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.
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.
Restaurant: Grand St. Cafe Location: 4740 Grand, KC MO Food: Solid, unpretentious American cuisine Service: A pleasure. Attentive but unobtrusive. Atmosphere: Fun, but upscale, too. Decor looks outdated. Price: Moderate. Sandwiches and burgers for $9, dinner entrees $17-$30 Rating: three napkins
For quite some time, I've wondered why Houston's seemed to be the only upscale yet reasonably priced American cuisine in town that provided a dependably pleasant experience on each trip. Who were its peers in the local restaurant scene? And why was I always going back there?
City Tavern downtown was mired with issues during its entire existence, finally bringing it to its knees and being replaced recently by the new Grunauer, which I'm anxious to try.
The Fairway Grill was nice, but I only had the pleasure of eating there once, before it turned into another houlihan's branch - such a disappointment.
So, it would seem I've been on a bit of a quest to find a Houston's peer - hopefully a locally owned one - I can add to my repertoire of enjoyably predictable and high quality American fare restaurants for those frequent family events and life occasions that require a crowd pleasing, approachable menu and reasonably large dining room.
Enter Grand Street Cafe. With Groupon in hand, we made the quick jaunt across the Plaza Friday night for my very first meal there. This moderately sized restaurant is located just East of the Plaza's boundary and immediately South of the original Winstead's. I'd heard good things about the food, but no one seemed overly excited about the place... like it just didn't make for a special occasion. To say it's an unassuming restaurant on the exterior is an understatement. One could easily enter the secluded parking lot and not even notice its entrance, as it occupies the bottom floor of what looks like an off-plaza office building.
Inside, however, ordinary appearances are replaced by a sparkling bar above which hang luminous contemporary light fixtures. Also lighting up the place are the smiles of the patrons. Last night was one of those occasions when it seemed as though everyone was having the time of their life. It's an intangible quality that a few restaurants exhibit and adds attractiveness to the possibility of returning in the future.
Just past the bar on the right, as you walk back to the main dining area, is the exposed kitchen, clean and well-kept. Always a positive sign and indicator of good food to come. I'd be remiss not to mention, though, that the rest of the dining room - its floral wallpaper and rattan chairs - seemed outdated. So for those who want their dining experience to be ultra contemporary or classically chic, Grand St. strikes out, here.
I like my wine lists long and my menus short. Grand St. hit the mark on both. Elizabeth ordered up a $10 glass of Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay (good call) and I got the house Merlot (bad call). The waiter was visibly pleased with Elizabeth's decision ("Always a great choice") and, judging by the scowl on his face, had a hard time not kicking me for mine. I take it Grand St.'s philosophy is that the house wine is for cheapies. Given the accuracy of that assumption as pertains to myself, I say "point taken, Grand Street."
The weather being dangerously hot and humid, ceviche was a clear winner for our starter. Winner turns out to have been an understatement. In a short, pretty tapered glass, our waiter delivered a bright, citrusy, but meaty, helping of halibut, scallops, shrimp, onion, tomato, chunks of avocado, jalapeno and cilantro, layered on top a small amount of shredded romaine. We thoroughly enjoyed every bite of this delicious, cool, flavorful app that we spooned onto our assortment of tasty, crisp wafers. On the side, as an added bonus, was a square shot glass filled with what tasted like a very good virgin mary, finishing the dish with a nice peppery kick. Result: we were happy, yet appetized. Ready for the serious eating.
I went neolithic with my entree choice, ordering up Grand Street's massive double-thick pork chop. This mammoth chop of meat was brined, then marinated in herbs and spices, and cooked to a perfect medium. Not the juiciest of cuts, Grand street did a wonderful job ensuring the combination of their cooking process and ham hock sauce gave the pork a pleasingly tender texture. The ham hock jus itself added needed salt and a nice porky undertone. The whipped potatoes on the side were super-light in texture, almost like the cauliflower puree we make at home often (a good thing), and the green beans, though the tiniest bit overcooked for my taste, were a nice green addition. I cleaned the plate.
Elizabeth went with chicken, which turned out to be some of the better chicken we've ever had. A warm plate with two succulent oven roasted cuts (thighs, I believe), bone-in and skin-on, with tart artichokes, tasty oven-roasted tomatoes that were so sweet and tangy they almost seemed to be sun dried, and a lemon jus came with green beans and two ravioli filled with Grand Street's homemade chicken sausage. The only element on the plate not remarkably tasty were, surprisingly, the ravioli, whose sausage filling was completely lacking in flavor - odd for sausage - and pasta casings were waxy... rubbery... needing a sauce or some kind of moisture. I'm intrigued about ordering this meal again, if for not other reason than to see if these ravioli were an anomaly. I bet they're usually better.
When the dessert menu came around, we laughed it off, already happy and round from our feast.
Circling back to where we started, my finding is that not only is Grand Street quite comparable to Houston's, but it's also a better value. I did a quick menu comparison and found many of the same items on both, Grand Street being equal or cheaper in each case:
Caesar Salad: Houston's - $13, Grand St. - $9 Ahi Tuna Salad: Houston's - $16, Grand St. - $13 Chicken Sandwich: Houston's - $13, Grand St. - $9 Burger: Houston's - $13, Grand St. - $9 Salmon: Houston's - $23, Grand St. - $20 KC Strip: Houston's - $38, Grand St. - $29 Filet: Houston's - $31, Grand St. - $30
A good value for good food. I'm not trying to say Grand St. is a top 10 place in town by any means, but I did like it (outdated decor being its biggest drawback), and I think it's an offering in a category that is surprisingly vacant in KC (or north of 95th, at least). So I give it three napkins, value being the largest driver for that third prestigious cloth. Hope you find it as enjoyable as I did.
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