Restaurant review: AVI Seabar & Chophouse

It’s easy for Wichita locals to forget about hotel restaurants. They’re hidden inside, usually with no exterior signage, and in-towners tend to think of them only when it’s holiday brunch time. As a result, gems like Harvest Kitchen/Bar inside the Hyatt don’t get the traffic they deserve. AVI Seabar & Chophouse could help change that.

The chat returns

Having trouble deciding where to eat for Valentine's Day? Want to hear me gush about AVI's polenta? Lonely and bored at 1:30 p.m. on a Thursday? The live dining chat is for you. I'll be back chatting at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Just log on to the Dining with Denise blog for instructions about how to participate.

Three more Valentine's Day options

Last week, we published a list of restaurants offering Valentine’s Day specials. Here are three more places joining the heart-day fray.

1. Mediterranean Grill, 335 S. Towne East Mall Drive, 316-651-5599: The restaurant is offering a Valentine’s Day special menu plus half-price bottles of wine and a free red rose for each table.

2. Granite City Food & Brewery, 2244 N. Webb Road, 316-636-5050; and 2661 N. Maize Road, 316-721-8500: The restaurant is offering a $59.99-a-couple special, available Friday through Valentine’s Day, that includes choice of soup or salad, choice of appetizer, choice of two entrees and dessert.

3. The Anchor, 1109 E. Douglas, 316-260-8989: On Valentine’s Day, the downtown bar will tap three limited-edition chocolate-flavored beers: Boulevard Chocolate Ale, Ommegang Seduction, which is a chocolate cherry porter, and Breckenridge 72 Imperial Chocolate Cream Stout. The bar also will offer half-price bottles of wine to Valentine’s Day customers.

Final Chick-fil-A delay

There’s one final delay on the opening date for Wichita’s free-standing Chick-fil-A at Central and Rock Road. But local franchisee Brad Fuller double, triple promises that this delay will be the last. The restaurant will open for sure, Fuller said, on March 15. The last time we checked with him, he was aiming for a March 1 opening but ran into some typical restaurant-opening delays. Fuller has a full week of grand opening events planned, which we’ll report more on when he has them finalized.

New Mexican restaurant in the works

Las Tias de Beto Family Mexican Restaurant is set to open in the middle of March right next door to the Juarez Bakery at 1068 N. Waco. Manuel Fernandez, who is one of the owners of Juarez, is a partner in the new restaurant, too. He said it will offer the standard fajita/taco/burrito options plus fish and steak dishes typical of Northern Mexico. It’ll be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will offer margaritas, beer and possibly wine. The dining room will seat 58.

Another Jimmie's Diner

Wichita’s second Jimmie’s Diner opened Feb. 2 in the space at 1519 George Washington Blvd. recently vacated by Toc’s Coffeehouse. Owners Jack and Linda Davidson remodeled the space, giving it a fresh coat of paint, a new soda fountain, new light fixtures and more. Wichita’s original Jimmie’s Diner opened at 3111 N. Rock Road in 1987. The Davidsons bought it in 2007. The new Jimmie’s Diner has the same menu as the original, and the waitresses wear poodle skirts. It’s open from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For more information, call 316-558-5440.

Q & A

Q: "I know there are several tortillerias in town. I would like to find a place that makes great tortillas and tamales locally. Any ideas?" --Derek

A: I know this one! My friend, Kim, recently introduced me to Tortilleria Hermanos Rodriguez at 1859 N. Waco. It's a tiny little place that sells fabulous tortillas and also makes tamales for $12 a dozen. There are a few booths for dine-in customers, though I've never tried the regular menu. I may have to change that soon. Call them at 316-267-6600.

Ask Denise your dining question.

Question of the week: Which restaurant can west siders be most proud of?

And a few answers to last weeks question: Which Wichita restaurant offers the most romantic setting?

"Lucianos in Mulvane. Close enough to Wichita."--Matthew Cook

"Savute's used to be a Valentine tradition for my wife and I. Probably not the most romantic to sum but if you have been going there for close to 50 years it is. Actually we have given up fighting the crowd and the slow service and now enjoy a very romantic dinner at home with our Doggie Daughter. I am thinking about doing Beanie Weenies in a nice bone marrow reduction sauce followed by Velveeta mac and cheese with a nice Merlot." --JinJiang

"Definitely Cafe Bel Ami. " --kedgington

"Bella Vita Bistro."--Whitey

"VD is too overrated. Stay home and have a TV dinner." --themoi

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