Votes are in: 8 Wonders of NW Kansas Cuisine announced
Published on -7/7/2009, 12:50 PM
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By MIKE CORN
In the single campaign to be the top eating establishment in northwest Kansas, two races evolved: one online and the other through printed ballots.
The push online ultimately overwhelmed the printed ballots in the 8 Wonders of Northwest Kansas Cuisine contest put together by The Hays Daily News.
While active campaigns for restaurants in Russell County, Ness City and in Hays were impossible to overcome, some smaller locations prevailed.
The top eight eating establishments in northwest Kansas are:
* Arthur's Pizza, Ellis
* Bunker Hill Cafe, Bunker Hill
* A&W Restaurant, Russell
* Professor's Steakhouse, Hays
* Chubby Pickle, Phillipsburg
* Effie's, Rush Center
* Pizza Plus, Ness City
* Big Ed's Steak House, Bird City.
Aldean Banker was pleased to learn Russell County had two of the eight finalists.
She and Kay Homewood, who served as interim directors of the Russell County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, nominated both Bunker Hill and A&W for the contest. They also nominated Meridy's in Russell and K-18 in Lucas.
Banker said the blitz of votes came about because of concerted efforts to get out the vote.
In the case of A&W, she said, owner Tim Cook talked to his employees and customers "and they put on a real blitz."
As for Bunker Hill, she said, the restaurant has been there since the 1970s.
"There are people from all over that will come to eat at Bunker Hill," Banker said.
That's the idea of the campaign, to highlight the top spots in northwest Kansas to eat. To be sure, it's not just the top eight that have great menus, as many of the others do as well.
With the voting over, reporters from The Hays Daily News now will start venturing out to talk with restaurant owners for a series of stories on the eight finalists.
