KC Napkins: A Food Rag

Seasons 52 Winter Menu

2012-02-04T11:20:00.001-06:00

Restaurant: Seasons 52
Location: 340 Ward Pkwy, Plaza
Food: American, healthy bent
Service: Traditional Waitstff
Atmosphere: Biz Casual Dining
Price: Apps
Rating: two napkins

The kind folks at O'Neill Events and Seasons 52 invited me back recently to try their winter menu (*free food alert! My whole meal was comped). I apreciated the offer and gladly accepted, wanting to experience the restaurant on a normal night with other patrons filling the place.

When we arrived for our 7:00 Friday night reservation, the restaurant was packed. The bar/lounge on the West end of the space was filled with a crowd of well-to-do looking people, warm and smiling, enjoying a glass of wine before their food. A woman played piano and sang... pleasantly, for the most part.

We were quickly seated in a booth in the main dining room which was almost entirely full, buzzing with conversation, clinking of glasses and forks on plates... the kind of commotion in which I like to be enveloped when eating out.

The invite explained the highlights to of the new menu:

"From hearty root vegetables such as butternut squash and golden beets, to delectable fruits such as grapefruit and pear, Seasons 52’s winter menu is full of refined flavors. By utilizing natural cooking techniques, such as wood-fire grilling, brick-oven cooking and roasting, winter’s freshest produce shines on the new menu in memorable dishes that enable diners to celebrate living well."

Because this was a free meal, we felt like the restaurant would probably want to feature the bright points so we started the affair by asking for our server's recommendation, which was the best thing we could have done.

She started us with the Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Flatbread. They specialize in these things at S52 but, admittedly, I'm always skeptical of flatbread. It usually comes off like wannabe pizza. Filler. What you normally get is a piece of flat, dry, stale toast with some Parmesan and herbs. Maybe a veggie or two, but that's it.

Not the case here. What struck me was that this one had such a fun combination of flavors! Flatbread usually makes me want pizza. This basically was a pizza. Studded with pineapple, roasted poblano pepper, feta cheese and succulent, plump shrimp, then drizzled with chipotle sauce and garnished with cilantro, it almost had the flavor of tacos al pastor sub seafood for pork. It had me thinking and feeling Baja, which is a good thing.

Our other appetizer selection was the Ahi tuna. And whereas the flatbread was so well-engineered, the tuna was appropriately simple. They set before us a rectangular plate of five beautiful, deeply colored, rare slices of tuna, barely seared on the outside and garnished with typical sushi accoutrements (plus wildly unnecessary multi-grain crackers which I ignored). It was exactly what I'd wanted. Cold, fresh, delicious.

For entrees, we honed in on the Specials and kept the seafood theme alive. First, I had the swordfish. It's a pretty solid bet, swordfish is. Probably won't knock your socks off, but it's a predictable, meaty steak of a fish that won't leave you hungry. Seasons 52's preparation is a grilled steak resting atop a tiny bed of shrimp risotto. Keeping all menu items under 475 calories, the risotto was less than plentiful, as I expected. But it added just enough starch to serve its purpose. I would've liked more, but certainly didn't need it.

To call the rice risotto was a bit of a stretch, though. I'm not even sure it was made with arborio rice. Seemed more like regular short grain rice with a lot of creamy substance in it. But, again, it was nothing to complain about.

Around the outside of my dish were steamed veggies which caused me to think: I could have made these at home. But that simple fact notwithstanding, they were steamed nicely which is to say al dente. Not overdone.

The fruity sauce atop the fish served its purpose of lubricating that thick piece of grilled fish. I have misgivings about the sauces at Seasons 52... no butter, no cream... what's in them? But I can't say there was anything bad or wrong with it. It was just suspiciously healthy tasting, I suppose. And that's what the whole plate can be characterized as. Adequate, but suspiciously healthy.

On the side, we got a small plate of the shrimp, lump crab and spinach-stuffed mushrooms. After eating one, let's just say they were ambitiously entitled. They were spinach and Parmesan mushrooms with a light contribution of shellfish. Hardly enough to bare mentioning, in reality. And a stuffed mushroom is a fatally flawed food-item in my opinion anyway as the mushrooms are almost always overly watery in the mouth. Pretty mediocre.

Elizabeth ordered the Grilled Cobia Curry for her entree. It was plated very similarly to my dish, the grilled fish sitting atop and surrounded by veg, all covered in sauce. She truly enjoyed it. I found it pretty mediocre, the curry being my biggest hang up. It didn't really taste of curry. It was a mixture of spices and, again, some kind of fruitiness (I think maybe they use some kind of pureed fruit to build their sauces and keep them healthy), but wasn't taking me anywhere in Asia, we'll just say.

Her side was a plate of crescent-shaped roasted golden beets with a wasabi dipping sauce. It was an interesting thought, the fibrous, earthy beets offset by the burn of the wasabi cream. But it was a little too extreme, the beets being too plain and dry and the wasabi sauce too one-note and spicy to slather the hunks of beet adequately. Definitely wouldn't recommend or get them again.

Seasons 52 keeps on going with their shot glass desserts, 275 calories or less. And they should. They taste great and so many diners want an inexpensive, small dessert option like this. I applaud the idea and think every restaurant ought to have small, affordable desserts like this available. We tried four and I feel no embarrassment in saying so. All were good. Not mind blowing, but just what we wanted. For the record, they were mocha macchiato, pecan pie, key lime and German chocolate. Try them out.

In the end, my impression of Seasons 52 is unchanged. On the one hand, I appreciate the healthier options and preparations. Nothing really sucks on the menu. On the other hand, is there really any incentive to go to a restaurant with twenty dollar fish entrees that are pretty darn forgettable?

Here's what I say: there are plenty of diners out there who eat out a lot and get tired of menus full of nothing but rich, indulgent options. Business travelers flood the plaza every week and many of them are forced to eat out and want something tasty but reasonably healthy. Seasons 52 gives them that option. You can find better food at a better price in this city but you can't find any restaurant with the upscale atmosphere and balance of healthier/good-tasting food they have.

So I must applaud Seasons 52 on filling a void many of us recognized but for which we didn't have a good resolution. I'd love to see a local place open up, serve the same niche and gain favor with Kansas Citians, but until then, Seasons 52 will stay on my radar each time I have clients in town for my nine-to-five job.

Rating: two napkins

Frida's: More Than Just Contemporary Mexican

2012-01-16T22:09:00.002-06:00

Restaurant: Frida's Contemporary Mexican Cuisine
Location: 14861 Metcalf, OP KS
Food: Upscale Mexican
Service: Traditional Waitstaff
Atmosphere: Suburban Strip Mall Mexican
Price: Apps $7-$9, Entrees $15-$19
Rating: 3 Napkins

A couple years ago, here in Kansas City there were just two types of Mexican restaurants: bustling family-friendly Americanized places specializing in burrito platters and those salads that come in a big fried tortilla bowl, and smaller holes in the wall that had a higher degree of Mexican authenticity but mostly unremarkable atmosphere. The former are typically staples of the busy suburban/white areas of town, and the latter dotted Southwest Boulevard and KCK near actual Mexican neighborhoods. There's tasty food to be found in both locations but they all left me wondering whether this really was all we should expect from Mexican cuisine.

There was also the freakish Mi Cocina on the plaza, a clubby over-priced hot spot with a curious basement drunk partiers would think of late on a Friday night… perhaps the closest thing to an upscale Mexican place in town, but with a reputation for bad food and worse service that led to a collective public understanding that it was on its way out. And soon enough it did croak.

All the while, my affinity for good Mexican food has grown. What started as a weekly pilgrimage to the rug rats’ heaven that is The Salty Iguana in Prairie Village gave way to a new found love for asada and adovada street tacos at Cancun Fiesta Fresh and Tacos el Pastor and Enchiladas de Mole at El Patron. I lost my taste for the concept of ground beef in a basketball-sized flour tortilla covered with cheddar and iceberg and migrated to fresh corn tortillas, slow cooked pork and beef, cilantro and raw onion. And as my tastes have mutated, I believe the Mexican restaurant scene in Kansas City has been evolving.

I surmise this with three relatively new Mexican restaurants in mind: Frida's Contemporary Mexican Cuisine, Zocalo and Mestizo, all of which tout a more sophisticated and proud Mexican dining experience. And of the three new joints, I've started by trying the elder of the group, Frida's.

Frida's, indeed, offers just what I think we've needed in Mexican cuisine for so long: good, carefully prepared and authentic Mexican food in a more sophisticated, cleaned-up atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, the dirty little taquerias have their place and their food is great for what it is, but we've needed a Mexican restaurant that felt nice inside and Frida's provides just that.

My opinion of the atmosphere at Frida's isn't entirely positive, though. After the solid 30 minute drive southward to their 149th & Metcalf location, I found Frida's to be typical of an upscale south KC-suburban restaurant, located in a nondescript strip mall, with mostly forgettable but perfectly suitable decor, enhanced with nice Frida Kahlo-themed touches. It's not at all unpleasant but neither is it noteworthy. Suburban-classy or suburban business casual is how I'd term it.

But for however normal the decor may be, the food is equally as much a surprise if you're not in the know about what they serve there. The food at Frida's is special, flat-out. Heck, just go to the website and check out the hero shots of some of their specialties on the home page and instantly you'll see what I mean. The dishes are beautifully plated on artful white dishes... a far cry from the cafeteria-style black heatproof plastic and aluminum trays they plunk down in front of you at, say, Ponak's. Then peruse the menu and you'll start picking up on ingredients you didn't even know were part of authentic Mexican cuisine. Pomegranate seeds, slivered almonds, raisins, walnut cream sauce... sound like your usual Friday night chiles relleno in Johnson County? Not quite. But that's basically what I ordered and all those ingredients were included.

The dish was called Chile en Nogada and it darn-near blew my mind. And not just because it was spicy--which it was. It's basically two stuffed poblanos in a cream sauce but the refinement and preparation of this dish were wonderful. First, I noticed that the waxy, touch skin on the chiles had been removed, which made them infinitely more enjoyable and easy to eat. Great touch. Stuffed inside each (there were two) was a sweet mixture of small strips of grilled beef, lots of slivered almonds and plump, juicy raisins. The green chiles came smothered in--not stringy, cheap yellow cheese--but a wonderfully decadent walnut cream sauce and bright red pomegranate seeds.

The flavors of the dish play off each other in amazing ways. There's the initial sweetness of the raisins and cream sauce, balanced nicely with the core flavor of beef and the meaty flesh of the poblanos, offset with a pop of acid from the pomegranates, all of which is layered with an undertone of chile pepper spice. Great layers of flavor! Poblanos can be very mild or fairly spicy depending on the individual peppers and these two babies were high on the Scoville scale. Hot enough, in fact, that I had a full-on stomach ache after finishing just one, but I cared not. I was in heaven.

Separating the Mexican flag-colored chiles was a nice big lump of green rice that, too, was far better than average but was mostly lost on my dazzled palette by the time I got to it.

Elizabeth opted for the chicken. Number 24, actually, called Pollo en Hoja Santa. Her rectangular platter came with two thinly pounded, grilled pieces of chicken which were unimaginably moist thanks, I'd say, to the technique of being wrapped in the hoja santa leaf when initially cooked (I'm dying to go back into the kitchen and see how this dish all comes together - I've never had chicken like this before). The chicken was folded around generous hunks of creamy goat cheese and wonderfully flavorful sauteed squash blossoms. The whole thing is sauced lightly with a tomatillo almond concoction that lends some bright acidity to the rich, cheesy chicken.

We loved it. We loved both entrees. And with the clearly discernible buzz from our giant margaritas to compliment the fantastic Mexican food, we were blissful.

So the tough question we debated in the car on the way home was: would we be back? Truth be told, we don't venture south of 95th much when there's as much good stuff in midtown/plaza/brookside/westport/downtown, so much closer to home. Frida's is half way to Tulsa, it's a little pricey (by Mexican restaurant standards) and the atmosphere isn't terribly remarkable. The real answer is that only time will tell. But I have the feeling I'll be seeking excuses to make a return voyage and see what other delights are in store on the menu. Everyone in KC who enjoys Mexican food owes him/herself at least one dinner out at Frida's.

And look for comparison posts in the future when I've had the chance to check out Mestizo and Zocalo.

Rating: 3 Napkins

Not Dun, Just Getting Started

2012-01-07T16:07:00.000-06:00

Restaurant: Gram & Dun
Location: 600 Ward Parkway, Country Club Plaza, KC MO
Food: Upscale Gastropub
Service: Traditional Waitstaff
Atmosphere: GastroChic
Price: Starters/Salads $6-$15, Entrees $15-$30
Rating: Two napkins

There's plenty of hubbub about this new restaurant in the former Baja 600 location on the south end of the Plaza, Gram & Dun. And with good reason.

Admittedly, I was as pumped up as anyone about it for a couple distinct reasons: A) it's not a chain and B) its ownership, Bread & Butter Concepts, is responsible for two other respectable places in town, BRGR and Urban Table, both in the PV/Corinth area.

Glass-lighting effect added by me - not part of the table.

Bread & Butter has attached the term "gastropub" to Gram & Dun, essentially meaning it's loosely derived on a traditional pub concept (featuring libations) but is consciously dialing up the emphasis on its food (ergo "gastro"). After perusing the menu, I'd say it's a super-gastro gastropub as the food menu was much larger than I expected and the beers and wines, though also numerous, perhaps a hair less impressive in comparison.

Don't get me wrong, there's lots of booze to choose from--50ish beers and even more wines--but if you rule out the stuff you can find at your local grocery store, it's not jaw-dropping. So my first impression, after parking ourselves at a small two-top in the appropriately noisy bar area some 90 minutes earlier than our projected seating time, was to be slightly underwhelmed at the pub element.

I was in a wintery state of mind on this brisk night on the plaza, having just giggled at the tourists freezing in their carriage rides, and for some reason, to me, that means whiskey (as I write I'm enjoying a bourbon slush). So I picked up the cocktail menu and decided to try their sazerac. Man, did that hit the spot. Elizabeth opted for a Ginger Rogers with mint leaves, ginger syrup, gin, lime juice, ginger ale and lime wedge garnish. It was a nice crisp counter to my warmer, darker drink. And in the classy, dark, swank and positively buzzing surroundings, we were happy.

Soon, some busty, blonde, ditzy ladies grabbed the table next to us... either dressed up strippers or KC socialite/scenesters... the type who perpetually date Chiefs players and will only be seen at the city's current hot spot. Their hundred-dollar-Nordstrom-shirted male counterparts never joined them at the table--they stayed nearer the bar engaging in real man conversation and, generally, to be seen in the epicenter of the newest and arguably most popular restaurants in the city. I mention this only in an attempt to convey a little about what it feels like to be in the bar at G&D right now. This is the frequent clientele. Not a bad thing but humorously predictable and, over time, when they migrate to the next new hot spot, I expect Gram & Dun will take on a slightly more, shall we say, approachable tonality.

Service was very slow but not so bad as to draw ire. Here's what we ordered for food:

Shishito peppers to start. We'd had these mild, skinny peppers at Ra and Girl & The Goat (Chicago) and thoroughly enjoyed them. Here, they were battered and flash-fried, which was great for one or two, but the bowl of peppers at Gram & Dun is humongous and they were thoroughly salted (thoroughly). Given our porcine-like refusal to limit our gastro-intake, we ploughed through the whole bowl, I'm ashamed to say, and were over greased and over salted immediately thereafter.

See what I mean about the size of the chips?

Bad timing, then, to start in on a bowl of homemade potato chips, each the size of my face. Thankfully the chips weren't mercilessly salty like the shishitos, but they didn't help the cause either. With the chips were three very inspired dipping concoctions: smooth guacamole, vanilla bean-enhanced tomato ketchup and spicy blood orange and habanero ketchup. They all worked despite my skepticism of the vanilla ketchup. Wouldn't want a lot of the stuff but as a counterpoint to the others, I really liked it.

The next item was supposed to be a green reprieve from Saltyfriedville - Brussels sprouts salad - but it failed to play the palette cleansing role we needed. The salad was yet another big bowl, this one full of shaved/shredded Brussels sprouts leaves, Manchego, celery, cranberries, walnuts and arugula, supposedly covered in a lemon vinaigrette though we failed to notice it much. After eating the few bites of the salad I had, I'm convinced Brussels sprouts shouldn't ever be the sole green used in a leafy salad. A mouthful of the stuff was unpleasantly textured, almost like a mixture of softened fingernails, raw kale and hair (this coming from a guy who LOVES Brussels sprouts done well). Okay, maybe that's a little over-the-top. But with each bite the salad seemed less and less edible. I think we each stopped after about three and plopped a napkin on top of the bowl to signal we were done with it. Yes, more vinaigrette may have been in order but wouldn't have cleansed the textural sins in that bowl. Bummer.

Fried, fried fried!

So, we dragged ourselves, parched and withered, toward an entirely unnecessary and abysmally selected (on our part as meal-assemblers) shrimp po' boy. Had we known the Brussels sprouts salad would've come up so short, we would have changed this order or nixed it altogether. Not only did the plate plunked down in front of us contain super salty friend shrimp, it was piled high with deep fried potato wedges. (Listen to me, complaining over my own poorly chosen indulgences and their calories which could sustain 10 human lives for a month when there are so many hungry people in the world.) We wrestled down a few bites and called it a nigh, not really noticing the jalapeno aioli or apple slaw that should've balanced the breadiness of the sandwich and friend shrimp.

Main dining area

Reading the preceding, you'd think my impression of Gram & Dun was not great. And while I admit I think they skew a little too heavy/salty on the food selections, I bear the brunt of the responsibility for ordering items that were too similarly prepared. Were I to do it over again, I'd still have the peppers to start (eating only 50% of the bowl with my companion) and then go into a different salad (Sangria?), perhaps indulging again on an entree that was not deep fried.

Taken in bar area looking toward south wing

There are lots of things on the menu I'd like to go back and try including the wild boar sloppy joe, shrimp and grits, loaded baked potato gnocchi and pork belly. But when I do, I'll be sure not to order and eat them all in one sitting.

A friend recently summed up the Bread & Butter Concepts restaurants well to me in saying that "none of their food is all that great but they do an impressive job of creating an atmosphere people want to be in. And the food's good enough to make for an enjoyable time." In the case of Gram & Dun this seems mostly true. I owe it the due diligence of a restaurant reviewer and to go try some more of the food before passing my full judgment. But based on what I've seen so far, I'm mostly impressed and employing a little more strategy in the ordering process, expect to like this place plenty.

Rating: two napkins

Seasons 52 Preview

2011-11-05T15:12:00.001-05:00

Restaurant: Seasons 52
Location: 340 Ward Pkwy (Plaza)
Food: Traditional American cuisine
Service: Traditional waitstaff
Atmosphere: Traditional upscale chain
Price: Apps $6-$12, Entrees $15-$26, Desserts $2.50
Rating: TBD

Seasons 52, the new restaurant opening in the old Eddie Bauer space on the Plaza, started off on the wrong foot with the people of Kansas City, electing, at first, to remodel some of the exterior of the building to something more contemporary and less Spanish-inspired than the rest of the Plaza’s iconic architecture. Understanding it to be a chain restaurant with several other locations across the country, I was surprised they actually heeded the cry of the annoyed plaza patrons and nixed the alterations.

Then in another surprising move, I got an invitation to a bloggers’ preview lunch of sorts, to come try the menu, meet the chef, their on-staff Master Sommelier and see the remodeled space. Yes, it was complimentary, so I must disclose that up-front. But let me share with you my opinions. After all, that was the point of the whole thing.

The event took place at 11:30 last Saturday. We walked in and were immediately greeted by name (impressive), introduced to the managerial staff and handed champagne. I had my camera in tow and they advised that first we would be taken on a champagne tour and picture-taking was, indeed encouraged. Immediate impressions of the space were A) warm and comfortable, B) wholly unsurprising for a chain restaurant serving seasonally-inspired American fare. Reddish-hued wood, typically uninspired fabrics (and particularly tacky animal print-ish bar stool seat covers), but pleasant overall. And I did appreciate the "Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired" touches visible in their use of horizontal wood slats that created modern-looking walls between rooms. Gave the place a little character and needed freshness. The kitchen was moderately exposed, with gleaming stainless steel, white dishes and the lovely scent of a wood-burning grill wafting through the air. A nice touch.

There’s a big bar area to the left upon entering, plenty of seats around it (think Houston’s bar area but with much more space). Then a big dining room to the south of the east of the entrance and a big private room for business meetings (projector and screen built-in for those unlucky enough to get roped into a serious lunch meeting). Seasons 52 is definitely (and smartly) working hard to appeal to the business crowd and for a chain, that makes all the sense in the world. Straight back, behind the entrance and just outside the kitchen is the chef’s table, a private dining area for special reservations.

After our tour, my fellow bloggers and I were herded into the bar area, introduced to and toasted by the staff, and then ushered into the main dining room and seated together at a big table in the middle. I grinned as the waiter helped me with my chair and I looked across the table, covered in no fewer than six wine glasses per place-setting for our upcoming wine samplings. Wine is a major focus for Seasons 52, employing the services of Master Sommelier George Miliotes. Mr. Miliotes was present throughout the meal, effectively serving as our wine tour guide, explaining each of the pairings, what was to like about it, where it came from including specifically relevant tidbits about the vineyards and vintners themselves. His presences was a treat and I appreciated his straight-forward answer to my question for further information about biodynamic wine-making and its quizzical standards.

As I segue into my descriptions of the meal, I have to start out with what was, to me, a shocking and lovely revelation about the menu at Seasons 52: nothing is over 475 calories! I didn’t know that about their menu going into it and learning this blew my preconceived notions about their food out of the water. Standard chain-restaurant practice has conditioned me to anticipate massive portions of abominably fatty foods. Only 475 calories? This was impressive in principle alone. Would the food be able to stand up to our expectations of good taste, though?

We started with an amuse bouche (which diners at the Chef’s table will also be served) that I loved: an Asian-style soup spoon filled with a very simple but crafty pop of flavors: pico de gallo with a small flaked piece of trout that smelled of the smoky wood from the wood-burning grill, and a dollop of avocado mousse which our decidedly un-pretentious chef Cliff Pleau admitted to be “guacamole.” The ingredients and combination didn’t surprise me or knock my socks off, but it tasted great.

Following the amuse we jumped right into my favorite thing of the day, seafood. A cedar plank dressed with sprigs of thyme was topped with a glossy piece of organic salmon, a perfectly cooked scallop and a mixture of veggies including golden beets, carrot, asparagus, green beans, peppers and a ring of caramelized red onion. The entire plate was divine… sweet seafood and well-cooked veg all working together with light essences of cedar and thyme to accent each bite. This is the kind of food I wish I could eat a lot more often.

Somewhat oddly, we took a step back after the seafood course for salad. But it was an unctuous, hearty salad. A huge pile of baby arugula came perched in the middle of a white plate, contained by a transparent cylinder tower. After the plates were set before us, the servers removed the tower allowing the greens to relax and spread out, exposing the other ingredients including pistachios, mushrooms, shaved parmesan and wafting through the air was the luxurious scent of truffle oil, mixed into the dressing. I'm a total sucker for arugula and parmesan and, when applied appropriately, truffle. All worked together perfectly in this "meaty" tasting salad. I loved its substance and savory, earthy flavors and would most definitely order this upon return or recommend it to friends and (hah!) readers.

Next was a pasta course, two big goat cheese-filled ravioli in a pool of tomato broth, topped with lots of fresh basil and with fresh tomato on the side. The pasta was nice. Personally, I didn't feel goat cheese made the best of fillings, only because it's low in moisture and, to me, less-satisfying to devour than a more gooey cheese filling would have been. But I loved the simple, well-done tomato broth and overall clean presentation. (It would have been nice if my server hadn't sloppily laid this plate down, splashing the broth up onto the rim of the plate, though. Ruined the photo op.)

