What isn’t fun is trying to find reliable classic foods, be it pizza, a burger, or good old-fashioned Chinese takeout. We’ve found several pizza places in CoMo that we love (Shakespeare’s, Arris’, and Kostaki’s) and while we haven’t found a great burger place (don’t you think CoMo needs one? Million dollar idea someone, get on it), we make pretty decent burgers at home. Chinese food though, nada.

So this past weekend, instead of unpacking, we decided to tackle finding the perfect takeout place. I put the call out on Twitter asking for the best place to get Chinese food, clarifying that I meant the Americanized Chinese food you think of when you see the little white boxes.

I chose the most popular three and got the same dish at each. I set up a blind taste test for my two taste testers, my husband and a local foodie friend henceforth known as FF. All three places had different recommended dishes, but I wanted an apples-to-apples comparison, so I went with a classic: beef with broccoli.

Contender #1: Hy-Vee Numerous people had told me they felt HyVee was actually the best Chinese in town. For $3.99 (dinner special) I was handed a box with a decent portion of food (though the smallest out of the bunch), big scoop of fried rice, and my choice of an eggroll or crab rangoon.

Contender #2: Mandarin House This actually came up the least of the three in suggestions. But we hadn’t tried it before and it was close to the other two so it sneaked in to the throwdown. For $8.50 I received an eggroll, fried rice, a cup of soup (choice of three, I went with hot and sour) along with the beef with broccoli.

Contender #3: House of Chow Our only Chinese take out in CoMo had been House of Chow. I had not been overly impressed but so many people recommended it that we decided to give it another chance. For $8.95 I took home a large portion and a pint of white rice.

Back at the homestead I dished out the food onto numbered plates just to ensure anonymity. Since we had two different types of rice we set those aside to eat after we had done the blind testing. Then my husband and I devoured the egg rolls and soup while we waited for the notoriously late FF to arrive.

The Throwdown

Visuals (aka the Beauty Contest)
The taste testers were first asked to judge on appearance. #1 (Hy-Vee) was commended for the greenest and most plentiful broccoli (which makes sense; they probably have access to the freshest produce.) #2 (Mandarin House) got high marks for the biggest chunks of meat and looking the yummiest (we use highly professional terms during our throwdowns.) #3 (House of Chow) had the most lukewarm response: “Well there’s a lot of it,” and “There’s more sauce than food”.

Winner: Mandarin House

Victuals
Then we sat down to eat. After tasting all three (without rice or soy sauce) the judgment came down: #1 (HyVee) got high marks for the fresh taste and crispness of the broccoli. But overall the dish was called bland and requests for soy sauce were made (and denied!) #2 (Mandarin House) The beef was given high marks on taste and texture and both FF and my husband liked the flavor. On the downside it was a little over soy sauced and FF thought there was too much onion (that’s why she gets the name foodie: I didn’t even notice it had onion). #3 (House of Chow) sorry House of Chow lovers, but pretty much everything from the taste (bland), to the vegetables (anemic), and the meat (chewy) was called out.

Winner: Mandarin House

The Big Reveal & Overall Value

After the blind tastings, FF and my husband made guesses on what dish came from where. FF obviously eats a lot of takeout because she picked right for House of Chow and Mandarin house but was stumped by HyVee. My husband knew where I had brought the food but didn’t know which dish was from which place. He picked correctly for House of Chow but mixed up HyVee and Mandarin House. When I told them the prices of each FF picked Mandarin House as the winner but my husband thought for the money he would just get food from HyVee and pour some soy sauce on. Our overall winner and where we will be getting take out (at least when I am the one picking it up)….

Mandarin House

If you have a takeout place that challenges Mandarin House, let me know and we’ll have a Chinese Throwdown Round 2. I am also taking suggestions for our next food to enter the throwdown ring.

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By Como Whine and Dine

When I go out to eat, a salad isn’t usually my first ordering option, which is why I’ve been hesitant to try Ingredient. But it caught me on a particularly “fat” day when I felt that it was time I buckled down on eating more greens.

I was surprised that the Ingredient menu actually consisted of salad and burgers. Don’t really go together but I guess it gives you two options: good for you or not good for you.

The custom order your own salad menu was too much for me to wrap my head around. What kind of lettuce? What kind of toppings? What kind of dressing? And how much will this all be? So I settled on a premade selection – the california cobb.

