Posted on Thu, May. 03, 2012

Wichita is full of foodies, and, as it turns out, I’m not the only one with an opinion about Wichita’s dining scene.

Since I started reviewing Wichita restaurants back in 2000, I’ve developed a stable of local pen pals who regularly e-mail me with tips, stories and reviews and participate in my bi-weekly online dining chats. When my Dining with Denise Neil blog launched two years ago, my number of pen pals quadrupled, and I suddenly had a community of assistants, most of whom I knew only by their Kansas.com handles.

We’ve decided to use their knowledge for food good.

Today, we are introducing our Wichita Eagle Dining Panel. It consists of Wichitans I have gotten to know through the years, both electronically and in person, who know a lot about food, wine and eating out.

I met with this group a few weeks ago at Caffe Moderne, where we got to know each other and talked about how the new panel would work. The group includes people of all different ages and backgrounds, and could have stayed there all night, sharing stories about things we’ve eaten. We had the easy camaraderie of people who share a passion.

Starting today, the panel will provide regular mini-reviews of restaurants in Wichita. I’ve asked them to visit places I probably won’t get to when I’m reviewing restaurants. I try to visit places that have opened in the past six months, so panelists will make it a practice to visit Wichita classics, little-known holes in the wall or places I never made it to.

Our goal is to publish a panelist review once a week or so, either in the Go! section, in Sunday’s Arts & Leisure section or on my Dining with Denise blog at blogs.kansas.com/dining.

We start today with Jeff Christensen’s review of Sake Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi at 650 N Carriage Parkway, a restaurant I’ve heard great things about but never reviewed.

Jeff works at a local bank and is one of my most faithful pen pals. He’s a passionate cook who faithfully e-mails me whenever he notices a new restaurant, tries a new restaurant or cooks a new masterpiece. I met him in person last year after he successfully won a chance to accompany me on a review meal in a silent auction at a local charity event. He and his wife, Stacy, joined me on my review visit to Luca Italian Kitchen, and they were as fun as they were helpful.

Now, meet the rest of the dining panel.

Ching Brubaker

Occupation: Quality assurance

Food background: Ching always has been interested in eating out and likes to share her dining adventures with others as part of her blog, brubakers.us, which she updates along with her husband, Brian.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Redrock Canyon Grill, Bonefish Grill, The Flying Stove, Wasabi, Caffe Moderne, Taste & See

Jeff Christensen

Occupation: Financial consultant

Food background: Jeff grew up cooking and loves to try new things.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Kanai, Ya Ya’s Eurobistro, Cafe Bel Ami, Ty’s Diner, Mana Wok, Little Saigon, My Tho

Audra Clement

Occupation: Job-seeker

Food background: Audra’s family didn’t dine out much when she was growing up, so when she became an adult, she became fascinated with trying out all kinds of food. Her favorite cuisine is Asian.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Asian Bistro, N&J, Thai Tradition, Casa Martinez (Derby), Kababs, Sumo, Il Vicino, Yen Ching

Natasha Creasman

Occupation: Quality assurance coordinator

Food background: Natasha is an accomplished home cook, and her passion for making food led her to learning about food in restaurants.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Bocconcini Italian Eatery, Luca Italian Kitchen, Kanai, Bella Vita Bistro, Metro Grill, The Flying Stove, and Sit @ Thai Bistro

Kim Edgington

Occupation: City planner/Maize

Food background: When Kim was growing up, her father, Greg, always had the family try different kinds of food. Kim now is an avid home cook with a passion for local eateries.

Favorite restaurants: Le Monde, Taqueria El Paisa, Metro Grill, DeFazio’s, Connie’s, La Galette, Hana Cafe, Ming’s

Andy Gough

Occupation: Employee Education Coordinator for NestEgg Consulting, and president and chief executive of The Social Running Series

Food background: Andy, a big fan of ethnic food, has done volunteer public relations work for local restaurants he’s passionate about. He became interested in dining years ago after having bad food followed by good food, he said, and learning that there was a difference. He has a blog about eating called The Dad Foodie (thedadfoodie.blogspot.com).

Favorite restaurants: Chester’s Chophouse, Little Saigon, Sakura, Bocconcini Italian Eatery, Usuluteco, Picasso’s Pizzeria, Artichoke Sandwich Bar

Brandi Koskie

Occupation: Editor, director of publishing for DietsInReview.com.

Food background: Brandi always has enjoyed the experience of dining out, especially on nights she’s too tired to cook. She’s famous for her guacamole.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Kanai, Old Mill Tasty Shop, Bella Luna Cafe, Copper Oven, Sweetly Scrumptious, Pumphouse

Glaine Russell

Occupation: Owner of Russell Consulting Inc.

Food background: Glaine is a former restaurant owner who worked in the business for many years.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Chester’s Chophouse, Le Monde, Scotch & Sirloin, Pho Chopstix, Redrock Canyon Grill

Audra Thompson

Occupation: Administrative assistant

Food background: Audra attended the University of Kansas and worked for nearly five years in the service industry as both a cocktail waitress and a bartender. Her parents both worked at The Lazy R in the 1960s.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: My Tho, Scotch & Sirloin, DeFazio’s, Bagatelle, Taco Rio

Sigrid Trombley

Occupation: “Blissfully retired”

Food background: Sigrid has been interested in food and cooking since she was a child, growing up in the Chicago area, and her passion was solidified when she got a chance to travel and eat in other countries. She dines out three to four times a week and loves ethnic food.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Zaytun, Ya Ya’s Eurobistro, Bocconcini Italian Eatery, Neighbors Bar & Grill, Thai House, N&J, Byblos

Phil Warren

Occupation: Meteorologist

Food background: Phil and his wife, Stephanie, love eating out, especially at local restaurants. They started the blog Chain Free Eating-Wichita, KS (chainfreeeating.wordpress.com) in 2010. Phil has a particular passion for barbecuing and grilling.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Palateria La Reyna, Manna Wok, Usuluteco, Tanya’s Soup Kitchen, Pig In! Pig Out!, Sport Burger, Kanai

Stephanie Warren

Occupation: Teacher

Food background: Passionate about eating out. Co-founder of Chain Free Eating- Wichita, KS blog.

Favorite Wichita restaurants: Same as Phil’s.

Reach Denise Neil at 316-268-6327 or at dneil@wichitaeagle.com.