Then came the heartiest of the lunch plates, one item from their lunch "meat" menu and one from the dinner menu: Piedmontese sirloin steak and quail, respectively. Chef Pleau spent a good amount of time describing his relationship with the farmers in Nebraska who raise the Piedmontese steak for him. It was a good sell and the meat was truly delicious, as well as healthier and leaner than a lot of corn-fed beef. The quail, as quail tends to be, was miniscule. Cute, tiny little legs with about one good bite on each. Again, I liked it but was left exceedingly curious as to what the portion of meat would be if I ordered just that as my main meal.

The rest of the meat plate, though, left a little something to be desired. Each meat came with its own sauce. The sauce on the beef tasted like any plain old brown gravy I'd ever had, masking the flavor of the meat too much and reminding me of cafeteria food. And the bourbon chili glaze on the quail had little discernible flavor. It was somewhat sweet but I detected no bourbon or chili.

The sides on this plate ware brussels sprouts – one of my favorite vegetables – and a sweet potato mash. Again, they were lacking as compared to the rest of the food we'd eaten that day. The mash had a little sour cream in it and nothing else. Chef Pleau explained he doesn't believe in making them overly-sweet with things like marshmallows or a sugary topping like so many families do with their sweet potatoes at the holidays – great, me neither – but it was a bit of a cop out to just add some sour cream to smooth them out and then drop 'em on the plate. I'd like to see a chef challenge himself a little more to do something else with them aside from just not doing what everyone else does. They were bland and still a little too sweet. The roasted brussels weren't bad but they, too, were so simply prepared that unfortunately even my own home-cooked version outshone them. What really makes brussels sprouts special is when they get charred and have that extra depth of flavor added to their naturally earthy, peppery taste. Chef's comment was that everyone's mother overcooked brussels sprouts and ruined them for us when we were young. I don't think he did much better with them. They weren't overcooked, but left a lot to be desired. Overall, the food on this particular plate just wasn't of a high enough restaurant quality to make me want to order it on a return trip.

So then dessert. And here things got back on the right track. Seasons 52's desserts are a delectable assortment of little square shot glasses filled with all sorts of classic flavors like Key Lime Pie and Rocky Road. They were the perfect size (meaning reasonable) and at only $2.50 each, a truly smart idea. I'd contend that everyone wants a little dessert after their meal but so often we don't buy them at restaurants because they're too big to be eaten with a clear conscience or too pricey to be worth it. More places ought to rethink their dessert menus this way.

I don't have time and you don’t have the desire to read about all of the wine pairings. There was one for each course. The whites were decent, the reds were sublime. No doubt the wine menu has perfectly adequate options for whatever you're eating.

Overall, lasting impressions: Seasons 52 is a chain restaurant that doesn't run from being one. It capitalizes on accepting that fact. I think they know they're catering a little more to a business and out-of-town crowd than the locals. I appreciate the healthy menu selections and found a lot of what I ate to be quite good. It's not the type of place I look forward to visiting, personally, but I can't knock it for doing what it does. It'll probably do just fine. And I appreciated the free meal. Thanks for the preview, Seasons 52.

Rating: TBD (I don't rate special events like this as I feel it's not a true representation of the typical diner's experience. Perhaps sometime in the future on my own dime.)

Aixois: French Heavy Hitter In Brookside

2011-10-24T13:18:00.001-05:00

Restaurant: Aixois
Location: 251 E. 55th St., KC, MO
Food: Classic French
Service: Traditional Wait staff
Atmosphere: Fine dining
Price: Entrees from $12 (burger) to $28 (filet)
Rating: three napkins

There’s good French food to be had in Kansas City, but you have to seek it out. Several great little spots are buried in the city’s neighborhoods, inconspicuous and unchanging… just as you’d expect of the French.

Up in the hills of Parkville, there’s Café des Amis. Cross the river southward and you’ll find Le Fou Frog, crouching in the River Market defying you to find it. Hidden in plain sight in the middle of Prairie Village is Café Provence. And don’t forget Westport Café and Bar in the heart of Westport which isn’t working too hard to be strikingly French, but even that credo is sooo French. It’s stiff competition. These are all decent, if not great restaurants. The one missing from this list is the one I recently visited and, as I found, it stands up boldly to the competition.

Aixois is located on Brookside Boulevard and 55th. From the street it gleams with black awnings and a gorgeous patio, a bright green lawn in front, and the promise of a dim, fancy dining room inside. That stretch of 55th, the Crestwood shops, has always been picturesque and Aixois is the cornerstone of it all.

On our first trip to Aixois, we went for lunch and sat out on the patio. This was a long time ago, but I remember having a decent salad with a generous portion of cold salmon on it (…cold in a good, refreshing sort of way that allowed the salad to avoid wilting. A creamy, lemony dressing perfectly coating the salad with plenty of freshly cracked black pepper and beets. Quite tasty.

On this trip, we were there for a casual dinner. We arrived around 8:00 and it was a quiet night. The dining room was probably only ¼ full but, even though brisk outside, there were several diners on the patio—people savoring the last warm evenings of the fall. We were given a two-top in the northern dining area, against the west windows looking out to the patio. A nice view. Maybe best seat in the house for our sensibilities.

Our waiter was attentive and quite competent. We decided to get a bottle of wine, so we told him we’d need to figure out what we were eating before we ordered drink. He checked back twice before we were actually ready, but in a helpful way. Not pestering. And as we chose our wine, salad, appetizer and two entrees, I think he said every single thing we ordered was his favorite, less my steak. Despite being hard to believe, we appreciated the encouragement that our selections would not disappoint.

The salad was immaculate, starting with its shrimp. Listed as Salade d'Avocat et de Crevettes Grillees on the menu, the salad came with at least three big, plump and perfectly cooked shrimp on the side, well cleaned and bursting with sweet flavor (shrimp is so wonderful if cooked perfectly and can be a nightmare when overcooked), with a nice cup of aioli in which to dip. The mixed greens supported a beautiful fan of avocado (a generous portion of it, to boot), which was cut nicely by the vinaigrette, acidic cherry tomatoes and sweet raisins. The thinnest imaginable strip of sliced red onion was elegantly laced across the top, adding a final savory bite. There was nothing not to love on this salad--a salad one could actually be excited to eat, rather than obligatory roughage.

Lest we forget we were eating at a French restaurant, we ordered a hot boat of decadent, buttery escargot. Plump, unctuous snails swam with little shoots of mushrooms in a super-rich buttery pesto-like garlic and her butter, sinfully heavy on both. Once the snails and mushrooms were gone, I continued to slather the flavorful butter sauce on warm slices of French bread, cherishing every bite.

When our wine arrived, I was a little confused, thinking it was not what we had ordered. I scoured the label to see if perhaps I was missing something and had not. We’d been delivered a bottle of Sancerre costing $10 more than what we had actually ordered. Rather than complaining, though, we took it as a sign the perhaps our selection had been subpar, and decided to give it a go. Great choice. It immediately cooled our palettes, ripe with that garlic and salt from the snails. We ended up quite happy with the accident, showing that it sometimes pays to roll with the punches rather than whining about a simple mistake.

On to entrees, starting with the “lighter” selection—filet of trout, covered in lemon juice, shallots and almonds slivered almonds. But wait, what was this under the fish? Another filet of fish. What at first appeared to be the normally expensive fish+veg+starch dish ($19) turned out to be a very reasonably priced, generously portioned one. The fish was delicious, flaking off the skin easily with a fork. And amazingly, the haricot vert on the side were nicely cooked, not that squeaky, annoyingly al dente doneness we’re served all too often these days. The rice was, well, rice which kept the dish a little on the lighter side, but a potato might have been more luxurious.

I had a fantastic cut of red meat--hanger steak--but ultimately ended the meal with mixed emotions about it. The steak was incredible. Two thick pieces of almost conically shaped beef, long fibers of lean muscle running the length of each cut. Surprisingly tender and with huge flavor. A perfect medium, erring toward medium rare (I’d ordered it medium). The frites on the side, though, were disappointingly flimsy. Clearly pulled from the fryer a few seconds too early, they just weren’t cooked that crispy French way. I was sad and contemplated sending them back, just to make sure they were perfected. But didn’t. Also not perfectly French was the dish of (gasp) ketchup for dipping. No aioli. No mayo.

Also on the slightly disappointing side was the small pile of greens on the side. Warmed by the hot plate, with nothing but a little vinaigrette (okay, one little cherry tomato on the side), it was more a garnish than a true side. Boo. As served, I found myself peeking over to the fish dish, once the meat was gone. With a little more attention to detail on this one, it could have been a French stunner but as served, left something to be desired.

With so many calories consumed by this point, a dessert menu only garnered chuckles. A little espresso from the Aixois coffee bar was all we needed to polish off the delicious French experience.

I hope to sample all the places listed in the opening of this review soon and put together a ranking in the future. For now, Aixois has made a strong showing and will sit high on my list of special dinner options.

Rating: 3 napkins

Quick's: Mild Barbecue

2011-10-22T19:02:00.001-05:00

Restaurant: Quick's
Location: 1007 Merriam Ln., KC, K
Food: Barbecue
Service: Counter + Server
Atmosphere: No frills BBQ
Price: Sandwiches $4-$7, Dinners $9-$13
Rating: One Napkin

Writing reviews on barbecue places in KC is about as worthless as arguing that my dad could beat up your dad (we all did that, right?).

If you've lived here any amount of time, you've figured out your favorite and are unwilling to even entertain the idea it could have an equal. And in a way, you're right. We're all right. Because the truth of the matter is that most of the barbecue in this city is darn good, and our individual preferences are derived from the smallest unique components that each different proprietor highlights in their own recipes: the flavor and consistency of the sauce, the spices in the dry rub, the special side dishes or even the location of the restaurant.

So I'll give you my review of Quick's – my most recent new barbecue venture – but I don't expect you to agree with me. As barbecue goes, the bottom line is that KC does it well and Quick's sits squarely in the company of our proud tradition if you happen to prefer their flavors. It's just not my personal favorite.

If I were pressed to describe Quick's in a single word, it would be "mild." Like it or not, if a BBQ joint serves sauce, that sauce is immediately part of the restaurant's identity and mild is how I found Quick's sauce. They poured quite a lot of sauce on the boat of ribs we ordered (in the proverbial debate of wet vs. dry, Quick's apparently is all wet). And as Elizabeth and I tested out the sauce, we both couldn't help feeling like it was darn near flavorless. So thick and with that dark burgundy hue, how could it not be bursting with spice or tomato or molasses? I don't know, but we agreed the key flavor that we picked out of the Quick's sauce as we ate more and more was… apple. Well, apple sauce, really. And it wasn't bad—just surprising. The stomach wants what the eyes think they see and we thought we "saw" more flavor in that thick red sauce.

We've had ribs, brisket and burnt ends at Quick's, feeling they represent the essential flagship meats in the barbecue world. And without generalizing too much, I can say, across the board, they were mostly tender and lean. Not as tender as the best barbecue I've had, nor as lean, but in a very acceptable range. But in the meat, too, there were aspects we found surprisingly different than we anticipated.

The first of these surprises was the temperature of the food. It was luke warm. As if it had been taken off a buffet line or something. Pretty odd. Not off-putting or disappointing, just not quite as hot as I like barbecued meats. Secondly, though boasting a visible ring of pink on the thinly sliced brisket, it seemed lower on smokey flavor than it should have. It was a little baffling, really. Seeing that pink ring and with a good, soft texture, I wouldn't imagine there wasn't anything strange about the methods used to smoke Quick's meats, except that, perhaps, they use mild-flavored wood and not too much of it. Bite after bite, I kept asking myself where all the flavor could be.

Even after the meal, the toned-down flavors of Quick's meats haunted my thoughts. The conclusion I've finally come to is that the recipe-makers for Quick's simply prefer a subtler-tasting plate of barbecue. And you know what? That's okay. I went back to Oklahoma Joe's after my trip to Quick's to study and compare and had my eyes opened about just how far on the other side of the seasoning spectrum OK Joe's is. No two ways about it: Oklahoma Joe's is wildly strong stuff. The rub on the pork has a ton of salt in it. The famously seasoned fries are doused in salt, too. And the smoke is so strong in the food that a single takeout bag containing no more than two sandwiches can make the inside of a vehicle smell like a meat-smoking chamber.

So what did I learn on my trip to Quick's? More about myself than anything. When it comes to 'cue, I like a LOT of flavor. I want so much smoke and salt that I wake up in the middle of the night parched, with a foot cramp. I want to see my face and fingers swell up from retaining water. I want my lips to taste like hickory the next morning and my hair to reek of it, as I shampoo. For me, barbecue isn't about subtlety. At all. It's about bold, bold flavor and meat that has taken on a tender texture that can only be derived from hours upon hours of low and slow cooking. Quick's is for a more refined barbecue fan, I'd say. I don't know who those fans are, but I'm sure they're out there. And I hope they've discovered Quick's.

Parting note on the sides: we had baked beans, onion rings and fries. The beans will not impress, the fries and rings, though, are good. Thick and crunchy, both, begging for ketchup and lots of it.

Rating: one napkin

Piropo's Grille: High on Formality, Low on Fun

2011-10-09T18:44:00.002-05:00

Restaurant: Piropo's Grill
Location: 1 W. 1st St., Parkville, MO
Food: South American
Service: Formal Waitstaff
Atmosphere: Fine dining
Price: Apps $3-$12, Sandwiches/pasta $16, Entrees $18-$30
Rating: Two Napkins

There was nothing I didn't find delicious or perfectly adequate about Piropo's Grill. Located on "the hill" in Parkville looking out over the river and quaint little town, it has a spectacular view either from the large interior window seats (where we were) or the patio on the south side of the building, and the view alone makes Piropo's a special restaurant.

Also special is Piropo's cuisine in that it's unique from any other restaurant in the KC area, the closest thing being one of our Brazilian steakhouses which are, in actuality, quite different. Going into this meal, I knew Piropo's to be South American food, skewing toward what we think of as Argentinian with great red meat, foremost. And while I got the food part right, it was the atmosphere that threw me. More on that later.

First, as mentioned, we were seated at a prime table right up against the big east-southeast-looking windows. Great lighting. Awesome view. Since it was sprinkling outside, this was just about the best seat we could have been given.

Our experience with the server was pleasant... though odd. He had a hard time answering our few questions and allowed us to order something that was already sold out, so we had to change our order. Nonetheless, he did make a good recommendation on - strangely enough - the bread. Listed at the very bottom of the menu as "bread" for $2, this starter turned out to be several long shards of seasoned fococcia toast accompanied by garlicky traditional chimichurri and aioli sauces. We were ravenous and the bread, which was served very quickly, hit the spot with bold flavors that immediately satisfied.

Get the bread.

To cool our palettes, we followed up the bread with the avocado and tomato salad. The fruit (right?) were served in nicely sized chunks, garnished with some diced red onion and cumin, salt and pepper and olive oil. It was sublime in its simplicity, the tomatoes' sweet acid cutting the fatty, rich avocado. A classic pair done nicely.

Quickly, then, we descended upon steak. Elizabeth had hers sliced on a bun... the Filet Mignon Sandwich. Plenty of tender, sliced filet mignon was piled onto the grilled bun with red onions and a chipotle sauce. There were nice red ripe tomatoes on the side, with her spinach and french fries, crisp and well-seasoned. We both thought the steak was cooked to perfection--not chewy the way a steak sandwich can so easily be. Admittedly, the meal felt a little more like a lunch than a dinner, but that was an error in ordering as opposed to menu creation. Overall, at $16 it felt reasonably priced and was, in fact, delicious.


Something we could easily make at home but still delicious.

My selection was the 12 oz. KC Strip. Though the cut may have been midwestern, the preparation was very much South American, starting with the fried egg on top. Superfluous protein? Maybe. But that runny yolk was a nice natural sauce that complimented the meat's natural juices.

Somehow the steak was tougher than I expected, perhaps only in comparison to the softness of Elizabeth's filet. It wasn't over-cooked by any means but took more jaw-work than I expected. Still, it was tasty and fun with the Argentinian preparation.

My side of fries was equally good but the spinach was close to inedibe--as salty as I've ever encountered. I enjoy lots of salt and, thus, ate all the spinach, but each bite required an accompanying sip of wine or water.

With a notable wine list and several other unique (for KC) selections on the menu including fish dishes and a set of skewers that sounded terrific, I was left with only one reason for regret and that was the atmosphere. Piropo's is a very attractive and classy restaurant. The aforementioned view is a crucial asset. But knowing the cuisine to be of Latin influence, I was expecting some kind of flare or pizzazz. It lacked that.

The tasteful dining room is filled with pretty hard wood floors and white tablecloths, further decorated with antiques and old-world furniture. The surrounding clientele on Saturday night was a crowd exclusively 60+. Our waiter glided around without sound and spoke too quietly. We caught ourselves eavesdropping on the neighboring table's conversation only because we could hear them so clearly, and them us if we didn't whisper.

I wanted more fun. I hoped for something less - hate to say it - pretentious.

Piropo's is a lovely restaurant that borders on fine dining with one of the best views in KC (save for The American). I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique special-occasion dinner. But not for groups of friends wanting to live it up in a Latin setting. That's all.

I'm giving Piropo's a rating of two napkins only for my slight disappointment in the atmosphere. The food is on a higher level, to be sure.

Rating: two napkins

Port Fonda: Taco Tweets

2011-09-28T14:07:00.002-05:00

Restaurant: Port Fonda (food truck)

Location: Crossroads (follow @PortFondaKC)

Food: Authentic Mexican with a flare

Service: Walk-up window

Atmosphere: n/a

Price: Single-digit selections

Rating: two napkins

Five years ago, I had no idea the process of making dinner reservations would become a game of cat and mouse involving social networking applications on my mobile device.

Five years ago, I had no idea that some of the city’s yummiest food would be served out of trucks and Airstream trailers.

Enter: @Portfondakc

These guys, cooking fun, authentic Mexican street food out of a gleaming chrome Airstream trailer, usually in the Crossroads downtown, have become the most shining (literally) representation of the nation’s food truck craze in Kansas City.

The hardwood trimmed main door to the trailer, held open at 180 degrees, serves as the life-sized daily menu board for Port Fonda. Each day they feature a handful of street food-themed selections for downtown lunchers who know where to find the truck. Figuring that out is easy, but requires some digital savvy; the proprietors make their location known via Tweets from their Twitter handle, @PortFondaKC. Their most common landing pad is the parking lot on 20th next to The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange.

When I showed up with coworkers Erin and Brandi the other day, we found several other friends from the office there, too. And therein lies the intrigue of the Food Truck methodology. We felt as though we were heading out to a secretive underground food connection that only a few of those who are in-the-know would find. And yet, what we actually discovered was a festive gathering of friends, excitedly deciding their orders, hanging out on the curb oohing and ahhing over their delicious food and generally enjoying the escape from the office. It’s a great way to spend a lunch hour, start off or recap a night out carousing.

On this particular day, I tried three different items. I’m a bit of a torta freak, so I had the Ahogada version: lots of slow-cooked, shredded beef short rib meat and rancho gordo beans with chile de arbol and pickled onions, adorned with some crema. Surprise number one was that it was served in a horizontal bun type of carrier instead of on flat bread, as is traditional. This was likely a calculated decision by the chef to make the sandwich easier to pick up and eat with one hand, hot dog style, rather than needing two hands—a thoughtful gesture knowing his customers are, most often, eating the food right then and there on the curb with no table to accommodate plates, napkins and perched elbows for two-handed sandwich eating.

The sandwich was massively filling and the meat was cooked perfectly. Being short rib, it was fatty, though, so the guilt factor was pretty high by the time I was done with it. Leaner beef or pork would have been better for me but I’m sure a lot of people like the luxurious fatty short rib and it made for heightened interest.

The tacos, though, were the star. These were carnitas tacos, so basically Mexican pulled pork. So much flavor and such great texture! And with the addition of pineapple, adobo, onion and cilantro, were nearly a classic serving of Tacos al Pastor, one of my favorite Mexican treats. After tasting my taco, I honestly wished I could give back the torta and have more of them. Not a knock on the torta but a testament to how good the tacos were.

A special that day were the chilaquiles. I’m not the biggest fan of chilaquiles which are like smothered tortilla chips (purposely saturated, not crunchy like a nacho) as I find them to be more filling than delicious. These came with chorizo verde – herb, spice and chile-infused chorizo sausage – as well as crema, salsa de mocajete and a fried egg on top. They were, true to form, quite filling but the flavors infused in them were delicious. Probably the perfect food for alcohol saturation after a long night of drinking.

Altogether, my first impression of Port Fonda was strong. As the choices for Mexican food get stronger and stronger in Kansas City with heavier emphasis on serving authentic dishes over yellow cheese-slathered Tex-Mex dishes, Port Fonda holds its own and then some.

Adding to its intrigue, Port Fonda also does private dinners in the tiny sitting area toward the front of the trailer. Reservations fill up months in advance and the menus—still authentic Mexican cuisine—sound divine. I hope to get in on the action soon and report back on the experience.

Rating: two napkins

Home With Saigon 39

2011-08-27T23:19:00.000-05:00

Restaurant: Saigon 39

Location: 1806 1/2 W. 39th Street, KC MO

Food: Standard Vietnamese

Service: Traditional waitstaff & takeout

Atmosphere: Quiet, friendly, sterile

Price: $10 entrees

Rating: two napkins

I think a lot of people have a favorite takeout restaurant whose food they’ve adopted as akin to their own cooking. Eating this takeout feels just as satisfying, nourishing and comforting as eating mom’s (insert favorite nostalgic food your mother made often when you were growing up). It’s not Friday-night-on-the-town food, it’s lazy Sunday night dinner when it's too hot to cook. Or Tuesday night's “I burnt the chicken casserole” backup. It’s the only restaurant food I would even consider getting after a grueling two week road trip. And for me, it’s Vietnamese food from Saigon 39.

There’s good reason why I specify Saigon as a takeout restaurant. Like an unfortunate number or Asian restaurants in this city, their… facility leaves something to be desired. Sterile atmosphere, cold stone walls… almost no décor to speak of. It's usually quiet and dull when I walk in. So I rarely eat there. Their takeout containers are of a high quality, though, and everything comes tightly packaged up so it transports easily to my house only a few short blocks away. I'm back home in less than five minutes with piping hot food.

The staff has always been friendly in my experience and, over the years, has come to recognize me and my family/friends, too, who also frequent the place. I appreciate the consistent staff and the fact that it's a family-owned business. Over time, I've noticed that many of the other patrons in front of me in the takeout line, too, are regulars who the staff knows and chats with during their short transaction.

As typical with go-to takeout food, I have a few standby menu items I order over and over again: the bright yellow, rich, soupy curry with chicken and vegetables, rice vermicelli noodles with its anchovy sauce, egg noodles and fried rice.

And both the spring rolls and their peanut sauce are the best I've ever had. I certainly understand the viewpoint of others who prefer fewer noodles packed inside, and perhaps thai basil or mint. But Saigon's thick, sticky-fresh rolls with a sprig of cilantro and halved shrimp always start a meal off in a healthy, satisfyingly cool way, drenched in that dark brown, sweet peanut sauce that then runs across the rest of my plate, devilishly soaking into the noodles and rice of my other entrée items.

I recently had the pho which I found to be average. The broth was deliciously flavored with nuances of spice but a little light on the beef flavor. I added hoisin and as much lime and jalapeño as I was given to give it a little more kick, which helped. And the sliced beef itself, though overcooked, was good meat, to be sure. I can certainly see myself coming back to this dish in the winter when soup becomes such a life saver.

The dumplings hit the spot when dumplings are needed. Eight to an order, pan fried and topped with scallions and fried onions, they're as good as any other I've ever had.