The full salad prices were a little steep for me. If I’m paying $10 for food I want to feel a little greasy after my last bite. So my husband and I split a large salad. They even separated it into two bowls for us and there was more than enough salad for both of us. So much so that I can’t imagine actually trying to eat the large myself. It came with a delicious roll that was moist and yummy.

Ingredient isn’t going to be my every day lunch choice but it is a really nice option for those days when your pants are just a little too tight. But do yourself a favor and take a friend and split the cost. You’ll both leave full and with more money in your pocket.

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I finally got around to trying the Stadium Grill the other night. We went with a large party on Sunday evening. The place was pretty dead (spring break, I love you), but our waiter was prompt and so was the food.

The concept is pretty interesting. The main menu item is burgers. You choose if you want 1/3, 2/3 or 1 pound of meat (or a chicken breast) and they have a huge number of selections on toppings/types, from mushroom swiss through jalapeno, and a lot more. You can also custom order what you want of course. There are also a few sandwiches and even fewer entree dishes, along with some bar-type appetizers (wings, etc.)

I actually chose a cuban sandwich with ham, pulled pork, cheese pickles and mustard. Sides include either french fries or their homemade chips.

My sandwich was quite good. Just the right proportion of meat and cheese to grilled bun. The chips were thick and hearty with a nice crunch to them. I think pretty much all eight of us cleaned our plates.

Maybe next time I’ll try a burger. Readers? Input? How are the burgers? Anyone tried an entree or the chicken?

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When I got there, I was a little overwhelmed. I’m used to the selection as Casey’s – which is good but not near as extensive. I didn’t even know where to start. What’s that? And that? And that? I asked until I’m sure the girl wanted to throw a donut at me.

And then what did I settle on? Oh my old faithful – the cinnamon twist. I know – where is my sense of adventure? My husband also had no sense of adventure because he went for the cream cheese stuffed donut. Both good, both fresh, both hit the spot.

As we exited, I saw that you could get good deals after 5 p.m. Well I can’t resist a deal so a few nights later I stopped on my way home from work. I was a little disappointed at how picked over the selection was but there were still plenty to choose from. A dozen donuts for only $9 – not too bad of a deal.

Not sure my waistline can handle Dixie Cream Donuts too often but the occasional treat sure hits the spot!

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5. Lee Street Deli- Nothing beats these if you are looking for ball park nachos. Layered with nacho cheese and the restaurants famous meat they use for the juicy burger. If you get them loaded they are also topped with peppers, olives and jalapenos. Yum!

4. Coleys- Located off to the corner of the downtown near cycle express these nachos are really a gem which no one seems to know about. Most notable is the delicious pepper jack cheese sauce layered with tomatoes, black beans, chicken and green olives. Nothing completes them more than a huge glob of sour cream on the top!

3. El Rancho- Nothing says late night without a trip to El Rancho. The queso is to die for and the grilled chicken hits the spot. You shouldn’t be surprised if you have ever seen the line outside of this place on almost every weekend night.

2. El Maguey- Another mexican favorite are these Chicken Fajita nachos. Layers of cheese, green pepper, tomatoes and onions make these a delicious pair to a margarita.

1. Addisons- Hands down the best nachos ever. From the Italian style chips to the cheese you won’t taste anywhere else these nachos are sure to satisfy any taste bud.

Think I missed a spot? Let me know by leaving your comment below or e-mail me at beth@iknowcomo.com

We found Churchill’s Menu(http://www.holidaycolumbia.com/pdfs/Churchill_Menu/Churchills_Dinner_Menu.pdf)
to be diverse and inviting. We both had a hard time settling upon one specific item we wanted to try and I for one would try different items in subsequent visits because they all sounded delicious. Churchill’s seemed to be prepared for the Wine Lover, though I don’t know much about wine to offer specifics. I love beer, and Churchill’s was ill-prepared for my tastes. They had a moderately diverse selection of domestic lagers and standard offerings, but nothing I wanted to drink. I would love to see a draft IPA offering in future, perhaps some bottles of some of the richer beers: Imperial Stout, Double IPA, Barleywine, etc. To Churchill’s credit, the Mountain Dew was delicious =)

The Meal:
They brought warm bread to the table with the water. Accompanying the bread were 3 types of delicious spreads: butter, honey butter and raspberry butter. We started with the Oysters Rockefeller, one of B’s favorites. It consists of Baked Oysters with spinach and cheese. We both thought they were very good, though we both like Jack’s version better (+bacon!). Next time we go I think we will likely try the Brie in puffed pastry, another of our favorites. Post appetizer the waiter brought by a gift from the chef, a small plate with rye bread, a dill-heavy sauce and smoked salmon. It was light and delicious and a lovely gesture.

