J. Bean’s Gathering Place is the newest restaurant in New Longview, the shopping center at the corner of 3^rd Street and View High Drive. J. Bean’s is located in the space vacated by the restaurant R.A. Long’s Sawmill, right next to Next Door Pizza. Owner Tim Griffin is no rookie. He’s been in food management for 17 years, and he owned a catering company also by the name of J. Bean’s. This new restaurant is family owned and serves a wide variety of all-American foods made from scratch.

Prices are student friendly, with nothing on the menu costing more than $16.   J. Bean’s also offers MCC students and staff a 10 percent discount, and has specials every week, such as Mexi Monday, Educator Happy Hour, and a $7 lunch menu Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Johnny C makes diners at home on the first visit (Mary McKeown/The Current).

Options for lunch in the MCC-Business and Technology area are few and far between. McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Subway and Taco Bell – safe, predictable options. But what if you want as much from life as you want from your education?           

• By far, the best bet in the BTC area is Johnny C’s Deli & Pasta (7012 Universal Avenue‎), hiding from the Front Street traffic in an office park on Universal Ave., right behind McDonald’s. Johnny usually works the register and is the quintessential host: he is friendly and helpful and treats you like a regular, even on your first visit. My favorite here is the Muffaletta sandwich, which has ham, Genoa salami and a diced olive salad on the sandwich. Dee-licious. Another favorite is Johnny’s Palermo: turkey, pepperoni, provolone cheese, tomato, onion and Italian dressing served on an Italian roll and heated. Most sandwiches are about $6 and include a bag of chips. Their tomato salad alone is worth a special trip, but the pasta, side dishes and desserts vary by day, so call ahead if you want something in particular. 
• Denny’s (6887 East Front Street) has a $2, $4, $6, $8 special. The $biscuits and gravy with hash browns and an egg is do-able. It’s not great, but it is good and best of all, only $2. I’ve spent that much in a vending machine on Little Homies. The $4 all-you-can-eat-pancakes deal is great for someone who can eat a lot of them. The $6 and $8 menus are not worth the money. 
• Those who appreciate family-owned businesses should try River BBQ (6511 East Front Street). Their fried fish is good but a little pricey for lunch at $6.95. My favorite is their gumbo for $3.95, which is good, but not for anyone from the South. The gumbo is to southern food what the Encherito is to Mexican food: good, but not what you would expect. 
• A frequent haunt in the neighborhood is Quik Trip (6820 East Front Street‎). I know what you’re thinking, but it is just right for me. Good service, lots of very affordable options, and I can get gas and a Powerball ticket while I’m there. They have a hot dog, jalapeno sausage, taquito, and just introduced a cheeseburger dog served on a hotdog bun for $1.19 each or 2-for-$2. You can also get a 32-ounce fountain drink for 49 cents and, another benefit of lunch at QT is the variety of drinks, chips and dessert. Their sandwiches are $3.99 or more, freshly made and surprisingly good quality for a convenience store. I alternate between the taquitos and the turkey and Swiss or ham and cheddar sandwiches. Another recent addition is the “homestyle cooking” options, which includes enchiladas, lasagna or chicken alfredo pasta in individual servings for $3.95, or family sized servings for $9.99. 
• At the Flying J (1300 North Corrington Avenue) down the road, you can get fried chicken gizzard and livers, catfish, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and much more. The menu varies day-to-day, so stop by to see what is cooking. It is classic truck-stop food priced by the pound, so keep your expectations low and you might be pleasantly surprised. 

So when you find yourself at the BTC for more than a few hours, such as a whole semester, give some of these places a try. There is good food in this industrial neighborhood; you just have to know where to look.

(Marcus Sunde/The Current)

With spring almost in full bloom and summer and a break from school around the bend, Kansas City and surrounding areas have opened up new doors to these fresh cafes and restaurants.      

The first thing to be noticed when walking through the doors of Doozens is the strong aroma of coffee beans. Doozens was founded in 2007 by Susan Van Duesen, mother of five. She prides herself on the welcoming, family-like atmosphere that her coffee shop produces.

