Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
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FCS: Best of 2023
For me, this edition of Fountain City Superlatives is always special as I get a chance to recap the year that I had. However, after a year of focusing on almost-exclusively barbeque, I worried that I may not have much more to give. Thankfully, that was not the case. This breaks down the best new things I tried in Kansas City in 2023. Some of the categories you know and love are missing. Some others are brand new. But here lies a, mostly, non-barbeque recap of my year.
FCS: The Meats
“With great palate comes great responsibility.” Perhaps that was not the line exactly as Ben Parker famously delivered it, but does it not hold true? Oftentimes, my recommendation on what BBQ joint a person should try is simply based on the question of “What do you like?” With that in mind, after a year that took me to every BBQ joint worth visiting, this column names the best BBQ joints in the metro, based on the cuts of meat where each spot excels.
Lucky 63
In a football-crazed town like KC, the NFL draft is always a big deal. Of course there is excitement since Kansas City is the reigning Super Bowl and AFC champs, but more than that - the NFL Draft will be in Kansas City! Brett Veach and company have a whopping 10 picks this year. In exploring those picks and the best player ever taken at each of these picks, I found a pattern that bodes well for KC in this year’s draft.
Devan’s Dozen: BBQ Sandwiches Edition
I have ranked the BBQ joints and their sauces but now I tread into new territory - the specialty sandwich! It is hard to believe but 25 years ago, the BBQ specialty sandwich was largely unheard of but due to the creation of the Z-Man and its popularity, nearly every restaurant has at least one specialty handheld they are known for. These are my Top 12 in the city.
KCRW 2023: A Preview
Every January, for 10 glorious days, the Kansas City restaurant community bands together to offer “affordable, adventurous dining” for all. As an added caveat, a portion of all proceeds always are donated to a worthwhile local cause. With the KC Restaurant Week menus starting to be released and so many options, here’s a few recommendations. Last year, I did a review of KCRW. This year, I offer a preview.
FCS: Best of 2022
Every year brings its own path of discovery. 2022 was not only a big year for Kansas City but for me and my own attempts to be more of a tourist in my own city. Of all the new places and things I tried this year, these were my favorites. And so once again, I bring you my end of the year Fountain City Superlatives.
The City Board
Earlier this year, Hasbro Gaming and Top Trumps USA announced the release of a Kansas City Edition of Monopoly for the first time in over 25 years. As someone who loves this game and loves this city, I was so excited. But quickly excitement became disappointment as I learned about the nature of property placement in these city edition games. Yet still, I held out hope that this game would be a good thing for KC. With the release of Monopoly: Kansas City Edition yesterday afternoon, this is my first look at the board.
Devan’s Dozen: Fried Chicken Edition
When I was a kid, fried chicken was a special treat. It wasn’t that fried chicken was reserved for special occasions. Instead, it was that fried chicken made any meal a special one. A friend asking me the question a couple years ago of, “What’s the best fried chicken in KC?” spawned a very intentional quest to answer that question. So here are my Top 12 Fried Chicken Spots in KC. If you’re expecting Stroud’s or Go Chicken Go, you won’t find that here.
Herstory of the City, Part IV
As my exploration of Women’s History in Kansas City continues, I look westward to Hollywood. Kansas City was once home to one of the largest Film Rows in the nation. More than dispersing film reels to this nation’s theaters, Kansas City was also exporting some of the biggest movie stars in the nation.