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.

<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/34/1569235/restaurant/Kansas-City/Tavern-In-The-Village-Prairie-Village"><img alt="Tavern In The Village on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1569235/biglink.gif" style="border:none;padding:0px;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>

Lit and Ready to Eat

Last Friday was my turn to host our Supper Club.  I decided to stick close to home and chose the new gastropub Gram & Dun on the Plaza. Gram & Dun is part of the trio of restaurants owned by the Bread & Butter Concepts.  BRGR and Urban Table are the other two restaurants.  Supper Club Six visited BRGR last year.  Interesting to note the name Gram & Dun is derived from the owners wives' maiden names.  They must love their mother-in-laws.  After meeting at my place for wine, we headed to the Plaza for our 8 pm reservations.  When we arrived, they were not quite ready to seat us.  No biggie.  We headed to the bar.  The host assured us she could find us despite not handing us any contraption to buzz us to attention.  The place was hopping.

The bar area was packed with fellow patrons waiting to be seated.  We nudged (elbowed) our way to the bar and ordered a round of drinks.  Maggie and I stuck with our standard Dirty Martinis.  They did not disappoint.  Joan--who was in town and making her second guest appearance at Supper Club--ordered a D Cup.   This was by far the most popular choice copied by other members throughout the evening. It was a combination of Kettle One Citron Vodka, St. Germain, lemon and lime juice and simple syrup.  The space in general was very nice.  Although self-described as a Gastropub, it isn't very "pub like".  The decor is almost like a mountain sky lodge.  Exposed wood and leather lend to an upscale feel.  Definitely a different vibe than Baja 600.  Cozy elegant.

Wild Boar and Bison Meatballs

We proceeded to chat away and away and away.  The bar started to clear out and we were ordering a second round.  Something was wrong with this picture.  Around 8:40, I went to see if they forgot us and was assured we would be seated soon.  8:40 became 9 and then finally our host found us.  To be fair, we added a party when we arrived but an hour wait when you had reservations seemed excessive.   We weren't expecting to have two rounds of drinks before we were seated.  When our host finally seated us in a table, we were lit and ready to eat.

Now on to the menu.  Unique is the only way to describe it.  The cocktail, wine and beer list are very extensive.  Our server was delightful and knew her way around the menu.  She answered all our questions and made recommendations.  We ordered an insane amount of appetizers.  Lightly battered peppers--Kathryn ate all of these.  Wild Boar and Bison meatballs, Joan and I inhaled these.  The meatballs were delicious and the sauce very subtle.  We actually did share the first order with the table and then Joan ordered a second round.  We slapped the hands of anyone that tried to have a bite.  We also ordered the potato chips with the unique ketchup trio--a vanilla bean, avocado and blood orange habanero.  Very tasty.   The French Onion Dumplings were excellent combination of Gruyère, sweet onion broth & brioche crouton.

Chicken and Waffles

Kim ordered the short rib grilled cheese.  Although she expected a more interesting variety of cheese (and more of it), she thought it was tasty.  Michelle ordered the mushroom ravioli and I believe licked her plate clean.  She also enjoyed the D Cup Martini but may have instead ordered a Double D.  Holly had the scallops which were served with blackened cauliflower and covered in a Bourbon cherry butter sauce. She said the cauliflower may have been undercooked but I believe most of the vegetables were served more on the crispy side.  I enjoyed the double pork chops.  Very moist.  Perfect temperature and served with brussel sprouts which I've come to love in the last 5 years or so.  I have to admit I did not do my meal justice because I was over served appetizers.  Maggie took home my leftovers.  Joan enjoyed the fried goat cheese and avocado salad.  Kathryn ordered the shrimp and grits with an jalapeno avocado sauce.  Very different dish.  A bit salty so the verdict was so so.  Maggie ordered the dish I wish I had but didn't.  The chicken and waffles.  Cute little round waffles with lightly battered chicken--without the bone.  There was a concern by some the chicken would still be on the bone.  The combination of waffles, chicken and syrup was divine.  I'm so ordering that the next time I go.

