Dine & Dash: Bloodies & boba 🍽
Get brunched at The Local Table in Security/Widefield; grab mochi donuts and much more at Kelly's Boba & Dessert
The Local Table
The Local Table opened its doors in the Security-Widefield area three and a half years ago in a former Pizza Hut location, hence the familiar, cupcake-shaped windows. They serve “classic American comfort food” by their own description, which is to say familiar diner, cafeteria and pub food. You can read chef/owner Tony Pera’s short backstory on the business’ “about” page, which includes three decades of industry experience across the country.
I’ve most heard friends locally talk about The Local Table’s brunch, so that’s what we decide to visit for on a recent weekend. And as you know, brunch for many people means bloody marys, so that’s what decide to drink.
Lauren orders the House, spicy, which really isn’t, but it’s totally proficient, if lacking any garnish beyond a citrus wedge. While I can appreciate that they don’t do the over-the-top ostentatious shit like whole meals skewered atop it wouldn’t hurt them to throw a stick of celery in. Don’t be afraid to order the Ghost Pepper Bloody Mary, as I did, if you actually want a spicier version. They don’t overdo the house pepper infusion, so you get a mild burn finished by the zesty spicing of a chamoy rim, which itself could be more bountiful and better executed. Still, it drinks.
For bites, we order The Local Table Reuben, which appears on the brunch, lunch and dinner menu. And smothered breakfast burrito, which isn’t available during evening hours.
The first features salty, house-braised corned beef with typical sauerkraut, Swiss and thousand island toppings on toasted marbled rye. Aside from the bottom slice of bread arriving fairly soggy already, it’s a pleasing bite that any deli would be happy to serve.
The cheddar-jack-garnished burrito, filled with generous scrambled egg and potato and a not very talkative chorizo, arrives in a puddle of soupy green chile with a mild to medium heat and the delightful earthy flavor we all crave. It’s good, but can’t entirely make up for the burrito’s under-seasoned elements that ultimately leave it tasting basic.
Kudos, though on the included sides (one for each dish), for which we choose grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes. The veggies this day are tomatoes and thick slices of zucchini, which are allowed to just taste like themselves and be a fresh, light offset to the heavier meal. The potatoes, served with thin slices of Parmesan, have that great quality of being baked then fried to a satisfying crispy texture. No notes.
The Local Table also delivers nice presentations on their dishes, showing care in the kitchen. I’ve heard the burgers are good, if that’s your speed, and the menu also features sweet items like upside-down pineapple pancakes and a strawberry mousse waffle for kids (or adult children). The dinner options include hearty mains like a pork tenderloin, chicken-fried steak and New York strip; there’s even a seafood and pasta section to further fill out the catch-all menu.
Kelly’s Boba & Dessert
By Lauren Hug
Kelly’s Boba & Dessert is a new addition to University Village food and drink options, taking over the space that previously operated as a Mochinut franchise. (They don’t have an online presence yet that we could find.)
Located between Nothing Bundt Cakes and Tokyo Joe’s, the independent brand retains mochi donuts and Korean corndogs similar to those Mochinut served, but the new owners have expanded the menu with bubble waffles, sago (a refreshing, warm weather dessert incorporating chewy pearls) and their own specialty drinks.
We left the bubble waffles and corndogs for another time and opted to try the strawberry, chocolate and funnel cake mochi donut varieties. A note on a chalkboard sign informs customers that the donuts contain gluten. That may be why they’re somewhat lighter in texture with a crispier exterior than Mochi Thaim’s fully gluten-free offerings.
I prefer Mochi Thai’m’s version, but I’ll gladly stop by Kelly’s when I’m in the area. The strawberry donut, topped with a Pocky stick, was our favorite. The sweet and slightly tart glaze was a welcome complement to the dough. The chocolate version is topped with something closer to a milk chocolate spread than a traditional glaze, which didn’t really work for me.
The drink menu is extensive, featuring milk teas, “milky’s,” smoothies, fruit teas and lemonades with several options for toppings. There also serve featured drinks that include matcha, coffee and even sugarcane juice.
We tried the matcha ube latte made with coconut milk (our choice), which arrived in beautiful layers of green, white and purple. An employee made sure we knew to stir it before drinking to mix the flavors together. We also sampled the wintermelon milk tea with brown sugar boba. The warm, soft and delicious boba elevated the drink, which is served in a sturdy, attractive cup that can be reused after the beverage is gone.
Tempted by the fact that we’ve never seen sago on a menu before, we ordered the lychee version (strawberry, mango, and watermelon were the other options). I was expecting something more chia-pudding-esque, but it turned out to be a refreshing dessert soup full of pearls, jelly and lychee halves. It left me interested in trying other flavors sometime in the future.