Jonathan Bender
Reporter
Jonathan Bender is a former KCPT Food Content Editor and the founder of the Recommended Daily. He is the author of "LEGO: A Love Story," "Cookies & Beer" and "Stock, Broth & Bowl." He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where has judged the American Royal World Series of BBQ, eaten sandwiches for a month, and pitched grain as a brewer’s assistant — all in pursuit of learning more about what Kansas Citians eat and drink.
Stories by Jonathan Bender
Winter is Coming Pub Crawl & Other Weekend Possibilities
Channel your inner Stark. Westport Ale House (4128 Broadway Blvd.) is hosting a Game of Thrones-themed pub crawl from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday. The crawl begins and ends at the Ale House. Check in is from 5 to 5:30 p.m., where you’re given a house (your first stop) and instruction on how to conquer…
Recipe | Chef John C. Smith’s Pickled Gulf Shrimp
At EJ’s Urban Eatery (1414 W 9th St.), you walk through the split dining room to get to the ordering counter, which doubles as the host station. And it’s there that a chalkboard menu awaits with an invitation to make up your plate. The month-old EJ’s is a modern take on a ‘Meat and Three,’…
Empanada Madness Opens Out South & Other Weekend Possibilities
Empanada Madness opened its second location at 13135 State Line Road in Kansas City, Missouri. Dive into arepas (a fried dough pocket made of corn meal), empanadas (fried corn meal pastries), or tequenos — a Venezuelan snack food of fried cheese sticks made with queso blanco. The joy is in the array of fillings. You can fork…
Origin Story | Valomilk
[FLEX-CONTENT] [FLEX-CONTENT] [FLEX-CONTENT] [FLEX-CONTENT] — Got an origin story you think we should illustrate? Drop us a line on Twitter.
Fed Up Fest & Other Weekend Possibilities
Fed Up Fest, a benefit for Harvesters, returns from 2:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday at CrossroadsKC (417 E. 18th St.). There’s live music (The Strumbellas, Me Like Bees), booze (their Bar in a Box Truck with wine, cocktails and beer is charming) and pop-up tastings. Smitty’s Garage (8811 Ward Parkway) is open in the Ward…
Recipe | Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Many of us find comfort in food, but finding comfort food without the guilt can be a bit more challenging. In Hungry Girl Clean & Hungry Obsessed!, Lisa Lillien believes she found a new way to enjoy comfort food, offering up her take on nachos, cheesesteaks, and brownies. “I live by the 80/20 rule, wherein…
Whatever Happened to Smaks?
The elephant on Johnson Drive stopped traffic. “My dad [Bill Fielder] had met a zookeeper and he asked him to bring over an elephant for the opening of Smaks,” Wes Fielder said. “You’d watch the cars out front and people would slam on their brakes to try to figure out what was going on.” The…
Oh The Cubanity & Other Weekend Possibilities
Oh the Cubanity, a night of Cuban cuisine and dancing, is at the City Market (20 E 5th St.) tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. The celebration of Cuban culture is being put on by The Bite, Taste of Brazil, and Cubanos Por Kansas City. They’ll have live music and dishes inspired by traditional Cuban…
Order Up | The Bite’s Senor Chang
Order Up is a regular series that takes a layered look at drinks and eats across Kansas City. Got a dish you think we should feature? Drop us a note below or on Twitter @FlatlandKC.
Shatto’s Family Day at The Farm & Other Weekend Possibilities
Ever wanted to meet a cow? Realize your dream at Family Day at the Farm with the Shatto Milk Company (9406 N. Highway 33, Osborn, Missouri). Take a hayride, pet a baby calf, learn how Shatto makes cheese and sample their new limited-release flavor: peaches and cream. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 4…