Dish & Drink KC: Casual eats for your spring errand runs at Blind Box BBQ and Kolache Factory

Piña Colada Cheesecake from Blind Box BBQ. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Fuel your shopping addiction at Blind Box BBQ’s Nebraska Furniture Mart location

Picture this: You’re eating a plate of barbecue ribs, your fingers smeared with the savory sauce. You look out past the bounds of the restaurant into the massive lobby of a superstore, where shoppers are examining iPhone cases and laptop bags. What could be more Midwestern than that? 

Nebraska Furniture Mart houses Blind Box BBQ’s second—and best!—location. Yes, the Shawnee restaurant is better suited for the average dinner, but NFM has more style. You can spend hours picking out the perfect furniture for your dream home (you don’t even have to buy it—we won’t tell!), and then you can chow down on burnt ends and onion straws.

BBQ Nachos from Blind Box BBQ. // Photo by Lauren Textor

The BBQ Nachos are a perfect example of a starter that can serve as a full meal. This pile of house-made tortilla chips is heaped with smoked meats, roasted corn, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and green chile queso. Neither location is stingy with the toppings, but NFM’s seems to go overboard to make up for its uber-casual dining establishment. 

Blind Box Shawnee has introduced a special seasonal menu that runs until May 31. It includes a cocktail (Berry Mint Julep, $12), some mild twists on classic barbecue offerings (Smoked Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Dip, $11; BBQ Pimento Grilled Cheese, $14; Sticky Asian Ribs, $18; Jamaican Jerk Chicken, $16), and a dessert (Piña Colada Cheesecake, $10). 

The Piña Colada Cheesecake is extra tangy due to the pineapple sauce. The toasted coconut shavings on top add a crunchy texture to the otherwise smooth and airy base. It’s shareable and a favorable conclusion to a transitional season menu.

Blind Box Shawnee also has a Sunday brunch buffet from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Happy Hour is dine-in only from 3-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 3-8 p.m. on Sundays.

Blind Box BBQ has two locations at 13214 W 62nd Terrace, Shawnee, KS 66216, and 1601 Village West Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66111. 

Assorted kolaches from Kolache Factory. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Kolache Factory is not a top-tier bakery, but it’s filling

Kolache Factory is not going to satisfy your culinary dreams, but it is conveniently located across from a Phillips 66. It’s a quick pit stop for road trips, long work days, or truck-driving hauls. These kolaches are not lovingly-made, individually-crafted creations, but they are effective fill-up food. Like, if you’re a regular person, you’re almost never going to pay for premium gas. Why would you? Regular will do the job just as well in most cases. 

Kolaches are basically puffy, buttery pastries with various fillings. Kolache Factory expands beyond the traditional cheese or fruit stuffings with flavors like Philly Cheese Steak, Sausage & Gravy, and Jalapeño Popper. 

This location is decent with sweet, fruit pastries, but if I want a breakfast/dessert item from a franchise, then I’m going to Krispy Kreme. Kolache Factory is better suited to savory items. 

The Italian Chicken is like a dinner roll stuffed with marinated chicken, cheese, and cream of mushroom soup. The Chicken Enchilada has an almost surprising kick to it, making it a worthy addition to Tex-Mex. The Bar-B-Q Brisket is the most likely to stain your t-shirt. It’s certainly not up to the standards that Kansas Citians have come to expect from their smoked meats, but it’s more than adequate for a saucy, on-the-go snack. 

Kolache Factory’s May Flavor of the Month is called the San Antonio. The dough is filled with roasted potatoes, chorizo sausage, bacon, and refried beans fit for a cowboy. (Though, do recall, cowboys couldn’t exactly afford to be picky.) 

Kolache Factory has two locations in Kansas at 13103 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, Shawnee, KS 66216, and 7112 W 135th St, Overland Park, KS 66223.