by Sharm | Jun 5, 2017 | Food & Drink, Giveaways, Kansas City, Local Restaurants, Restaurants, What You're Missing KC!
When Chef Thomas Salamunovch of the fine-dining restaurant Larkspur in Vail, Colorado had a desire to bring fine dining to the masses, the fast-casual concept of Larkburger was born.
Larkburger is a Colorado based fast-casual gourmet burger chain that is quickly expanding beyond it’s borders. Overland Park, Kansas is the first city outside of Colorado to score this restaurant which opened in early 2017. Another location is in the works for the Missouri side just off of the County Club Plaza in Kansas City.
I recently had the chance to try it out thanks to a couple of “free burger” cards they sent me.
Guess what? They want to give you some too along with some other Larkburger swag. Two winners are eligible for that and details are below, but first here are the details on the menu and some really cool things you should know about Larkbrger.
The menu is diverse and a perfect place to take the whole family. From burgers to kale and a few things in between everyone can get something they like. I think one of my favorite options is the steamed edamame.
Larkburger Edamame. Chicken and Tuna burgers
Although, I am a sucker for fries, which are hand-cut in-house and are amazing, it is nice to have an unfired option when I am trying to cut back on calories.
The day I visited I had to grab a to go order for my son and I. The sweet girl taking my order was so patient with me as I could not decide what salad to get. I finally decided on the kale salad.
I knew my son would go for a burger but being the picky eater he is I knew I had to order it plain. I got him the traditional Larkburger with meat, cheese and bun which means he missed out on the special sauce which is made from scratch and what I think is the best part! All burgers are cooked to order at your desired temperature and of course served however you want it. All of Larkburgers sauces and dressings that accompany their array of burgers, sandwiches and salads are made in-house using only the freshest ingredients.
Although, I scored a bite of the burger which was tasty even without the sauce, I really enjoyed the kale salad and appreciate the diversity of the menu items Larkburger offers. It makes it super easy for carnivores and vegetarians alike to both order something that will satisfy their appetite. As I mentioned before it is great place to take the whole family. Not only do kids under 12 eat free on Monday’s with an adult purchase, it allows mom who may be watching what she eats get something satisfying when the rest of the family is craving burgers and fries.
I do need to mention that although a burger is going to have more calories then kale, you don’t need to feel as guilty if you indulge in one at Larkburger. The burgers are fresh and made from local Black Angus beef. That in itself is already going to be lower in calories than the average processed fast food burger that is shipped frozen from who know where.
Everything is fresh at Larkburger including the tomatoes which ripen in an in-house cabinet until they are at peak flavor and the house-cut fries are cooked in a trans free canola oil.
The Larkburger with Hand-Cut Fries
I recently attend a blogger event they had and got a little swag myself along with some tasty samples.
Larkburger Swag
Larkburger Chili
Larkburger Rocket Power Salad
Larkburger Salted Caramel Shake
Apart from having great food, Larkburger is also kind to the environment and takes sustainability seriously. Outside of the condiment packets and juice and milk cartons, everything is compostable. Every napkin, utensil, wrap, cup, bag, box and straw! The size of the restaurant trash can is no larger than a 9×13 baking dish. The space and decor is sleek and clean with the chairs made from recycled materials and the walls are reclaimed cypress wood. In addition, their fry oil is recycled and converted into alternative fuel and 100% of the electricity usage is offset by purchased wind credits.
Larkburger Decor
Larkburger also is committed to supporting local and will source beer and soda from the region the restaurant is in to serve at that location. For a list of all Larkburger location visit their website.
Now in order to get free burgers and swag from Larkburger all you have to do is comment below on how you top your burger!
Two winners will be drawn using random. org from the number of entries. Example first commenter is number on and so on. Contest ends midnight Monday, June 12. Winners will be notified via email so be sure to leave a valid email with your comment. Good Luck!
by Sharm | Dec 8, 2016 | Food & Drink, Giveaways, Restaurants
The New Winter Menu is now available at Bonefish Grill and I’ve got $25 towards your meal to giveaway for you to try it!
I recently had the chance to use one of the $25 Bonefish cards to check out the new menu and I have to say that although it is only usable on food items, I recommend you splurge a little and get the new Winter White Cosmo! It is so delicious. My girlfriend and I met for lunch and started the meal with a couple of these beauties.
The white cranberry juice cocktail is studded with real red cranberries that add a festive touch for the holidays. Not to mention those little gems soak up some of the drinks goodness which makes the entire cocktail edible.
