Dish & Drink KC: Chinese American comfort food at Red Fortune and Korean cuisine at Sura Eats
Egg drop soup at Red Fortune. // Photo by Lauren Textor
Red Fortune is a family tradition
Red Fortune Chinese Restaurant has gotten me through many of the most difficult times in my life as a young adult. Studying for finals, healing up after my wisdom teeth surgery, the frenzied excitement and agony that was junior prom—all of it has been mitigated by the comforting broth of egg drop soup.
This family-owned-and-operated gem in downtown Bonner Springs remains one of my favorite restaurants on the planet because of its combination lunch special. For $9, you can enjoy a cup of soup, your choice of crab rangoon or egg roll, fried or steamed rice, and an entrée.
I’ll admit that the one time I chose the egg roll, I found it overly crunchy and lacking in filling, but the crab rangoon strikes the right balance of texture, sweetness, and cream cheese-y guts.
Cashew Chicken lunch special at Red Fortune. // Photo by Lauren Textor
The Moo Goo Gai Pan is cooked to perfection with tender slices of chicken, mushrooms, snow peas, thinly sliced carrots, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. The accompanying white sauce is light, savory, and extra delicious when mixed in with the fried rice.
The Cashew Chicken is what it sounds like, mixed in with pieces of zucchini and house-made brown sauce. It’s simple, filling, and—at least for me—is the food equivalent of learning you have a snow day.
Nothing puts me in a better mood than remembering that I have a box of Red Fortune leftovers, which are just as good reheated.
Note: the large menu of mains has few vegetarian or vegan options, and there isn’t any dessert. There aren’t any options for kids’ meals or chicken strips. If this is a dealbreaker for you, then consider yourself warned.
The combination lunch special is served Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Red Fortune is located at 117 Oak Street, Bonner Springs, KS 66012.
Kimchi Fried Rice at Sura Eats. // Photo by Lauren Textor
Sura Eats is worth the parking hassle
I love what the Crossroads represents, but I hate parking there. I rarely visit this part of KC and if I do, there’s a 50% chance that I will end up abandoning my plans anyway because I can’t find an open spot.
Sura Eats was definitely worth the 10 minutes I spent circling the block and cursing.
Chef Keeyoung Kim made waves this year when he opened Chingu in Westport, but Sura Eats remains the OG. It began as a pop-up in 2016 and landed at Parlor’s food hall in 2018, where it’s been celebrated ever since.
The menu has Korean street food classics: bibimbap, pork dumplings, and rice cakes. Although it’s more of a preview into the cuisine, and many of the bowls have similar ingredients, you still might find it difficult to choose.
If you’re stuck, the Kimchi Fried Rice is phenomenal, especially with thin, flavorful slices of spicy pork. Once you break the yolk of the sunny-side-up egg, it runs into the rice, congealing deliciously. Garnished with scallions, sesame seeds, and perhaps a drizzle of the sweet-and-spicy GO sauce, it’s sure to become your new craving.
Sura Eats is located inside Parlor at 1707 Locust St, Kansas City, MO 64108.