Despite being completely stuffed, we ordered a Gram & Dun Bar for the table.  It was a delectable chocolate mousse, peanut nougat, ganache,  and salted caramel bar topped with peanut butter ice cream.  Their version of the snickers bar.

We really enjoyed our experience at Gram & Dun despite the long wait.  Our server more than made up for it in her extensive knowledge of the menu and her genuine engagement with us.  It is nice to see an establishment with a fresh concept on the Plaza.  This location is prime real-estate and I always thought this was the best patio on the Plaza.  We definitely recommend that you try Gram & Dun.

Strip Mall with a Side of Personality Disorder

Michelle was in charge of our latest outing of  the Supper Club.  She had us guessing until the last minute in choosing a new Leawood restaurant Fo Thai.   Fo Thai is located in One Nineteen Shopping Center.   This restaurant met with mixed reviews.  I don't mean some of us liked it while others didn't.  Each of us seemed to swing wildly in our reviews from "fun place" to "cheesy" because before our eyes the restaurant was transformed into a second venue.  More on that later.

First impressions when we walked in the door was how different the place looked from other establishments in Leawood.  The restaurant after all is in the strip mall.  A nice strip mall but a strip mall nonetheless.  It is almost too much as you pull the heavy doors and enter into extreme dark.  In fact, you could not really take in the decor until your eyes start to adjust.  We were taken into a lounge area to await our seating.

Kathryn savoring her Outcast

We were seated almost immediately on the second floor which overlooks the main dining room.  The main floor has a ginormous Buddha and water fall.  This is when it starts to sink in that the place feels a bit  "themey".  Almost like, Rain Forest for adults.  However, we were game for anything.  By anything, I mean cocktails.  So we started with one of their signature cocktail called Overcast.  These were delicious pear ginger vodka martini served with dry ice.  Gimmicky? Perhaps.  However, a few of us ordered a second one.

Maggie taking lighting into her own hands

We whipped out our iPhones to read the menus as the candle light wasn't cutting it in the cave like atmosphere.  We ordered the 7-Spice Crusted Crispy Calamari with sweet mango miso sauce and the Tempura Rock Shrimp with spicy “Tom Yum” aioli and their Spring Rolls.  Heavenly.  So far so good.    The entree menu offered an array of what we'd call Asian Fusion.  Although Thai appears in the name of the restaurant that isn't all they offer.

For entrees, we ordered an assortment.  The 7-Spice Crusted Salmon with bamboo rice and red curry sauce was tasty.  It was a little on the hot side for some of us but not for others.  Two of us ordered the Broiled Saikyo Miso Chilean Sea Bass with coconut sticky rice and orange miso glaze.  They were very inconsistent because one version was very tasty and other had an extremely fishy taste.  Pad Thai noodles came with fish sauce and pine nuts.  You could select your spiciness.  Prices were moderate and we did leave filled.

Throughout dinner each of us made our way back to the restrooms.  This was dangerous people.  Too dark and at least one bathroom had a step up that you soon forgot when you exited and stumbled out the door.  The bathrooms were dark and consistent with the theme of the restaurant.  A little additional lighting would be helpful because you shouldn't need a search party to find the toilet.  Thank goodness for iPhones that light the way.

Our waiter was adorable.  I won't mention which member was eyeing this charming twentysomething but it would violate the "I could be his mother" rule. . . . which only narrows it down to 5 of us.  He was friendly and attentive until the end after our table was cleared and we had to hunt him down for a final round.

Sometime around 9ish, a strange thing began to occur.  The main dining room was being cleared as patrons left.  Then before our eyes, it became a dance floor.  The restaurant we entered was transformed into a cheesy nightclub best located in the Power and Light district not Leawood.  It was actually fascinating to watch as surprised patrons avoided the dance floor while a younger crowd began to appear to fill the floor.  Perhaps this is just what the suburbs need to avoid the drive downtown.  We finished our drinks and skedaddled because the music was so loud we were shouting at each other.  Obviously, we are the target customers after 9 pm.