When it came time to decide to have another or not, my girlfriend admitted that if she did it would most likely turn her into a day drinker so we decided to move on to the main course.
With the both of us not being huge seafood fans we went for salads.
I chose the Florida Cobb Salad with wood-grilled chicken, avocado, mango, tomatoes, Blue cheese and citrus herb vinaigrette. My girlfriend ordered the Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad with roasted corn, black beans, Feta, grape tomatoes, red onion and cilantro lime vinaigrette. When she asked the waitress if chicken could be used instead of shrimp the answer was an astounding yes.
The salads were fresh and delicious. I loved how the mango on the Florida Cobb is sweet and pairs nicely with the salty blue cheese.
I am also pleased to tell you that the amazing Swordfish and Pumpkin Ravioli is still available. We got an order of this to share, sans the swordfish. You can read about how amazingly delicious it is here.
The staff, food and service at Bonefish Grill is spot on and the is the perfect place to meet for ladies who lunch or really just anybody wanting a great lunch or dinner!
In addition to that fabulous Winter White Cosmo, the New Winter Menu features delights like NEW Lobster, Crab & Artichoke Dip with sweet lobster, lump crab and house-made tortilla chips and succulent Fresh Oscar Mahi Mahi. The wood-grilled fresh Mahi Mahi is topped with jumbo lump crab, freshly steamed asparagus and lemon butter.
With dishes indulgent enough to make any celebration spectacular, Bonefish Grill’s Winter Menu also includes Misoyaki Chilean Sea Bass grilled over oak, then topped with misoyaki marinade and pickled ginger relish, on a bed of sautéed spinach, mushrooms and jasmine rice.
Enjoy pairing these dishes with the tasty Wiinter White Cosmo, featuring Reyka Vodka, Cointreau, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, white cranberry juice and fresh lime juice – handcrafted to order.
Guests can end their meal on a sweet note with seasonal Chocolate Crème Brulé, an indulgent twist on a classic dessert made in-house with a splash of delicious Grand Marnier.
If your looking for holiday gifts in addition to a great meal, receive a $10 Bonus Card for every $50 purchased in gift cards now through December 31. Plus, enjoy Free Gift Card Personalization with a greeting card and Free Standard Shipping when you purchase online, or pick them up at your local Bonefish Grill.
To score the $25 towards your meal at Bonefish Grill, just comment below on what New Winter Menu item you want to try. Is is the Winter White Cosmo, The Mahi Mahi, Chilean Sea Bass, Lobster, Crab and Artichoke Dip or Chocolate Crème Brulé?
Contest is open for one week and will end Midnight, Sunday, December 18. Winner will be chosen using random.org and notified via email.
by Sharm | Nov 9, 2016 | Food & Drink, Giveaways, Local Products, Local Restaurants, What You're Missing KC!, Wichita
If you were around the Kansas City area from 1980 to 2004, then you should be quite familiar with Tippin’s and are going to love this giveaway for two ways to win a fabulous Tippin’s pie. If you are not familiar with Tippin’s, here is a little history for you.
Tippin’s restaurants were sprinkled throughout Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas and were a staple to those areas being famous for pie, in about every flavor you could imagine. The last Tippin’s closed in the summer of 2004 and although the restaurants have been closed for quite some time, the pies live on.
Ball’s Food Stores rescued a piece of the Kansas City pie legend, by buying the brand and creating Tippin’s Gourmet Pies. The pies are made fresh all day long locally in Kansas City, Kansas. The pies are available at grocery stores in the Kansas City metro and beyond including St.Louis, Tulsa, Wichita and more.
If your local grocery store happens to be a Dillons or Hen House, now is your chance to win one just in time for the holidays.
Tippin’s Pumpkin pie
Details on winning the pie will come in a bit but first I have to tell you that if you were a fan of the pies, they are as good now as they were back then.
How do I know? My sister and I recently got together and since this opportunity came up for me to write about their pies, we decided we had better try one for old time sake as she used to work there in high school.
Not all pies are available at every store and some carry only the cream, some just fruit and others both. You can check the pie finder on the Tippin’s website for the closest store near you. If you find there is no store close to you, fear not as you can order them online and they will be shipped right to your door! My store happen to be Dillons in Wichita, Kansas where I found the beloved and classic French silk.
If you end up browsing the Tippin’s website, you will find a page with stories from devoted fans sharing their memories of the beloved restaurant and pie! So in addition to the giveaway, I must share my beloved memories with you, so, back to the French silk pie…
It looked just like we remembered with the fancy lattice design of fresh whip cream topped with hand-made chocolate curls. Although, it looked the same, the question was, did it taste the same?
