New City Cafe, known for their addictive blend of eclectic Caribbean and Latin cuisine, beautifully prepared with fresh, high quality ingredients, has been pleasing diners in their chic restaurant located in Gage Center since 2003 under owner Luis Guillén.

Since the restaurant opened they have also become a great location for lunch, focusing on a deli-style service of sophisticated salads, soups and sandwiches.

Luis is excited about the addition and offering quality food in a quick dining atmosphere that downtown Topeka demands.

It’s this lunch success that they are sharing with downtown Topekans when their second location opens at 715 S Kansas the first of October.

“We’re gonna keep it simple. We won’t serve entrees, just sandwiches, salads and soups that are the quality we are known for. We want to accommodate those bank workers, secretaries and state employees who need a delicious lunch in 30 to 45 minutes.”

715 S Kansas is adjacent to Marion Lane Candles and offers free parking on Kansas Ave. during the day.

“We are excited to move into this location. Connie, the owner of Marion Lane and our landlord is very excited as well and really wants to help make downtown happen.”

Open Monday through Friday for lunch only, Luis hasn’t dismissed the idea of opening for dinner, but it’s not in the near future.

“The food for the downtown location will come from here [Gage Center location], so we are keeping it simple. However, if the downtown area kicks off, which I really hope it does, we will expand.”

Until then, know that New City has always had a heartfelt desire to offer unique cuisine to their customers, and now we can feel this in the heart of our city, Downtown Topeka.

[published 9.1.2011 | by Kerrice Mapes | photo by Lydia Barnhardt]

1306 S. Kansas / 785.354.9115
Hours: Mon – Thurs: 11 am – 8 pm / Fri & Sat: 11 am – 9 pm / Sun: 11 am – 4 pm

Forgive me, mother, for I have sinned. I devoured Sweet Pea’s pork tender sandwich, emitted a muffled “Fabulous!” with a mouth full of food and licked my fingers without remorse. Don’t worry, though, I still love YOUR fried chicken…I hope.

Sweet Pea’s, the new inhabitants of the old Lane’s Grocery a.k.a. Lane’s BBQ is serving up homestyle good eats for us all to enjoy.  Advertised as locally-owned, serving homemade southern cooking, made from scratch, my stomach begged me to try out the new lunch spot on the dreary mid-weekday, and I was able to tug a lunch mate along, too. It didn’t take much convincing.

The place looks similar to the old Lane’s layout when you enter, albeit the half-wall divider is gone and sans the liquor behind the bar area.  The tables are snuggled up to each other, there are a couple small booths off to the side and then larger booths upstairs. I giggled when I viewed the servers’ name tags, i.e. “Sweet Pea’s Alice,” and wondered if it was a prereq for employment to be a “sweet pea.”  Thankfully, our server was just that: an extremely sweet and attractive young lady with a nice smile and demeanor.

The Sweet Pea’s special of the day looked appetizing enough – spinach lasagna with white sauce. However, I prefer the consistency of the daily menu and steered clear of this course. It’s a control issue. I know, I’m working on it.

So my lunch mate and I ordered off the menu and promised to share: the pork tender with fries and the club sandwich with a side salad.  The club sandwich was good with plus signs coming from the ham cut from ham log which reminded me of Easter leftovers and the fact that the bread wasn’t overly toasted, saving the roof of my mouth. The salad was beige – not amazing, but nothing wrong with it.  However, I did enjoy the crunchiness of the celery chunks – something that is left off in too many dishes, IMHO.  The true star of today’s meal, however, was the pork tender sandwich. Served on a soft Kaiser bun, it was obvious that this was hand-cut, battered, fried and delivered specifically for my stomach’s satisfaction.

Gone are the days of 360 degree, flat pork tenders that hang naked outside the bun.  This juicy, plump, oddly shaped sandwich demanded to be my last bite choice.  There was no contest….that is, until my sweet pea server asked…if I’d like dessert.

