Which Kansas City restaurants should our new Food Insider visit first?

It’s an age-old question that’s caused riffs in relationships or ruined a Friday evening. It’s also resulted in memorable first dates and the discovery of our favorite restaurants.

That question, one I spend too much time thinking about as a food and restaurant reporter: Where should we eat?

Eating and restaurants specifically in Kansas City has been on my mind a lot lately, mostly because I’m the new KC Food Insider. It’s kind of my job to think about where to eat.

But this task is even more stressful for me, the poor-me food writer, because I’m also new to Kansas City. Meaning I’ve never stepped foot in a KC restaurant.

I will soon, but where my first steps take me feels crucial to my new job. I want to show the residents of my new home that I take this food scene seriously.

And believe me, I’ve done my research. I have chatted with my new co-workers, mainly our other restaurant reporter Jenna Thompson, for recommendations, and I’ve spent a lot of time on The Kansas City Star’s website reading restaurant news.

I consulted lists and guides from other local and national publications, and I scrolled through social media (such as this Reddit thread) to see which restaurants people adore in KC.

But what’s great about working for the paper of record is that I can go directly to you, the readers. I want you to tell me where I should eat when I get to Kansas City.

Here are a few things I need help deciding:

Where should I eat KC barbecue, and how much is reasonable to consume during my first week?

If you had to pick one or two BBQ spots to introduce to a newbie, what would they be? Is the line at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que worth the wait for the Z-Man? How do you feel about Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque sauce? Should I include in my itinerary options that are less traditional KC barbecue, like Buck Tui’s Thai-KC barbecue fusion?

Besides barbecue, what are some of your everyday spots in the KC area? These are the budget-friendly or neighborhood restaurants that diners might frequent once a week or more (for example, El Camino Real, Vietnam Cafe and Kitty’s Cafe).

What’s your go-to lunch sandwich? What’s your favorite taqueria along the KCK Taco Trail? Who makes a fine cup of coffee around here? And where do you grab a beer after work?

Lastly, I want to hear about your must-try occasion destinations and chef-driven concepts (some examples might include Affäre, Sushi Kodawari and Drastic Measures). These are the restaurants you go to for dates, the ones that sometimes require reservations, the spots with creative tasting menus and the trendy bars with fancy cocktails. What’s worth the high bill?

While I’ll eat anything, help me find some of my favorite foods and beverages. I love my tacos to be simple and my pizza with a nice charred crust. Some of the best bites of food I’ve ever had were a Yum Som-O (Thai Pomelo salad) and a gnocchi in a delicate lemon butter sauce. I’ll never say no to fried chicken. My drinks of choice lately switch between Spanish white wines or Mezcal cocktails. But not when I’m at a dive bar, which I also enjoy.

Your responses may show up in a future article, and they’ll almost certainly make my list of restaurants to visit as I eat my way around Kansas City.

Let me know by filling out the Google Form below, or by emailing me at katelyn.umholtz@kcstar.com.