What It Means to be Effortlessly Chic

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

Another Go at Chez Elle

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

Mother's Day Quiche, Extra Mothers

This Mother's Day, after a trip to Manhattan to see my mom, we returned home and prepared for our first experience hosting a Mother's Day brunch. Four mothers were in attendance: my mother-in-law, her mother-in-law (Elizabeth's grandma), Elizabeth's aunt and a friend of Elizabeth's mom. All wonderful women. We were honored to have them.

Our choice of cuisine to pay proper homage? Quiche seemed right. Nothing too fancy, but certainly a classy dish and one with a distinct motherly quality (quiche is a type of pie, after all).



Of course, we'd never made quiche before, so we had our work cut out for us.

It was a dual between a duo of quiches, in fact. Elizabeth's mushroom and shallot quiche with fontina and my crab quiche with herbs and gruyere. Elizabeth also knocked out her beautiful and delicious mixed macerated berries. Here's what we did (thanks to epicurious.com for the quiche recipes):

Mushroom and Fontina Quiche

Ingredients 

1 refrigerated pie crust (half of 15-ounce package) 
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter 
2/3 cup chopped shallots (about 3 medium) 
5 cups sliced assorted mushrooms (such as chanterelle, stemmed shiitake, oyster, crimini, and button; 12 to 14 ounces), large mushrooms halved 
4 large eggs 
2/3 cup half and half 
1/3 cup whole milk 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg 
1 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely grated Fontina cheese (about 7 ounces), divided (we spent a LOT on fontina. You could get away with less expensive grocery store swiss cheese, though)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Unroll crust completely. Press firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish. Bake until light golden brown, pressing on sides of crust with back of spoon if crust begins to slide down sides of dish, about 17 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate; spread out to cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, half and half, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Fontina cheese and sautéed mushrooms. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over quiche.

Bake quiche until puffed, golden brown, and just set in center, about 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Cut into wedges.



Crab Quiche

For pastry1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
[NOTE: we skipped the homemade crust on this one and used refrigerated pre-made pie crust. Proud? No. Happy with the time savings? Yes. I'd do it again.]


For filling1 (1-lb) king crab leg, thawed if frozen, or 1/2 lb lump crabmeat, picked over (I went the canned crabmeat route as I've heard crab legs bought fresh in KC, if frozen in transit from the ocean, can be mealy, mushy and a huge waste of money.)
4 large eggs2 cups heavy cream (I used half and half instead and this turned out to be a good call)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (I omitted this since cilantro is such a polarizing ingredient.)
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning such as Paul Prudhomme's (a reviewer of this recipe says to use Old Bay instead, so I did.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 oz coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese (1/2 cup) (I omitted this)
2 oz coarsely grated Swiss cheese (1/2 cup) (I replaced both cheeses with good, expensive gruyere. Yes, it was good, but it didn't have a flavor distinct enough to justify the price. Go with less expensive grocery store swiss.)

Whisk together eggs, cream, herbs, seafood seasoning, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then stir in cheeses and crabmeat.

Pour into prebaked crust and bake until filling puffs and is no longer wobbly in center when quiche is gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in pie plate on rack 15 minutes.

Both of our quiches turned out wonderful. The mushroom and shallot had a lot of girth from all the mushrooms. It was filling, salty...satisfying. My crab quiche was a great contrast. Its sweet crab flavor was distinctive and distinguished at once. The bottom of the crust was a little soggy, as can often happen with quiche. We did not solve this age-old quiche conundrum. But the rich ingredients made for a luxurious meal that our guests either loved or acted like they loved.

Elizabeth's Macerated Berries
Ingredients
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
Sugar to taste (we use approx. 2 tablespoons)
Approx. 1 tablespoon Gran Marnier

Preparation
Rinse berries in cold water and add to bowl. Add sugar and Gran Marnier. Stir to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit in fridge for 30 minutes. Mix again prior to serving. Serve cold.

Thanks to Elizabeth's mom, Leslie, who supplied the coffee and its accompanying cream.

Thanks, also, to my mom - who always finds sneaky ways to care for me, even now as I approach 30 years of age - for sending us back to KC with a loaf of her delicious blueberry bread. It held over the guests for the hour they had to wait as our quiche finished baking and then cooled down to be served.

As rewarding as it was to cook this food for our guests, and to successfully cook quiche for our first time, the overwhelming sense of reward we experienced came from seeing how happy these wonderful mothers all were, sitting and comfortably chatting with each other while they ate.  It was a beautiful Mother's Day for us. Happy Mother's Day Maggie, Frances, Paula, Leslie and Mary. Thanks for being such great moms.

Multi-Celebratory Brunch

I have two brothers in law, and two sisters in law. Of the four, Abby and Jonathan both live out of town, but were here this weekend because my mother in law was throwing a surprise birthday party for her mother in law, Elizabeth's "Nana". Additionally, Abby just took a new job and is excited about moving to New York and continuing to grow her career there.