Just behind me was a hot cherry pie still in the cast iron skillet (can you bake pies in a cast iron skillet? I’m Googling that right after I’m done with this blog entry).  (Update: yes, you totally can) I then  followed my nose to find a coconut pie, cheesecake with blueberries and…apple pie.  The warm slice was brought out in haste and I almost had an anxiety attack deciding whether my last bite would be the pork tenderloin sandwich or the mound of apple pie filling and flaky crust on my new fork.

Cheery Pie from Sweet Pea

Time [from entering to exiting]: 45 minutes
Avg. cost per person: $6.50 plus $2.99 for a slice of pie
Stomach report: Content.  Sweet, southern, wrap-me-in-a-blanket on my mother’s couch while she bakes, content.
Leftovers: None.  Although the Pecan Pie came out while I was paying and I almost boxed up a slice of that.  Sweet Pea’s makes pies daily, so you just have to see what’s on the baker’s mind – and go back often.
Is there a return visit / order: Yes.  After having the pork tender sandwich, I must return and try their chicken fried steak – or fried chicken.  Please don’t tell my mom.
Seen + Noted items: Lane’s Grocery art hangs on the wall.  Homemade Pies are great.  Family owned and operated – seriously, Mom & Dad and the kids (although the kids are moms & dads now, too).
If I could change one thing or had a suggestion: I wish the pork tender sandwich was a little bit bigger to fill the whole bun and I could have used just a few more fries.  They were great – obviously hand cut, peeled potatoes fried.  Just a few more next time, please.

Sweet Pea’s Menu

Cielito Lindo’s  
Mexican Restaurant and Bar

“A taste with tradition”

Hours: Mon – Sat 11 am – 10 pm / Sunday 11 am – 9 pm
2222 SW Washburn Ave
357.8859

“Cielito Lindo” is a popular Ranchera song from Mexico written in 1882 by Quirino Mendoz y Cortés. In recent years, it has become widely known as the theme song for Mexicans, particularly in international circumstances like the FIFA World Cup.

Missing soccer and having the day off work, Cielito Lindo, a new Mexican restaurant in Topeka, answered my stomach craving.  Plus, they had margaritas.

Cielito Lindo is located behind Henry T’s in a location that seems to be just another black hole for local restaurants. I believe there has been about four in this location over the last six years.  I’m hoping that if any having staying power, it’s Cielito Lindo’s.

The outside appears the same, with the addition of an over-sized decal of fajitas on the window.  Not my fav.  I did appreciate, however, the little revamping of the interior; removing those picnic-style benches with real booths. Thank you.

This particular lunch visit, I brought one of my best gal-pals along who is extremely knowledgeable, and a little snooty, about Mexican fare, since, of course, she makes the best next to her mother.  As we entered, I immediately took notice of a sign that explained that they take coupons from any Mexican restaurant.  “Taco Bell?” I wondered. I assume they meant from their competitors, like El Mezcal and sorts.  Smart, we both agreed and filed into our booth.

A pitcher of margarita hastily arrived and was escorted by two glasses,  already filled to the brim.  Bonus.  We began with chips and salsa, the thing that can make or break a Mexican restaurant for me.  It was underwhelming for us both. I prefer chunky salsa with lots of flavor and a little kick.  The second test for me at any Mexican restaurant is the guacamole.  A large was literally a cereal bowl filled, daunting but manageable after the delish cilantro, avocado, tomato, onions and chopped jalapeños hit our tongues.  (Reg. was $3.29 / Large $7.49)

We took advantage of the lunch specials, served 11 am – 2 pm Monday – Friday.  I ordered the fajitas which were a bouquet of colors (loved the taste and visual appeal of the yellow peppers) and not overly greasy, which is the case at many of the Mexican joints around town.  She had the Pollo Fundido.  A chicken breast topped with chorizo, which gave the dish some heat, covered with cheese and served with tortillas.

