4 jayplay
thursday, august 21, 2003
NEW RESTAURANTS
Thai House
724 Massachusetts
312-9991
Entrees: $2.75 - $24.95
Sunday - Thursday 11a.m to 10 p.m..
Friday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 11p.m.
eating
COSMOPOLITAN CUISINE CRUISES INTO LAWRENCE
Chef and owner Somporn "Sam" Parakhen prides himself on creating an authentic dining experience at Thai House. Not only are the entrees traditional Thai cuisine, but the staff wears authentic garb from Thailand. The scene is cozy and serene with a sleek interior. Not familiar with Thai food? Try the Pad Thai: soft rice noodles with your choice of meat stir-fried with mild spices and topped with crushed peanuts and fresh bean sprouts. Vegetarian dishes are available. Also featuring daily specials from 11a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Meat Market
ABOVE: Bun Ga Nuong, a bed of rice vermicelli topped with fresh vegetables and charbroiled chicken, is served with imperial house sauce at The Orient, 1006 Massachusetts St. LOWER LEFT: The Pocket Za at Rudy's Pizza, 704 Massachusetts, is made with cheese, sauce and the customer's choice of three ingredients from the menu. LOWER RIGHT: The Yello Sub from Yello Sub, 624 W. 12th St., includes roast beef, ham, turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lettuce and tomatoes. The restaurant offers a variety of sandwich options, including vegetarian combinations.
811 New Hampshire
856-MEAT
Entrees: $2.97 - $18.97 (for a full slab of ribs)
Monday-Saturday 11a.m. to
midnight, Sunday 11a.m. to 10p.m.
This sports bar and grill claims to be the nicest cheap restaurant on the planet and well...it is inexpensive, so don't let the un-traditional sports bar interior fool you. The downtown eatery does have all the sports bar necessities — cheap beer, burgers and two plasma screen TVs — but the decor is slightly modern and expensive looking. But it's still a great place to kick back. Angie Little, wait staff manager said the GooBurger is the item to try if you're new to The Meat Market. The GooBurger has Goo Cheese (which, according to legend, was mined from the magical Cheese Mountain by the dazzling Goons), mushrooms, grilled onions and bacon. Ordering the GooBurger won't put a dent in your wallet. It's $3.95, and that includes fries. And don't forget the fried Twinkies for dessert, a la mode.
Photos by Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan
By Patrick Cady
pcady@kansan.com
Jayplay staff writer
Pop. A large blue straw pierced a vacuum-sealed plastic cup of bright green honeydew tea. No one seemed to notice the sudden noise. Most were deep in conversation or buried in magazines. Karaoke videos from Hong Kong filled the room with music punctuated by wild dance beats. On the television, six men were dancing in baggy pants on a lighted floor. Now, a pale woman begins a new song crooning in sad, almost doleful Cantonese.
Looking down at the cup, the famous Japanese cartoon character Hello Kitty stares back in a hat. Emblazoned on it, flanked by Chinese characters, are the words "We are Hat Family." The tea is sweet and smooth. It would be the perfect way to begin a day in Shanghai, that is of course, if this wasn't at Pochi Tea Station, 105 E. 10th St., in the middle of Lawrence.
Pochi is an example of the many restaurants in Lawrence that sell food and drinks, which range from the exotic to the humorous.
This will be a guide to a few of these places, which will highlight Lawrence's colorful culinary landscape of Tijuana Taxis, Phat Thai and Wired Russians.
They Came, They 'Za,' They Conquered
Descending the stairs into Rudy's, named after the owner's now deceased dog, one first sees the silhouette of a Chinese dragon on a wall and a small fountain. Perhaps a vestige of past ownership, it sets an interesting tone to the restaurant's atmosphere. Though the entrance may hold slight traces of the Far East, the
Though not exotic in the dictionary sense, Rudy's Pizzeria, 704 Massachusetts St., contains its own charm and a memorable special.
smell of the cooking cheese on the pizzas and the loud rock music streaming from the speakers definitely remind one it's American.
The counter often bustles with activity, as it did last Saturday evening, with patrons choosing from more than 30 toppings for their pizzas. Others opted for something different — the Pocket-Za.
Josh Reese, Rudy's manager, says the Pocket-Za is basically a pocket pizza.
"It's very popular," he says. "Sometimes, depending on the night, as popular as a slice of pepperoni pizza."
Rudy's offers the Pocket-Za, with up to three toppings, to be cooked with cheese and sauce in a
white or wheat crust. Prices for the dish range from $3.70 for a personal size to $8.70 for a large.
Goo Goo Ga-Sub
Maybe it was a mix made in heaven. Maybe it was a fluke, or maybe they thought it was fun. Nevertheless, the sandwich