CombatCritic's TravelValue™: KC

CombatCritic™ ... World traveler - 42 countries and counting; Military Leader - Four combat operations; Amateur chef; Published author and producer - over 4 million visitors on seven platforms! Yelp "Black" Elite '14/'15/ '16/ '17/ '18/ '19 / '20/ '21/ '22 / '23 / '24; TripAdvisor ¨Local Guide¨, Zomato "VERIFIED CONNOISSEUR"; Booking.com "GENIUS"; and Foursquare "INSIDER". On the Front Lines in the Battle Against Mediocrity - Follow Me To TravelValue™ ... That's A Freakin' Order!

Showing posts with label KC. Show all posts

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Washougal, WA: SOLID - Shelby's Rivals KC Barbecue, Some Of The Best You Can Get

Shelby's Grille
419 E Street
Washougal, WA 98671
Phone number: (360) 835-1103
Prices: $$$$

SOLID. No BS here like I had at a place in downtown Washougal recently, Shelby's has fresh, hot food (not frozen); excellent and friendly service; and fair prices. What more can you ask for?

It was chow time, so we headed to Shelby's for the first time and I am not quite sure why we waited so long because I had heard good things about them. The decor is simple and nostalgic with tasteful maple wainscoting and knick-knacks adorning the walls. Best of all, it was very clean! We were met with a smile and a welcome, then taken immediately to a booth in the main dining room (the pub-style lounge was also an option).

I asked about happy hour and was told that it was from 2-5pm daily in the lounge, so we were a bit late anyway. Their happy hour food menu looked appealing with a few real bargains like a hamburger or BBQ sandwich for $7 or street tacos for $3 a piece. I was a bit dismayed by their happy hour drink discounts with just 50¢ off of wells ($8-$11), wine ($9), and beer ($6). Their drinks are not particularly cheap, so a food deal is definitely in order.

My wife got the Mushroom and Havarti Burger ($13) with grilled mushrooms, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo, coming with a large side o' fries, a relative bargain in this town ... HOOAH! Her meal was hot, obviously freshly made, and very tasty. The meat looked fresh and the Havarti was real cheese, not the processed cheese-like squares some places serve their customers.

I had a hankerin' for some BBQ, so I asked for the Brisket Plate ($14.50) with 6 ounces of brisket so tender and juicy that you could cut it with a fork, choice of two sides (fries, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, hush puppies, brussel sprouts and bacon, etc. - I had the fries and hush puppies), choice of BBQ sauce, and cornbread and butter. The brisket was scrummy, perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the fries were cut in house and hot and crispy, just like I like them. The brisket rivaled some of the best BBQ I had during our 11 years living in Kansas City, a city where you can find some of the best BBQ in the world. The hush puppies were also very good, crispy outside and soft and moist inside although I could taste neither the bacon nor the jalapeños purportedly contained therein.

The only negatives were minor ones: the temperature inside (could have been 4-5 degrees cooler); the minuscule happy hour drink discount; and the honey for the cornbread we were promised, but which never quite materialized. Those minor infractions were the only things separating this review from a perfect rating, a rating I do not routinely hand out as readily as many other reviewers do. So there ya have it ... good grub!

CombatCritic Gives Shelby's Grille 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Monday, November 14, 2016

Yelp KC "Review of the Day" #5 - CombatCritic Reviews Formosa Bakery, Lawrence, Kansas

Read Chris S.'s review of Formosa Bakery on Yelp

See All 5 Of My Yelp Reviews of the Day (ROTD)

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Another Yelp KC "Review of the Day" - CombatCritic's Review of Formosa Bakery, Lawrence, Kansas

Key Words: ROTD, Review of the Day, day, KC, Kansas City, Kansas city, Missouri, Lawrence, Formosa Bakery, formosa, bakery, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: HOOAH! = "Phonetic spelling of the acronym HUA, which stands for 'Heard Understood Acknowledged.' Originally used by the British in the late 1800's in Afghanistan. More recently adopted by the United States Army to indicate an affirmative or a pleased response." - Urban Dictionary

"The Department of Military Science and Leadership, University of Tennessee claim HOOAH 'refers to or means anything except no' ... Regardless of its meaning ... the term is an expression of high morale, confidence, motivation and spirit." - WarChronicle.com

"The U.S. Air Force stole 'HOOAH' from the Army because we were part of the Army until 1947 and rather than waste a bunch of time coming up with something new and unique, we said 'fuck it, let's go with HOOAH' ... thanks Army ... HOOAH! - CombatCritic

Friday, May 6, 2016

KC Yelp Elite Event Comes To ... Lawrence, Kansas - It's A Burger Bash @ BurgerFi!

