Taking it Old School

Our latest outing was Kim's turn as host.   When she was unable to secure reservations at her first choice, she decided to go old school and chose Lidia's.  It was a chilly fall evening and Lidia's ending up being the perfect choice.

This wasn't the first experience for any of us.  Lidia's is a favorite place of many Kansas Citians.   Great food and atmosphere.   The space is a converted freight house  so the ceilings are soaringly high.  The bar has a crackling fireplace.  Despite the huge space, they have done a great job of creating a cozy romantic  feel.  From the moment you walk through the door, the rustic interior pulls you into the warm and elegant setting.  The massive hand blown glass grapes clusters hanging from the ceiling grab your eye.  Creative pastas are Lidia's specialties but you also go for the atmosphere.

We enjoyed drinks in lobby area before being seated at round table.  We quite enjoyed the bread sticks, house bread and pesto spread.  Maybe a bit much.  We ordered another basket before dinner arrived.    We couldn't pass up the Lobster Risotto Balls for an appetizer.  Resounding hit with the table.  We ordered salads and most of us opted for the pasta trio.  The trio is all you can eat and the servers roam the floor coming to refresh your plate with another ladle full of goodness.  You cannot go wrong with the trio.  The freshly made pasta really is to die for and each of the three pastas were delicious.  For dessert we ordered variety from chocolate to pumpkin ice cream. The dessert servings were the perfect size and finished off the evening.

Our service was excellent and we never felt like we needed to hurry to free up our table.  It was a lovely evening all around and we were definitely stuffed by the end of the evening but in a happy satiated way.   Perhaps most of you reading this review have been to Lidia's but it has fallen off your restaurant rotation for other new more trendy places of the moment.  However, it is worth adding Lidia's back whether it is when you have out of town guests or you just want a relaxed evening to dine without feeling rushed.

Let's Not Leave the Neighborhood

In August, Supper Club Six enjoyed a Thursday night at the Tavern in Prairie Village.  It was Holly's pick and the establishment had been receiving positive buzz.  Two of our members had already experienced Tavern a couple times taking advantage of its location.    After meeting at Holly's for predinner cocktails, we arrived at Tavern and we were seated immediately.


The restaurant seems to understand exactly what Prairie Village needed in a local restaurant.  It is more than a neighborhood bar and thankfully it isn't a chain. Instead it is a comfortable neighborhood joint that you won't be embarrassed to suggest meeting your friends for drinks or dinner on a regular basis.  Convenient, family friendly yet hip enough to hang out in the bar area.  For those who lived in the neighborhood, they likely run into people they know and that's what makes a place a neighborhood hang out.

The menu is affordable and the staff attentive.  Although we did have a somewhat quirky waitress with a bad case of the hiccups.
The menu is a twist on bar food.  Not quite what you would get if you pulled up a chair in a chain which is the point.   We ordered a couple sides of bruschetta and Mac n Cheese for our appetizers.   Although delicious, not our top ranked mac n cheese given that we deem ourselves connoisseurs  of our favorite dish.  The bruschetta was topped with tomatoes, house pulled mozzarella, basil pesto and balsamic glaze. Very tasty.

Most of us started with a tomato basil soup or a salad either a green or traditional caesar salad.  The salad sizes were quite generous.  When it came to our entrees, we ordered a variety from the Beef Stroganoff, Bow Tie Pasta, Hamburger, pork and the Garlic chicken.  Most entrees were delicious.  A couple were a miss.  The meat in the Beef Stroganoff was a bit tough.  Overall, a great meal and atmosphere.

The bar area has several televisions so you can while a way an afternoon watching a game.  The dining room is a separate area which is comfortable and cozy.   The majority of the group definitely found the Tavern to be a great addition to the neighborhood and plan to return. In fact, as of this writing several of us have gone there a few times.

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