Reverse Happy Hour? We Are All In.

Pass the Wine, We Must Carry On

On Friday, we met for our last summer Supper Club of the year. Unfortunately, we were short two members. Michelle opted to float down some river with siblings and Kim made only a brief appearance with her sister opting for Indian take out. However, the show must go on so Maggie, Kathryn, Holly and I preceded to split two bottles of red (I think I enjoyed the majority of the Kenwood Pinot Noir as Kathryn was my ride), and tried to carry on without them.

Taste is located in Old Overland Park in the space once occupied by Tonic which was a bar and dining room. Taste is divided into two parts. The bar side is quite large and we enjoyed cocktails as we waited to be seated for dinner. The dining room side is lined with an exposed brick wall and eclectic decor.

The menu consists of tapas called "First Tastes" and then various entrees. The First Tastes are ample enough to either share or order as your meal. In fact, Holly ordered the crab cakes for her entree. The main entrees are a mix of seafood, beach and chicken. The Filet Mignon was excellent. We also ordered a seafood tasting of Seared Halibut, Mahi Mahi & Sea Bass and Brick Chicken which was chicken seared between hot bricks.

The general consensus was that the food was fine but nothing to rave about on our blog. As Maggie put it, "the food was ok, but the company was outstanding!!"

Our recommendation would be, "I wouldn't avoid it."

Intimate Dining for 6 Please

First, I'm dreadfully behind on blogging so this post will be devoid of all the details I would have remembered and Room 39 changes its menu on a weekly basis. However, trust me when I say, we all loved our dining experience and left quite happy.

Room 39 is located on 39th Street. Kathryn was our host for the evening and she chose this hip yet cozy restaurant for our June outing. The space has an unassuming store front. Inside you are greeted with a very quaint European cafe setting that could easily come across as pretentious but maintains its warm inviting charm.

As luck would have it, we were seated at a round table. No one was isolated at the corner of the table struggling to hear the conversation and when we get together you don't want to miss anything. Round tables are the way to go. The food was delicious and imaginative served with an artistic flair. However, it was the service that impressed us the most. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about what he was serving both as it related to the menu and the wine list. This became even more impressive when we realized the frequency in which the menu changes. He seemed very interested in the food and it translated into genuine interaction with us that was helpful and in no way intrusive.

We recommend adding this one to your rotation. Oh, and we started the evening with wine and cheese at Kathryn's house. We came to the conclusion that we tend to over do it and it becomes the predinner dinner. Thus, we are now only serving cocktails.

Just Roll Me Out on a Stretcher Please

Kim was our host for the latest gathering. It was a Friday evening in April and we gathered at her house for our predinner drinks. If you recall, the last time Kim hosted we had to divert our plans to sit out a tornado warning. Fortunately, the weather cooperated this go around so we were able to catch up and hang with Kim's ginourmous cats before heading to the restaurant.

Kim chose a Kansas City comfort food institution: Stroud's. Their newest location is off of Shawnee Mission Parkway and just minutes from Kim's house.

We were anticipating a long wait which is typical of the original Stroud's locations where you can expect an hour long wait. Immediate seating was available but we opted for a cocktail in the bar before being seated. The Royals were playing that night and the staff thought this explained why it was a slow evening. I hope so.

As expected the service was great and food was exceptional. The meals are served family-style. We ordered up a bowl of real mashed potatoes, thick cream gravy, green beans, cottage fried potatoes, chicken fried steak and of course, pan fried chicken. Oh, and dinner was topped off with warm from the oven cinnamon rolls. We were crammed around a corner booth. When our meal was served, there was barely room for our drinks on the table. However, given our priorities we found the space.

The fried chicken and chicken fried steak are crusty not bready. The mashed potatoes are pure buttery dense potatoes. We did notice the spuds could use a dose of salt but with the shaker handy everyone could salt to their own satisfaction. The bacon infused green beans are soft and mushy so if you like your beans al dente they aren't for you. You cannot go wrong with Stroud's but you must leave your calorie counter in the car. This isn't for the "no carb" crowd nor would we recommend following dinner with a night of dancing. You must go directly to the nearest couch.