Burger Bash @ BurgerFi

Yelp Elite Event

BurgerFi

918 Massachusetts Street

Lawrence, KS 66044

First off, thanks to Josh, owner of BurgerFi-Lawrence, for hosting such a great event and to Adam for FINALLY bringing an event to Lawrence ... HOOAH! It was so close to home that my wife and I were able to walk to the event.

Good wine, spirits, and beer, provided by BurgerFi (4 oz samples of each draft), a local winery (Chardonnay), and a Parkville distillery (vodka and gin) got the evening off to a roaring start. Then the food began to arrive and arrive and arrive and arrive. Two kinds of French fries (regular and Urban Style) and scrummy onion rings to share, then half of a BurgerFi Burger, half of a Breakfast All Day Burger, half of a VegeFi Burger (no bun), and 1/3 of a Chicago Style Hot Dog. Then it was time for dessert ... a small Key Lime or Coffee Mocha shake and a Red Velvet Concrete.

The food was plentiful and good and the drinks kept flowing for two hours. We were stuffed by the time it was over. The company, excellent as always, it was great to see some of my old Elite friends (Adam, Scott and Billie) and meet a few new ones (Bill and Sara).

I gave BurgerFi an average (3 Star/6 Bomb) review on my first visit, offering some suggestions for improvement, and was impressed by the owner's and corporate's willingness to reach out and ask for more feedback. I am even more impressed that they apparently took some of it to heart as they are increasing the size of their burgers and buns in the near future ... WOO-HOO! I look forward to trying the NEW AND IMPROVED BurgerFi Burgers when available.

CombatCritic Gives The "Burger Bash At BurgerFi" 10 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Ten Bombs Equates To:

"Phonetic spelling of the acronym HUA, which stands for 'Heard Understood Acknowledged.' Originally used by the British in the late 1800's in Afghanistan. More recently adopted by the United States Army to indicate an affirmative or a pleased response." - Urban Dictionary

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

TripAdvisor - Top Contributor

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: KC Yelp Elite Event Comes To ... Lawrence, Kansas - It's A Burger Bash @ BurgerFi!

Key Words: KC, Kansas City, Elite, Event, Comes To ... Lawrence, Kansas, Burger, Bash, BurgerFi, hamburger, Massachusetts, Mass, street, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu review, Yelp

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Lawrence, KS: Great Burgers, Best-Value In Lawrence ... HOOAH!

KC Smoke Burger
1008 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: (785) 424-7723
Website: kcsmokeburger.com

This will be easy ...

1. Excellent hamburger, one of the best I have had in recent memory and a tremendous value

2. Daily Specials Monday through Thursday - 2 for 1 burgers (Monday - dine-in only), hot dogs (Tuesday), Philly cheesesteaks (Wednesday), and Gyros (Thursday) give people a reason to visit mid-week

3. Burgers come to the table in their own individual smokers and are placed hot and juicy on the bun by your server. Nice touch.

4. Good variety of fast food options (starters, burgers, dogs, sandwiches, desserts) provide a choice to consumers

5. Extremely friendly, efficient, and professional service made our short stay enjoyable and pleasant

We were in a hurry due to a logistical SNAFU and only had 30 minutes to dine before we had to leave for an appointment 1/2 mile away down Mass Street. We were warmly greeted when we entered, quickly seated, and order taken.

Our onion rings ($5) arrived posthaste on a bed of fresh romaine lettuce with accompanying dipping sauce (blue cheese dressing). There were seven perfectly cooked rings, crispy, not greasy, on the large plate. They were the best onion rings I have had in quite a while, but could have used a little more seasoning.

My wife and I both had the bacon cheeseburger, my wife's without tomato ($9) and mine with avocado ($10 - fries included). The burgers were large and obviously handmade, thick and juicy, and cooked to perfection (medium-well). Unlike other burger joints in town, French fries accompany the sandwiches so you do not have to spend an additional $3-$6 and they are very good. The fries were fresh cut, hot on arrival, well seasoned, and plentiful. They were perfectly crisp on the outside, soft. moist and hot on the inside. Well done!

