Welcome to Outside DC, a new blog feature for FamousDC. Here’s our thought: Washingtonians are from everywhere. The makeup of DC’s population ebbs and flows with political administrations, college enrollment, and time. Each and every one of us arrives in Washington with our histories – and our hometowns – in tow. We decided to celebrate that. In this recurring post, you won’t read about cool happy hours around town or who’s the latest “it” Hill staffer. None of what you’ll read will be accessible in Washington, and that’s the point. This isn’t about tearing down DC; it’s about honoring where we come from, loving what makes those places home, and sharing those things with others.

So, without further ado, our first entry: An ode to Kansas City by Elliot Kort.

Five Things Kansas City Has That DC Does Not:

1. Stroud’s fried chicken – After 75 years, you learn how to do some things pretty damn well. So it is with Stroud’s, a restaurant families pass down to their children like a cherished keepsake. The pan-fried chicken is like manna from heaven, and the homestyle sides are to die for – which, to be true to my metaphor, would just allow me to have more friend chicken, wouldn’t it? Also, if you leave without eating cinnamon rolls, some might consider it a capital offense. I can hear the doubters. “Yes, I’m sure it’s good fried chicken, but it couldn’t be nearly as good as my grandmother’s.” Well, my grandmother was an amazing chef whose culinary clout was known throughout the greater KC metropolitan area. That said, if Grandma Liz really wanted quality fried chicken, she’d probably request we bring her Stroud’s.
2. Kansas City barbecue – Aah, the most obvious choice of the list. Barbecue is a very territorial matter and the debate over which establishment has the best competition ribs, the most ridiculous brisket, and tastiest burnt ends never stops. It’s a ceaseless argument and everyone is certain they’re right. For my money, few things top the burnt ends at Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue or the ribs at Oklahoma Joe’s. DC just doesn’t have anything that scratches the surface of how good this stuff can be, though newly-opened Hill Country in Penn Quarter is trying it’s best.
3. Boulevard Beer – The Boulevard Brewing Company has been churning out some of the best craft beer in the country since 1989. All of its products are staples throughout Kansas City, but few have become a standard quite like their Unfiltered Wheat Beer. The stuff is so good I occasionally have it shipped halfway across the country just so that I can get my fix. Sadly, Boulevard – which become the largest American-owned brewery in the state of Missouri after Anheuser-Busch merged with InBev – sadly does not supply stores outside of the midwest. But a guy can hope!
4. Fountains – Yes, Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains. But until you’ve actually found yourself incapable of making two turns down any two random streets without running into a fountain, you truly haven’t seen Shakespeare the way it was meant to be done. They’re everywhere. They’re gorgeous. Who not go take a look for yourself?
5. Google’s fiber-optic network – Oh, and yeah, this happened.

We’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to share your favorite things about your hometown, things apart from DC, let us know. If you’re interested in guest blogging for us, please email us @ [email protected]