Frankly, the too delectable to stop inhaling food was so heavy and coma inducing that we all agreed that it simply cannot be on your weekly (or monthly) rotation. Save it for special occasions and out of town guests or start training for a marathon. We left stuffed and miserable but in a good way.

Comfort Food with a little Zest

Last night SupperClubSix had full attendance for our seventh restaurant selection.  Holly was the host of the evening, treating us to a spread of cheese and wine at her home before we made our 7:00 p.m. reservations.  The last time we were all together was the infamous Limo and Lights night, so we had some catching up to do and a few of us had a doozy of a week.  Some more "doozier" than others.  Wine and good friends tend to ease the angst of the work week so we were sure to have generous helpings of both. 

Holly chose well once again.  She is 2 for 2.  I think I'm .5 for 2.  If that.  Zest is a new Leawood restaurant in Mission Farms (Mission Road and 106th) that serves comfort food with a bit of zest.  The menu is full of family favorites but all with a bit of a twist and upscale presentation. It is like Mom made the meal after she took a few classes in how to jazz up your favorites.  The owners are Mike Shreiber and Jo DiGiovanni--the original owner of the recently closed Joe D's in Brookside. 

Maggie was waiting for us at the bar and the place was bustling.  This is heartwarming to see given the sad state of our current economy and when each week brings the news of another local restaurant closing its doors.  At least two of the last six restaurants we have reviewed are no longer in business with rumors swirling that at least one other is struggling to stay open.  By the crowd in Zest last night, finding customers is not an issue for them right now.  The decor is trendy yet comfortable with both booths and tables.  We all liked the striped dining room chairs.  Maggie attested to the fact that the bar stools were quite cozy and there are even small nooks on each side of the front entrance for a private lounge--or as private as sheer curtains can provide. 

We were seated immediately in the dining room and ordered a round of martinis from the cocktail list.  Our waitress was gracious and agreed to snap several pictures of us.   For appetizers, we split an order of creole fried calamari and truffle gouda mac and cheese from the Pasta portion of the menu.  We all wanted to try the mac and cheese but not order it for our main course.  Perfect compromise.  We would recommend both choices and we devoured them. This isn't the first time we have split mac and cheese for an appetizer.  A couple of us preferred the mac and cheese served at the Delaware Cafe which sadly just closed.

Four of us ordered the meatloaf which consisted of a combination of ground sirloin, veal and pork served with wild mushroom gravy and goat cheese mashed potatoes.  Excellent--but some of us thought it should have been served a tad warmeer.  I still managed to plow through half of mine and ask for a doggie bag and I'm not a doggie bag type of gal.  (By the way, it tasted great cold when I sampled a bite this morning.)  Kathryn ordered the porter-braised pork shank which she enjoyed.  The meat appeared to just slide off the bone.   Maggie ordered the Cordon Bleu Chicken pasta which I believe was a special but really should be on the regular menu.  Our service for the most part was fine and friendly but there were a couple of requests that had to be asked twice. 

Kathryn selected a bottle of Pinot Noir Au Bon Climate '07 which Maggie and I were more than happy to share with her.  The wine list is extensive not to mention the wine rack that separates the dining area from the bar.

The table split an order of bread pudding with vanilla Bourbon sauce for dessert.  It was like a cinnamon roll smothered in sauce.  Outstanding but we were all miserably full after we finished it.  Maggie ordered the "Babysitter Chocolates" which the menu suggests to bring take home because good babysitters are hard to find.  She bought them for her husband Todd.  

Zest definitely received a resounding thumbs up from the group and many of us plan to return. It was not lost on us that comfort food might be exactly what the folks of Kansas City are looking for right now. 

Limo, Lights, Champagne? Supper Club Six KC Hits the Road

Tis the Season to be festive and festive we were!  Courtesy of Maggie's event planning skills, our restaurant club celebrated the holidays in style on December 12th.  First stop, La Bodega's for some tapas and sangria.  I'd like to write a review of the restaurant but I think we were gabbing and inhaling our food so fast that the only appropriate review would be, "Yum, pass the Sangria."