Did you get all that? Bottom line is it was a weekend of celebrations, and as a precursor to Saturday night's shebang for Nana, Elizabeth and I thought brunch with Abby and Jonathan would be a good way to catch up and get the festivities started.

Abby is a very healthy eater, so we knew we had to keep the fat content down. Without too much consternation, we came up with the idea of having crepes. Having learned a few things about what doesn't work well in a crepe on our trip to Chez Elle, we decided to fill ours with a savory mixture of caramelized mushrooms and onions, ham and swiss cheese, all of which we already had on-hand except the swiss. After a quick run to the grocery store, we had the whole setup planned out. Here's the official menu:

La Petite Dejeuner a Paris


Crepes with caramelized mushroom and onion, ham and swiss
Fresh fruit salad of strawberries and green grapes with powdered sugar
Healthy turkey sausage links
Roasterie French Press Coffee - Cafe Allegro blend
Mimosas

For the crepes:
Two large eggs
3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons melted butter

First combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until well-combined. Cover and let sit for an hour to allow bubbles to subside.

Coat a good non-stick pan with a little butter or cooking spray (easiest). Pour crepe batter into the middle of the pan and rotate pan to evenly coat. Cook for 30 seconds - one minute. Lift edges with a spatula, working the crepe loose from the pan, then flip and finish cooking on the other side for 30 seconds. Place finished crepes in a stack so they can keep each other warm.

For filling:
Wash and slice 8 to 10 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms
Slice one yellow onion
Heat a wide sautee pan over high heat.  Melt 2-3 tablespoons butter. Add the mushrooms and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the mushrooms and add the onions and cook for 7-10 minutes until cooked through. Add a splash of alcohol - vermouth, sherry or white wine - to deglaze the pan, adding depth to the flavor of the mushrooms and onions. Once absorbed, push the mixture to the side and add ham to the pan.
Add the ham and brown for a minute or so.

On a cutting board, shred the swiss cheese with a box grater or whatever you have.

In another warm pan, add one finished crepe, cover half with the ham, mushroom and onion mixture, top with swiss cheese and fold over the crepe.

We had a great time with Abby and Jonathan. The food was solid but we enjoyed each other's company and the conversation so much, we didn't dote over it. A perfect way to spend a Sunday midday.

Thanks to you both and congrats, Abby, on the exciting new j.o.b., and thanks for joining us for brunch!

La Sandwicherie: A Return to Bliss

Tragically, only a couple of weeks before moving back to Kansas City after our short stay (one year) on South Beach - Miami, FL, we discovered the best sandwich I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. It was served to us at a little French walk-up sandwich spot we had passed every weekend going to and from the beach, but just never had the wherewithal to stop and enjoy.

All along, I had thought La Sandwicherie was a little Cuban joint. Something about the bright paint job, the fans blowing mist on the customers sitting at the counter and the distinction that these were SoBe locals taking it in, not tourists, gave me that impression, I guess. But oh no - La Sandwicherie's specialties are not cuban sandwiches or cafe Cubano, but delicious baguettes and French espresso... and boy is it good.

The sandwiches thrive due to the incomparable freshness of their ingredients. Get one with everything and your meat and cheese of choice come piled high with romaine, cucumbers, tomato, cornichon and pearl onion and sweet-but-spicy peppadew peppers. OH! And their famously classic vinaigrette, too, which is the ultimate compliment to this salad-in-a-sandwich.

My first-ever sandwich at La Sandwicherie is still the only one I've had. It's so good I'm content never to stray to another selection - the deliciously rich, salty salami and smoky provolone cheese create a scrumptious, filling base for the fresh veggie toppings. The bread is classic French bread. A hard crust on the outside protects hands from ingredient seepage, but its inside is the perfect soft fluff. Still, it takes a strong jaw and some neck muscle to tear off a huge hunk of all that goodness, but doing so is an immensely satisfying pursuit.

Though a simple corner sandwich stand, La Sandwicherie is Zagat-rated and has been voted best sandwich on Miami Beach countless times. The bottle of vinaigrette we brought home with us mentions that it has been rated "best sandwich in the world" by Zagat for 2004-2009!

The owner, with whom we became familiar while residents of South Beach, was still running the stand when we returned last weekend, hence, none of its fantastic qualities had diminished in the least. Our friends Andrew and Jenny seemed to enjoy their turkey sandwich just as much as we and our salami. Elizabeth and I always split a sandwich due to their size but Andrew took down a whole one of his own and then most of another half that Jenny couldn't finish, so I'm pretty confident he was, indeed, a fan.