Tippin’s French Silk
It did! And wow, how that first bite brought back a flood of memories. The chocolate filling was decadent, rich and smooth and there is no mistaking the taste of the real whip cream topping. The combination of the crust which is slightly salty and crunchy paired with creaminess of the sweet pie filling is one reason why this pie is their most popular seller.
I certainly had my share of Tippin’s food and their pies growing up as both of my sisters worked there in high school. After every shift worked, they got to bring a piece of pie home and many times being the little sister, they let me choose the flavor. Between the two of them working we literally had pie everyday!
Tippin’s peanut butter merengue pie was one of my favorites! I also loved the Boston cream pie, coconut cream, key lime, pecan, fresh strawberry when it was in season, German chocolate and of course the classic French silk. Really, I never met one I did not like.
Tippin’s was our families go to place for pretty much every occasion. My mom always gave her parents Tippin’s gift certificates when gift giving was in order and they loved it. When they passed and we were cleaning out their things, we found a stack of the old gift certificates in a cabinet which gave us a good laugh at that much needed time.
In addition to pie, their cornbread and frisco burger was my go to meal. I have mastered the corn bread recipe and still make it to this day for our family.
Years ago, my husbands grandpa was visiting us from out of town and whatever meal I was making included the cornbread. He was a sweet man who was just a little rough around the edges and leaned over to my husband and said, “God damn that woman makes good cornbread.” I can still hear him saying that to this day and is one of my fondest memories. One of these days I will get the cornbread recipe up on the blog for you. If you cannot wait for it just email me and I will send it your way.
Now that I have taken a walk down memory lane, we can get back to business on that giveaway!
If your local grocery store is a Dillons or Hen House you can enter to win! Hen House is offering a gift certificate, good for one Tippin’s Pie and Dillon’s, a gift card for $20.
To enter just leave comment of you favorite Tippin’s memory, favorite Tippin’s pie flavor or if you are not familiar with Tippin’s, your favorite pie flavor in general. Also please specify if your store is Hen House or Dillons.
Contest will be open for one week and close midnight Wednesday, November 16. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will be notified via email and the certificate or gift card will be sent to you to use on your favorite pie, just in time for the holidays.
If you do not have a Hen House or Dillons close to you but know someone who does, please feel free to share this giveaway with them.
Thanks for entering and while you are at it feel free to like and follow all of my social media channels:
Facebook: Discover Finer Living
Twitter: @SharminMeadows
Instagram:sharminmeadows
Pinterest: Sharmin Meadows
Happy Eating and Good Luck!
by Sharm | Jun 24, 2016 | Food & Drink, Giveaways, Products & Reviews
Up for grabs is a $25 gift card to Scooter’s Coffee so if you are a caffeine junkie keep on reading on how to enter.
Scooters recently gave me a $25 gift card to try out their new organic iced teas and now it’s your turn to get your hands on a $25 gift card to Scooters so you can try them for yourself.
I have to admit I am not a huge iced tea fan but I had the chance to stop into scooters after day of shopping and the tropical hibiscus iced tea I tried recently was refreshing and sweet and unexpectedly delicious.
It is not overly sweet and has a little tartness to it. To enter the $25 gift card giveaway to try the teas for yourself just comment below on what your favorite ice tea flavor is or what you love about iced tea.
Contest will be open for one week and winner will be drawn at random by Random.org. Contest ends midnight, July 1, 2016. Winner will be notified via email so be sure to leave a valid email address with your entry. Good Luck and thanks for entering.
by Sharm | Oct 8, 2015 | Giveaways, Kansas City, What You're Missing KC!
Up for grabs is a SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza Giveaway!
I am giving away a $25 dollar gift card to spend at Spin! any way you like. And SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza is celebrating National Pizza Month by giving you the chance to win a free pizza every month for a year.
To enter for the $25 gift card, just answer the following trivia question.
What percentage of pizzas ordered in the U.S. are topped with pepperoni?
Please comment below with your answer. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Contest ends Midnight, Sunday, October 18. Winner will be notified via email so please leave a valid email with your entry.
The winners will be able to ciao down at any of Kansas City’s own award-winning SPIN! Pizza’s nine area locations including Prairie Village, Lenexa, Olathe and two in Overland Park.
To enter, the free pizza for a year giveaway visit www.spinpizza.com/nationalpizzamonth.