Kim joined us late but had time for a glass of Sangria and join in the holiday mood.  We were all quite warm and fuzzy when it was time to embark on our Christmas light tour via the limo that Maggie arranged to tool us around town.  The organized contingency of our group (not me) brought along supplies--champagne and glasses, etc.  The champagne flutes were presents from Holly with hand painted Christmas lights adorning them.  Handy Holly.  Thanks, Holly!

The limo driver patiently waited as we clicked several dozen pictures of the ride and us standing by the ride in assorted combinations . . . then we were off!  Riding in style, checking out the lights, drinking champagne, toasting ourselves ad nauseam (literally--but that comes later) and singing along with the Christmas tunes on the radio.  The limousine was very nice and we all agreed that the Tour of Lights needs to be an annual event.  Of course, this was voted on during the first hour by the second hour people were dropping like flies and the vote may have come out differently  . . . sangria and champagne do not mix well for some!  

At one point . . . okay at several points we did actually see some lights but all I really remember is all the laughing and singing and general debauchery inside the limo.  (Well, debauchery by our standards which is essentially a bunch of cross talking gals who were not really listening to one another as they gabbed the ride away through town).  Several of us periodically updated our Facebook Status lest all our less fortunate friends not know how much fun we were having . . . which makes no sense that we would rather update FB than participate in the actual fun we were having.  What can I say, FB is addictive for some of us.  

We stopped by a house that was obviously decorated by someone with a Hoarding Disorder. I think they need to go on Oprah.  Holiday Decoration Overload.  We actually disembarked from the limo and trudged up to the house to peer in the windows with our flutes in hand.  Don't worry so did all the other people driving by to see the display. 

During our second hour, we took up a collection to add a third hour on to our drive.  We made a few pit stops at Quik Trip for potty breaks and Doritoes.  There were at least two stops for more Champagne until finally we realized we were all holiday'd out.  This was about 5 mintues into the extra hour we purchased.  Oh well.  We were all dropped off at secure locations with none of the over served getting behind any steering wheels.  Some faired better than others that night but I will protect the names of the innocent and not so innocent.  

The evening was a highlight of the Season and a great way to spend time with friends.  

Next up?  We don't know . . . but we will be sure to report back.  Supper Club Six KC wishes you all a Joyous 2009. --JMF

  

What's Old is New Again

The Supper Club Six made it through a full rotation of restaurants  and it was time for me to make my second selection.   If you recall, I hosted the inaugural Supper Club Six.  Fear, anxiety and dread fell upon me as I scoured the Internet looking for possibilities.   I wanted to avoid another Vinino's disaster.  Do I go new?  Do I go old?  Finally, I settled on the Delaware Cafe.   Although this River Market restaurant has been around for years, this Spring it began serving dinner under the hands of a new young chef. 

The space is very urban with the exposed brick and high ceilings.  We were seated in the side dining room but I would have preferred to sit in the main room with the bar as that really had a more lively atmosphere.   We were down one as Kim was in Wisconsin for the weekend.  True to our M.O. we ordered up some drinks first and the martini's were a hit.  The wine flowed as well.  Our waiter had the unfortunate problem of constantly running into the screen door collapsed against the wall behind our table.   He seemed genuinely shocked ever time he ran into it.  He was attentive and friendly even supplying Kathryn with a smoke on the patio when she correctly took him for a smoker.  

The table shared a Mac N Cheese appetizer.  We may have ordered a second one I can't recall but it was a divine combination of  fusilli, fontina, white truffle, and bread crumbs.  As you can see from the picture, Kathryn made sure she got her fair share by licking the bowl.  A couple of us ordered the cider brined chicken breast and a couple had the scallops.   Although the group had mixed opinions (don't we always?), in general we found it a fine meal.   No rave reviews but no real complaints.  I would go back but would definitely sit in the bar area.   

The evening was fun.  The conversation . . . well, risque--right Maggie?  Although we did not get our meal for free this time (the only redeeming part of my first selection),  we had a pleasant meal and it is nice to have another option for dinner in the River Market.   --JMF