When I saw farmers’ names cited on menus across the city, I came to understand the level of commitment restaurants have for local food producers. Coupled with the chef community’s youthful character and the sort of earnest ingenuity that shows up on plates, it became clear why James Beard Award winners are numerous, and national food magazines are heaping praise on simple cafes and fancy restaurants in Kansas City.
“We’re big here on local and seasonal food, and have been for a while. We’re sort of ahead of the curve than some places,” says Lauren Chapin, food critic at the Kansas City Star. “We have a lot of young Turks who’ve had real impact.”
With a metro area of 1.9 million people, Kansas City is big enough to support a healthy restaurant community. But the surprise element is the remarkable number of homegrown restaurants that succeed. Credit goes to the market base with a worldly palate and to the solidarity of the independent restaurateurs, who have an active organization called KC Originals.
“KC Originals keeps local restaurants on everyone’s radar — they’ve been preaching ‘support your local place’ for years and years,” says Chapin, noting that the passion flows both ways. “And people in Kansas City travel a lot, so they know what’s out in the world and want to eat well when they’re home.”
Wandering from one of the city’s dynamic districts to another, you find intriguing things going on in kitchens. There’s plenty of American Kobe-style beef, plus a big variety of game. You can find good Thai, Vietnamese and Spanish food as readily as you find good chili and steaks. Chapin says that “splashy winemaker events” are frequent and popular, as visiting vintners have found an eager, welcoming market in Kansas City folk.
Be assured that you’ll be hearing a lot more about Kansas City’s food culture, but don’t wait to book your trip. The beef is still fabulous, but there’s a lot to eat beyond barbecue.
Here’s a start: Seven places that belong on your must-taste dining tour. Kansas City, here we come — to eat.
Bluestem
>> The scene: A bona fide sensation in the Westport district, this intimate dinner space is elegant without being fussy. An old space with wooden floors and brick walls has been updated with local artwork and made comfy with throw pillows on banquets. Owner-chef Colby Garrelts was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s best new chefs of 2005 and he has one James Beard nomination under his belt. Wife Megan Garrelts handles all the pastry duties, with aplomb.
>> Best bites: One recent dinner began with a whimsical pineapple fizz amuse bouche — a gratis palate tickler — followed by a tasting menu dish series of bay scallops with grapefruit and apple, mac and cheese with black truffles, speck (German meat) and fontina cheese, Wagyu (Japanese-style beef) tartare with aged Parmesan crisps, arctic char over brisket and greens, duck with Moroccan spices and almond tart with brown butter ice cream. There’s an ample list of excellent wines by the glass, too.
>> Memorable moment: Nobody pushed bottled water on us. Jeremy, the manager/sommelier, assured us that Kansas City has the best tap water in the U.S.
>> Budget: All prix fixe, the three-course dinner is $55, five is $65 and seven is $75.
>> Book it: 900 Westport Road; 816-561-1101; www.bluestemkc.com, book at www.opentable.com
Blue Bird Bistro
>> The scene: Owner Jane Zieha ditched her work as a CPA to open her own restaurant when she decided she was hungry for a place that served local, sustainable, natural and organic foods. Opened in a charming 1890s building west of downtown just over five years ago, her charming cafe with tiled floors and wooden tables has been lauded by Gourmet magazine and USA Today, the latter calling it one of the top 10 restaurants for healthy eating in the nation. Food comes from more than 70 local and regional producers, and more than 1,000 people eat here each week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
>> Best bites: The baked polenta topped with sauteed vegetables, goat cheese and olive tapenade is dreamy, as is the bison burger with white cheddar cheese, house-cured salmon sandwich and the barbecued brisket sandwich with blueberry barbecue sauce. Fabulous breads come from Fervere, the European-style bakery next door, where goodies include the orchard bread, full of apricots, apples, raisins and walnuts.
>> Memorable moment: Discovering that the plentiful organic wines includes some very nice vintages from Missouri winemakers.
>> Budget: Entrees are $4-$13 at breakfast, $8-$16 at brunch, $8-$13 at lunch and $8-$32 at dinner.