“We’re a family. Our house is like Doozens,” she said. Doozens is in the Raintree Shopping Center between Ward Rd and Raintree Rd.

Van Duesen started Doozens because she’s always loved coffee. “Do what you love, what you’re passionate about,” she said. Her passion is for coffee.

Doozens regularly draw in crowds as a result of their jam sessions. During these anyone who wants to play can.  Longview student Jesse Hamer said, “It’s like a training ground for new musicians.” The jam sessions allow people to get over their nerves.

“It’s a good opportunity for people to get experience for playing in front of crowds,” said musician David Tourtellot.

Not only do they have regular jam sessions, but also an art gallery in the store. The art is supplied by local artists and they are accepting art work. “We’re trying to push it more. Anybody who’d like to get their art work up can call (816) 537-0800,” she said.

Of course a coffee shop would be nothing without a good cup of coffee. Just last year a Starbucks near Doozens closed down. Van Duesen said enthusiastically, “We outlasted Starbucks.” Tourtellot said that people enjoy supporting local businesses. It doesn’t hurt to have a good cup of coffee, either. Hamer described the coffee as a “classy brew.”

Doozens has become a sort of hangout for those in Raintree, supplying good coffee, shots of culture, and entertainment.

by Jordan Lee and by Edith Erickson

Monotony’s not on the menu this year. A new manager and staff have taken over at the Longview Café with hopes to add some variety to students’ meals. The Café welcomed new manager Linda Harp, as former manager Kristin Parvin headed to the Independence School District after spending five years at Longview.
Parvin reflected on her time at Longview saying, “It’s been a wonderful ride, I will miss everything. But I will take it all in my heart.”
Harp is bringing a lot of experience with her as well as a passion for helping students. Since she has two daughters in college, she understands the need for healthy food options as well as the need for an affordable lunch.
Although she may be new to Longview, she definitely is not new to the food industry. Her background consists of 15 years in the business compiled of owning her own restaurant and catering businesses, managing local franchise restaurants, and spending the last five years working for Treat America at Powell Gardens. Harp remains as manager of Café Thyme at Powell Gardens and continues to work there on weekends as well as during major events.
With all of this background, she is excited to introduce some of her old recipes to our Lakeside Café. For starters, Harp wants to integrate more healthy food options.
Harp said, “Healthy conscious is something I focused on at my previous restaurant, and this is something I want to work on here…We’re trying to make these items quick and easy.” She also wants to have more fruit and cheese plates available.
For those concerned with healthy eating, Harp described some food options: “There are weight watchers, and the wraps are low in carbs and fat. The meats are low fat and the dressings are low fat. The onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers at the salad bar are locally grown.”
To help students with a tight budget, there is a special each day for 99 cents. In addition to the current features, Harp added a new item starting this week, listed as “Healthy Choice.” They are offering a different readymade salad every day.
She knows that a lot of students are crammed with classes during lunchtime and scarcely have any time to eat. The cafeteria has a “grab-and-go cooler” which is located just inside the cafeteria door. This contains sandwiches and other quick food options.
In addition, Harp is hoping to change up the menu on select Fridays by creating action stations where dishes can be created and prepared right in front of students. With the introduction of some variety she anticipates feeding up to 500 people during lunchtime hours later on in the semester.
Harp looks forward to the challenging job of feeding hungry people while adding variety into the menu, “The toughest part is food ideas that appeal to the age group,” she said.
Managing the Lakeside Café is more than just a job for Harp. She has a heart to help the students and meet their needs. Harp is looking for feedback from customers via email and is considering the possibility of comment cards for convenience. Currently, she is exploring options for being able to e-mail the student body the menu of the week as well as the possibility of using Blackboard to post the menu and the prices.
Harp said, “I would like input from students so I can provide what the students want.” Feel free to drop Harp a line at Linda.harp@mcckc.edu.
Of all the changes, the one constant that remains the same is Arline Arel who has been on register for the past three years and cooked another 21 years here previously. After spending over two decades at Longview, Arel has known plenty of students through daily conversations, providing help, or just giving a smile to brighten their day.
Getting to know students has always been her priority and after years of personal relationships, students begin to feel like family as Arel refers to students as “her kids.” This is all common to her as she is a mother of five, a grandmother of nine, and a great-grandmother of five.
Other faces that you may not recognize on the Café staff are new additions Tami Trasper and Kelly Hall. Both are new to Longview this semester but are used to the environment as both are mothers who have taken care of children of their own. Trasper was asked to come to Longview personally as she had worked with Harp catering at Powell Gardens. After being a dental assistant for 10 years, Tami prefers being here and getting to know hundreds of faces much better. In addition to working at a dance studio and Arrowhead on game days, Hall sees this as an opportunity to interact with a variety of new people.
Before Parvin departed, she made sure she left in style as she prepared 700 burgers for the hungry crowd that gathered at the school’s resource fair, Aug. 27.
She said, “I’ll miss the people here. They are outstanding; this was my home away from home.” She spent plenty of early hours and late nights preparing menus and making sure all nutritional needs were met.