While we were waiting on our food, the ladies who were lunching behind us ordered the Molcajete.

“Every place has to have that one signature item,” we agreed, and this must be theirs.  The huge portion of steak, chicken, shrimp, pork cooked with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes was served in an enormous margarita bowl.  On the side was rice and beans and avocado salad. This must be shared we decided.

I was hesitant to ask our fellow diners if I could take a picture, so I decided not to creep them out and just peered around the corner of my tall booth back several times without saying a word. The Molcajete is $15.99 and something I must try – ASAP.

Time [from entering to exiting]: 50 minutes
Avg. cost per person:   $8 plus tip
Stomach report:   Lots of food – need a to-go box.  Minimal grease in comparison to other places. The ingredients tasted fresher then most, which was appreciated as was the use of yellow bell peppers and lemon.
Leftovers: Another meal worth
Is there a return visit / order: Done. Tried the Taco Salad Fajita and looking for a friend to tackle the Molcajete.  Maybe Fed and Faded can go to town on that.
Seen + Noted items: They take coupons from other Mexican restaurants.  Margaritas pack some punch.

If I could change on thing or had a suggestion: Salsa needs to be amped up

Ice & Olives 
The Lakeside Market

Hours: Mon – Sat 10 am – 7:30 pm / Sunday 10 am – 5pm
3627 SE 29^th St, Suite 105
Shops at Thunderbird Square
215.8460
www.iceandolives.com

“Business box lunch done right,” is right.  Ice & Olives is competing for my heart with their simple, delicious lunches that impress my co-workers when I  have to order lunch for the office.  Their individual box lunch plan allows each person to order their own sandwich off the menu with a side choice.  The meal is packaged individually in recyclable hard plastic containers with clear tops (and even the person’s name).  The sandwich is closed with an olive, a little touch that means so much to me, and complete with a pickle spear and cookie.  Other lunch options include the Variety Pack Box Lunches for a mix-and-match lunch and a “Build Your Own” sandwich tray.

I’ve ordered several times from Ice & Olives and have gone the Variety Pack Box Lunches each time.  This allows you to order a mix and match of sandwiches, variety lunch salads or even the soup and salad option.  Trying to please a group without individual orders can be tricky so I have a system down that has yet to fail which includes a mix of these three sandwiches:

Ciabatta Hotta: Cajun turkey and provolone on Ciabatta loaf.  This huge sandwich is garnished with leaf lettuce (thank you for not using iceberg) red onion and Ice & Olives’ secret sauce.

“A two fisted version of their Rocket in a Rapper,” this sandwich is amazing.  It’s girlie enough in flavors to please and large enough for the men to dig.

Moon Over Mihammy: Rosemary and sundried tomato curried ham and aged Swiss on marbled rye.  Again, garnished with leaf lettuce and Ice & Olives’ secret sauce (I need to find out if I can by that bottle by the bottle, gallon bottle – it’s so good).

“You like to slamma da hamm?  You’ll howl at the moon with the humdinger,” says their menu.

Tomato Basil Veggie Wrap: Perfect for my co-workers who are counting points, I thought I overheard that this was only a point or two for Weight Watcher people…  Cucumbers, green peppers, tomatoes, black olives and red onions in a high fiber 10-inch tomato basil tortilla wrap.  It’s garnished with sweet roasted red peppers, salad olives and again that secret dressing – which makes this vegetarian wrap anything but dry and bland.  It’s the same ingredients as their traditional vegetarian sandwich but with half of the bread for those watching their middle.

The menu boasts “Get half your daily fiber (with this sandwich).  Eat the napkin and get the other half. What a deal.”

Time [delivery]: On time, and owner Barry has delivered each time – always like to feel special

Avg. cost per person:   $6.75 (without beverage).  Order eight or more sandwiches and they are around $6 each and delivery is free (for order $50 or more)

Stomach report:   Sandwiches with a kick – a kick of good meats and cheeses (what do you expect from an artisan cheese deli that also slices Boar’s Head meat?) that also kick in some fresh ingredients for a healthy lunch alternative that doesn’t break the bank or your backside.