>> Book it: 1700 Summit St.; 816-221-7559; www.kansascitymenus.com/bluebirdbistro
The American
>> The scene: Almost every chef of note in town has passed through the hallowed kitchen here. Found inside the Crown Center, headquarters of Hallmark Cards, the American’s credit for glorious food glory these days goes to Celina Tio, who claimed her first James Beard Award last spring. Under her deft hand, the food is as beautiful as the restaurant, but wonderfully approachable.
>> Best bites: Elegant renditions of comfort food include chicken-fried chicken livers with biscuits, Brussels sprouts leaves and red-eye gravy; lighter is the sauteed wild striped bass, grapefruit and endive; and the star dessert is a creole meyer lemon pie with marmalade, pomegranate, pralines and chicory ice cream.
>> Memorable moment: When I asked a server how a particular dish was made, he told me that chef Tio happily shares recipes. Some are even on the restaurant’s Web site.
>> Budget: Lunch $12-$24; dinner $50-$80
>> Book it: 200 E. 25th St.; 816-545-8001; www.theamericankc.com, reserve at www.opentable.com
Michael Smith
>> The scene: The namesake owner-chef is a veteran of the American and a James Beard Award winner. His ultra-contemporary new restaurant in downtown’s Crossroads arts district scores big points for its clever use of retro photography and art in its decor and its canny way of making sophisticated food feel easy as Sunday morning.
>> Best bites: The diver scallops with crispy pancetta, Spanish lentils and butternut squash cream was stellar, as was braised rabbit with gnocchi, chanterelles, shaved Parmesan and leeks and the pan-roasted black grouper with shrimp-olive paella.
>> Memorable moment: Finding a number of very nice wines, priced at $6 and $7 per glass, and discovering that two appetizers make a more-than-adequate meal.
>> Budget: Appetizers are $6-$17, entrees are $20-$30.
>> Book it: 1900 Main St.; 816-842-2202; www.michaelsmithkc.com; www.opentable.com
JP Wine Bar and Coffee House
>> The scene: Cool and casual, this Crossroads hangout attracts a youthful, hip crowd. You are just as likely to see people coming for the pastries and cappuccinos in the morning as for the live music and trendy cocktails (ginger julep, anyone?) in the evening.
>> Best bites: Small plates include a divine ahi tuna tartare with wasabi cream, short ribs with caramelized onion and roasted duck with warm Yukon gold potato salad. My favorite was the flight of Spanish cheeses, served with plenty of fruits, breads and nuts.
>> Memorable moment: Wine flights with brilliant organization. Tops was the South American Sojourn, offering two malbecs from Argentina and one Chilean cab.
>> Budget: Wine flights average $11 for three or four pours; small plates are $9-$17.
>> Book it: 1526 Walnut St.; 816-842-2660; www.jpwinebar.com
Cafe Sebastienne
>> The scene: One of the city’s best dining spots sits inside the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Chef Jennifer Maloney creates food worthy of her vivid surroundings, using local and seasonal ingredients. The cafe’s walls are oversized paintings, and tables look out at a lovely courtyard. Far more than a ladies-who-lunch place, this venue fills up with couples on weekend nights.
>> Best bites: A brunch standout is brioche French toast with mixed berries, applewood smoked bacon and Vermont maple syrup, while the lunchtime favorite is panko-encrusted lemon sole with potato puree and lemon-caper cream. At dinnertime, it’s grilled Piedmonte rib eye with mascarpone-whipped potatoes and cipollini (a type of onion) sauce.
>> Memorable moments: Checking out a wine list that includes well-chosen boutique and single-vineyard wines.
>> Budget: Lunch and brunch $7-$17; dinner $19-$29.
>> Book it: 4420 Warwick Blvd.; 816-561-7740; www.kemperart.org/cafe/
Lidia’s Kansas City
>> The scene: Celebrity chef and cookbook author Lidia Bastianich teamed up with local wine man David Wagner to bring the food maven’s trademark pasta to the Midwest. The result is a warm, welcoming restaurant in the rustic Freight House development in the Crossroads. It’s huge but extremely comfortable, with a fireplace at one end and giant glass chandeliers fashioned like grape clusters.