At a time in one’s life when food isn’t always on the front burner, the Longview Campus Center is always a bustling center of student life. The Lakeside Café and JaMocha Gold establishments cater to the needs of the student body.

Paul Harris, owner of JaMocha said, “We usually get 50-60 people per day. Our location is a good spot for business, probably the best in the café area.” Cashier Arlene Arel said, “Oh my gosh, the rush goes from 9:00 on.”

Harris attributes his business success to the demographic in which his product, gourmet coffee, is sought after most-younger, college-age individuals. “I believe I’m set up to serve the needs of the best demographic possible. The campus has a full range of students which falls into the demographic of people between the ages of 18-35. That’s the ages of the most consistent buyers of this type of coffee.”

While JaMocha Gold thrives in the Campus Center, students also enjoy the several types of food offered at the Lakeside Café. Freshman Gabe Weger, 18, was interviewed while eating a slice of pizza offered at the Lakeside Café.

“I like pizza,” Weger said, “it’s like $2.00, it’s good here, and I think that that’s fair.”

While some students use their time in the Campus Center to unwind from their busy day, others use the Lakeside Café as an opportunity to get a quick bite in the middle of their fast-paced day. “I eat here because I have no time or money, and I plan on eating next much later (5:00) this evening,” said Tiffany Copeland, 19, “the pricing is fine, but they could use a bigger selection of food.”

Pricing and selection were the biggest concerns about the cafeteria at Longview, but that doesn’t keep the regulars from coming back.

“The combos are by far the most popular items, especially the chicken strips and chicken sandwiches,” Arel said, “but we do sell lots of cheeseburgers and hamburgers. It’s really only the fish we have trouble selling.”

For the overall student body consensus, the Lakeside Café and JaMocha Gold establishments are modern conveniences for the busy lifestyles of today’s college student.

November is the month that marks the beginning of the holiday season. On the fourth Thursday of November, mother across the country strategically plan the picture perfect Thanksgiving feast.

That’s right, the very same mom that established the “fend-for-yourself” night once a week in a desperate attempt to reclaim her sanity. On Thanksgiving, we feast, and are grateful for the harvest that we purchased from the grocery store.

It is undeniable that turkey is a Thanksgiving icon, a giant inflatable turkey meandering in the streets of New York, cartoon turkeys, turkey napkins, Tofurkey (tofu turkey), fried turkey, smoked turkey, barbequed turkey, golden roasted turkey, wild turkey, just to name a few. Some people have turkey, some have duck, and some have chicken, and then there are those who stuff a chicken into a duck and the duck into a turkey, which they call Turducken. Ninety percent of American homes serve turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. The death toll is 45 million birds and 768,000 tons of green beans, an American tradition with the fowl taste of excess.

The majority of the population is lethargic by sundown, and one has to wonder whether Thanksgiving could be considered a national security risk. The post-feast nap has in recent years been blamed on Tryptophan, an amino acid in turkey that helps the human body produce B vitamins that in turn produce serotonin, a calming agent. Tryptophan supplements were banned by the FDA almost 20 years ago due to an outbreak in 1989 of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) that caused 37 deaths. Recently a new and improved supplement has been allowed on the market aimed at controlling appetite, mood and sleep. The real culprit, though, is not Tryptophan but a huge meal packed with carbohydrates.

