KC restaurant, only hours old when shelter in place started, makes it to ‘other side’

After a quarter of a century in the restaurant industry, Duane “Dewey” Olson opened the doors to his own concept on West 39th Street.

Hours later, the mayor announced the shelter-in-place order.

While Queen Priscilla’s offered carryout during the shutdown, Olson said few people knew the restaurant was open so he spent a lot of 12 hour days alone.

“Bad timing. But I knew we would come out the other side,” he said.

Queen Priscilla’s is named after the 1994 Australian comedy-drama “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” Olson said he wanted the decor to be “fun and camp” being next door to Missie B’s, and local artists are contributing.

He loved the breakfast/brunch concept after a stint at First Watch. His husband of four years, Alberto Ochoa, worked at Los Tules Restaurante Cantina and introduced him to family recipes and Latin restaurants in the community.

So Olson combined the two in the “feisty” Latin brunch and bistro at 809 W. 39th St. Salvador Tule, owner of Los Tules, also is a partner.

Menu items include pancakes, biscuits and gravy, cheese grits, crab and shrimp Benedicts, tortas, frittatas, an oatmeal and maple crepe, chicken tortilla soup, specialty tacos, burritos and quesadillas.

Its jalapeno poppers are filled with seasoned chicken, fresh pico de gallo, Oaxaca cheese, and mango cream cheese and served with a house sauce.

But Olson has since taken a couple of menu items off that were “good enough for home” but not the restaurant.

“We’ll have a grand opening when we can have the full impact,” he said.

Hours are currently 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.