Tanya Tandoc

My plan for today was to talk about leftovers and what to do with them, but as I sat in my office Wednesday, typing and watching snow fall beautifully onto our patio, I changed my mind.

I took my mangled friend Teri to Fizz Burgers and Bottles out at 37th and Rock Road before her orthopedic appointment the other day, to cheer her up and to eat something good.

I devour books. When I find one I love I’ll read it cover to cover, as fast as I can, and all other activities pale in comparison. I have a particular passion for food essays that started when I was a little girl.

Every New Year brings fresh resolutions to us all. Most of them revolve around weight loss and exercise. I am astonished every year by the next new weight loss fad, whether it be some new ketone, or a miracle extract made of exotic fruit, or a fast that promises melting pounds of fat with little or no effort.

I love good fast food, whether it’s a hangover helper or I just crave something salty, greasy and cheap. Wichita has some marvelous, locally owned fast food joints and here are some of my favorites:

The holidays can be extraordinarily stressful for even the most spirit-filled person. If you are the one doing the cooking, replicating a giant, fancy holiday meal can bring one to wit’s end, particularly if you just did another elaborate dinner at Thanksgiving.

I have been going to Hana Café since it was a little Rock Road hole in the wall. It was tiny then, and very simple and Japanese-looking, complete with a waving kitty and blue and white curtains. The menu was small but excellent, serving sushi, pork tonkatsu, miso soup, and other Japanese specialties. One might also order a few Korean dishes, all well prepared.

The Wichita Asian Festival is coming up this weekend, and I’m excited about it.  I have attended nearly every year since it started 32 years ago.  What began as a small celebration with a smattering of food vendors and a beauty pageant has grown into a huge multicultural event.  There’s still a pageant, but now the entertainment ranges from East Indian dance troupes to martial arts demonstrations.  It’s a blast, but the best part for me has always been the food.