Remember safe kitchen practices: avoid cross contamination by washing everything that comes into contact with the bird, especially hands. If stuffing the bird, do so immediately before cooking and make sure the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees. The turkey should cook until the thickest part of the thigh is at 180 degrees, and only use the leftover meat for up to 4 days. So the following week stop with the turkey sandwiches.

Turkey is sometimes served at Christmas dinners as well but throughout the rest of the year, turkey’s popularity tends to fall. The turkey could have been a national icon of a different sort when the Continental Congress of 1872 was deciding on a design for the nation’s great seal. The eagle won his place on the seal, and the turkey won a place on the table.

In comparing the two birds in a letter to his daughter Benjamin Franklin wrote this befitting statement, “…For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true Native of America….”

Special Section: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We’ve all heard the old tale about how Thanksgiving came about. Yes, that’s right, the pilgrims and Indians gathering together in 1621 at Plymouth Plantation. This misconception has led Americans for years to believe that this is truly how Thanksgiving all started.

Interestingly enough, the pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving the following year after meeting with the Indian tribe Wampanoag’s. It was not until Abraham Lincoln was president in 1863 that he declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.

The first Thanksgiving was simple. They gathered together to share their beliefs and traditions which were customary to both the pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. Sharing and giving, harvesting and fellowship took place during this first Thanksgiving.

Food eaten today at Thanksgiving meals was not the same food found around the table in 1621. Today’s traditional food that was not partook in 1621 includes ham, sweet potatoes and yams, corn on the cob, popcorn, cranberry sauce and, surprisingly, they did not have a pumpkin pie. What is Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie?

Most of these foods today are an American tradition, but that does not mean that every American family still makes a good home cooked meal every Thanksgiving. Some families go out to eat and celebrate on Thanksgiving Day, or got out and eat because mom or dad burnt the turkey. Others order a Honey Baked ham, already cooked and ready to serve. Then there are those families who still traditionalize and spend countless hours preparing for the feast of the year just as the pilgrims and Indians in the first Thanksgiving did. Although, we have electricity and they hade none at all.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade which is one of the most popular parades of the year is packed with flying high balloons, dancers, loud marching bands, and tons of floats. The parade takes place in New York and airs live on almost every local television station. Everyone in the city and people at home gather together to watch this spectacular parade come to life every year as part of an American tradition to celebrate the holiday season.

This, while being very far fetched from the first Thanksgiving still relates similarly by the way that the whole city of New York and all across America, people are gathering together with their families and loved ones to celebrate even if it’s over a parade.

Society has come along way from the first Thanksgiving. Granted, we now have technology and there was no such thing as an oven to cook a turkey in the 1600s. The one thing we still have in common with the pilgrims and Indians is that is brings the family together when they might not get together otherwise.

Ah, Thanksgiving, that most uniquely American of holidays devoted to eating, spending time with family, and enjoying the ensuing food coma. This phenomenon of food coma was celebrated in an episode of The Boondocks called, “The Itis.” The centerpiece of the episode is a massive artery-clogging monstrosity known as “The Luther,” or simply the Doughnut burger.
Allegedly first conceived in Decatur, Georgia at Mulligan’s Bar, “The Luther” consists of a single, one pound patty, five strips of bacon, cheese, and is served between two Krispy Kreme donut.

Tipping the scales at a minimum of 1,000 calories, The Luther is named for famed R&B singer Luther Vandross. According to urban legend mill snopes.com, some allege that Vandross was a fan of the burger, and some even go as far as to claim that he created the concoction out of necessity when he ran out of hamburger buns, but like most urban legends, these are unsubstantiated.

