23-year-old opens Johnson County health food restaurant serving bowls, wraps, more

At 23, Mark Menke is younger than most business owners.

But in some ways, his health food restaurant — Bonsai Bowl at 8932 W. 95th St. in Overland Park — has been a long time coming.

“Since high school I always wanted to do the entrepreneurial path,” Menke told The Star as he stood behind his front counter.

While attending the University of Colorado Boulder, he started a mac and cheese food truck. (Yes, he knows it’s a complete 180 from his current menu, which consists of wraps, salads and rice bowls.)

Then, he moved to the Kansas City area after graduating in May.

Given the high overhead costs of his Colorado food truck, Menke decided to open a brick and mortar shop instead. While brainstorming name ideas for his new concept in Overland Park, he glanced over at a bonsai tree sitting in his kitchen.

“I saw that, and I wondered if the website name was available, and it was,” he said. “I thought it went well with the whole healthy, greens thing.”

The same bonsai tree sits on a shelf in his restaurant today, near a green neon sign.

Bonsai Bowl opened a month ago, in the former site of shake and tea shop OP Nutrition. Customers order their meals to go, either for pickup or delivery through DoorDash.

For first-timers, Menke typically recommends the Asian chicken wrap (spring mix, chicken, Asian sesame dressing, carrots and cucumbers) or the buffalo chicken wrap (shredded lettuce, buffalo sauce, chicken, blue cheese crumbles, celery, red onion and ranch dressing). Each costs $8.55.

Starting at $5.99, customers can build their own rice bowls (much like Chipotle).

Salad options include the Mediterranean (romaine lettuce, chicken, feta cheese, kalamata olives, red onions, cucumber and balsamic vinaigrette) and the classic Caesar salad — each $7.99.

Menke said business has been fast sometimes, slow at others, but he’s eager to meet more Kansas Citians.

“I’m just excited for new customers that want to try it,” he said.

Bonsai Bowl is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.