I don't eat a lot of Chinese food when I'm on the road. I don't know why, other than I don't care for the large amount of monosodium glutamate a lot of Chinese restaurants put in the food as a taste enhancer/preservative. Still, there are a number of good Chinese places that don't use MSG, but finding them are tough.
One of the better places for Chinese food in the Midwest are the Bo Lings restaurants in the Kansas City area. When Cindy and I were down in K.C. for a few days as part of our vacation she wanted Chinese for lunch. I hadn't been to Bo Lings for a long time (the first time was back in the 80's).
Richard and Therese Ng (pronounced ENG with a long "e") started the first Bo Lings on Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park in 1981 (see map). They now have six locations in the Kansas City area. Each location has a similar menu, with some locations offering more in the way of lunch and dinner entrees.
We went to the Bo Lings at 135th and Metcalf in south Overland Park for lunch on a very hot August day. Even though I've had their Sichuan Peppercorn beef in the past, I thought it may be too spicy for a hot afternoon. I went with the good ol' beef and broccoli instead. Cindy went with one of the lunch specials, shrimp and scallops with veggies in a sweet and sour sauce.
As I said, it had been a number of years since I'd eaten at Bo Lings, but the food was just as good as I remember it. It is the closest thing to "comfort food" one can have without it being comfort food. My lunch was wonderful, so was Cindy's. A lot of times Chinese restaurants overcook the broccoli, but mine was still crisp, yet tender to the bite.
It's no wonder Bo Lings continues to garner the "Best Chinese Restaurant" award in Kansas City Magazine year after year. The food is great, the service is great, and the restaurants are nice and comfortable. I highly recommend Bo Lings for Chinese in Kansas City.
mmmmm Bo Lings!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: GRG51 | August 18, 2006 at 10:15 PM