>> Best bites: Two spreads come with the warm focaccia, one made with garbanzo beans and another with cannellini beans, both mixed with olive oil and fresh herbs. Most popular is the pasta trio, a sampling of three selections that change daily. Count on plump gnocchi, various noodles, risotto and polenta, all housemade and all with fresh sauces. The frico, a creation of griddled Montasio cheese layered with potato, leek, mushroom and fresh rosemary, is eye-rolling good.
>> Memorable moment: Learning about the extensive list of Italian wines, all priced at $25 per bottle.
>> Budget: Lunch $9-$14; dinner $15-$32.
>> Book it: 101 W. 22nd St.; 816-221-3722; www.opentable.com
Between meals
Six things to do when you’re not eating your way through Kansas City:
>> 1. The heritage tour: In the 18th and Vine Jazz District are two exceptional museums, and there are poignant elements to both. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum tells the amazing story of what many experts believe to be the best baseball players of all time. The adjacent American Jazz Museum gives extensive profile on the four greats — Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and KC’s own Charlie Parker. www.americanjazzmuseum.com
>> 2. Paint the town: New in downtown KC: the Power & Light District, an $850 million development covering nine blocks in a formerly quiet area. It’s rocking now, with some 14 of the 50 anticipated bars, clubs and restaurants open. Among them are Gordon Biersche, a microbrewery; Raglan Road, a rollicking Irish bar; Lucky Strike, a very hip bowling alley with a DJ; Angel Rock, a lights-out rock dance club; and Howl at the Moon, a dueling-pianos bar. All venues are non-smoking. powerandlightdistrict.com/public
>> 3. Artful pursuits: If you like the Met in New York, you’ll love the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, with its extraordinary Chinese antiquities collection, European paintings, 22-acre sculpture park and the stunning new Bloch wing; and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art has plenty of edgy works, as well as fabulous gifts. Both are in the Country Club Plaza district; www.countryclubplaza.com. The Crossroads Arts District is home to a First Friday art walk, which draws huge crowds to 40 galleries and shops open in the evening. www.kccrossroads.org
>> 4. Retail therapy: Pryde’s in Old Westport is one of the coolest culinary stores I’ve ever found. It’s in a 1922 building with hundreds of nooks and crannies holding shelves piled high with everything for the cook, host and gardener. The owners use a 1907 cash register, and the back hallway is covered with magazine articles about the store. In back is the Upper Crust, a pie bakery that’s open only on weekends; www.prydeskitchen.com. Country Club Plaza is a 1922 marvel, modeled after the plaza in Seville, Spain, and covering 14 square blocks with every sort of retailer you can imagine; www.countryclubplaza.com. Christopher Elbow Chocolates in the Crossroads Arts District makes the most gorgeous creations you’ve ever seen, with dozens of flavors, including Russian tea, Vietnamese cinnamon, caramel lavender, orange blossom honey, Persian, Tanzanian dark, Madagascar, single malt scotch, caramel rosemary and Venezuelan spice; www.christopherelbowchocolates.com. The City Market is home to Succotash, a hippie-dippy diner with fabulous fresh sandwiches; it’s next to an Italian grocery, Mediterranean grocery and a African-South American grocery. www.thecitymarket.org
>> 5. Listen to music: Live jazz is plentiful. Two of the most popular venues are the Blue Room, inside the American Jazz Museum, above; and the Majestic Steakhouse at 931 Broadway, downtown; www.majesticsteakhouse.com.
>> 6. Special sipping: Boulevard Brewing Co. has become a huge hit, and not just locally — the beers are served in North Texas restaurants, too. Take the free tour, with tastings, at the source; www.boulevard.com. Attend wine tastings at the Cellar Rat, a lovely wine shop in the Crossroads district that’s featured in the April issue of Food & Wine magazine; www.cellarratwine.com. Excellent coffee drinks and great reading material are served at Magazines and Coffee in the Crossroads district; www.magazinesandcoffee.com. For old-school libations, head to Kelly’s Westport Inn in the Westport district, the oldest pub in the city; www.kellyswestportinn.com.
Back to basics
If you’ve gotta have some ’cue, there’s no better city for it than Kansas City. There are more than 100 barbecue restaurants in town. The city is such a wealth of barbecue authority that the Kansas City Barbecue Society will sanction more than 300 barbecue competitions and events across the country this year.