So, by mixed reviews, I mean each of us enjoyed part of the meal, found the decor fun yet cheesy.  Thought the conversion into a downtown nightclub bordering on schizophrenic and predicted the place might be closed before I got around to writing this review.  We hope not.  It is a fun place it just seems out of place in Leawood.  So please go experience Fo Thai and expect to enjoy your evening, eat some fun food and bring a headlamp.

NORM!!!

Holly, Janel and Susan

Season's Greetings from Supper Club Six KC.  We hope this Holy Season was everything you wished.  We commenced the Holiday Season that is otherwise known as the Season of Eating in early December.  This was our Christmas Party so we did not have a designated host.  It happened to be my birthday so that worked out well for me and one of my dearest friends was in town to help me celebrate.  This was not Susan's first time to the rodeo so to speak as she joined us in the earlier years so she knew she was in for a night of gorging on good food and wine.

We decided to have a low key evening on the Plaza to take advantage of the Lights.  We stuck with a K.C. institution --JJ's the west end of the Country Club Plaza.    Most of us have been to JJ's for wine or cocktails but only a couple of us have had dinner at JJ's.  This is surprising considering it is one of KC's most well known local restaurants.  Our evening was phenomenal starting with the service we received at the bar.  We had 7:30 reservations and met in the bar about 7:00 for cocktails.  The bartender was attentive and let us switch our tab to our table without cashing out.  I always appreciate this.    From the moment you walked in the door, you felt like a regular despite the fact we were anything but a regular.  I half expected when I walked in for everyone to yell my name like Norm on Cheers.  It really felt like everyone knew each other.

JJ's has old world charm. Spanish terra cotta tiling, stained glass, arched doorways and dimmed lighting.  Very cozy.  Almost like you stepped into a wine cellar.   We were seated on time and shared a bottle of sparkling wine and a red.  The wine list is one of the most extensive in the city.  We chose a Ben Marco Malbec which was perfect.    The table devoured the Paco Shrimp.  It was large gulf shrimp stuffed with horseradish, wrapped in bacon and deep-fried and served with a Dijon mustard and white wine sauce, garnished with roasted red bell pepper puree. The Goat Cheese and Artisan Cheese plate starter was fabulous.  Just the right amount of appetizers for each of us to have more than just a sampling.

Michelle, Maggie and Kim

For entrees we ordered  Medallion Au Poivre.  This was comprised of grilled filet medallions with a mushroom and black peppercorn cream sauce and served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes.  A few of us ordered the petite filet and our waiter suggested we order it with the sauce from the Medallion entree.  Great suggestion.   The soup of the night was a pumpkin puree which was essentially creamy deliciousness.

Petite Filet with Peppercorn sauce

Our wonderful experience at JJ's wasn't just about the food.  Our waiter was very attentive and patient.  We ended up sitting at our table for hours.  We wanted to move to the bar after we settled our bill with the waiter who was leaving but the bar was full so we stayed in the dining room as the rest of the room cleared. Our second waiter came back with left over desserts when we had declined desserts earlier.   How could we refuse?  So we split a Jude's Rum Cake and a cheesecake.  Quite tasty, totally unnecessary but greatly appreciated.  Eventually, our original waiter popped back in the restaurant and joined us at our table for a few minutes and brought over a birthday shot of whiskey.  Did I mention we felt like regulars?

We highly recommend JJ's whether it is your first visit or returning to JJ's after a some time away.   You should definitely add it to your restaurant rotations.   Great spot for special celebrations.  Don't let the never ending construction scare you.  There is plenty of parking in the lots on the West End only a block or so away.

This concludes another year of fantastic food and wine but more importantly time with great friends.  Here's to even better times in 2012!