Of my four mainstays, the curry, rice vermicelli, egg noodles and fried rice, though, I constantly debate with myself as to which are my top three. Currently the rank is 1) egg noodles, 2) curry and 3) rice vermicelli, but on any given night, that can get all switched around. In each, the veggies always taste fresh, and at a medium-spiciness level they wake up my taste buds and burn in my stomach in a way that perpetuates takeout addiction.

It's not light-the-world-on-fire food but it's good. And coming back to it is as routine as familiar as laying my head down on my pillow at night. It's part of me, at this point, and will be for a long time to come, I'm sure.

Rating: two napkins

Burrito Joe's Moves In on 39th

2011-05-30T19:10:00.000-05:00

Restaurant: Burrito Joe's

Location: 1403 W. 39th, KC MO

Food: Burrito plates, mostly

Service: Traditional waitstaff

Atmosphere: Casual

Price: Cheap eats!
Rating: two napkins

A Chinese restaurant called Szechuan used to inhabit the corner spot at 1403 W. 39th, across from Donna’s Dress Shop. But it’s gone now. I know. I, too, am shocked.

The new lessee is KC restaurant veteran Jose Mendoza Jr., whose former establishments include Mendoza’s Deli and Elijios Cantina. The new place: a Mexican concept called Burrito Joe’s. The Chipotle just west of Burrito Joe’s on 39th is a staple of my weekend lunches and the idea of local competition immediately drew my interest. And truthfully, new restaurants opening up in historically unsuccessful locations like the former Szechuan garner my instinctual gawking, like driving by a bad traffic accident. I giggle shamelessly when I see these predictably empty dining rooms with staff perched on bar stools watching Sportscenter, trying to pass the time. But it’ sad. I really shouldn’t.

Burrito Joe’s doesn’t look like much from the outside, at least not yet. I like the corner-facing doorway and its big gas lamps (though right now they’re shrouded by a nasty maroon awning) but it could definitely use some kind of sprucing up for added curb appeal. On the inside, I found it to be more cozy than Szechuan had been (yes, I did eat at Szechuan, but it was so unremarkable and pathetically void of business, I knew it just wasn’t going to make it and felt it would be kicking a man while he was down to give it a one napkin review in that state; it wasn’t too bad, though).

There’s a fresh coat of paint on the walls—white and red—and new carpeting throughout. While a big U-shaped wooden bar eats up the center of the floor, currently unused as their liquor license is still a few weeks away, I noticed the space is larger than I’d thought previously. On the East side there are several booths and tables, a few small tables lining the north wall by the big windows, more tables and booths on the West side and then, through a curtain, an unused secondary dining area.

Overall, the space isn’t impressive, but it’s not offensive, either. Given the relatively simple and fun concept it espouses, though, a small menu basically focused on big burrito plates, I couldn’t help comparing it to Chipotle and thinking Burrito Joe’s needed to step up the liveliness a bit. After eating the food, though, I backed off this notion.

Yes, the menu is comparable to Chipotle. They serve burritos with a few obligatory alternative entrees for those who refuse to conform. But no, they’re not going to be a faceless corporate quick service restaurant. Although an in-n-out style of service is apparently in the works, the vibe conveyed at Burrito Joe’s through their food and even their service is one more along the lines of an informal Mexican family meal. And not a fancy, massive Sunday afternoon family feast, but something on a smaller, more intimate scale. It’s almost like the feeling of being a kid at home, going into the kitchen at lunch time and your mom (assume your mom is Mexican) happily asks, “What would you like for lunch? I can make up a burrito for you!” Friendly, casual, informal, and they’ve got just the right mix of ingredients to pull together exactly what your empty stomach needs.

Burrito Joe’s serves breakfast, so I’ll be returning sometime to review that, but on our trip it was lunchtime. I was pleased to be served free chips and salsa to start—a bonus not offered at Chipotle—which were decent but not revelatory. The salsa seemed fresh enough, but for whatever reason lacked flavor. It reminded me of the salsa at Manny’s, but better. Hot and mild are both provided.

We tried two different burritos, two different ways: first, one of their three vegetarian burritos, called The Happy Veggie Burrito. Going vegetarian is a good way to keep the calories in check when eating Mexican food, which can be awfully taxing but I refuse to cut out of my diet, so I was excited to see they hadn’t skipped this important option. It hit the spot, too, filled with deliciously grilled veggies like peppers and onions, either squash or zucchini, and black beans. Inside, too, there was a sauce to bind the ingredients a little.

I’ve gotta pause and mention the tortilla in specific, though. It stole the show. At first glance, these tortillas almost garner a double take as they’re slightly yellow in color and thicker than what one normally finds in a tortilla. My inquiry to our server, however, yielded the fantastic news that the Mendoza’s grandmother (Abuelita) makes the tortillas herself! A homemade tortillas is a thing of beauty, like homemade bread. The mass-produced stuff is normally a fine product and tastes fine, too, but the homemade tortilla just reeks of care, comfort and love. It’s the je ne sais quoi (how do you say that in Spanish?) of Mexican cooking. Almost crepe-like in appearance and texture, but tasting more of flour than an eggy crepe does, these tortillas had a major impact on my opinion of our food at Burrito Joe’s.

The second choice was a beef burrito, which can be ordered with ground or cubed/shredded beef. Loving slowly braised, fall-apart meats, I always opt for shredded over ground when I get the chance, and I was not disappointed in the least. The beef inside this burrito was, indeed, incredibly tender, a dark hue showing that it had been saturated in a seasoned liquid and its own juices for an extended period of flavor-fortifying and texture-perfecting time. Smoothing out the beefiness of the burrito were creamy refried beans.

I ordered my burrito with queso fresco and then opted to make it a spread for an extra buck, meaning it gets topped with more meat, sauce and cheese and reheated to melt the cheese. This turned out to be a dollar well-spent. The sauce and melted cheese really dress up the tortilla and please the eyes when the platter is placed on the table in front of hungry diners.

Burritos come with a side of rice, as well as lettuce and diced tomatoes, both of which actually appeared to be fresh, a somewhat shocking revelation as far as burrito accoutrements go. We ordered up a half-sized portion of guacamole for $2.75 which was a fairly generous cup-full. It was super-creamy which, to me, isn’t necessarily a great thing, but overall it was a pleasant addition.

We cleaned our plates but had to roll ourselves out the door. We were stuffed and I remained so until late that evening.

In the end, I left Burrito Joe’s surprised. I liked it quite a bit more than expected. I liked that it was a little different than the other Mexican restaurants around—more focused in its offering with a killer hook: those homemade tortillas. I was impressed with the value; for fast food prices, we got large burritos with a side of rice and free chips and salsa. And to have it right there on 39th, owned and operated in a space I’d love to see successfully inhabited by a Kansas City family was a special kicker for me. It will be interesting to see how they do, as well as interesting to see whether it truly reels me back in for repeat visits or not. I can’t quite tell if I’ll become a regular at Burrito Joe’s or not, but my first trip in was definitely enoucouraging.

Rating: two napkins

Coal Vines: One and Done

2011-05-14T15:55:00.001-05:00

Restaurant: Coal Vines
Location: 616 Ward Parkway (Plaza)
Food: Pizza, Italian
Service: Traditional waitstaff
Atmosphere: Trendy, cheesy
Price: Apps $6-$10; Pizzas $13-$17, Entrees $12-$15
Rating: One Napkin

Every now and then a good night's sleep leads to a point of clarity upon awakening. After sleeping on my first trip to Coal Vines last night, I had one such moment waking up today. It was this simple assessment: Coal Vines is the type of restaurant that was clearly started by businessmen looking to make a buck.

One look at the safe, small menu, a glance around at the decor and the second that crooner music registered above the roar of the dining room noise it was obvious that every decision made in the creation of the restaurant was geared toward pleasing the masses and maximizing "dollaric intake."

Coal Vines has one of the safest menus I've come across in quite some time. It's a pizza joint, dressed up in man-7's and a hundred dollar shirt from Nordstrom. There's just nothing original going on here. Apps like bruschetta, mozzarella sticks and fried calamari. Six pizzas, a couple of them white. Entrees like salmon, roasted chicken and a few pastas. Two sandwiches, chicken parm and.. oh wait, the second one is also chicken parm, but with tomato, onion and arugula added called, get this, The Godfather.

I can just hear the conversation that led to this restaurant concept: "You know what people like? They like fried calamari, pizza and Frank Sinatra." But here's the thing: that statement is absolutely, undeniably, 100 percent true. It's a proven business model.

Coal Vines was still packed when we arrived around 9:30. It was dark and warm inside with a lot of noise--clinking of glasses, banging in the kitchen and a loud hum of laughter and conversation; it was the type of greeting that makes one feel safe about his/her restaurant decision. It told the brain that it was in a successful, popular place where people want to be and are enjoying themselves.

We were taken by a polite host to our seat at the far east end of the restaurant, under the massive mural of those cliched crooners, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. For what it was, the mural was attractive enough - black and white, lit with spotlights reminiscent of the ones those two lived under during their working days - but I've had all the Martin and Sinatra I can stomach in Italian restaurants. They're played out. I shuddered slightly each time I looked up at them.

After an initial glance at the menu, we decided to embrace the cliches and ordered up the mesclun salad, fried calamari and a pizza. Why not review the food that the majority of Coal Vines customers will also get?

Lest readers think I'd written off the place based on my personal restaurant snobbery, I'll come right out and say all the food was good. The salad greens were lightly coated in the bacon vinaigrette. What it lacked in apples (each half had just two wafer-thin slices) and montrachet (two tiny dollops) it made up for with sweet, tangy cranberries. The calamari was nice and lightly fried, the rare kind of fried food of which I could eat lots. And the pizza, a 14-inch, thin crusted pie with red sauce, sausage and roasted red peppers, was meaty and delicious. New York-influenced, the slices were huge, almost begging to be folded Brooklyn style. Then again, it reminded me that I've had better pizza served to me on a paper plate on a street corner in Manhattan for $3.50. But it was good and I ate much of it.

We washed it all down with a sugary-sweet Coppola pinot which, at $35, was a little overpriced. The wine list was chock-full of grocery store names, including several Jacob's Creek selections I'd be remiss not to point out are often available at Sunfresh in Westport for as little as $4.99, normally on sale for $6.99. There is a list of Private Cellar selections ("Bad Boys at a Good Price"), but they, too, are mega-popular labels like Silver Oak, Chateau St. Jean, Trefethen and Cakebread. Spin!, quite honestly, has a more inspired and reasonably priced wine selection. With a name that nods to wine, Coal Vines ought to step up their wine game.

I left Coal Vines happy enough about the food I ate (note, they serve brunch, too, which from the sounds of Charles Ferruzza's review is a poorly done attempt to carry over the business RE:verse used to bring it at that time of day), but without motivation to return. It's a perfectly enjoyable restaurant that will appease picky, unadventurous eaters (read: the lemmings who pile into chains all across the country), but that's not what I seek out with my dining dollars.

Still, its business savvy owners should feel satisfied; I'm sure it will make plenty of money.

Rating: one napkin

5 Questions With Josh Eans

2011-03-26T13:09:00.000-05:00

To many of us, the simple hamburger is a treasure. Something held near and dear to the heart. My heart, I believe, is enveloped in two sesame seed buns and layered with lettuce, pickles, cheese and a couple slabs of bacon.

And it’s emotional ties like this that create such staunch opinions about the ideal burger. Every time I mention Blanc Burgers + Bottles in the office, for instance, ears perk up and debate ensues. Everyone has a favorite, everyone has a philosophy and everyone believes, deep down, that they are RIGHT.

It was this obvious truth that led me to my next 5 Questions candidate, chef Josh Eans of Blanc. Chef Eans has brought to life in KC a highly discussed gourmet burger concept that has spawned a lot of the burger banter in which I’ve taken part. With a culinary degree and background in five star dining in Atlanta, work at the lauded (but now closed) 40 Sardines and gig as head chef for The Drop, his burgers represent the fancy, high end burger concept that seems to polarize we, the unofficial burger gourmands of Kansas City. I asked Chef Eans about his burger philosophy and much more, to get a firsthand view of what’s behind his chef-driven burgers at Blanc.

Eans' twitter photo.

There seems to be a rift growing in "best burger" philosophies: the classic greasy gut bomb (Flea, Town Topic, Corner Cocktail) versus the gourmet, like yours. Is one better than the other or are they different foods altogether?

I don't think you can say one is better than the other. It all comes down to personal taste and preference. One day you want a fancypants burger and a Belgian beer, while the next you are craving a greasy, juicy burger wrapped in paper.

You serve a lot of local products… Farm to Market buns, Soda Vie, Shatto milkshakes, Boulevard beers, namely. What other local products do you use that area locavores would be pleased to know about but may not?

All of the spices/seasonings we use come from the Herb Co. on Southwest Blvd. They simply have the best stuff. We've developed special blends they make only for us. We use Kurlbaum's heirloom tomatoes in the summer as an option on the burgers. Kneaded Specialties in Lee's Summit provides us with gluten-free hamburger buns. A guy from Lawrence is producing beautiful microgreens that we have been playing around with. Lastly, Erin Brown from Dolce Baking Co. (sweetest girl in town), is going to start producing seasonal fruit pies for us that we will add to the menu when we update it next month.

What's your favorite vegetable and how do you like it prepared?

That's a hard one. I think it changes seasonally. I really enjoy roasted brussels sprouts with a little olive oil, salt + pepper and maybe bacon for good measure. But they have to have a nice char on them - I really enjoy caramelized flavors. But, going into spring, I can't wait for some beautiful asparagus to throw on a charcoal grill and dress with some olive oil and lemon or some wild ramps that I can pickle.

The special burger last time I was in was a rendition
of the Inside-Out burger, stuffed with Mac n Cheese
instead of Blue Cheese. It worked!

Blanc is expanding. What's the long term vision for growth? Sky's the limit? Or is there a ceiling for how many could be opened?

Anything can happen long term. Right now there is a definite ceiling - we have 3 restaurants in 3 states. At the moment, we are most concerned with what's happening inside the four walls of each place, rather than what's beyond them. Blanc is not a cookie-cutter concept, either. We put a lot of thought into it. When we opened up our Omaha store, we did a ton of research to find the best local products there and make it work for that market. It's great that we are able to create a 'local' flavor.

The chain-phobic of us fear decreased quality with increased quantity. Should we worry about our favorite local Blanc outpost going downhill? Who not?

There is no need to worry, I myself am "chain-phobic". We are dedicated to quality, that is all we are focusing on right now. This year we are looking at how we can continue to raise the bar and do things better and better. We will be rolling out a new menu next month with some exciting changes as well as finding new ways to invest in our beer program. This will be an exciting year for us.

*Bonus Question: How long has the mustache been in your life? What percentage of men would look better with a mustache?
Ahh, the mustache. It's the reason we have a second son. I've had it for 5 months or so. It completes me. All men need one - call it the Tom Selleck equation. Everyone worries about the creepy factor, but there was a time not long ago that it was part of a very distinguished look. What happened? It's not the mustache's fault.

5 Questions With Megan and Colby Garrelts

2011-03-18T15:05:00.000-05:00

Five Questions is back and better than ever! This time around, I've had the pleasure of conversing with the highly regarded chef/owner tandem of Bluestem, Colby and Megan Garrelts. Admittedly, my interest in the place was piqued recently with Chef Colby's nomination for a James Beard award, but anyone paying attention to the food scene in this town knows that Bluestem ranks right up there as one of, if not the most highly regarded restaurants we have. So I'm stepping up my game and checking in on what makes these chefs and their project so successful. Some hints: passion and pedigree.

You've been open since 2004. How has Bluestem changed since then? And are you surprised with what it's become?
Colby: From our lounge to our menu, our restaurant is very close to what I hoped it would become. It has changed quite a bit but I like to think that it became what we wanted it to be.

Megan: We are certainly larger and busier than ever. The restaurant’s identity, menu, and staff is more developed and very consistent as of now and it’s been fun to see our transition. We are not surprised, but more excited to see our dream evolve and become better each year as owners and for our guests.

Your space is lovely but maybe a little unassuming from the outside (easy to overlook). How has Westport worked out for you so far?
Colby: That’s exactly what I wanted. I wanted a place that you decide to go to - and once you arrive I wanted you to be surprised by what’s inside.

Megan: Westport is an ideal space for our restaurant. In the middle of Kansas City with easy access to downtown, the plaza, and even a quick jog over to State Line for our Kansas guests. Being in Westport also gives us a definite home town appeal (especially with Colby having worked just next door at the former Stolen Grill now Pot Pie) and also the quirkiness of Midtown and Westport in a sense give us the freedom to change often, break rules, and be creative on our plates.

Is there any desire to follow the trend of opening a second location in the south KC?
Colby: Yes. Hopefully we will be hearing more about this in the coming months.

Megan: A different concept in the works, as chefs and owners we are constantly dreaming of more to do and ways to expand in KC

Graham Elliot, also formerly of Tru in Chicago, has become quite the famous face. Have you had a "Grahamwich" yet? Is that a friendship that you've been able to maintain?
Colby: We have not eaten at Grahamwich. With Megan’s parents moving here we haven’t been able to go to Chicago as much…but we might try to visit this summer. As far as our friendship, absolutely we have stayed in touch. I talked to him last Saturday for about an hour…He’s doing great. We have really leaned on each other throughout the years…As a matter of fact he wrote the forward to our book.

Megan: Elliot is a good friend and knew Colby and me when we first met at Tru – long before we were all in our places now, he has been a constant source of support and also an amazing chef to lean on and explore ideas with. We see him when we are in my hometown Chicago. We have been to Graham Elliot many times, but not yet Grahamwich.

I skimmed the comments about Bluestem on Urbanspoon.com from past customers looking for complaints and was, instead, overwhelmed by how many commenters say you have the best restaurant in all of Kansas City. Are you the best? And is that your goal?
Colby: As much as I would like to say we’re the best, I cannot. Is it my goal? Absolutely. But it’s unachievable. There is always work to make it better. Kansas City has become a vibrant, sophisticated restaurant city, so it keeps us striving to be our personal best!

Megan: We defiantly strive to be the best possible restaurant, it would be foolish not to try. We have come a long way from our beginnings, but we are always open to criticism even as hard as it can be. Listening not only to complaints, but compliments from our guests. We have learned what our guests need from us for the best experience through face to face feed back as well as online forums. Being open to change by the request of our guests is always a way to become better.

Chef Megan

As a pastry chef, you're a rare commodity in Kansas City. Are we missing the boat on baked goods and good desserts in this town?
I wish there were more places in KC that celebrate sugar! There are a handful of wonderful bakeries, bread shops, and restaurants that defiantly aid in great desserts in Kansas City – we even have one of the country’s best chocolate makers! The Midwest is always a challenge with for desserts mostly I see such large portions it can make dessert seem too indulgent and/or overwhelming after dinner. With our menu format we include dessert as a final course because it is important to the dining experience.

From Chicago to New York, stops in Vegas, LA and Santa Monica, then landing here. Are you both from KC or just Chef Colby? What ultimately brought you back here?
Colby is from here, I grew up in Naperville, IL a western suburb of Chicago. We both wanted to travel, but after we were married we decided Colby’s home town of KC would be the best place to land our future and restaurant location.

You must use lots of butter. Are you loyal to a specific kind or is butter butter?
Not really, we use Plurga at bluestem which is a great brand. My recipes are pretty straight forward for butter, if I did more baking with laminated dough or brioche I may be more sensitive to what type of butter I use. Sometimes I do enjoy checking out local butters for our tables, but cost can be an issue on that end as well as if the butter is pasteurized for health code reasons.

Sea salt, bacon... savory hints are showing up more and more in pastry. Is this a trend you like?
I do enjoy savory herbs in pastry like, thyme, basil, and tarragon. You may also see other seasonings like pink peppercorns and sea salt in my cookies. I do use carrots, cucumbers, corn, and tomatoes when ripe in some sorbets and other desserts as well. I am mostly a purest when it comes to sweet vs savory in dessert, I don’t go too far off the deep end, because ultimately I ask myself would I eat that? I defiantly don’t create desserts to be trendy or to see if it will work or if the guest will buy it. Dessert is the last impression and it should be enjoyable.

At what point did you decide that pastry was your calling as a chef?
In high school, I worked for several restaurants before heading to the CIA in NY after high school so it was always what I wanted to do.

Chef Colby

A lot Kansas Citians tend to be fans of large portions. Do your customers seem to know what they're going to get at Bluestem and leave happy or do you get complaints about being "fancy" over "filling"?
We actually get both. I stopped at a table on Saturday and had a couple complain about being “too full” but then you get others that say the opposite.

You're no stranger to accolades but how big of a deal is it to you to receive recognition from the James Beard Foundation?
It is a very prestigious award and of course I would be honored to receive it. But I also have to remember that our customer and business are our highest priority, above any awards. I never want to lose sight of that.

You're a KC native. Where, exactly, did you grow up?
Old Leawood…98th and Mission road to be exact. I’m what is called a Ranchmart Rat!

Best meal you've had in the past 6 months?
That’s a tough one…..I’m not sure if I look at food like that anymore. Every experience is different. I really liked Genesee Royal Bistro as well as the Reiger….But I also just discovered Bonito Michoaca in KCK and it blew me away…

What's the best part of owning your own place?
Being able to create our own food and ambience – to be able to develop exactly what we wanted. So being able to start and finish a project like ours has been a truly wonderful experience.

More Mexican Mediocrity

2011-03-13T12:01:00.002-05:00

Restaurant: Paparico’s
Location: 8314 Wornall, Waldo, MO

Food: Mexican

Service: Friendly, traditional waitstaff

Atmosphere: Disappointing.

Price: What you'd expect.

Rating: zero napkins

What can a restaurant blogger say about a place like Paparico’s?

Friends said they loved it; their favorite new neighborhood Mexican joint. Then a cheap Muncharoo certificate became available so we jumped on it and a few days later we’re sitting in a sad, ugly restaurant with one other full table completely depressed.

The problem is that I am definitely becoming a dreadful, unapologetic Mexican food snob. I don’t really know why but the utterance of the half-words “Tex” and “Mex” brings an uncontrollable sneer to my upper lip. I scoff at misused sour cream or shredded cheddar cheese at phony Americanized Mexican cantinas.

I can’t take it anymore. I’m absolutely yearning for an innovative, contemporary yet authentic Mexican restaurant in this city (thus, secretly hoping the rumors of an Aaron Sanchez-owned spot come true).

And so it was with this Mexican food baggage that I arrived at Paparico’s, admittedly skeptical, but hungry and hoping only for something adequate. Unfortunately, adequate turned out to be the nicest word I could use to describe our experience.

There’s no need to go into much detail about this place. The staff was nice and eager to serve. They were prompt and friendly. The salsa was fresh and tasty. Better than a lot that you find in KC. The atmosphere was glum. Décor is relegated to a massive lineup of plastic two liter and glass soda bottles. And piñatas. Ancient, dated-looking wood paneling consumes the dank space.

My pork tamales were decent, with the requisite rice and refried beans on the side. Elizabeth’s tacos al pastor were comprised of under-ripe, hard bits of pineapple and many bites of pure fat and gristle. She only ate one of the tacos, and was only able to choke down about 50% of the meat therein. A bad bite in Mexican street tacos here or there is to be expected, but these were inexcusably bad.

As we ate, the hostess stood at her post and watched our every move, apparently having nothing else to do to fill her time. It was truly pathetic.

Paparico’s was a sad story from start to finish. I wish nothing but success for a hard working family that’s doing decent work, but I won’t be going back for dinner. Everyone in Kansas City, no matter where they live, has a Mexican restaurant at least as good as Paparico’s just around the corner. I'm sure there are people who live in the Waldo area who will say they love this place, and that's fine. That's how all these neighborhood Mexican restaurants go. We all like chips and salsa. We all like rice and beans, tortillas and spicy, cheesy hot plates of food. So it's not too hard to find loyal patrons for these places. But our standards are just too low. I know someone can do something better and I'm going to wait for that place to come before I start handing out napkins to any more boring, uninspired Mexican places.