To cook this behemoth, I went to my place of employment, Top of the Wornall on 90th and Wornall in south Kansas City. The one pound patty took about 15 minutes to cook, the bacon took half that time, and the donuts were only lightly toasted. I added only three slices of cheese, as I am trying to watch my girlish figure. As I stacked the bacon onto the patty, I had the oncoming feeling that I was in for a world of pain and disgust. I added the donuts and placed a piece of bacon on top as a garnish of sorts. My fellow employees watched in awe as I picked up this least kosher of burgers, and took the first bite. My expectations of gluttonous displeasure were tossed aside.

It tasted good, this being the only positive attribute of the burger. The sugar from the Krispy Kreme blended with the meats quite well, the burger was cooked to a perfect consistency, it was pretty tasty. The whole thing took about 15 minutes to eat, and almost immediately following the meal, I went home and took a very long nap, experiencing “The Itis,” as promised. There were no immediate stomach problems, and I was able to move around and go about my day just fine.

Andy, my manager at Top of the Wornall said that he thought “The Luther,” at least a lighter version, would be a good addition to the menu. I thought not, I feel that if the Food and Drug Administration were operated in a similar manner to the Drug Enforcement Agency, The Luther would be placed in Schedule one-no legitimate medical use, high risk of abuse, and in heavy enough doses, probably lethal.

Ladies and gentlemen, I do not recommend you eat “The Luther” at all.

Special Section: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It takes a lot of work and patience to become a vegetarian. The meat products that are provided in grocery stores are pumped full of hormones and chemicals making it difficult to eat healthy. Hy-Vee and Nature’s Pantry are two of the closest, most affordable grocers that provide soy meat. Pasta and salads are not the only foods available, these foods would not provide enough nutrients for a person to live off of permanently. Soy meat is quite delicious, despite the automatic gag reflex people have before trying it.

The three different types of vegetarians are: Ovo vegetarians, Ovo Lacto vegetarians, Lacto vegetarians, Vegans and Pescatarians. Ovo vegetarians they do not eat meat or dairy products, such as milk and cheese, however they do eat eggs. Lacto vegetarians, they eat dairy products but not eggs or meat. Ovo Lacto vegetarians, eat eggs and dairy but no meat. Vegans do not eat meat or animal products, such as dairy and eggs. A more unconventional non-meat eater is a Pescatarian, they eat fish, and sometimes dairy and eggs, but do not eat chicken, cow, pig or other meats.

Becoming a vegetarian or vegan is hard work, and requires a person to consider alternatives to McDonald’s or Applebee’s. While most restaurants offer salads and pastas, that can be specially ordered to not have meat, there are few other options available. A vegetarian must consider the other foods being consumed. Many places use the same grill to cook everything on, if the juices from meat are still on the grill, the chemicals and hormones in the meat are still being consumed. However, this does not mean that a vegetarian can never again eat at a restaurant; they just must consider what they are consuming.

Another consideration a vegetarian or vegan must make is candy and chocolates. Most gummy candies and jell-o contains gelatin, which is made of animal by-parts including hooves, animal skin, and other undesirable animal parts. Many candy bars such as snickers, Reese’s and more contain milk chocolate, this is something that neither an ovo vegetarian nor a vegan can consume. This makes Halloween a difficult holiday for some. Nature’s Pantry offers a large variety of vegan chocolate, using soy milk instead of animal milk to make their sweets.

Quorn makes a fabulous chick’n, the grillers can be used in pasta, sandwiches, fajitas and more. The taste is very similar, and with other flavors there is absolutely no taste difference. Quorn also makes a substitute turkey, perfect for Thanksgiving. Quorn uses texturized vegetable protein and soy protein and they frequently use eggs.

MorningStar makes great meat substitutes as well. Most people can not differentiate between their “chick’n” and real chicken, same with their veggie burgers. A favorite for many is the tomato and basil veggie burger and the Portobello mushroom veggie burger.

The general consensus of vegans/vegetarians is that upon becoming one, energy levels have increased, and an overall better health is noticeable. Doctors agree that if done correctly, a vegan/vegetarian diet is wonderful. There are plenty of websites available to help a new vegetarian/vegan, hopefully Kansas City will have vegetarian restaurants opening soon to cater to the lifestyle.

Special Section: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year