The decor is modern and basic with the red walls covered in customer graffiti, you know ... tacky. Our server handled our rapid departure requirement flawlessly, getting us our meals and the check in rapid succession interspersed with occasional friendly chit-chat. With our bill coming to just $16 including tax, this 2 for 1 meal was an exceptional value, but even at $25 for the full-price option, an excellent meal at a very reasonable price ... HOOAH!

CombatCritic Gives KC Smokehouse Burgers A Near Perfect 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - "Elite '14/'15"

TripAdvisor - "Top Contributor"

Tabelog - "Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - "Super Foodie"

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

KC Smoke Burger

Title: Great Burgers, Best-Value In Lawrence ... HOOAH!

Key Words: KC Smoke House, KC, smoke, house, smokehouse, burger, hamburger, sandwich, Mass, Lawrence, Kansas, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Adventure Zip KC ... Fun, Safe, Exciting Ziplining Near Kansas City

Watch My Zipline Adventure on The CombatCritic Channel on YouTube

Adventure Zip KC

12829 Loring Road

Bonner Springs, KS 66012

Phone: 913-302-8881

Website: Adventure Zip KC

Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/adventure-zip-bonner-springs

Yelp Elite '14 Newbies with Matt E (2nd from left)

I was lucky enough to be invited to Yelp KC's "Newbie Elite Aerial (Ziplining) Adventure" at Adventure Zip KC (AZKC), just outside of Bonner Springs, Kansas in the hills above several large limestone caverns, by Matt E, Yelp Kansas City's Community Manager. Yelp "Elite" are those deemed worthy of the title based on reviewing prowess and acumen during the previous year and I was honored with the title early this year.

AZKC is run by a group of eclectic, young, enthusiastic guides that entertain and ensure am exciting yet safe outdoor adventure. We were met by Matt E and AZKC staff when we arrived, signing waivers (in case something went horribly wrong) and suiting up in the ziplining harnesses and helmets. I brought my GoPro and helmet (with a camera mount), but make sure that yours meets OSHA and other safety standards, otherwise you will not be allowed to use it. Mine did.

It was a hot day, around 100 degrees, but fortunately the surrounding woods provided shade and a respite from the heat. After suiting up, we jumped on the old school bus and made our way through the woods (watch out for poison ivy/oak and stinging nettles) to the first zipline station, a short traverse across a small canyon. After getting hooked-up to the line, I took several steps before being hoisted into the air and across the canyon at a leisurely, but fun, pace. The ziplines became longer, steeper, faster, and more exciting as we progressed on our journey.

AZKC's staff provided the necessary safety information along with loads of jokes and puns, making the two hour adventure not just safe but fun. The second zipline was much longer and faster than the first, but there was a guide at the other end waiting to help slow our descent into a safe stop. The third and final zipline was the longest of the three, starting atop a small tower and ending on the other side on a pivoting contraption that took some quick adjustments in order to remain standing. We then hiked up the hill to "the tower" (which was not included in our visit) to catch our bus back to base camp.

The "HIKE & ZIP" PACKAGE lasts 1 - 1.5 Hours, includes three zips and free equipment for $49.99. The "Tower Zip" lasts 1.5 to 2 hours, starts off on the 65 foot tower where you zip 5 great, unique lines, and includes a guided tour and equipment ($79.99). Or you can zip all eight (8) lines for $99.99.

Amanda, Matt, Terry, Christ, and CombatCritic

In all, it was a fun and exciting adventure, not too demanding for an old military retiree with bad knees and back. Be prepared for short hikes up and down moderate inclines with rocky, uneven surfaces. Otherwise, the zipling itself is rather easy on the body as long as you listen to the safety briefings. My only disappointment was when I handed our young female guide a $20 tip as we left (after all, it was a complimentary “Yelp Elite Event) and she did not bother getting out of her chair to thank us or say goodbye. I doubt if many patrons tip $20 or more, so a little appreciation would have been appropriate. Otherwise, it was a great day!

CombatCritic Gives Adventure Zip KC 8 Bombs Out of 10

Key Words: Yelp, elite, aerial, adventure, Kansas City, ziplining, zip, KC, CombatCritic, combat, critic, travelvalue, travel, value, Bonner Springs, Kansas, zipline, line, outdoor

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Vancouver, WA: No Veal, No Deal – Olive Garden Delivers Mediocrity with a Side of Sticker Shock