Leftovers: None – but could eat another sandwich for dinner.

Is there a return visit / order: Done.  Ordering again and again for meetings. Haven’t made it to the store for lunch yet, but would like to and would try their Cuban Panini (doesn’t travel well, they say) and skip next door for a latte at the Java Bar.

Seen + Noted items: Shop in the store while you wait for lunch and then enjoy their Coffee bar next door. Liquor store on other side, just in case you’re blowing off your Friday afternoon to sit by the pool.  Inexpensive lunch option with delivery, perfect for lunch / corporate meetings.  On the weekend, you can call and they will make you up a picnic basket, perfect lunch option for the lake.

If I could change on thing or had a suggestion: They would have several locations around the city.  Maybe next door to every Subway, so I could get sandwiches from them daily.

Box Lunch Menu

[photo provided by Ice & Olives menu]

La Rocca’s Pizza

“American-Italian food at its Finest”
Featuring: Pizza, Pasta, Subs and Salads

La Rocca’s is nestled in the shops located at 21st and Urish, next to Tailgators. Seating around 45 people, the smaller restaurant doesn’t feel crowded with booths aligning the North wall, four-tops on the South and two high-top tables by the counter. The efficiency of the method – order at the counter and they’ll deliver your food to you – worked well as we entered this lunch spot.

Ordering to share, the only way to try new restaurants IMHO, we got Lunch Special #1: Any sandwich with two garlic rolls for $6 and Lunch Special #3: 6’’ Personal pizza with up to three toppings and house salad. We both added on a soda for $1 – and got them in to-go cups for a continued caffeine fix back at the office.

Seated in our booth, our salad quickly arrived. It was the perfect side salad proportion but I was quickly disappointed with the non-exciting iceberg base.  Its saving graces were the fresh cucumbers, black olives, grape tomatoes and generous amount of feta cheese on top.  It worked.  Next came our two garlic rolls, which were more like Thanksgiving day rolls drenched in garlic butter and rolled in parmesan cheese.  I loved them. The rest of the table thought there were just okay – which just means more for me.

Next came our personal pizza with pepperoni, ham and sausage.  The crust is a hybrid of traditional and deep dish walls with a flakiness and homemade touch that made it phenomenal. The diced ham was a hit for us, and being pretty particular about my sauce-to-toppings ratio on pizza, this one hit the mark.

“This is [insert expletive] good,” said a lunch companion after taking a bite of the pizza.

The sandwich was a 6’’ submarine-style filled with ham, cheese, salami and topped with the perfect ratio of lettuce, tomatoes tossed in oregano, onions, Italian dressing and seasoning.

A person who I presumed was the owner stopped by our table to make sure we enjoyed our lunch and to see if we needed anything else.  I’m partial to knowing that my lunch came from the owner’s creation, kitchen and heart.  Bonus for me.

We took a to-go menu and planned our return visit, when we will have the LaRocca’s Italian Salad and the Chicago Style Italian Link Sausage, and went back to the daily grind – at least it was Friday.

Time [from entering to exiting]: 35 minutes
Avg. cost per person: $7.50
Stomach report: Delish and full (but not too full)
Leftovers: No
Is there a return visit / order: Yes. Looking forward to ordering the LaRocca’s Italian Salad (Italian style chef salad) and a large create-your-own pizza for carryout dinner sometime for the family
Seen + Noted items: Clean, friendly staff, quick, good lunch portions
If I could change one thing or had a suggestion: Delivery

Hours: Tues – Sat 11 am – 9 pm / Sunday noon – 6 pm
 / Closed on Mondays
2025 SW Urish Suite 107   P: 
861.7141
www.laroccaspizza.net

[photos provided by La Rocca's via website]