No, She Really Did Just Say That

Maggie our host and entertainment of the evening

Maggie was our host for our latest Restaurant outing.  We were down a member, one member racing to join us after being stuck at work, another watching her Blackberry because of a work issue and yet another dealing with tragedy at work.  That didn't set up this evening to be one of our best nights of Restaurant Club but somehow that is exactly what happened.  We found a way to laugh our way to one of our best nights that made us remember how much fun it is to hang out together and try new places.  Also, Maggie needs to take her schtick on the road because she is HILARIOUS.  None of which is printable in this G rated blog!

Maggie chose well in selecting Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen.  Most of us didn't realize it was located in the space vacated by JP's Winebar. Heck, I didn't even know JP's had closed I was that far out of the loop.  MIchelle and Maggie met early and enjoyed a couple glasses of red on the sidewalk patio before the rest of us joined them. It was the perfect night for sitting outside. Tannin's wine list is very extensive.  Perhaps overwhelming to the novice but a welcome challenge to those of us who love to try new wines.  The pours are small and many only about $4 so you can try many different wines.  We each sampled within our preferred type.

Kathryn's Ahi Tuna

For those not familiar with the old JP's, Tannin is located in the Crossroads Art District.  Funny, at least half of us passed it or wondered if it was near the old JP's before realizing it was the same location.   When our whole party arrived, we moved indoors.  The owners of Tannin did not change much in the way of decor.   They didn't need to.  The decor is trendy and modern with several seating areas, small table tops and large semi circle booths in the back.  We had one of the booths.

Kim opted for the 8 oz. Wagyu Burger with smoked cheddar, grilled tomato, and crispy bacon on an onion bun with a plate full of pommes frites.  Which she said was a great burger and she took her leftovers home. The rest of us opted for the four course tasting menu priced at $38.   Kathryn ordered a wine tasting with her menu and each course arrived with a small pour of different wines and a brief description from our waitress.  We all managed to choose slightly different courses so we covered many of the items on the menu.  By the time we were seated, we were all fairly famished.  The ahi Tuna tartare and the Jumbo Lump Crap Dip starters were generous in size and very tasty.  The Tuna came with seaweed salad, watercress, wonton chips, sweet soy and wasabi.  The crab dip included garlic cream sauce, bacon, parmesan and a grilled baguettes.  Everyone was raving about their starters.

Kim's Wagyu Burger

Now on to the salads.  We ordered three of the salads.  All were fresh and just the right size.  The  spinach salad  crumbled blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, and crispy onions.    The house salad included field greens, grape tomatoes, chevre, red onions and a champagne vinaigrette.  Finally, the local bibb lettuce salad with bacon, tomatoes, red onions toast and chipotle dressing.  For entrees,  we ordered the ahi tuna, KC Strip and the pork chop.  There wasn't a bad choice in the bunch.  The wasabi mashed potatoes provided a great twist on an old favorite.  It is nice to see this greater emphasis on the food.  I can't recall ordering anything but cheese and small plates at the old JP's.

Some of us literally licked our plates clean.  However, we had one more course--dessert.  Three of us had the fresh baked, fudge stuffed peanut butter cookie with caramel sauce.  I'm still dreaming about it and I'm not a sweets kind of person.  It was divine.  Kathryn had the warm Missouri peach crumb with oatmeal almond topping and white chocolate ice cream.  We only wish we hadn't been so stuffed from dinner to thoroughly enjoy these delicious dishes.

Our waitress was friendly and attentive--unfortunately for her because she always seemed to approach our table when something outrageously inappropriate for a nice restaurant was flying out of our mouths.  We were seated in the back with no other patrons sitting next to us.  After our excellent meal, we could not fathom why the restaurant was so quiet.  Good word of mouth really needs to spread about this place.

We all were all impressed with Tannin's.  Hope everyone reading this blog visits this gem soon and laughs as hard as we did.  We needed a night like this and we all plan to go back.   

Pour Me Some Wine and I'll Take Some Milk to Go.

