chop Salad and Pesto Cavatappi all under one roof. Within minutes of ordering a fresh, made-to-order dish will be delivered to the table on real china with real silverware. Nothing fake here. You also don’t have to clear your table or leave a tip. We just aim to please.

Dining on a Saturday in the early afternoon was slightly busy, but the restaurant offered adequate seating which meant no wait time. Unfortunately I was unable to try any of the alcoholic beverages, but my friends tried the Big Dog Beer Bong and loved its Bloody Mary style with a new intense flavor. The drinks are a little on the pricey side of $8 and up, but the Big Dog Beer Bong is served with a Corona that makes it more than substantial.

After reviewing the drinks it was time for some snacks. Hungry for dinner & appetizers we decided to try out the Chicken Nachos which were amazing. The chicken had great flavor, the toppings were fresh and it was very filling for the entire table. For dinner I opted for the best of both worlds. I settled for the Smoker, a burger with slices of Backfire slow smoked brisket served with fries. It was cooked to perfection and had a delicious smoky flavor. They had two wonderful sauces available. One was tangy and sweet and my personal favorite was the hot and spicy habanero flavored sauce.

The food was great and service could not have been better. My only complaint would be that the prices were on the high end. But then again at the Legends aren’t all the prices?

Our drink order was taken as soon as we were seated and our server was very polite. We did have a few drinks forgotten, but that was quickly corrected. After our food was ordered it was swiftly delivered. I found that our refills of chips, salsa and refreshments were not kept up on. For such a small area you would think we would have a little more service than experienced.

My next complaint would be the food. Our orders were completely mixed up and took forever to figure out. The chips were overcooked and burnt. The pork was dried out and did not have enough red sauce. The rice was excellent as always. Despite my disappointment in the food I know I will be back. I am hoping next time the food will return to its original flavor and offer the authentic cuisine I remember and admire.

During our wait we had a drink at the bar. I was immediately impressed with the cocktail prices. Their specialty drinks were no more than $5. I don’t know of many places where their specialty cocktails are less than $7-8 per drink. These drinks were of good size and tasted amazing. Once our table was ready we were seated. We were seated with another party of four for eight in total at our very own table/grill. The purpose of most Japanese Steak houses is to make the food right in front of you. This adds to the entertainment factor and makes for a unique dining experience.

The food was very reasonably priced. I ordered the chicken teriyaki and my husband tried the steak and crab. Not only do you get an entrée but you get a full course. It starts with very flavorful soup that is only the beginning to a scrumptious meal. Following the soup was the salad which was very fresh and served with an original ginger dressing. Up next is the rice which was cooked to perfection. As you are finishing up the salad and rice the cook brings out an appetizer of shrimp for all parties. The fun part begins. As he cooks all the food in front of you it is amazing. Eventually setting the grill on fire with flames rising several feet high, which leave you wondering if your eyebrows were singed off. It is all part of the fun.

As the cook is serving the shrimps, you are encouraged you to catch one. Everyone passed this task except for me. I am not very coordinated and failed twice. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and a perfect snack until the main course. Finally it was time for our dinner. My chicken teriyaki was served with a side of bean sprouts and veggies. All were cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. The chicken was very flavorful and made for a very filling meal. After dinner was finished we were served a little dish of sherbet ice cream to make for a perfect meal. All this for under $30!!

Where else can you dine that is relatively inexpensive and have a great evening? The only downside is that it is a little rushed. When you are served your sherbet it comes with your check. As GoJos is very busy they do seem to rush you a bit so they can get the table ready for the next group. Still loads of fun and I know I will be back.

Upon entering the building I did not have any eerie feelings. A small room filled with about five tables, two benches and a small TV featuring college football. We split a pie with Pepperoni & Pineapple and Italian Sausage. The pizza was very good. Not overly greasy or cheesy. The sauce was very flavorful and toppings were fresh. The crust was light and flaky.

Service was great, despite the time it took to receive our pizzas. In the end it was all worth the wait. As we waited we heard a few great haunting stories from our server which included sinks turning on and off themselves and visions of blurs in the night. Make sure to ask about the ghost who haunts the pizzeria. Stonewall is a must for those pizza cravings.

While deciding on what to order we sampled a couple appetizers and ordered crab rangoon and crab cakes. Both were amazing. The crab rangoon was superb, definitely the best. The crab cakes were not light on the crab and were very fresh. When picking our sushi rolls we found them reasonably priced. Our selections included cucumber, avocado tuna, spicy tuna and philly roll. All the rolls were delicious. Some of the freshest meat I have ever had and very appealing to the eye. Wanting to dine on something other than the sushi I ordered chicken teriyaki with fried rice. The chicken was bursting with flavor and the fried rice was supreme to all others.

Edokko is one of the outstanding sushi restaurants in the metro area. The service was amazing. The staff was very attentive to all patrons and made great suggestions on what to order. With the freshest meat and fish and mouthwatering dishes this place is a must. On your next visit use the coupon below to enjoy the delicious crab rangoon or california roll. You won’t be disappointed!