After asking experts around town, it became clear that there is a triumvirate in the Kansas City barbecue pantheon. If you’re going to really understand barbecue in this part of the world, you have to eat at these three places.
>> Arthur Bryant’s: Founded in the 1920s, this is the place that beloved food scribe Calvin Trillin called the best restaurant in the world. It’s a cornerstone of the 18th and Vine Historic Jazz District, a place with a wonderful depth of African-American heritage. This humble barbecue place with celebrity guest photos on the wall has a line out the door by 11:15 a.m. daily. The beef and fries, the dish of choice, features a 3-inch-high layer of tender brisket between pieces of Wonder Bread, with a mountain of lard-fried french fries on the side. Don’t pass up the lemonade. 1727 Brooklyn Ave.; 816-231-1123; order sauces and seasonings online at www.arthurbryantsbbq.com
>> Gates Bar-B-Q: Begun in 1946, Gates has six locations. The common thread — besides the rich, hickory smoked foods — is the Gates family’s impressive personal touch. The moment you walk in, several employees greet you, and every staffer is trained to look every guest in the eye. You better show up hungry, because even small orders are huge. I loved the messy, wonderful lamb ribs, slathered in the slightly spicy classic sauce with sweet baked beans on the side and a “yammer,” baby sweet potato pie, for dessert. It’s at 3205 Main St.; 816-753-0828. Order sauces and seasonings online at www.gatesbbq.com.
>> Fiorella’s Jack Stack: The family’s original restaurant began in 1957, but the current version of Jack Stack — sort of the “upscale” barbecue place in town — dates from 1974. Of the four locations, the coolest by far is the one at the old Freight House in the Crossroads district, where interiors feature 25-foot-high ceilings and a big fireplace. Signature dishes include burnt ends, the crispy-outside, tender-inside end pork and beef tips; Denver lamb ribs and prime short ribs; Kobe beef; grilled salmon; and stunning sides, such as hickory beans full of chopped beef and a rich cheesy corn bake. 101 W. 22nd St.; 816-472-7427; order 30 different products, including barbecue, at www.jackstackbbq.com.
If you go
>> Getting there: Flights to Kansas City from D/FW are about 1 hour and 15 minutes; fares start at about $125. Car rentals are plentiful and start at about $30 daily.
>> Lodging: The Aladdin Hotel is a newly renovated art deco showplace, now a downtown boutique lodging operated by Holiday Inn; rooms are small but very comfortable and the staff is exceedingly hospitable; rates start at $92; www.ichotelsgroup.com. The Hotel Phillips is also a beautifully restored 1930s gem downtown with big, luxury rooms and a thoughtful staff; rates start at $159; www.hotelphillips.com. Also downtown, the recently reopened President Hotel is a 1940s landmark bringing yesteryear glamour into focus; there’s a cool restaurant and bar, with loads of history; rates start at $139; www.hilton.com.
>> More information: For all Kansas City travel details, see www.visitkc.com or call 800-767-7700.
Insider: A critic’s view
On the clock, restaurant critics eat wherever the job dictates. But to know what’s really good in dining, you have to ask the critic where she goes when she’s off duty. Here’s where Lauren Chapin eats on her own nickel.
>> La Fou Frog — Just east of the City Market downtown, this place “looks like nothing from outside but has great French food and a crazy bar scene,” Chapin says. She says the happy hour offerings include great deals on wine and snacks, and the spirit is just fun. 400 E. Fifth St., 816-474-6060.
>> Justus Drugstore — After spending time in France, owner-chef Jonathan Justus came home to acquire his grandad’s drugstore and transform it into a restaurant. Everything on the menu is locally sourced, yet prices are surprisingly low. “They’ve really impacted farmers and producers in the area,” Chapin says. The smoked fish and cocktails are particularly good. Just north of town in Smithville, 816-532-2300.
>> Bluestem — “I like to hang out in the wine lounge for great starters like truffled pomme frites with six dipping sauces. It’s a cost-conscious way to enjoy the place,” Chapin says.
>> Room 39 — Chapin loves this little neighborhood hangout for breakfast, when the menu offers eggs baked in toast and layered with Gruyere cheese and Genoa salami; and soft-scrambled eggs with house-cured salmon, cream cheese and scallions. 1719 W. 39th St., 816-753-3939.