(The one exceptional bright spot for Paparico's, however, may be its breakfast. I've not had it but I'm a huge fan of Mexican breakfast and I might recommend that if you go there at all, you do so for that menu as opposed to the lunch or dinner we had.)

So until a new, great place opens, or I get a chance to go down to the much-heralded Frida’s, I’m sticking with the usual favorites (read: CFF & El Patron) for my Mexican food fix. This widespread Mexican food mediocrity is just too depressing.

Rating: zero napkins

Dog Nuvo: Five Months Later

2011-02-27T17:12:00.001-06:00

Restaurant: Dog Nuvo

Location: 1724 Main St., KC MO

Food: Gourmet Hot Dogs

Service: Walk-up counter, dining room w/ wait staff, delivery

Atmosphere: Casual chic

Price: Starters $4, Dogs $5-$7, Sides $3

Rating: two napkins

In late October, I wrote that Dog Nuvo might turn out to be the shortest-lived restaurant I’d ever reviewed. Five months later, thankfully, that has turned out not to be the case.

A legal battle over ownership of the Dog Nuvo concept ensued, then, between chefs/restaurateurs Marshall Roth and Harry Blasco and their former employer in Independence, Ken McClain, but quickly thereafter dissipated, becoming removed from public view.

With that speed bump behind it, Dog Nuvo has since moved forward expanding into the rest of its space at 1724 Main St, becoming a full service dining room with a wait staff serving the dogs and sides, as well as booze and coffee. I returned to Dog Nuvo recently to follow up on my initial review and check out the finished product.

Dog Nuvo is now basically split in two, with a walk up counter for takeout orders to the south, and the sit-down restaurant to the North. An open door connects the two, so they’re not completely independent. The servers walk between the two sides in order to pickup orders from the kitchen and deliver them to their tables.

Maintaining the quick service counter was smart, in my opinion. A hot dog place should have a speed component to it and Dog Nuvo has that covered. But the sit-down restaurant is what delivers on the “haute dog” concept that Dog Nuvo was about from the beginning, so we parked ourselves there, next to the floor-to-ceiling windows just inside the front door. It was a tastefully decorated joint, and comfortable, as well, with modern-styled chairs and tables, a west wall made of large planks of reclaimed wood, with splashes of electric blue light from two wide, upward turned fixtures. It’s vibrant and fun; a great fit for a trendy, progressive hot dog spot downtown.

The bar seems like a little bit of a stretch to me. I wouldn’t mind an ice-cold Boulevard beer with my dog, but I don’t see myself coming in for a Jack and Coke anytime soon. But maybe that’s just me.

Given the small dining room, our server had no trouble keeping up with us. She was attentive but not bothersome. The staff seemed to get it; they’re serving hot dogs, not eight course tasting menus, so the task is simply to keep folks comfortable and give them an experience that’s a clear cut above fast food.

We started our lunch with a selection from the Starters menu: the Pierogies. For $3.75 we got a little foil pouch with two potato and mozzarella pierogies, pan fried and steaming hot, with a large dollop of sweet tomato jam resting atop a pretty basil leaf on the side. Delicious cheesiness oozed out of each savory bite, which was nicely livened up by the tart tomato jam. I could’ve eaten a dozen of these things or more, but at $1.75 for each additional, I decided to hold back. Worth $3.75? Tough call. But they were, indeed, tasty so I didn’t regret having them.

Elizabeth and I wolfed down two dogs. I had the Mac ‘n Cheese Dog, which was a traditional hot dog in a pretzel bun topped with a pile of tantalizingly gooey cheese and pillowy macaroni. For texture and saltiness there were bacon crumbles on top, and an added bite came from chopped scallions. It was a beautiful looking plateful, cleanly presented and immediately inducing a strong salivary reaction.

Tasted decent, too. The smooth texture of the mac ‘n cheese on top was sinful and the garnishes were just the right touch. But both the mac and the hot dog lacked, for me, a little flavor. For some reason the cheese involved with the mac was a little muted as far as taste goes, and my initial gripe about cooking the hot dogs sous vide was reinforced with this dog. Some flattop or actual charcoal grill flavor would do the DN franks a world of good.

Moreover, this, and I think most dogs at Dog Nuvo, actually seemed like it was more about the topping than it was about the hot dog, both due its lack of grilled flavor in the context of each bite, as well as its diminutive stature. …What I’m trying to say is that the wieners are too small, okay?! Still, the Mac ‘n Cheese dog was delicious and I do recommend it despite these remaining points of contention.

Contrasting the smooth texture of each massive bite of pasta, cheese, beef and bun were crunchy bites of truffle and asiago potato chips. These slightly thick, hugely crunchy chips were dressed with just the right amount of unctuous truffle oil to give them a rich, earthy odor and taste. The asiago cheese, too, added a tangy, luxe component to the chips that made them some of the best fried spud wafers I’d ever had.

Elizabeth surprised me and went for the Blue Pig, a regular hot dog smothered in buffalo sauce and maytag blue cheese mustard with big melted crumbles of blue cheese and garnished with a sprinkle of finely sliced celery. Cute, right? Everything one likes in a basket of buffalo wings, all perched atop a hot dog. Love it. (Note, the recipe appears to have been altered since the online menu was created. Looks like, originally, it was topped with crispy fried shallots instead of celery. We both liked the green component, too, for the same reason I like knowing on one or two of the sticks of celery in a basket of wings. Palette cleanser.)

This guy suited me more than Elizabeth. I’m a blue cheese fiend but she finds it overpowering if heavily applied. And it was. The crumbles were generously large and flavorful enough themselves, but the mustard sauce, too, had that earthy blue cheese twang that doubled up the crumbles. So the cheese blew her out of the water. Would’ve been better with more buffalo sauce, less mustard. Here again, though, if someone walked up and handed me this hot dog while I was walking down Main Street, no matter the time of day or the current state of my appetite, without hesitating to think, I’d demolish the thing happily. I liked it.

Around us, the tables were all full. It was a random Saturday afternoon and the dining room was keeping busy. A good sign for Dog Nuvo.

I find myself rooting for this place to survive. It’s in a tough spot, but I think the concept makes just enough sense to pull through if costs aren’t too terribly high. Not only do they cater to leisurely diners as well as take-and-go business lunchers, they also now offer delivery in the crossroads and city market areas. While folks with whom I work are big fans of Clay’s Curbside Grill, myself included, I can see factions from the south side of I-35 getting into a Dog Nuvo habit pretty easily. So I’m happy in believing that this wiener workshop will win out.

Rating: two napkins

The Westside Local: Energy & Excitement at 17th & Summit

2011-02-20T21:51:00.001-06:00

Restaurant: The Westside Local

Location: 1663 Summit, KC MO

Food: New American specializing in local ingredients. Great beer list.

Service: Traditional Waitstaff

Atmosphere: Laid back beer garden + Contemporary Dining Room

Price: Starters $6-$13, Sandwiches $9-$11, Entrees $13-$25

Rating: three napkins

Walking into The Westside Local at 9:00 Saturday night, I had no idea what to expect. I’d seen the dining room before, but only passing through from the beer garden to the front door as we were leaving. Never as a diner. What I was eager to know was whether anyone would be there?

I don’t hear a lot of chatter about the place, though what I do typically hear is generally good. Had it gained a reputation good enough to lure diners from the crossroads and hold its own just caddy-corner from Blue Bird Bistro at 17th and Summit?

The buzz and bustle of the dining room that flooded our senses as soon as we cracked the front door and peered through the front curtains was our definitive answer. It was dark, warm, the music was loud and every table appeared to be filled. The bar area to the left, too, held several drinkers. Good thing we’d made a reservation.

The host showed us to a small four top, slightly hidden by an old vertical wood beam near the middle of the dining room. I sat with a view of the west side of the room, looking all the way back to the partially open kitchen. There were couples of all kinds: young, old, straight, gay, hipster and homely. Back by the restrooms there was a large group laughing boisterously. The music blared loudly, yet Elizabeth and I could hold a conversation without feeling strained. It was fun and we were instantly glad to be there.

It was quite dark at WL so I had to use my
blaringly bright flash on some of these
photos. My apologies for the low quality.

The menu at Westside Local is quite small, an understandable consequence of their dedication to using local products. I’m a big fan of the $2 Localities menu that features cheeses, charcuterie, beers and other small bites, but on this trip we were investigating the dinner menu, so we leap-frogged down to the real starters.

Ironically, we couldn’t say no to the deviled eggs for $6, thought they’re one of the items on the Localities list, and we’d already had them. Funny how it’s hard not to go back for a good thing. This time around, the deviled eggs were surprisingly plain. Dressed up with parsley vinaigrette, smoked paprika aioli and local microgreen we expected some flavors to pop, but these almost seemed pretty normal. Still, they were tasty little devils and I have a strong suspicion I’ll be ordering them again.

The salad we had next was exceptional. I love arugula and my only gripe about arugula salads at restaurants is that they can sometimes be too stemmy. Too grassy. This arugula was super tender and had a subtle bite to it. Mixed in were crunchy pieces of apple, deliciously pungent maytag blue cheese and roasted grapes. Everything was dressed with a sour cherry vinaigrette that cut through the blue cheese nicely, and on the side was a small piece of sticky, sweet and salty pumpkin seed brittle. Nice but unnecessary. A little too much geared toward dessert in my opinion.

Westside Local is a beer and wine joint, which sounds lame at first when one considers the high caliber cocktails coming out of so many other good restaurants in town these days, but their lists are superb. Fans of obscure, highly regarded beers, in particular, will have a field day with these selections. Upon Elizabeth’s recommendation, I ordered that night’s special beer, the Lagunita’s Hairy Eyeball ale, a 9.0% abv dark brown, sweet beer that reminded me of Boulevard’s Sixth Glass. It was a little strong with the eggs and salad, but a fantastic pair with my entrée, the Westside Roast Beef.

My French dip was almost everything one hopes for in a classic roast beef sandwich. The huge roll was soft and crusty, covered with gooey Emmentaler cheese. The thinly shaved beef was the star, though. Incredibly tender, it absolutely melted in the mouth. And just to guarantee the ideal, soft, salty bite, I plunged each deep into my pool of au jus.

The only thing lacking in this roast beef sandwich was the bite of horseradish. The au jus was listed as "molasses-horseradish au jus," but I couldn’t detect either of those two decidedly recognizable flavors in it. Still, I was supremely satisfied with this sandwich, and utterly stuffed. Somewhere throughout the process of devouring the sandwich and forkfuls of tiny-diced potato salad (with hints of mustard coarse grain mustard) I ordered a glass of the house red to combat the salt, which turned out to be a good choice, as well.

All the while, Elizabeth, too, enjoyed the red with her huge plateful of quinoa. If quinoa sounds too boring of an order for a fun restaurant like Westside Local, fear not. For added textures and flavors, the super grain was loaded up with roasted butternut squash, tart dried cherries, green beans, funky little Brussels sprouts, Parmesan cheese and arugula. I liked it all but the cherries, which made sense theoretically – acidic and sweet to cut the other starchy, savory ingredients – but another dried fruit, less intense and sweet, could’ve paired better.

Did we need dessert? Yeah, we needed dessert. Specifically, we needed bread pudding. So we got some. Truth be told, I don’t even remember what was in it. But it was sweet, smooth, a little eggy, a little chewy, topped with delicious ice cream with a bright red line of raspberry coulis running beneath on the pretty rectangular plate. It was the ending for which we hoped.

So chalk The Westside Local up as another in Kansas City’s growing list of truly cool places. Not only does it have the absolute best beer garden experience during happy hour, it also boasts a chic, energetic dining room in the night hours. With the lights low and the music up, it vibrates with the energy of a restaurant that’s hit its sweet spot.

Rating: three napkins

Carollo's: This Is Where To Get A Sandwich

2011-02-19T13:44:00.001-06:00

Restaurant: Carollo Gourmet Grocery & Deli

Location: 9 East 3rd, City Market, KC MO

Food: Gourmet Italian market, meats & sandwiches

Service: Walk-up counter

Atmosphere: More market than restaurant

Price: Sandwiches $5-$7

Rating: two napkins

If you don’t have a favorite sandwich in KC yet, it’s time to go to Carollo’s.

This little Italian foodstuffs and sandwich shop in the River Market has been quietly pumping out one of the best in town for years now, and it has become my absolute favorite.

This sandwich – like all good sandwiches – is simple in its preparation, but made perfect through the right combination of delicious ingredients. Here’s what I’m talking about: it’s the #1 sandwich on the list of six on Carollo’s old fashioned plastic lettered menu boards—The Napolitano. Isn’t anything labeled Napolitano delicious?

A huge Farm to Market roll (seriously, huge) is piled high with savory, top quality Italian meats including capocollo, salami, prosciutto and provolone cheese. Then come shredded lettuce and sliced tomato. Now here’s the trick to taking the sandwich to epic levels of enjoyment: one must request peppers, as well. Hot or sweet, either are fine. And the more the better. Neither are too hot or too sweet, but they add just enough spice, and a delicious vinegary zip that will blow the mind. It all gets dressed with more olive oil to bind and soften, wrapped up in butcher paper and dropped into the customer's hands with the most satisfying of thuds.

I’m sure a sandwich just like this is what Michelangelo brought in his lunch pail every day while painting the Sistine Chapel.

Carollo’s boasts a few other delicious Italian sandwiches (the #4 with mozzarella, basil and tomatoes is, not surprisingly, also incredible—and if basil isn’t fresh or in season, they’ll sometimes substitute the fresh stuff for delicious pesto). They also have a list of Philly Cheesesteaks and when weather permits, they run a grill outside the store and cook up their delicious sausages, as well as hot dogs and burgers.

The few dine-in seats available.

Among the shelves of imported Italian goods, there are a few tables with benches where lunch friends can stay to eat, but for me, it doesn’t matter where I consume this sandwich. Once I tear open that oil-soaked paper and get a whiff of those peppers and meats, my mind escapes to some little Italian corner of heaven and I temporarily lose my connection with this earth.

Sandwiches are funny things. Many just don’t care much for them, or can only picture anemic slices of turkey slapped on grocery store bread when they hear the word.

But others, like me, have an insatiable affinity for sandwiches, considering them the most estimable of foods.

My message to those not in the sandwich loving category: you just need to go to Carollo’s.

Rating: two napkins

Lulu's: New & Improved!

2011-02-18T18:27:00.002-06:00

Restaurant: Lulu's Thai Noodle Shop

Location: 2030 Central St., KC MO

Food: Mostly Thai noodles, some other Asian influences

Service: Traditional waitstaff

Atmosphere: Vibrant lunch, slow dinner

Price: Entrees $9-$14, $7.49 lunch menu

Rating: two napkins

I always kinda liked the old Lulu’s location right there at the bustling Crossroads intersection of Broadway and Southwest Boulevard. Its bright green woodwork beckoned to those yearning for an eclectic spot with good Asian noodle dishes, like me.

Not visible here is a funny sign in the door that
seemingly bans customers from bringing in durian,
a notoriously stinky Asian fruit banned many places
in the East.

But I had the same complaints about the place that so many others did: too small, too crowded at lunch and nowhere to sit or stand while waiting for a table. Let’s face it; you had to get there before 11:30 to have any chance of leaving before 1:00.

So it was with notable optimism that I watched and waited for this new location to open, just a half block southeast of the original on Central. What else would the “new Lulu’s” have in store… a new menu? New vibe? New clientele?

Yes, there really are those creepy giant
gold fish in there.

Last week I checked out the new location for the first time with a group of friends from the office, a particularly apt method of investigation as it’s always been more of a lunch place for me than dinner. Don’t get me wrong, they’re open for dinner – always have been – but with few other restaurants around it and living as close to the Plaza, Westport and 39th Street as I do, I just don’t tend to head that direction at night as often as I do during the lunch hour when I’m already downtown.

First things first: the favorites from the old menu are still there and some new features have livened it up (I'm particularly excited about the Thai Street Foods section—Gai-Yang, anyone?). So if you liked their food before, you still will. And if not, you’re out of luck. But who didn’t like it? It’s one of the few places in town where one can get Thai food, period, the ingredients are fresh and tasty, there are several seriously spicy options for the heat freaks and the prices are good. Better than the competition, by far, and the food just as good if not better. Get on board, I say.

Lamp shades are upside down woks. Clever!

The new space: upgrade. For sure. Walking in, lunchers are greeted by a new host’s stand and three rows of benches, in case crowds start to form. This Lulu’s is built for speed, which benefits their business and their customers’ sensibilities. Moreover, there’s now a zen-inspired koi pond up front which should offset the angst of hungry stomachs with a soothing sense of calm.

Six person booths are fun. So are the bright walls.

Plush it is not, but why should it be? What once was a bombed out brick warehouse is now a brightly painted, bustling dining room. With concrete floors and brick and cinder block walls, there’s not much sound absorption going on, but it isn’t deafeningly loud, either. I liked that, looking around, there was no doubt I was in a Thai restaurant, yet it was a fun Thai restaurant. To me, more enjoyable than, say, Thai Place in Westport.

Vietnamese spring rolls. Not worth it.

Our group was seated in a wide booth, easily accommodating the six of us. We started with crab Rangoon – some of the best in town – and Vietnamese Spring Rolls—some of the worst in town. The crab Rangoon aren’t over-stuffed with cheese and actually have a bit of a crab flavor, giving them a leg up on 90% of the other Rangoon served in KC. The spring rolls here, on the other hand, are still totally flavorless. The yellow peanut sauce with which they’re served hints at peanut but is otherwise too diluted. And all that vermicelli and rice paper are so filling, I instantly regretted eating them.

Crab Rangoon. Worth it.

Lunch that day was a classic from the old Lulu’s menu: Drunken Noodles, from the $7.49 Lunch Specials list. This is the type of meal I could eat almost every day of the week. A warm bowl comes filled with a bed of wide rice noodles which are stir fried with Thai basil, peanuts, bean sprouts, scallions, Chinese broccoli, lemongrass, green and red peppers and egg. You can count on the veg to be perfectly crisp-tender and this dish, in particular, packs a lot of varied flavors… sweet, salty, bitter, acid, umami… it’s a delight in the mouth.

Look how they stuff so many fresh veg
into this bowl of Drunken Noodles.

My second trip, dinner with Elizabeth, yielded a totally different experience. Different vibe altogether. It was quiet. We weren’t the only diners there, but the larger, partitioned space separated us from each other to the extent that we felt alone. Service was prompt and attentive, the food good, but there was a depressing sterility in the air. The new space is not drawing a new dinner crowd, apparently.

Our dinner started with spring rolls, again, despite my pleading for dumplings. Elizabeth regretted her decision immediately, taking a big bite and then proclaiming the peanut sauce to be terrible. We’ve completely written them off now. But what lacked in our app was made up for with our two delicious entrees.

I tried the Banh Mi, not recognizing it from the menu of old. I was shocked at its size (mammoth, approximately). A heap of ground pork filled a long, soft baguette and came topped with daikon, carrot, cilantro, cucumber and plenty of sriracha aioli. Sweet and salty pork, crisp, sweet veggies, spicy aioli, bright, citusy cilantro… it all played so nicely together. Worth every penny of its $7.79 price.

I was surprised Elizabeth and I both wanted the Pad Num Mun Hoy, as we’re not big Chinese sauce fans, and the menu touts this dish as Pan-seared egg noodles, green beans, mushrooms and broccoli in a Chinese inspired brown sauce ($10.29). But we got it and we loved it. Here again the veggies were cooked perfectly. Crunchy, softened just a little. The noodles were springy and the sauce, though, yes, a dark brown, sweet, sugary substance, wasn’t too goopy or thick. It brought everything together deliciously.

Between Pad Num Mun Hoy and the Drunken Noodles, I’m a bigger fan of the Drunken, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Chinese-inspired Pad to anyone.

So I’m applying the valid clichés: Lulu’s is back and better than ever. New look, same great taste. They’ve cured the most egregious of its former faults (lunch rush overwhelmed-ness) but will have to keep working on the sparse dinner crowd.

Rating: two napkins

Return to Genessee

2011-01-22T22:02:00.000-06:00

Restaurant: Genessee Royale Bistro

Location: 1531 Genessee St., KC MO

Food: Lovable chef-driven, comfort-oriented approachable cuisine
Service: Traditional waitstaff
Atmosphere: 'Typical' casual stockyard-based American bistro
Price: Breakfast entrees $4-$9, Lunch $7-$9
Rating: Three napkins

Today was my friend Tyson’s 30th birthday and to help him celebrate, we chose the brunch spot—Genessee Royale Bistro, about which I gushed in a recent post.

The test: could it live up to the standard set on our first trip?

The quick answer: indeed.

There were several familiar faces there this morning—folks we had seen last time we were there, which was pleasing. I happen to think a solid base of regulars is a good sign of predictably good service.

On this trip, celebration being the purpose, cocktails were in order. We tried both the Campari and fresh grapefruit, as well as the champagne cocktail.

The Campari drink was a luscious pink color served in a lowball glass with a lime wedge garnish. It was slightly bitter and a bit tart, as expected, but not too much so. Quite refreshing, actually, and good enough that it was ordered repeatedly.

Note the little green soldiers.

The Champagne cocktail came served in an elegant stemless champagne flute. A cube of raw cane sugar in the bottom increased the quantity of bubbles that shot up from the bottom of the glass in pretty little mesmerizing plumes. The drink became sweeter and sweeter (in a good way) as it went along.

Smart cocktails, both of these.

The food was, again, excellent. This time around I sampled Philip’s Soft Egg and the Omelet.

What I loved about the soft egg dish was its whimsy. The soft egg, served in a dainty little white egg-sized saucer came with a cute stack of toast sticks on the side which were perfect for dunking in either the soupy egg or the jam… and not just any jam, but rather a seriously delicious bacon marmalade (which, if it sounds good, is exactly what you’d hope and if you don’t think it sounds good is way better than you think). There was also a lightly dressed mixed green salad on the side.

And among the toast structure, marmalade pond and jungle of greens were two classic little green toy soldiers. Perhaps a food fight taking place on my plate. I added a side of sausage which were served as two thick meat patties, lightly seasoned and deliciously juicy.

The omelet was standard fare. It was quite thick and filled with Gruyere, which I love, but it might have benefitted from a little more as I couldn’t get much Gruyere flavor out of it. The potatoes on the side were perfectly golden, but plain. Tabasco jazzed them up and I appreciated being offered a choice of that or Sriracha. Condiments can sometimes make all the difference in the world.

I pushed Tyson toward the fantastic creamtop buttermilk biscuit dish I’d had previously and he devoured it instantaneously, giving me reassurance that we’d successfully delivered an A plus birthday brunch. What better gift could there be? (Well, I’d imagine he’ll enjoy his Patron, too.)

We polished everything off with desserts, pictured below. Decadent lemon meringue pie and a chocolate chocolate chip cookie. At that early hour, I wasn't up for sweets, but the pie disappeared in a hurry and everyone ooh'd and aah'd over the cookie. I trust they were superb.

Rating: Still three napkins

What It Means to be Effortlessly Chic

2011-01-17T19:28:00.002-06:00

Restaurant: Westport Cafe & Bar

Location: 419 Westport Road, KC MO

Food: French Bistro-inspired

Service: Traditional waitstaff. Attentive, never cheesy.

Atmosphere: Laid back, European, cosmopolitan.

Price: Cocktails around $8, apps $4-$11, sandwiches & salads $6-$12, entrees under $20

Rating: Three napkins

Effortlessly chic. When used to characterize a restaurant, it’s a descriptor that makes no sense unless one has experienced it firsthand. And that’s how I’d describe Westport Café & Bar, one of the newest establishments in Westport and quite possibly its very best.

The lighting is utilitarian-chic. The white
subway tiles on the walls are clean & classy.

