Tour de lunch

Their profession is architecture.

But their true areas of expertise fall in three key components of the Wichita dining scene: burgers, barbecue and Broadway.

Local architect Stan Landwehr is the food-loving leader of a rotating cast of lunching co-workers from local firm WDM Architects. During the past couple of years, the co-workers have embarked on three different tours of local eateries.

Their main goal was to resolve that age-old lunch problem -- never knowing where to go and spending too much of their noon break trying to make a group decision.

But by the end of three tours, members of the group uncovered several new dining treasures, racked up lots of interesting stories and bonded in a way that also benefited them when the lunch hour was over.

It all started in late 2007, when Landwehr suggested to his lunch buddies a tour of eateries on Broadway.

"There were all these quirky little shops and motels and quick dines and fascinating places to go on Broadway," he said. "I thought, 'Let's see what's all out there.' We started at the north end, in Park City, and went all the way to Haysville."

The tour lasted for 30 weeks and encompassed 30 restaurants, from established family places to questionable holes-in-the-wall.

The group followed a few simple rules.

No chain restaurants. No restaurants that lacked indoor seating. And each diner had to try something they'd never ordered before. ("No Saigon No. 49s," Landwehr said with a laugh.)

Once they'd exhausted Broadway and the tour ended, the group found it missed its lunches. Someone suggested a tour of barbecue spots, which spanned several weeks and 15 restaurants, including an East Central gem called Payne Place -- a family-run restaurant with killer brisket and friendly owners.

And when barbecue was done, a burger tour quickly followed. The group sampled burgers at 21 greasy diners, including the famously bare-bones Jack's Coffee Shop, 6154 S. Hydraulic.

Although they're pretty full, the lunchers have talked about possibly starting another tour, though they're having trouble agreeing on a restaurant type.

But the food isn't the entire point, said Mike Seiwert, a steady member of the group.

"I really enjoy getting out with people from work," he said. "And it sure beats eating something from QT at your desk."

Tour highlights

The lunching architects conferred and agreed to name their favorite restaurants from each leg of their lunch tour.

BROADWAY

• Da Nang, 1556 N. Broadway

• Tacos El Tapatio, 1721 N. Broadway• Las Garzas, 1611 S. Broadway

BARBECUE

• Payne Place, 2724 E. Central

• Delano Barbecue Co., 710 W. Douglas

• Julius Ribcage,

2958 S. Seneca

BURGERS

• TJ's Burger House, 1003 W. Douglas

• Little Buster's, 457 N. Baltimore Ave., Derby

• Jack's Coffee Shop, 6154 S. Hydraulic