For Salads, B’s meal came with the Churchill’s salad: Bibbed lettuce, fresh mozzarella, tomato and balsamic vinaigrette. It was exceptional, especially considering it’s simplicity. My salad choice was the Salade Épinards, a brandied spinach salad. I was unaware when ordering this item that it was both a warm salad and that it was prepared table-side. I loved the flavors but would get the standard salad next time as I thought the spinach salad was just a bit too much flavor, was a bit too filling, and a bit too much of an ordeal having it made table-side.

B’s main course was the Canard Aux Framboises, a roasted duck with raspberry demi-glaze, asparagus and yukon gold mashed potatoes. The plate was way too much food for B, 2 full duck breasts and a generous helping of sides. B claims that it was likely the best dish she’d ever had, and I thought it was magnificent. My meal was the Beef Chianti: A filet of beef tenderloin with chianti reduction with shitaki mushrooms and blue cheese, and the same mashed potatoes and asparagus sides. The steak was perfectly prepared and had an excellent flavor. For dessert we had a dark chocolate creme brulee and the Bananas Foster. Though the creme brulee was delicious, it was completed outclassed by the Bananas Foster. It was a table-side preparation / performance in which they combine bananas, rum, butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar and vanilla ice cream. I’ve had this several times in the past and thought that this was the best I’ve had, highly recommended.

The Service:
Our waiter knew what he was doing and had clearly been doing it for a long time. Our glasses were never empty, the meal had a nice pace and everyone was very polite. That said, I have some complaints. Our waiter had a cold and we both thought it was impolite for him to be working. I don’t know the reasons he was still working, but he should have been home recovering from his illness while someone else covered for him. Despite his illness, we felt he did an excellent job. We also ended up feeling that the interaction between the staff was too overt. The intricacies of waiting on the tables should be discussed in hushed voices, not projected across the restaurant. This could have been due to some new employees or something akin to that, but could have been handled better.

The Price:
Our meal ended up being ~$100 before tip which we felt was a very good deal for the caliber of food offered.

Overall:
B and I have sampled nearly every restaurant in Columbia, so I’m surprised we’d never been to Churchill’s. Our favorites restaurants for special occasions or super-nice meals have been Jack’s and CC’s City Broiler for a long time. While my review was critical on some areas of our meal, we loved it and I think that Churchill’s will be a significant contender for our business in the future.

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I still can’t understand why Coley’s hasn’t caught on. The place has consistenly delivered good food at reasonable prices. Friday night was no exception. I ordered the hoisin pork chops. I can’t remember ever ordering pork at a restaurant before but the description lured me to it.

We started with the fried calamari. Can’t say that I have ever tried it before. I’m not Kellie Picker – I at least knew what the stuff was. Just wasn’t sure it was something I would like. But this is America – fry anything and I’ll eat it.

And for the main dish: two pork chops pan seared with a garlic soy reduction. They were tasty, tender and delicious. The side of mashed potatoes was almost lump free with just enough gravy to taste but not overpower. I’m not a big fan of green beans and I would have prefered more mashed potatoes to the heaping side of green beans but they were good and I managed to eat some so I could at least say I ate some green. My mom would be proud.

The service was spot on. My water glass never went empty and I was downing it pretty quickly. Coley’s doesn’t have the most expansive menu, so I wish they would add a few more entrees but what they do have has been consistently good. It will continue to be my downtown standby.

Location: 15 South 6th Street

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Located on the corner of 9^th and Locust, right next the Missouri Theatre, they offer a variety of flavors in a casual atmosphere.
From the outside the space looks small, but once you get inside, the bright green and pink colors make the room appear much larger than it is. Green blob like chairs are lined up along the right side of the store next to a window making for a great seating area. You serve your own ice cream making it easy for you to get any flavor you want as well as mix them. They have all kinds of flavors from traditional vanilla, cheesecake and even green tea.