Discussing my upcoming trip to the new-ish restaurant with friends, none of whom had been yet either, there seemed to be a theme: that they’d heard it was good and were interested to try it, but hadn’t pulled the trigger because they’d looked at the menu and nothing really jumped out at them. There was nothing extravagant. Nothing unique. No big hook. I bet if you asked owner Aaron Confessori, he’d tell you that’s the whole idea.

In fact, the home page of the website reads as follows: “Westport Cafe & Bar is a casual Paris-style Bistro that offers an American menu with classic French inspiration and preparations. Simple, quality ingredients are braised, grilled, poached, confit, or cured in the same old-world techniques that have been practiced by the French masters for years.”

You see, it’s really not about originality. Westport Café & Bar pays homage to the time-honored French dishes and techniques that have earned French cookery its reputation as the most influential in the culinary world, but with just enough of a twist to still achieve a discernable individualism.

And then there's this over-the-top beautiful framed
mirror toward the back that adds an ornate old world flare.

Part of the tradition of Parisian bistros and brasseries is good alcohol and Westport Café & Bar serves up, truly, some of the finest in the city (local mixologists Ryan Maybee and Beau Williams of Manifesto crafted the menu). Last night after taking our seats in the long hallway between the front and back dining areas just outside the door to the kitchen, I ordered up the Winter Smash and Elizabeth the Granny’s Westside.

Cocktails here are a must.

The Winter Smash was a tart, seasonally inspired mixture of Bourbon, fresh lemon juice, spiced honey syrup and peach, garnished with a skewer of three red berries and delicately walking a line between sour and sweet. Burying my snout in that lowball glass was a treat I was sad had to end.

Elizabeth’s Granny’s Westside looked the part of an old school cocktail in its small juice glass with egg white foam on top. Other ingredients in the lip-smacking libation were a homemade baked apple infused vodka, lemon, lime, simple syrup and soda. She didn’t want to share hers and I was confident I was winning out by not having to share mine.

Check out my mussels.

The gal who cuts my hair – a bit of a foodie herself and a great restaurant-talk cohort of mine – had been to WC&B and said the mussels were a must. Between choices with bacon and blue cheese or shaved fennel and roasted tomato, we went with the latter. It had been quite some time since we’d had mussels, so it wouldn’t have taken much for them to earn our adoration, but I absolutely did love them.

The mussels were plump and sweet with hints of garlic but not an overpowering amount. The tomatoes, though a little sparse, were soft and savory. And that broth, the best part of a steaming bowl of mussels, was a heavenly bath for the slices of baguette studding the bowl. My only gripe was that the fennel was not shaved, but rather came in long, undercooked strips. They lacked finesse and actually seemed more like long strips of Vidalia onion than fennel at all. Not bad, but not what we’d hoped for. Still, I’d order another bowl of those mussels with the exact same preparation in a heartbeat.

Seared tuna sandwich with ginger aioli.

One can go as pricey or cheap as they wish on this dinner menu. The salads and sandwiches are quite reasonable—Chicken Paillard for just $11, Tuna Nicoise for $12, Croque Monsieur for $9, Madame and her fried egg for just another dollar.

We didn’t go there on this trip, but the dinner entrees include plenty of seafood: fish of the day, arctic char, cod or scallops. There’s also pasta, roasted chicken, steak frites and pork shoulder. All range from $13 to $19.00.

Our first choice was the seared tuna sandwich. On a soft, sweet roll, rare strips of gorgeous pink tuna were heaped with a thick bedding of tender baby spinach and a brightly contrasting, sweet ginger aioli, which I loved. On the side was a small pile of sweated shallot, which I added to the sandwich, not knowing if they were just an optional topping or meant to go with my side salad. Each pleasurable mouthful melted away effortlessly. I instantly devoured the entire thing, which was not huge but certainly an adequate size.

The salad on the side, with shaved Parmesan and radishes, was lightly dressed with a heavenly, unctuous vinaigrette containing luxurious truffle oil. It didn’t overpower but was, rather, the perfect amount to make the salad a true bonus as opposed to a compulsory side.

Steak sandwich.

The steak sandwich came on another soft roll (though not the same one as came with the tuna sandwich) again with strips of delightfully tender meat and with a beautiful complimentary slathering of horseradish cream and sautéed onion; quite similar to the tuna sandwich in preparation, but an entirely different world of flavors. My fear with steak sandwiches is always overcooked stretchy, chewy meat. Not so here, as the steak melted away almost as easily as did the rare fish. I’m salivating now, as I relive the memories of each of these sandwiches.

As we conquered the French-inspired sandwiches, we also crammed salty pommes frites, buttery sautéed mushrooms and garlicky wilted spinach down our respective hatches. It was all so satisfying… so delicious… so… French. The attractive clientele sitting around us all seemed so laid back and satisfied, too. Our old neighbors Steve and Janie stopped by to chat. Steve’s a trained chef who knows his restaurants. I took his patronage as a sign we were on to something good.

Food finally gone, I polished off my backup drink – a glass of Tank 7 – and then glanced over at Elizabeth with an “I don’t want to leave yet” expression. She read me perfectly and “insisted” that we stick around for a cup of coffee (French Press, of course). I grinned and reclined. And as I sat back, sipping the warm coffee, I thoroughly felt and enjoyed the relaxed, collected French vibe emoting from every detail of the place. No one rushing, yet with superb service. Tasteful yet somewhat sparse décor. So much attention to detail yet not enough detail to be fussy.

I doubt I’m describing this all well enough to accurately convey the experience of dining at Westport Café & Bar, so here I’ll just circle back to my original point: I can call it effortlessly chic, but you simply have to experience it to understand.

Rating: three napkins

Genessee Royale Bistro Opens In West Bottoms

2011-01-13T14:55:00.000-06:00

Restaurant: Genessee Royale Bistro

Location: 1531 Genessee St. KC, MO

Food: Lovable chef-driven, comfort-oriented approachable cuisine
Service: Traditional waitstaff

Atmosphere: 'Typical' casual stockyard-based American bistro

Price: Breakfast entrees $4-$9, Lunch $7-$9
Rating: Three napkins

Fans of Happy Gillis, Todd Schulte has given you something new to be fanatical about: Genessee Royale Bistro.

Many things excite me about this new restaurant. Please see the following:

The Owner: Schulte and his wife, Tracy Zinn, brought their lovable, eclectic style and vibe to the new place. Both Happy Gillis and GRB have that comfortable feeling like you’re eating at your buddy’s restaurant. The style and décor of both are a little retro but whereas Happy Gillis plays up the 40’s/50’s drug store feel, borrowing from that building’s original identity, GRB, in keeping with the bistro theme, has a slightly more European and old world flair… within the setting of a former service station. (That’s right, KC has yet another gas station-based eatery.) The “style” of their food, too, is something I’d call “lovable chef-driven, comfort-oriented approachable cuisine” with a bistro slant (catchy, right?).

...Upon entry

The Location: GRB joins R Bar on Genessee St. in the west bottoms, just north of the Golden Ox and Kemper Arena, an area whose renaissance I’m hoping the city will support. GRB’s opening would seem to elevate the possibility of success in creating a new “stockyard district” in the West Bottoms that could be a fun dining, art and entertainment destination in the future.

The Patio: When spring starts to… spring, I start looking for patios where I can dine al fresco. GRB has one. It was barren on my first visit but I’m sure that when temps are conducive to outdoor leisure, they’ll make it into a hospitable environment. The huge windows between the patio and building raise like garage doors which is always a lovely effect.

I love it when my camera catches people like this guy
thinking "is that guy taking my picture?"

We were brunching on our initial “preview trip” to GRB. It was a Saturday and I was shocked at the crowd that was there considering how new the place was and given its somewhat remote location. I figured it would take a while before people started thinking about going to the West Bottoms during the lunch hour. We got the last seats in the house, including the ones at the bar.

Charming.

Breakfast menus were no longer being handed out, but I picked on up and saw a thoughtful list of meals, from the simple and healthy like steel cut oats or ruby red grapefruit with caramelized sugar, to the heartiest of warm breakfasts like the Farmer’s Plate, corned beef and potato hash and cornmeal pancakes. The lunch menu, though, is thoughtfully breakfasty, as well. Clearly Schulte realizes folks like me may stumble in past noon still seeking their first meal of the day and a cup of hot coffee. How accommodating.

We somehow avoided the many sandwiches, including grilled cheese, a hamburger on Wolferman muffin, turkey and ham, corned beef, chicken salad and ham salad. Elizabeth got the Vegetable Tartine and I the Creamtop Buttermilk Biscuit and Fried Chicken.

Vegetable Tartine

The tartine was a healthy eater’s dream: a large piece of perfectly browned toast with a bed of caramelized onions, shaved Brussels sprouts, roasted slices of butternut squash topped with mixed greens. One of those meals that, at first glance, you wouldn’t think would be filling, but when done, you’re completely sated and feeling good about your healthy decision.

My chicken and biscuit, though falling on the opposite end of the health spectrum, were equally satisfying. The bottom half of a perfectly golden, soft biscuit was dog-piled by a big piece of fried, juicy white chicken breast, gravy and a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg. Lightly dressed mixed greens on the side. Delicious down-home indulgence. That’s all I have to say about that.

Creamtop buttermilk biscuit and fried chicken.

After finishing our meals, our attentive, friendly server kept dropping by to top off our coffee cups. We hung around and relaxed for a while, took in the comfortable surroundings, noted the generally pleased expressions of the other patrons (among them John McDonald of Boulevard), watched Schulte pass from the kitchen area (sparkling stainless steel and white tile seen through a rectangular cutout in the wall back by the restrooms) to the bar and back with food and dishes, greeting all the guests with a familiarity like he knew them as established regulars and I thought to myself that this is how it should be. This is my favorite type of restaurant. Classy yet relaxed, unique but not kitschy. Whether upscale or affordable, this is what I’m always looking for in a dining experience.

Schulte and team in the beautiful kitchen.

As with Happy Gillis, one could make the argument that the prices are a little on the high side (just a tad) compared to other lunch spots' sandwich prices and portions. I don't totally disagree, but I'll knowingly pay two or three bucks more per entree for food and atmosphere like this. I can't afford it every week but it's a great treat and worthy, in my mind, of a three napkin rating.

I’ll return soon and provide an update on other items from the menu. But I’d say Genessee Royale Bistro is off to a great start with a solid, proven concept that I’d happily travel a few miles, over a river and through a dark and vacated stockyard to enjoy.

Rating: three napkins

A Good Bloody at Blue Grotto

2010-12-30T15:56:00.000-06:00

Restaurant: Blue Grotto

Location: 6324 Brookside Plaza, KC MO

Food: Brunch, lunch and dinner w/ Italian flare

Service: Normal waitstaff

Atmosphere: Charming. Features wood fire oven.

Price: Brunch entrees $6-$10, Drinks for $3

Rating: Two napkins

Word is slowly getting out that Blue Grotto, the tasteful Italian/wood-fired pizza restaurant in Brookside, serves a mighty fine brunch—and $3 breakfast cocktails to boot.

We made the trip a couple weeks ago after waking up on a cold weekend morning and thinking brunch near a warm hearth with a bit of alcohol in our bellies would be a great way to ease our way into the frigid day.

There were several folks at the bar when we arrived, each keeping to him or herself and reading a newspaper. Perhaps these were the worst of the hangovers BG was helping nurse that morning. A few other diners were seated in the main sections of the restaurant and a few more trickled in after we were seated. It wasn’t busy, but it wasn’t depressingly slow, either.

We were led to the quaint and scenic upstairs loft area, which gave us a great view of the centrally located open-air kitchen below, where a chef busied himself amid breakfasty ingredients. Being picky about seats, we were quite pleased.

We’d been to Blue Grotto before and found their pizza to be one of the best in the city, if not comparable to the best Napolitano pizzas in bigger cities across the country. But brunch was of particular interest to me because though its dishes often are so similar, the quality can vary so widely. Would Blue Grotto be the soggy, watery and unripe type? Or would it be among those that stand above?

The first advantage of Blue Grotto’s brunch is that it is not a buffet. No Styrofoam eggs tasting of metal chafing dishes. No sterno-burnt pancakes or overly greasy, soggy bacon inadvertently poached in its own rendered grease. All the dishes appeared to come straight out of that stone oven that ascends from the back of the kitchen on the ground floor all the way up to the ceiling, infusing the dishes placed inside with beautiful wood fire scent.

After giving our orders, we were brought our $3 – yes, $3 – drinks: a bloody mary for me and a mimosa for Elizabeth. The bloody came in a boulevard pint glass with a wedge of lime and spear of three pimento-stuffed green olives. Plenty of girth to appease my rumbling stomach. It was perfectly done, spicy but not too spicy, thick but not too thick. No huge chunks of garlic of horseradish to chomp, which I find a little off-putting at that hour of the day… in a drink. I honestly can’t claim to have had a better bloody mary ever. Mimosas tend to be uniform, but this one was at least served in a pretty tall glass. It, too, hit the spot.

Service was quite slow. There only appeared to be one server but from our bird’s eye point of view, we saw both the chef and the bartender roll their eyes and complain to each other about her performance while we were there. We became slightly agitated with the wait but our food came before we ever came close to complaining. Those who are apt to complain, though, may have done so. Still, she was friendly and we were quite content to sip our delicious beverages as we shook off the cobwebs.

The menu is in a small state of flux as told to us by our server. Currently they list things like Panne Fratau, Pizza Benedict, Omelet, Quiche, B&G, Corned Beef Hash, French Toast and Granola. I ordered a staple, the Biscuits and Sausage Gravy. Elizabeth ended up choosing the Omelet.

I can’t say there was anything exceptional about the B&G, except that it was B&G, which, to me, is always exceptional. I would marry a plate of biscuits and sausage gravy if I could. In fact, I made a point of making B&G with my brother on the morning of my wedding as a sort of “last breakfast” before taking the plunge. And those B&G were comparable to the ones at Blue Grotto.

The biscuits were delicious – a brown crusty exterior protecting a light, fluffy interior. Certainly seemed to be made from scratch. The gravy seemed a little lacking in sausage flavor somehow, though I think I like an unusually high proportion of meat in my sausage gravy.

Elizabeth’s omelet surprised me. It was the best-cooked omelet I’d ever had (hopefully the photo of it here shows that), which is to say that it wasn’t at all overcooked. So often an omelet is overdone on the outside – airy and dry - with uncooked, watery ingredients inside. This one, filled with artichokes, peperonata and asiago cheese, was uniformly correct in its doneness and such a pleasure to eat. The savory artichokes and peppers were just right for that “I’m not breakfast but I’m not lunch” meal.

Being honest, the cubes of herbed breakfast potatoes on the side were terrific, too. So much flavor from the freshly chopped herbs. The salad on the side was a total throwaway – just lettuce and a little vinaigrette. Something a little more inventive could have been better paired with the dish.

Each of us received a ramekin of fruit on the side – cantaloupe and red grapes. They weren’t especially great, but requisite, I guess.

And so it was, in the end, a satisfactory brunch, indeed. There are more inspired options in town, but if a breakfast cocktail is on your mind, Blue Grotto gets a big leg up on the competition. That bloody mary was a standout.

Rating: two napkins

KC Smoke Burgers: Don't Blink Or You Might Miss It

2010-12-28T17:25:00.002-06:00

Restaurant: KC Smoke Burgers

Location: 1610 W 39th St, KC Mo

Food: Burgers, Phillies, etc.

Service: Simple waitstaff

Atmosphere: A burger joint in Jerusalem

Price: Burgers $7-$10

Rating: zero napkins

I may have found the worst, most ill-fated restaurant in all of Kansas City.

The other night I was headed home after a late night of work, debating what to grab for dinner that wouldn’t be too far out of the way. A good ol’ burger sounded right, and I remembered seeing a new place open on 39th street, curiously near Fric & Frac, whose burgers I’ve had in the past and enjoyed. A quick comparison post for the blog seemed in order, so I figured I’d try one at the new place and then have one from Fric & Frac soon thereafter and write about whose was better.

But when I left KC Smoke Burgers, the comparison article was off. There was no comparison. Because KC Smoke Burgers is so weird and so bad on almost every level, I found it to be one of the most pathetic restaurants I had ever witnessed.

...because dated pop culture icons, civil war-era weaponry
and antiques go so well with cheeseburgers.

Leading off the list of issues with KC Smoke Burgers is their massive, obvious identity crisis. Located in the vacated Jerusalem Café spot on 39th street across from Aladdin Café, there is already a Middle Eastern image it has to overcome. Jerusalem Café had specially built and decorated walls that looked as thought they were formed from clay in the holy land itself, cracks hand painted on them in an attempt to drive home the look. Those walls remain at KC Smoke Burgers. So one can’t remove the image of hummus, falafel and pitas from his or her mind while looking around.

Cheerleaders? Yep. Quarterbacks? Yep. Clowns?
Are you kidding me? YES!

Perhaps even more curious are the new pieces of décor, however. As I sat and waited on my burger, I took note of the odd, hand-painted items adorning the walls, which included the following: NASCAR banners and cutouts, scenic photos of Jerusalem, generic photography of cheeseburgers and Philly cheesesteaks, cutouts of James Dean, Captain Kirk, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and the Statue of Liberty. On top of the cashier’s stand that occupies the center of the restaurant were two faux antique cannons and a chest filled with faux cannon balls, as well as an antique sewing machine. Behind me, on the East side of the dining room, the walls showcased more hand-painted cutouts: a cheerleader, football player and clowns. Lastly, sprawling nearly the entire width of the front of the restaurant, hanging above the front door, was an expansive hand-painted banner featuring what was either an image of the plaza lights, or another scene from the holy land, but with Christmas lights adorning the buildings. It was hard to tell.

I was eating in the most random and quizzically decorated restaurant I had ever patronized.

The remnants of the restaurant’s Mediterranean/Middle Eastern past crept beyond the photos on the walls – and the walls themselves – and onto the menu, I found. Laced throughout the laminated, flame-adorned sheet were decidedly Greek ingredients: a Mediterranean Philly cheesesteak, a gyro smoke burger and a lamb and pesto smokeburger. Disguised among the traditional burger toppings like ketchup and mustard lurked Greek dressing. And the extra toppings included feta, a garlic cucumber sauce and pita chips, as a side.

I ordered the Fire Smokey Burger from the short list of featured burgers, which came with a good pile of sliced jalapenos under a blanked of melted American cheese. I also opted for grilled onions instead of raw, tomatoes, dill pickles and lettuce (iceberg was the only choice, which was fine). Ketchup and mustard came in plastic bottles on the side, DIY.

The jalapenos were great, but I’d have enjoyed a different flavor of cheese. The bun was quite un-special and while I’m aware of how snooty it sounds to criticize the bun, I feel compelled to point out that we live in a city where Farm to Market-brand brioche buns can be had with your burger. So the bar is set quite high and the cheap Wonder-style white bread buns used here certainly don’t add anything to the burger eating experience.

Then there was the meat. Level of doneness was not asked of me, and well done is what I got. I’m also quite certain that there are some secret spices going into the beef before hitting the griddle – cumin, maybe – which wasn’t awful, but led me to want to put the thing down rather than polish off the last few bites, which is not indicative of my normal burger consumption habits.

These fries may actually have been the best part
of the meal. Not bad.

In the end, the burger, upon which the last chances for attaining a mild level of success hung, failed to help KC Smoke Burger’s case at all, rounding out a pitiful dining experience.

Let me now pause to point out that the staff – the only other folks in the restaurant during the entirety of my meal – were all friendly, went out of their way to serve me quickly and get me whatever I needed, and the manager came over to chat, hoping I’d been treated well and would be coming back again. I didn’t have the heart to lie and admit I wouldn’t even dream of it, but based on my experience at KC Smoke Burgers, I see a huge change of cuisine coming in the near future if they don’t board it up altogether.

With a neighborhood favorite like Fric & Frac serving quite decent burgers one block away, KC Smoke Burgers is spraying a bonfire with a small squirt gun, and, I’d imagine, will be going up in smoke itself sometime not long from now.

Rating: zero napkins

A Biased Review of Café Sebastienne

2010-12-24T12:56:00.000-06:00

Restaurant: Café Sebastienne

Location: 4420 Warwick Blvd (Kemper Museum), KC MO

Food: Contemporary American

Service: Competent yet relaxed

Atmosphere: A cozy buzz... dinner among art.

Price: Starters $9-$14, Entrees $18-$30

Rating: Three Napkins

It’s nearly impossible to objectively review the restaurant that catered your wedding reception. So know, from the beginning, my review of Café Sebastienne is tainted with puppy love sentiment.

On September 15, 2007, this restaurant located in the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art laid out for our guests and us a fine spread that, quite frankly, I don’t remember much. I was beaming with an ear-to-ear grin and paying special attention to greet as many of our friends and loved ones as possible, who had been so kind to spend their evening celebrating our marriage. Elizabeth, I remember, inhaled her food with double take-inducing speed, and rushed me to finish mine, feeling obligated to play the gracious hosts. And so I did.

So it was with great zeal that we made our recent reservation, having received a gift card to the restaurant.

It was colder than freezing outside but magically warm inside the narrow restaurant, whose walls are covered top-top-bottom with paintings of all sorts. The mélange of vibrant canvases is an art lover’s fantasy and contributes to the hearty conversation taking place among the diners. Elizabeth and I were seated at a lovely, small table in the middle of the restaurant where we started with complimentary multi-grain rolls and a dollop of herb compound butter, alongside which sat a dish of Moroccan spiced olives. The spice tasted of cumin and turmeric – curry-like – and balanced out the briny saltiness of the olives. A lovely start.

The fried risotto balls sounded too good to miss, so we ordered those to go along with our spinach salad. They came four to a plate, which was covered with a vibrant red coating of fresh, slightly spicy marinara and a sprinkling of Parmesan. The spheres of risotto were a perfect breadcrumb shell protecting a soft, gooey, cheesy center of rice.

The spinach salad was a lesser success. I’d argue it was underdressed, but it was perfect for Elizabeth who considers an overdressed salad worthy of capital punishment. Its toppings of dried apricots seemed a little odd combined with poached egg on top. Apricot and egg would seem fine, almost breakfasty together normally, but on the earthy spinach salad, the egg lends meatiness--protein, overpowering the light vinaigrette and fruits. It just didn’t come together as well as conceptualized. All that said, we’re still talking a “B” salad, not a “D” or “F” by any means.

Salad now being sufficiently over-analyzed, I move on to the entrees. Elizabeth’s was a wonderfully seasonal and healthy vegetarian dish: spaghetti squash with kale, soft hunks of tangy, savory tomato and plump artichoke hearts. The small mountain of squash “pasta” gave the dish its richest component, against which the acid and salt from the other ingredients played nicely. It was tremendously satisfying to eat, not just for its superb flavor and texture but in knowing that it was, with the exception of its probable high butter content, quite healthy.

Not having the opportunity often, I ordered the duck, which I love for its indulgent fatty taste that always pairs so nicely with the fruit and berry sauces of the season. The chefs on this night were serving their duck with a syrupy, zesty orange glaze. Though my plate had an overabundance of the sauce which caused me to feel like I’d drunk a bottle of Karo corn syrup by the time I was done, it was tasty and an absolutely perfect pairing with the duck, making subtle any trace of gaminess it may have had.

Splitting hairs, I’d ask for the skin to be even crispier than it was. One can see from my pictures that it had certainly been cooked properly – scored and rendered until dark – but it stretched and pulled too much as I ate it. So this was, unfortunately, not quite my best experience with duck breast (Le Fou Frog is, so far).

The side of wild rice topped with custard was easily the most decadent side dish I’d ever eaten. One bite was enough. So was the next. And the next. I ended up eating the whole serving despite its unimaginable richness, which surprised me. I have to applaud the inventiveness but I’d guess this is a side that garners mixed reviews. Mine: gooood.

After all that, we were completely stuffed and dangerously cozy, so we each ordered an espresso, she devouring her tantalizing cube of natural brown sugar upon arrival, me admiring mine in concept but not in consumption.

