New list names 50 ‘of our favorite restaurants in America.’ One is in Kansas City
The New York Times says it “traveled widely and ate avidly” to build “The Restaurant List 2022: 50 places in America we’re most excited about right now.”
The publication said its “annual list of our favorite restaurants in America” includes some picks that “debuted just this summer, others have been around for decades. The one thing they do have in common: The food is amazing.”
One of those has been a Kansas City mainstay: Kitty’s Cafe at 810 1/2 E. 31st St.
“This is the kind of place where a customer announces, ‘I think I’m going to keep it light today’ before ordering a cheeseburger and fries. But the pork sandwich is really the reason you should not visit Kansas City without visiting Kitty’s,” the Times wrote.
“Charley Soulivong, the owner since 1999, uses the recipe passed down by Kitty Kawakami, who founded the restaurant in 1951 with her husband, Paul. Those Japanese American roots survive in three tempura-battered pork cutlets that come stacked with julienne iceberg, raw onions, pickles — crunch layered with crisp — and dressed with a hot sauce that eats like spicy ketchup.”
After the article was posted online Monday morning, Kitty’s Cafe soon started filling up with customers.
“It was crazy. All the customers started coming in, a mix of our regulars and newcomers,” said daughter Jinna Soulivong. “We almost ran out of tenderloins. My mom has to batter them every single day, so she will probably be here until midnight to prepare for tomorrow.”
Last year, The Star included the Kitty’s tenderloin in its list “You are not a true Kansas Citian until you’ve had these 10 iconic restaurant dishes.”
You are not a true Kansas Citian until you’ve had these 10 iconic restaurant dishes
The cafe has been Asian-owned since it was founded. The couple had been confined to a U.S. internment camp out West during World War II, although they were born in the U.S. Their restaurant quickly gained a following for the tenderloins.
Once a six-stool diner, Kitty’s Cafe is now to-go and cash only. It does not have a phone.
“We did have one but we were too busy to pick up the line,” said Jinna Soulivong.
Other restaurants on the New York Times list include Audrey in Nashville (founded in late 2021); Brennan’s in New Orleans (1946); Dear Margaret in Chicago (January 2021); The Musket Room in New York City (June 2013); and Yeyo’s in Bentonville, Arkansas (January 2017).
