Blue Koi: Dumplings, Noodles and Asian Delights

Update: Right as we were finishing up this review, the Blue Koi announced that they are closing their original location on 39th Street. We will miss that space, as it was our first introduction to the Blue Koi and was such a feature on that block. Our recent dining experiences have been with their Leawood location.

Blue Koi is a Kansas City institution with an international reputation thanks to a famous fan. If you are looking for Asian dumplings, noodle dishes, delicious appetizers, soups, and bubble teas, Blue Koi is a dependable, awesome option for Chinese cuisine. I have regularly dined at the Blue Koi, mostly at the 39^th Street location, since I moved back to Kansas City in 2003.

The original location on West 39^th Street has long been a favorite for years, though recently I have been patronizing the Leawood location. While the Midtown location has that cozy restaurant atmosphere that we have come to expect along 39^th Street, the Leawood location is more spacious and amenable for small and large parties.

If you are a fan of TV food series and are familiar with Guy Fieri and his show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” you make know that Fieri is a huge fan of the Blue Koi. He has filmed to visits to the Blue Koi and raved about the owners and the food.

Dining companion #1 and I have a favorite sharing combination for lunches at the Blue Koi. Since Blue Koi has a bunch of vegetarian starters, we often just order all of them and share. That means sharing Eggplant Pockets, Scallion Biscuits, Veggie Lettuce Wrap, Crispy Tofu, and steamed or pan fried veg dumplings.

My favorites when I’m just ordering for myself are the Braised Tofu or the Vegan Delights entrees. The former includes shitake mushrooms and has a sauce that might be black bean sauce. This is good with either rice or wide flat noodles. The Vegan Delights is an almost soup with tofu bows, tofu, daikon radish, cabbage, and carrots. Tofu bows are little strips of tofu, which are denser and therefore chewy.

There are plenty of options for meat and seafood eaters. Fire Bird is boneless roast duck, chicken or tofu with chili pepper, scallion and bamboo strips. You can also enjoy the Cantonese Roast Duck, Chinese Curry Chicken, Ginger Basil Chicken, and Wonton Noodle Soup.