In the end, though not a perfect meal, the setting and the cast of memories that surrounded us throughout the experience made for a magical evening and sparked eagerness to return soon. Café Sebastienne is a forgotten gem in our city, as is the museum itself. But be certain that on September 15th, for the rest of my life, I’ll think of it fondly. And I plan to return as a customer far more often than that.

Rating: Three Napkins

My Cheesesteak Joint

2010-12-19T14:16:00.000-06:00

Restaurant: Chartroose Caboose
Location: 10636 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS
Food: Philly Cheesesteaks
Service: Quick Service counter
Atmosphere: Comfortable and homey
Price: Cheesesteaks for $6, Fries for $2
Rating: One Napkin

I’d argue there are few sandwiches that can provide as much satisfaction as the Philly cheesesteak. So much flavor. All that filling meat and cheese. A cheesesteak is an absolute gut-bomb, no doubt, but it’s the kind I welcome with open ~~arms~~ jaws.

Over the years, I’ve grown to love one in particular: the Super Chief at Chartroose Caboose. Discreetly located between a car dealership and Hooters near the on-ramp to 435 west on Metcalf lies this homey little family owned business.

The setup and décor of the restaurant have improved little by little since I first started going. It’s comfortable and clean with a mix of everyone from white-collar lunch breakers to families with young kids, construction workers and high school students.

My favorite selection, the Super Chief, comes with steak, cheese, diced onions, mushrooms and green pepper. It’s a huge pile of flat top grilled, chopped steak with just enough flavor from the veg and cheese to be really interesting.

CC also offers turkey, chicken and ham variations for those not worried about desecrating the classic. On our recent trip, I went for my hallowed favorite and Elizabeth grabbed the turkey variation which is surprisingly satisfying, too, but much lighter tasting.

Whichever you choose, do yourself a favor and be sure to order a cup of au jus on the side. I know it’s not classic cheesesteak affair, but it’s perfectly delicious; that puffy, soft bun sops up the jus perfectly, creating bites that positively melt in the mouth.

The fries are the go-to side, here… thick cut, always crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. Be sure to load up on ketchup and mustard to go along with them because the cry out for that sweet, tangy moisture.

Chartroose Caboose is one of those restaurants whose menu I’ll never even care to explore. I hit the sweet spot my first time in and gladly return for the exact same thing every time back. I'm sure many of their other selections are plenty good, too, but I don’t need ‘em. This is my cheesesteak joint.

Rating: One Napkin

It's Not Magic

2010-11-07T19:26:00.000-06:00

Restaurant: Aladdin Cafe
Location: 3903 Wyoming, KC MO
Food: Normal Middle Eastern selections
Service: Underwhelming waitstaff.
Atmosphere: Lacking, but comfortable outdoor seating featured.
Price: Quite fair. $10-$15 entrees.
Rating: One napkin

One of the things I love about going to big cities like New York or Chicago is their diversity. Their culinary diversity, in particular, which births pockets of restaurants offering authentic dishes to clustered ethnicities whose relatives years ago immigrated and started a community mimicking their culture from home.

In New York you've got Little Italy, Chinatown, Little Fuzhou within Chinatown, Curry Hill, Curry Row, Little Manila... the list goes on and on, representing almost any ethnic group I can name.

Here in Kansas City, with a smaller population, we lack diversity on this level. Southwest Boulevard houses a concentration of Mexican restaurants, but few of them offer a menu full of the food Mexican people actually eat on a daily basis. Columbus Park used to house a small Italian population and now has shifted toward Vietnamese, but not an overwhelming number. We have 5 or less Greek restaurants. Very little Korean food. Almost no West African food. And our sushi is pretty weak.

Perhaps most diminutive compared to larger cities is our Middle Eastern selection. We have a few restaurants under the header of “Mediterranean” but certainly no abundance. Two hands are plenty for counting our choices for food like hummus, falafel, shawarma, gyros... ingredients like chickpeas, pine nuts, olives (and their oil), grape leaves and pitas. Not only does Kansas City have too few restaurants serving this food, but it has basically no standout known for doing it exceptionally well.

Midtown - namely Westport and Valentine - is where one finds what's probably the most notable restaurant in this category--Jerusalem Café. I've been there several times. It does the job. I'll give it an official review sometime, I'm sure. But it's probably telling that when I had my most recent craving for this kind of food, I sought a new choice.

Wanting to pause, on this occasion, and take in the glorious fall weather, Elizabeth and I stopped in at the little Aladdin Café on 39th whose outdoor seating had been beckoning us for some time. We decided to officially moved it off the sticky list of "we should really go there sometime" restaurants for the sake of a KC Napkins post.

The mission was to determine whether Aladdin was a cut above. I'd read good things on sites like Yelp and Urbanspoon from fans, but I trust your average reviewer on those sites about as much as a used car salesman. So here's my take:

Started with a cup of lentil soup. It was a stunningly beautiful bright yellow color and tasted of sweet Middle Eastern spices - turmeric, especially. This was easily the best lentil-based soup I've ever eaten. Get it. The smooth, rich, sweet curry flavor came to the fore nicely. Not too much coconut milk; just right.

Then we split the sizable Agrabah Appetizer Combo. It came served on a large platter, smooth dips across one side – hummus, baba ghanouj, genie dip – and solids on the other—two crusty falafels and two dolmas.

The plain hummus was good, but not revelatory. It came dusted with red sumac and an obligatory sprinkling of parsley with plenty of olive oil pooled on top. The genie dip in the middle, bright red with infused roasted red peppers and a dollop of sambal-like chili paste on the side, was my favorite of the three. A good spice factor and the red pepper flavor really sang. I would’ve enjoyed twice as much. The ghanouj was only fair. It had a bitterness to it that surprised me. Lots of tahini going on there, I believe. Maybe too high of a ration to the pureed eggplant.

The falafel were fun, with a hearty crust on the outside. Perfect deep-fried balls of chickpea batter. A little salty and soft in the middle. And the dolmas were good – better than the last ones I had at Jerusalem Café with tender leaves around loosely packed meat and rice. Not too dense the way they can be when they’re bad.

Having tried the whole plate, if I were allowed to customize it for my own liking, I’d eliminate the baba ghanouj and dolmas and increase the falafel and genie dip proportions in creating the John Special.

A basket of pitas accompanied the platter. The soft triangles smeared with rich dips filled us up quickly, and we were pleased that our waiter offered us a refill, though we declined.

Little room in our stomachs to spare, we chose to split an entrée—the Shawrma Platter. Here again we were served a large plate heaped with food. A decent value at $9.99.

What we got seemed quite different than what we were picturing based on the description on the menu, though. On the plate was the curry marinated chicken (no surprise) on a bed of rice with cooked zucchini, carrot and onions and raw tomato; the menu described it as curry marinated chicken on warm pita and topped with onions, parsley and tomato sauce. So where our pita and tomato sauce went, I’m not sure. Regardless, the plate of food tasted okay. It was a little bland, but not offensively so.

And that’s how I end up characterizing Aladdin Café, in the end. It didn’t surprise, impress or wow (except the standout lentil soup). The service was pretty bad, but the server, I believe, was new so we cut him a lot of slack. The tables outside weren’t particularly comfortable, nor has much of anything been done to cozy-up the atmosphere inside or out. But if you want to take your Middle Eastern food al fresco, I’d certainly give Aladdin Café a try. Just don’t expect magic.

Rating: one napkin

Sometimes Adventured Doesn't Need to be on the Menu

2010-11-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

Restaurant: Cafe Europa
Location: 323 E. 55th St., KC MO
Food: Unsurprising, but delicious American/European Cuisine
Service: Buttoned up, professional waitstaff.
Atmosphere: Cozy, affluent; just on the safe side of stiff.
Price: Starters $6-$10, Pizza $8-$10, Entrees $11-$25
Rating: Two Napkins

I’m a bit of a romantic when it comes to restaurants. I don’t tend to like the big, shiny, impersonal places nearly as much as the tiny, hidden, quaint ones. Knowing Café Europa to be the perfect example of the latter, I found myself almost fearing that I wouldn’t like it. Because I liked the idea of it so much.

Café Europa is located in the charming Crestwood neighborhood, home also to the more visible Aixois, some antique stores, a stationery store and a florist. It’s a pleasant little outpost with affluent Brookside/Sunset Hill/Mission Hills patrons and the appropriate fare for them, billing itself as a restaurant, bar and bakery.

Diners are beckoned to enter by a small, brightly lit, refrigerated display case, filled with decadent frosted cupcakes, tarts and other such pastries. A cute invitation. Just behind is a small bar—not a destination unto itself, but certainly a cozy place to wait for a table to open up. A tantalizing amalgam of scents fills the front room – coffee and alcohol, sweet baked goods and warm dinner aromas from the dining room and adjacent kitchen.

Though the entrance is admittedly dark and cramped, the dining room, still on the small side, is brighter with warm incandescent light filling the air above the open, square wood floor. An old fireplace adorns the East wall, bringing an inherent homey quality to the space.

Seated at a two-person table near the kitchen door, I was slightly disappointed about the plastic floral tablecloths. There was nothing offensive about their design, but the sticky feel of it on my forearms seemed oddly cheap for an otherwise upscale place. It reminded me of eating on similar tablecloths Thursday nights during my childhood in the carpeted second floor of our house where we were only allowed to have dinner when The Cosby Show was on. A pleasant memory, I suppose, but not befitting Cafe Europa’s upscale ambience.

My wine selection threw our server. Wanting a bottle of white for one of our last warm weather dinners of the year, I picked the Cote Jardin White Cotes du Rhone. After some delay, she returned with a red. I quickly pointed out the error and she admitted all she had heard me saw was “Cotes du Rhone” and assumed I meant the one she had selected “because we have been selling so much of it lately.” An honest mistake, to be sure. She soon returned with the correct bottle which turned out to be a fine choice, quite minerally with almost no sweetness of which to speak. At first, I was actually concerned it had too little taste as it so completely disappeared from the palette once down the hatch, but as the wine warmed up a little sitting on the table and we gulped more and more of it, it blossomed enough to win us over.

Everything on the small menu sounded delicious and seasonal, but we were both in the mood for some sort of trusty favorite, as opposed to an adventurous selection (this mood doesn’t strike often). So Elizabeth chose the wild mushroom risotto with scallops and I had the special – a massive double thick pork chop on a bed of greens, on a cloud of mashed potatoes in a pool of jus. (For evidence of our propensity for ordering these types of dishes, see what she ordered at Webster House and I at Grand Street Café.) To start, we split a mixed greens salad with blue cheese and bacon, with a bacon vinaigrette.

The salad was average as far as nice-restaurant-salads go, but we liked it. The blue cheese was a creamy, unctuous treat, the pancetta cubes a salty (thought somewhat chewy) accompaniment. But altogether, this was not a reinvention of the bacon, blue cheese salad. Just a good representation of the classic.

We enjoyed the risotto, more-so for the scallops than the rice. The rice may have been sitting, ready to serve, in a pot in the kitchen for some time already that evening and had swollen into large, grains. But for my taste, while pasta truly needs to be al dente to be perfect, risotto that’s slightly overcooked is just super-creamy risotto. I love it. But oh – the scallops! It’s gotten to the point where I expect risotto with scallops dishes to be served with too much buttery risotto and a scant two, maybe three scallops. Not the case at Europa. Elizabeth’s dish was filled with five of the most perfectly cooked scallops either of us had ever eaten. Each had that golden brown crust but was tantalizingly soft and smooth throughout, and not overly raw. Setting that bowl down in front of us was the equivalent of extending a bowl filled with full-sized Snickers bars to a couple trick-or-treaters.

My pork dish was equally impressive. The cut of meat was hearty to say the least. It was clearly overcooked – an opaque whiteness throughout the meat – but only barely so as it wasn’t too tough or dry. And c’mon… with a palette of buttery greens, creamy potatoes and rich, steamy jus to drag each bite of pork through, dryness was easily remedied.

I wasn’t told what exact type of greens I was given, but my strong inclination was mustard greens, given their twangy, earthy flavor. They were simple and had been cooked to perfection, in that textural nook between stemmy and mushy: fork-tender. Despite being such a humble ingredient, they were completely enjoyable. And the mashers were a dream, as restaurant mashed potatoes so often are. I may not be the foremost connoisseur of mashed potatoes, but I know the difference between good and bad ones, and these were definitely good.

I suppose it was something about the warmth in our bellies and the warmth in the intimate room around us that led us toward the ice cream du jour… sweet potato. Curiosity, too. It tasted much as we suspected – sweet, with autumnal spices like cinnamon, clove, allspice. It also retained the potato’s starchiness, which was curious but not altogether bad. It cooled us down and paired quite nicely with our salutatory espressos. We paid, thanked the kind server, swung our jackets over our shoulders and strode back toward the car with happiness exuding from the contended smiles on our faces.

Café Europa offered up little to surprise or shock, but it wowed us, nonetheless. I loved that it was a nice place, content to serve good food that people like to order. It wasn’t trying to be anything unnatural, and there was something exceedingly comforting about that fact. I think several other restaurants in town could offer up the exact same menu but fail to leave me as pleased as Café Europa did. It’s a pleasant little restaurant, located in the perfect spot, serving just what is wanted to those who want it.

Rating: two napkins

5 Questions With Jasper Mirabile Jr.

2010-10-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

The Zagat 2011 survey was recently released, including some surprises (like Oklahoma Joe's being rated best overall restaurant).

Maybe not as surprising was the publication's pick for best Italian in KC, which went to Jasper's, the eponymous outpost of the highly visible, active and energetic Chef Jasper Mirabile Jr. No stranger to awards, the restaurant had also recently taken the award of Best Tableside Dish 2010 from The Pitch for their Mozzarella. Prior to all this hoopla, I chased down Chef Jasper to get some insights into his food, his philosophies, his goals and his life in a little game I like to call 5 Questions:

You’re a chef who’s very much in the public eye, doing demos in Kansas City and recently in Italy. You’re on facebook and twitter and even in front of customers at the restaurant with your famous tableside mozzarella. Why is it important to you to be so visible? Marketing is my life. I love to cook, I love to meet people and I combine it all by marketing myself and promoting Jasper's. Whether by radio or TV, it does not matter, I am everywhere. I never turn down an event or cause. I love to be at the local farmer's markets doing demos or at The Hen house teaching class. As chef ambassador for Wisconsin Cheese, I get to travel everywhere and talk about cheese. What a life. I have met so many interesting people along the way. Captain Phil on The Cornelia Marie and Captain Johnaton from The Time Bandit...I worked on their boat during filming for the Deadliest Catch. Traveled to New York to cook at The James Beard House this year...my fifth visit. Worked for American Italian Pasta Co. and cooked in Times Square for World Pasta Day. TV every Monday with NBC Action News Midday. I have cooked with Giada, Paula Deen, worked with Red Gold Tomatoes, Farmland, Certified Herferd Beef, Eggland's Best etc...too many to name. I am head of Slow Food KC and on the biard of American Inst. of Wine and Food along with VP of Midwest of Gruppo Ristoratori Italiano. fRadio show every Saturday...not a paid advertising...tKCMO owns the show and I am the host! It is my life, my passion and my love! I am finishing my third cookbook, On The Cannoli Trail. All desserts, you will love it!

What have you been cooking lately… that is NOT Italian? Asian dumplings...I am obsessed with them. Also roasted pig and pork loin in my La Caja China. (www.lacajachina.com)

For those who aren’t familiar, describe the difference between typical Northern and Southern Italian food, in which type are you rooted and why? If you asked me this question two weeks ago I would have said Southern is more peasant style and North is rich with the bounty of Italy. After retuning from Italy yesterday, I can say this is SO TRUE. In Bologna, Parma and Modena last week, we ate so much butter, Parmigiano Reggiano and cream. All the food was so rich. In Sicily, where my famiglia is from, we eat a lot of bread, olive oil, goat, pasta and fresh seafood. All light and fresh.

You moved from Waldo to 103rd. How do you like the newer location and are there any plans for expansion? We love the newer location...all under one roof. So easy to manage. Business here is about 40% more than the old Jasper's. We have such great access from 435 highway and Johnson County. No expansion...we are big enough. Maybe a Mobile Cannoli Truck. That would be cool.

Give me a little-known-fact about Jasper Mirabile Jr. Ha! I cannot make a grilled cheese sandwich for the life of me...I always end up burning them. My wife and daughter think this is the funniest thing. I love BBQ and I crave pies...along with cannoli!!!

His enthusiasm jumps off the page and is just as apparent in person. Jasper's is located at 1201 W. 103rd Street.

BRGR Battle

2010-10-27T13:52:00.000-05:00

Restaurant: BRGR Kitchen + Bar
Location: 4038 W. 83rd St, Prairie Village, KS
Food: Burgers and a good bar
Service: Traditional waitstaff
Atmosphere: Loud and lively
Price: Burgers $8-$10, Sides $2.5-$7, Salads $8-$10
Rating: One napkin

What bar-b-cue is to Kansas City, the burger is to the United States as a whole.

In KC, bar-b-cue is obsessed-over. Done with infinite variations on the same classic idea and set of techniques by several restaurants, each claiming to have the very best. And today, across the nation, burgers are very much in the limelight garnering the same type of obsession with chef-driven, gourmet ingredients and chic dining rooms popping up all over.

It would be unwise for me to say this burger trend could ever manifest itself here in Kansas City to an extent rivaling King Barbecue, but it is clearly seeping in.

Swept up in the burger craze, I ventured to the heart of PV recently to try BRGR Kitchen + Bar and, specifically, to compare it to the impressive Blanc Burgers + Bottles. Blanc, having received 4 Napkins in the past, is clearly a favorite. Would BRGR be on the same playing field?

Of foremost interest to me was the atmosphere at BRGR. Prairie Village is a hotbed of young families and, as such, many of its restaurants feel more like a McDonald’s play place, teeming with grubby faced toddlers, than I like. Listen, I’m a 20 something. I want everything to be “cool,” “modern,” and “innovative.” Terms like “family-friendly” send shivers up my spine (I’ll grow out of this soon enough, I’m sure). So I was afraid BRGR would feel too juvenile.

It did not. The restaurant has a sort of warm industrial feel. A wooden sign and front door, wooden bar, wood-plank room dividers and wood ceiling lend a sort of contemporary cowboy toughness to the place. The walls were exposed brick and the floor a simple concrete. The materials and appearance were delightfully adult-appropriate, I decided. A great relief.

We bellied up to the bar during the short wait for our table, where we encountered a fantastic surprise – Free State Brewery beers on tap! Being Jayhawk alum, this is a sentimental favorite. Our Oktoberfests were deliciously malty with a crisp hoppy finish. Across from the bar are a few indoor tables and then the outdoor patio, at which I can easily picture myself relaxing and enjoying a beer sometime in the future.

Next thing we knew, we were being seated at our table smack-dab in the middle of the main dining area, perusing the list of 23 entrée selections – 12 with beef, 2 slider selections and nine non-beef choices. Choosing among so many different burgers was difficult but I landed on the Big Hoss. All BRGRs are a half pound of certified angus beef (75/25). Massive and juicy. The Big Hoss also came with a fried egg, maple bacon, Wisconsin cheddar, steak sauce and onion straws on a corn bun, with a little bottle of Tabasco on the side ($9).

The quality I found most remarkable about this burger was its size, rather than any of its flavor components. I immediately cut it in half after deciding there was no way I could pick up the whole thing without dropping half its contents. It was huge. Too big, really.

I’m a big fan of burgers with a fried egg on them. At BRGR you can add one to any burger for a buck (same for Blanc). The one on my Big Hoss was nicely done, with a still-runny yolk. The bacon was thick cut which would have been great, except it wasn’t quite crispy enough. Each time I bit into it, the whole piece of bacon got yanked out of the burger; I couldn’t get just a single bite to come off. The other slight disappointment was the corn bun, which seemed bulky, a little dry and stale. When eating a burger, especially one with a half pound of meat, plus two other proteins on it, I don’t want to be overwhelmed with a thick, spongy bun, too. So a less-cumbersome choice would have been preferable. Still, these nits aside, it was a pleasurable burger.

For sides, we chose “THE COMBO,” which allows you to select ay three for $7. We chose the BRGR fries, sweet potato fries and onion rings (other choices were onion straws, truffle fries and truffle tator tots). Here, again, we were shocked at the portions, as we were delivered two metal coffee carafes filled to the brim with the fries and three giant onion rings. The BRGR fries were good, seemingly hand cut and with a nice texture. The sweet potato fries were pleasantly crispy, too. Not mushy the way they can be when done poorly. The onion rings could have been great – large and firm with a heavy, crumbly crust – but the breading had a cheap-tasting Italian herb flavor that we didn’t completely appreciate. It seemed unfitting in the context of the rest of the all-American menu.

Half of our burgers and two thirds of the sides did us in, despite starting out with huge appetites. We liked BRGR a great deal for its laid back, fun atmosphere, good selection and decent prices. Truth be told, though, I went back to Blanc last weekend with friends, had an Au Poivre burger on their Farm to Market salt and pepper brioche bun and confirmed that its smaller portion and superior taste/textures gave it a clear edge over what I had at BRGR. I’ll go back to BRGR, but it will likely be upon someone else’s request rather than my own.

Rating: one napkin

5 Questions with Danny O'Neill - "Bean Baron" The Roasterie

2010-10-22T14:54:00.000-05:00

And you thought your coffee consumption was out of control...

Three? Four? A half-dozen coffees in a day? That's child's play... compared to Danny O'Neill, owner, founder, "Bean Baron" of Kansas City's arguably best known coffee company - The Roasterie.

Coffee may not be a food, per se, but it's used in cooking frequently, goes well with food as a beverage, fuels many of our nations finest chefs and is most certainly an essential part of restaurant culture. The Roasterie knows and embraces this correlation with food so well, one can find Roasterie blends individually customized for Kansas City's favorite restaurants at their neighborhood grocery store.

So it's fitting that my next game of five questions is with The Bean Baron. And if you're thinking to yourself, "Man, I bet that guy drinks a lot of coffee," my friend, you have no idea. But read on to find out...

Who is "The Bean Baron" - at work and in life, generally?
I always start with fun…life is fun, should be fun…I’m all about fun. I’m very high energy and love performance and excellence in all things. I love being with my family, my friends, my staff, our customers…and they are all really in one big pot. I’m driven…to have fun, to do my best…I love and am intensely passionate about coffee, espresso, entrepreneurship, giving back, helping others, Roasterie Coffee ice cream, chocolate, anything with an internal combustion motorJ.

Average weekday morning. You wake up. I assume you drink some sort of coffee drink. What is it and how do you prepare it or where is it prepared for you?
I don’t like to be more than a few meters from a commercial espresso machine! So we have them everywhere…at home in Brookside, at our farm outside Excelsior Springs, in our Airstream Mobile Coffee Unit, in our offices…everywhere. I love espresso and normally go straight from bed to the La Marzocco in our kitchen…and I usually pull anywhere from 6 to 9 double shots…then go to the shower. I may stop at the Café and when I do, I always get a double macchiato. At the office I’ll usually have either French Press or whatever Amanda has brewed. The boys will usually be cupping so I jump in whenever I can. After around 3:00 or 4:00 I switch to decaf…but have had at least 20 + cups of regular by then so it’s time. Over the years, there has been such dramatic improvement in the decaf processes that you really have to have a discerning palate now to tell the difference.

What does the average coffee drinker not know about coffee that he/should?
Perhaps the work that went into getting it in their hands. We spend all year sourcing…and the farmers growing, the best coffee that we can find on the planet. Those beans have likely gone through nine sets of human fingers, taken one tree a whole year just to produce 1 to 1.5 pounds of coffee; and nearly five years for that tree to produce it’s first full crop! So, an intense amount of work goes into those beans…but they don’t need to sweat all that…’cause that’s what we do!

