7 Good Things: September 2009
These seven dishes or drinks have passed our taste buds and made us rave. They are ranked by level of yumminess.
1. The newest roll at Umi (3046 S. Kimbrough Ave., Suite 100, Springfield, 417-882-1110) is the Tango My Mango maki roll ($14.99), and we already love it. On the inside, there’s crab and mango. On top is spicy tuna topped with more thin slices of mango. The whole thing is drizzled with a mango sauce. The roll packs a pretty spicy punch, but it’s offset by the sweet fruit.
2. One staffer has a new Chinese-food craving: the hot-and-spicy chicken ($4.49 for a regular size) at Chinese Chef (1731 S. Enterprise Ave., Springfield, 417-889-2433). The chicken is the same fried chunks used in cashew chicken, but the sauce is spicy. It seems subtle at first, but after a couple of bites you’ll be grabbing for your drink.
3. A new Ozark discovery is the zesty tomato homemade organic salad dressing at Eat: Powered by the Barefoot Chef (1607 W. State Highway J, Ozark, 417-485-0920). “The dressing drizzled over a bed of fresh cabbage, tomatoes and zucchini was amazing!” says a fan. If you don’t see this particular salad and dressing when you visit Eat, here’s why: The dressings are made fresh all the time depending on what fresh ingredients are available, so they change the menu on a regular basis.
4. Grad School (434 S. Jefferson Ave., Springfield, 417-866-8163) is a teeny-tiny restaurant that never ceases to surprise us with yummy flavor combinations. One fan loves the Cuban sandwich ($9). It has thick slices of ham, tangy pickles, avocado, lettuce, cheese, spicy mustard pressed on grilled bread, and it’s served with fries. “It’s to die for,” she says. “Sitting in the tiny, bustling restaurant reminds me of being in a big city.”
5. Arris’ Pizza (1332 E. Republic Rd., Springfield, 417-881-7260) serves up reliably delicious pizzas, and one staffer particularly loves the bruschetta pizza ($8.75–$14.75). It has feta cheese, roma tomatoes, green onions and roasted garlic. All the stuff that makes bruschetta awesome… only bigger.
6. One diner branched out of her normal ordering pattern and tried the lamb shank at Bleu Olive (204 N. Commercial St., Branson, 417-332-2538) “It’s not something I normally order, but I’m glad I did,” she says. “It comes with a mint sauce that’s sooooo good.” ($18.95)
7. Metropolitan Grill (2931 E. Battlefield, Springfield, 417-889-4951) serves a pizza that has one fan raving. The Pizza alla Fulp ($14) is topped with cashew chicken and spicy fried apples. “It’s yum yum yummy!” she says.
7 Good Things is chosen by the editors of 417 Magazine as a service to readers. We’ve tried everything on this list, and we like it. To send us your 7 Good Things suggestions, click Contact on 417mag.com and then submit a letter to the editor.
