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del.icio.usGoodbye, Willie; Howdy, Rowdy
Rowdy Beaver is a new restaurant and tavern with standard-issue dishes but a few nice surprises.
BY DENISE NEIL
The Wichita Eagle
From the Emerson Biggin's school of restaurant naming comes Rowdy Beaver, a restaurant and tavern that opened in September in the former Willie C's space in west Wichita.
The restaurant, based in Eureka Springs, Ark., is expanding its concept to several cities, starting with Wichita.
ON THE MENU: Most of the menu consists of what seems to have become the Wichita standard: steaks, seafood, pasta dishes, sandwiches and salads. (A little variety, please!)
But Rowdy Beaver offers a few unique dishes that keep the menu interesting, and they do what they do pretty well -- in most cases.
DON'T-MISS DISHES: Our visit had two highlights: a giant steak and a basket of fried green beans. Rowdy!
The fried green beans ($5.99 on the appetizer menu) were highly recommended by our server and were surprisingly tasty. Covered in a light breading, they lacked any discernible green bean flavor or crunch. But dipped in a side of ranch, they tasted vaguely french fry-ish.
The steak, chosen from a list of 10 different cuts and preparation methods, was a 12-ounce rib eye ($21.99), a quality cut that was nicely seasoned and cooked to order. It gave us high hopes that the sirloin, filet, porterhouse and prime rib would be equally good.
A couple of other dishes were fine in an unremarkable way, including a meaty but underwhelmingly seasoned tilapia filet ($13.99) and a standard-issue half-slab of ribs ($14.99).
Most dishes at Rowdy Beaver come with a choice of two sides from a long list. Some were good, but some were sort of startling.
The side salad was a nice surprise -- large, fresh and filled with crunchy vegetables like carrot sticks, celery sticks and black olives and topped with homemade croutons and dressing.
The list also includes hush puppies, which come three to a serving and are the size of tennis balls -- crunchy, deliciously deep-fried tennis balls.
The cheese fries, however, were a shock to the senses -- essentially a pile of fries drowned in snack-cart-style nacho cheese. They were tasty enough once we worked up the courage to dig one out.
AMBIENCE: A renovation left the outside of the building transformed, with no sign of the former Willie C's.
Inside, however, the restaurant remains largely unchanged, with the same layout and booths Willie C's had. With the exception of a few awkwardly large tables, the space is casual and cozy.
PRICE RANGE: Steaks range from $13.99 for an 8-ounce top sirloin to $24.99 for a 16-ounce porterhouse. Seafood dishes start at $13.59 for a catfish dinner and go up to $23.99 for a steak and salmon combo.
SERVICE: Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and offered helpful suggestions on what to order.
REVIEW
Rowdy Beaver Restaurant & Tavern
Two and a half forks out of four
Where: 656 S. West St. Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Type of food: American
Alcohol: Full bar
Smoking: Not allowed
Reservations: Accepted
Web site: rowdybeaver.com
Ratings reflect the critic's judgment of the food, service and atmosphere in relation to the price. If you would like to nominate a restaurant to be reviewed, call 316-268-6321.
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