Now there are two Roasterie Cafe's in Kansas City. What are the company's plans for expansion considering cafes, facilities and distribution?
We spent five years studying the local market before we decided on the 2nd Café. We want each one to play a major role in their local community…we’re not interested in the “drive-by” locations. We want to be a part of our neighborhood, wherever we are. So, it’s likely we’ll continue to be very methodical in our future Café expansion plans.
We continue to build locally, regionally and nationally in terms of sales and distribution. But we really focus here in the Midwest and that’s where most of our growth continues to be, except online…which we’re really pleased with and it’s really spread across the country.

What's your best or favorite coffee-related travel memory?
Being lost in Ethiopia at night when a roadblock came down and ‘rebels’ got on the bus with AK47’s to steal and/or kidnap. When our guides told them we were just poor coffee buyers, they let us go. It was very fun and exciting.

Clearly, this is a man living a caffeinated lifestyle. A true KC original and an interesting subject for 5 questions. Hope you enjoyed!

Dog Nuvo Drama Update

2010-10-22T09:59:00.002-05:00

Dog Nuvo reportedly opening back up today at 11:00, with the restraining order having been lifted.

Dog Nuvo Drama

2010-10-20T11:39:00.001-05:00

Dog Nuvo may turn out to be the shortest-lived restaurant I've ever reviewed.

Apparently chef Marshall Roth and Harry Blasco are being sued by their former employer in Independence, Ken McClain, for allegedly stealing his idea to open an upscale hot dog restaurant in the KC metro area.

Roth and Blasco admit to having been in on the idea to open such a place in Independence with McClain previously, but when their input for the menu and overall concept were shot down, they high-tailed it to P&L to start up Dog Nuvo.

Adding to the story's juiciness, McClain, in an attempt to squelch Roth and Blasco's start up momentum with Dog Nuvo, bought up dognuvo.com and several other iterations of the URL in order to keep Roth and Blasco from launching a website for their new business at that online address!

Links to related articles for your enjoyment follow. I'll update this post with additional links as more info becomes available.
http://blogs.pitch.com/fatcity/2010/10/dogfight_over_sour_grapes.php
http://blogs.pitch.com/fatcity/2010/10/its_not_just_name_calling_but.php
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/19/2332760/dog-nuvo-is-dogged-by-legal-dispute.html
http://kcnapkins.blogspot.com/2010/10/dog-nuvo-new-dogs-in-kc.html
http://kcnapkins.blogspot.com/2010/10/chicago-dog-throwdown.html

Sinking Feeling at Pizza Bella

2010-10-11T18:08:00.000-05:00

Restaurant: Pizza Bella
Location: 1810 Baltimore, KC MO
Food: Wood-fired pizzas
Service: Unremarkable waitstaff
Atmosphere: Tiny. Somehow vibrant & cold at once.
Price: $9 - $14 pizzas. A little steep.
Rating: One napkin. Barely.

Kansas City doesn't do pizza very well.

Now that I have your attention, let me qualify that statement. In other cities across the country, Neapolitan pizza (pizza napoletana) has had a huge uprising. We're talking freshly made crusts, pies with simple, artisinal toppings (and not too many of them), cooked in a brick or wood fire oven at super high heats, not a pizza conveyor. We're talking freshness, chewy-but-crispyness, and hints of char flavor. We're talking long handled pizza boards that slide delicious pies into and out of ovens with a learned dexterity. We're talking pizzas made with love.

Kansas City has a lot of Americanized chain pizza places, but there are really only about three different Neapolitan-style pizza places here: Spin!, Blue Grotto and Pizza Bella.

As I grow older, I find this style of pizza far more refreshing and enjoyable than its thick crusted, heavily topped counterpart that made up such a big part of my childhood (approximately 1/8 of my body is made of Little Caesar's).

So when I found a discounted gift certificate for Pizza Bella online recently, I jumped on it. And last Saturday evening, after taking in "The Social Network" (really good and interesting movie), we went for a long-awaited visit.

Pizza Bella's status has been a bit shaky lately. Its ownership may have changed, but I haven't been able to confirm. Those familiar with Rob Dalzell's other establishments including 1924 Main, Souperman and Yummo know that a run of unfortunate circumstances have led all three to close, so there were lots of rumors Pizza Bella would bite the dust, too.

A quirky location would seem to be bad for business. They're located in a bit of a no man's land half-way between the Crossroads and P&L. I personally like the spot, but there is no foot traffic there and if you're trying to cut through downtown expeditiously, you most likely aren't driving down Baltimore, either. So it's rather hidden.

Those who seek it out, however, find a quaint little spot with big front windows and a modern-chic interior of tasteful wood, painted concrete, white curtains and bright red accent chairs. A tiny bar sits just inside the entrance and the hearth of the restaurant, its wood fired oven, is in the southwest corner wafting delicious aromas that immediately induce salivation. For my taste, the place could use a little more of the wood accents on the walls for increased warmth, and sound deadening materials would be nice, too. But overall, this is a tastefully designed dining environment.

On our trip, we were afflicted with the misfortune of sharing a server with a large birthday party. These were 30 somethings with a white limo parked out front who were clearly excited to be away from their kids for the first time in forever and not used to drinking the amount of alcohol they may have consumed at such parties in their younger days. They were tipsy and unbearably obnoxious. Increasingly so as the night went on.

Needless to say, attention to our needs was lacking. Eventually our water arrived in a pretty bottle and we hastily ordered beers (Boulevard Pale Ale and a Stout). We were elated to find Brussels sprouts among the appetizers and upon our server's recommendation, ordered them plus the Butter Lettuce salad. The server was wrong about the portion of the Brussels sprouts, though, which was large and incredibly filling. By the time we finished them and the salad, we were full.

They were worth it, though. Piping hot, served straight from the oven in a ceramic dish, the Brussels were covered in pancetta vinaigrette and parmesan, flavored with cranberries, almonds and their own char. Absolutely killer. Brussels sprouts cooked this way are my all-time favorite vegetable, hands down (hey family - get ready to see those on the Thanksgiving table, by the way).

The salad was, unexpectedly, overdressed with a creamy white dressing. Described as "anchovy lemon vinaigrette," we thought it would have been less... opaque. Maybe it was the anchovies? Regardless, there was too much of it. Otherwise, the butter lettuce would have been nicely crisp and we could've actually tasted the shaved fennel, sliced radish and chives also mixed in. Great recipe, poor execution.

This unfortunate execution was, sadly, the theme of our mushroom pizza, as well. What would have been a beautiful, thin, crispy crust was reduced to a soggy goo. Caramelized onions, themselves, are a wet, soggy ingredient which would have been okay, but the mushrooms must have gone onto the pie raw and when mushrooms are first cooked, they release most of their water, which makes up 90% of the mushroom itself. This dirty-tasting water seeped into the crust and reduced it to an unrecognizable mush. A tragic murder of an otherwise delicious pizza.

Pizza Bella has all the earmarks of a good restaurant concept that just hasn't been maintained. Nearly everything in our trip was lacking. The entire experience felt like competing in a sports match in which we were losing by an insurmountable margin and failure was a foregone conclusion.

Walking out, we agreed that despite a theoretically good menu and mostly nice dining room, we weren't likely to return. At least not on our own dime. I'd love nothing more than to hear scuttlebutt that a new owner or new chef was pumping life back into the place, but I fear it's more likely I'll hear of it closing instead. I like Pizza Bella, but I'm not sure Pizza Bella likes me back.

Rating: one napkin. barely.

Chicago Dog Throwdown

2010-10-09T11:19:00.001-05:00

The Chicago Dog. As a kid, I used to see a picture of one on the menu board at the Manhattan Town Center A&W Hot Dogs & More and think to myself, "Yick! Who would eat a hot dog with all that stuff on it?" Mind you, this was during a time in my life when I refused to eat any food in which I could detect even the tracest amount of onion, because I thought I hated onions. ("They make me gag" I would say with tearful eyes. What a weenie.)

Now, I love Chicago Dogs - and onions, for that matter. But I'd wager this classically loaded frankfurter garners "skepticism of the palette" from even the heartiest of adult eaters on its appearance alone. So what, exactly, is it? There are strict criteria to be met for a normal loaded dog to qualify as an authentic Chicago Dog. Unequivocally, the essential componentry includes:

Steamed poppy seed bun
Kosher, all-beef frankfurter (Vienne Beef is the most popular brand. Red Hot Chicago makes a competing dog.)
Diced onion (white)
Neon Relish (a.k.a. piccalilli)
Sport peppers (pickled serranos)
Fresh tomatoes (usually sliced, not chopped)
Kosher dill slice
Yellow mustard
Celery salt

So after being pleasantly surprised by the Chi Dog I found at a nearby eatery, I decided to expand my search to the whole city to come up with a comprehensive list of where these beloved dogs "dragged through the garden" could be found.

In my search, I found several variations and liberties taken with this list of ingredients--deli mustards, red onion, chopped tomato or omission of entire ingredients, even. In fact, of eight different vendors in town claiming Chicago Dogs on their menu, I found only two that met all of the criteria exactly.

But this post is not only about where you can find the real thing here in KC, but also whose I liked the best. All comers were eligible to win the badge for authenticity. Only one could win my heart. Here they are from worst to best. Let the throwdown begin.

#8 - The Brick: This establishment finds itself at the bottom of the heap because of its lack of authenticity in lieu of worse ingredient choices. Don't get me wrong - of all the places I visited, The Brick gave me one of the best hot dogs - the most filling for sure - but it was a far cry from a real Chicago Dog. The bun was toasted, not steamed, and contained sesame seeds instead of poppy. The hot dog was a big, juicy one, but other errant ingredients were red onion slices instead of chopped white onion, regular dark green relish instead of the bright green stuff, and an absolute head-scratcher: a blanket of romaine lettuce covering the whole thing, weighed down with yellow mustard making for a sloppy mess. Not so appealing. Not worth the caloric investment.

Authenticity (out of 3): 0

Taste (out of 5): 2

Love (out of 2):1

Dining Experience (out of 3): 1

TOTAL: 4 out of 13

#7 - The Pizza Man: Located a solid 25 minute drive from my house in a Lenexa industrial park is a hidden strip mall where The Pizza Man resides. The Pizza Man is a Chicago-themed restaurant in the same way Arrowhead Stadium is a chiefs-themed establishment. The walls are painted garish Cubs blue and red and adorned with Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks paraphernalia including classic posters and trading cards. It's like walking into the bedroom of any 10 year old Chicago sports fan - even down to its lack of cleanliness. I hate to sound snooty, but truly, I was afraid my chances of contracting food poisoning from The Pizza Man were slightly better than NOT contracting it. Gutting it out, though, my Chicago dog from Pizza Man was, not surprisingly, 100% authentic. Vienna Beef hot dog, all the right toppings. A spot-on representation of the basic thing. So in the end, it wasn't the dog itself that dropped Pizza Man to the bottom of this throwdown - it was the establishment in which it was served.

Authenticity (out of 3): 3
Taste (out of 5): 2
Love (out of 2): 1
Dining Experience (out of 3): 0
TOTAL: 6 out of 13

#6 - CJ's: Besting The Pizza Man by the slimmest of margins, CJ's is located way up north in a little strip mall near KCI. The dogs here, too, were the model of a Chicago Dog but with a bonus - they were Buy One Get One Free! I don't know if this was normal or not - nothing was very normal about my trip to CJ's, which was operating out of a neighboring restaurant while the real CJ's was under renovation. The fill-in staff, though, quickly served up my Chicago Dogs and I enjoyed every bite.

Authenticity (out of 3): 3
Taste (out of 5): 2
Love (out of 2): 1
Dining Experience (out of 3): 1
TOTAL: 7 out of 13 (tie)

#5 - Miami Ice: Featuring a Red Hot Chicago hot dog, Miami Ice is the first of the upper-tier dogs--the ones good enough to garner a return trip. The Red Hot was the perfect plumpness and length, fitting the bun but with plenty of girth for the perfect, meaty bite. The toppings weren't all there, though. It lacked the poppy seeds on the bun and the neon relish. And the tomatoes were chopped, not slices, but that's hardly a knock. Overall, this was a tasty, satisfying dog I was happy to have in my neighborhood.

Authenticity (out of 3): 1
Taste (out of 5): 4
Love (out of 2): 0
Dining Experience (out of 3): 2
TOTAL: 7 out of 13 (tie)

#4 - Rock-N-Moroccan: Just a few doors down (Westward) stands Rock-N-Moroccan which I've already reported as having pretty awful Moroccan food, but a tremendously satisfying Chicago Dog. No, it's not perfect. The tomatoes were chopped, the relish not neon, and I don't believe the celery salt was there, either. But what Rock-N had was a gut-busting, meaty, mustardy, oniony Chicago Dog. Of all the dogs I had, this may have provided the single most satisfying bite. All the toppings being such a uniformed dice, it was easy to chomp down without causing an avalanche of vegetables to go tumbling down my face and wrists. So for its shortcomings in authenticity, it makes a big comeback with taste.

Authenticity (out of 3): 1
Taste (out of 5): 4
Love (out of 2): 1
Dining Experience (out of 3): 2
TOTAL: 7 out of 13 (tie)

#3 - Dog Nuvo: Dog Nuvo doesn't sell hot dogs, it sells haute dogs. And in my earlier review of the place, I note that the condiments here are all house-made and truly delicious. The Chicago Dog there was no exception. The onion was not diced. Or onion. It was thinly sliced shallot which gave a slightly more modest crunch--but enough--and still a good mild but bite-y zing. The relish was, surprisingly, neon green. The mustard, though, a delicious but hardly authentic coarse grain. And the pickles and peppers were thinly sliced into "ribbons". Altogether, it created a manageably topped and sized hot dog, but the dog itself was pretty darn thin. I was left wanting more (that's what she said). So while this is a delicious and applaudably well crafted Chicago Dog, it's not quite the best in town.

Authenticity (out of 3): 2
Taste (out of 5): 4
Love (out of 2): 2
Dining Experience (out of 3): 3
TOTAL: 11 out of 13

#2 - Big City Hot Dogs: Little known fact: There's a hot dog place in Grandview called Big City Hot Dogs. Lesser known fact: their hot dogs are great! Even lesser known fact - this is also where KC's locally made artisan soda brand, Soda Vie, is based. How was the dog? Good enough to be second best on the list. First off, buyers have their choice of the normal 1/8 lb or heartier 1/4 lb hot dog. Always a huge plus to have the quarter-pounder available. And aside from having regular colored relish instead of neon green, the rest of the dog was spot-on Chicago style. The only real drawbacks to Big City were its location and atmosphere. The place is in an awkward, hard to reach spot and feels more like a soda vie bottling plant than a restaurant of any sort. No, hot dogs don't require studly digs to be passable, but we're talking about a small difference between #1 and #2 on the list here, and this building just saddened me a bit. (If you make the trip, be sure to check out the rest of the menu selections. This truly is one of the most legit hot dog-focused menus in the city.)

Authenticity (out of 3): 2.5
Taste (out of 5): 5
Love (out of 2): 2
Dining Experience (out of 3): 2
TOTAL: 11.5 out of 13

#1 - Clay's Curbside Grill: This little hot dog stand off Armour road in old downtown North KC wasn't even on my Chicago Dog hit list until I was nearly done with the Throwdown research. Good thing I found this article in The Pitch about its return. Here's why it's the winner: a great hot dog that's the perfect size - not too big, not too small; all the right toppings from the real Chi Dog list; a friendly, quick-moving chef prepares every dog by hand (Clay himself) from a real hot dog cart, not a kitchen - somehow hot dogs taste best this way; a comfortable curbside seating arrangement available to enjoy your fast, unpretentious, perfectly satisfying lunch. Clay's does hot dogs the right way, and his Chicago Dog is spot-on.

Authenticity (out of 3): 3
Taste (out of 5): 5
Love (out of 2): 2
Dining Experience (out of 3): 2
TOTAL: 12 out of 13

So there you have it. The current Chicago Dog king of Kansas City is Clay's Curbside Grill, and a worthy winner it is. Notice, though, potential future challengers, that there is no one listed here with a perfect score. None of the establishments quite achieved the perfect authenticity to enjoyment ratio. So to anyone who may be considering jumping into the pool with their own Chicago Dog offering, come hard and you could claim the crown.

5 Questions With Celina Tio

2010-10-06T16:14:00.001-05:00

FoodNetwork.com

A local chef just shot into celebrity status with the airing of Sunday night’s first episode of The Next Iron Chef on Food Network.

Celina Tio of Brookside’s JULIAN is one of the 10 contestants in this, the third season of the series. In celebration of her appearances on the show, the chef/owner/star is hosting weekly watch parties at JULIAN where diners can watch the show and eat recreations of the foods she made in the challenge on that week’s episode. On the first episode, which she survived, the chefs were given a 30 minute challenge involving a secret ingredient – bread! All chefs were required to use the bread to make a standout sandwich. With 30 minutes, Tio composed an absolutely gorgeous Breakfast Cuban on Brioche with Slab Bacon, Chorizo Vinaigrette and Housemade Pickles… You know – kids’ stuff.

In episode one’s main challenge event, chefs had to create a dish made from an ingredient which, during the lead-up to the show, they identified as the one ingredient they’d choose if stranded on a desert island. Most chose a protein; there were several suckling pigs, a duck, chicken and a turkey. Tio’s selection? Corn.

Breakfast Cuban on Brioche with Slab Bacon,
Chorizo Vinaigrette and Housemade Pickles (FN.com)

On the sands of a wind-blown beach, using a small prep table and with only a small charcoal grill for heat, she whipped up a perfectly cooked prawn with fire-roasted corn and a raw oyster with raw corn salsa served on a tiny nest of corn silk. (Salivating? For reservations call 816.214.8454 or visit the website.)

A true media busy-body, Tio is active on facebook and twitter. On the day she caught up with me at Blanc Burgers+Bottles on the Plaza, she had already given three other interviews. So as a change of pace, we sat down for a quick game of five questions – a KCNapkins feature I hope to continually publish with questions and answers from other area chefs. A little light reading.

Over a Boulevard Smokestack Series selection (hers) and Bob’s 47 (mine), here’s what chef Tio had to say:

Who’s your favorite Iron Chef?
(Masaharu) Morimoto. He’s funny as hell and I love his clean food. Also like Michael Symon because of similarity in cooking styles and his infectious laugh.

There is some apparent confusion in the community about what kind of restaurant JULIAN is. How do you describe it?

Really casual neighborhood restaurant. Some just haven’t gotten the memo yet that this is a casual place. I think because of my time at The American, it’s tainted as “Fine Dining”, but it’s really chef-driven seasonal food.

Between being active on Facebook, twitter, shooting The Next Iron Chef and spending a lot of time at JULIAN, you’re a busy lady. Where do you get your energy?
Pure passion. It’s what gets me up in the morning.

Prawn with Fire-Roasted Corn and Oyster
With Raw Corn Salsa (FN.com)

Portion size – What’s your philosophy on the ideal?
You should be able to finish it all, and I want it to leave you wanting just one more bite. I think huge portions are a disservice. Who wants to eat that much food? I want people to visit (JULIAN) frequently so I’m steadfast in not having huge portions that drive up the cost for customers. I could put lobster on the menu every night but it’s important to me that I have affordable $15-$17 entrees. Our portion size is a good value for what you’re getting.

Most thrilling food celebrity you’ve ever met?
Julia Child. I had lunch with her in 1998. I was the Epcot Food and Wine Festival coordinating chef and she came in. I’m not normally a stargazer but that was great.

The Next Iron Chef airs every Sunday night at 8:00 CT and Chef Tio can often be found cooking/serving guests at JULIAN in brookside.

Dog Nuvo = New Dogs in KC

2010-10-02T14:02:00.001-05:00

Restaurant: Dog Nuvo

Location: 1724 Main St., KC MO 64108

Food: Gourmet hot dogs, house-made condiments and sides

Service: Quick counter

Atmosphere: Incomplete.

Price: $4-$6 dogs, $3-$5 sides

Rating: One napkin (with potential)

My life, it seems, now revolves around hot dogs.

It all started with a hankering for a Chicago Dog at the place that turned out to be Rock-n-Moroccan. That morphed into a decision to try every Chicago Dog in the city (still on the hunt - one more place to go).

Then Ink Magazine called for a quote in their latest issue, which features a giant article on the city's boldest hot dog eateries, with special attention paid to the same place this review is about: Dog Nuvo.

So what is Dog Nuvo? Well, right now it's a walk in, carry out only hot dog joint that consists of a tiny waiting area and cashier's counter with several outdoor seats lining Main St. What it will soon be is a full service, casual hot dog eatery with upscale, gourmet hot dogs, a dining room and even a full service bar. Simply put, from a concept standpoint, it'll be the Blanc of Hot Dogs.

Behind the concept and, most importantly, the food, is chef Marshall Roth who has run the kitchens in several of Cordish's P&L Establishments, as well as the nearby Hotel Phillips. His reputation as a chef precedes him. Would Dog Nuvo match up?

First of all, I like - or am going to like - the space. Located on the bottom floor of ad agency Barkley's orange and glass-front office building on Main Street, it's got the right curb appeal to establish the trendy vibe. And what little is there to be viewed at this point all centers on a cohesive aesthetic of orange, blue and black. The attention to detail is quite refreshing. Even the napkins and plastic silverware exhibit the funky, fun colors.

The outdoor seats are quite nice in that there are several tables that seat four people comfortably, and there isn't too much foot traffic on the sidewalk that might cause agitation for those trying to relax and enjoy their tasty frank.

Also intelligently planned and presented is the menu which has a narrow focus on classic and original hot dog concepts with homemade condiments and sides. I'm sure the temptation was there to play it safe and offer a burger, chicken caesar salad and club sandwich as a catch-all for the non dog lovers who might stop in, but they were deftly avoided in favor of a focused restaurant with fewer barriers in growing its reputation.

Among the choices are dogs you won't find anywhere else in town, like Le Poodle, a French-themed dog topped with Boeuf Bourguignon, melted Brie, radish, chives and pinot noir mustard and The Blue Pig with blue cheese crumbles, crispy shallots, applewood smoked bacon and Maytag blue mustard. Those who would prefer to create their own can select the Dog Nuvo option and choose their own kraut and mustard, which are all house-made and thoughtfully done.

My selection on trip #1 was their Chicago Dog which I'll review as part of my upcoming Chicago Dog throwdown, but suffice it to say Dog Nuvo's Chi-Dog was a thoughtful representation of the classic with its own gourmet twist. Perfectly sufficient. Also on that trip I treated myself to a side (a large one) of cole slaw, which was creamy (maybe a little too much so) and, thankfully, not too sweet. It came with nice additions such as walnuts, sliced red grapes and thinly sliced red onion for some bite. This was a tasty slaw to be sure, the added touches giving it increased depth and textures that were appreciated.

On trip #2 I felt a moral obligation to try The KC, almost as if I'd somehow neglected, my whole life, to familiarize myself with a famous city staple, though I'm almost certain this dog was only conceived in recent history (the only other place I know of serving a hot dog with burnt ends on it is the new Arrowhead stadium). The KC did not disappoint - too much. While the "burnt ends" (written in quotation marks on the menu, even) that topped the dog were a little sparse and lacking in smoky flavor, their tender texture was better than expected. And the barbecue sauce selection - one of the only condiments on the menu Roth doesn't make in house - is the super-tasty "The Secret Sauce" of American Royal winning fame. Adding a contrasting sweet and vinegary taste to the rich dog were bread and butter pickle slices, cut thin enough to fit the bun well, but thick enough to stand out with some pungent crunch.

And while I commend Roth for his culinarily advanced hot dog preparation method, it's a little lost on me... because the dogs themselves get lost in the buns and toppings. Touted as being "crafted using natural casings and infused sous vide before grilling in our secret Nuvo brine," the hot dogs are definitely tasty. But for this all-beef-frank fan's tastes, they're just too skinny. I imagine the smallish size is a calculated decision made so that the other toppings, when piled on, have at least some chance of nestling down into the bun enough that the whole thing can still be picked up and eaten without completely falling apart, but I couldn't help feeling as though I was left wanting more meat in my dogs.