Customers each take either a small bowl or a larger one and fill it up with as much frozen yogurt as they want. Being particularly hungry, I grabbed one of the smaller bowls, which didn’t turn out to be as small as it first looked and filled it to the brim with cheesecake frozen yogurt. However, all of the toppings are what really make YogoLuv different.

They include fresh fruit like kiwi, mangos and strawberries. If you are looking for a less healthy route, they also have the typical toppings you would find at an ice cream store such as cookie dough, snickers and even hot fudge. Everything looked so delicious. Although by the time I got there in the evening, most of the fruit had been pretty much wiped from the day filled with many customers. I was able to get strawberries and mango on top of my tower of frozen yogurt.

The store charges 40 cents per pound of ice cream no matter if you choose fruit or brownie bits. Directly in front of the cash register, you place your ice cream on a scale, which weighs it and determines many pounds you have in your bowl. It then calculates the price for the cashier. Since my pile of yogurt was overflowing my bowl, I didn’t quite make the most economically minded choice. However all and all it made for quite a delicious evening.

After many, many failed attempts to eat at Café Berlin (map) over the past year, I was finally able to get there while it was open and have a meal. The hours are a little odd, and on one visit the kitchen actually closed for unexplained reasons minutes before I got there. So, before I get started, let’s get those hours straight. Pay attention now, so you don’t find yourself repeatedly facing locked doors as I did. Café Berlin is open from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. They are also currently opening for dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and for late nights on Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday from 10 p.m. to midnight. Whew! Even after committing this to memory, I would recommend calling ahead before you go, just to be sure: (573) 441-0400.

“Best breakfast in town, hands down, ask anybody,” they boast on their Facebook and MySpace pages. The menu looks amazing, with lots of tasty-sounding breakfast and lunch dishes using locally produced vegetables, dairy and meat and homemade breads and granola. There are also plenty of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options, which always wins a few points in my book.

The folks at Café Berlin are known around town for their sustainability efforts and, true to form, made their recent move from Walnut & Providence to 10th & Park using only bicycles. I never visited the old Providence location, but I am told that it was set up a lot differently than the new one. It used to be more café-like, where you order and pay at the counter, then your food is brought to you when it is ready. The new location is much more like a restaurant – you wait to be seated, and then a waiter/waitress comes to take your order. This isn’t immediately clear when you first walk through the door, however, so people tend to either just find a table and sit down (and then get chased away by someone informing them that there’s a wait list), or just stand in the doorway looking confused until an employee eventually notices and comes over to seat them.

The place was pretty crowded when I was there around noon on a Saturday, but I only had to wait about 10 minutes, so it wasn’t too bad. Only about half of the building’s floor space is being used for seating right now, but it looked like they were still working on the back room so hopefully there will be more tables added later.

I had heard wonderful things about the Café Berlin breakfast burrito, so after drooling over the menu for quite some time, that is what I ordered. It was eggs, roasted potatoes, cheddar cheese and vegetarian sausage wrapped in a tortilla, with spicy salsa on the side. You can order it with meat too, but a few of my omnivore friends have tried the vegetarian sausage and said they actually prefer it over real sausage, so if you’re feeling adventurous, give it a try. The burrito was everything I’d hoped for. The potatoes were cooked to almost the same consistency as the scrambled eggs and seasoned perfectly, and the “sausage” added a nice burst of flavor every now and then. The salsa was quite spicy – something I can’t always handle in the morning – but it was served on the side, so I was able to use it in moderation. The burrito was a little pricey at $8, but very filling and delicious. There is a smaller portion available for $3.50 on the “Not just for kids Menu.”

I also had coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. The coffee came from Lakota, Columbia’s resident independent coffee roaster, and was a special “Berlin Blend.” It was very dark and strong, qualities I very much enjoy in coffee. The juice was definitely freshly squeezed (found a seed!), but pretty expensive at $2.75 for a tiny 8 oz. glass. If you get the 16 oz. for $3.95, though, you can have mixtures – any combo of orange, apple, grapefruit and carrot.

Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Café Berlin, and I will definitely eat there again. The food is a bit more expensive than I’d like (because otherwise I would eat there every other day) but everything is local and organic, so your money is helping support the local economy and sustainability. Plus, most foods are sold individually as sides, so you could probably piece together a decently priced breakfast that way if you don’t mind smaller portions.

Did you ever eat at the old Café Berlin? How do you think the new one compares? Do you mind paying a little more for food if it’s organic and local? Leave a comment below, we’d love to hear from you.