Kathryn was our host at our latest Supper Club. If you recall, Kathryn's last restaurant choice of authentic Mexican fare had some of us heading to the buffet for seconds while others spent some quality time in the powder room.  Although not necessary, she wanted to redeem her selection process.

Kathryn chose well.  We met up at the old Rieger Hotel building at 19th and Main Streets.  The first floor lobby has been converted into a restaurant (formerly called 1924 Main).  Now called the Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange, the location sports both a restaurant and a basement speakeasy.

First, let's cover where we all agree.  The space is beautiful and has a great atmosphere. The dining room is long with dark wood and light green walls decorated with art work.  It is a tad noisy so you do have to strain to hear the conversation at your table.  The owners have created a very inviting space.  The bar is immediately to your right as you walk in the door.  There is a parking lot on the south side of the building.  It was full when arrived but it was easy enough to find street parking on a Thursday night.  Some of us ventured downstairs to check out Manifesto after hearing an unsubstantiated rumor that it was some type of S&M dungeon at some point in its history.  You do have to pass through a dark corridor to reach Manifesto but once you arrive you find a sophisticated basement lounge.  We need to head back on a weekend night.

Second, they had us at the cocktail menu.  We started the evening seated at the long bar enjoying cocktails.  There is an eclectic cocktail list.  We ran the gambit with sangria, vodka gimlets, dirty martinis  and moscow mules.  This would be a great place to meet for drinks whether you stay for dinner or not.  The bartender was friendly and shared his recipe for whiskey cherries.  After catching up at the bar, we were seated at the back of the restaurant.  There was also seating in the back where you could watch the sous chefs preparing your meal.  I would love to try this some time.

Our waitress was Sarah and she was extremely attentive.  She obviously knew the menu well and offered some suggestions.  We started with the Salmon Tartare which was a chopped mixture of watercress, sauce gribiche and cucumbers and the Beef Carpaccio.  The Salmon Tartare was delicious but wasn't served with any crackers or bread so it was a bit awkward to share among six people.  Double dipping abounded at the table.  The Beef Carpaccio was fine but definitely second to the Salmon.   We each ordered a salad.  The Farm salad made of organic greens, local vegetable and garlic herb dressing was tasty if a bit skimpy.  In fact, the appetizers seemed skimpy for six people.  Our waitress should have stressed the size of the appetizers because we only had a enough for a couple bites a piece. (Perhaps that was the point but we are Americans afterall-so we like generous portions.)  Holly raved about the Melon salad which was served with pistachio vinaigrette.

Braciole

For entrees, a few at the table ordered the special which they regretted.  It was an unusual fish--not a white fish more of a muscular fish but not an oily fish.  It was stringy.  The sides included in the special were excellent but the fish didn't really sit well.  I ordered the Braciole which was braised flank steak, Italian sausage and tomato sauce.  It was mouthwatering.  Perfect proportion and served with polenta, kale and chickpeas.   Kim and Holly  ordered the side order of seafood risotto with scallops, shrimp, heirloom cherry tomatoes and basil as an entree.  It was rather small but our waitress did point out that many people do this and order a salad.  For dessert, we ordered the bread pudding and the fresh mint baked alaska.  Very tasty.

Towards the end of the meal, Maggie fielded a call from her husband who wanted her to stop for milk on the way home.  Sarah to the rescue.  She asked how much milk she needed.  When Maggie told her enough for a couple bowls of cereal in the morning, Sarah was back with a portable container filled with milk.  We were definitely impressed.  Sarah also gave us tips on where to buy some quality bras and overheard us discussing Michelle's birthday the next day so she brought out a flaming shot.  Definitely a renaissance woman/waitress!

Got Milk?

Overall, our reviews were positive with some of us liking Reiger more than others.    We loved the space, the cocktails and dessert.   The reviews were mixed on our entrees.  There definitely was some entree envy going on at the table.  Everyone enjoyed at least one course and if we return would likely find something to enjoy.  We do recommend people try The Reiger.  The prices are very reasonable and the service was excellent.