Prices seem right-on what they should be for these dogs with a gourmet twist. The dogs themselves range from $4 to $6, sides from $3 to $5 in generous portions. Yeah, you could leave here having spent $10 on a hot dog for lunch, which seems steep, but given the quality of the food one should feel like they got what they paid for.

There's more to come from Dog Nuvo. Some menu tweaks are inevitable given the youth of the restaurant, and they've yet to reveal the dining room and full service bar, which will completely enhance the entire restaurant's experience. So consider this review a sneak peak at Dog Nuvo; and so far, I like what I see.

Rating: one napkin (with a high level of potential for gaining another after the full rollout)

Looking for Hot Dogs?

2010-09-30T10:27:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Sarah at Ink Magazine for the quote in yesterday's edition!

If you've come here looking for my Chicago Dog Throwdown, it's still in the works! I've culled the metro area finding every vendor of Chicago Dogs to assess whether the real thing can be had in our fair city, who does it right and who does it best.

I've got two more places on my list and should have the post up very soon, so please check back in the near future for that and more!

Become a follower to get updates every time I post a new review, and vote in my fun interactive polls!

Thanks for reading.

KC Napkins Guy

Pandolfi's Puts Some Italian Back in Columbus Park

2010-09-25T14:58:00.001-05:00

Restaurant: Pandolfi's Deli

Location: 538 Campbell St., KC MO

Food: Good quality Italian deli

Service: Friendly. No waitstaff. Walk-up counter.

Atmosphere: Clean. Polished.

Price: $7 - $8 sandwiches

Rating: One Napkin

Our ugly black Kitchen Aid non-French-door-style refrigerator held nothing of value to my lunch needs on Friday last week when I peered in to grab something before heading to work (hate that fridge), so round about 11:00, I did a cattle call for other lunch-trippers at the office.

Failing to persuade any compatriots to leave the office (did I forget to wear deodorant or something?), I decided to take advantage of my freedom and check out a new place in Columbus Park that had been on my radar for a while - Pandolfi's Deli.

New is actually a relative term. Pandolfi's has a history in Liberty, MO, where they opened in 2002, but then sold to Sorella's in '04. Given its own rich Italian heritage, Columbus Park seems the perfect new locale for this clearly Italian-themed sandwich shop. Pandolfi's should make a nice compliment to the more formal sit-down style Garozzo's, but, as I found on this trip, could prove tough competition for dive-y La Sala's. Time will tell.

What I could tell in my quick trip to Pandolfi's is that they're doing a solid business both in terms of sales and quality of product. When I arrived at about 11:45, the dining room and tables out front were more than half full with customers in corporate attire who'd driven over from their downtown offices. If the word has already spread among that crowd that Pandolfi's is worth the trip, they're golden (especially since the crowds at Happy Gillis overwhelm their small seating capacity on a daily basis and Pandolfi's could make for a nice overflow option).

Ordering is the usual deli-style walk up cashier style. No wait staff. That's not a knock on the service, though. Owner Jake Hendershot manned the register on my trip and made an obvious effort to be friendly, quick and personable, memorizing everyone's names and calling them out when their orders were ready. Several customers, apparently regulars, walked up to the counter just to visit with Jake, who always obliged while also helping prepare the food.

Service was a bit slow, but there wasn't much of a line, so the vibe coming from Jake and the kitchen was one of "relaxe, enjoy yourself. Your food will be done soon enough and we're going to make sure it's up to our standards." I'm good with that approach as long as they're able to respond to crowds during crunch time.

Prices proved a little steep. I plunked down over $8.00 for my #8 (guest's choice) with salami, provolone and olive tapenade. It was a big sandwich to be sure, but my internal restaurant comparison computer immediately paired that against Carollo's even larger sandwich which comes in the $6 price range and I couldn't help but think Pandolfi's was shooting a little too high.

The ingredients, though, may justify the cost. Pandolfi's boasts Boar's Head deli meats and fine cheeses, too. No cheap stuff. The bread is a nice Italian roll, not too soft, but not too hard. And the olive tapenade made for the perfect dressing on this sandwich - salty, briny, and with just enough olive oil to further soften the bread for ideal texture in every bite. That tapenade alone will bring me back.

The rest of the menu is standard for an Italian deli - salads, soups like past e fagioli, desserts including biscotti, chocolate chip amaretto brownies and delicious-looking cannoli. And I love that pellegrino and Izze sodas are available by the bottle.

Overall, I'd call Pandolfi's a good Italian deli with touches that give it a leg up on the competition. I'll still be going to Carollo's when there aren't many dollars in my pocket, but this won't be my last trip to Pandolfi's.

Rating: One Napkin

Stick with the Hot Dogs

2010-09-05T14:00:00.004-05:00

Restaurant: Rock-n-Moroccan
Location: 1710 W. 39th St., KC MO
Food: Moroccan, deli sandwiches, hot dogs, smoothies, crepes
Service: slow, standoff-ish
Atmosphere: Walk-up window. Haven't tried inside dining room yet
Price: Cheap
Rating: One napkin

I hate writing bad reviews of places where I think the chefs and owners mean well. But here it comes.

My initial review of Rock-n-Moroccan was for their Chicago Dog. I had no idea this walk-up window was, indeed, a Moroccan restaurant. So Saturday I went back to sample from the other categories on the menu and provide a full assessment. I kinda wish I hadn't.

Right out of the gate, things were... off. The gang of three just ahead of us ordered two smoothies, a Moroccan salad and a Nutella crepe. No joke, it took a good 20 minutes to fulfill this order. All-the-while, we were standing at the window being ignored, though it became clear a little later that the employees had seen me but thought I was one of the guys who had ordered before us (probably due to similar sun glasses - just speculation).

...And apparently they screwed up two of the three items ordered. The salad was supposed to come with beets, and didn't, and the Nutella crepe came sans Nutella. Both issues were remedied in a friendly nature by the staff, but getting two out of three orders wrong at a place with a fairly simple menu is a pretty poor showing.

That fiasco behind us, I decided to hit three different sections of the menu to round out my Rock-N experience, ordering a turkey club sandwich, the Moroccan tabouli and a chicken gyro (in a pita--customers choose pita or crepe).

Issue #1: no tabouli. What, the throngs of fans lining up around the block were all ordering tabouli by the gallon and the unexpected frenzy caused a shortage? Really, I have no idea why they wouldn't have any one of their products on hand since business seems a little slow at R-n-M, but regardless, I was forced to go another direction. I chose the zalouk.

Listed as "fried eggplant, vinegar, fresh garlic, olive oil and... special Moroccan dressing," the zalouk came served on a bed of shredded less-than-fresh iceberg lettuce, with fresh pita wedges and a dusting of paprika. It was decent, with lots of garlic flavor and a baba ganoush appearance and consistency. Hard not to like something as familiar as this, but the sad looking shredded lettuce was out of place and detracted from what could otherwise have been a satisfactory dish. Still wish I'd could've had the tabouli, though.

The chicken gyro had some ups and downs. The creamy tzatziki was good-tasting, very thick and creamy, but what probably should have been a schmear or dollop was a sloppy slathering that drowned the other ingredients and squished into our hands, laps... all over. Lettuce and fresh tomato were fine, but the red onion was overly-abundant (a gripe of mine about gyros in general) and pungent. Worst of all, though, the chicken was abominable. I'll provide this descriptor of its flavor profile and then just move on: canned cat food.

After drying the wetness and Fancy Feast odor off my hands, I moved to what I expected to be a less offensive selection - the turkey club. Purported to be turkey, lettuce, turkey bacon, tomato and American cheese on grilled sourdough, what actually showed up in my styrofoam takeout box were some of those things, substituting less-than-fresh turkey cold cut meat (variance in the coloration of the turkey gave away its advancing age), a ridiculously light dusting of tiny bacon bits, lots of unexpected raw red onion, tons of similarly unexpected horseradish sauce and bread that looked a lot more like grocery store-variety Iron Kids Bread than sourdough. And it wasn't grilled or toasted in the least. It was a stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth puff pad.

As I took the first deplorable bite, my reason, spoken earlier, for trying something as ordinary as a turkey club from a Moroccan place re-played in my mind: "I want to try something from each section of the menu. Who knows... they might have great deli sandwiches that people should know about." Bad call.. Even after I pried the lettuce away from the bread and wiped off as much of the gooey horseradish sauce as possible, it still tasted of a sweet, soggy spiciness that made me nearly gag. Horseradish is fine in moderation, but I find many of the jarred horseradish sauces overly sweet. This stuff tasted like Miracle Whip. And any time you put too much condiment on a thin, moist, low-quality sandwich bread, the wetness becomes quickly off-putting.

The raw onion was overpowering and reeked. The single, flaccid leaf of lettuce was pointless and disgusting. The American cheese was, of course, a bad choice. The bread - tasteless. The whole thing reminded me of childhood field trips when someone else's mom packed the lunches and everything on my sandwich was unfamiliar. Wrong.

$14.61 later, I was as depressed and irked as one can be without feeling actual anger. Still, all these complaints being what they are, inside me there's a soft spot for these Rock-n-Moroccans who serve a mean Chicago dog. So the moral of the story is: you go to Rock-n-Moroccan, surprisingly, for their most American offering, not their Moroccan cuisine... Enjoy the hot dogs.

This review has "Zero Napkins" written all over it, but being that I know I'll be headed back for a perfectly enjoyable Chicago dog, I don't think zero napkins is appropriate. Gotta give them one napkin to reflect the fact that I'll enjoy this restaurant continually in the future.

Rating: one napkin (only due to the hot dogs)

PS - During my lengthy wait in line, I happened to notice that Miami Ice, just a block East, also advertises Chicago dogs, so a Chicago dog throwdown is in the near future. Look for that soon!

Hot Dog Fix at a Moroccan Walk-Up

2010-08-31T18:18:00.001-05:00

As the last days of summer pound us with their dry heat, I keep telling myself they should be appreciated, not despised, as I eagerly anticipate the coolness of fall.

Partly, that means enjoying summertime foods til they've run their course. Juicy tomatoes and peaches, corn on the cob and strawberries are magical this time of year, but to me, these are the final days of true hot dog season! True, a hot dog is good just about anytime of year, but it never tastes quite as good as in the dusk of a late summer, when baseball and cold beer, too, are in their prime.

Looking for a cheap and quick lunch today, while I ran errands, I decided to stop by a little place on 39th whose black awning with "Chicago Dogs" printed on one side had been beckoning me for quite some time. I didn't know whether this place was a hot dog stand, sold ice cream cones (see the large plastic ice cream cone mounted above their entrance) or what. I'd never heard anyone say anything about it.

Come to find out today I was way off: it's Rock-n-Moroccan (also on facebook)!

This little shop is owned and run by Moroccan-born Amine Lamrani and serves up simple favorites, both familiar and Middle Eastern. Deli staples like a turkey club, reuben and roast beef sandwich are juxtaposed with the likes of gyros, zalouk and tabouleh. Not your style? There's a list of crepes available, both savory and sweet (like everyone's favorite - Nutella!).

And, of course, they have hot dogs. A basic hot dog runs just a buck fifty. Polish and smoked sausages are $3.50. A brat is a quarter more.

My selection, though, was the classic Chicago dog, which is a basic hot dog smothered in everything but the kitchen sink, namely: tomato, pickle relish, diced white onion, peppers, a dill pickle slice and plenty of French's yellow mustard. At a measly $2.75 this is a great buy, especially considering the hot dog was no weenie.

Judging by the salty, dark colored casing and equally dark coloration that penetrated the first few layers of internal meat, I'd say this frank had been slowly cooking on hot rollers in the r-n-m kitchen for a little while, which isn't a bad thing, but those rollers have made a bad name for themselves being pimped out as self-serve taquito warmers at QT.

It was a nice, thick beef hot dog off of which the myriad of toppings with cooler flavors and crunchier textures played nicely. Not only do I recommend this hot dog stand, I'm instantly obsessed with it. I'd imagine I'll be back there again and again, particularly if I'm alone for dinner or need a late night fix (open til 2:00 a.m. during the week, 3:00 a.m. on the weekends).

I'll reserve placing a rating on Rock-n-Moroccan until I've had a chance to sample the fare from the other categories of their menu, but as a hot dog purveyor alone, they're on the right track.

The Westport Torta Throwdown

2010-08-22T19:01:00.000-05:00

I may never be hungry again.

Today was part deux of the Westport Torta Throwdown, between Cancun Fiesta Fresh and El Rancho, a stone's throw over the Beaumont Club and Gold's Gym in the Westport Landing strip, and let me tell you, hogging out on these filling subs is a task best left to the gastronomically well-endowed.

Tortas have become one of my ultimate cravings. Simply put, they're Mexican sandwiches, their most Mexican aspect being their authentically flavored and prepared meats. At CFF, one simply specifies which meat from the street tacos menu they'd like placed on their 'baguette' (term used loosely), meaning either asada (marinated chopped beef), adovada (barbecue beef), carnitas (shredded pork), chicken, ground beef, shredded beef, lengua (beef tongue) or cabeza (beef cheek). I could go on and on about the preparation of each, but suffice it to say they're cooked using techniques that, like traditional barbecue, maximize the flavor and enjoyment that can be rendered from less expensive cuts of meat.

My CFF torta was asada. It was my first torta there and, as hoped, it was an expected extension of the flavor I like so much in their street tacos. Simply seasoned beef was piled on an oblong single-sized bun with tomato, lettuce, onion, jalapeno and guacamole. While the bread was tasty, it was a bit stale. I doubt this is a persistent problem but something to keep an eye on. Given my addiction to spicy food, I could've used a few more jalapenos, too, but for an otherwise delicious sandwich, that's a small gripe. The tomato was plenty fresh and added a nice coolness to the sandwich, along with the crunchy shredded lettuce. Grab some of CFF's delicious salsa on the way out the door and feel free to pour it on, as well, but it's not needed. I love the guacamole spread, which adds a great moistness and rich quality to every bite.

El Rancho began in Columbia, MO, as that quintessential type of Mexican pig out place for the local college students. In particular, it serves after hours recovery kickoff food in a jovial, student (and student wallet) friendly atmosphere. In Westport it serves a lot of the same purpose, but with a slightly different demographic and vibe, though one can feel the original's persona quite easily walking in the front door. It' a fun place to be.

The meat choices at El Rancho are similar, with some more breakfasty options, as well, including: eggs, ham, chorizo, milanesa (think Mexican chicken fried steak), steak, pastor (marinated pork) and chicken. My first torta experience in life was a late night chorizo torta from El Rancho, whose salty sandwichy goodness prompted this worthless post back in August of last year. I loved it. On this recent trip, I went with steak for the sake of an even comparison with CFF.

On the bread front, El Rancho was the clear winner. I believe I saw them swath some butter on its open faces and then, for sure, it got some time on the flat top grill, adding flavor and texture the CFF version lacked but desperately needed.

El Rancho's, too, came with avocado (whole slices, not guacamole), but with mayo, as well--enough mayo, it would seem, to kill any glutton who would eat it all. I realize that complaining about the amount of mayo on a fast food Mexican sandwich is like complaining that your fries at McDonald's are too... fried... But from a flavor and textural perspective, all that mayo really hurt the sandwich. The avocado (and salsa I dumped on) did plenty to moisten the bread. That mayo just turned the whole thing a gooey mess. So in the condiment arena, the prize goes to Cancun Fiesta Fresh.

There was no discernible winner in the meat category. Both were fine, but the chorizo version I had previously bested either of these two. The chopped up beef in both was a little dry. Not bad, but just not as craveable as other choices on both restaurants' menus.

El Rancho's torta also featured tasty, juicy tomato and delicious, pickled jalapenos. These jalapenos, more plentiful than on my torta from CFF, were plump and juicy. A delicious ingredient that I'll seek out next time I'm picking up a jar in the grocery store, instead of the thinly sliced Mt. Olive brand I'm using now. Really delicious.

Those are the ingredients of importance. The lettuce, of course, is a wash. And although one can't tell from the pictures, the torta at El Rancho seemed significantly larger than the one from Cancun Fiest Fresh. I don't see this is a leg up, though. It was unnecessarily large, but for the sport eaters out there, I thought there might be some appreciation if I mentioned whose was the biggest.

So who's the winner? If I had to go back for this exact sandwich, I'd go to Cancun Fiesta Fresh. I liked the guac spread and was just so overwhelmed by El Rancho's mayo, my mind was made up for me. But, with that edge in the bread category, and knowing the other protein selections they offer which are right in my sweet spot (eggs and sausage!!!), my gut tells me that next time I want one of these hog-out hoagies, I'll be headed to El Rancho.

Going forward, my conclusion is this: for tacos, it's Cancun Fiesta Fresh, whose may be the very best in town; for quick and cheap tortas, I'll go El Rancho, sans mayonesa.

[Note - tortas are available at many other Mexican restaurants in town. I enjoyed a more luxe version at El Patron once, featuring sliced ribeye.]

Po's: I Recommend the Dumplings

2010-08-21T11:49:00.003-05:00

Restaurant: Po's Dumpling Bar
Location: 1715 W. 39th St., KC MO
Food: Above-average KC Chinese
Service: Incredibly friendly
Atmosphere: Too quiet but nicer than many other Chinese places in KC
Price: Entrees starting at $9.95
Rating: one napkin

Po's is, if nothing else, a better option for Chinese in KC. I haven't got a ton to say about it in this review because my recent trip there was mostly what I expected, and most people would. The food was decent. The restaurant was the typical hush-hush, sterile atmosphere, cleaner and more contemporary feeling than the likes of Szechuan down the street but not as alive or vibrant as Blue Koi to the West. But it's a solid, and for Chinese restaurants in KC, that means something.

What's always appealed to me about Po's is that it calls itself a dumpling bar. I love dumplings and often leave Chinese restaurants wishing I'd eaten just dumplings instead of a gloppily sauced plateful of veggies. That sentiment held true after this recent trip.

Our Cha Su Buns were incredible. If you've not had these deliciously fluffy, yet sticky pork buns, the flavor is, surprisingly, close to that of a pig-in-a-blanket... slightly sweet pork, piping hot and steaming inside a puff ball dumpling purse. Two of them come served in a metal steamer dish like little clouds of perfection. They're a must-have on the starter menu.

Also from the starter menu, we ordered the Emperor's Dumplings - pork - which come six to an order, pan fried. [I don't understand why people get steamed dumplings when the pan friend ones have such an incredible crunch on the spots where the wrapper touches the pan, contrasting with the rest which is wonderfully chewy and soft.] These dumplings, with special dipping sauce on the side, did not disappoint either. They come in a little pinched taquito shape, as opposed to the half-moon you see so often, and were surprisingly filling.

Our other starter was Elizabeth's Tofu Vegetable Soup. Its delicate, umami-flavored broth came with pretty bits of broccoli, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, scallions and silky soft tofu. It was light yet flavorful. Nothing feels quite as therapeutic as does eating a light Asian soup like this. Its earthy, unctuous aroma imparts a certain satisfaction of the soul.

Our entree of hunan chicken was fine, though seemingly identical to what one could probably get at any other Chinese restaurant in town. Crisp tender steamed veggies and a huge portion of cooked chicken came coated in a dark sauce. Its flavors were fine but this dish din't carry the same enjoyment as the starters, upholding my theory that if I'd stick to the dumplings and soups, I'd be a bigger fan of Chinese restaurants. But it was plentiful, and for that I was glad.

Next time I go to Po's, it'll be for one purpose: dumpling bonanza. The entrees are fine and I do want to point out that their website features a "New Chinese Authentic Dishes" section, which speaks volumes to their dedication to the type of food they make and serve, but the real treat here are those soft little pillows of joy. With this kind of food, a nice looking dining room and incredibly friendly service, it's hard not to like Po's. Sure, a little music, additions to the decor and a more assertive service approach would be nice, but it's definitely an enjoyable place as is.

Rating: one napkin

Baja 600's Doors Closed for Good

2010-08-17T13:27:00.001-05:00

It seemed as though Baja 600 had a pretty good run in its primo location on the Plaza at 600 Ward Parkway. That torch-lit stone patio out front always looked like a great spot for an al fresco (how do you say that in Spanish?) margarita when the weather was right. But its reputation for poor service and hit or miss menu items (seemingly identical to Cactus Grill) kept it from solidifying a good base of business in this critic's estimation.

Between the various articles and comments I'm finding online, the excuses for unpaid rent to the tune of over $160,000 are varied:

Inability to recover from costs related to 2009 fire
Highwood Properties wanted Baja outta there so they could get a classier tenant
Loss of liquor license killing income

But whatever the case, it's gone for good. Personally, I'm looking forward to a potential upgrade inhabiting the space.

Links of interest:

http://blogs.pitch.com/fatcity/2010/08/what_the_hell_is_going_on_at_b.php#comments

http://economy.kansascity.com/?q=node/7973

http://www.kctv5.com/news/24609761/detail.html

Another Go at Chez Elle

2010-08-01T14:54:00.003-05:00

Back in January I had an early experience at the recently-opened Chez Elle creperie in the westside area near 17th and Summit. My take, at that time, was that it had some operational flaws, and the decor was not what I had hoped, but the food was pretty good.

Went back today for brunch with good friends Amanda and Jared and their beautiful twin girls, and found some definite improvements in place.

First of all, there were at least five employees manning the counter, which was at least two more than there were on our first trip. Though the line still moved a little slow, and one still must wait in line regardless of whether ordering a crepe or coffee (no waitstaff), they were able to get over 20 people through during our short stay, most of whom looked quite pleased as they sipped their coffee and forked their stuffed French pancakes.

Secondly, business seems to be doing well. Every seat on the front patio, which is now covered with several comfortable-looking tables and chairs with big red umbrellas for shade, was filled when we left around 10:00 am. And the laid back newspaper reading, caffeine-consuming patrons looked the part of French cafe goers. I think this is where I'll opt to sit on my next trip, maybe before a weekly visit to the farmers' market.

Third, my drip coffee contained no nutmeg! In fact, it was a truly, honest-to-goodness delicious cup of coffee. I'm so glad they quit secretly spicing the joe.

In a breakfasty mood, I went with the Bonjour crepe, which was filled with tons of cheese, little bits of ham and egg, then topped with lots more fluffy scrambled eggs and what I believe was a cheesy mornay sauce. With so much cheese already inside the crepe, the mornay was overkill for me, adding a classically French layer of richness that was one too many for my palette, but not untrue to French cuisine. And I'd imagine most diners would enjoy the sauce, so I can't downgrade for that. Still, three hours later, I was hardly ready for lunch.

Elizabeth went for the simple and cleanly flavored Petite Maison, with gruyere, mushrooms and spinach. One might anticipate, reading those ingredients, this crepe could be a little short on flavor. And it was. But it was refreshing, at the same time. The mushrooms' earthiness played well with the super-fresh and tender spinach leaves. The gruyere was just the right nutty cheese to bring them together. Wouldn't have been my choice, but for she who is always thinking along the lines of best health, it fit the bill.

And I have to admit, that decor I complained about previously was seen through different eyes today, when the twin girls sat themselves in the two miniature leather chairs and wood coffee table next to us and giggled at the cute kodak moment they had just created. Now I (almost) have a soft spot for the comfort of Chez Elle's environment.

On a final note, our companions have Celiac and must avoid gluten. Despite a menu predicated entirely on a food made with it, Chez Elle boasts gluten-free choices as well as vegan! This type of attention to the needs of their patrons is not only kind, it's good for business.

So, as mentioned, several upgrades to report. It's not on my "gotta go" list of breakfast spots in town yet, but I certainly won't avoid Chez Elle in the future, either. Still sticking with a one napkin rating, but changing my song from Tres Ordinaire to tout à fait content.

Rating: one napkin