You’ve probably heard that many of us are craving good old comfort food these days, as we change our patterns and habits due to the pandemic. Little things you can look forward to—like trying a new eatery—can lift your spirits and provide a happy diversion to your day. And especially as the cooler weather sets in, indulging in comfort food is a treat for yourself!
Make plans to stop in and try Strip’s Chicken, a food truck parked at the southwest corner of 85th and Wornall, next to the Price Chopper. Owner Todd Johnson opened the original location of Strip’s four years ago at 1110 Sante Fe in Olathe. Based on the success of that place, he started looking for another spot in Waldo. Right now he’s operating out of the food truck; eventually he’ll open as a restaurant in the adjacent former KFC/Long John Silver’s building. Todd grew up on a farm in Kansas and has a degree from Kansas State in Agronomy. He started out as an agricultural banker; owned a microbrewery and started food consulting; eventually he moved to Kansas City to focus solely on consulting. He even consulted Real Housewives star Lisa Vanderpump on her Bravo show “Vanderpump Rules”. After repeatedly tinkering with recipes and coming up with his own special seasonings and cooking methods, he decided to open his own place again focusing on chicken.
What’s unusual about Strip’s Chicken is this: it’s basically a scratch kitchen. Todd and his staff hand cut all the chicken breasts to the same thickness for quick, uniform cooking. They make all of the sauces and breading; they grind the pork for the pork burgers and make the white chili from scratch; everything is cooked to order. A few other notes about the breading: the strips are coated in a zesty batter, then a pretzel breading (he even grinds the pretzels!). Todd also offers chicken nuggets that are gluten free, specially fried in a dedicated fryer with its own filtration system. The nuggets are “honey kissed” for a slight sweetness and the breading is made from sorghum that’s grown and milled by Kansas farmers. No MSG is used in anything he cooks. “We serve generous portions here” says Todd, “and having signature items is incredibly important to me. My customers can taste the difference”. Chicken strips are the most popular menu item, along with the strawberry BBQ dipping sauce and his own “secret sauce” recipe. Other offerings include onion strings, fries, mac and cheese, and donuts—and family packs.
Next time you are craving comfort food, stop in Strip’s Chicken at 85th and Wornall. Hours are 11am-8pm, Monday through Saturday.
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