Kansas City could use more places like La Sandwicherie - no parking lot, no oversized dining room. Just a counter, a busy staff and a prep area filled with delicious ingredients that make up their small but perfect menu offering. The closest thing to La Sandwicherie I can think of in KC is D'Bronx, which is quite good and I recommend checking out, specifically for their deli sandwiches. I'll have to go there again, soon, with La Sandwicherie fresh in my mind, to see how it compares and give it a Napkin rating.
...Until then, I'll continue dreaming of the best sandwich I've ever eaten.

Rating: three napkins

Chez Elle: Tres Ordinaire

I was hoping for great things out of Chez Elle, the new French-themed coffee house and creperie I visited Wednesday morning at the burgeoning intersection of 17th and Summit west of downtown and the Crossroads. This intersection has become one of the coolest little pockets of businesses in town, now home to The Westside Local, Blue Bird Bistro and Fervere bakery. Given the standard set by these establishments, I figured Chez Elle would fit right in. What I found turned out to be something a little too ordinary.

Walking in, we found ourselves behind two other parties in line for placing orders. All customers must wait in line to order regardless of whether they came for food or coffee. Ten minutes later, we were still standing there waiting to order. One simple recommendation to the Chez Elle staff as they work out their new-restaurant service kinks: employ a host/hostess and small wait staff so diners can sit quickly and order food from their table instead of having to standing in what should be just the coffee line.

Regarding the food and drink, let's start with the coffee. Now, I live in the West Plaza area, surrounded by the city's best coffee shops (Hi Hat, Broadway, Roasterie, et al), so I knew the coffee at Chez Elle wouldn't be the main attraction for me, but hoped that it would at least be decent. Unfortunately, Chez Elle commits a grievous error with their coffee drinks: assuming that all patrons will enjoy their légèreté des mains addition of ground nutmeg. Woof.

I have three rules when it comes to coffee: be hot, be rich, do NOT be sweet or secretly spiced. Nutmeg violates the latter of these rules. It overpowers the natural nuances of the beans and gives the coffee a strangely unctuous aroma (marijuana-like?!?!) and tea flavor. After a few sips, I forgot it was coffee I was drinking. Next time I'll opt for an unadulterated espresso drink instead of the drip.

The food menu, however, is absolutely tantalizing. Every single one of the options listed on the classy black chalkboards (many more than what their online menu indicates) sounds delicious. On this trip, we opted for one savory (Legume), one that would be a little sweeter (Le Franco) and a soup - French Onion... what else?

The soup arrived first, with a great aroma strong on whatever alcohol was employed (my guess is sherry). The broth was a little light - could have used a higher proportion of consume - but quite savory. Tasty. The croutons used were small but crunchy. The shredded Swiss eventually became gooey, but was added to the hot soup on its way out of the kitchen instead of being heated in an oven prior to service, so I had to wait a bit for it to melt and felt ripped off by the shortcut. Overall the soup was successful, but with the restaurant's French bent, I was hoping it would have been another level above what it was.

I started with Le Franco - a warm, eggy crepe filled with caramelized siced apples, brie and fig compote, topped with a drizzle of creme and enough walnuts to convince me they actually lose money serving this dish at $7.95. The ingredients were all tasty, but like a Chipotle burrito, didn't get mixed evenly through. So a couple bites were terrific, but others were imbalanced. Still, I'd order it again.

The Legume came filled with fresh tomato, spinach leaves, mushrooms and artichokes. All of these elements were added to the cooking crepe raw and only heated partially. Weren't seasoned at all, either. The end result was a little bland, luke-warm and watery. I wouldn't order this again, but as I write this, I feel like the description makes it sound somehow worse than it actually was.

So, lessons learned with regard to the food and coffee: avoid the legume or other crepes with cold vegetables. Avoid drip coffee and keep a close eye on the barista to ensure no nutmeg is shaken into espresso drinks. These tips employed, a fine breakfast or lunch can be had.

The final disappointingly ordinary aspects of Chez Elle were the ambiance and decor. I'd hoped for a touch of the history of the neighborhood or the old Summit Theater building - the building that Chez Elle occupies - but instead found myself in a rather strangely decorated, polished new establishment, instead.

From the new tile floor, to the ugly couch pillows, to the weird collection of lamps and furniture, it was a bit of a head-scratcher. And for a French-themed coffee shop, where I hoped to linger comfortably in a classy Provence-inspired aesthetic, I just couldn't overcome the feeling of disappointment. I'm sure many people will go and find Chez Elle's interior perfectly acceptable, if not pleasant.  But to me, kitschy Eiffle towers everywhere I looked, gimmicky indoor fountains and cheap-looking shiny new leather furniture made the place feel like something created by a fan of France, not someone actually from there.

With a long list of great sounding crepes at reasonable prices, I can safely recommend Chez Elle as a satisfactory alternative breakfast/lunch spot. Just don't go during a busy work week lunch hour, as I feel the weight and service will be nightmarish. Save your trips there for lazy weekend mornings, watch out for nutmeg, and take good company or a good book to focus your attention on, and you'll leave having enjoyed the experience.

Rating: one napkin